Old Mobile Phones at INR 25000/-

I recently came across an article in local vernacular weekly stating that Nokia 1100 got sold on Ebay at INR 25,000/- or US$ 520. I was shocked to read this and this made me read the entire article. When I went on reading, I realized that this is nothing but a game the rich play.

Some mobile enthusiasts have developed the art (& science) of cloning the SIM card. by cloning the SIM, the entire information on the SIM, including your mobile number, operator information, address book, etc. can be duplicated in no time. Sophisticated devices are available in the market which do this job of copying data from one SIM to other, or cloning. Once the SIM is cloned, you simply insert the cloned SIM in any other phone and you will be able to track the interactions on the original SIM. For example, you have cloned your wife's SIM. by inserting her SIM in other mobile, you will be able to track all her interactions on her cell phone and actually listen to all the calls she makes or receives.

Knowing this, some rich people decided to use this technology to their advantage to track their husbands and wives. Instead of hiring private detectives for this job, they simply purchased cloning device and cloned the SIM of their loved ones(?) With this, they were actually able to understand what is going on. Interestingly, since the cloned SIM works only with Nokia 1100 as of now, this handset is so much in demand nowadays, that it got sold at INR 25,000/- on Ebay.

This article raised my eyebrows and made me think.

Are we using the technology in the right direction or we are mis-using it to kill our love and affection towards our own family members?

All About Swine Flu: Symptoms, Precautions, Treatment

Although the name 'swine flu' brings up a lot of extra fear and worry, it is important to note that swine flu is just an influenza A H1N1 virus. The big difference is that the current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has components of pig and bird influenza viruses in it, so that humans don't have any immunity to it. That is what made it more likely that it would become a pandemic virus (have the ability to cause a global outbreak) because it could easily spread from person-to-person.

The Swine flu has been compared to other similar types of influenza virus in terms of mortality: "in the US it appears that for every 1000 people who get infected, about 40 people need admission to hospital and about one person dies".

Symptoms of swine flu infections can include:

• Fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
• Cough
• Runny nose or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme
• Diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu

Signs of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia and respiratory failure.

Swine Flu High Risk Groups -

Swine flu high risk groups, people who are thought to be at risk for serious, life-threatening infections, are a little different and can include:

* pregnant women
* people with chronic medical problems, such as chronic lung disease, like asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunosuppression
* children and adults with obesity

Precautions to keep swine flu at bay -

The deadly Swine Flu has reached the Indian shores following the global outbreak and now, claimed one life. However, Swine Flu is certainly one of those diseased where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here are five tips for you to keep away from the pandemic.

1. Wash your hands frequently
Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, for at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.

2. Get enough sleep
Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape.

3. Drink sufficient water
Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.

4. Boost your immune system
Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.

5. Keep informed
The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date on the information and act in a calm manner.

Treatment -

If a person becomes sick with swine flu, antiviral drugs can make the illness milder and make the patient feel better quicker. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). The U.S. CDC recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses; however, the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs.

Vaccination -

WHO does not expect the swine flu vaccine to be widely available until the end of 2009, noting that current production "yield" was only about half as much as expected and would cause timeline delays. There is also concern that countries which produce vaccines, 70 percent of which are in Europe, may delay sending swine flu vaccines to other countries as they may come under "tremendous pressure to protect their own citizens first," note some experts.

Many countries are planning full blown large scale vaccination camps by the end of the year.

Note: The information above is compiled from various sources. Readers are however, advised to consult their medical practitioner for exact treatment on Swine Flu.

Ganapati Festival - Yesterday & Today.

Festivals are an integral part of human cultural life. From ancient times they have been celebrated not only in India but also in different parts of the world. 'Olympian' celebrated by Greeks, 'Pithian' to promote poetry writing and 'Nimiyan' to exhibit skills in martial arts are, to name a few, some of the festivals celebrated outside India in ancient times. The Ganesh festival, which has its origins in Maharashtra in India, has been celebrated for over a century.

After the end of Peshwa rule, from 1818 to 1892, Ganesh Festival remained a family affair in Maharashtra. Emulating the example of Peshwas, princely states of Baroda and Gwalior too involved common people in the Ganesh festival. Lokmanya Tilak was witness in 1892 where he saw the grand scale on which the festival was celebrated in Gwalior and the enthusiastic participation of people therein. This alone inspired him to make the Ganesh festival a public event in Maharashtra. However it needs to be mentioned here that social and political conditions of those times seemed ripe for making such a move.

Tilak wished to bring about social change for political reasons too. He was convinced that social change was the key to political awareness. The country was under a foreign rule. It was necessary to arouse the masses to oppose the tyrannical British Rule. It was necessary to stir the masses and mobilize public opinion for national ends. He wanted his ideas to reach the common people, make them aware of British Govt.'s oppressive policies, inculcate a strong sense of nationalism and the need to attain Swaraj that is freedom from the foreign rule.

To achieve the desired result it was necessary to awaken the masses and what else would be fit than the already popular Ganesh festival? It is in these circumstances that in 1893 he appealed to the people to make it a festival of masses.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Maharashtra. People invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesh for prosperity and wisdom and pray for his help in removing all obstacles. Tilak's appeal had a miraculous effect and people responded positively. 1893 saw the beginning of Ganesh festival as a public and popular event with Shri Bhau Rangari, Shri Khajgiwale, and Shri Ghotwadekar in Pune and residents of Keshavji Naik Chawl in Mumbai acting as pioneers.

In 1894, the festival spread to other places throughout Maharashtra. Year after year, the number kept increasing. His writings in Kesari and Maharatta and his public speeches had great influence in making the festival a truly public and participative event.

Festivals unite people. Ganesh festival provided him a necessary platform to arouse them to oppose the reign of terror. His ideas propagated through speeches and writing commanded wide attention forcing the British Govt. to sit up and take notice.

It is always easy to criticize. However, in the eagerness to criticise one must not lose the sight of the constructive work done by various organisers of the Ganesh Festival. One would be doing injustice to them. One cannot overlook the fact that many celebrities from the cultural fields such as Theatre, Film and Music had their initiations in the programmes presented in the Ganpati Festivals. Increasing number of Ganpati Festivals also brought with it economic activity for Artists, Pandal Contractors, Decorators etc.

It can not be denied that a situation has to be created whereby the Ganpati festival which played a pivotal role in winning the freedom for the country can also help in making it a welfare state. However, this is possible only if the educated and enlightened class once again start actively participating in the conduct of Ganpati Festival and restructures its activities. This is the need of the hour.

Maybe we need another Tilak-a true visionary-to refocus on what such festivals can and ought to do.

Are Start-ups good to work with?

In these days of so-called "recession", I have seen a lot of start-ups coming up and struggling for their existence. These start-ups are typically started by those who do not understand the domain, but have an urge to do something. Such companies often will attract the unemployed talent (or the ones not happy in their present jobs), offer them an hefty pay package and once their work is done, ask them do leave. Are such start-ups really good to work at?

I am a start-up specialist and have worked with excellent start-ups like Cleartrip, iSmart Panache to name a few. These companies are founded and driven by professional and industry leaders and that is why they are still in business. But, others have just made a quiet exit and are not even heard about. I really wonder about those who have joined such start-ups which are there in the business for 6 or 12 months and then fade away. Aren't we risking our career and putting it at stake by joining such organizations? My answer would be yes. If so, what should we do to sustain in the current economy?

I personally feel to take the good, old approach taken by our father and grandfather. Join a large conglomerate which is there in the business for atleast 10 years, and tay there, till you retire. These large companies are largely driven by process, people and performance and often value the people strength as true Human Capital. In the bargain, you may draw a lesser salary than a funky start-up, but at the end of the day, if you count the hidden benefits that you get, it is really worthwhile to work with a large organization.

Having said all this, the choice is finally yours only.

Tough Times Never Last.

There is a book titled "Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do." I am a big follower of this book and always read through its pages when I find myself in tough times and difficult situations. I am yet to come across a single human being (or a living species for that matter) who has not had tough time in his life. But, I salute those people who always keep smiling despite of all their problems and difficulties they are facing and never reveal to the World that they are not happy. Such people are hard to find though.

I strongly feel that everyone of us must develop a strong habit of smiling all the times, come what may, as that would keep not only you happy, but will also keep others in the family happy, thereby helping us to quickly get rid off our problems and come out of tough times. We always feel that we have lot of friends & relatives who will help us in our tough time, but trust me, there are only a few of them who actually show courage to help you, support you and extend financial help, if required when you are in problem. I salute such friends and relatives as they are the people who actually keep you alive and take care of you when you have nothing left in the life. Repaying the help extended by such people is undoubtedly the most difficult part, I suppose.

So, unfortunately, if you find yourself in tough times, please do the following.

1. Read "Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do" by heart and follow the principles therein.
2. Do Count on your close friends and relatives as they WILL stand-by you and support you.
3. Never forget the Almighty, The God, as He is actually testing you and making you strong enough to face such tough times.
4. Always be with you family, your wife, kids as they will be the first one to answer your distress call.