Pre-India vs. Pakistan Calendar (typical week)
Today: India vs. Pakistan Match Day
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Impact of India vs. Pakistan Cricket on My Workday
This evening on a conference call with Doug he was teasing me about the laughter he heard on the call before he joined. I explained to him my clear schedule today and free time I was enjoying. Amazing the availability I had today compared to a normal Wednesday......
Pre-India vs. Pakistan Calendar (typical week)
Today: India vs. Pakistan Match Day
Pre-India vs. Pakistan Calendar (typical week)
Today: India vs. Pakistan Match Day
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Pune Lockness Monster
Yesterday while traveling back to my flat from CIL I couldn't help but to notice a crowd of around 100 people standing at the bank of the river. Additionally there was a massive traffic jam as people were looking into the river from their cars and bikes as well. I couldn't see anything in the river and asked Shashi, my driver, if he knew what was going on, but he didn't know either. I quickly forgot about this as we continued on our way back to Koregaon Park.
This evening while traveling back from CSS to the flat Shashi informed me that a snake had been spotted in the river yesterday and that is why the crowd had formed (mind you I've seen more snakes in 4 months in India than in my 28 years in the US). I asked if it had been a snake the size of the one from Anaconda or something like that and he said he didn't know. Finally Shashi reluctantly broke down and told me that his curiosity got the best of him and after dropping me off he drove back to the river (45 minutes away), parked the car and got into the crowd. After a 1/2 hour staring into the river he asked what everyone was looking at and was informed that a snake had been spotted in the river. He then proceeded to spend another 1/2 hour staring at the river to no avail for the snake to surface. The snake never did.
I laughed so hard at Shashi telling me this story because it reminded me of another life lesson I've heard here in India: if you go to a market, spit on the ground and stare at it, within minutes a crowd will join and stare at it with you!
This evening while traveling back from CSS to the flat Shashi informed me that a snake had been spotted in the river yesterday and that is why the crowd had formed (mind you I've seen more snakes in 4 months in India than in my 28 years in the US). I asked if it had been a snake the size of the one from Anaconda or something like that and he said he didn't know. Finally Shashi reluctantly broke down and told me that his curiosity got the best of him and after dropping me off he drove back to the river (45 minutes away), parked the car and got into the crowd. After a 1/2 hour staring into the river he asked what everyone was looking at and was informed that a snake had been spotted in the river. He then proceeded to spend another 1/2 hour staring at the river to no avail for the snake to surface. The snake never did.
I laughed so hard at Shashi telling me this story because it reminded me of another life lesson I've heard here in India: if you go to a market, spit on the ground and stare at it, within minutes a crowd will join and stare at it with you!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
And I Thought Politics Were Foolish Here....
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/22/republicans-try-block-new-light-bulb-restrictions/
Courtesy of my friends at Fox News I was happy to see Kevin Looper's old pal Rand Paul is still fighting the good fight while I am abroad. I would be shocked to return to the US and find out that the little known 28th Amendment, the right to choose my own lightbulb, has been abolished while I was away! And I thought the politics here were foolish ;-)
Sunday, March 20, 2011
CIL IT Mascots
During CRP2 a few weeks ago there was a nice distraction from all the system flows: A dog giving birth outside of the IT building! Well these puppies have set up their home right outside of the office and are the cutest puppies! The mom is a little skittish of the white guy that feeds her babies pears and water, but she's getting used to me!
I also picked up my set of "hell on wheels" this week. This Cannondale is now my ticket to "driver-less freedom" around Koregaon Park. On Saturday during my first ride I don't think I've ever been so scared, but after an hour or so in traffic I was cutting people off and wandering all over the road with the best of them! Mom, please send a new St. Christopher medal to put on the handlebars ;-)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Dan Devito: Man of Inventory, Man of Great Care Packages
Normally receiving a package that has clearly been opened, sealed, opened again and sealed again that is covered with dirt and ants would not bring me as much happiness as the one I received today, but this was from Dan "Danny Boy" Devito.
When Dan and I were both very young and immature, before he had a child and before I was the Prince of Pune, we would frequent an Irish hole-in-the-wall bar in Cincinnati when we would go out called "O'Malley's in the Alley." Generally after indulging in some adult beverages we would end up in another hole-in-the-wall eatery called "Balboas" for pizza and an East Coast snack cake called TastyKake.
Not just any TastyKake, but the Butterscotch Krimpets. Dan was raised on these as he was growing up in a family of inventory gurus and I was hooked on this sugary "smack" as soon as I had one. Along with the TastyKakes and pizza ranch dressing had to be served or I would become an unhappy camper at 2 a.m. sneaking around Dan's place while we tried not to wake up his wife, Jess, and successfully devour a large Balboa's pie. No matter how well we tried to cover our tracks, Jess could always check the ranch dressing in the fridge and know if I had been there!
Thanks Dan for the retailer size package of Tastykakes and the industrial jug of ranch; I miss you guys;-)
In an unrelated story, Lata attempted to use the microwave this weekend, but apparently still hasn't figured out this technology as was evident with the below tupperware container I came home to on Sunday. No matter how hard I tried I could not get the lid off to enjoy what was left of the prawn stir fry!
When Dan and I were both very young and immature, before he had a child and before I was the Prince of Pune, we would frequent an Irish hole-in-the-wall bar in Cincinnati when we would go out called "O'Malley's in the Alley." Generally after indulging in some adult beverages we would end up in another hole-in-the-wall eatery called "Balboas" for pizza and an East Coast snack cake called TastyKake.
Not just any TastyKake, but the Butterscotch Krimpets. Dan was raised on these as he was growing up in a family of inventory gurus and I was hooked on this sugary "smack" as soon as I had one. Along with the TastyKakes and pizza ranch dressing had to be served or I would become an unhappy camper at 2 a.m. sneaking around Dan's place while we tried not to wake up his wife, Jess, and successfully devour a large Balboa's pie. No matter how well we tried to cover our tracks, Jess could always check the ranch dressing in the fridge and know if I had been there!
Thanks Dan for the retailer size package of Tastykakes and the industrial jug of ranch; I miss you guys;-)
In an unrelated story, Lata attempted to use the microwave this weekend, but apparently still hasn't figured out this technology as was evident with the below tupperware container I came home to on Sunday. No matter how hard I tried I could not get the lid off to enjoy what was left of the prawn stir fry!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Saturday Brunch with Friends
On Saturday my neighbor and I walked around the city in the sweltering heat, she out of boredom and me to burn off the $12 pint of Haagen-Dazs I indulged in on Friday. We stopped at a "restaurant" called Frankies on Lane No. 6 and were joined by a few more friends while we ate Bombay sandwiches, fries and coleslaw.
Only in India would eating in a restaurant with a rat and a cow as co-patrons not feel weird. In fact, in the below picture you can see I made friends with the rat and he is enjoying some of my coleslaw and Bombay sandwich. This was one of the most polite rats I've ever come across; a true gentleman. He was more like a dog than a rat and would come up to my feet, look up as to say he was ready for more to eat and then take whatever scrap I gave him back to his "table" behind the potted plant.
Only in India would eating in a restaurant with a rat and a cow as co-patrons not feel weird. In fact, in the below picture you can see I made friends with the rat and he is enjoying some of my coleslaw and Bombay sandwich. This was one of the most polite rats I've ever come across; a true gentleman. He was more like a dog than a rat and would come up to my feet, look up as to say he was ready for more to eat and then take whatever scrap I gave him back to his "table" behind the potted plant.
The cow showed up just in time to watch me enjoying a buffalo milk shake. I hope he wasn't offended that I was enjoying the delicious shake made from some of his colleagues milk! This was one of the more festive cows I've come across while here in India and it was really nice of it to walk into the restaurant and crash Wan, the rat and I's brunch!
License to Ill
As you may remember from my earlier post, I have gotten the desire to become a biker. The freedom of the open road, calling it home wherever I may roam, the outlaw lifestyle, not having to answer to the "man" and so on and so on. Well this weekend that dream became a reality, sort of....
Above is my "hog." Well it's almost mine. Over the next several days I will continue to visit the Citibank ATM near me to make withdrawals so that I can finish paying for this piece of hell on wheels. The bike shop doesn't accept debit cards and my daily limit prevents me from pulling out enough cash to complete the purchase so I'm having to make daily trips to the ATM to withdraw cash. By Wednesday this mean machine will be mine. This will be my proving ground for seeing if I have the skills to navigate a motorcycle through these crazy streets!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Lent in India
Just so my mom knows I'm still a good Catholic here in India I wanted to post this story. I've decided to give up Indian food for Lent; I wish, instead I will be giving up the delicious, chocolate croissants from Bread Story. Bread Story is probably one of the best bakeries (not quite as good as Shadeau which was across from me while living in Over the Rhine) that I've ever come upon and the croissants are a weekly (maybe twice weekly) ritual that I've come to love. In fact anything that isn't curry flavored is a plus in my book! During Lent Shashi, my driver, has been instructed to not even tempt me by driving down Lane No. 6 in Koregaon Park until after Good Friday!
MUMBAI: Marking the beginning of the holy period of Lent, members of the Catholic communityattended church in large numbers on Ash Wednesday. According to the custom, the priests sprinkled holy dust on their heads to remind them of their mortality. Several Christians vowed to give up meat and alcohol for the next 40 days, while most promised to fast every Friday until Easter.
Fr Rocky Banz, parish priest of Gloria Church, Byculla, saidwelcomed his flock with special words for Lent Wednesday evening, "Typically, the attendance rises by up to 20% during Lent. This period commemorates the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent in the desert before taking on the mission of his heavenly father. People pray, do penance and give alms."
Jennifer Rodrigues, head of the history department at National College in Bandra, has given up eating sweets. "Fasting is not difficult for me anymore, and the aim of Lent is to challenge one's limits. Introspection and charity in words, deeds and actions is what I perceive Lent to be rather than donating money which may or may not help self-purification," she said.
Shortly before Lent, an interesting spectacle of fun and revelry unfolds in Jennifer's neighbourhood near Hasnabad Lane in Santa Cruz.
Inspired by the famous pre-Lenten carnivals of Rio de Janeiro and Goa, the local community of Catholics has devised its own celebration, complete with floats that make their way around every lane in the area.
"On February 26 each society prepared a theme-based float. All of them were then taken around the colony in a vast procession," Jenny said. The theme for her float, based on the sun god Apollo, won the first prize.
Her 77-year-old father Leo wore a crown and golden robes dressed as the character of King Momo, who traditionally leads the carnival.Exhorting everyone to 'khao, piyo and jiyo' (eat, drink and make merry) before Lent, Leo doled out liberal doses of wicked humour as well.
Fully prepared for the austerity that lies ahead, the parishioners welcomed the holy dust over their heads. "May it be gold dust," one of them remarked, no doubt referring to his spiritual wealth.
Revellers end party, usher in season of Lent lenten austerity begins with ash Wednesday
MUMBAI: Marking the beginning of the holy period of Lent, members of the Catholic communityattended church in large numbers on Ash Wednesday. According to the custom, the priests sprinkled holy dust on their heads to remind them of their mortality. Several Christians vowed to give up meat and alcohol for the next 40 days, while most promised to fast every Friday until Easter.
Fr Rocky Banz, parish priest of Gloria Church, Byculla, saidwelcomed his flock with special words for Lent Wednesday evening, "Typically, the attendance rises by up to 20% during Lent. This period commemorates the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent in the desert before taking on the mission of his heavenly father. People pray, do penance and give alms."
Jennifer Rodrigues, head of the history department at National College in Bandra, has given up eating sweets. "Fasting is not difficult for me anymore, and the aim of Lent is to challenge one's limits. Introspection and charity in words, deeds and actions is what I perceive Lent to be rather than donating money which may or may not help self-purification," she said.
Shortly before Lent, an interesting spectacle of fun and revelry unfolds in Jennifer's neighbourhood near Hasnabad Lane in Santa Cruz.
Inspired by the famous pre-Lenten carnivals of Rio de Janeiro and Goa, the local community of Catholics has devised its own celebration, complete with floats that make their way around every lane in the area.
"On February 26 each society prepared a theme-based float. All of them were then taken around the colony in a vast procession," Jenny said. The theme for her float, based on the sun god Apollo, won the first prize.
Her 77-year-old father Leo wore a crown and golden robes dressed as the character of King Momo, who traditionally leads the carnival.Exhorting everyone to 'khao, piyo and jiyo' (eat, drink and make merry) before Lent, Leo doled out liberal doses of wicked humour as well.
Fully prepared for the austerity that lies ahead, the parishioners welcomed the holy dust over their heads. "May it be gold dust," one of them remarked, no doubt referring to his spiritual wealth.
KPIT Scare this Week
The below story was from today's edition of the Times of India newspaper and highlights that there are jerks all around the world! Fortunately it was a hoax and nobody was hurt.
PUNE: The Hinjewadi police on Wednesday arrested a 20-year-old youth, Kiran Vinayak Gaikwad of Bhujbal Vasti, Wakad, for allegedly making a hoax call to KPIT Cummins located at Rajiv Gandhi IT Park in Hinjewadi on March 7.
Gaikwad, originally hailing from Latur district, has been arrested under sections 66 (A) (B) and (C) of the Information and Technology Act and sections 182 and 403 of the Indian Penal Code.
The investigations have revealed that Gaikwad, son of a laundry owner, worked as a private security guard in KPIT Cummins for a short period of three to four days. He was, however, removed by the security agency which had hired him. The suspect made the hoax call to trouble the officials of the security agency, said senior police inspector Ganpat Madgulkar of the Hinjewadi police station.
Madgular said that on March 7 around 7.45 am, security supervisor Machhindra Ram Shinde of KPIT Cummins received a call on his cell phone. The caller identified himself as 'Rasal' from the Hinjewadi police station. He said that a bomb had been planted in the company and that he would be reaching the spot along with his staff. "Shinde then informed senior company officials, who later informed us," Madgulkar said.
He said that the bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS), dog squad and around 30 policemen reached the company. There were around 4,000 employees working in the company. "We evacuated the entire building and searched for almost four hours. But, nothing suspicious was found. We declared that the call was a hoax and allowed the employees inside the building," Madgulkar said.
The security supervisor gave the cell phone number to the police from where he had received the call. During investigations the police found that the number belonged to Anna Sutar of Indapur. "We sent our team to Indapur and found that Sutar was staying at Wakad. We managed to trace Sutar on Monday," Madgulkar said.
On being questioned Sutar told the police that he had lost his cell phone. "He had not filed any complaint nor contacted the company to deactivate the SIM. He, however, suspected that he had forgotten the cell phone in the clothes, which he had given to Gaikwad's laundry around a year back," Madgulkar said.
The police then traced Gaikwad from Bhumkar Vasti. During sustained interrogation Gaikwad agreed to his involvement in the act. "We have received eight SIM cards from Gaikwad," Madgulkar said, adding, "Gaikwad is alleging that the security agency, which had hired him did not pay him for the days he had worked at KPIT."
Sachin Tikekar, Chief of People Operations, KPIT said in an official statement, "We sincerely appreciate the speed with which the Pune police and authorities acted in nabbing the offender. This has once again strengthened our faith in the law enforcement agencies, and I believe this will act as a deterrent to any miscreant attempting to disrupt normalcy."
PUNE: The Hinjewadi police on Wednesday arrested a 20-year-old youth, Kiran Vinayak Gaikwad of Bhujbal Vasti, Wakad, for allegedly making a hoax call to KPIT Cummins located at Rajiv Gandhi IT Park in Hinjewadi on March 7.
Gaikwad, originally hailing from Latur district, has been arrested under sections 66 (A) (B) and (C) of the Information and Technology Act and sections 182 and 403 of the Indian Penal Code.
The investigations have revealed that Gaikwad, son of a laundry owner, worked as a private security guard in KPIT Cummins for a short period of three to four days. He was, however, removed by the security agency which had hired him. The suspect made the hoax call to trouble the officials of the security agency, said senior police inspector Ganpat Madgulkar of the Hinjewadi police station.
Madgular said that on March 7 around 7.45 am, security supervisor Machhindra Ram Shinde of KPIT Cummins received a call on his cell phone. The caller identified himself as 'Rasal' from the Hinjewadi police station. He said that a bomb had been planted in the company and that he would be reaching the spot along with his staff. "Shinde then informed senior company officials, who later informed us," Madgulkar said.
He said that the bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS), dog squad and around 30 policemen reached the company. There were around 4,000 employees working in the company. "We evacuated the entire building and searched for almost four hours. But, nothing suspicious was found. We declared that the call was a hoax and allowed the employees inside the building," Madgulkar said.
The security supervisor gave the cell phone number to the police from where he had received the call. During investigations the police found that the number belonged to Anna Sutar of Indapur. "We sent our team to Indapur and found that Sutar was staying at Wakad. We managed to trace Sutar on Monday," Madgulkar said.
On being questioned Sutar told the police that he had lost his cell phone. "He had not filed any complaint nor contacted the company to deactivate the SIM. He, however, suspected that he had forgotten the cell phone in the clothes, which he had given to Gaikwad's laundry around a year back," Madgulkar said.
The police then traced Gaikwad from Bhumkar Vasti. During sustained interrogation Gaikwad agreed to his involvement in the act. "We have received eight SIM cards from Gaikwad," Madgulkar said, adding, "Gaikwad is alleging that the security agency, which had hired him did not pay him for the days he had worked at KPIT."
Sachin Tikekar, Chief of People Operations, KPIT said in an official statement, "We sincerely appreciate the speed with which the Pune police and authorities acted in nabbing the offender. This has once again strengthened our faith in the law enforcement agencies, and I believe this will act as a deterrent to any miscreant attempting to disrupt normalcy."
Monday, March 7, 2011
Roger gone wild....
Last week Warren Duffet and "Kool" Karthik visited India. Sensing the opportunity to send a little something special back for Roger with Warren on his trip to Belgium I racked my brain for the perfect gift.
Initially I had thought Roger would love to be reunited with the socks I borrowed from him in Singapore, but when Warren said he would have nothing to do with an international sock smuggling ring I had to think of something else. The perfect gift is pictured below with his majesty, Roger "Shivaji" Rasmussen!
Roger's reaction when I assured him this photo WAS going to be on the blog......
Initially I had thought Roger would love to be reunited with the socks I borrowed from him in Singapore, but when Warren said he would have nothing to do with an international sock smuggling ring I had to think of something else. The perfect gift is pictured below with his majesty, Roger "Shivaji" Rasmussen!
Roger's reaction when I assured him this photo WAS going to be on the blog......
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Cummins Generosity
Many of my Cummins blog readers have probably seen the below story, but for those friends and family members that have not this story highlights some of the great things our company does around the world.
February 28, 2011
Blair Claflin, Sustainability Communications Director
Padarwadi presented a special challenge for Cummins India employees working to bring power to remote villages in Western India.
The village’s 10 households are connected to the nearest town by a long, narrow path that twists up a mountain. The path isn’t wide enough for vehicles. Padarwadi is reachable only on foot.
Now you can see how Cummins employees, working with a Non-Governmental Organization and village residents, disassembled a power generation system that runs on inedible vegetable oil and walked the system into Padarwadi last year.
A short video on this incredible story is posted on Cummins Sustainability Web site at www.cummins.com. Just click on the green Sustainability button then enter the Media Gallery.
The video has been entered in the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Film Festival. The festival is inviting everyone to come to its website and vote for their favorite through March 10. This public voting will narrow the entries to the top 10. Visit the website to see the 36 entries including Cummins’ video on Padarwadi.
The video of the 250 kilogram generator engine being carried into the village is especially dramatic. The engine was tied to two long, wooden poles. Village residents then lifted the engine on their shoulders for the three-day trip.
Padarwadi residents today have the power to run a rice mill so they no longer have to carry the rice they grow 4 kilometers uphill, more than 500 times a year to a mill in the nearest town.
Residents can make flat bread out of the rice flour they mill. In addition to fueling the generator, the oil they produce can be sold as a traditional medicine and the resulting byproduct seed “cake” can be used as fertilizer, providing another new source of income for the village.
Subramanian Ravichandran, the Corporate Responsibility Leader for the India ABO, said the project has made a huge difference in the village, especially for children, who previously joined adults in walking the rice to town.
“They now have a lot more time to improve their farming,” he said. “Farm production is expected to double because time and energy that used to be spent walking the rice to town can now be devoted to other activities.”
Carole Casto, Director of Community Engagement for Cummins Corporate Responsibility Department, encouraged all Cummins employees to watch the video.
“It’s just another example what can happen when the power of Cummins is unleashed to help strengthen communities around the world,” she said.
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