tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68372669511680873792009-10-12T18:23:24.969-07:00The Twisted Nerve.Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-88167435967667875792009-10-06T13:17:00.000-07:002009-10-06T14:03:59.281-07:00I don't know what to name this postSometimes some things are destined to happen! I believe in miracles but sometimes some things happen in such a way that you feel there is a third party planning all this.<br /><br />You know for example, a few weeks back early morning I was preparing for an important meeting with one of our advisors. The meeting was scheduled at 11 A.M. and I left home at 9:30 A.M. to give me sometime to work out on some documents at the office. But when I reached there and opened the flap of my laptop, to my horror, the laptop screen had a huge black spot on it and a crack running through the whole screen. Apparently, I forgot my earphones between the flaps and closed the flap, which caused the crack.<br />For a moment, I was very disappointed at my luck and fearing how huge a bomb it might cost me to get it repaired. I wasn't earning then, I aint earning a single penny now, so it was quite a shock. I quickly recuperated and got the essential documents I needed for the meeting printed out from the e-mail attachments I had sent out. The meeting went well.<br /><br />Following the meeting, I called up Sony Vaio Service centre to know the potential lost it has caused me. They told me a visiting charge of Rs 1000 and a screen replacement charge of approx Rs 17000(gulp!). I was feeling so very screwed, for paying such a huge penalty for a seemingly small mistake of forgetting my earphones between the flap. I just casually asked the office wardboy, if the computer guy at IIM can repair it(trying to console myself although I knew the answer!). I took his number and called him to know what can be done. <br />After a day, he quoted me a price of Rs 8,500 for a non-sony screen, which I readily accepted after some hard negotiation bringing the cost to Rs 8000. Subsequently, I had to give away my laptop for repairing.<br />During these days, I used to sit in the computer centre at IIM. One day, I was sitting alone in the centre, when a gentleman arrived. Surprisingly, computer centres at IIM remain empty as compared to 60-70% occupancy rate back at IIT. <br />He came here for some computer related troubleshooting and as no-one was there, he asked me where the computer guy was. I said he'll be here in sometime and that you might like to wait. So, he started talking and we introduced ourselves. He told me he was working in the army as a strategist for 8 years, after which he worked in a consultancy firm as a managing partner and now was doing an MBA. The guy was good in strategy as well as quality processes( black-belt in Six Sigma). When I discussed my plans and told I was from IITG, he found them interesting and after some more time, he got his computer repaired and we said our goodbyes. One day, after a week or so, I was returning from office at about 10:30 in the night. I found him on a post-dinner walk enjoying the breeze. I recognised him and told him about the progress I made. He asked me for my business plan to give me better advise to which I said that I was looking for someone who could help me write one! He readily agreed. A few meetings with him have been good so far and his advices certainly add that 360 perspective to my thinking, in addition to the motivation he provides.<br /><br />None of this would've ever happened, if I hadn't forgotten those earphones that day. Probably Rs 8000 is too low a fee for a great consultancy.<br /><br />Second incident happened today, when again I came to computer lab to get my laptop formatted as I was fed up of vista. Instead of a simple windows xp installation, my laptop being the super-smart laptop that it is didn't function as normal laptops do. It instead didn't detect the installation CD and on further tweaking with the settings and all, somehow a critical file got deleted which resulted in its logging off as soon as it logs on. This happened at 8:30PM at which time I had to go to office for a conference call happening between three continents( California, Norway and Ahmedabad). Later the computer guy came back asking me to give him my laptop for the night and that I use the computer centre for tonight.<br />Again, in a twist of destiny, I was alone there and a guy came. he was looking for printout and matter-of-factly didn't have A4 papers. As fate would have it, he asked me for help to which I suggested to look for at the reception or the placement office which remain open till late in the night. He got the papers from the reception and came back to thank me. He then introduced himself, as a gesture of good attiquette. He said he was a Columbia graduate in Economics policy and was working in Clean Energy infrastructure finance projects and was associated with the second-largest bank in Japan for last 8 years. What could be better? Meeting a person with a policy and finance background and that too in clean energy. He heard my plans and agreed to give me a helping hand and asked me to send him a financial model. I would've never met him had my laptop had a successfull installation or if I hadn't come to the computer centre or came at a different time.<br /><br />Sometimes things just happen. And as long as the results are good, all is well.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-8816743596766787579?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-81227150800737038622009-09-24T06:35:00.000-07:002009-10-06T14:08:59.208-07:00What strategy to follow with people!Its a really crappy title to a really wonderful set of words coming ahead. I saw this on some website, I swear I couldn't have written this better myself. So I'm copy-pasting it :<br /><br />Who makes difference in your life<br /><br />1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.<br /><br />2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.<br /><br />3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.<br /><br />4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.<br /><br />5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.<br /><br />6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.<br /><br />How did you do?<br /><br />The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. They are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.<br /><br />Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:<br /><br />1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.<br /><br />2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.<br /><br />3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.<br /><br />4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.<br /><br />5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.<br /><br />Easier?<br /><br />The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are NOT the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who care.<br /><br /><br />A great lesson to follow at work or play! The point is if you want to get the best out of your employees, you need to care for them rather then treating them just another cog in the wheel. When you make a difference to their lives in a positive way, they'll be only happy to return the favour, which will mean higher employee morale, higher productivity, higher talent retention and willingness to make sacrifices like paycuts etc in times of downturn. All of which will make your company earn higher revenues and make a mark subsequently.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-8122715080073703862?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-4057835821174201952009-05-12T17:28:00.000-07:002009-05-12T17:34:25.796-07:00Why are we here?Some of the fundamental questions that have baffled the human civilizations ever since it appeared on this planet was 'Why are we here?' and 'What is the purpose of life?'.Well, I think I can try and answer it and I'm pretty convinced with my answer. Rest is upto you to decide. Leave your comments if you have any.<br /><br />The answer is "to propagate and discover".<br /><br />We are here to move forward in the evolutionary chain. Ever since we came on this planet,we've been trying to beat what all challenges nature has put forth in front of us and moved forward. Solving the problem of food,transportation,energy and communication with the path breaking inventions of farming,wheel,fire and language systems. This helped us collaborate with other humans to solve even bigger problems. As societies evolved,so did these basic inventions helping us collaborate with civilizations first in their vicinity and then on in other parts of the world. <br /><br />Now the world civilizations are collaborated and they're going forward to accomplish bigger tasks like further exploration of other planets, solving the puzzle of ever lasting energy and giving home to ever increasing population. Soon,we'll be finding answers to warp speed which will help us travel between inter-galactic spaces,which will eventually help us to collaborate with other civilizations from various planets to help accomplish even bigger tasks like knowing the mysteries of life and the end of universe. When lifeforms will find answers to these questions,they will be posed with other challenges which cannot be comprehended now. There might be other universes at the end of our universe and lifeforms from different universes may collaborate to achieve challenges of their time and so on and so forth.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-405783582117420195?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-85055683012707868662009-05-09T12:22:00.000-07:002009-05-08T23:53:54.846-07:0030 before 30Well endsems are over! and after a thesis presentation,I'll be done with my bachelors engineering education. Its ,needless to say, a new beginning for all of us. People have planned all sorts of stuff for their life ahead. And I am no exception.<br /><br />I turned 22 today, and feel its an appropriate day for me to write my 30 before 30 list. It was in my mind from a long time but never got around to writing it,so here it goes( in no particular order):<br /><br />1)Want to start a company and turn it into a fledgling venture which actually does something useful.<br />2)Want to learn Saxophone and perform for a huge audience.<br />3)Want to try various adventure sports(paragliding,sky-diving,snorkelling,scuba-diving,deep-sea diving,wind-surfing,anything crazy will do)<br />4)Want to go to Antarctica on an expedition and live a day like Bear Grylls.<br />5)Want to go to Iceland,Egypt,South Africa,Bora Bora and other untouched places.<br />6)Want to own a designer house.<br />7)Want to own a designer car.<br />8)Want to learn Kenjutsu.<br />9)Want to learn Clay Modelling.<br />10)Want to be in a very good shape.<br />11)Want to take up a village and transform it into a place where all people are educated,all have enough to eat and all have jobs.<br />12)Want to start making canvas art in my free time and showcase at a gallery.<br />13)Want to own a kickboxing bag and gloves and practice boxing.<br />14)Want to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.<br />15)Want to meet a famous hollywood/bollywood star.<br />16)Want to get listed in world's youngest billionaires list.<br />17)Want to meet a Korean movie actress.<br />18)Want to learn swimming.<br />19)Want to meet creators of South Park and go to their studio.<br />20)Want to make a movie on a shoe-string budget.<br />21)Want to learn cooking some exotic dishes.<br />22)Surprise my family.<br />23)Surprise my friends.<br />24)Drop at a really old friend's place after many years without giving him a hint.<br />25)Meet my old school teachers who taught me when I was very young.<br />26)Meet Bill gates and Richard Branson.<br />27)Fall in love.<br />28)Speak at a commencement of some big university.<br />29)Travel first class on a private jet.<br />30)Travel on a private yacht.<br /><br />So that's about it.Sounds too utopian? Well 30 under 30 lists are utopian!<br />The list includes many things that many people want,so things like money/fame,no surprises there!<br />Anyways there are other things that I look forward to more.<br /><br />Frequently used verbs : Learn,try,meet,to go/travel,own.<br /><br />Will check back in another 8 years! Ciao for now!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-8505568301270786866?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-77614530627901142432009-05-09T00:18:00.000-07:002009-05-09T00:48:42.603-07:00Farewell and stuffYa,well like all the other colleges, we had our farewell too.It was pretty decent.<br /><br />Some notable pointers :<br /><br />*Only two faculty came( one was HOD due to his obligation,and other was a new faculty,so he came just to experience it).I guess all the other faculty is pissed or they don't care to say a final word to the batch they spent 4 years with.Nonetheless,I don't give a damn.Everbody has a right to do what they want.Expectations make this world somewhat less beautiful!<br /><br />*Many juniors came but left after the food was done.No surprises there! Happens all the time but it hits you when its yours!<br /><br />*Food was amazing and so were the host(3rd yr guys).My very best wishes to them and many thanks for keeping us company till the end and giving us a great farewell.<br /><br />*The venue was horrible! No AC.Don't blame the juniors. IIT kind of tries to be very controlling of the use of its premises for apparently no sensible reasons.These guys are just not social or they think that giving a bare minimum of an AC room for a farewell is probably asking for too much!<br /><br />*Night of confessions,revelations and experiences soon followed. Although many of the incidents discussed had a sexual overtone.Probably some hot topics never change.<br /><br />The thing was followed by a t-shirt scribbling session. Somehow half the comments written on my t-shirt were related to 'balls' :D After this followed our DP where we got drunk and talked about business(Ravi said he was investing in some web company,goofy and sudhanshu wanted to take over our business),rajkiran,sudar and I talked about taking LSD and getting high and regretting why didn't we meet before,mayur didn't drink much,so we were devoid of his fundae on why our batch is the best batch.<br /><br />Here are some of the comments I recieved(letter case/punctuations/abbreviations maintained) :<br /><br />U got balls dude - G.Abhilash<br /><br />U r irritating and u r fun buddy - Aditya Upadhyay aka Goofy<br /><br />You wish you had his balls - Mayur<br /><br />HATS OFF TO UR DREAMS.U SHOULD SUCCEED. - Thauseef<br /><br />BOND - Anonymous<br /><br />Never worried of being (called) a fool. - VENU<br /><br />BECOME THE NEXT(written,then crossed) BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY - Adithya Sagar<br /><br />Junkie(wannabe) - Rajkiran<br /><br />Cartman of Biotech - Mayur<br /><br />I am an arrogant and selfish bastard - Mayur on behalf of someone else<br /><br />MOST IRRITATING,U SUCK,IDIOT BT STILL U GOT THE BALLS! - Chandrashekar Singh alias Cool Chandu<br /><br />JACK of all trades, still I rock :-) MISS YA BRO - Akshay alias Tau<br /><br />I deeply appreciate your attitude & courage.Good Luck. - Garima<br /><br />Great boobs dude - Ravi Shankar<br /><br />THE UNIQUE MIND | HEADSTRONG - Chavan<br /><br />LIFETIME PARTNER !!! - Mohit aka Commander<br /><br />Overall,it was cool.Good times.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-7761453062790114243?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-15716233180905830962009-01-27T15:30:00.000-08:002009-01-27T15:42:10.804-08:00Love as a weaponLove is the most misunderstood thing in this world.Most people believe love is beautiful or love is 'good'.Love however can be just as good as heaven or as bad as hell depending on how you use it.<br /><br />Let me give you an omnipresent example. A mother and a son* relationship-the most selfless,most giving relationship in this world,nothing comes above it can become bad for the son. A mother finds it hard to see any difficulty/discrepancy in the son's behaviour.According to her,all is fine but the world knows all sons are not the best people.Criminals have moms too. A mother usually never looks at the contents of a dish her son likes.She is too preoccupied by the happiness on her son's face that she completely ignores that the dish might be giving her son's heart or pancreas a hard time.<br /><br />People go on ranting about how love is the most selfless thing in this world.Although there is nothing more selfish in this world than love itself.Period.<br /><br />Love intensity ranking :<br /><br /># 1 : Self-love or your love for yourself. Hence,you are your biggest friend or enemy.<br /><br /># 2 : A mother and a child love . The person,after you,who has the highest effect on you.<br /><br /># 3 : All other love.<br /><br />* 'son' is just an example here and is completely replaceable by 'daughter'.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-1571623318090583096?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-19898476997672534092008-11-21T16:56:00.000-08:002008-11-21T16:58:40.353-08:00WITNESS YOUR DEATHWITNESS YOUR DEATH<br /><br />Para 1<br /><br />i hope you cry and weep through the nights....<br />you turn all blind<br />and you cannot see the lights....<br /><br />better be prepared,you lowlife<br />your days are numbered,<br />And you cannot hide...<br />The fire of revenge<br />Is burning in my veins<br />All you can do is<br />burn in this rain.....<br /><br />On a black day,you will feel the wrath<br />your soul will turn hollow<br />and you shall witness your death...<br /><br />Para 2<br /><br />i hope your blood will freeze through the mind...<br />the master of the grave<br />will call you out tonight...<br /><br />Once again you betrayed my trust<br />This wont get you<br />Your laughter and your lust...<br />And we will see<br />when the sword of the devil goat<br />will soon be <br />pushed down your throat.....<br /><br />on a black day,you will feel the wrath<br />your soul will turn hollow<br />and you shall witness your death...<br /><br />---<br /><br />Footnote : <br />Some Death Metal Lyrics by Me , Bodom is including them in their latest album after they struck a $5mn deal with me recently ;)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-1989847699767253409?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-73685518830059667162008-10-18T15:01:00.000-07:002008-10-18T15:35:56.471-07:0023andMe!No,I haven't turned 23 nor am I fearful that I'm getting old.<br /><a href="https://www.23andme.com/">23andMe</a> is the newest kid on the block in the biotech arena .A startup <a href="http://news.cnet.com/Google-invests-3.9-million-in-biotech-start-up/2100-1014_3-6185860.html">funded by our good old Google brothers</a>.( I can see my biotech mates going YAY!!! )<br />Well,the company was founded by Sergey's wife Anna which made a lot easier for Anna (No surprise there!).The startup sells portable SpitKits for $399 a piece(around INR 20,000),where a person has to spit in the kit provided and has to take his spitted spitkit to a nearby certified lab for detailed genetic profile ( WELL,too much of money and too much of a work for a lazy bum like me just to know what my ancestors were made of and what diseases am I more likely to get in my future life !).<br /><br />Frankly,how are they making my life easier? Exactly,for what am I paying these people my hard-earned money?What value are they creating in the society?How are they making this world a better place? These are some of the questions every business has to ask itself sooner or later,and these guys certainly haven't done this basic exercise.<br /><br />Sergey gave all his <a href="http://spittoon.23andme.com/2008/09/18/google-co-founder-blogs-about-23andme-data-parkinsons-risk/#more-1418">fundaes on his blog</a>,why he liked the service and how its so great and that he gotta know that he's at a greater risk of getting Parkinson's ( wow,I wudn't like to pay that kind of money to lose my sleep in the night worrying how long is it gonna be before the doctor diagnoses me with Parkinson's....I bet it must've cost him much more than a mere sleep at night in the bed...haha )<br />Looking at Google's strong contacts,they roped in other investors too like the biotech giant,Genentech and profiled Star Investor Mr. Warren Buffet and Famous Singer Jimmy Buffet among others to play their silly Spitgames ( Spit Parties as they like to call :P :D)<br />Well,one thing they can look at is helping develop better medicines by studying genetic profiles of a large no. of people,large enough that they can derive some strong analytical analogies among genetic codes and variations in human bodies.But,sadly not much luck there as the human genetic profile has already been hacked under <a href="http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/project/about.shtml">THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT</a> and much of the common genes have been studied.<br /><br />Nonetheless,its a fun activity for people with extra money to know where your great grandfathers,great great grandfathers belonged to and what you have in common with your famous celebrities etc etc and which diseases are most likely to kill you in your old age.Its one of those things which are "nice-to-have" but certainly not "required".You do something that people really need and they will be only happy to open up their wallet and pay you for it.Simple as that!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-7368551883005966716?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-86316920397603310682008-09-17T06:33:00.000-07:002009-08-26T16:22:41.951-07:00The Helping Hand - Uniquely Singapore Experience<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; 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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >“Welcome! Please take a seat”, said a man in a very humble voice dressed up very simply in a white Helping Hand T-Shirt and a pair of blue jeans as we entered the main convention hall of the organization. “You are late” , he continued as he briefed us the portion of the talk we missed. We were given a magazine of the foundation and a handout of the talk by a boy sitting outside the hall who was in his teenage and probably a former drug-addict as was any other volunteer working in that organization . The man, Mr. Robert, was somewhere in his middle age and as he mentioned, had spent a better part of his life, an astonishing period of 24 years of his life, in prison!</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >The organization building was originally a school which was donated for this cause. The talk being given to us was on different types of drugs available and its various affects on human body and brain. It was indeed very informative and shocking at the same time how these drugs worked and why are they so addicting to people. He told us about the deadliest of the drugs the heroin, cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, rohypnol, upjohn, ice, inhalants et cetera et cetera. It was indeed very saddening to know that these drugs are freely available in the night party circuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >People who are not able to get these drugs in <st1:country-region st="on">Singapore</st1:country-region> due to legal restrictions easily get these in the neighboring countries like <st1:country-region st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region> and <st1:place st="on">Hong Kong</st1:place>, where the laws are much more relaxed. As Mr. Robert told us the scene in the hallowed lanes where it is very common to find drugs, we were terrified. As mentioned, even the police feared going to those lanes. They feared getting deadly diseases which might spread to them if they go close to the drug abusers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aR0SzuFP-54/SNENuhOCn_I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/GMM3lPdcCPo/s1600-h/clip_image002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aR0SzuFP-54/SNENuhOCn_I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/GMM3lPdcCPo/s400/clip_image002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246990133705744370" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >The people there are all drowned in various moods of euphoria experiencing a high, taking more and more injections unknowingly ruining their own lives. It is a terrifying scene. But then many of these people are not blessed with a loving and caring family like most others. Like Mr. Robert himself told us the prime reason for people taking up drugs is to cope up with their stress . Such people are also prone to committing crimes to fulfill their needs which are always increasing.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >Robert himself told us he was a gangster before joining the Helping Hand foundation and tried drugs just for the kick it gave him of getting a new high. The same old cigarette didn’t seem to work anymore. He needed something more strong,powerful,something that could make him feel good about himself. In short, he needed drugs and it all started with a cigarette. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;color:black;" ><a href="http://thinkexist.com/quotation/i-think-psychedelics-play-a-major-part-in-what-we/763591.html"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none;color:black;" >I think psychedelics play a major part in what we do, but having said that, I feel that if somebody's going to experiment with those things they really need to educate themselves about them. People just taking the chemicals and diving in without having any kind of preparation about what they're about to experience tend to have no frame of reference, so they're missing everything flying by and all these new perspectives. It's just a waste. They reach a little bit of spiritual enlightenment, but they end up going, 'Well, now I need that drug to get back there again.' The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without the drug.</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >The Helping Hand has been working for about 21 years now. It has been in inception since 1987.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aR0SzuFP-54/SNENu-_pu_I/AAAAAAAAAKE/FPWXe7vDWEU/s1600-h/63540cor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aR0SzuFP-54/SNENu-_pu_I/AAAAAAAAAKE/FPWXe7vDWEU/s400/63540cor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246990141698456562" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >It is primarily a self-help organization where the drug abusers help each other get rid of this habit. They organization the sports themselves, various social activities, celebrate various festivals and do trips for fun. They also help the organization raise funds by doing various chores like making furniture, picture frames and house removal/relocation and moving services. As Robert showed us around the place, we were literally awed by the amazing work that the people there have been doing. This was what is called living with a pride. Though we were not allowed to meet any of the persons/ex-criminals going through rehabilitation, we could well sense the pride in their eyes as we saw them work. People seemed far happier. Residents are taught to earn an honest living with the use of their hands. Their hands once used to harm themselves and others, are now offered as useful instruments of work in various services. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >Residents are given spiritual knowledge so that they can identify themselves to their inner being and open eyes to God, get morally oriented which I think is quite useful when a person is under deep stress and has to deal with the pressures of the society, their family and others. Helping Hand being a half-way Christian organization teaches Christianity i.e. the bible mainly and practices prayers in churches.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >Inhabitants are also encouraged to have some sort of physical activity while they’re staying there in the form of various sports, each day. They even hold various competitions amongst themselves .This keeps them pumped up throughout the day and helps them deal with the rehabilitation in a better way as by the time they seek rehabilitation help, they have already done a lot of damage to their body and immune system. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >The other major problem faced by the organization is the reabsorbance of the residents back into the society. During the tough times that they had faced, many of them tend to become anti-social and find it difficult later on after the program to get absorbed back into the society. Some who are lucky enough to change themselves may even find problems getting absorbed into the society because many a times the society due to its narrow mindedness or fear may abandon such people and isolate them. In either case, the person has an increased tendency to go back to drugs once again. To take care of this aspect, residents are encouraged to take up social activities like volunteering, going to social gatherings, making friends, and taking up jobs and other such activities so that they can easily open up to society and vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >After all the discussion, I really found a change in my attitude towards these needy men. They had nothing in common but ill-fate. There is a need to help these people get out of this trap and become law-abiding citizens of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country-region> and become fruitful to the nation as well as themselves and their families. More and more talks should be held with the community leaders to seek additional views to improve the situation among the respective community groups. Such sessions will allow leaders to come together and discuss ways to bring down the level of drug-abuse in their communities. Such meetings have given fruitful results so far. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" style="" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"> <tbody><tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in;" valign="top"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >The Malay community, for example, wants to intensify efforts to reach out to high-risk Malay students. They call for the introduction of religious studies in schools and more active role for mosques in the anti-drug efforts. There is a strong support for tougher punitive measures for drug abusers. They also suggest that inmates on the Day Release Scheme should do community work in mosques. On the other hand, the Indian leaders want anti-drug messages to be included in the religious preaching at Hindu temples. The abuse of "Ecstasy" pills is noted to be predominantly a problem for the Chinese. Here, the strategy is to de-glamorize the drug and highlight the foolishness and futility of taking these pills.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >The analysis of the suggestions clearly highlights the wishes of the different communities for greater involvement in the fight against drug abuse.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >The Helping Hand is unique in the sense that everyone, from Executive Director right down to the Residents, is an ex-addict. As such, they understand the problems that are involved . They constantly strive to address these issues as effectively as they can. Their foundation is their strong Christian beliefs and the transforming power of their lord and saviour,Jesus Christ . A measure of their success would be to see their residents finish their programme and go out into the world, successful in what they want to do, happy in life and walking closely with God.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >I would like to end this paper with the following quote which beholds a message for today’s youth :<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" >“<i style="">Today’s students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains .It’s their choice. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it’s not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude. </i>“<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:85%;" ><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>---- Jesse Jackson, American Civil-Rights Leader, Baptist Minister, Politician<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-8631692039760331068?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-34723190122756669552008-08-29T13:56:00.001-07:002008-08-29T14:03:31.905-07:00How to conquer the world in two easy steps !So finally I'm back with my latest blog post after about an year . Couldn't really find much convincing things to write about all this time . Anyways , here it goes.<br /><br />This blog post will teach you how to conquer the world(yes , you heard that right !) in two easy-to-understand and easy-to-follow steps.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Fact</span> : Everybody has weaknesses .<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Step 1</span> : Identify that weakness .<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Step 2</span> : Exploit it .<br /><br />Now that you know the divine secret , I expect all to use this methodology with utmost care because as they say " <span style="font-style: italic;">With great power,comes great responsibility</span> ".<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-3472319012275666955?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837266951168087379.post-76844920491340798212007-06-18T05:18:00.000-07:002008-01-12T15:04:59.024-08:00Samosas & me!17th June 2007<br />Kharagpur,India<br />2:00 A.M.<br /><br />Reader warning: This is a general account of events that happened with me on the date mentioned.Any resemblance with any person living or dead,or any samosa,eaten or uneaten will be considered as mere coincidence.Reader discretion is adviced.<br /><br /><br />Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiinnnnnnnnnnngggggggg!<br />Damn tht alarm clock!<br />Ahh!nice! It was raining outside.I had just got up from sleep.It was 5 o'clock in the evening.Slept at 5'o clock in the morning after watching two great movies.This week is going great,no work.Moreover,I'll get to go early,a week before.Now,I'll have a full month of enjoyment at Delhi,yess!<br /><br />I was feeling hungry,feeling hungry for samosas to be precise,after all those images of those mouth-watering samosas I used to have in delhi every few days,were popping up in my brain since past few rainy days,and to top it all,this rainy weather of Kharagpur had further wetted my appetite for them!<br />Last night,I had reached late at the sweets shop,about 9:30,there the shopwala bhaiya told me that the samosas don't last beyond 8 in the evening!<br />I had to go home with hungry and desparate eyes , cursing the shopowners."Gosh! Can't they keep it a little longer!"<br /><br />Today I was determined,no matter what,I have to eat samosas....as many as I could!<br />A quick gaze at my watch told me it was 5:30 in the evening.It had stopped pouring,but still there was a slight drizzle....but nothing could come my way today.<br />Oh damn! i remembered,I had an appointment with th hairdresser at six.That stupid fellow didn't do my hair properly,the day before,so we decided for a second session today evening.<br />"Fine!Its cool!He won't take much time....and afterall,the samosas last till eight",I said consoling myself of the excruciating "wait for the samosas" that was unavoidable and lay ahead!<br /><br />I got up in a hurry,brushed my teeth,had a nice warm bath ,got ready with my hair shampooed and well-combed and bingo! I was ready for a date with my dearly samosas....<br /><br />By the time,I reached the hairdresser,it was 6:15.I parked my cycle,entered the salon,took my raincoat off and went in.It was somebody else today at his place.On asking,i came to know that the original guy had caught cold and was down with fever.That was strange.This new man was stout,slumpy with short hair and a small,but well maintained moustache.He seemed to be in his early 40s,with a bidi hanging from his mouth,just trying to balance itself amongst his two big,plumpy lips!<br />This new guy was very slow,it took him nearly about an hour for what his counterparts could finish off in about an half!<br />Anyways,all the time,I was hallucinating the smell of hot,oven-fresh samosas kept right in front of me,near the comb and the scissors."Gosh!I don't think I'm that desparate"<br />I suddenly realised,it is in such circumstances that the "Theory of Relativity" by our great Einstein, starts finding a sudden relevance....a theory which nobody even thinks about otherwise.<br /><br />Phew!Finally,it was over much before than what I had expected!<br />A look at my watch,the time was 6:55. I caught hold of my raincoat,unlocked my cycle which was completely wet by now(thanks to the drizzle outside) but,nonetheless,that determination to eat samosas was still there.<br />The sweets shop,was situated about 10 minutes away at the far end of the Technology Market,IIT Kharagpur.I checked my cycle tyres for any air-leakage which may have been the work of some masked men conspiring to not let me reach the shop on time.To my relief,the tyres were okay.<br />I raced like anything.I bet had I been participating in some cycle race,I wouldn't have gone without recognition of winning the race with a margin,that could be mind-boggling enough to create tsunamis in the history of cycle races(:),:P)<br /><br /><br />"Oye! Kahan jaa raha hai bhaga bhaga?"....called a shreiking voice from behind.It was Ravi,my friend from IITKGP and labmates for the common MEMS Laboratory.<br />"Yaar! Kuchh important kaam tha.Jaldi me hun.Phir ghar bhi call karna hai",came a quick reply from my side,trying to discourage him from anything remotely related to chatting and talking.I was afraid,he might not start to chat again.<br />"Chal thik hai baad me milte hain,anyways Mukhia sir was askin for you,meet him tomorrow positively".<br />"Sure,I'll meet him...bye".....and I raced again with a sigh of relief.<br /><br />However,I reached the shop on time,it was 7:05 by my watch.I was kind of proud of me to make it up on time besides all the conspiracies!<br />I was at the shop looking for the thing I came here for.<br />"Bhaiya! samose hain?",I enquired the shopkeeper,with my fingers X-ed.<br />"Dada! aakhri lot bacha hai" ,informed the shopkeeper.<br />"Bhaiya! Tumne to kal kaha tha ki 8 baje tak samose milte hain??" asked I in amusement.<br />"Dada,tumko kal batana bhul gaya tha.Sunday ko sirf7-7:15 tak hi milte hain"<br />"Ohhhhhh.........",came the biggest ohh from my mouth,"Just on time",and felt assured and happy,that atleast I got here in time.Had i got even a few minutes late,I would've lost the battle.<br />I thought at first,I'll but the whole basket,who knows "Kal ye shop band ho jaaye!Why take risks!".But being a bit realistic,I asked him to pack 8 samosas.Of those 8,I ate 2 at the shop itself thinking "Yaar,itni der wait karne ka tempo kiske paas hai,ab room jaane tak kaun rukega!"<br />I paid at the counter and flooded to my room where the other samosas were destined to go inside my belly one by one...huhuhuhahahaha(read as devil grin)<br /><br />The people,on the road,and on my way to the room,seemed to be like hungry monsters,lurking for my innocent samosas. It seemed as if I was carrying a board with myself,with written on it in big bold letters that " THIS MAN IS CARRYING SIX EXTREMELY MOUTH-WATERING,CRISPY,SPICY,OVENFRESH SAMOSAS.BEWARE.CATCH HIM,SUE HIM AND TAKE ALL HIS SAMOSAS AWAY."<br />It seemed as if people were jealous-how could this man enjoy the company of six samosas in a no man's land(read IITKGP) where all there is to enjoy,are the forests around and the shrilling voice of the ever passing trains from the kharagpur station nearby,and where people are no less than machines,don't know how to enjoy life and are made sure they have some reason or the other which pisses them off!<br /><br />I dont know what crap I was thinking all way.But,I was so damn excited that I could hardly remember anything on my way except that it still hadn't stopped drizzling,which further added to my excitement.<br /><br />Ahh! finally I was in my room after rushing through the hostel corridors and saving my samosas from this cruel world that lay there looking for a moment to relish my samosas.<br />There was nothing between me and my beloved six samosas,and ,of course,the rain outside,which also made me feel a little cold.<br />I felt the samosas,they were still hot.I took out the tangy red chutney accompanying it in a bowl.<br />And ,the time was now,that moment had finally arrived for which I was waiting for about past three hours."Who needs a girl!",I wondered "When you have 6 samosas all at your disposal".Me sitting alone in my room,with six,mouth-watering,oven-fresh,samosas and the accompanying tangy red chutney that accentuated the whole ensemble.The rain outside,in the moonlit night made the moment even more eventful,not to mention,the happiness of a week long holiday and the recent permission by my internship guide to go home early.<br /><br />Now there was nothing that could stop this divine reunion of man with his samosas,with the blessings of the Gods,and the hole cosmos of heavenly bodies,the angels ,the fairies,spectating this grand event.<br />I took them one-by-one...It seemed as if each one of'em was crying "Please eat me,o'my wonderful,kind-hearted and benevolent lord!"....<br />And gulped them....and gulped and gulped......<br />And went to sleep with music in my ears,my belly full and my soul content. :)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6837266951168087379-7684492049134079821?l=heylookwhoshere.blogspot.com'/></div>Aniruddh Jainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929740323445484591link2ani@gmail.com16