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April 27, 2007
Beware of Social Networking Ads!
A couple of months back there was an interesting article in ‘The Week’, which talked about how the number of Red Light Areas have gone down, and how the number of sex workers are on the rise. Sex workers are no more people who are illiterate or people who are pushed & forced into flesh trade. These days high profile women working for BPOs, IT companies, bored housewives, and even college students get into prostitution out of curiosity, interest or for some effortless quick monies to maintain their lifestyle.
There are middlemen in most business, and these businesses have them too. They are called Social Networking Agents/Companies. They put up their ads in major newspapers – like The Times of India, or the Hindu, and frame the content in such a way that only the real seekers understand it. (You might have seen White Mischief Holidays - ‘I am in the mood of mischief’ on the TV while watching World Cup 2007, let me know what that ad actually mean).
These middlemen have contacts with sexually active women, and will get you in touch with them – of course for a fee. This is a multimillion business in India now apart from porn CDs and sex toys.
One of my friends spotted an ad in the Times of India, which advertised themselves as Social Networking Agents. They had given their phone number too. My friend called the guy to enquire about the procedure, and he said, “you need to transfer Rs 2500 into my ICICI account, and once I receive the money, I will mail you some 10 phone numbers of women (married or unmarried) who are looking out for some wild sex. Then it will be your headache to contact them, and get it done”. This Rs 2500 was yearly fees for 10 mail IDs and phone numbers for a year. Quite a good deal, said my friend.
Though the deal was mouth watering my friend was a bit sceptical to go ahead. What if the guy is a fraud? He called him to say, he will deposit only Rs 1500, and in turn he has to forward 5 phone numbers as a sample. This was just to find the genuineness of the agent. The agent said it was fine, and mailed my friend his ICICI account.
My friend transferred Rs 1500 into the agents account a couple of weeks back, and there is complete silence from the other end till date. The agent doesn’t pick up his phone.
This indeed is a nice business idea. Advertise as a social networking agent in any of the top newspapers, and you at least will get 100 calls, 50 of them would want to go for the service, even if Rs 1000 is deposited by each guy, the agent can make 50,000 in a day! And who will have the guts to file a legal case against an agent who promised to give phone numbers of 10 sexually active women in India?!!!!
Posted by Kenni at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2007
A special ‘astro’ product for people who want to test my ability!
I have been right on many occasions, and wrong on few occasions. For all my right predictions I love to forward the whole credit to my teacher and the almighty, and for the wrong I would love to take sole responsibility. Astrology as an art has taught me a lot about human lives, and astrology as a profession has also made me understand my limitations as a human being. There were days I used to remain depressed for days, when my predictions went wrong, and used to get excited when predictions done by me came true. But these days nothing matters much. I just concentrate on my performance, and bother only about my consistency. Rest everything is destined…
I have consulted many astrologers in my life, and have met many people who have consulted other astrologers. One common thing I learnt in the process was – most astrologers, with time, start becoming very money minded, and under the pressure of their favourite clients say something just to soothe them. They aren’t bad astrologers, but then many lose focus midway. And on the clientele side, I have met many who tell me that they spent a fortune on astro consultations, changing names, wearing gems, and performing pujas – and nothing worked. What remains in the minds of a client at the end of day is a feeling of being fooled by astrologers. We get fooled by the government day in and day out, we get fooled by doctors everyday, we get fooled by 1st world countries, we get fooled by auto guys everyday, we get fooled by friends, relatives and women – but still we make it a point that astrologers and saintly people fooled us the most!
When I started my career as a professional astrologer after leaving behind my 8 years of IT experience, I had only one thing on my mind – that I will not do astrology ‘ONLY’ for money. Of course I need money to survive, to watch movies in multiplexes, and to dine in star restaurants. Hence I made it a point that the fees I charge should be affordable by a common man, and I should always give out more than what I get in return. It works out perfectly for me. And also I try my best to avoid instances where in people might talk bad behind my back – saying they got fooled by me. So I always return the fees taken from people for whom my predictions have not worked. This way – none of my clients are at loss!
I have had incidents where in people buzz me on yahoo messenger and say – they are sick and tired of astrologers, and that they would want me to tell something about their past before they place their trust on me. I love these kinds of challenges, and by habit I have always gone into the future only after confirming the past by looking at the chart. But these days this practice irritates me a bit. It is like biting an apple before buying it – you can always return the apple if it is rotten inside, you surely will get your money back, but you cannot buy by tasting it.
In this scenario I had to think about a way wherein I continue taking up challenges, and at the same time don’t give up myself for cheap. I am always ready to prove my abilities as an astrologer at any given forum, but then I should get some massive returns. Hence took up this new resolution.
As a rule I return the fees, when my client wants it back – so no gain, no loss for anyone. But for people who want to test my astrological abilities before investing their ‘fortune’ for a reading, here is my new product.
I won’t charge to tell few incidents about their past – with time range. It will be completely free of cost. This is to gain his/her trust. And if I am on dot about the past, and you want your future to be predicted by me then my charges will be 10 times more than my usual charges. My normal charges are Rs 500, and after I have passed your test it is Rs 5000!
Just today morning I got someone who wanted me to tell – whether he is married or not – looking at his chart. I mailed him ‘you are not married.’ And he said, I was right!
Posted by Kenni at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2007
I think I am back - part 2
I waited for 2 months to put up this particular blog. Not that we don’t have other jobs in life and that our lives revolves around the auto rickshaws of Chennai. But then we thought– we have taken up a fight so let us go till the end and see what is in store. In February 2007 my sister (http://vasanthi.rediffblogs.com) and myself took up a signature campaign against the auto guys of our stand, and we went ahead knocking some 150 doors for signatures!
Most people obliged to sign on the complaint, as it was a common problem, which every individual faces day in and day out, while very few refused saying they depend solely on them for commuting. It took 2 whole days for us to get 100 and odd signatures, and thanks to my sister to have made every one understand what the problem was – non-usage of meters by Chennai auto guys.
With the signed document, we reached the RTO office and filed the complaint. The RTO officer had a quick glance at the papers, and said – he will look into it. I never had hope of any action being taken against the auto guys, nor did my sister. We thought after a month or so we will just follow up with the case. And probably with time the issue will die off completely.
After a month I got a letter from the RTO – in fact a CC that was sent to all the seniors, and also the auto guys – which said if these people didn’t get back to them with enough reasons for not using the meters, stringent action will be taken against them. We were happy that at least some action was taken against them promptly.
Then a week later I came to know that a fine of Rs 5000 was stamped on the auto guys whose numbers were mentioned on the complaint letter. That was indeed a boost to our confidence and we realized that our effort didn’t go wasted.
In your case too – don’t waste your time arguing with these auto guys or bargaining for the rate everyday. Just note down their numbers and file a complaint at the RTO office, and don’t forget to take an acknowledgement on the Xerox copy – action will surely be taken.
With this example I came to understand that Indian Government still tries to works for the betterment of the people!
Posted by Kenni at 06:33 AM | Comments (0)