This is a simple tip for MS Excel 2007. When using Outlook 2007/Word 2007 and working on a Table we get the "Design" menu which is very handy to make our tables look beautiful.

When working with MS Excel 2007 I couldn't find this feature (Design Menu for Table) till yesterday. It suddenly struck me that in Excel though everything appears to a "Table", but they are not and we need to explicitly create a "Table". That's it, feature found!

Steps to follow: Just select the cells you are interested in, choose the "Table" menu option from the "Insert" Ribbon bar. Viola. You get the Design Ribbon bar.

By default, when you insert a "Table" in Excel it comes with Data "Filter" enabled. You can disable it from "Filter" button in the "Data" Ribbon bar. 

I have been asked by many of you for the URL to watch the recordings of all the Mix '08 keynotes. Here it is:

The page has an interesting video of MIX08 Keynotes in Hyperspeed, which is a timelape video to see the whole process from bare ballroom through setup, rehearsals, keynotes, and then final teardown after the show. 

Few weeks back I got a phone call in my office number from some holiday club in Anna Nagar claiming that I have won for a free couple pass for holiday in their resorts. I was surprised for one that I am normally never lucky to win anything in a lottery and second I didn't remember entering any draw. On being asked the lady said that the draw was done on purchases made in shops (Nalli, Pothy's, Saravana Stores) in T.Nagar during the holiday season. I started to get suspicious (which I often do get) because I had not shopped in the mentioned shops recently, so I said I will send a messenger with my signed authorization so that they can handover the prize. The lady refused and insisted that I come in person with my wife to collect it. I said I will and disconnected the call, didn't think it was worthwhile to go all the way and that was it.

Yesterday in Suriyan FM Radio, the DJ announced that a recent con plot going around the city was doing exactly this. They call people to say they have won prizes, when they visit to collect it, brainwash them to buy useless items (or) strong-arm to make them part with their jewels and valuables. So Chennai residents be warned don't get fooled by the lure of prizes for competitions you never participated.

இன்றைய தினத்தை மத ஒற்றுமை நாள் என சொல்ல வேண்டும் போலிருக்கிறது. இன்று அனேக மதத்தினரின் பண்டிகைக்கள் நடைப்பெறுகிறது - இஸ்லாமிய மிலாடி நபி, கிறுஸ்துவ புனித வெள்ளி, இந்துக்களின் பங்குனி உத்திரம், வட இந்தியர்களின் ஹோலி. உலக ஒற்றுமைக்காக நாம் அனைவரும் பிராத்தனை செய்ய இதுவே சிறந்த நாள் போல்.

Yahoo! seems to be working overtime to complete as much as they can before the (almost) inevitable takeover from Microsoft. This week they released the first meaningful (and hence useful) map service for India. Earlier none of the three (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!) had any useful data on India for maps. I read in blogosphere that Google was active in data collection by sponsoring with mapping instruments and paying volunteers for plotting Indian cities. That's about it. Now Yahoo! Maps for India seems to have beaten the other two by significant points. Go check it out.

I was impressed by Yahoo! maps features like Auto Fare, Walk the Route and above all "Vernacular" languages. I got a beautiful and correct directions in "Tamil" from our Habibullah Road office to Lakshmi Colony office in Chennai.

அமெரிக்காவில் இரண்டு வாரம் இருந்ததில் இரண்டு தமிழ் படம் பார்த்தேன், இரண்டுமே விஜய் நடித்தவை. ஒன்று "வசிகரா" மற்றொன்று "அழகிய தமிழ் மகன்". இரண்டுமே சுமார்.

முழுக்கவே ஒரே வீட்டில் எடுக்கப்பட்ட நாடகம் "வசிகரா", கதை அஜித்தின் காதல் மன்னன் கதை தான் - நிச்சயம் செய்யப்பட்ட பெண்ணை விஜய் காதலித்து கரம் பிடிக்கிறார்.

ஒரே வார்த்தையில் சொல்ல வேண்டும் என்றால் "அழகிய தமிழ் மகன்" கதை ஒரு பிதற்றல். இன்றைய நவின மருத்துவ உலகில் ஆள்மாரட்டத்தை கண்டுப்பிடிக்க கையெழுத்து  போடுவார்களாம், ஓட்டப் போட்டி வைப்பார்களாம் எல்லாம் பிதற்றல். அப்பா அல்லது அம்மாவின் DNA (மரபனு)வை எடுத்து ஒரு நபரின் மரபனுவோடு ஒப்பிட்டு சோதனைச் செய்தால் உண்மை உடனே தெரியவரும்.

This is one of my usual rants after a trip to USA. Early this month I left to US for a business trip which included Mix '08 conference in Las Vegas (my third in a row). I normally fly BA from Chennai straight to West coast because it is the shortest and has minimum stopovers (or) fly with Singapore/Malaysian Airlines due to their service and food. This time I decided to fly with my favourite Airline - Jet Airways as they fly to US now and I also got a good deal for Business class (Jet calls it Premium class) at Rs.190,000 ($4750) roundtrip with taxes (Chennai to Newark (EWR) via Brussels & back).

Onward

The first experience was in Chennai Airport (which used to be my airport of choice in India) where it was total chaos from entering till boarding, may be because it was a Friday and there were at least 8 to 10 flights taking off within a few hours window. You normally see Jet Airways friendly staff everywhere for domestic sectors, surprisingly there were not even one outside the counters and the counters too were thinly staffed for this international sector which was running full as well.

The minute you boarded the experience starts to be a different one and the in-flight service for which Jet is famous for was excellent. I got an absolute flat-bed (which the air hostesses makes it for you on request), big flat screen for entertainment, night-suit & a designer personal hygiene kit. Each seat in Premiere also provides you with USB Port for charging and 110V AC Socket for charging. Two things Jet can improve on the in-flight experience, one increase the selection of food (like Malaysian they can do a buffet on wheels) and the second to improve the number of regional language (Tamil) & comedy video content.

Jet flies 3 flights currently from India (Mumbai, Delhi & Chennai) which arrive in Brussels one after other in say 10 minutes gap of each. And they take off to 3 destinations in North America (Toronto, New York JFK, Newark EWR) in 10 minutes gap of each. So you have a good hub and spokes model for choice here. When you land in Brussels, there are hardly any ground staff from Jet to guide you to the lounge or for other assistance. The good thing is that in Brussels Airport, Jet Airways has a well-equipped lounge on their own with a good spread of breakfast selections.

When you land in USA (Newark EWR) the lack of ground staff from Jet Airways continues. Even though I was flying Business, my bags took more than 45 minutes to arrive in the belt and no one to help you on that. Since I had to go to the West Coast (San Jose and then to Vegas) I decided to spend the day in New York with one of my early mentors and good friend Mr.Shivraj who is an independent IT Consultant there.

Return

For return I started from Seattle flying to Newark (EWR) by Alaska. Since Alaska doesn't have a baggage alliance with Jet Airways yet, I couldn't do through check-in, which means I have to get the bags and check in again manually in Newark. And once I arrived in Newark there was hardly any signs or directions to which terminal other airlines are flying from. The good thing, the airport had information staffs everywhere who guide you correctly. I went to AirTrain counters where they guided me to Terminal B (That's from where Jet Operates). I went to the Northwest lounge offered by Jet Airways (for which you have to go to a separate gate and security check) and found they carry nothing other than liquor and orange juice, absolutely nothing to eat. So I came out and had the only good vegetarian item I could find (Pizzas) in the gate. The return journey was more pleasant at Brussels, with Jet Airways ground staff taking good care of passengers, guiding them to lounge, etc. The Jet lounge at Brussels didn't have a shower but they arranged for one at the near-by Diamond Lounge on their own free.

US Airports and Carriers

Compared to other full-service airlines in USA, I found Alaska to be more on time, efficient and cordial service. One thing I don't understand is why do they want to charge for the Entertainment (Digi Players) and for the measly food they serve on board. United, Alaska and all other carriers in US, charge you like $5 or $10 for a frozen food packet and for Entertainment screen. This is the same procedure even on flights over 4 hours like the one I took now from Seattle to Newark or the earlier one I took from Newark to San Jose which was like 6 hours. They charge like $250 or more for coast to coast and they still want to charge $10 more , it is not that I am complaining about the additional charge it is the lack of good choice in food. I see all the flights I travelled in this trip were running full and I read that they are making good profits for the last 12 to 18 months. Still all the flights you travel with US carriers are old and aging, which I can understand because many of them after 9/11 are still in bankruptcy protection or just out.  What I don't understand is the lack of service mostly in-flight (I certainly don't believe it to be racism), complete in-difference to paying customers which you don't see anywhere in Asia. For example, in the Alaska flight today they missed for several seats serving juices & snacks. When I asked (so too few other customers) she just brought her own selection and that was it. I was offered an Orange Juice, when I asked her that I actually want a Tomato Juice, she just ignored it (I am sure I was very clear) banged the cup and left.

One of the things you will find it clear once you have been through few US airports is that they have a total lack of infrastructure and space for security screening. Almost all the airports are old and aging, when they were planned there was no concept of passenger screening so it all happens in long lines in cramped corridors. 

On my flight from India to US two weeks back, I watched Chak De! in Jet Airways In-Flight Entertainment. Irony is that I have the DVD of the movie purchased and lying idle in my house for months now.

The movie is a great attempt and a much-needed one to highlight the neglect of all other sports in India other than Cricket that too on Women Hockey. Other than track games and recently tennis, women sports have been for long least appreciated in the country. This movie where SRK acts in the role of a wrongly corruption tainted coach who desperately fights in getting the girls ready and there by clean his records. Very well done movie, must see.

In the USA, RV means Recreational Vehicle which basically is a motor home where you live for brief periods during vacation.

I saw the movie "RV" with my wife about a month or two back, in TV. This movie acted by Robin Williams (Bob Munro) is about Bob hiring a RV to take the family on vacation and he is not familiar with using RV and gets into lot of funny situations. Not a great movie, but certainly a clean fun movie that can be watched with family & kids.

Yesterday I saw "The Brave One". The story is simple - A Radioshow artist Erica Bain (played by Jodie Foster) and her boyfriend are attacked by mobs in New York Central Park with the boyfriend getting killed. Erica recovers and tries to get her life back, feel unsecure and gets a gun illegally for self-protection. She then goes on to doing few killings of bad guys and finally takes revenge on the killers of her boyfriend. The story line reminded me two Tamil Movies  (Superstart Rajnikanth in Naan Maahan Illai & Naan Sigappu Manithan) released around 1984/1985. In "The Brave One"  Terrence Howard plays a role of Police Detective Mercer which reminds the same role played by Director K.Bhagyaraj.