Monday, January 24, 2011

No more "Dhobi Ghat" please (1.5/5)

If you really want your pocket to be washed away then only its recommendable and there is nothing to get in front of the screen.I would love to watch either "man vs wild" or "jailed abroad" and rank them better than the worthless "dhobi ghat". This Saturday i went for it and its a pure waste of money and time. I didn't really got to know what Aamir or kiran wanted to showcase in the movie missing the storyline with no song & even interval. Yes Aamir had the idea that the public once gone will not be coming down and that's why the interval was missing. And recently Aamir was in news for conducting a special screening for the Representatives from the "Dhobis" and I think it was just a gesture to bring the film into limelight and nothing else. I don't think any one has put any objection in using the title. Mr. Perfect this time seems to be missing the taste and would be paid. This flop may not hit his pocket much but couple tickets for Rs 300 is too much to waste on this 1 hr 40 min picture. thumbs down for this time man...

Friday, January 07, 2011

Can ever Internet replace Books ?

I remember the days when I used to write long letters to my father in Berhampur, Orissa from my hostel in Delhi when the writing style, language and the selection words were the tools to measure one's scholastic capabilities. But I wonder in time span of few years the scenario has altogether changed and Internet, e mails have occupied the space for books, letters and telegrams. I still have those inspiring letters by my father directing and advising me in due course of time about many do's and don'ts. It was not mere letters by an eager father asking his about to mature son about the ongoing situation in his career or the many facets of life , but it had that warmth & love mingled with the strict commands in a sarcastic way guiding me the with better ways in life. I always admired his style and selection of words which for my uncle's was a tough task to handle but i managed to get the message in them. He is very keen in handwriting as well, as in his and my school days a good handwriting was a parameter judge one's academics & the scholastic attire of a wise man.

Now when the key board has replaced the mighty pens and the web page of the pads, writing skills have changed a bit. This was my view when i was in northern India but in Chennai the views have altogether changed. People here still like to stick to books and there is a special like to read news papers across the state. With many much circulated Tamil news papers , the readers have got an easy choice of language and the rich availability too has made the reading habit a good choice. in this fast moving life Newspaper and the most wanted Novels are best choice for reading during travel time and people here just enjoy it. From Tamil news papers to Bestsellers are in good demand here. And I like my uncle who wanted to make a habit of reading a good Novel before sleeping is still a nightmare. I am yet to make my body habituals to that as i hardly get to books these days rather I choose the IDIOT BOX or the Ethernet. But still I have couple of Novels in my shelves & waiting for a day to read them in peace...

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Nine resolutions to make you richer

( A good article )
Reading about how to improve your personal finances is a start, but it has absolutely no meaning if you don't act on it.Before you can get anywhere with your personal finances, you need to begin — right now. So what are the steps you should be taking to get your personal finances in order? Here's a list that you can look at every day, and try to improve your lot. Let's start with getting your banking accounts in order.
1. Pay off all credit card debt:
Credit card debt is Enemy No. 1. If credit card bills are not paid off in full every month, there is a huge negative impact.Sit down and work out a plan to pay off any debt that you currently have, using the snowball method that best fits your personality. This has to be top priority.
2. Understand the difference between wants and needs
To keep your finances in perspective, you need to understand the difference between wants and needs. There is nothing inherently wrong with small luxuries, and you should be able to enjoy the nonessentials in this life. But it is important to realise that wants are not needs. If you master this skill, your finances will be in a much better
shape. Critically evaluate your true needs versus your wants. If you are having trouble distinguishing between them, just
eliminate impulse spending.
3. Live on less than what you earn
There are no two ways around this one. If you want to keep your finances in order, you need to live on less money than you make. That would mean either purchasing items and services that cost less than what you currently make, or figuring out a way to increase your salary so that you can spend more (but still less than you make). Either of these is fine. Track your spending and create a budget. If you are spending more than you are making, you need to decide whether to curb unnecessary costs or figure out how to increase income. Most people can balance their budget without changing their current lifestyle.
4. Pay yourself first
Before you pay any bill, you should pay yourself a range of 15% to 30% of your take-home salary. This money is not part of your monthly spending budget. Go to your bank and set it up so that your paycheck is automatically deposited, if possible. Then set it up so that an auto payment is made from your paycheck into a specified account that is not used for monthly expenses.
5. Set financial goals
In order to reach your financial goals, you need to know what those are. Nobody can determine these except you. You need to take the time to figure out exactly what your financial goals are so that you can take the necessary steps to reach them. If you don't know specifically what your goals are for this year of the next 10 years, take the steps needed to create them.
6. Educate yourself and be responsible for your decisions
It is convenient to hand over money matters to someone else, but you mustn't do this. Part of being financially responsible is having final say in all decisions about your money. That doesn't mean you can't seek advice, but in the end your money is your responsibility, and you are the only one who is going to truly look after it. someone else to look after it, it's time to take back control. No matter what, spend an hour or two each week reading articles on personal finance or visiting web communities where you can ask questions.
7. Save and invest
Take the money that you pay yourself first and either save or invest it to make it grow and work for you in the future. If you are carrying credit card debt, invest in it first. But also make sure to take full advantage of the saving and investing opportunities that are available. Make sure you have an emergency fund.
8. Protect your finances
12/29/2010 Printarticle-DNA E-Paper - Daily News …epaper.dnaindia.com/printarticle.aspx?… ½ You will take the necessary steps, usually through insurance, to make sure that your assets are protected in case of a disaster. Take the time to make sure that all your assets are properly insured, and reevaluate this every few years or whenever a major life change occurs, such as marriage or a new addition to the family. Also be sure to compare insurance rates on a regular basis, since this is a competitive business.
9. Donate to worthy causes and to those less fortunate
No matter how desperate your finances may appear, if you are reading this article, there are a lot of people in the world who are far worse off than you are. It's important to nurture a sense of giving and to be thankful for the small things you have. That means donating to worthy causes on a regular basis. If you are in the habit of giving, chances are you will be less greedy as a person.