Tower Power

Images of the new Dubai Marina - towering residential and commercial skyscrapers surrounding a yacht enclave, miles into Sheikh Zayed Road - and part of the new breed of Dubai constructions. What used to be the deserted road to Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi, is now what will be referred to as "Downtown Dubai". Over 250 new skyscrapers are being developed here.

In other news, one will be back on the 4th, instead of the 31st.Yes, yes I know, most of you said that I wouldn't be able to leave Dubai before New Years. You were right. Catch you all soon!! :-) Those celebrating NYE in NYC, live it up!

Cruisin' Dubai is always easier..



... when you have the right vehicle.

Happy New Year, folks.

Dilli ki Sardi

A few discoveries about Delhi, thought I'd share:

(1) Parallel cars on the road will try to get as ridiculously close to you as possible, just because they can. Kinda like a game. Wish the girls were like that.

(2) Talking of games, the medieval ages had jousting where knights would ride their horses towards each other. In Delhi, cars do the same, by sneaking on to the opposite side of a no-barrier road in an effort to overtake. The opposite traffic car doesn't change path, appears non-plussed that there is a car directly in its path, coming the other way. Actually, it speeds up. Both cars speed up. And merge back into their respective lanes at the last minute. And go on driving as if nothing ever happened.

(3) Traffic signals are like the Rajya Sabha - no impact whatsoever on the moving population.

(4) Gurgaon - a force to reckon with. The growth in this city is amazing. The malls, the skyscrapers and the MNCs that have made it their home.

(5) In Nai Dilli, Fog is a way of life. Its also helps the proliferation of extra-marital affairs. "Raj, who is that girl with you, where is she running, I can't see her face! Dammit!"

(6) Creditworthy: All auto rickshaws and buses in Delhi are CNG-equipped. As eco-friendly as it gets.

Back to Dubai in a few hours.

Guten Tag!

Greetings from Frankfurt. Yes, I had to do it, cuz Airport-blogging is fun (and free for T-Mobile Hotspot users - paid plug, that one)

The deutschness is almost sinking in and smelly like sauerkraut. Not to worry, am not chewing carpets just yet, although my pseudo-denial for the Holocaust is heightening. Perhaps it will substantiate while flying over erstwhile-Persia as well!

Anyway, off to sample some bitter, (its 11 AM, people). Laterz

Homeward Bound!

Leavin - See you guys in another timezone

You know how you know the world is ending?

When Himesh Reshammiya sets forth to be a hero......

in a movie .... called .... Aap Ka Suroor: The Real Luv Story.

Set to rock the Bollywood in June 2007.

Dear God.
Have Mercy.
*Sniff*,
Vishal

Trailer coming up.

Its things like this that make it all worth it in the end

The Citigroup Award for Star Newcomer and Breakthrough Performance for 2006. Supported by a generous cash prize, and Bellagio chips. The way they kept it a secret for all this while is wonderfully adorable - as is the fact that the award was the last one announced, as I was the one that put everything together for this conference. Having our Area Director acknowledge my initiatives was a plus.

I can sleep now, after 72 straight hours of work.

In other news, for all my Hyderabadi lovers out there, check out Angrez!

Climbatize

Ok. Beyond the fact that I'm actually in Vegas for work, I think that the fact that I choose to take the time to update my blog, and utilize the room internet access for WORK, is a pure sign of my eternal geekdom. Time to join the squad. Orange car, here I cometh.

In other news, is complex verbosity the pre-requisite to being a news journalist? I feel that the text of news articles is getting more and more unnecessarily contorted. Quite like the news stories themselves i guess.

sinfully yours,
vish

The Bellagio Dancing Fountains (a la Oceans 11)

Venezia

Room with a View

There's no business like show business..

.. and apparently no publicity like bad publicity.

White Christmas

Talking of Christmas collections, picked up this album while in Minnesota - Christmas Chillout by Crystal Theory. And its grown on me like stubborn algae. It blends some of the most popular christmas carols (only lyrically of course) and gives them tender electronica, lounge and jazz feels. Brilliantly produced album, especially the track, White Christmas. Got a very David Visan meets Nacho Sotomayor feel.

Am on the hunt for more by Crystal Theory.

In other news, why are they making such a big deal over De Vito drunk on The View. I think he was amazing coherent (more than when he's not so wasted ;-)

"All You Need Is Love"Performed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
"Take Me As I Am" Performed by Wyclef Jean
"Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" Performed by Bay City Rollers
"Sweetest Goodbye" Performed by Maroon 5
"River"(Mitchell)Performed by Joni Mitchell
"Here With Me" Performed by Dido
"Rose"(Horner)From the Original Motion Picture Score "Titanic (1997)
"Like I Love You" Performed by Justin Timberlake
"Turn Me On"(Loudermilk) Performed by Norah Jones
"Songbird"(McVie)Performed by Eva Cassidy
"Smooth" Performed by Santana featuring Rob Thomas
"Wherever You Will Go" Performed by The Calling
"White Christmas"(Berlin)Performed by Otis Redding
"God Only Knows" Performed by The Beach Boys
"The Trouble With Love Is" Performed by Kelly Clarkson


What a soundtrack!!

OST - Love Actually! Great to hear especially around Christmas!

How you doin'?

10 years of 'Friends' in 90 seconds. Worthwhile watch for hardcore fans of the sitcom.

Last night's dream left me with a potent, fully-loaded question. If we were all to die, in a cataclysmic Armageddon-esque meteor-type thing, and we had to have four people (2 men and 2 women) to begin to create a gene pool again, assuming that they cross-breed like Stanley Kubrick's pet bunnies - which 4 visionaries would we choose. Its hypothetical, so dead or alive , don't matter. I'm still contemplating that one.

In other news, watch Khosla ka Ghosla. The movie is a riot! Boman Irani proves his substance yet again. I know this movie didn't get its due at the box office, but its one of the most ideal DVD-movies I've caught in a while. Especially for those who are familiar with Delhi-ites and their ludicrous Delhi-ness.

Off to sin city. Will be back (and broke) shortly.

Ooh brokeback.

Yeesh.

Perfect time to take a cruise to the Caribbean, eh?

Sales Tales

My titles are beginning to sound suspiciously like the titles of those Archie's one-pager animations. Gag Bag, Fun Run. Jeez.

Been off the radar for a while, cuz of travel and some reviews that have pervaded my life in entirety. Now that I have some time to breathe, decided to plot my return to blogdom.

What's interesting to note, are the sales tactics of vendors who distribute free copies of newspapers like New York Metro by the subway. Especially during the morning commute. The traditional lot just holler out "free paper, free Metro" and distribute it, but obviously have a lower hitrate because commuters are in such a rush to get out there. Most of these distributors are homeless New Yorkers, who have been given this task through the outreach program, and usually earn a commission off the number of papers they get out there, beyond their target.

But I couldn't help but notice the sales acumen of one of these guys. At 42nd street-Times Square, which is the busiest subway terminal in the city, there are a batch of glass doors. Obviously these doors are usually opened by commuters, and then, half-assedly, held open for the next commuter, who rushes towards the door as if you're giving him your kidney, followed by a profuse thank-you (well, unless he's a kallu woman, who'll probably walk through the door without acknowledging you. skank!). This manner of etiquette does get tiresome, as does the process of opening a glass door every morning.

What the smart sales guy does? He holds the door open, stands on the other side with a big smile on his face. Naturally, by the basic law of human etiquette, you are thankful to him for holding the door open. What does he ask for in return? Take a paper, he says. And his hit-rate is alarmingly high! But of course. Not only does he employ that tactic, but he also comes up with clever ways to convey the paper's headlines. A few days back he was caught singing, "Enron-ron-ron, En-ron-ron".

Little things that make a big difference. The guy is clearly delivering numbers that are 120% better than his closest competitor, and all 'cuz of a simple methodology.

"Genius means little more than the faculty of perceiving in an unhabitual way" - William James