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13 November 2008

Innovative Words

Words to add to your vocabulary
Pretty good!. I loved the no.17

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are this year's winners. Read them carefully. Each is an artificial word with only one letter altered to form a real word. Some are terrifically innovative:
1. Intaxication : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
2. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
4. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.
5. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
6. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
7. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
8. Hipatitis : Terminal coolness.
9. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
10. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's, like, a serious bummer.
11. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
12. Glibido: All talk and no action.
13. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
14. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
15. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
16. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
17. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

06 November 2008

Obama's victory in US

I am as excited, if not more, as an average young US voter, on the news of Barack Obama's victory in US presidential elections.
I feel that now, with this victory, somehow, the things will be fine with the world we live in. Obama will be able to bring the global tensions down by a notch, revitalize US economy and thereby the Global Economy, proactively and positively impact the climate change issue....
Tough task. But I think he has shown that he can be tough when needed..

03 November 2008

"Hello, HDFC Bank Credit Cards Division. This is Shweta here, how may I help you?"

"I have been a customer of HDFC credit card for more than 5 years with a clear repayment history. I was going through this month's statement and I find that there is a late fee component of 450 rupees and finance charges of 500. Considering my past history, I was wondering if you could reverse these amounts"

"Sir, let me check up"

After a few minutes of account verification procedures,

"Sir, I will be able to reverse the latefee. But I can't reverse the finance charges. You will have to pay them"

"But previously when this happened, you had reversed the finance charges also."

"Sir, this means that you habitually default. I am sorry that I can't help you with this"

"No, no, I am not a habitual defaultee. This would have happened two or three times in the last 6 years. In fact, based on my transaction history, the bank even upgraded my credit card to platinum plus."

"I am sorry sir, I can't help you in this. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"No, thank you"

"Thank you sir, wish you a good day"

Later, at 8.30 PM on the same day........

"Hello, HDFC Bank credit cards, this is Ajay here. How may I help you?"

"Hi I am holding this card for the last 6 years or so. In this month bill, I see a finance charge entry of around 500. Can you kindly reverse this?"

"Just a minute, sir"

Wait and a pause......

"Your finance charges are reversed sir. However you will have to pay the full bill this month. The reversal will reflect in the next month bill. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"No, thanks a lot"

"Thank you sir. Wish you a good day"

Has this happened to you? Men and women deal with the same request differently? My experience is that men are more reasonable when dealing with such requests. Women dealing with such requests? Well, let me put it this way. These days I call HDFC credit card help line only in the evening. The chances of getting a male to listen to your complaints (and getting them satisfactorily addressed) is higher at that time.

Post Script: Both the late fee and finance charges got reversed in the current month bill along with the associated taxes.