Episode 007: TD 5491 Phoenix Customs and Contest

TD 5491 Phoenix Customs and Contest

Frank and Scott are joined by Walter Phenix Crawly Jr, Owner/Custom Creator of TD 5491 Phenix Customs. The Vintage figure spotlight is Boba Fett.
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Nestle and Google bow to popular wishes in India, to send Nexus 7 2013 to all the winners of the Nestle KITKAT contest including those who have already received the Nexus 7 2012

This is a win for the popular voice of India !!!

Two weeks after comboupdates (Cheated.... by Nestle and Google, ditches on the promise of first 1000 to get Nexus 2013 in India...gives Nexus 7 2012 1B032A) broke the story of how Nestle reneged on the promise of delivering Nexus 7 2013 to the Indian winners just like Google and Hershey did in the United States, Canada and other countries, Kitkat today did a about turn and announced that all winners including those who have already received the Nexus 7 2012 will be given the latest version of the tablet. This was the reply posted on Kitkat India Facebook page

We are delighted to announce that winners of ‘Android Kit Kat promotion’ will receive the new 2013 Nexus 7 tablet. If you have received an earlier version of the device, we will contact you separately to get it replaced. The delivery schedule for the new dispatches as well as the procedure to be followed for replacement will be communicated shortly.

Days of protest over here, including forming a group on Facebook of which I am admin, and reporting on various blogs, Indian and international has borne fruit.  At the helm of the protests were winners like me whom I wish to personally thank through this post.

1.Manu Presannakumar
2.Emil Paul
3.Dev Vaikul 
4.Vishal Vodro
5. Naveen Shetty
6. Dhairyadev Arora,
7. And lots of people including 134 members of the FB group including Anon and Unknown.
The list of blogs/websites which reported the story is as follows
Android Police Website - http://goo.gl/IRMCxk
Android PolIce Google+ - http://goo.gl/FjmEOg
the very Popular Tech2.in - http://goo.gl/dF5vTD
Android Police Twitter - http://goo.gl/KlA4k0
ComboUpdates.com - http://goo.gl/FULrFG
GSMArena Blog - http://goo.gl/Shmcng
PhoneArena.com - http://goo.gl/RFL8FZ
DIGIT India !! - http://goo.gl/02Ny7V
Android Community - http://goo.gl/R1V5gt
EFY TIMES - http://goo.gl/5btcT4
The TechYantra Blog - http://goo.gl/UUgbqG
Phandroid - http://goo.gl/RMrFoT
AndroidSpin - http://goo.gl/OqClfU
SoftPedia - http://goo.gl/4mQ1tR
PhoneBunch - http://goo.gl/tfxX4Q
Android Headlines - http://goo.gl/Wf9SrD
theDroidguy - http://goo.gl/R4TPk7
Gogi.in - http://goo.gl/w1rS5r
NIRMALTV - https://twitter.com/nirmaltv
Tech Site BGR.in - http://goo.gl/EDcdGe
Mobigyaan.com - http://goo.gl/mNry2W
JustAboutphones - http://goo.gl/EktU47
DigiShovel Blog - http://goo.gl/Er1PSg

A big thanks to all the above sites for bring the discrimination against the Indian winners to the notice of online community.  

I had received my Nexus 7 2012 Tab just today and I had not unboxed it for the hope of this happening and now my hope has turned into a reality.  Comboupdates and I will works towards bringing the latest news as it happens

Cheated.... by Nestle and Google, ditches on the promise of first 1000 to get Nexus 2013 in India...gives Nexus 7 2012 1B032A

Friends we have been cheated...  There is no other word for what Nestle has done to the hopes of thousands of Indians who took part in the KITKAT contest with a hope of winning Google Nexus 2013 with latest OS Android 4.4 on it and as did the 989 winners who won the contest. This was the announcement the contest page made from day one :

All the contest winners were expecting the new Nexus 7 2013 which was released in India and is shipping for Rs.20999.00.  And from the letter and image received from a fellow blogger, Mihir Wagle, it appears that Nestle is shipping this :

Letter received by Mihir Wagle

Nexus 7 received by Mihir Wagle

The irony is that the winners have already indemnified Nestle and Google by signing a 'No Dues Certificate'  The NDC was signed in good faith by all the winners but it seems that Nestle is not keeping its promise.  It is known the this contest was launched by Google and Nexus to announce the arrival of its new operating system Android 4.4 KITKAT and has been successfully completed in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia where the winners have been given the Google Nexus 2013.  Why this discrimination against us, Indians.  Somebody at the top of the organising committee is answerable for this.

Some naysayers may argue that what difference does it make for we have won Nexus 7 ?  But in this day and age there is something called professional ethics.  By not keeping the promise made of "You guys are among the first 1000 in India to take a break with the all new Nexus 7 tablet" the contest organisers have made a fool out of the winners.  

Surely the contest organiser know that Google Nexus 7 2012 has thousands of users in India

I request all you winners to kindly come and comment on this post. This may wont change the outcome of the contest but I hope this will make the contest organisers aware that we Indians cannot be taken for granted...  

A friend and a blogger Manu has posted this image online which clearly shows the model number of the Nexus 7 which is being given to us as a prize.

Another reader Dev Vaikul has aptly Tweeted this image which I think surmises our despair !!!

Kitkat Nexus 7 Contest in India - Feeling Tricked & Sadly Disappointed.@Android @KITKAT @KitKatIndia @RedmondPie pic.twitter.com/LTQOYH5buO

— Dev Vaikul (@Dev_Vaikul) December 4, 2013

I request you to kindly like this post on Facebook, Tweet this on Twitter (you are requested to use the handle #nexus2013forIndia  )and plus this post on your Google Circles and forward to as many friends, Indians and others so that they come to know what kind of raw deal we have got... 

And hope that Nestle and Google realise their folly and send the latest Nexus 7 2013 to the winners!!!

A reader Ajit has sent this images which clearly confirm that we have been taken for a ride 

Update :

Friends it seems that KitKat International was unaware of this entire episode.  It has promised us via Facebook that it has spoken to its Indian counterpart and to get our issue resolved amicably. The message was received last night (6.12.2013) and since today and tomorrow are holidays we have to wait until Monday for KitKat India to respond.  

Keep up the good work fellas

Latest update :
KITKAT India has Tweeted and made a post on Facebook giving a flimsy reason 

We hear you’re unhappy. Winners got the Nexus7 tabs available in India in Sept (contest date). The new version launched only in Nov.
— Kit Kat India (@KitKatIndia) December 7, 2013

The secret to my marriage, Ambi Pur Air Effects and Ambi Pur Set and Refresh

Let me share with you a little secret!  This secret has been with me for one year now and I am really excited to share it with you people.  Well the secret is how I managed to convince my in-laws to marry their daughter to me despite me and my family living in the worst smelling area in Mumbai.

my building

Our house or rather builidng was situated bang near the famous Gorai dump.  A little about the Gorai dump, the Gorai garbage dump was the largest one in Mumbai before the Honorable High Court decided to close it down.  In 2006 it was completely shut down and masked with a cover of giant tarpaulin.  Despite it being covered it emitted a obnoxious smell day in and day out.  

This is the tarpaulin covered dump now

Since we had been living in this building since 2001 we were quite accustomed to the smell(you can say our noses were mutated to the smell) but it posed a big problem when a friend or a relative visited my house.  The stink, which was normal for us often attacked olfactory nerves of our visitors and made them leave early.

This was actually a blessing and a boon because, due to this stink we had pretty less visitors to your house over the years, saving us tonnes of money.  The regular ones who came had become mutants like us and never complained about it.

The problem arose when, my parents started searching for a nice homely girl for me.  Several proposals were received but when the girl and her family came to our house, they would just hold their noses and leave.  We took their holding noses as a rejection to our marriage proposal.   

But there was a twist in the tale.  As they say marriages are made in heaven and decided on earth.  In my case it was diametrically similar except that my marriage was probably made in heaven and decided on Earth by our friendly neighbourhood baniya (grocer). How ?  ... Well read on.

One fine day my Mom announced that a Girl (my present wife) and her parents are coming today to see me and our residence.  I knew that these people too, would run away holding their noses.  And honestly I was sick of these guys running away but had no solution in site.  Mom sent me down to get two bottles of cold drinks for the guests. 

I went downstairs (rather ruefully at the thought of wasting money on two bottles of cold drinks knowing what the result would be) to our baniya.  The good old chap is in his early 50s and very friendly with me.  Noticing my pensive mood, he asked me what the matter was.  His question opened the flood gates of my frustrations.  I started blaming everybody in Gorai for my current dilemma, right from the BMC to our local sweeper.

When I told him that atleast 4 marriage proposals were rejected because of the great stinking dome of Gorai and today would be the 5th one.  He laughed at me and said 

bas itni si baat

I told him this was a big matter for my Mom as she was getting a little anxious to see me married.  The baniya said "Yaar tum ye Ambi Pur ka naya home range try karo"  I asked him "Yeh kya hai" to that he showed me the Ambi Pur Air Effects and the Ambi Pur Set and Refresh.  

My baniya gave a all knowing smile as though he knew what  my future had planned for me!!!  I bought the set and came home.  I showed my mother the set and she asked me what it that.  I replied rather humorously that this set was the future of my life.

I splashed the Air Effects all over the room.  Ironically I had bought the 'Blossom and Breeze' flavour, little did I know that this Spray will bring blossom in my life with breeze as a added bonus!!!

The Ambi Pur Set and Refresh, I kept in all the rooms.  In a few moments even I was astonished by the quick effect of the Ambi Pur range and forgot that my house had a god awful stink just a few moments back.

Rest they say is history.  My would be wife and her family came, approved me :) and my house.  I dont think they realised that they were sitting very next to the garbage dump for a minute.  The wedding was solemnised a few months after...  

Even today I joke with my wife that she approved of me that day due to the Blossom and Breeze effect rather than my being tall, dark and handsome!!!

After winning the Kitkat Contest, where is my Nexus 7 2013 : A question to the contest organisers ?

Exactly two weeks have passed since I received the messaged from the Nestle guys that my documents were found in order and I should get the delivery within 6 - 8 weeks.  I am waiting and so are the 897 others (there are total 898 winners as per the KIKAT contest winners list).

Now my patience and the patience of the winners including the commentators on this post is wearing out fast.  A probable winner Kruti Patel has filed a complaint on a redressal portal, which I think was premature on the winners part.  The Nestle has promised delivery within 6 to 8 weeks and counting the contest date of 22.11.2013, by all accounts the maximum time Nestle should deliver the Google Nexus 7 2013 (16GB) is  3rd Jan to 17th Jan, 2014.  

It seems that many of the winners (actually most) have not received any confirmation message like I did.  Here also I would opine that as long as the Nestle or the Agency (GroupM) has not called you explicitly informing you the non receipt of the documents, it is safe to assume that your documents have reached and have been accepted.

I would once again like to congratulate and thanks the winners for not only winning the Google Nexus 7 2013 but also making comboupdates a lot of fun and answering queries of winners.

1. Manu Prasanna Kumar 

2. Abhishek Mishra

3. Vishal Vodro

4. Sreeraj (sorry I got your name wrong the first time)

5. Parthokarmakar

6. Deepak M.S.

7. Dhairyadev Arora

8. Pam

9. Anita Swain (she is a dear friend and she won two!!)

10. Ravi Sekar Reddy 

11. Anshul Bahukhandi (Bro you will receive your Google Nexus 7)

12. KKK

13. Ricky Gourea

14. Shankar 

15. Olo (I dont know what your real name is)

16. Sushrut Sharma

17. Mayur Patil

18. Pawan Kumar

19. Tanu

A blogger who goes by the name Unknown and the very helpful Anon gentlemen who have given their valuable inputs. 

I request you all to start commenting here.  I will post any update, mail or SMS I receive from Nestle or GroupM.  You can also add me to your Google Plus circle and send me any updates you may get.  

The comments load slowly after reaching the 200 comments limit. You are requested to click on the 'notify me' box in case you want the updated comments in your email inbox.  

This is in continuation to the earlier posts

Nestle KITKAT contest, extension of date and the delivery schedule for Google Nexus 7 2013 to the contest Winners

and

Winning the Google Nexus 7 with KitKat contest, a dream come true

You are also requested to share this article on your Circle or Facebook so that most winners can give their insights 
Regards
Vijay

Hey friends Google is advertising Nexus 7 on the search tab itself 

Clicking on the tab takes us to the Google Play Store here where the Nexus 7 is listed  for Rs.20999.00.

UPDATE :

SMS received from +919555290764 :Congratulations, this is from KITKAT.  I would like to inform you that your audit is cleared...your Tab will be despatched soon.

Nice but no information about the make :((

Cheated.... Please visit this post and bring it to the notice of Nestle, Google and the world

Cranberry and me, a breezer of a time with Bacardi BrEeZaH

Bacardi entered my life with a bang.  I was off alcohol for 3 months and was just itching to get back to the fast lane when a friend suggested I try out something new a Bacardi Breezer!  I fell for it. With a alcohol percentage of 2 for India, though it gets stronger in the western world with  4.4% alcohol in Australia, 4%/5% Canada, 6.6% in the United Kingdom and 4.5% in Europe (I have always believed the Caucasians need a stronger tap on their head to understand the world around them), I felt that this fruit wine based 'alcopop' was invented by the Bacardi guys just for me.

Pronounced as BrEeZaH, it is a soft alcoholic drink consisting of Bacardi Rum and a fruit juice.  For the uninitiated the fruit juice can be anything from lemon, peach, pineapple, apple, ruby grapefruit, lime, orange, blackberry, watermelon, cranberry, coconut, raspberry, blueberry, pomegranate etc.  I accepted my friends advice but now I faced a very grave dilemma!

I was not a run of mill drinker who drinks any crap flavour as and when he gets an opportunity.  I am different,  for whatever I choose, I choose for life. You get hundreds of people who have different kind of drinks or flavours very day.  Not mee! I am a strict monogamist as far as my liquor is concerned.  

Now I faced a gargantuan task of choosing the right life partner for me.   Believe me I was spoilt for choice.  There were NiNe flavours to choose from and only one could be mine.  Again this was not a simple 1 + 1 = 2 arithmetic, it was the most complex of equations I had faced like Einstein's e=mc2. Mr.Einstein solved that one with a breeze and since I had about 0.0002 % of Mr.Einstein's brain size, I equally intended to solve mine with a breezer.

After a lot of deliberations with friends, some of which lasting 8 hours at a stretch and a visit to the friendly neighbourhood Baba Bangali for some abracadabra,  I finally arrived at my decision.  I informed my friends that I had arrived at a decision.  Naturally all were curious to find out who or rather which flavour found a place in my heart.   Playing a perfect sport to their very honourable intention, I told them I will throw a party at night to announce the arrival of my  life partner.

The day came and I opened my first bottle of Cranberry BrEeZaH and now I am a Cranberry BrEeZaH man.  The reasons which helped me were various and too many to count.  But I will include some of them here for all those curious cats.  

1. It is a nice detox option. This detox has been used to cure urinary tract infections, lose weight, and break dependency on drugs(who needs drugs any ways) 

2. It is high on Vitamin C and Vitamin A

3. It contains nice mix of antioxidants

4. Forget all of above, I just like its tarty taste.

My favourite recipe for perfect evening is 

1. A big clear Glass

2. Fill it with Cranberry BrEeZaH

3. Add lots of Ice

4. Play Beethoven's 9th Symphony in D minor on the CD Player

5. Repeat the above process till I think I am Beethoven myself 

Now for four years I have been a Cranberry BrEaZaH man. Being a BrEeZaH-person is often considered being lame by some people (those altruists and naysayers) who are supposed to have more than 1 brain cell.   I am happy to affirm that I am the lamest person in the universe as along as I  have my ever refreshing life partner with me all the time.

This post is written for the Bacardi Breezer Contest in association with indiblogger, you can visit here to know more.  Do remember it is illegal and equally undesired to drink until you have attained 25 years of age in India though you can vote at 18 and marry at 21.

Nestle KITKAT contest, extension of date and the delivery schedule for Google Nexus 7 2013 to the contest Winners

This is in continuation to my Winning the Google Nexus 7 with KitKat contest a dream come true article which was very much appreciated by the readers and well as participants in the contest.  I am writing this post to clear many a doubts which have come up in the minds of all the participants of the Nestle KitKat Contest.  This post became necessary on two counts.  

One of the reasons was the extension of the contest by Nestle.   The Nestle today extended the contest upto 22nd November 2013.  And in this five days it will be giving out 100 Google Nexus 7 2013.  The reasons for this extension has not been given by Nestle but it can be safely assumed that these 140 Google Nexus 7 2013 tablets (100 + 40 are part of the original 1000 tablets but due to some reason the contestants/participants may not have been confirmed and/or they would not have sent the required documents to Google.  Another reason may be that the Nestle couldnt verify the authenticity of such documents.

But do remember that Nestle/its agency GroupM made a call to each of the contestants whose documents had not reached Ms.Subarna Nandy.  Some of the contestants have sent the documents through SpeedPost, the caller from GroupM had requested these winners to resend the documents alongwith a photocopy of the Nestle KITKAT wrapper, if available.  

It is safe to assume that if you have not received such a call asking you to resend the documents from GroupM means that your documents are in order and Nestle will deliver the Google Nexus 2013.

The Google Nexus 2013 delivery schedule.  The Nestle today began sending SMSes to the winners informing them thus :

This is to inform you that we have received your documents and they are upto mark..your gift will reach your doorstep after 15th november within 6-8 weeks..for queries you may contact 09555290764

regards nestle

I received this message today at 10.00 am in the morning.  Further I also received a email from Nestle stating that the delivery will take place within next 6 to 8 weeks.

In this regard I would assume that the delivery process has been initiated by Nestle and we should our Google Nexus 2013 within the end of November.  Those staying in remote areas may get it by mid December.

Another of the most asked question on the previous post was that which Google Nexus 2013 will Nestle give.  In my opinion Nestle will give out the latest Google Nexus 7 2013 16GB.  My belief comes from this image posted on the contest page.

In this image from Kitkats contest page, it is clear that the winners will be given a ALL NEW NEXUS 7 TABLET and you will be among the first 1000 to get it.

Others may have different opinions but I am going to stick with this one.  I also think that the 6-8 weeks given by Nestle is a generalised maximum period so that anxiety does not set in among winners. Those staying in cities and Metros will get it earlier than those staying in remote places.

I would also like to thank my reader Manu Prasanna Kumar who went out of the way to answer the queries of readers.  I would also like to thank a certain Anonymous visitor who sadly wants to remain anon,  who time and again gave valuable comments on the readers queries.  I hope both of you will continue helping out the readers as well as me.

Hope you get your GOOGLE NEXUS 7 2013 soon and believe me it is the most wonderful tablet I have laid my hands on!!!

For those who have not won, you can still try your luck for next four days.  Remember there is no fixed strategy as such, just plain luck.  

KITKAT contest will close today :)

Read this post for further happenings on the Google Nexus 7 2013

After winning the Kitkat Contest, where is my Nexus 7 2013 : A question to the contest organisers ?

Cheated.... Please visit this post and bring it to the notice of Nestle, Google and the world

Mercedes S class and Atlas Cycle, a love story of a boy from Nagpada and a girl from Walkeshwar

I was a stray dog, a mongrel compared to her. She was a fairy, a nymph, Aphrodite, Artemis. a Iris. When she smiled, it looked as if the thousands of rainbows splurged their colours in the sky.  She was the endowment of  the very word 'beauty' in my eyes.  She came from the high heeled class and I lived in the pigeon hole chawl in Nagpada, Mumbai.   She grew up in the ultra rich and ultra uber Walkeshwar area and I grew up in the Mumbai's best know underbelly for worst reasons, the Nagpada.

She drove to the college in a Mercedes 'SL' Class  driven by a chauffeur while I bicycled my way through the bylanes of Mumbai on the janta ki sawari, my sweet Atlas Cycle gifted to me when I passed the 10th.   She wore Gucci, Dolce Gabana and other haute couture dresses while I had my shirts and pants sewn from our friendly neighbourhood Ravi Tailors at Nagpada Junction.

We were as far apart as the sky and the earth with the seven seas between us.  The only thing in common between us was the First Year BCom Division A class on the second floor of Wilson College. That is were I first saw her.  She had joined Wilson that very same year and today was her first day.  She came breezing through the corridors with a smile that would put Julia Roberts and apni Madhubala to shame.  It was this very smile that made me look her way and again look at her.  The smile, ah! it was bewitching! Ah! it was as if thousands of light bulbs lighted up my heart at that very instant.  I was with my group of friends and they immediately guessed it.  I was in love!

But the lady in question, the heroine of my story, the love of my new found life didnt know that. In fact she did not even notice me, a stray mongrel in her path.  She just swooshed away without giving a second glance.  Directly below the building was the swanky black S class Merc she had come to college in.  One of my friends drew the first blood by publicly announcing that the she was not our class. I noticed a ting of cynicism when he said she was not our class as though our class deserved the Julia Roberts, Madonna's, Penelope Cruz's of the world.  

I caustically reminded him that we were but paupers in her midst and that she was the Aphrodite of Wilson College.  My words came out stronger then intended  but they served one discrete purpose. They indirectly let it be known among my group of friends that the the lady from heavens, was my choice and nobody was to look at her or glance at her in a wrong way.

That day onwards I was very punctual in attending my college so much so that my parents were worried.  After all for past two years I had been giving them a hard time.  In their eyes I was doomed to be a failure as I never attended the classes, never studied and somehow managed to get 45 percent marks to scrape through to the present FYBCom class.  My sudden studiousness and punctuality caught them by surprise.  As for me, I was in the literal seventh heaven.  I slept at night dreaming about her, woke up thinking about her. After waking up my only dream was to go to college so I could just keep watching her.  She sat right across my desk in the class so I could see her smiling almost all the time.  I would drop my book or pen and try to get better view of her.  I would raise hands at the Professor's questions so that she did notice me.  I dont know about her but the Professors were astounded at my sudden interest in scholastics.  For past two years they had hounded me to take more interest in studies as they regarded that I had the brains to make the cut.  Professor Mithani in particular thought that I had a genius mind and would be a fine economist in years to come. Anyways the outcome of the presence of the 'girl' in the class meant that I was present and my presence made the Professors including Prof.Mithani very happy.

She was my life now but wait a minute I had not even met her or introduced myself.   How was I supposed to do that.  Buying flowers for her would sound so trampish and third worldly.  I called a meeting of all my friends in the college canteen.  As I was a popular guy in the College it was attended by almost all who knew me.  Sitting there across the table I  like Caesar seeking advice of his consuls for attack on Egypt for the hand of the fair Queen of Egypt, the beautiful Cleopatra.  For she was my Cleopatra and I had called this meeting to find a way to propose to her.  

My friends had various opinions or ideas about how I should propose her.  Some suggested I should go with a bouquet of flowers (outlandish in my opinion) while others suggested I should gift her something.  A girl who had been friends with me since I joined the college suggested that diamonds are girls best friend.  A idea began to built up in my mind.  I asked my group of friends what was more costlier then diamond yet remarkable, memorable yet endearing. The same girl suggested 'Platinium Jewellery'.  

Thus my love story took a tectonic shift with the Platinum.  It was decided there and then that I should present a Platinum ring to the girl of my dreams, my love, my future.  I went on tizzy, psychedelic ride with my beau in my arms across the globe in my mind.  Till somebody uttered something about money and Platinum.  It brought me  back to earth in approximately 60 seconds.  Where would I get that kind of money.  I did have to beg, borrow or steal to get that kind of dough.  

Fear not, that what friends are for.  My friends decided to collect money from the whole college.  They would seek voluntary contributions for Vijay Love Fund from all the students from today and 1 month hence we would count the contributions received and come to next decision.

In the meantime the girl of my dreams, the girl from my class had been noticing this tall lanky lad stealing glances at her or being there about wherever she was.  She too made some discrete inquiries about me among her group of friends and came to know that I intended to propose to her.  Though the Platinum word was never revealed to her.  She started looking favourably towards me, stealing glances at me.  I had started making all kinds of signs the lovers hopelessly in love tend to make and she would reciprocate. I would visit canteen and sit in last row facing the room.  She too would visit canteen and sit in the first row facing me.  There would be long distance STD telepathy between us which no one would notice, save us.  I for one was thrilled at this development but waited for the Vijay Love Fund to meet its deadline.  

After all I didnt want to meet the princess of heart as a pauper. Slowly and steadily as our love hide and seek continued as the month passed with love filled air.  Exactly on the day since the Vijay Love Fund had been launched, the cash boxes were opened and the kings ransom was counted and the sum total of my love was Rs.35000.00.

Next up we all went down to the library of the college to access the only PC with internet.  On it we went to this beautiful website Platinum of Love.  After surfing for half an hour through various beautiful platinum jewellery on sale there we zeroed in on a beautiful Pendent

We purchased it online and planned a nice party with the balance cash on the day we received it. The Platinum jewellery was received within two days and the party was planned on Friday. The reason given for hosting the party was impending birthday of a Professor of the college.  The Principal gave us permission to use the hall for the occasion.   All of my class mates took it to their heart to make the party a success. Besides the FYBCom Classes, all those who had contributed to the Vijay Love Fund were invited.  A special invite was sent to the fair princess who acceded to our request.   

The Friday finally came.  The party started with all the fervour with beautiful music playing in the back ground.  I had purchased a swish set of clothes from probably the only haute clothes dealer in Nagpada and looked quite handsome in them. At exactly 8.00 pm my time of reckoning had come.    I approached the girl of my dreams, the queen of  my heart with my heart trying to explode out of its cavity.  I could feel the drums as my heart was beating at twice the normal rate, my mouth was dry and I was sweating. Egged on by my friends, I walked to my girl and presented to her the gift, in a very dramatic effect.  I knelt down in front of her as Prince Charming did in the early ages as I held aloft the Platinum of Love.  

At that precise moment the hall must have broken a Guiness world record for most cumulative heart beats in 10 secs, if there was one, as all of my friends who had gathered there were looking at us. There was a pin drop silence and all eyes were on us.  My girl took the present in her hand, opened the wrapper and the moment she opened the box.  

'Eureka' was what Archimedes said when he discovered something and 'Eureka' is what I said when my girl smiled.  That nanosec of a moment was my Platinum moment of love.  To this day I still consider that astonishing, memorable day to be my Platinum Day of Love. 

IF you are wondering what happened to the girl well, we went steady and six years after college we were married and now live a happy happy life as they show in the movies.

The old and ancient medicines of India, a gift from our ancestors passed on from generations, a cure for our future generations

Ranjit was crying incessantly since yesterday night. Ranjit had only turned a month old a day earlier and was the pearl of my eye. Seeing him crying incessantly made me cringe but there was nothing I could do.  I had taken him to a Doctor yesterday and the Doc said that Ranjit was suffering from stomach ache probably due to indigestion (he was not sure).  As he was a child, the Doc couldn't prescribe any allopathic medicines.  Even if he had prescribed any medicine, I was totally against the drugs and chemicals being consumed by humans unless actually necessary as they did more harm than good.

Coming back to crying Ranjit, it was sufficient to make me and my wife loose our appetite as well as worry about when Ranjith would stop crying.  The mood in the house was foul and depressing.  Just than I had a spark of idea.  I saw a bulb flashing over my head just like they show in cartoons.  I immediately called my mom who accidentally was born in a village and new about village medicines much better than anybody else.  I told her the problem about Ranjith and asked her to come immediately to my house.  She stays a couple of blocks away and came immediately.   The other reason was she loves and dotes Ranjit more than I do, you know the grandmother love.

Upon arriving to our house, she gave just a glance to crying Ranjit and immediately summoned me and my wife.  Mom said Ranjith had a minor irritation and we did better give him the magic 'Churna' To prepare the magic Churna she said we did require, Pimpli, Kaali Miri, Lasun, Sagar Goti and our very own Dabur Honey.

1. Pimpli or Piplamul is called Piper Longum in English.   Its dried unrip fruits and root are useful in the medicinal purpose.

2. Kaali Miri or Kali Mirch is called Black Pepper corn in English.  It is used in day to day preparations in our kitchens.

3. Lasun or Garlic, I think everybody knows

4. Sagar Goti which is called Moluca Bean is very useful for small tots.  Its is used for everything from cough, cold to stomach aches.

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The last and most important ingredient of this Churna is our very own Dabur Honey.  There are various brands available but Dabur Honey has been in our household as far as I can remember.

After getting all the ingredients, Mom told my wife to mix them on a grinding stone and make a fine paste.  All the time this was happening Ranjit didnt stop crying making my wife scurry along with the preparation of the Churna.

Once the Churna was ready, Mom took it on a spoon and started making Ranjit lick it in small quantity.  Mom gave him a spoon full of the Churna and told us to wait for 15 minutes.  Lo and behold in exactly 20 minutes Ranjit stopped crying and in another 10 minutes he was back to his normal self chuckling away with a smile on his face.

From that day my faith in tradition medicines increased by leaps and bounds.  Even my wife who was not much of a believer in the ancient arts became a follower of Mom and her medicines.  After all her son's all night long crying may have had something to do with it.  Now a days we use every kind of traditional medicine that can be kept ready.  Ranjit is always massaged with Lal Taila from Dabur before every bath which is quite a ritual in our household.  This is the secret of our chubby Ranjith!!!

This post was written for Lal Taila contest  

Winning the Google Nexus 7 with KitKat contest, a dream come true

You may remember my post, where Google and Nestle has launched a contest on 27th September, 2013.  Nestle in association with the Google was giving out free Google Nexus 7 on the hour every hour to Indian participants for promoting Googles launch of Android 4.4 KitKat.

Well, I had to buy the Nestle's KitKat for making the blog post regarding the contest with a step by step tutorial and surprise surprise, I won a Google Nexus 7 on 17th October 2013 with the Nestle's KIT KAT I bought.  I will get delivery of my prized Google Nexus 7 after 15th November, 2013 when the contest closes.

My congratulations to those of other 640 lucky contestants who have won the Google Nexus 7 as of today.  For the others I would like to bring to notice some salient requirements of the contest which the Google KitKat Terms and Conditions page doesnt mention.  

First of all once you send a message containing the code to KitKat, you will receive a message stating that 

Thank you for participating in the KIT KAT program. Winners will be contacted shortly.  Kindly regain the wrapper.  Visit www.android.com/kitkat for T&C

This message will be received by all of those who participate in the contest.  The key is the second message which is received within 10 to 15 minutes of the first one.  If you receive the second message which is as below, provided your documents are in order, Congratulations, you have won a Google Nexus 7.

Thanks for your participation in the Kit Kat Program.  You shall be contacted within 24 hours by our representative. Kindly retain the wrapper.  Visit www.android.com/kitkat for T&C.

Once you get this message stay close to your mobile phone, dont make unnecessary calls and wait for the Kit Kat representative to contact you. First and foremost she will ask for the wrapper code. Then she will proceed take down all your details and ask you your email id.  Kindly spell out the email id to her and make her repeat this email id.  Once she says Congratulations you have won the Google Nexus 7, your name will be listed on the KitKat contest page.

Wait for the second call this time from Delhi.  The caller, usually a male will confirm whatever you said to the first representative. Once it is confirmed, they will send a email to your email address containing a Blank No Dues Certificate and a Form 60 (in case you dont have a PAN card).  You are to fill this out, enclose the NDC, Form 60, photocopy of your address proof, PAN (all self attested) and the wrapper (staple it on a blank paper) and send it to the following address :

Ms. Subarna Nandy
GroupM Media India Private Limited
1st Floor, Building No. 9A
DLF Cyber City, Phase – III
Gurgaon – 122 002
Haryana

You should send the documents within 7 days from the date of second call by courier or registered post.  I sent it across through Bluedart, as Bluedart is fast and has a good tracking service.  

Reading my post, many of my friends and colleagues participated in the contest and as of today 3 of us have won including me.  If you are still interested, there are around 320 Google Nexus 7 left still to be won and the last date is 15th November 2013.  Head over to the post here for details.  

If you have any query regarding the procedure kindly leave your question in the comments box and I will answer to it.  

The contest has closed today and there are lots of happy faces for winning a new Google Nexus 7 2013 while some are heart broken.  A reader of the Blog has made a special names cloud of the Winners names which I take the pleasure of putting up on my blog.

A special thanks to my reader Manu Prasanna Kumar who not only won a Google Nexus 7 2013 but also helped a lot of contestants with timely answers.  I will make a separate post regarding the despatch of the Google Nexus 7 2013 by Nestle in due course :)

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Read all about the delivery schedule here

Read all about the happenings on the Nestle contest here

Cheated.... Please visit this post and bring it to the notice of Nestle, Google and the world