Entrepreneurs = Rock Stars

Everyone is an entrepreneur in his own right. Let me explain.

Pharmaceutical sales reps are a great example. They pursue relentlessly into selling the drugs. The company gives them the freedom to determine the process and shows them a general direction based on prior best practices gathered from the field. The self belief and target sales goal are the drivers for achieving success. The elevator pitch has to be mastered and delivered to the audience at every opportunity available. You tailor the value proposition based on the relevant decision maker. For example, if you are selling a drug in the hospital marketplace your pitch changes based on whether you are talking to a pharmacist or a specialist.

Schools are another example where the entrepreneurial ecosystem prospers. The professors’ act as mentors/VCs/Angel Investors, the school acts as an incubator and we have the ever-popular entrepreneurial student. Students continue to take advantage of the available resources, pivot based on the interests and achieve results. I think PhD students are phenomenal since once they graduate they join the workforce, continue giving back and move the field ahead.

LinkedIn CEO wrote the book, "The StartUp of You" where he talked about navigating your career as an entrepreneur.

During my MBA at Babson College, a lot of the focus was on understanding the entrepreneurial thought and action method. The conversations very quickly moved from starting a new venture to the intrapreneur in the corporation. Such discussions and learning forced us to take the small steps, measure the outcomes, re-calibrate and proceed. In fact, all my colleagues are doing great in their respective fields and I believe one of the underlying reasons is that the entrepreneurial mindset helps you to be action oriented and teaches you to deal with ambiguity in the workplace. Why not? What if? Maybe? All such type of questions eventually lead to something successful only if you act on the curiosity. And it's not where you start, it's where you finish.

Snowstorms or Earthquakes

Which one do you prefer? Well, I am talking about living in Massachusetts or California. I have moved back and forth between these two beautiful states and wanted to take a quick glance at how both the states compare. I remember writing about this when I had moved to the west coast.

Pacifica to Atlantica:
From Boston to San Francisco, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the west to the east, from MIT to Stanford, from biotechnology to information technology, from EST to PST, from 1600's to 1800's, from Acorn Street to Lombard Street, from Massachusetts to California, from winter to summer, from Harvard to Berkeley, from Red Sox to the Giants, from Big Dig to Golden Gate, from neighboring New Hampshire to neighboring Nevada, from MBTA to BART, from the Boston Globe to the San Francisco Chronicle, from Revere beach to North beach, from Martha's Vinyard to Lake Tahoe, from Patriots to 49ers, from Museum of Fine Arts to San Francisco Art Institute, from Cambridge to Berkeley, from Boston Tea Party to the California Gold Rush, from 17 NBA titles to none, from the Longwood Medical Area to UCSF, from I-90 to I-80, from Boston Logan to SF International Airport, from the American revolution to America's favorite city I have traveled a long way from Boston to San Francisco.

Well, last year I just reversed all of that! Back to the east...

Coincidentally, today I was checking some health data and saw this website http://www.statehealthfacts.org/
Here are some stats:

Total Population
36,408,700 - CA
6,374,700 - MA

Population Living in Poverty
7,193,900 19.8 % of total population of CA
981,300 15.4 % of total population of MA

Median Annual Income
$57,988 - CA
$60,038 - MA

Unemployment Rate, March 2010 (numbers in thousands)
2,308 12.6% - CA
324 9.3% - MA

Uninsured Population
6,717,700 18.5 % of total population of CA
346,000 5.4 % of total population of MA

Of course, these are just few of the numbers. There are a lot of overlaps and differences but just thought of writing about this. Well, weather aside the comparison speaks for itself. On a separate though related note: Totally looking forward to a Celtics vs. Lakers showdown in the NBA finals. For a bit more on education read why Massachusetts leads and California lags.

I guess for now I am living the snowstorms!!

Thoughts for the week

There is no way to happiness : happiness is the way. ~ Buddha

Measure your mind's height by the shade it casts! ~ Robert Browning

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. ~ Francis Bacon

The more one belabors a point, the more skeptical I become; the louder one talks, the further I back off. Repetition raises doubts in the minds of those to whom you wish to make your point.
~ Robert J. Ringer

Gourmet Ghetto

"Northern California is one of the most exciting places in the world for food and it's because growers and eaters take all aspects of food extremely seriously. I am thrilled to bring people straight to Berkeley, the heart of Northern California's culinary epicenter, so they can experience what makes this region's food culture important and special." - Lisa Rogovin

I guess one of the common aspect everyone in the Bay Area would agree upon would be yummy food. Berkeley is without doubt a food lovers paradise. The stretch on Shattuck Avenue. bordered on the two ends by Rose & Hearst streets forms this celebrated Gourmet Ghetto.

I am fortunate enough to live in such a place and enjoy the gustatory pleasures. There are plenty of small eateries, cafes, bakeries, etc. to hang around and places like Chez Pannise, Cheeseboard Pizza, etc.

Looking for love at first bite? Stop by the Gourmet Ghetto. The food is so fresh it's bursting with gigantic, singing flavor. Yelp is another excellent resource to try out these different cuisines.

There is history to this place too. Alice Waters founded her famous restaurant, Chez Panisse. The Cheese Board Collective began its passionate presentation of worldwide and local California artisan cheeses. And Peet’s coffee started educating Americans about the complex pleasures of coffee drinking. And thus started the food revolution...

Check out the these websites for more information.
http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/eb/gourmetghetto/
http://www.gourmetghetto.org/

And if you read this article until now, Congratulations! You're officially a foodie of the highest order.

Business Ideas

Quote (fact) of the day:

"Ideas are a dime a dozen. The money is in the execution."

Why I Travel?

I travel a considerable amount and definitely more than recommended. Although hectic and a bit costly nowadays, (damn the oil prices!) travel is a necessary part of my life.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - St. Augustine

I do believe that preparing, planning and mapping out trips lends direction to the travel while the merchandising qualities of a place lure us into the regular tourist activities. In fact, I relish the time spent in these activities as the extensive research about your destination does come in handy. Albeit the travel preparations do not ruin the chance of spontaneous unplanned excursions it does limit you from exploring the hidden. After all, serendipity is one of the important traits of travels. Though you also need to appreciate the obvious. Travel is a balance between the explored and the hidden. I never have fixed plans but generally I know where I am going. Travel is an education in itself since you learn about the diverse cultures, habits, trivia, history, languages, stories of unique places/things, local food, people, the dynamics of nature and have innumerable experiences which you can't learn from a book.

"Once a journey is designed, equipped, and put in process, a new factor enters and takes over. A trip, a safari, an exploration, is an entity, different from all other journeys. It has personality, temperament, individuality, uniqueness. A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. Only when this is recognized can the blown-in-the-glass bum relax and go along with it. Only then do the frustrations fall away. In this a journey is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."
- John Steinbeck, Travels With Charley

We get pretty excited and anxious at the start of any journey. We break free from the quotidian and try the new. We experience time away from home. Unexpected pleasures in unexpected places is the foundation of travel.

Space Needle to Space Center:


As the Space needle is synonymous to Seattle and so is the Johnson Space Center (NASA) to Houston. I recently went to both these places on back to back weekends and got a chance to visit these marvels of today.

Both places are landmarks of the respective cities and a must visit if you ever happen to be in the vicinity.



For me travel broadens the perspective to look at the world and definitely lengthens the conversations. I try to squeeze in work sometime with my travels so that atleast the monetary side of the trip is taken care of. I have many unrealized dreams to travel places which I hope to fulfill in the near future. Besides my travels are very closely related to my second hobby 'photography'. I try to take the best out of the two worlds by combining them. Every journey does impart some wisdom upon me.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” - Seneca

Interacting with people is again a wonderful experience as the conversation starts of with details about where they came from and generally where they’re going next.

I go through many phases of ingenuity, insight, excitement, imagination, delight, endeavor and discovery in my creative travel escapades. "Authenticity" in travel is not found as easily as it might seem.

"For many tourists, the desire for authenticity is rather simplistically expressed in terms of seeking out that which is not contaminated by outside influences—particularly by the presence of other tourists. There are some important things to keep in mind here. First, nearly all tourism experiences are carefully crafted and staged by someone, specifically for our appreciation and consumption. It is more difficult than most of us realize, and not necessarily desirable, to try to get beyond such experiences and intrude into places where we might not be welcome."
--Erve Chambers, "Can the Anthropology of Tourism Make us Better Travelers?", NAPA Bulletin 23, 2005

Ironically, the element of relief while leaving our homes is equally matched with the excitement when returning back. Personally, I do enjoy coming back home and resting my head on the familiar pillow though one must travel to see the world and grow in new directions.


“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” - Jawaharal Nehru

Pacifica to Atlantica:
From Boston to San Francisco, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the west to the east, from MIT to Stanford, from biotechnology to information technology, from EST to PST, from 1600's to 1800's, from Acorn Street to Lombard Street, from Massachusetts to California, from winter to summer, from Harvard to Berkeley, from Red Sox to the Giants, from Big Dig to Golden Gate, from neighboring New Hampshire to neighboring Nevada, from MBTA to BART, from the Boston Globe to the San Francisco Chronicle, from Revere beach to North beach, from Martha's Vinyard to Lake Tahoe, from Patriots to 49ers, from Museum of Fine Arts to San Francisco Art Institute, from Cambridge to Berkeley, from Boston Tea Party to the California Gold Rush, from 17 NBA titles to none, from the Longwood Medical Area to UCSF, from I-90 to I-80, from Boston Logan to SF International Airport, from the American revolution to America's favorite city I have traveled a long way from Boston to San Francisco.

That is basically the gist of my time in Boston and San Francisco.

Boston:

1. It Never Gets Old, 2. Lady of Perpetual Help, 3. Statue of Three Lies, 4. Fenway Faithful, 5. NBA Finals, 6. Spring, 7. Sideview, 8. Sunset at Roxbury, 9. Three Piece Reclining Figure, 10. Fiery Red Autumn, 11. Walking Buddies, 12. Enjoy your road trip!, 13. Golden colors



San Francisco:

1. Pier, 2. 'Charms' by the Bay, 3. Clouds on fire, 4. Golden Gate, 5. Bay Bridge, 6. Muir Woods, 7. Beach, 8. Alcatraz, 9. Top-down, 10. Pier 39, 11. Crooked Street, 12. Sausalito, 13. Trail

Many travelers complain that their experience of the place wasn't what they expected. Well, the travel books do preset our minds to expect and perceive certain things on which we build stuff using our imagination based on our pre-existing knowledge while actuality is albeit different. I love the uncertainties of travel which unfortunately get compensated for during the package tours. In fact, many times the reason why you fall in love with the place is seldom the reason why you went there.

Money is definitely not the key to make our travels better. Also, while traveling the simple things are the ones which make it memorable.

Another reason to stop putting off your travels:

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking that you have something to lose."
--Steve Jobs, Stanford commencement 2005

If you want to make yourself a to-do list here is a good starting point.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List



After all, tourism is among the world's largest industries and vital to many countries. Did you know that tourism can be classified as eco-tourism, celebrity tourism, creative tourism etc. ? Read the Wiki for more on this.

Tourism 2020 Vision is the World Tourism Organization's long-term forecast and assessment of the development of tourism up to the first 20 years of the new millennium.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism Rankings.

Here is a list compiled by the UNWTO as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication of the ten most visited countries in 2006 by number of travelers.

1	France	79.1 million
2	Spain	58.5 million
3	United States	51.1 million
4	China	49.6 million
5	Italy	41.1 million
6	United Kingdom	30.1 million
7	Germany	23.6 million
8	Mexico	21.4 million
9	Austria	20.3 million
10	Russia	20.2 million

Quite aptly said:
“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” - Benjamin Disraeli

In most situations, the pleasure comes from the journey, not the destination. Well, the journey continues ...

... and miles to go before I sleep

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening - Robert Frost

San Francisco Aids Walk 2008

I completed the AIDS Walk in San Francisco today. It was an amazing experience and a unique opportunity to hear, meet, and talk with different people in the walk. Many walk in memory of those they have lost or in support of those living with HIV/AIDS.

For 2008: “Twenty-five thousand walkers, coupled with support from many leading Bay Area corporations, raised a near-record total of $4,512,934” Definitely an accomplishment, given our current economy.

The money raised through the walk benefits the San Francisco AIDS Foundation which gives grants to various HIV/AIDS organizations within the Bay Area. It is a great example of cost-effective fundraising and extraordinary community activism. It's always been about "changing the course of the epidemic."

The big ask from me was not whether I could walk 10km (which was questionable as well) but to get myself out of the bed on a Sunday morning! Thousands of people turned up early morning in spite of the slight drizzle in the morning and the cloudy day. People were singing and dancing along all the way and enjoying every minute of it. Well, at least for the first 2 miles :)

The Golden Gate Park is green all around and the flora and fauna kept me engaged in some meaningful photography. Music and dance was abundantly represented by many people all along. 94.9 FM station had speakers on carts which they dragged along with them the entire route blasting music ... good marketing! The belly dance troupe kept a lot of people entertained especially the photographers because of the vivid colors.

The restrooms/portable toilets were overcrowded and felt like the people will have to wait it out until tomorrow before they get a chance. The good part: every other mile or so refreshments were available including water, cereal bars, fruits and a variety of other snacks to pep you up.

Well, an event of that magnitude without 'change' ain't possible. Yes, there were plenty of supporters carrying 'Obama' placards over their heads throughout the walk. It was quite heartening to see that the corporate world also had a significant presence with the likes of Gap, Chevron, Wachovia, Target, Starbucks, and many others. All of them had their own t-shirts with the company logo's on it and a nifty slogan.

I was a part of the University of California, Berkeley team and was wearing an orange t-shirt to show the Cal pride. The incessant cheers for 'Go Bears' I got throughout the walk left me to wonder!... perhaps the difference between me and the 'bear' had dissolved? The Berkeley team raised about $39,000 and the wonderful Karen Gee had a big part in it. She inspired and motivated people the last couple of weeks diligently to register and raise funds.

Former American Idol finalists performed on stage at the post-walk concert. Personally, I had a great time at the event besides making me feel a part of something big. And for a good cause! The self revelation for me: I can definitely walk more than 15 Km at a stretch!!


Click here to see more photos.

Brain Age

It is very rare that the cognition results for 'me' are veridical. This test although with it's cautionary note was impressive.

The age of your brain has been calculated to be:

26

Performance of these tests can be affected by a number of factors including: fatigue, noise and distractions, boredom, use of nicotine, alcohol or caffeine, use of illicit drugs.
The tests have not been completed under stringent clinical conditions and are provided for informational purposes only. The results do not constitute a clinical diagnosis.

Link to the test.

Caution: Interpret the results at your own risk.

Read more about it here.

Sleep 2008

It was the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, (APSS) at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The SLEEP meeting attracts the largest audience of sleep specialists in the nation. It is the only five and a half day meeting with scientific sessions and an exhibition hall focused solely on sleep medicine and sleep research. Yes, is is a a conference on sleep!

(Last Day)
This was my first real talk at the annual conference for sleep and it was scheduled early morning on the last day at 8:00 am. I entered the convention center at 7:15 am and could hardly spot anyone unlike the 500-1000 people yesterday morning.

Walked to the SRS Hospitality Suite only to be disappointed since they didn't have any free breakfast. Finally, had my shot of caffeine and satiated my craving for something sweet with a marble pound cake from Starbucks.

At about 7:45 am a lot of people actually started showing up. And by 8:00 am I was shocked to see about 100 people for an early morning talk on the last day. Well, either the science of sleep was compelling enough for them to be here or they knew me :)

Here comes the chair of the session: He introduced the title of my talk and the speaker "Dr.Gujar". Well thanks for the honorary degree ...

Here I go...
I was petrified and a little bit nervous too though it was more than comforting to see familiar faces in the audience. My talk earlier a couple of days back at the discussion lunch session helped me a lot to improve on my presentation skills and remember the missing pieces instead of delivering the abridged version.

Yet while stepping down from the podium collective thoughts ran thought my mind. Damn! Forgot to talk about receiver operator characteristics! And what about functional connectivity? Nonetheless, the overarching theme for the talk was given and justified besides the fact, I was happy with my performance! Not ecstatic but contented.

It's 9 am. I had heard 4 talks loaded with science and hence decided to take a break. I tried to peek in and have a look at the next speaker. It was the chair of the session! I thought it doesn't bode well if I walk out during his talk hence I made a reentry through the rear door. I made a sincere effort to keep up the sustained cognitive engagement while listening to another sleep restriction study when I soon realized that I definitely need to 'catch up on some sleep to understand sleep'. I simply could not comprehend anything past basic sleep terms, smaller words and simple tasks.

I finally left the conference room and headed for the exit sign. Outside the convention center was a sunny day. I wish I could fly... since it felt like a free bird (with extended wings).

I liked the overall experience and looking forward to my next talk.

Finally, I regained composure and scientific sanity and my receptive brain drove me back to soak in all the information. I started hearing familiar terms - PVT, placebo, lapses of attention, etc. Heard some other interesting talks on how sleep can be replaced by a piece of bread from an energy expenditure perspective. And here I was again taking notes from these wonderful scientific sessions.

On a separate note, a lot of people actually thought/think I have done a PhD and more. Generally, if they don't know me they start off with the misconception that I am a post-doc and if they know something about me they still have the misconception that I am a post-doc while some have gone a step further and mistaken me for a professor. (a rarity) It is quite embarrassing and gratifying at the same instance. I assure them about my designation and then starts the whole process of what I can do and why ain't I doing that? Well I have never understood the fascination for designations and abbreviations at all these scientific conferences.

Well, after the introduction accorded to me it dissipates my desire to actually get a 'PhD'.

The introduction part actually reminds me of another incident during the conference. I went to introduce myself to a particular 'scientist' since she did similar work in the field of sleep and before I could say anything she mentioned 'We have met'. I took a step back and thought for a moment.

(inside the brain - when, where, definitely not, what if, perhaps, well forget about it, if she says so...) Finally, nodded my head in appreciation and the conversation progressed.

Finally, I took a walk outside, breathed some fresh air, had a look at the world beyond sleep deprivation and returned to the convention center to hear about the consequences of sleep loss. Talk about how science works!

Well enough of science actually... Did you know Baltimore was called Crab town? Well, The most prominent example of Baltimore's distinctive flavor is the city's close association with blue crabs. (Baltimore is on the Chesapeake Bay) This is a trait which Baltimore shares with the rest of the state of Maryland.

You can see some pictures of Baltimore here or View slideshow

Sleep 2009 will be in the coastal port city of Seattle!

Why It's OK to 'Steal' Wi-Fi

TIME magazine has a nice article on 'Confessions of a Wi-Fi Thief'. It basically talks about the perils of connecting to unsecured wireless networks of my neighbors. Grossman writes that "stealing" Wi-Fi might be illegal (statutes vary according to where you live) but "definitely unethical." He also mentions a recent survey that found a slim majority 53% have "stolen" Wi-Fi. This illustration from Slate.com captures the gist nicely.

I like the argument against it and am inclined to believe in the justification as well. I definitely think it shouldn't be illegal to use an open Wi-Fi network, nor should it be considered unethical.

There are two reasons why "stealing" Wi-Fi isn't -- or, at least, shouldn't be -- considered theft:

1. By using a Wi-Fi network you're asking for, and receiving, permission from the owner.
When you open up your trusty laptop, check for available networks, choose one and click "Connect," you're instructing your computer hardware and software to communicate with the hardware and software that's providing the Wi-Fi network and ask permission to use the network.

When you do this, a router either grants permission, and assigns an IP address for you to use, or denies permission. If the connection simply works, it means by definition that the network is set up to automatically grant you permission to use it, and to actively provide the means for you to do so.

So attempting to connect to a Wi-Fi network (without deliberate hacking) is by definition a process of asking permission to use that network. If you get connected -- again, by definition -- then the router has granted that permission to you.

2. Your computer can't be on their Wi-Fi network unless their network is in your computer.
The conventional wisdom is that using an open Wi-Fi network is theft. But that metaphor doesn't match what really happens when you connect to a Wi-Fi network.

If anyone doesn't want people using their network, all they have to do is configure their router to stop granting permission.


Here is a link to the original article in TIME. Another excellent related story.

Chocolate and Chalk Art Festival

Saturday, May 31st was the Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival along North Shattuck Avenue's Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley.







Anyone could register at the booths and then you were assigned a patch of sidewalk at a specific address to draw. You could even purchase special artist's chalk at the registration. It was quite an event with street artists and a lot of children showing off their creations proudly. Here are some pictures.









It was a treat for chocolate lovers since the chocolate menu included flavors like peppermint, tamarind mango, blackcurrant, etc. besides many items like chocolate ganache cupcake, chocolate goat cheese truffle, raspberry dark chocolate,chocolate garlic clusters, and chocolate soap!

The festival vendors who had put up stalls featuring numerous hand made arts & crafts and chocolate-related items were wonderful.

I liked the stall for Xocolate Bar. They are apparently opening the store on Solano Ave. on the Father's Day Weekend. Check out the website for more details. They have many unusual flavors and shapes of chocolates besides a large variety of vegan chocolates to choose from.

Harlan's jewelry using unique handmade beads was quite exquisite. Here is a picture of some earrings he had. Pam Bliss had some unusual and funny greeting cards besides the clever magnetic bookmarks. The Morris Dancers outside Coldwell Banker attracted a lot of audience and so did Darcy Noonan outside Starbucks. I am quite happy that I knew about the event and got a chance to visit the lively and fascinating festival.

Check out the North Shattuck Association of Berkeley website for details about other such events.

Click on any picture to view it larger.

The road to the White House

I liked the last couple of Time magazine cover issues which featured the 3 people making news in US politics on the cover with the appropriate descriptions for all of them. I think it aptly sums up the current scenario for the 2008 presidential elections.

Barack Obama: The Contender
Hillary Clinton: The Fighter
John McCain: The Phoenix

Either ways everyone is in to create history (if not already have) with some unique facts. Sen. John McCain (72) would be the oldest person to take office if elected. Sen. Barack Obama (47) would be the first black U.S. president as well as one of the youngest. Sen. Hillary Clinton (61) would be the first female U.S. president.

Opinion polls, primaries, caucuses, delegates, superdelegates, endorsements, exit polls, democratic convention, nomination, and perhaps Florida & Michigan shall take a backseat in the next couple of weeks as the elections turn the page and show the red/blue map all over.

The United States presidential election of 2008, scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2008, will be the 56th consecutive quadrennial United States presidential election and will select the President of the United States and Vice President of the United States.

CNN has some excellent coverage of the campaign issues. Click here to read more about it.

It has never been so exciting.

Bakarwadi

As soon as you think about Bhakarwadi you can feel the taste lingering in your mouth while the iconic Chitale Bandhu 'Bakarwadi' picture is etched in your mind. Born out of Pune it has now become the specialties while Chitale Bandhu has become synonymous to Bhakarwadi. I think they definitely have a monopoly for this item and for obvious reasons. Since I am from Pune or 'Chitale Land' I was hooked on to this since my childhood. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend everyone to try this snack.

‘Bakarwadi’, which is perhaps the largest selling and most popular of its products, is now being manufactured on automated machine lines. It goes through stages of dough mixing – sheeting – masala spraying – rounding – frying – packing. Each of these stages of manufacture is carried out on automated machines or units. The end process stage of packing is done on a packing machine imported from Germany wherein the ‘Bakarwadi’ is packed under vacuum and nitrogen gas is flushed inside to improve the shelf life.

It's packaged by the name 'crispy tasty spring roll'.

Read more about it here with some nice pictures of the entire process.

Some more trivia about Chitale Bandhu:

Following in the footsteps of a successful dairy business established by Shri B. G. Chitale at Bhilawadi in the Sangli district of Maharashtra state in 1939, Shri. Raghunathrao (Bhausaheb) Chitale, his eldest son, promoted the firm of Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale in 1950 in Pune, Maharashtra.

The firm began its operations in the heart of the Pune city at Bajirao Road and is still in existence there as a major and modern selling outlet. Eventually, one more principal outlet at Deccan Gymkhana, Pune was opened, the expansion being the brainchild of Shri. N. B. (Rajabhau) Chitale, the younger brother of Shri. Raghunathrao.

Students traveling to US generally carry loads of these or even people visiting India generally carry it back with them to give it to other friends and family. Though you get it in a lot of stores in US (atleast in Boston and California) the delight and redolence of eating it hot and fresh from the store is divine :) Thanks to all these efforts I have a perennial stock of Bakarwadi which I relish a lot.

They currently export it to Israel, UK, US, Singapore and a lot of other countries. Hopefully they find some way to increase the shelf life of all the sweets as well so that they can send 'em here.

Times change

Returning to India after 2 years is quite an experience. Since, 2 years is a long time in the resurgent and booming India.

I might sound a bit like a typical foreign tourist visiting India :)

Here are few of the things that I noticed:

They no longer have beautiful air hostesses anymore on international flights (the ones which invoke a multitude of questions/doubts)
Mumbai Airport still remains the same.
Mumbai-Pune travel actually takes only 3 hours.
Pune traffic is horrible and pollution has increased tremendously
People simply refuse to walk on the footpath while vehicles always seem to run you down.
Cows and 'Sunny' still exist on the road.
Out of no where suddenly there are 3 flyovers in front of E-Square.
Real estate prices in Pune have gone outside the chart and owning a house within the city costs a fortune
Everyone has a job and salaries continue to rise everywhere in India

Anyways, I think I shall continue on my food binge whilst enjoying and savoring my time here...

The Walk from Home to Work

This one is from August but got buried somewhere in my hard drive until I stepped on it today.

We all have our stories about life however we always miss out on the quotidian yet fascinating aspects of our daily routine. I walk to work everyday and have noticed a lot of subtle yet intriguing things happening obliviously. I made it a point to have an 'eye' for all these wonderful things. This is the account of the events transpired within the last week.

The moment I step out of my house I am greeted by the four-acre Highland Park which is a part of Roxbury's historic Fort Hill neighborhood. Atop the park is the Cochituate Standpipe, designed by architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee and built in 1869, which modernized Roxbury's water system. It is located on the site of the Revolutionary War fort in Highland Park.

Some history about the neighborhood:

Founded by English colonists in 1630, Roxbury began as an independent community, connected to Boston only by a narrow neck of land along Washington Street. Today, after massive landfill and annexation to Boston, Roxbury is at the city's geographical center. It contains buildings and landmarks that tell the story of three centuries. Even with dense urban development, Roxbury has much open, green space, a legacy of its days as a farming town and as an early suburb. now, in the 20th Century, Roxbury has become the center of the African-American community in Boston.

As I walk down on Fort Ave. can't help noticing the beautiful flowers on both sides of the road. The network supporting the default mode of the brain function kicks in every other minute when I start projecting myself into the future and past events thinking about all while missing out on everything surrounding you. Hence, I voluntary try to suppress the thought provoking while trying to enjoy the elusive nature.

If you keep walking the road everyday you start noticing little things about the houses, the sign boards, the garden and the most important you start communicating to the people in the neighborhood on a much regular basis.

While passing RCC (Roxbury Community College), I always take a moment to admire it's nicely landscaped garden. I have noticed (though have never been) in the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center on the campus of Roxbury Community College. Apparently, the Center is named after the local humanitarian and Northeastern hero, Reggie Lewis, who starred for the Huskies and then professionally for the Boston Celtics.

At the Roxbury Crossing Station, you see some (since 9 am is definitely not the busiest of times) smart (since they have had a good night's sleep and probably work efficiently besides avoiding the morning rush) people with coffee mug holders and a newspaper (mostly Metro) which serves as their faithful companion in the train. A guy hands out Boston Now papers at the Roxbury Crossing T station who needs to be mentioned.

He persistently and in fact quite sucessfully tries to distribute the paper. If you are a everyday traveler you can't help (atleast out of pity) to take a copy.

He tries to instill in your mind as you approach the station the words Boston Now by saying it a number of times. In the short span of time, while you are getting into the subway station you would hear:

"Good Morning...Get Your Boston Now!... Get Your Boston Now!... Get Your Boston Now! "

I can't help finding striking resemblance to people selling 'vada-pav' back home in the local trains in India. It would be a perfect match if his voice was a bit more nasal and if he would have singing to make a sale.

Bostonians are actually trained to see free papers for a quick read on the T. (and some have the weird misconception that they are supposed to leave the paper in the train for other passenger's to read once they are done) In fact, unless cleaned I am sure at the end of the day the train would start to look like a ransacked newspaper office. Also, when you are on the T, it's best not to make eye contact. If you do, we know you are new to the whole public transportation thing or probably a volunteer for some organization trying to enroll people for some protest.

Everything ahead from this point onwards on Tremont St. is part of the Mission Hill area. It is an architectural landmark district with a combination of freestanding houses built by early wealthy landowners, blocks of traditional brick rowhouses, and many three-story apartment buildings.

You cannot miss walking by an eponymous landmark historic building that dominates the skyline of the area everyday on Tremont Street. Yes, it is the Mission Hill Church (atleast I know it by that name) In 1870, the Redemptorist Fathers built a humble wooden mission church that was replaced by an impressive basilica in 1876 from Roxbury puddingstone. In 1910, dual-spires were added that now dominate the skyline. It is one of only 43 basilicas in the United States.

Officially named Our Lady of Perpetual Help after the icon of the same name, is uniformly referred to as "Mission Church", even by its own parishioners. Due to a sloping foundation of this landmark, the west cross tops its tower at 215 feet; the other spire is two feet shorter. The length of the church is also 215 feet, presenting a perfect proportion.

The neighborhood is briskly gentrifying and diversifying in favor of a mix of new luxury condominiums and lofts, triple-deckers converted to condominiums, surviving student rental units, newly rebuilt public housing, and strong remnants of long-time residents. The community consists of a large African American and Hispanic population, a healthy collection of students from nearby colleges and young families who work in the Longwood Medical Area. Culture is a symbolic dimension of life. While walking through this part of the town you realize that cultures are more than language, dress, and food customs. The symbolic dimension is the place where we are constantly making meaning and enacting our identities.

On the right hand side you come across the Parker Hill Library which is a satellite branch of the Boston Public Library, the largest municipal public library systems in the United States. The outside of the building has the carved seal of Massachusetts on one side and the seal of the city of Boston on the other. Over the door is a carved seal of the Boston Public Library.

Huntington Ave. definitely has a student feel to it. On your right is Northeastern Univ. while straight ahead lies the Mass College of Pharmacy. You come to the crossing The Green Line is a light rail/streetcar system in the Boston, Massachusetts area The line was given the green color because it goes primarily though the area of Boston called the Emerald Necklace of Boston. The four branches are the remnants of a once large system of streetcar lines, begun in 1856 with the Cambridge Horse Railroad. The Tremont Street Subway carries cars of all branches under downtown, and is the oldest subway tunnel in North America. This is where the Longwood Medical Area starts.

Some facts:
The Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA), the 213-acre area formed by the Riverway, Fenway, and Huntington Avenue, constitutes one of the premier medical, research, academic and cultural communities in the world.
More than 37,000 people work within the LMA, 15,000 students attend school here, and each year more than one million patients visit the area’s hospitals for medical care. It generates over $3.4 billion in annual revenues.

The LMA’s unique concentration of 21 institutions include three major Harvard affiliated teaching hospitals, two research treatment centers, three Harvard schools, six historic colleges organized into the Colleges of the Fenway, a private secondary school, an art museum, one public high school, a State mental health center, a children’s treatment center, and a religious institution.

After walking just a few steps on Longwood Ave. is the prestigious Harvard Medical School (HMS). One can only admire the lovely view of the HMS quadrangle. On my left lies the premier medical institute reminiscent of tradition and history while on my right is technologically advanced Harvard research institutions and Merck research labs showcasing technology and aspirations.

* Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
* Brigham and Women's Hospital
* Massachusetts General Hospital

These three institutions are often referred to as the "Harvard Trinity" by students and faculty.

Here are some financial stats. related to HMS.

Budget Fiscal Year 2006 $466,427,072

Endowments
June 2006: $3,256,509,589
Professorships: 267

Gifts Fiscal Year 2006
Total gifts: $43,508,000

Research and Training Dollars 2006
U.S. government direct and indirect: $197,371,390
Private funding direct and indirect: $26,182,322
Total Sponsored: $223,553,712

Yes, the number speak for themselves. Although, if you interested in reading some more of HMS achievements the link here highlights The Century of Progress at Harvard Medical School.

As I come nearer to my workplace thoughts regarding the things to do today start coming to me. I am always reminded of this quote whenever I think about my work.
“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought”
~ Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Probably, that's why half my day goes thinking :)
After going through this entire saga I make an rejuvenated attempt to start the day's work.

Total distance traveled: 1.7132 miles
And for 'my weight' I burn about 236 calories every time I take this route. Probably, that's one of the inspiring reasons why it has become a regular thing for me now. (which also gives me a nice excuse to skip the gym)

I love being a part of my neighborhood, a part of the day; besides the automatic exercise. I think considering the whole package it's quite a good deal :)

I left my heart in Boston

It is never too easy to leave your loved ones and move to a different place. You realize the importance of technology all the more now. You seem to use it the most to get in touch with the near and dear ones to stay in touch and in the loop. Getting to know any new place is exciting and full of angst. Probably, you start understanding the term 'settling in' in a more broader sense.

For me leaving Boston was never going to be easy. I tried my best to make the transition smoother. I shall be flying coast to coast a lot definitely in the next couple of months.

Well, all said it's not as bad as it sounds. It's just that you feel it more in anticipation before it happens.

Berkeley is simply beautiful. There are enough things to do and cuisines which keep you busy besides your work obviously.

Here are few pics of beautiful Berkeley and SFO.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/transcendental/sets/72157603324041912/

Slight update

Ah, glorious summer. What could be sweeter than relaxing on white sandy beaches, visiting local ice cream stands, or sneaking out a tad early from the ol' 9 to 5 to enjoy the sun?

A lot more indeed. :)

On a personal note, July was one of the most eventful,satisfying and a wonderful month full of accomplishments, achievements and adventures ! (not many hikes undertaken though)

Last couple of months overall have been quite eventful and definitely full of ups and downs.

Most imperative of all, it is really good that I have a job to do (which keeps me busy) otherwise it would have really difficult to overcome the massive disappointment thanks to the Indian cricket team and the Dallas Mavericks. :)

Have been attending quite a lot of live sports events which gives you a great chance to get into the skin of the player and the heart of the game. The NBA game between Celtics & Mavericks was good. Celtics lost !! :)

Sampras vs. Mcenroe match in the outback series was even better. There was banter. There was laughter. There was profanity. Oh, and there was outstanding tennis between the 48-year-old and Pistol Pete.

Being in Boston no one can afford to stay out of the Sox action. (the game was between Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox) One should definitely visit Yawkey way to be a part of the Red Sox nation. An exhilarating game which Boston won comfortably in the end. (also, I started to understand baseball by the end of the game)

Photography has begun to pick up and you should see a lot more on my flickr link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/transcendental/

13 Differences between Men and Women

1. NAMES:
If Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara go out for lunch, they will
call each other Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara.

If Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom go out, they will affectionately refer
to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.

2. EATING OUT:
When the bill arrives, Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom will each throw in
a $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have
anything smaller and none will actually admit they want the change back.

When the women get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

3. MONEY:
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on
sale.

4. BATHROOMS:
A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream,
razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott.

The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is
337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

5. ARGUMENTS:
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

6. CATS:
Women love cats.
Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, men kick cats.

7. FUTURE:
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

8. SUCCESS:
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

9. MARRIAGE:
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change and she does.

10. DRESSING UP:
A woman will dress up to go 4 shopping, to water the plants, empty the
garbage, answer the phone, read a book, and read the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

11. NATURAL:
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

12. OFFSPRING:
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about
dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods,
secret fears and hopes and dreams.

A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

13. FINAL THOUGHT:
Any married man should forget his mistakes.
There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

Where did my hair go ?

When its summer time, everyone heads to the barbers shop, for some cool short haircuts. I did one myself and hence writing an anecdote of the experience.

Often with school-age children begin their summer vacation, many parents urge them to get extra-short haircuts for the hot months ahead. For those parents who receive resistance to this idea, science offers several reasons to back them up. Researchers who study the biology of hair suggest a few advantages -- from a scientific point of view -- of a short summer haircut:

Less hair keeps the head cool. People can lose up to 50 percent of their body heat from the top of their head. This is why it's important for everyone to wear hats and earmuffs during the winter months.

But when we don't want to get overheated, having less hair can make it easier for that heat to escape the head. Thick overlapping layers of hair insulate the scalp. Also, short hair will reduce this during hot weather.
There are many negative sides to the story as well which I won't elaborate on.

Hairstylists get more creative with short women hairdos because there is more length of hair to style. Women can stray away from the conventional bob with something trendy.

I was planning to grow my hair since a pony tail goes well for my look while playing drums :) and the fact that I never had long hair. Though could not resist the temptation of getting a short haircut and finally succumbed to it. Besides the various aspects/advantages of having short hair during summer personally for me it feels great. Especially, when you can actually feel the wind eddies on your head and have the rain drops bounce of your head is ecstatic.

The most common consensus and feedback I got from most of my female friends was envy since all of them wished they could so something like this in summer. While thinking about all this I could not stop drifting to the topic of the "Mars-Venusian" split.

This is definitely not a chauvinist point of view but more of a sarcastic one :) besides elaborating the few pleasures.

'Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps: How We're Different and What to Do About It' is a book by Barbara and Allan Pease where they talk about these differences get in the way of fulfilling relationships and that understanding our basic urges can lead to greater self-awareness and improved relations between the sexes.

Ever wonder why women can brush their teeth while walking and talking on various subjects while men generally find this very difficult to do? Why 99 percent of all patents are registered by men? Why stressed women talk? Why so many husbands hate shopping? According to Barbara and Allan Pease, science now confirms that "the way our brains are wired and the hormones pulsing through our bodies are the two factors that largely dictate, long before we are born, how we will think and behave. Our instincts are simply our genes determining how our bodies will behave in given sets of circumstances." That's right: socialization, politics, or upbringing aside, men and women have profound brain differences and are intrinsically inclined to act in distinct--and consequently frustrating--ways.

I had written sometime back about:
Men are just happier

That would be a nice follow up to read after this one.