In-different Observation # 61

Saw a group playing cricket at a small local stadium yesterday.
Understood why cricket is a gentleman's game... never saw anyone play cricket wearing shorts :P

(Unlike football or tennis where ppl do wear shorts)

In-different Observation # 60

Why did Sachin Tendulkar choose the team called Kerala Blasters?
Coz Kerala is "God's own country" :)

Food Over Philosophy, 10 (not counting though...)

Read a general principle that most expanding economies also go  through phases of slow or no growth and high inflation, followed by period of low inflation and high growth.

That's a lot like the times when i stopped growing taller and put on much weight, followed by increase in height n getting slimmer :P

In-different Observation #59

The perpetual sign above an ATM reads "24 hrs ATM"
Post demonetisation, it is just a 2-4 hrs ATM

Had gone cashless (read: used digital payment) since 3 years, so haven't stood in line yet to "withdraw cash"

In-different Observation # 58

Went to Papa's office of over 10 years... so much had changed! a positive vibe in a newly renovated govt. office, efficient and helpful staff and former junior colleagues . .. well maintained environs - all worthy of daddy's personality and upbeat spirit :)

While papa lost his father 3 years before his retirement, i lost my papa slightly more than 3 years into my post-graduate job. what an irony - hoping to stay strong in this time of loss and feeling lost. Again, Papa's positivity is what i get solace in!

In-different Observation #57

So I'm a Hindu by principle and not by procedure...

In-different Observation # 56

The more things change, the more they remain the same, and how?

Think "thumb impressions" of the pre-literacy era; think biometric attendances (thumb!!!) of today :)

In-different Observation # 55

All this while I've been autocorrrect when the real culprit is auto REPLACE! #facepalm

In-different Observation # 54

if only people didn't switch lanes right before the traffic signal... road travel and driving to be precise would be much smoother in Delhi!

As for the Metro, i dread those days when the train suddenly needs to stop, "iss yatra me thoda vilambb hoga", or those (less) fearsome words, "This train will go till Dwarka. Kindly change at Dwarka Mor"

Reusing former Olympic Venues

ever since i took up the profession of valuation, i've been thinking about getting maximum value from existing built infra and fixed assets - there is plethora of such opportunities in several cities. Since Olympics are around, you guessed what the obvious is...

After reading news about derelict sites of former Olympics, i got an idea that my office could take up a project of identifying and valuing all the former Olympic sites, especially those lying unused at present. 

Most of the countries have spent billions of dollars on constructing these Olympic sites, however, not all of them are being utilized post the games. Some relevant links are shared as background information.

Instances of derelict Olympics venues 

1) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3730579/As-Rio-Olympics-kicks-eerie-photographs-reveal-derelict-sites-past-games.html

List of all Olympic Host cities

2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olympic_Games_host_cities

In some cases, Olympic infra (Sports venues and Housing Complex) is already being used as concert venues or theme parks, or for alternate sports 

3) http://www.cbsnews.com/news/olympic-challenge-how-do-host-cities-fare-after-the-games/

4) http://www.today.com/news/what-happens-olympic-venues-after-torch-goes-out-2D12152101

Contact details of the IOC, based in Lausanne, Switzerland

5) http://extranet.olympic.org/Public/contact.aspx

From my short-term experience of staying abroad, i visited the Barcelona Olympic village (1992) as a tourist, and the Munich Olympia-stadt (1972) where sports facilities are operated currently for the public and for training purposes to groom new generation of athletes.

Hence, a proposal could be sent to the IOC for taking up the project of valuing the land and existing infra, and based on surrounding land-use and other factors, suggest potential re-use / redevelopment. This could give economic boost to the host cities. The IOC or some host-city govts. may have already commissioned a firm to value and redevelop the sites; we could target those which are not yet covered. The exercise could also be extended to Commonwealth Sports venues in India (Delhi/Pune). 

In-different Observation # 53

just look at how much these movies earn...

lets crowd-fund the next salman movie and get a stake in the returns. instead of approaching a producer, small scale productions are already benefiting from crowd funding. a great platform for people to invest and get assured returns on the movie budget.

even make a company that takes public money to fund movies and distributes profits in the same proportion.

In-different Observation # 52

Mysore...
that one beautiful city
which can never be an eyesore! 

Food over Philosophy # N

So this occurred to me while munching on some popcorn while watching the movie on mathematician S. Ramanujan...

Several years later, Arvind Kejriwal and Ramanujan meet in 'heaven', and they talk thus:

Kejriwal : "hi I'm Arvind, the Chief Minister of Delhi"

Ramanujan : "I'm Ramanujan, the man who knows infinity"

After some silence...

Kejriwal : "Really?! Then tell me whether infinity is odd or even!"

:D :D :D

In-different Observation # 51

now that the half-century mark has been crossed, let me lament over some lighthearted observations on marriage!

for a geeky travel addict, marriage is : not changing the default no. of travellers from 2 to 1 for any standard online booking :)

(assuming of course, when we travel together)

In-different Observation # 50

Great effort by Trivago.com on making an ad on the lines of Joy movie :)

Girl in simple clothes demonstrates (with the ample use of hand gestures) how the site is used. Makes it looks a bit lame since we know how to search for rooms on travel sites. But two things stand apart - the fact that they compare all the rates from different sites and that they are also targeting first time users who feel internet bookings were complicated until Trivago came along!

Tripadvisor does a similar comparison,  but hey we aren't complaining coz they didn't come up with an awesome ad.

Not sure if the Joy-like idea has been used before or inspired by yet another movie/ad, it certainly works because it already made me check out Trivago! 

In-different Observation # 49

Thought the Internet was a great substitute for word-of-mouth recommendations? Well, think again - a lot of people still do rely on actual reviews before making a decision! 

In-different Observation # 48

I took a break from being awesome - i got married :P :)

before it was cool....

Here's a little list of a few things I did before they were cool (in that order) :

1992 - got my parents to adopt a street puppy! It stayed on at our home for 4 years. I was just 5 yrs old back then. Lot of people frowned upon that idea (street puppy in the house, no way!) But today it's so cool, just so cool!

2000 - made my own website. Yes, people did think I was a bit narcissistic 7th grader, but who cares. I was happy writing code in HTML and putting bits n pieces of info on things that captured my interest. Although angelfire.com was the webhost, I opted against using those pre made themes or templates and instead "wrote from scratch", barring the ads. Www.angelfire.com/art2/sush_2001/enter.html - 2001 why you may ask? I was futuristic you see! :) on a serious note, I started working on it from 2000... but launched only in 2001 : millennial cyber savvy kid I was, with procrastination as a forte ;)

too bad I've no photos of the puppy - no-one made cameras for 5 year olds to use in the 1990s... and didn't I say my parents thought it was not cool back then :-|

2012-13 - in the age of smartphones when everyone was using them for maps and photos, I travelled alone without one. A total of 45 days throughout the length and breath of Europe. Not got lost once (ok, so you know I'm smart even without a smartphone ;)), interacted with a great bunch of locals to ask for directions - some conversations  went on for 30minutes, with absolute strangers. .. what an experience! Some memorable ones - with a Canadian lady on a bridge over river Seine in Paris and then then one with an Italian lady in Lucerne (her so called brother tried to hit on me and ask for a dance, which I duly refused!) And of course, "locals" of the purest form in cities like Monaco (yes they were friendly), Munich (where I lived!), Barcelona, Zurich, Milan, Budapest, Vienna, Luxembourg, Stockholm,  Denmark. .. long list! Not constantly checking up my phone gave me more time to fully absorb the experience. The only downside - having to carry both a basic phone and a camera around! 

In-different Observation # 47

how so often i feel like going and just ringing the bell at some of my past addresses... hostel rooms, rented apartments... across so many cities and countries :)

that sense of nostalgia and "belongingness"! :)

In-different Observation # 46

So this one is actually an "observation", and yes, i was not "indifferent" this time :)

About this little Swiss girl i saw while walking near the Kappelbrucke in Lucerne. Not more than 3 years of age. For more than once i was quite thankful for my knowledge of German while in Switzerland... lest i would miss the essence of the entire conversation!

"Warum ist das"? asked the little girl in her soft voice, as she pointed to the wheeled barrier-free chair along the steps. Small question but big step for a toddler, observing her surroundings n asking "Why is that" being used? Her father offered further explanation.

See that metal extension on the left? Look at the picture below for a close-up of the wheel tray. For walking nomads like me,  it's easy to miss that. But i'm glad i can be a bit more observant at times :)

Photo 2: The barrier-free installation on the steps in Kappelbrucke, Lucerne, Switzerland. Photo by Susmita.

I was struck by the sheer inquisitiveness and keenness to learn! Says so much about the scientific awareness of people in advanced economies - no wonder Switzerland has one of the highest per capita Nobel laureates in the world!

food over philosophy

Stay hungry stay foolish they  said...

That's why Bill Gates and Warren Buffet believe that when you have a lot of wealth, give enough to your children so that they can do anything! But not so much that they do nothing.

That's a good thought for new year 2016!

Happy New Year folks!