Wol-framing...!

[Image Courtesy - SobelMedia]

I am sure that by now most of you would have either read the numerous reviews of WolframAlpha, an ultra-trendy new search engine by Stephen Wolfram and his team of distinguished scientists and mathematicians or tried comparing Wolfram's search results with those of Google/Live/Yahoo/Ask. Here are some of the salient (and cool) features of WolframAlpha that make it worth trying:

• Highly Intuitive: Since, it relies heavily on the expert knowledge and statistics, some of the search queries give much better results than those given my other search engines. Lets say we wish to quickly run a comparison between Nissan and GM and we enter "Nissan, GM" in the search bar of WolframAlpha. Boom - it gives us the latest stock prices, market caps, revenues, earnings per share etc. of both the companies in a tabular form and within seconds you learn which company is doing better. Check this or this.
  
• Highly Data Driven: Whenever, you need more information about some specific metric say a date, a town, a country or a formula - just put that information in the search bar and Wolfram fetches yoo the elaborate and related results within seconds. Seeking information about a city or an event is as simple as this or this.
• Great Learning Resource: Haven't you heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, I find WolframAlpha to be great resource for learning music or even sports. Check this or this.
• Instant Weather Check: Real time Weather information is just a click away now. Check this.
  

And I am sure the list goes on and on. In a nutshell I would say that this new search engine does a remarkable job in searching, processing and fetching us back the systematic knowledge on the WWW. Lets wait and watch-something tells me that folks at Wolfram Research are going to come up with many more inovative features in the days to come. If you do find some exciting feature about WolframAlpha, do let me know. Till then
Happy Wol-framing :D

"All exact science is dominated by the idea of approximation."~Bertrand Russell

Spring Forward...!

[Image Courtesy-TIME]

Its that time of the year again when accurate "TIME" matters so much and you want it or not-all your gadgets, your car clock and all your electronic gadgets grab your attention atleast for couple of minutes :) Yes, I am referring to 'Daylight Saving Time' here.

If you are an IT Professional, I am sure you would be aware of the hoopla that surrounds this yearly event in every company. Infact, DST reminds me of the amazing time I spent in a big Indian IT consulting firm I worked for in Mumbai four years ago. Back then, in March, our Program Manager used to make a detailed plan outlining numerous tasks and used to emphasize the criticality of every task quite visibly (meetings, meetings and more meetings!). The best part was that our DBA Team was conveyed a very strong message - "With great power comes great responsibility!" (remember Peter Parker ?) and we were conditioned to believe that we are like special task force commandos whose mission is to keep the IT systems of BIG Clients alive during the crucial flip-over moment when clocks are moved forward in the States. Orders were orders and thus we did our jobs with utmost devotion, sincerity and passion and the celebrity treatment ("Amazing work team!" emails from Senior mgmt) that we used to receive post DST sure felt awesome back then!

Anyways, coming back to present-here are some quick facts about DST:

• In simple terms, the clocks are set ahead one hour on first Sunday of March to create an extra hour of daylight in the evening during summers.
• The correct term is 'Daylight saving time' and not 'Daylight savings time'.
• The first American to advocate for daylight saving was Benjamin Franklin.
• America's EST time zone makes the switch before the rest of the country.
• The states of Arizona and Hawaii do not follow DST.
• Post DST, Central Time will be referred to as CDT instead of CST.
• Mathematically speaking, you loose an hour's sleep but hey you can always cover up by either going to bed early on Saturday night or taking a nap on Sunday afternoon :)

So remember to spring forward your analog clocks at 2 a.m. this Sunday and have a cool weekend ahead!
"If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality"~Benjamin Franklin

Messengers Of Peace...!

[Image Courtesy-Queenbgy]

Can someone please suggest the people who keep trying so hard to disrupt world peace to turn their focus on bigger issues like acquiring new skills, helping their families amidst the turbulent economic times and most importantly let others shine for God's sake !

While news alerts like this, this or this have always shaken me to the core, I just hope that atleast 0.01% of the incorrigible terrorists and the likes transform for good this year! Can somone send me email/postal addresses of some of the terrorists so that I can send them biographies of few world renonwned peacemakers such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Dalai Lama, Aung Saan Suu Kyi, Mahatma Gandhi and the likes or send them some interesting real-life projects/challenges or even comics to keep their minds engaged elsewhere...Sighh :(

"Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing."~Albert Schweitzer

Eye on Zimbabwe...!

[Image Courtesy - The Difference Magazine]

While International concern has been building up against the current Zimbabwean Government since couple of months, the latest Cholera outbreak in the country hurts the prevailing helpless state of affairs (inadequate drinking water supply, weak health system, collapsed social infrastructure, poor land reforms policies etc.) in this African country. I must admit that conversation with a lady (Nyarin is a Zimbabwean Immigrant) in Library last evening shook me to the core and I just hope and pray that things get back to their normal self in Zimbabwe soon. Here's a quick chronicle of the crisis:

• At independence [April 18, 1980], Zimbabwe was one of the most promising countries in Africa with a one of the region’s highest literacy rates, thriving agriculture industry and a robust healthcare system and everyone seemed optimistic about future of the nation.
• Robert Mugabe, who was elected as President, took many strategic decisions, made significant investments in healthcare and education systems. A very strong agricultural sector and country's committment to allround development helped Zimbabwe gain a significant position amidst the developing African nations.
• However, by the late 1990s the situation totally reversed with sky high inflation, severe food shortages, widespread epidemics and breakdown of basic public services due to unexplainable socio-econmic policies by Mugabe's government and lack of willingness to change in accordance with the external factors.
• Last year, WHO announced that Zimbabwe had the shortest life expectancy in the world - 37 years for men and 34 years for women. This sure was a very very disturbing news for the whole world.
• In 2008, Morgan Tsvangirai, who leads Zimbabwe’s main opposition party (Movement for Democratic Change) challenged Mugabe for the presidency. However, members of MDC encounteres severe resistance from Mugabe's camp.
• Finally, Tsvangiri was sworn in as the Prime Minister last Wednesday[11th Feb, 2009] and he aims to put the country on a progressive track again. The best part is the ininhibited support Zimbabwe has from the African Union to realize this dream.

Personally, I feel that Zimbabwe certainly has the potential to tackle its seemingly unending crisis. (There's always hope!) The need of the hour for the nation is one to show the world that it is serious about the CHANGE (Tsvangiri to me seems the perfect man/leader for achieving this) and two to seek International support (WHO/AU/ONE) and sincere well wishes.

I thus request you to grab 10 seconds from your free time today (We are well-wishers right?) and join me in signing this petition (Thanks Much!) or even forward the same to your friends (Thanks sooooo much!). I strongly feel that each one of us can make a difference & like we always say at ONE - "Every Vote Counts!"

"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."~Mark Twain

Acknowledging History...!

I am so amazed upon reading the following email today evening:
-----------------------------
From: Bank of America [mailto:artsmedia@bankofamerica[dot]com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 6:00 PM
To: Gupta, Chinmay
Subject: Museums on Us from Bank of America

"This coming weekend get free admission to over 70 museums nationwide with Museums on Us™. Just present your Bank of America check, credit or ATM card, along with your photo ID." Click here to find the list of participating museums in your area, and to learn more about Museums on Us™
-----------------------------

While my instant reaction was this, I did a quick computation to get the number of days between today and the last time I visited a museum and the revelation was certainly not a pleasant one! Very quickly, I checked the nearest public library's website and guess what I learned - There are over 25 museums around Boston - now that's certainly very very cool!

While I quickly narrow down the options, get new camera batteries, grab a Staples Recordbook (I love taking notes!), I think its worth mentioning a few points about what can be inspiring about any museum in general (Hope post reading the pointers, my roomie agrees to give me company as I explore one museum after another starting this weekend-Hehhheehh :)). Off to the essentials:

• Visual Appeal: Stamps, ancient coins, wood cravings, manuscripts from the past - always have an amazing appeal specially when you find them housed in nice glass cases with a short description of the artefact. And such vivid visual patterns get recorded almost instantly in our minds. Which is why most of us find it easier to recall what we saw in the museum rather than what we read in a book/newspaper.


• Vocabulary: If you represent 98% of the people (Yeah you'll find me in that bandwidth;)) who visit any museum, chances are that you might words/literature in the exhibit you have never heard of before. And believe me noting down some of that esoteric stuff can be really cool. All you have to do next is when you get back home, put that scary word in google search bar, check its usage in ordinary sentences and thats it. See you added a new word in your Vocab. Bravo!


• Creativity: Have you ever noticed how the folks at museum come up with ways to market the museums in order to draw more crowds? While we all notice the museum listings on internet or in libraries-but have a look at the ad listing and you'll understand how much of reasearch is done by every museum to come up with an ultra-creative Ad.


• Management: Museums perhaps require much more money than what you and me pay at the Ticket window for their expansion and upkeep. How do they manage to do this fund-raising? Think about it !


• Euphoria: In any museum, you'll often hear those "What is this Mommy?" or "Why this is the way it is?" kind of questions kids shower their parents with. Now, if you are a parent, chances are that you'll be forced to put your thinking caps on to answer such questions. And if you do manage to give a convincing answer to your smart small wonder, you are going to feel very very happy inside! Bravo Again!

I have always believed that museums have a profound impact of our lives and psyche; but what really pushes me towards the museums (@ New Haven, DC, Chicago, Texas, NYC and now Boston) is that fact that people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities often visit a museum purely out of interest and being a part of such "interesting" crowd can be wonderful in ways more than one. Enough said - do check out the museums in your proximity here. And Thank-You Bank Of America - I loved the idea and rest assured you have a happy customer here:)

Happy Exploring Friends !

"The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.~William James"

Positively Radiant...!

[Photo Courtesy - Esprit]

Yes-that is exactly how I felt yesterday. I mean it sure was a special day (my birthday :)) but what made it all the more memorable was the fact that so many acquaintances (my family members, friends, relatives, office peers etc) called up to convey their sincere wishes in diverse styles and modes of expressions (Phone, Gtalk, Orkut, Mail, Songs) ! Was the universe a bit brighter yesterday or was it just one of those "perfect days" - I wondered...

Since I have been working on enhancing my "Thinking Skills" for quite some time now, a quick analysis of events around me has almost become my second nature. Thus post every call by a well-wisher, I paused for a moment to observe what my mind (Phewww ! It never ceazes to stop wandering - god knows what is it that keeps it busy all the time ;)) is upto and what a fantastic exercise it was. Here' a gist of it:

........................................
Trrrringggg - Trrrringggg

Me: Hello

Friend (Excited): Hey Many-Many Happy returns of the day pal...How you doing?
Me (Happy): Thanks a lot bud - I am great...How about you?
Friend (Curious): Good Good...So where's the party tonight? And yes, it better be a grand one dude !
Me (Happier): Planning to go to a Mexican Restaurant nearby, they have a dance floor in there as well-come on over...We'll have a blast !
........................................

And then your mind goes off to the races-very quickly it scans the memory archive, gets you back a visual/sensory snapshot of the moment when you and your friend last met and had a fantastic time and thus you become cheerful for a while! Now, before you settle down (to your equilibrium mental state), you receive another call from an even closer friend and your happiness reserves remain full. Fast forward 5 hours-you are one of the happiest person in the town :) And when a sumptuous dinner with room-mates and some fancy footwork (dance)marks the end of your day-you wonder how come the world has become such an awesome place at once....Which is why I said I felt "Positively Radiant" :D

Now on days when you don't have your birthday here's what happens (I think)...
Eventually your mind reverts back to its equilibrium state and you again engage yourself with tasks that you usually do to spend your weekend. And in case you are not one of those cheerful kind of homo-sapient, you end up focussing on the "not-have" elements in your life again huh'! The solution-either be on phone with your well-wishers all the time all the time (if you can afford it:)) or engage yourself in things you really love doing-singing, dancing, writing, drawing, traveling, watching movie etc. and yes do wish your friends on their birthdays. You never know - just one phone call can make their day brighter !

Oh by the way-thanks a lot Dad, Mom, Surabhi, Juhi & all my amazing friends for the lovely presents & associated surprises - I can't cease admiring them or talking about 'em to my friends over & over again :) The Esprit glasses were an instant hit and so was the Blackberry Wallet and the carved Coffee Mug (the most creative present). Love y'all so much!

Happy Republic Day !

"Life's truest happiness is found in friendships we make along the way!"

Mini Escape...!

[Image Source - Bigoo]

There are some days when you pretend that things are absolutely fine or you are totally cool & composed when you're not-Well, this Sunday was one such day. I was super-bored for the heavy snow prevented me from going out and the weekend almost seemed like a house-arrest. The good thing was a day ago I procured a book called "I Am a Pencil" from the local library and with nothing else to do decided to read it. The book (a beautiful narrative of adventures of a teacher and his students) was such a nice read for I could correlate so many events there with that of my own ertshile teaching experiences and perhaps thats why I finished the book in 4 hours flat. As I patted myself (finishing a book can be a BIG achievement at times :D) and headed for the kitchen to do preprations for the supper, all of a sudden the conflicting forces (True Self Vs The Other Self) in my mind were at conflict again. It has happened before and believe me it can be really tough at times. Anyways the conversation went like:

True Self: Hey you did a good job-finished a nice book dude!

The Other Self: As if anyone cares...tell me did you make any new friends oflate?

True Self: Ummm yeah, I can write a quick email to Mr. Swope-the author letting him know his book was brilliant ! So there I have a new friend right..What say ?

The Other Self: Aggggghhhhh, weekend means stepping out from home, visiting a mall, watching a movie, hanging out with friends and NOT reading a book-do you get that?

True Self (Justifying): Yeah, I understand but you know there's kinda paucity of friends in this place :( so I am doing what appeals me the most. Whats wrong with that?

The Other Self (Pushing Again): Hey listen, friends don't come knocking at your door, you gotta explore new places, cultivate new hobbies, participate in community events and thats how you meet new people. You gotta do everything except sitting in home in your illusionary perfect world !

True Self (In Defiance): But books give us so much of inspiration and plenty of insights. Besides isn't the very fact that the distinguished authors spend so much of time (usually 2-3 years) putting their experiences down in black and white for the readers awe-inspiring in itself? I bet it is.

The Other Self (Taken a back): I am afraid I won't agree 100% with you on this note. Its authors' job to write. Its like you like writing elegant code and they like writing their musings - simple ! My point is go make friends-you need a few for your own good! Friends can teach you a lot more than books and bestsellers.

True Self (Turned Submissive): Yeahhhh, in this perceived land of opportunities, you get platforms to learn, to perform, to become independent but you are right-making good friends seems a herculian task :(

The Other Self (Elated): Daaaaah! Nothing is "tough" dude. Now would you please step out and go for a brisk walk atleast. I am sure you'll feel better!

You see-this is what happens when you try being a humble human being who is usually happy living in his own world of books, delicacies and internet. Your other self (mine is really ultra crazy and can crush me with ever increasing expectations)never lets you stay quiet and happy. Anyways, orders are orders-I put my amunitions on (2 Jackets, Leather Gloves, Fur Cap, Snow Shoes, Mini-Torch and my ultra heavy key-chain), took a deep breath and marched ahead on the assigned mission. To my utter surprise my so called march lasted for a mere 10 minutes! While walking past my car in the parking lot, I noticed an inquisitive looking lady shoveling snow from the area and I decided to lend a helping hand. And what a wise decision it was !

Within minutes we cleared the lot A space and as we headed for clearing the lot B, my true self reminded me about my goal for the evening (to make a new friend) and I thought it was time to talk. I learned that Stella (think I got her name right;)) is a real estate agent and has been living in New England Area since a decade and she really loves her profession. I too explained her what I do for a living(it was tough though;)) and soon we were talking about Indian/Western cultures, Economy, Financial Crises, latest bestsellers, movie releases and ofcourse the omnipresent snow in New England. She was particularly curious about the Indian Music and Dance Styles and told me that she felt very happy for the Golden Globe Award won by Mozart of Madras recently.Well Mr. Rehman you made all Indians so proud yet again and your speech was truly inspiring as well! We are sure that now Oscars are within reach too!

We (Me and Stella) talked and talked and talked and yet it seemed that we cleared the lot B in minutes (it was well past an hour though;)). As I said goodbye to her saying that I'll keep in touch via email, I asked myself do I want another snow storm soon-well may be Yes (that was my Other Self;) !

But on a serious note I am very happy at having made a new friend whose interests vary from reading to cooking to skiing to dancing! So, Thank-you Mr. The Other Self-sometimes your advice does work;) Besides it reinforces the notion that opportunies in life are plenty-we just gotta have a right focus and a right attitude!

"The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy~Meryl Streep"

Micro-Interactions...!

Just when I thought that the New Year celebrations are over and its time to head back to the dramatic reality (read life ;)), a colleague of mine invited me over to his place for dinner this Saturday and what a memorable evening it was! While I loved the delicacies he and his wife prepared with so much of affection, what captured my attention were their super-energetic tiny tots-Ayan & Lipi, their equally tiny friends-Matthew & Megan and their varied recreational interests. After exchanging the usual plesantries, all of us made concscious moves to know more about each other - you know smiling, asking about hobbies etc. Even though I have always liked social get-togethers for they provide numerous opportunities to meet new people and connect with them on some common level but this situation was way . Think about it - When 4 seemingly naive kids (Okay a bit naughty too!) stare at you for well over 10 minutes, exchange puzzled looks and keep giggling on and on-you'll are bound to feel like an Alien! Here are few reflections from the Scene:

Living Room:

I called up Ayan and asked him to get his pencilbox, crayons and few sheets of paper. His instant reaction was like "Hey how can a stranger order me to get MY things?" but a bit of coaxing helped and soon we (myself and all the kids) seated ourselves in a circular fashion all set for a round table conference. From my erstwhile teaching experiences, I have started believing that pictures/illustrations are the quickest ways to spark one's creativity and I felt this was a time to test this fact. I said to them lets try to draw something that we love sincerely and lets see who does it first. Inside, I smiled for I thought this would get them all moving but they seemed least interested :( But thats okay (I said to myself) for if everything happens according to our will, life would ceaze to be an adventure! Matthew (the most energetic of the bunch) spotted a football nearby and tossed it right at my face and before I could muster up courage to ask them to focus on drawing exercise-I realised that the need of the hour was to play "Football Toss" game. And-we had a blast !

Dining Room: O boy-kids can be so much inquisitive yet innocent. Check this conversation thread...
One Parent: C'mmon Kids - try guessing Chinmay's age?

Ayan (5 yrs old)- Well, ummm 4

Megan (6 yrs old)- 5

Lipi (3 yrs old)- 1 ...Giggleee

Matthew (7 yrs old)- C'mmon he gotta be atleast 8

All [in unison] - Yeahhhhhhhhh Eight !

I wonder how they came up with the number 8 but since it was a team effort (Wisdom Of Crowds)-I smiled back in amazement. Later (after supper) to my utter surprise-each of them made an illustration-God knows what prompted/motivated them all of a sudden but here's what they sketched. [Ayan-some zig-zag pattern, Megan-A Flower,two leaves and Me(how sweet!), Lipi-A Pencil, Matthew - A Dinosaur].

All in all-I will always remember with fondness the time I spent with these four small wonders-they truly know how to savor every moment in life. As things stood, it was an amazing day indeed.

"They can because they think they can !"

A Quick Exercise...!

Whoaaaa-its just 3 more hours before the year 2008 bids us all a warm farewell. At this very moment-I am sure that most of us are busy celebrating with our loved ones in the most treasured manner or joining others in the mega celebrations in case we stay away from our families (Yeah-these are the times you miss them a lot!). I had this sudden thought minutes ago that this is a good time to look back and list one's salient achievements of the year. Grab a pen and a paper, give yourself 5 minutes and very quickly list down things that made you exceptionally happy in the year 2008. If you find the following activities in this list of yours-congratulate yourself and keep up the momentum for the days to come.

• Spent quality time with family.
• Acquired a new skill.
• Touched life of a person (or assisted someone with a selfless motive).
• Received genuine praise from a stranger.
• Connected with more than 10 happier folks on Internet or otherwise.
• Worked sincerely towards realising your "Goal" in life.
• Met two inspiring people who said "You can do it !".

This small exercise did bring a smile on my face and I felt so good inside (I am sure it would do the same for anyone as well!). And for those who feel burdened by regrets/disappointments for they were unable to realise their last year's super difficult resolutions (losing weight, getting into National Swimming Team, changing perceptions of your best friend, climbing Mt. Everest, visiting Amazon rainforests, reading 365 books etc)-all I have to say is this is not an opportune occasion to dampen your spirits or do a causal analysis of your life-c'mmon clock is ticking real fast and the need of the hour is to count your blessings and stay cheerful !

And yes, as you try to list down your resolutions for 2009-try being realistic (thing big but act rational) and kind (take it easy) to yourself. (I took 54 and 75 resolutions respectively in the last two years and lets not discuss how I felt during last days in December of 2006 & 2007 :D). Have a look at this thought provoking post by Rajesh in case you find yourself in Catch-22 with "Resolutions". As you transition from this year to the next and harness your energy and creativity to realise your true ambitions-I wish you all the very best !

Enjoy this amazing track by YellowCard - the lyrics are simply amazing ...

I'll run in the dark looking for some light,

And how will we know if we just don't try,

We won't ever know

Let me light up the sky Light it up for you ...

Stay Healthy, Savvy, Kind and Cool in 2009 !

"The road to a friend's house is never too long!"

Paradox Of Choice...!

[My fav Juice Shop at Nariman Point, Mumbai, India]

[In India, in addition to Coffee Shops, choices (L/M/S) are offered in Juice Corners too]

Ever felt puzzled while buying the perfect present for that "special" friend of yours or while finding your true calling (dream job/startups/writing/drawing/dancing...) for that matter? Well, let me assure you that you are not alone in this world where there are always bazillion choices for just about everything. As I visited the local Blockbuster Store yesterday to procure a DVD for a friend of mine (Christmas is a great time to exchange gifts!), selecting the right movie wasn't a breeze at all. It took me over 30 minutes to choose the right movie and when I finally got it gift wrapped and walked out of the store-I felt relieved ! While my intuitive response to this sudden burst of anxiety was that-I had a long day at work and my mind wasn't at its best, deep inside I knew something else was at work! What I couldn't figure out was whether it was my mind, my emotions or just my mood?

While I normally hit Google Search in emergency situations like these (Yupp-it shook me that much :)), this time I preferred calling a friend instead-afterall she's supposed to know why we behave in a specific manner in certain situations? First she comforted me (actually she kinda scolded me) saying that this time of the the year should rather be spent planning Christmas get togethers, singing Chistmas Carols and basically indulging in the euphoric spirit of the festive season. Then she said that its a proven fact in psychology [Choice Theory]-that choices do create unhappiness and stress. Before she could steer the conversation to shopping and stuff she prefers talking about (and I don't ;)), I requested her for a quick 5-6 pointers that can serve handy when I feel inundated with way too many choices now on. And here are the tips she offered:

• Think Emotions - While most of the time we weigh options in the luminosity of logic, we should rather make choices based on the experience (we suppose) it would provide us with ! She reinforced the statement by giving an example that if buying a FOSSIL Watch genuinely leaves you with feel good experience inside-go for it. I know exactly why this example was quoted (I have always reverred FOSSIL watches) but yes point taken bud.
• Be Focussed - While following a set and proven path in career/life is sure a safe option, in case you strive to venture out - have an Acute sense of focus since beggining. Focus, she said helps in filtering out the unwanted choices (psychologists call it Noise) from the useful ones.
• Sense Opportunities - Most of us spent phenomenal of time thinking or talking about the missed opportunites (I would have done this only if I had this....or If I were brilliant I could...or Only if work was fun I would be happy...etc). And when we keep playing such incidents over and over again in our minds, it influences our decision making ability as well. If we rather divert our attention to spotting potential in the new opportunities/ventures, we can become quick thinkers and coming up with crazier and unconventional ideas can actually become a habit.
• Buy this bestseller or grab a copy from the local library ! :-D

While I try to demystify the paradox of choice over the next few days and finish the year on a memorablenote, I wish you all Happy Holidays! And in case you wish to spend time reading some good stuff-check out the links posted here.

"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time! ~James Taylor"

Quantum Mechanics...!

After back to back attempts of persuasion (ranging from "Its festive time Chinmay!", "Its a Bond Movie!", "You've got to see the action & the plot", "The theatre has a luxurious Lux Level seating" and the best temptation she offered was-"There's Ben & Jerry store in there too!") , a dear friend convinced me (finally) to go for evening show of "Quantum Of Solace" at the Showcase Cinema Theatre next to the magnificent Gilette Stadium at Foxboro, MA yesterday. And what a splendid evening it was! Later, on our way back I thanked her for the super-special evening for I thought as if I just attended a rock concert (Yes it was that amazing!). What she said next has remained etched in my memory since - "Chinmay always remember that you are not the only person who looks for the best choice in anything-As a matter of fact everyone does; And if you keep that in mind you can make everyday super-fantastic !". She sure has been an aficionado of movies, concerts and anything to do with Art (Galleries, Paintings, Illustrations, Rangolis et all) since high school days and as she said goodbye - she said (rather demanded;)) she would love to see my thoughts on the movie on my blog. Now, knowing that I usually think in extremes about movies (0% this/100% that)-this felt like a herculian task and I thus dozed off to sleep. Today morning however, yesterday's unfinished "To-Do" kept buzzing again & again & again in my mind. So here I am sipping my coffee, logged in to blogger and lets see...


Honestly while they were showing Trailers of upcoming releases, I was trying to ascertain what the movie would be about-from its title. And considering that I haven't watched any other bond flick yet(Yeah I know thats a surprise!)-all I could think was Planck's constant (used to describe quanta) from high school physics :( And I decided not to share my thoughts with my friend for atleast the next 2.2 hours (what a wise decision it was - I bet;)).

My other friends (who are sure shot movie buffs) tell me that this movie wasn't appreciated much across the globe when compared to the erstwhile Bond films. Now that comes as quite a surprise to me 'coz a little research tells me that the blockbuster did made a killing at the Box Office. Here's I think why:

• Highly Torqued Action Sequences (M's trusted bodyguard Chase by bond)
• Extreme Rendition of Stunts (Bond's Aston Martin Car Chase)
• Depiction of Abundance (Dominic Greene's zillionaire Lifestyle)
• Nail Biting Suspense (What would happen next keeps you glued till the movie ends)
• Common Motto (Inconsolable rage & vengeance of the leads-Camille[Olga Kurylenko] & Bond[Daniel Craig] against )
• Sophisticated Gadgets with an amazing appeal (C'mmon we all love 'em - don't we?)

In a nutshell, I would say that the movie rocked and left me feeling exhilarated. What an amazing Brand Equity 007 has-hats off to Ian Fleming !

"To win without risk is to triumph without glory ~ Pierre Corneille"

Fragments of the Self...!

I often wonder about this whole marketing stuff - after all everyone around seems to be somehow associated with it. Human Nature according to me always seeks to pursue the best. An example is - we hunt for nice deals online (or visit nearest Walmart) while buying normal utility good; however the whole equation simply changes when we are buying say our first Car or Laptop or Phone (I know iPhone is amazing :)) or say a house. Ain't we all are ready to shell out a little extra money to settle in for the best - well thats what human psyche is all about. Some of my learned friends tell me "Dude, thats called Branding in business world" and in order to achieve success, companies today apply lots of efforts towards making the presence of their brand felt in this busy world. Well, I totally agree - if you ask me Why... here are the pointers my mind would look at before giving a nicely composed answer:

• Attention Spans in the world around us are getting incredibly shorter thanks to ever increasing clutter of products across the globe.
• Since Information is universally accessible now (Thanks to Google), anyone is capable of achieving breakthroughs provided one is focussed, positive and has a concrete idea to work upon. Which means that even a great product needs an audience...!
• Our Mind looks for pictures / sensory experiences first than plain facts / figures while looking for information in our Indexed memories. Which means you have to develop a visual aid (Logo) so that people can connect with you instantly. Seth has an interesting post on a logo's worth.
• We all love Storytelling - my friends who own iPhone/a Macbook speak volumes about the amazing aesthetic experience Apple Products provide; ever wondered anyone who returns from a Disney Park keep sharing the memories of his visit to a Theme Park for weeks. Which means that a product must generate ripples amidst our humdrum existence and should be something which people love talking about.

Well, that should be enough Food for thought for now. Let me try designing a logo / visual repr. for my sketches over this weekend. As Seth says - one should keep trying if one has a dream. And yes, I did try this one out - writing the goals does makes you slip an inch closer to achieving them.

By the way, the best brand till date I feel is of "Bond". All we need to hear is....

"My name is Bond, James Bond....!"