Google Local Places in Domlur

July 2, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Domlur comes under Pin code 560071. It’s like any buzzing part of Bangalore, filled all kinds of establishments designed to meet your needs and wants -from shopping centres to kirana stores to upscale spas to shady ones to budget hotels to Premium ones like The Paul and also clubs like Domlur Club to sports arena like City Nest.

Other interest points for me are the fish stalls in Domlur, also pork and beef stalls which are in the vicinity. I’ll posting more about each of the centers so that people can pick information from this blog post.

Knight Rider – Dance Bar

PNB at Domlur

Ginger at Domlur

Hope this collection will be useful for visitors:

Banks in this locality:

ICICI Bank
HDFC Bank
Cananara Bank

Spas in This Area

Keisha Saloon and Spa
7 C Thai Spa
Siroy Spa

Bars, Pubs, Venue

Sherlock Homes
Jimi’s
Black Rabbit
Humming Tree

Post Offices

Courier Centres

Dance Bars

Knight Rider
Blue Lagoon
Chef In Regency

Small Dept Stores
Top in Town
Sagar Supermarket
Namdhari Fresh

Plant Nursery

Namdhari Fresh

Discuss Talk Good Ideas for a Progressive India

July 1, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

This is the first video I have shared from a Whatsapp group. Out of the scores of forward on many groups, only a handful are worthy of second look or a share.

I don’t know the name of the speaker or the forum where he’s addressing. Not withstanding that, there are many a points you can take from this speaker. One last bit he said was to talk, spread the real meaning of India which has evolved from many cultures, behaviors and tradition. It’s a exclusive society, but not a society build on narrow view of one person or a party.

Remembering the Stall at Anglo Indian Meet

June 30, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Menu at Anglo Indian Meet

While cleaning up the junk in one of the cupboard, I came across this menu board we had set many years back at the Anglo Indian Jamboree.

It was a good sale at the Palace Ground Venue and it was our first time experience in running a stall like this. The thing which was hit was the beef cutlet and stuffed omelettes.

Sales Lift for Sneaker Company

May 26, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Sports shoe/sneaker market is worth millions or billions in sales and turnover. The pace of competition and race for the first position is how the companies are able to catch the tend of the young gen. Recently, Puma brand toppled other biggies like Nike and Addidas to take the first pole in the shoe market.

It’s not surprising to most youngsters wearing Puma, instead of Addidas or Nike or Lotto, which was popular in my college years.

Marketing Idea for Sneaker Companies

Today I woke late and I missed the usual round of walk from Kumarapuram junction to KIMS hospital. As I sat holding the lukewarm cup of coffee, I got this little gimmick on my mind. It’s about selling sports shoes – a new way of making a fresh appeal.

Marketing Plan – Push Up Plan

Do you remember the time when Gmail came to the market? It was not open to everyone – but through referral. On the same lines Gio brand did some attempt to make it look special.

So, this plan is somewhat closer to it – in that it’s making an attempt to feel that the buyer is privileged in some way.

Plan – Introduce a New Line of Shoes – Sold Only to Fit People

What does limited access means. In this case, a shoe brand should release a new line of shoes which is sold at a discounted price to a limited audience . In other words, discount can be availed only to people who can do 75 push-ups or more. ( Push up just a barrier)

Well, I choose push ups as an example as it’s something I love doing and it’s a simple exercise which could be done without any equipment or at home. Moreover, doing regular push-ups makes you fit, and gives you a good posture.

Imagine, if the same shoe is available to public at a premium price. This is the modus operandi. The plan is that brand store must keep weekly competition ( time and date fixed in advance). It has a designated place inside the store for push-ups – a stage where prospective buyers prove their worth by doing the required physical task. It’s a tactic to attract or spread the message of a sport activity tied to buying a sports shoe.

Apart from the push ups, what are other ways to promote sports shoe:

Offer good discount to people who have complete a local 10K or 20K marathon
Offer at 50% discount to senior citizen who have participated or completed a half marathon
Offer it to police officers/military officers who has done stellar service, gallantry award winners, etc

Will This Marketing Tactic Work?
Idea is to promote fitness, wellness and goodwill in the market. As a new marketing tactic, it should plan this as a serious campaign, reaching out to people who deserve it, or even advertise in gym, putting up posters, etc.

Probably it will or it will go out an attempt to resonate the brand to the target audience.

Lessons for KSRTC from Ola Uber Apps

May 26, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Save Time of Commuters – Make India a Champion Country

I’m a native of Tvm, who’s currently settled in B’lore. An idea stuck me while I waited for a city bus at Kumarapuram stop. I felt the need for a mobile App which can help commuters locate and find buses passing their route.

The reason why I felt the need for this app is this – WAITING! Why should a state or nation waste the time of a citizen, keeping them in suspense on what time the bus will reach their station. We are now living in era where technology used by Ola or Uber makes it easy to spot the booked cab. Why can’t we apply the same to transport buses?

Well, this idea is for all the transport corporations to implement. From KSRTC to Delhi or Calcutta bus services can think of building the technology to make the services more predictable.

Probably, engineering students or even school kids who are savvy about mobile app development can implement this in their town

Here’s the project detail:

KSRTC APP ( Mobile App for State Transport)

Here’s the basic scenario: The mission of our public transport is to provide quality and affordable transportation to public. But, over the years, this public venture is still under the red.

In this regard, I noticed that many low floor buses ( Volvo) are going with empty seats. I find that there’s no means for public to know the timing or the location of these buses and decide on taking other means.

For example, I frequently take Bangalore train from Kochu Veli Station. This train departs at 17 hrs. And, in that time, there’s a low floor bus which passes Kumarapuram ( my stop) to Kochu Veli. As there’s no means to know the location of the bus, I often end up taking a cab or auto from Kumrapuram to reach the station. This is a revenue loss for the KSRTC and for me.

So, here’s a way to overcome this situation.

Develop a Mobile App for KSRTC

Function of this Proposed Mobile App

User will tap the app to open
App will take the user location and also show the location of Volvo buses
When a bus is selected, it will show the fare, route and probable time to reach
It will also show the ph# of the conductor or driver ( It will be useful for the public)
User has the option to see the timing of next bus in the same route

Other options available in the app

Search option to select bus by route number or destination name
User is give the option to give feedback

How it will be useful for the public?

Commuters can easily decide to wait for the bus or look for other means
KSRTC buses will be more profitable with visibility
The high smart phone popularity, this App could be publicizied
The KSRTC control room will know the location of buses ( GPS)

This project could be taken by a Startup or by Engineering students in the state or IIT Students or by an individual who’s passionate about making a change happen. So, what’s in for you?

1) Learning opportunity for students to work on a real-world problem
2) Publicity for the college or institution
3) Acquire skills to learn through collaboration with IT companies
4) Learn to source ( crowdfunding) funds for this project
5) Added points on your resume

How to Fill the Technology or Knowledge Gap
Don’t let any technical problem come your way. There are always companies who would be interested to support your venture. ( For instance, companies like Infosys, or Wipro, or the tech giant Google, etc, who will be happy to lend their expertise)

I hope you could take this up with your management or the staff of the concerned department ( Computer science) to make this a reality.

For more ideas to make this app: Refer Ola or Uber App. Also, I heard that there are similar apps used in London to track public transport buses.

Pink Slip at the Age of Automation

May 26, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Is the threat of automation, real or imaginary? Does automated system make our jobs obsolete sooner than we think?

For a long time, the idea of automation is being proposed by futurists and visionaries. All these years, most of us has brushed aside this concept, thinking it’s something like what we heard when computers came around.
However, this time the stories and projections of things we hear seems real and scary. So, what’s the scary part of automation and AI? Is automation going to displace most of our job and put us on the street? Is the work going to be gone with far better efficiency, accuracy and without looking for a motivation or reason to work.

Automation in AI Era

Sometimes I feel that I worry about it too much, while most people I discuss with hardly seems to feel it as a threat. So, am I talking this idea too far or are there many people like me who feel that it’s a clear and present danger for working people.

So, if you imagine it’s real, then how do you protect your career, income and life? Do you become indispensable in the era of Cloud and AI?

Few Articles on this topic
Will machines take on every job – Source: BU Today
Job Displacement ( What these leaders think)
When automation takes over our economy ( Reddit answers)
How automation will effect economies across the world – Mckinsey
Will Robots Really Steal our Jobs Source: ( PWC)
Jobs that may start vanishing from today
Will machines eventually take over
Robots will steal our jobs – Forbes Article

By the way, what are the jobs you see will vanish in few years time:

1) Bank clerks, Sarkari babus and others in paper scrutiny work

2) Sales people of most shops and establishments

3) Basic coders in IT

4) Link builders, basic level SEO specialists, etc

Comprehensive Complaint Notification solution Portal

May 26, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Complaint Box Remedy Box A day ago, we bought the third dust bin. First one, purchased a month back broke near the handle. But, the second one, was an expensive plastic bin has given us problems from day one. Here’s the product malfunction. Every time we press the petal to open the lid, the lid slips away. Which means, we have to bend again to fix the lid. The problem is that the groove where the lid is attached keeps slipping out. The Real Price We Pay to Buy Expensive Product This waste bin was expensive than the cheap ones available. So, what’s the lesson learned? I just remembered the old maxim which I learned in college – Caveat emptor ( “Let the buyer beware”). . So, what’s the goddamn solution. Well, here’s another portal or website to the rescue or to inform users of the possible problems with the product. ( Patented Idea # 235) 🙂 Start a portal where people can check the product by model number or name and instantly know the possible complaints related to the product. While, you might say that there are many sites doing similar job, I can say that this should be done in more visual way. For example, imagine a page which is divided into three vertical columns. The first column will contain the specification of the product, second will the complaint and third how to rectify the solution. Product Complaints Remedy Problem Cloud tag Example Morphy Richards After regular use, Get the thermostat Based on the complaints s OTG the temp fluctuates changed. Call the submitted by users, a program ( For instance, oven shows customer care will make a cloud tag. It will 200 Cel, while the real or get a good help users to instantly find the temp is in excess of 250) service guy known to fix this common problem issue. ( details of service centre, phone the product number and the contact info of a person who can do the repair.) Sunflame OTG The glass top breaks Buy one with the metal top Glass top breakage! into thousand of small glass granules ( dangerous) Will this Product Quality and Solution Site Help Probably, yes. Well, such a site or an app will make it easy for customers to search for common problems related to a household durable goods. This is applicable to more expensive products like the mobile phones or cars or appliances, etc.

So, what do you think, will it be a one-stop solution for all customers to stop and understand if the product is a lemon or it has other issues which are hidden by the manufacturer. Also, it will alert the user, if the problem can lead to safety issues or other hazards. What say? I think, a very good GUI or a designer’s hand is required to make this idea into a very user friendly site. I remembered one more feature which could be added on the app. Just take a pic of the product from the mobile, and it will scan the database to shortlist and then it will instantly show the complaints, if any related to the product.

BTW – A PHOTO searching should be enabled in the app which makes the search instant.

Flea Market at Marakada Trivandrum Akiri Kada

May 23, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Kada selling Antiques and Vintage Items

My Travel Trunk – New

Flea Market Hunter

These are the shops where I scour for anything that’s unusual, vintage and antique. Marakada Road in Trivdrum has by hunting ground for a long time.

One of the item which I felt I should have bought was the hand-cuffs. It was kept for sale by a guy and I thought I will buy after some time. But that “some time”, he had sold all the metal hand cuffs and left.

In Bangalore, the city market side is where I go during Sunday’s.

21 Restaurant Themes Ideas for Bars Cafes

May 17, 2018 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

This post is about theme!
Theme in bars and restaurant. Why are new pubs and restaurants following a theme? Is it for the customer, is to create a special appeal, taste, lifestyle or a brand identity?

Imagine having a sameness everywhere! Won’t it be boring? So, theme is used to make the place inviting, attractive, or to follow a theme in a different way

( Bar theme ideas from the net)

What’s a theme restaurant?

Theme restaurants or pubs are often characterized by the uniqueness of architecture, decor, food, music, and overall “feel” of the restaurant.

Source: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_restaurant

Got it!

Now that we are one the same page, I’ve a question – if you’re thinking of visiting a new restaurant which one will take priority – a themed one or a typical restaurant. Well, my question is stupid. So, not worth answering.

Now, let me get into the heart of the matter. I for one, always have a desire to open a cafe or a restaurant, but knowing the difficulties, the investment, I brush it out.

In Trivandrum, my hometown there was a buzz recently. Two new themed restaurants has opened it’s doors for dinners. It’s Thakaram. One outlet in Kazhakuttam, is designed like the interior of an airplane and another like a rail coach.

Now, it’s been more than a year it has opened, but I haven’t visited it. Probably, it was not on the top of my mind. I was just wondering if the waiters in Airplane themed restaurants wore skirts like an air hostesses or it’s the usual boring restaurant dress. Well, considering the local taste, they will play safe.

Having said that, I wish they could at least have a speical day where they get their staff decked as flight attendant and serve meals.

Imagine that I’m given the power to choose a theme for a restaurant, what will be my choices

1 Nautical-themed bar
I love seas, rivers and boats. So, it’s would be my first choice. It will also specialize in sea food starters and a range of cocktails and drinks designed for mariners.

2. Railway Themed Restaurant

This was there in my mind for long. It’s not just as easy as hanging a vintage railway signal light or modelling the room to look like a coach. Even the food menu should be different. For instance, it would be essential to infuse some colonial touch to it. Food menu with Railway Chicken, etc.

3. Math’s Theme

I don’t have any connection with this topic. Only that I dread in my school years was maths. Probably low IQ could be blamed for it. But, there are many would like to see an unsolved mathematics problem written on a chalk board, or where the math wiz kids come and solve an equation and get a free drink. What do you say? There are lot of nerds out there who would love to do it. Btw, it should be run by someone who love and drink maths.

4. Chemistry or Lab Themed Pub
Do you fancy sitting in a pub which transports you to feel you had when you visited chemistry lab in your school or college. The pipes, testtubes, acid bottles, and that acid like smell. Well, I remember my alma mater when I used to be intrigued with the bottles of acid – which I thought had some kind of life. There was one school mate who used to mix random acid when left unsupervised and then quickly pour the same in the sink. ( Sorry got carried away to that old life)

So, what about a pub which can take a leaf from this chemistry lab. I bet there are may ways to infuse these ideas.

5. Colonial Themed Restaurant or Bar
British has left a legacy in many forms – from ruling, rules, cuisine, etc. So, one of the restaurant could take this theme, where they can make connection to their menu, ambiance and decor to match this concept.

6 Horror Movie Theme
Imagine a waterhole where a bar menu starts with Blood Sucker, Dram Stroker’s Spl, etc. Well, the menu should take inspiration from horror theme, Scandinavia stuff, and all the fictional stuff like the Frankenstein, etc.

Well, there will be scores of folks who will line in to take a shot of vampire drink. Sic
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