online telephone directories

online telephone directories:

BSNL: http://www.bsnl.co.in/onlinedirectory.htm
MTNL Mumbai: http://mumbai.mtnl.net.in/directory/howtouse.html
MTNL Delhi: http://delhi.mtnl.net.in/directory/individual.htm

in general if u want to search for a telephone number anywhere in the world, you can check:
http://www.teldir.com - it's the old URL but easy to remember.
it will redirect you to: http://www.infobel.com/en/world/

if any of you know how to search for info about mobile numbers or land line numbers of private service providers, please let me know.

a joke

The previous post reminds me a joke.

One person is brought to a jail. His companion in jail, asks him why is he here?

First person: I started a business in competition with government and that's why I've been jailed.

Companion: Thats ridiculous!! What kind of business had you started?

First Person: I had established a printing press, to print currency notes.

[:D]

few questions

So the Diwali, Laxmi Poojan has given some upswing to BSE, NSE index and built some good hopes for the upcoming period.

For last few days (or weeks) I had been as curious as many others regarding the subprime crisis, bankruptcy and recession. I read few articles about all this, in newspapers and online. The more I read about it, the more I got confused, and worried too. :-s

I couldn't understand few things. May be my brain is too small to understand these complex topics like economy, finance and so on ;). So thought of sharing my doubts with you. Here it goes...

1. Can a person or financial institution declare bankruptcy even if he (or it) is holding some assets, that may or may not be worth of loan amount (debt)? What are the rules related to declaring bankruptcy?

2. US government considered some bailout package that will help the banks that have gone bankrupt. What I understood is, it is the money that government has collected in the form of tax from all the people. Is it the only way to handle this? This will reduce the money that the government has. I guess thats the same as the net assets of the country? If so, instead of reducing the money that you are holding, isn't it possible to print few more currency notes ;) [ssshhh... don't laugh] What are the rules related to printing new currency notes (or coins)?

btw: I had received a mail couple of months back in which it was mentioned that to handle the inflation some country has printed notes with denomination of 100 mln, 250 mln etc. This has added to my confusion. [I'll find that mail and post it on Aisa-Bhi-Hota-Hai.blogspot.com]

I'll be glad if someone of you can clarify my doubts.

Happy Diwali

Finally, got some free time on the occasion of Diwali. It's been long time since I had posted something on any of my blogs. But now I've got some time and moreover I'm at my home town - MUMBAI. So hoping to jazz up my blog(s) a bit ;).

And yes, Wish you and your family a very HAPPY DIWALI.

forwarding chain mails

Here is an article by Atul Kahate where he has mentioned about the mentality behind the act of forwarding chain mails and underlines our gullibility. It's really a good article and an eye opener for those who forward the chain mails without giving a serious thought to it.


(chain mails = the mails that say something like "forward this mail to ........ ")

original article: http://www.esakal.com/esakal/12162007/SaptarangBB70966409.htm

pdf version: Forward Kashasathi?

IT Survivors - Staying Alive In A Software Job

got this as a forwarded email... but after searching on net, found the original article at:
http://www.indicthreads.com/blogs/316/software_job_india.html

the author, Harshad Oak, talks about bad working conditions in software companies in India, how software industry is exploiting its employees and the consequences of all this.
He has also suggested few solutions to these problems (dated: Nov 03, 2005) ... yet we haven't seen any change in the situation in last 2 years :(


do read this article and think about it....

this 2 page article has got 10 pages of user comments... that might give you the idea, how good the article is.

the email that i received had the following part as well.....
------------

From the person who forwarded this write-up

Hello Friends,
Some from my own experiences!

I am almost at the end of my stay here in Germany and will be returning back to my Motherland in 10 days from now. Some of the things that i noticed here:

1. No work is small or big, everyone is respected for what they are.
2. Here people give time to their Family what come may! 7.30 AM sharp in office and get back home by 5 PM. No extra time or weekend work.
3. Work in the same field for Years together and master the concepts rather that just give a solution to a problem and forget about it. (Or at most document it, thats all).

I too was going to office of Saturdays n sundays earlier, but later on i realised that i was spoiling / Brewing a work culture which on a long run will make us more and more inefficient, not efficient at all. This would compel other colleagues to come to office even if they are want to be free
with their family spending some quality time. Some of the mistakes that we do is to wail off time during breaks, lunch time, forwarding mails, etc. These were done by me too, i am not am exception and i don't say that you should not talk to your friends or colleagues during Office hours or not read mails or forward them or some thing like that. The only thing i would
say is to prioritize things especially during the office hours. Interaction with Colleagues, PLs, PMs, etc is necessary as we all need to work in a team. Take breaks but not too long. This would not compel you to stay back to complete the work that is pending due to the time lag.... Give
sufficient time to you family members as well, after all they were, are and will be there for you. Thinking you'll give then time some other day or after some years wont work out at all.... That time will never come... Forwarding mails is not at all a bad thing... sending essential information
that could help others or even trying to be in touch with personalised mails would help a long way. After all we are social animals too. Jokes, above given kind of write ups, thought inducing stuff, news, etc can also be sent which help ultimately in the growth of a person not hampering
though the fun part if it. Hope you people would have seen the Program in CNN regarding the "Eye on India: The power of Youth". It had too much to say in that very little time. Lots of things to be addressed still.

I would suggest people from our group to post good write ups and debate on the issues that we face, challenges, etc thus sharing knowledge and views to the outside world. Improve ourselves in the process and make India a Developed Nation. This looks too serious a thing but i feel it would be lots of fun along with bringing us together.

90/10 principle

i had read this principle long time back, but didn't remember about it till i received it again as a forward :)

so here it is... 90/10 Principle

it says: 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.

it's really good