Movies To Watch

Have to see these films: I have provided links for myself. As usual movie links may not have a long shelf life. They are often removed. These are listed in alphabetical order.

1. Annai
2. Baby
3. Daddy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJtv0vcYtik&list=PLybO-2xoUdR_9dgFBzj9ObhjubnQkHEtj
4. Bangalore Days: 
5. Barfi
6. Bedtime Story
7. Blowup
8. The Bucket List
9. Coach Carter
10. Crocodile Dundee
11. Dangerous Liasons
12. Dil Apna Aur Preet Paraayi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vEFhovLeLE - not interesting enough.
13. Drohkaal (Original of Kurudi Punal) by Govind Nihalani
14. Father Of The Bride
15. Grahasti
16. Hidden Figures
17. Hum AppKe Dil Mein Rehte Hain: Satish Kaushik's German scene with Rakesh Bedi
18. I
19. Jukti Takko Aar Gappo by Ritwik Ghatak
20. Kaanoon
21. Kapoor And Sons
22. Khaamosh
23. Khaamoshi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFveGgGuzRk
24. Khosla Ka Ghosla
25. King's Speech
26. Khuda Ke Liye
27. Kohra
28. Leon The Professional
29. Lipstick Under My Burkha - Got bored
30. Little Miss Sunshine
31. Men of Honor
32. Mitr My Friend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nLN-QTjn8k
33. Manichitrathazhu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExSmkZ43bIM&feature=youtu.be (with subtitles)
34. Million Dollar Baby - Very nice. Original of Saala Khadoos
35. Pakshe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yorImdpuCSo&t=332s (No subtitle)
36. Pavithram: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqQvAPwoSek&t=7145s (No subtitle
37. Pranayam: http://www.moviezion.pro/watch-pranayam-online-v1-151661 (Needs an account)
38. Rustom
39. Saaheb Biwi Aur Ghulaam
40. Saaraansh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrLvR848PM4&list=PL0B9ECDC8EE3C2D82 - Interesting thing is that Anupan Kher was 30 years old when shooting for this movie. And you should see how he looks. Amazing. Nice movie.
41. Satya: 
42. Sharada: Meena Kumari marries the father of her ex lover Raj Kapoor's.
43. The Shashank Redemption
44. Spadikam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RqXJYDzEe4 (with subtitles): Nice with a tragic end
45. Shutter Island
46. Sully with Tom Hanks - very nice.
47. Swades
48. The Talented Mr Ripley - not interesting.
49. Terms Of Endearment
50. Trading Places

This site (https://fmovies.is) streams movies.
Additional reading:

• https://www.bustle.com/articles/148454-11-movies-every-medical-student-should-see - Medical movies
• 10 Low Budget Hindi Blockbusters: https://bollywoodunion.com/2017/01/22/10-low-budget-movies-which-went-on-to-become-blockbusters/10/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Film_Registry: This set of movies in US national film registry will be a very good pack to watch
• Nice Hindi movies to watch https://newsstand.google.com/articles/CAIiEHaVt_Uni8H5hqL_Fvv_OvsqFwgEKg8IACoHCAow0v6VATCgiRAw0bFE

Fast Data Transfer Using Snowmobile

https://www.wired.com/2016/12/amazons-snowmobile-actually-truck-hauling-huge-hard-drive/

Toxic Handler Shiva At Work

https://hbr.org/2016/11/when-youre-the-person-your-colleagues-always-vent-to?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29

Additional reading:

1. https://www.focusatwill.com/toxin-handler-work/
2. http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/print.htm?id=524

Where There Isn't A Will

Online will services:

1. Ezeewill: https://www.ezeewill.com/pricing.html
2. HDFC Securities: http://www.hdfcsec.com/EWill/DynamicForms_ewill.aspx?type=ewill&id=ewill
3. WillJini: https://www.willjini.com/

http://www.financialexpress.com/personal-finance/nsdl-warmond-to-offer-online-personalised-will-preparation-and-estate-planning/357566/

Additional  reading:

1. http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/planning/a-comparative-analysisonline-will-services_1200323.html
2. Sample Will document:http://www.relakhs.com/write-will-sample-will-india-draft-will/
3. Guidelines: https://www.ezeewill.com/guidelines.html
4. Difference between RTGS and NEFT: http://profit.ndtv.com/news/your-money/article-rtgs-vs-neft-the-differences-you-need-to-know-1450791?site=full

Japanese Movies

What is it about Japansese movie?

1. Akira Kurosawa's movie: Seven Samurai: Sholay's precursor
2. The devotion of Suspect X: Precursor of Drishyam
3. Roshomon: Precursor of Andha Naal 

How many more?

Friend (or Enemy) Of The State

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3971214/The-48-organisations-entire-online-browsing-history-delete-it.html

Growth Because Of Adversity - Either Grow Or Sleep

A friend sent me this video:

Interesting isn't it?

Male Or Female Name?

I  was wondering. How does one figure out whether a person is male or female from his (or her) name? I refer to Chinese, Japanese and Korean names.

• Japanese: https://www.spinjapan.net/how_to_know_gender_from_japanese_names/
• Chinese: http://blog.tutorming.com/mandarin-chinese-learning-tips/difference-chinese-male-and-female-names-gender

Movie Quotes

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years...100_Movie_Quotes

Quotes from the movie As Good As It Gets Gets: 
https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/As_Good_as_It_Gets

Tap Dance

Tap dance scenes: http://time.com/107712/best-movie-tap-dance-scenes/ (some of the video links may not work)

Tap dance legends: http://www.tapdance.org/Legends

Misinterpretations

A friend sent me this video

Kailash Manasarovar (KM)

A friend sent me this photo. Apparently when it was a special full moon - somewhere near Manasarovar at about 13000 ft altitude.

Here is a video.

A friend of mine once had visited the place and showed me photos and I fell in love with KM.

Here is a page dedicated to KM.

Privileged Banking And Wealth Customers

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/net-worth/a-privileged-banking-experience/article7774726.ece

Digging Into Sindhi Surnames

https://sindhisbysurnames.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/digging-deeper-into-sindhi-surnames/

Judaism, Islam

I had earlier written about Judaism and Islam. Wanted to read some more about these two and their close sibling Christianity,

1. http://www.judaism-islam.com/similarities-between-judaism-and-islam/
2. https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Jews-and-Muslims-hate-each-other-so-much
3. http://www.diffen.com/difference/Islam_vs_Judaism
4. https://gotquestions.org/Jews-Arabs.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic%E2%80%93Jewish_relations

Getting Bank Balances Through SMS

A friend sent me this:

These are the numbers to know your bank balances. You should call from the registered mobile number.

தற்பொழுது ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு 5 முறை மட்டுமே இலவசமாக ATM எந்திரம் வழியே பணம் எடுக்கவோ அல்லது வங்கி கணக்கில் உள்ள கையிருப்பு பணத்தை பார்க்கவோ முடியும்.

🔴அதற்கு மேல் பார்த்தால் ஒவ்வொரு முறைக்கும் 20 ரூபாய் பிடித்துக்கொள்ளப்படுகின்றது.

🔴 இதனால் சாமானிய மக்கள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

🔴தற்பொழுது இலவசமாக வங்கி கணக்கில் உள்ள கையிருப்பு பணத்தை அறிந்து கொள்ள இலவச நம்பர் சேவை அறிமுகப்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது.

🔴கீழே கொடுக்கப் பட்டுள்ள இலவச எண்ணிற்கு கால் செய்தால் போதும், உங்களுடைய போன் எண்ணிற்கு கையிருப்பு தொகையை SMS அனுப்பிவிடுவார்கள்.

🔴உங்கள் நம்பர் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்ட நம்பராக இருக்கவேண்டும்.

*

1. Axis bank-------------------- 09225892258

2. Andra bank------------------ 09223011300

3. Allahabad bank-------------09224150150

4. Bank of baroda-------------09223011311

5. Bhartiya Mahila bank----- 09212438888

6. Dhanlaxmi bank----------- 08067747700

7. IDBI bank-------------------- 09212993399

8. Kotak Mahindra bank--- 18002740110

9. Syndicate bank------------ 09664552255

10. Punjab national bank---18001802222

11. ICICI bank----------------- 02230256767

12. HDFC bank-------------- 18002703333

13. Bank of india------------- 02233598548

14. Canara bank------------- 09289292892

15. Central bank of india-- 09222250000

16. Karnataka bank-------- 18004251445

17. Indian bank-------------- 09289592895

18. Union Bank of India---- 09223009292

19. UCO bank---------------- 09278792787

20. Vijaya bank--------------- 18002665555

21. Yes bank------------------ 09840909000.

22. State Bank of india- Get the balance via IVR 1800112211 and 18004253800  

23. Corporation bank------- 092-688-92688.  

24. South Indian Bank----- 092 23 008488
25. OBC -------------------------- 08067205767

From Europe

A friend sent me this. 

Snow outside Tchorzem's house. About 1C

And here is outside my house now

30C, Very little snow.

Tougher Than Air Force

I read this today in https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/us/163858-COMIC-RELIEF

Beautiful.

You’ve all heard of the Air Force’s ultra-high-security, super-secret base in Nevada, known simply as Area 51. Well, late one afternoon, the Air Force folks out at Area 51 were very surprised to see a Cessna landing at their ‘secret’ base. They immediately impounded the aircraft and hauled the pilot into an interrogation room. The pilot’s story was that he took off from Vegas, got lost, and spotted the Base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force started a full FBI background check on the pilot and held him overnight during the investigation. By the next day, they were finally convinced that the pilot really got lost and wasn’t a spy. They gassed up his airplane, gave him a terrifying ‘you-did-not-see-a-base’ briefing, complete with threats of spending the rest of his life in prison, and sent him on his way. The day after that though, to the total disbelief of the Air Force, the same Cessna showed up again. Once again the MP’s surrounded the plane. But this time there were two people in the plane. The same pilot jumped out and said, ‘Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night!’

Very Interesting on Removing Rs 500 And Rs 1000 As Legal Tender

19th Jun 2017: http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/17/how-i-knew-demonetisation-was-going-to-be-a-disaster-right-from_a_22417571/?ncid=NEWSSTAND0010

Updated  on May 29, 2017: This is a telling description of Modi's performance: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/india-second-most-complex-tax-jurisdiction-deloitte/article9714344.ece

Updated on May 11, 2017: http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/WUuVPSzFeYteHE7AKmphNM/Making-sense-of-Modinomics.html - Interesting summary

Updated on Feb 23rd 2017: http://www.livemint.com/Politics/RGZgD70N5ogk88Q8dwTNgO/Income-Tax-dept-to-launch-second-phase-of-bank-account-scrut.html

Updated on Feb 1st 2017:
A very nice article: https://scroll.in/article/827887/understanding-demonetisation-why-theres-a-war-on-cash-and-you-are-in-the-middle-of-it and http://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/how-has-india-fared-since-2016-what-tax-data-tells-us-about-the-state-of-the-economy/525606/

Income tax department asks taxpayers to verify their deposits online: http://www.livemint.com/Industry/PWNo4r01CdQcYafliQcnlM/Tax-department-asks-taxpayers-to-everify-deposits-post-demo.html

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/banned-notes-what-jaitley-revealed-is-important-but-what-he-hides-is-crucial/articleshow/56953396.cms -  Some number crunching

Updated on Jan 18th 2017: 
https://qz.com/886094/silently-indias-supreme-court-has-set-off-a-chain-of-events-that-could-torpedo-narendra-modis-demonetisation-move/
The gentleman now strikes against gold: http://www.ap7am.com/lv-240877-spotlight-modis-surgical-strike-on-domestic-gold-holdings.html. Is he going to ask every woman to show what she is wearing or what she is hiding under her pillow or open up every locker? And dig under every tree? Another article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/No-tax-on-jewellery/gold-purchased-out-of-disclosed-income-Finance-Ministry/articleshow/55724734.cms

We have already unearthed lots of black money based on the November 8th 2016 announcement. And created enormous mess in the life of people. Let's see where we go with the gold announcement..

Look at that: http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/it-rejects-declarations-rs-2-lakh-crore-rs-13000-crore-revises-ids-amount/463770/ A family of 4 deposits 2 lakh crore. Huh, what?

http://scroll.in/article/821113/in-one-stroke-demonetisation-has-shaken-the-trust-our-monetary-system-is-based-on

Unfortunately the country's economy has not been made cashless nor is there any immediate push to make the economy cashless. The plan to introduce Rs 2000 note makes it obvious. Now people can horde those notes.

Look at all the gas agencies or hospitals or booking offices of trains, buses etc and see how much cash they deposit at the banks. Have we tried to minimize cash usage?

The vegetable sellers with their push carts plied their wares today without taking cash. They made me a debtor. Far better to have accounts receivable than let vegetables rot.

As on Nov 12th morning after reading the morning papers I understood this: That a lady could not be cremated in north India because cash was not available. Another man in Triplicane, Chennai had huge difficulty in getting his daughter married because cash was needed everywhere from flower vendors to beauticians and cards were not accepted and the lines outside & inside banks are  too long even on 12th morning. Trucks have come to a stop in Tamil Ndu because truck drivers do not have the new currency nor cards. Gives us an idea where cash is still king and professions which are beyond the realm of income tax.

Apparently the plan has fallen apart: http://indianexpress.com/article/blogs/pm-narendra-modi-demonetisation-note-recall-narrative-fallen-apart-4406642/

Another view of this: http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/uzvIE84KGXy1xvp06pTazM/Demonetization-is-a-hollow-move.html

A traveling salesman's diary here: http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/pN22OadikDCzoRcrB87UxH/A-travelling-salesmans-diary-in-the-days-of-demonetisation.html

A rather unfortunate fallout of the issues with lack of cash availability in ATM's long queues in banks is the fact that the government is trying to find more avenues to reach cash to the common man (disbursing thru petrol pumps) and having more establishments accept old Rs500, 1000 notes instead of getting more people and establishments covered though debit cards or electronic payments. Imagine if we had succeeded in the latter... We would have largely got rid of cash.. Now that has to wait. 

Interesting articles on this subject:

• How to transfer from PayTM to bank account: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/features/paytm-bank-transfer-charges-how-to-account-wallet-1629798
• http://www.financialexpress.com/economy/widespread-distress-as-demonetisation-hits-small-medium-businesses-hard/454911/ - I wonder why sales of noodles to  potatoes, gems and jewelry should fall. Cant they use PayTM?
• http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/the-big-deal-in-abruptly-ending-swapping-of-notes-1630162
• View from across the border: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/167982-How-dangerous-is-Modi
• http://m.moneycontrol.com/news/economy/banks-pos-to-report-cash-depositsover-rs-25-lakh-to-i-t_7973661.html
• http://wap.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/indians-are-rushing-frantically-to-launder-their-black-money-after-demonetisation-116112100084_1.html
• A nice jovial article in the newspaper: http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/life-without-500-and-1000rupee-notes/article9333775.ece
• Letter to Kejriwal http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/explained-how-rs-2000-note-will-curb-black-money-gujarat-cas-open-letter-to-arvind-kejriwal-breaks-internet-must-read_1949522.html
• http://m.dinamalar.com/detail.php?id=1647589
• http://scroll.in/article/821599/demonetisation-will-do-what-illness-accident-eviction-funeral-or-drought-do-to-poor-families
• http://scroll.in/article/822268/comrade-modi-has-clearly-not-learnt-from-1991-when-licence-raj-ended-as-did-the-soviet-union

A friend sent me this:

An approximate translation:
A person in the street asks another for directions: 

Where is the bank?    It's a kilometer away. Can I walk or do I need to hail a taxi?    :@. Just stand behind me in the line.

Another image in a lighter vein: only if you can read Tamil. https://scontent-sin6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15055716_771632739656880_8057270732405090431_n.jpg?oh=89d8ddf2b74c76f147b3210c4708dfe6&oe=588773A0 

A MNC company gets hit: https://scroll.in/article/826796/a-ceos-tale-how-demonetisation-halved-the-profits-of-a-cashless-multi-national-company

Additional reading:

• FAQ: https://www.icicibank.com/Personal-Banking/faq/withdrawal-of-bank-notes-faqs.page?
• https://www.valueresearchonline.com/story/h2_storyview.asp?str=32447&utm_source=2016-11-17-fundline&utm_content=Thu-1130&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fundline
• For a change a Sindhi who can write instead of being in fashion or movie industry!! http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/vQ1MspwGVCBbZR5zrOH7XL/I-am-not-ready-to-take-the-leap-from-connected-to-cashless.html
• http://scroll.in/article/821128/five-things-to-note-about-the-demonetisation-of-rs-500-and-rs-1000-notes
• http://scroll.in/article/821105/modis-move-to-scrap-high-denomination-notes-is-more-about-politics-than-economics
• http://scroll.in/article/821096/front-page-headlines-how-indian-papers-reported-modis-currency-note-move
• http://www.amitbhawani.com/blog/why-i-think-the-new-rs-500-rs-2000-notes-is-a-great-idea-to-curb-black-money/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmitBhawani+%28Amit+Bhawani+Tech+Blog%29 - a counter point

The Other 9/11 Disaster - Trump Wins

There was a 9/11 disaster many years back.. And today there seems to be one more in the 11th month of the year. The first one hit the US. The impact of today's one may be felt across the world - by women,  by Muslims, by Mexicans.

Or may be it won't be a disaster. Only time will tell.

No matter who won there would have been a randy guy in the white house or either the president or the the first spouse.

Additional reading:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/presidential-election-2016-results-live-updates/:  Where I heard the news...

Work Spouse Makes One Happier And More Productive

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20161106-having-a-work-spouse-makes-you-happier

Why Indians Evade Taxes

http://scroll.in/article/820397/why-people-evade-taxes

Additional reading:

• http://calmisc.blogspot.com/2015/10/trusts-and-tax-in-india.html

Earthquake Simulation In Romania

http://www.romania-insider.com/earthquake-scenario-romania-1500-dead-4000-injured-bucharest/

Does India do anything of this sort?



Additional reading:

1. http://vbala99.blogspot.com/2015/12/when-all-is-said-and-done.html

Unbelievable Precocity

A friend sent me this video of a little girl answering questions. Amazing...

Beautiful Goal

A friend sent me this video of a goal.

Marriage from Bhatkal To Karachi

http://m.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-marriage-vows-between-bhatkal-and-karachi/article9282371.ece

Michael Shumacher Of Autos

A friend sent me this:

Dont Like Being Cooked

A friend sent me this video of a cute girl being interviewed. I am fairly sure a girl  of that age won't be able to talk the way she does in the video and not have such a matured voice and vocabulary. Seems like the video was shot after multiple takes.. Doesn't look authentic but the girl issss cute.

Pen PC

Virtual Keyboard and Monitor (vitrual hard drive is not yet fathomed)

A friend sent me this video

Check Your Vocabulary - Merriam Webster

http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-games/vocabulary-quiz#\

India's Rise In WEF Rankings

http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/statsguru-making-sense-of-india-s-rise-in-wef-rankings-116100300015_1.html

Is it a fair assessment? 20 million cases pending in courts. And average age of the cases would be? 3-4 years? Without speedy resolution what good are we?

Honest 3 Minutes On America

A friend sent me this interesting video.

Education - Don't Make Fish Climb Trees

A friend sent me this very interesting video. I wish I had the URL, so I would have only provided the link instead of embedding the video.

There Is The Ranking

http://indianexpress.com/article/education/iisc-iits-among-top-indian-institutes-in-times-world-university-rankings-2016/ : Ranks of educational institutions. The IIT's are along with the men's medals in Olympics - largely absent.

Pakistan is happy to have moved up from rank 126 to 122 out of 138 countries. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/153314-Pakistans-ranking-in-GlobalCompetitiveness-Index-improves while India movies up 16 notches from 55 to 39 (did they miss a 1 before 39?).

Should we focus on having improved since last year as Pak seems to have done? Or should we talk like Baba Ranchhod Das: RRRanking isn't everything.. Marks should not be put up in the notice board for all to see etc.

I am confused.

Additional reading:
https://scroll.in/article/827844/most-founders-of-startups-worth-over-1-bn-are-from-stanford-harvard-and-the-iits: Most billion dollar startups are from Harvard, Stanford and IIT's.

Do Trees Scream

An interesting thought: http://scroll.in/article/817330/do-trees-scream-or-strategise-how-do-they-live-in-forests

Tools To Download And Modify Videos From Net

There are plenty of tools over there to download from youtube. Downloading of youtube videos should be fast, small in size and simple enough to do repeatedly.

One such tool, free of course, is savefrom.net. If you add the extension to chrome then you will see a button below the youtube video which you can use to download the video in different sizes and quality. 

I have found it useful.

1. http://in.pcmag.com/web-sites/41642/feature/how-to-download-youtube-videos
2. http://www.usmanalitoo.com/top-5-websites-online-videos-downloader/ (which includes http://en.savefrom.net/

Use video converter to reduce the size of mp4 files. The links are a good read.

DVDVideoMedia (https://free-video-to-audio-converter-eg.en.softonic.com) converts video files to audio files as a batch.

Key To Baldness

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160921-the-benefits-of-going-bald

Alok Sagar And Kejriwal

A friend sent me a video on Alok Sagar (see this video also).

Arvind Kejriwal is also from IIT. I wonder if there is any otherr similarity between the two.

Another KGP student (added on 7th Jan 2017): Sundar Pichai: http://www.abplive.in/india-news/what-even-the-boss-of-google-cant-do-476009

Additional reading:
http://calmisc.blogspot.com/2016/01/arvind-kejriwal-odd-even-car-date.html