Yahoo! No more

 If you started using Internet during late 90's or early 2000, then probably, your first email address had a domain name of Yahoo.Back then, gmail did not exist, at least, I was unaware of it. There is a competition between Google and Yahoo search engines. I had friends who used to advocate Yahoo search engine like anything over Google. I was a newbee, so, my acquaintance with internet started with friends suggestions, and that is how I landed with my first email address, opened on Yahoo. Then, Yahoo started spreading its wings. And we started getting into confusions. Whether, our address is yahoo.co.in or yahoo.com? If someone didn't receive a mail, then probably it was because it was sent to something@yahoo.com instead of something@yahoo.co.in. God only knows, whether there was any such issue or not. \

In those days, only easier way to access internet was through Netcafe. I had a friend running netcafe back then. There was a scheme started by Yahoo for netcafe people. Number of yahoo email accounts opened from their netcafe would help them earn them some extra money from yahoo.  I don't know, if this was correct or not. But my friend made us sit and open such email accounts from his netcafe. The deal for us was, if we open such accounts, then he will make arrangement to play the combined mode of "Need for Speed " game. I remember creating lot of email addresses. It got saturated and then we started making random logins. I probably made of a series of addresses with names like hut1@yahoo.co.in; hut2@yahoo.co.in .... upto ........hut250@yahoo.co.in.

Apparently, it did not work. My friend did not get any money for opening these many email addresses. But, we got to play NFS for free for over a month.

Another interesting memory of yahoo, is about yahoo chat. It felt really fascinating, that just sitting at one computer, we can instantly chat with anybody anywhere around the world. I remember my first experience of chatting. Apparently, I was online (I did not know), and one of my friends dropped a chat sitting somewhere in Chicago. The chat window popped up, and I pretty much got scared, thinking, something went wrong, and closed the browser window, shut down computer and was wondering what did just happen!!

That was the time, when Yahoo was pretty much our guide to internet. It introduced us to the world of internet.
From my point of view, the decline of Yahoo!, started somewhere, with the entry of Orkut, Facebook and Gmail. These things came with some interesting packages, which were really attractive. They had lot to offer to us. Somewhere down the Yahoo chat lost it sheen. Gmail addresses were created, FaceBook page were made. All the important emails started coming to Gmail, and recently, I was instructed to login to my Yahoo account or it will be closed. Well, I thought to login once, but couldn't remember the password. Tried a bit to recollect, but then gave up.

Today, morning, I heard the news of Verizon taking over Yahoo! for a mere 4.8 billion $. A drop from its value of 100 billion$. 

Its sad to see some big companies die down infront of you like this. I remember, writing a similar post for one such big company in camera "KODAK".

Then, there was NOKIA, which was taken over by microsoft.

And now this, Yahoo!

These names have made a mark on our mind. Now, seeing them dying in front of us is little painful. But that is how difficult and competitive, the outside world. Where do we as individual, then stand!

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Advertisements - always the best

Very recently, different states of India have started advertising about their tourism opportunities. Under the domain of Incredible India, every state is highlighting their best features and attempting to attract the tourists to visit different destinations in their respective states. Since I remember, Madhya  Pradesh started this trend very early, while all other states even don't had a faint idea on how to grow tourism industry. Not only did MP took a lead in advertising their tourism opportunities, they did it in style. Their advertisements have been the most artisitic, colorful, innovative and attention grabbing ones in the lot. It caught my attention for the first time, when they came up with this shadow based advertisement. Each one of us have at some point of the time tried making images with different hand gestures (thanks to night time power cuts in India). Such a innovative use of that concept, immediately caught my attention. I just couldn't ignore this advertisement, anytime it appeared on TV.

Next attempt was even more wonderful. Infact, I should say, more colorful. The theme here was the color. How foreigners get attracted towards the colorful Holi festival. The use of slow motion has been made in an awesome fashion.The way, people are looking at the color, which is about to hit, make you take a gasp. During this slow motion, the wonderful use of color in bringing up  different structures like Sanchi Stupa, or the image of Mahakal, actually makes you concentrate on that structure. And then sudden change to normal motion speed, makes you virtually experience, how that color might fall on you. I wonder, if a 3D version of this advertisement was ever made. It would be really awesome. 

Recently, they came up with this new advertisement, which tries to signify the handicraft legacy of the state. Similar to shadow practice advertisement , this commercial also highlights all the famous tourism spots of the state, but with the help of wooden toys. The theme of this ad is "MP mein dil hua Bachhe sa". Well, I have spent my childhood in MP, so definitely, this ad connects with me at different level. 

While the theme takes up major points, the background music, lyrics and the voice given to the songs add more flavor to the commercial. They complete the package, and make you feel to visit those fantastic places as soon as possible.

So, what are you waiting for?

Video courtesy: MP Tourism
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl2DCj3sY2pNoHWzP9NjrMg

A terrorist called "Burhan Wani"

Recently, a terrorist "Burhan Wani" has been gunned down in Kashmir. Now, such a news should bring some relief to common man, who generally hates violence, crime and wishes a peaceful life. But instead, we are being bombarded with some more news, where the killing of this terrorist is being condemned.  There is non-stop violence in Kashmir valley since then, in which as many as 24 people have lost their lives. It includes one policeman, who was forcefully drowned. And attempts are being made to portray this person as a hero. There are articles written, where he is shown as a victim of the brutal nature of Indian army. Read through this article as an example.

http://www.thequint.com/kashmir-after-burhan-wani/2016/07/11/burhan-wani-cricket-fan-class-topper-turned-kashmiri-youth-icon-militant-or-youth-icon

Are these localized sentiments about a boy from the valley, who was a good looking heart throb and  affectionate of all. Was he really a simple normal guy, who was misjudged?

Apparently, some of the journalists and politicians all thought about him in the same fashion. Thats why they all also condemned this killing of the terrorist. Some of the tweets suggest this:

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/decoding-burhani-and-kashmir-unrest-is-really-indian-oppression-to-blame-2887028.html

But then, was he not involved in any of the terrorist activities. A list of activities are pointed out in the same article on firstpost, which if taken as it is goes like:

" In this avatar, Wani wasn't the terrorist who roamed around with a Rs 10 lakh bounty over his head, having dropped out from school at 15 and becoming a delinquent with a string of police cases against his name; he wasn't instrumental in brainwashing many local boys to take up the gun by glamorising terror through social media; he wasn't the Hizbul commander who released videos warning of attacks if colonies for Sainiks and Kashmiri Pandits were set up in the Valley; he wasn't the terrorist involved in the 2013 killing of four Rashtriya Rifles men in Buchoo Baala area in his hometown Tral; he wasn't the terrorist to warn the J&K Police of more attacks; he wasn't even the first Kashmiri militant to spring the idea of a Khilafat, an Islamic State, through a Facebook video which became wildly popular. No, Burhan Wani wasn't any of these."

These are some of the activities which were ignored while portraying him as a hero.

These things make me wonder, are these allegations on him and his involvement in terrorist activities rightly pointed out? If Indian army is so bad, why is it so bad only in Kashmir, when the army is equally posted in many other parts of the country. If he was a terrorist, then, all the people who are supporting him and creating ruckus in Kashmir are also guilty. There should not liberal point of view taken towards them, and should be treated as good as terrorists only. All the people who are trying hard to portray Indian army negatively and making this terrorist a hero, should also be prosecuted.
I feel so insecure, knowing that there are so many people around us, who are openly supporting these terrorists and we can do nothing about it. We can not be sure, when these supportive people themselves would become a terrorist themselves. I feel, government should take strong steps and curb down people's mentality of supporting a terrorist. Otherwise, people like us will loose faith, generalize and will never allow to open up to any Kashmiri. My feelings are aptly put down by Arnab Goswami in this video. It is strong feeling at the moment.

Bajaj Avenger - Feel Like God - Rat Race Advertisement

Now, here is a commercial, which pretty much defines us, who are spending every day working hard to achieve something. You are either working hard to be the employee of the month, or the employee of the year. Or may be you are trying to get those extra increments by diverting your personal and family time towards works. Or may be, in some cases, you are thriving hard to get that posh corner office with scenic outside beauty, which you probably won't even bother to check, once you shift in that office. Some or other way, every one is trying to get somewhere. And all this, most of the times, we end up being in a competition, which is hard to avoid. This race reaches a point of competitive nature, where we shut down all the other windows of mind and narrow it down, focusing on achieving the target, while defeating all the competitors. This phase of mind can be compared with the tiny mind of a rat, whose sole purpose is to reach upto the piece of cheese, before any other rat can grab it. And that starts this rat race.. 

Bajaj Avenger has always come up with some fantastic ads. This one is a new addition, trying to suggest people to free their mind out of this rat race and enjoy life. There is a lot more to do in life, then just thinking about some material gains.

It is a very beautifully made commercial, shot some where in Nevada. Interesting thing is, there is no computer graphics used in this advertisement. All the rats shown are real and infact well trained. I did not know rats can be trained to such a great extent. If I know, how, I will try it on many many rats I see around in my locality. A detailed information about, how this ad is made can be found at this link - http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/dE9Ru1ItSJFc6UbYreasmO/Bajaj-Avengerriding-away-from-the-rat-race.html

And you can watch this advertisement, here:

So, without wasting any more time (in work) get on you Bajaj Avenger, feel like God, and do things, wander around in this awesome monsoon season. 

Video Courtesy: ET Brand equity youtube channel

Independence Day: Resurgence, movie review

Watched Independence day: Resurgence last week end. It was different experience, as there were hardly 15 people in a hall with the capacity of around 300. It was also not difficult to also realize that, probably the 15 people who came to watch the movie, were in a age group, who watched the first part Independence day, way back in 1996, probably as the young generation back then. I wanted to watch a  movie, and definitely, not Udata Punjab, so, we tossed between this movie and Finding Dory. The timing of this movie kind of matched, and so we finally opted for this movie. 

 

 The movie started on a good note, introducing us once again to the futuristic world, portraying the World as one unit, with advance technologies to save us from any new alien attack. Surprisingly, I still can not find Indians in such movies. That too, when a concept of World with out Indians, is like reducing it by 1/7 ratio. Anyway, a change in here, we have Madam President this time, kind of suggesting US having Hillary Clinton as next president. The character played by Sela Wards reflects similar features as Hillary Clinton. Now, with so many disaster movies, it was little confusing. For some time we were confused that she played a role of Doctor in earlier movie. But later realized, she acted as Dr. Hall in "The Day after Tomorrow"- another disaster movie. Funny thing is, the kind of story line of the role, she played in The Day after Tomorrow, a Doctor, who stays behind to take care of her patient, was picked up in this movie. But this time, it was played by the Vivica A Fox, the character name Jasmine Dubrow-Hiller, the widow of the late Hero character played by Will Smith and mother of present movie Hero, Dylan. Back then, she was a dancer, but, here, she becomes a Hospital administrator.  I wonder, if such kind of career changes are really possible, because, I am myself thinking to have one. 

The movie was over all fine in the first half, where lots of new things were getting introduced, with many romantic tracks running, some past year issues between the heroes, the head quarter on Moon and Mars and what not. There is a big use of computer graphic simulations, which at times looks really interesting. Unfortunately, we have kind of visited most of these type of graphics in many movies by now. 

The second half is pretty much disappointing. Here, the movie, fall back on the same story line, shown 20 years back. In fact, it is very much predictable. We kind of just got through the second half to make it put of the hall. I had so many questions in mind after the movie ended. But, unlike earlier cases, I don't want to know the answer to those questions. They are just questions.

What kind of President is this, who only work in the movie is to deliver some senseless commands to attack. It really never occur, that the president is going through some thought process, before taking the decision.

Why is it always kind of queen centered story, where every thing relies on killing the queen. Does the said queen never think of any action plans, in case it gets killed.

There are many more questions, but really, they don't need any answer.

The movie hints at going for one more sequel, but I am not sure, anybody would really want to watch that part.

Off late, such disaste movies are themselves becoming disaster. We now need some really new concept to get hitched to such kind of movies. The days of attracting people with awesome computer graphic simulations is over. The story lines have also digged to all the known possible depths. Can some body taken us on some really new ride?