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									<title>Bathroom ezBlogger</title>
									<link>http://www.fropper.com/ezBlog/NavinM2000</link>
									<description>Here, I say what I like and you are welcome to read...</description>
									<language>en-us</language>
									<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:53:13 +0000</pubDate>
									<lastBuildDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:35:17 +0000</lastBuildDate>
				
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						<title>City life !!</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/9780</link>
						<description><![CDATA[When was the last time you sat an watched a sunset? I did that recently when I went to Pune for the weekend. We drove up to a friend's plot at Khadakwasla and the view was breathtaking. Here is a pic...                           At other times, the sunset I live with &amp; I am presuming many other city dwellers live with, is the one below...         &nbsp; &nbsp; What sunsets do you see?]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:53:13 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>What a great way to waste money!!!</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/7094</link>
						<description><![CDATA[While watching TV at the treadmill, I saw an ad from Moser Baer (the company that makes CDs, DVDs etc.) tempting viewers into buying their ultra cheap movies on DVD. I had read about this sometime ago but couldn&rsquo;t really be bothered to go out and hunt for these DVDs. However, when I saw the ad, I was tempted. Not because the DVDs are supposed to be very cheap (between Rs. 40 &ndash; 80) but because the ad tempted me. It showed clips of a great movie which I had seen as a child &ndash; 36 Chambers of Shaolin &ndash; and the thought of acquiring that title was really exciting. Even more so at this moment because about 6 months ago, Zee had advertised the telecast of this very same movie. Only the whole experience of watching it on Zee was crap. Bad print. Way too many ads. I stopped watching after the first &frac12; hr.  So, feeling all charged up, I searched for &lsquo;moser bear movies&rsquo; on Google but the results were disappointing. The closest match was moserbeardvd.com and that wouldn&rsquo;t work. Searched once again for &lsquo;moser baer&rsquo; and I did get matches. Only this time around, Google was issuing a warning about visiting the site.&nbsp;       &nbsp;                   Nonetheless, I did click on the link and Google had introduced yet another page warning me about potential hazards that lay ahead. I was convinced. I gave up.&nbsp;        &nbsp; &nbsp;    Then, I saw a similar link, to the Moser Baer&rsquo; site and I clicked. There, I clicked on Home Entertainment. I reached a page that had a whole lot of titles listed. However, no 36 Chambers of Shaolin.&nbsp;  &nbsp;  &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  I ask, why advertise and drive traffic to stores/sites etc., if you can&rsquo;t showcase it. Anyway, tried doing a search, guess what? NO MATCHES. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO WASTE MONEY? Isn&rsquo;t it? With a little nudge from Google, one can kiss their business goodbye.  ]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:53:14 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>Big beast of the BEST class</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/4301</link>
						<description><![CDATA[On my way to work, every morning, I take the Worli sea face because the alternate route (below the new Worli fly-over) is quite crowded. The road along the sea has little traffic and one can drive fast, test cars &amp; burn some rubber especially when the khakhis aren&rsquo;t around with their newly acquired sophisticated radar guns. Why do they have radar guns on a scantly populated stretch of road? I am sure we all know the reason &ndash; someone could potentially kill a potential passerby.  
 
On one such morning, after crossing the sea face, when I reached the signal I usually take a right turn on, I noticed that a big beast of the BEST class was besides my car. The signal was red and we were all (including the big beast) waiting patiently for it to change. The big beast wanted to go straight and I wanted to go right. So, for all practical purposes, we wouldn&rsquo;t be in either ones&rsquo; path. Suddenly, the big beast started revving his engine and tooting his horn. I thought the signal had turned green because that was the only logical explanation for his restlessness. But that wasn&rsquo;t true. The signal was still red. He kept revving his engine, turned towards the left &amp; started honking. Sensing the pressure, the cars besides the big beast and in front started inching forward and in the next moment, they all (about 10 cars) had jumped the signal. 
 
If a regular citizen had jumped a signal, it would not be so grave because perhaps he/she was facing some kind of emergency and/or was just not in a mood to hang around at the signal. What I don&rsquo;t understand is why a big beast driver needs to drive rashly, cause stress amongst other commuters &amp; endanger lives. Does he get paid to do a fixed number of round trips? Does he get thanked by people for such behavior? Who&rsquo;s to blame for this? The BEST stable from which the big beast comes OR the radar-happy-slightly-hungry khakhis OR our Government OR is it just us Indians!]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Sat,  9 Jun 2007 16:24:32 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>Aapna National (read notional) Anthem</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/4004</link>
						<description><![CDATA[There was a time when hearing or singing our National Anthem did something to me. It made me feel proud, evoked feelings of oneness &amp; belonging. In that emotional state if someone were to ask me to kill our enemies, I would and so would millions of others. But now, I rarely feel those emotions anymore. Not because I am not capable of but because the National Anthem itself has become, at least to me, Notional. And there is only one culprit: non-voluntary-forceful-for-the-heck-of-it rendition in cinema halls.   I am not sure when the cinema-hall recital started but I think it was after the Mumbai Train Blasts (correct me if I am wrong). During a calamity / war / special occasion or when a nation needs to be brought together, it makes all the sense. But somewhere along the line, someone forgot that the power of the National Anthem can be diluted. In school, we sang the School Anthem everyday and still felt strongly for it. This was because we actually sang it rather than listen to it on a stereo. Nonetheless, we left the National Anthem to 2 special days &ndash;Republic Day &amp; Independence Day. I still remember, it gave me goose bumps every single time.  So, if you jokers in the cinema-halls or the politicians responsible for killing the power of our National Anthem are reading, STOP THIS NOW! Apart from stopping, how about some education on what the National Anthem is all about as well? I don&rsquo;t recall learning (if you call cramming the verses, learning, then yes) about it in school or in college or on my personal accord. Here, I am to blame BUT isn&rsquo;t it time we educated everyone about what the National Anthem means?  How many of you know the meaning of our National Anthem? Be truthful. I, for one, don&rsquo;t and if this cinema-hall nonsense doesn&rsquo;t stop, I will never ever want to also.]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Sat,  2 Jun 2007 14:28:09 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>Half-assed Posts</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/1211</link>
						<description><![CDATA[Don't know if others are in the same boat as myself (one that has a couple of holes) but if they are, do read. It is not about boats, so if you wanna quit, do so now. It is about blogging. Many a times, I begin a post (not here, in this form) but in MS Word and don't end up completing it. Perhaps my creative energy has died or perhaps I am just too pre-occupied. But the fact of the matter is that I wanna post !!! 
 
So, here is a thought that actually hit me when I was in the loo smoking away....TO HELL WITH COMPLETED POSTS - whatever you want to say, just come by to this form (not your MS Word) and write away. If you can't complete it, just make it a Part I or whatever you feel signifies 'work in progress', 'editing in progress'. Now that I have enlightened myself and perhaps all those who are 'work in progress', I promise to post some pictures of the Fropper ad shoot tomorrow from office on the Fropper Team Blog. I wanted it to be perfect but since I am in the mood for 'half-assed posts', that is what it will be! 
 
Cheers!]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:32:30 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>It has been a while...</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/445</link>
						<description><![CDATA[When was the last time I added some sensible nonsense to my ezBlog? If you check my archives, you will know. I, for sure, can't be bothered to do that. I just read a dozen posts &amp; couldn't help coming here and penning down some learnings from the last couple of days. 
 
Don't brag (to yourself) or take credit (pat yourself) for something unless it actually happens. 
Now, if you brag to others and take credit in front of others, heaven help you. 
 
Before you decide that something is tough, do some research. You will be surprised by what you learn - you can do it too! 
 
Kids are stress busters. Have some. If you can't, buy them! 
Am saying buy them because it makes things easy. Another option would be to adopt. 
 
When someone is critical, rise above the situation and ignore. The one criticizing is weak &amp; derives pleasure and/or feels good only when he/she puts others down. 
Here, I am talking about criticism that is not constructive 
 
That's all for now...feel free to add, subtract, divide what I have written about. By the way, this is fun and if the comments I get stroke my ego, even more so! ]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:37:46 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>Wow. This is addictive</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/206</link>
						<description><![CDATA[Just one of those days...wife and kids have gone to sleep, I have had some drinks and I am spending time here....on Fropper Zones. The conclusion: This is addictive ! 
 
How is it addictive? 
Simple. If you create a zone and don't come back....it is not! 
If you create an ezBlog and just copy / paste, it is not! 
If you don't read &amp; comment on other ezBlogs, it is not! 
If you don't look for other people &amp; scrap them, it is not! 
If you create a group and can't be bothered to push it, promote it, seed it, it is not! 
If you don't upload photos and don't comment on other's photos, it is not! 
 
DO THE OPPOSITE OF ALL OF THE ABOVE AND IT IS! Arguments anyone?  
 
This is not a post to promote Fropper.com but a log of a &quot;consumer's&quot; first hand experience hence it is here, on my ezBlog, and not on the Team ezBlog. 
 
Cheers! And a HIC! ]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:55:36 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>Are you a bathroom ezBlogger</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/147</link>
						<description><![CDATA[We have all heard about the 'bathroom singer' but what the hell is a 'bathroom ezBlogger'? It's actually a no-brainer. People like me who have, in the past, written but not published are 'bathroom ezBloggers'. Are you one of them? If so, don't wait, get your stuff out &amp; gather an audience ! 
 
Here is something I penned down a while ago. Everyone may not understand but if you are a Fropper Relationships user, you might. If you do, humor me and leave a comment. If you think that it should stay in the 'bathroom', well, stuff it ! Because it is already out ! 
 
Me? Buzzbee and I have a plan 
Especially for you to form a clan! 
Ready? But don't bee greedy. 
Slow and steady does better than the Speedy! 
 
Join! Let all see your splendid style. 
In a profile that extends your personality for a mile 
Seek your favorites and make them shine 
Shortly you&rsquo;ll bee buzzing, ooh so fine 
 
People, places, philosophy and more 
This is home to topics galore 
Pursue a few, maybe develop a crush 
It&rsquo;s so much fun but don&rsquo;t be in a rush 
 
If all goes well 
Then wishes will turn swell 
Else, don&rsquo;t just sit there, update your profile 
Or surely you&rsquo;ll be forgotten in a while 
 
Buzz, buzz, buzz, its bee time now 
Add fun-facts to make all say &lsquo;wow&rsquo; 
Come on put up that photo 
Then you&rsquo;ll surely win the lotto 
 
Remember the crush? 
Start posting in a rush 
And don't forget, it's always Beetime 
Start buzzing double time 
 
Sooner or later, a buzz will come 
That will cause your tongue to go numb 
Goodbye! Beetime. 
Hello! Primetime. 
 
Upgrade! Upgrade! Upgrade! 
Otherwise you will need a grenade 
Now you can send cool messages 
And write inspirational passages. 
 
No one&rsquo;s stopping you, go on mingle 
Its adieu to being single 
Finally, don't be fickle 
Remember to give me a tinkle.]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jan 2007 21:59:22 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>A realisation</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/89</link>
						<description><![CDATA[I heard about blogging 2 to 3 years ago and at first, I was a bit confused. A blog seemed like a regular web page, which has existed for as long as the internet has, so I couldn't understand the reason for all the hype in cyberspace. However, now I know why blogs are different, although they are webpages, and for that matter, why ezBlogs are unique. Couldn't help giving our creation a little push :) 
 
Anyway, this post is not about blogs or how they are different from webpages but about something I discovered yesterday. My discovery is a 'no brainer' and you may end up saying &quot;huh!&quot;. But, many-a-times, the obvious seems to elude us. And if you are seeing things they way I have been, you will discover something. 
 
My interest in blogs until the launch of ezBlogs has been purely work related. That is, I read blogs on technology, web 2.0, gadgets (not&nbsp; work but a passion but still falls into this category because it is information I am seeking), marketing etc. The main purpose of reading these blogs is to follow an industry, a trend or to keep up with the latest. However, what is missing is 'interaction'. When ezBlogs were launched, I started reading blogs not for 'information' or because it was 'work related' but because I was just keen on learning what others were blogging about. Here in lies my 'eureka' moment. I GOT TO LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE. I STARTED GETTING ENTERTAINED. I INTERACTED. This according to me is HUGE. Blogs are fun. Blogs let you interact. Blogs let you speak your mind. Blogs let you discover people. Here is one blog that gives you a glimpse about the blogger. I am sure there are many more here on Fropper.com. ENJOY ! 
 
&nbsp;]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:24:36 +0000</pubDate>
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						<title>Buy a Plasma TV and shed some water, protein and minerals</title>
						<link>http://www.fropper.com/post/73</link>
						<description><![CDATA[Well, not really. Although Plasma is 92% water, 7% protein and 1% minerals, that&rsquo;s not the true composition of a Plasma TV - The one we all aspire to hang on our ceilings and invoke dreams of lying-down-surround-sound-theatre-like-experience. Plasma TV is made up of - %^&amp;%()*&amp;&amp;^^ - I don&rsquo;t care! What I do care about and want to share is my load shedding experience of actually buying a Plasma TV. 
 
The desire to buy a Plasma TV had been growing ever since I saw the thought provoking video clip wherein two Africans take a long trek, through the canyons, to watch something on a TV pasted alongside a mountain. At that moment, I knew that my mountain side would be the wall opposite my bed but I deferred my purchase to a later date when I moved into my own apartment.  
 
Recently, after moving into my new apartment, the urge to buy a Plasma TV was resurrected by newspapers &amp; hoardings tooting Diwali offers for flat panel TVs. Cost was no longer an issue because the prices had fallen down dramatically. The Plasma TVs were very affordable. Only I did not have the money because all of it was spent on doing up the apartment. Then one Saturday afternoon, my brother said &ldquo;I think we can afford a Plasma TV now. Let&rsquo;s just go and get it&rdquo;. At first, I didn&rsquo;t believe him because just a couple of days ago, we had had a discussion about our finances and had decided to wait for at least a month. But once I dug deeper into how he had arrived at the conclusion: we have the money, I learned that he had carefully manipulated his wife&rsquo;s account (my sis-in-law) and had transferred the funds to my account. He said, &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t matter. We will repay her next month.&rdquo;  
 
I still couldn&rsquo;t come to terms with what he was saying. I tried Opposition Thinking (readers of &ldquo;The Monk who sold his Ferrari&rdquo; will know what I am talking about) but in vain. I was consumed by all things Plasma. A quick flip through the local newspaper, a strong rationalization that I really needed the Plasma TV, got me into my car. In no time, I was driving towards Vijay Sales to buy myself the most awaited, the most deserved Plasma TV. 
 
What did I learn about Plasma TVs in all these months since I first saw a flat panel TV alongside a mountain?  
 
„X That they will look great on the wall of my guest cum TV room 
„X That I really wanted one 
„X That I wanted a 42&rdquo; Plasma TV 
„X That I did not want an LCD (Liquid crystal display) because black appears grey 
„X That Plasma TVs have a burning problem  
„X That the life of the Plasma screen is 20000 hours versus 50000 for LCD. If you do the math, you will learn that if a person watches 5 hours of TV every day, the Plasma TV will last for about 11 years - now that is life! 
„X That LCDs have a higher resolution &amp; hence better picture quality 
„X That LCDs can be used for high definition programming but Plasma TVs also do a good job of displaying high definition programming 
„X That a computer monitor can be hooked to both LCDs &amp; Plasma TVs &amp; that LCDs provide a better gaming experience 
„X That LCDs do not come in large sizes, at least in India, and that large size LCDs (over 32 inches) are very costly. 
 
I got to Vijay Sales and was soon lost in the fabulous array of Plasma TVs hooked up to the wall &ndash; all playing crystal clear DVD formats. Which brand should I buy? Think, make a decision. There was someone in my head prodding me to take the plunge into the cheapest option but I needed to be rational. I relaxed, took a deep breath and applied all I had learned about Plasma TVs. No matter how much I analyzed, which angle I viewed the TVs from, they all looked similar (except for the LCDs which I did not want).  
 
I asked the sales person about which is better: LCD or Plasma. He did not offer anything new. It boiled down to choice. Both have their pros and cons and in the end, it is what you like. He also mentioned that the most preferred brand was LG and that Citibank is offering a 6 installment, no interest scheme for Citibank credit card holders. That&rsquo;s it. That was the last straw. I needed to make a decision pronto because I was realizing the dream of getting it delivered immediately, getting it hooked up and getting mesmerized in the lying-down-surround-sound-theatre-like-experience. I said, &ldquo;I will take the LG if you deliver today&rdquo;. Got the promise, swiped the card, and walked out with a big smile on my face.  
 
But before I left Vijay Sales, I had to pacify a rather excited brother of mine who, upon hearing the Citibank offer, started rationalizing that he should also buy a TV for himself. I knew this would be disastrous because at that moment, all logic was thrown out and it was purely the heart that had taken over and clouded his judgment.  
 
I asked: What do you want? Plasma or LCD?  
He said: I don&rsquo;t know. I guess Plasma should do. 
 
I asked: Wouldn&rsquo;t you like to see how the TV I have just purchased performs before buying one for yourself and didn&rsquo;t you want an LCD?  
He dismissed my question by saying: They are all good. Let&rsquo;s just get one more and go.  
 
I don&rsquo;t know how I did it but I somehow managed to get him out of Vijay Sales without an additional TV. In hindsight, it was a wise decision because he bought two LCds (one for his bedroom &amp; one for his TV room). Why LCD? Because he wanted an LCD and because I already had the Plasma. 
 
We reached home and began the journey of anticipation. It was so thick that we could taste it. I kept asking myself: When will they come? To add to my restlessness, my brother kept telling me that I should call them. I ignored his comments and waited patiently - I had paid, they had promised and it was only a matter of time. 
 
The installers arrived but at 6 PM but without the carpenters who would actually hook the TV on the wall. Another hour and a half and the carpenters arrived. By the way, did I mention that we had a house warming party that was going to kickoff at 9 PM? This is how we (guys) are! We want our toys and we want them as of yesterday as soon as we make the decision. The look on my wife&rsquo;s face at the arrival of the carpenters and the installers was something to behold. I wish I could frame it or show it here but I will let your imagination run wild. If you are married, you will know what I am talking about. 
 
The installers got to work and as promised, they wrapped up everything before 9 PM. However, my guests did not arrive at the stated time and I found myself playing with my newly acquired Plasma TV. Was I happy? Was I sad? I don&rsquo;t know because I was busy trying to get the darn picture to appear as it did in the showroom &ndash; without any horizontal scrolling lines &amp; crystal clear. Lesson: In a showroom, the sales people always play a DVD which is crystal clear, have a cable connection which is flawless and use cables which are of a quality you and I don&rsquo;t possess. So, before you buy something from a showroom, try to analyze what is different between the showroom setting and your home because, trust me, there will be a difference. 
 
After about 30 minutes of playing, I gave up, jumped in the shower, got fixed and sat down with a beer to bring on the party mood. The visitors liked my TV, suggested that I get a booster for the cable so that I get a clear picture and left me wondering if I had made the right decision: Plasma versus LCD. 
 
On Sunday, I woke up early to start playing with my TV but since a friend had stayed over (the TV room is also the guest room), I had to wait for over an hour. At 10 AM, I decided that my guest should wake up &amp; enjoy a glorious Sunday. I knocked on her door, got my wife to get her friend to rise &amp; started toying with the TV. I learned everything about the remote, the features, the nuances but the picture would not appear without horizontal lines across the entire screen. Frustrated, I gave up &amp; decided that I will call the service center on Monday &amp; settled in to watch Incredibles on DVD.  
 
The DVD worked very well but due to constant disturbance (not the digital kind but the cute little kind that comes with 2 hands and 2 legs), I could not finish the movie in one sitting. It took me 3 full days. During this time, I had contacted Vijay Sales and had them replace the set, had contacted my cable operator &amp; confirmed that there was no fault with the cable signal. In the end, it turned out to be the video signal I was routing through my amplifier (over 3 years old now). The amplifier wasn&rsquo;t capable of transmitting the video signal without causing the horizontal disturbance. A direct hook up fixed it and now I sit &amp; enjoy the show whenever I have time. 
 
Enjoy the show? At least in theory I do. A week after everything looked good, I thought about improving the audio/video signal to get clearer picture. The reason: my brother had bought an LCD screen and the picture appeared more life like. Enter A/V cables. If you know nothing about cables, don&rsquo;t worry because whatever they say about cables, as far as I know, is a load of sh*t. At an electronics expo, I spent Rs.5000/- buying industrial grade cables (those used by news channels &amp; the film industry) hoping to improve the quality of the audio &amp; video. Killed about 1 hour unplugging existing connections and re-connecting all the pieces but the quality (seen by my bespectacled eyes) and heard by my 30+ ears is the same. No difference at all! 
 
Enjoy the show? Yes. Very happy with the Plasma. Very happy with the LCD. Hope everyone is fortunate enough to buy both.]]></description>
						 <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:29:20 +0000</pubDate>
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