Thursday 27 August 2009

Why We Need More Women!

No, we are not talking about any kind of Polygamy here. Also we are not debating about the gender eqality. In fact we are emphasising that the two genders are different and how they can complement each other.

In the current era we hear all round cries for more representation for the fairer sex on every forum (with nothing happening in reality). We see the women's reservation bill hanging in suspence for quite a long while for the lack of political will and consensus. We listen to doubts on the wisdom of reservation for women - can the ladies perform or will they remain the same puppets in the hands of the men who decide (Like a Rabri Devi for a Lallu Yadav) ?

While we deliberate on the political representation of women, have a look at what
Kate sweetman writes, indicating the benefits of bringing more women up (atleast) the corporate ladder.

Though our corporate leadership is successful in providing equal opprotunities than our political leadership, they too can think in terms of minimum reservations for the fairer sex, if not for the women's sake then for the corporate's benefit.

A Bank Gets In To Your Pants !

HT reports about a bank getting in to financing your jeans purchase.

After all if a man can't pay for his pants, he deserves to be caught pants down. So no defaults on that count, i guess, lest his jeans gets seized.

Indian Curry for 1.5 lacs

Vir Sanghvi writes about one of the most outrageously expensive Indian Curries ever cooked.

Just imagine, you can buy almost 100 grams of gold with that kind of money in India.

Its something like - if you want to be on the front pages then why not try dacoity?

Monday 24 August 2009

6 Foot 5 and Still Winning

Height is an advantage - no not always.

Thats what Edward McClelland writes about. Inspite of his probably disadvantageous height,Usain Bolt has re-written history.

An interesting read.

Sunday 23 August 2009

Something For Shiney!

Now a days, there is a test for anything. From IQ to Swine Flu.
A swab here or there can pinpoint a rape or a swine flu.

Such a swab test caught our man Shiney Ahuja. No he did'nt catch the flu, that would have been much better.

But can we classify him a sex maniac on the basis of this crime? Or was it an accident? (that does'nt make the crime any lesser though.)

So when I came across this on the net, thought the actor.....er.....ex actor might as well test his inclinations using this Sex Addiction test.

By the way never knew, till now, such tests existed.
I tested negative.

A Shoe For Every Millipede Leg

Here is some one who has (of all the fetishes) a shoe fetish.

10,000 pairs of foot wear. Assuming that a pair may occupy one square foot of space, it takes 10,000 sq. feet of space to store them if placed side by side. The average apartment size in Mumbai is around 700 sq. feet or so? Your friendly neighbourhood bata store may not have so many pairs.

One other person who had such a fetish (she had others too) was Imelda Marcos wife of deposed Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos.

----------------------------------------------------------
After the Marcos family fled Malacanang Palace , Mrs. Imelda Marcos was found to have left behind 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 888 handbags and 1060 pairs of shoes.
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There was a huge furore then over the number of slippers. But it pales in comparison to this 10,000 pairs.

Blogging Tips From Blog Gurus

Its tough going guys, being a blogger.

Not that you want your blog to be the best, but then you also want others to read your blog, right? Though you certainly derive satisfaction from writing , you would want someone to read that and comment on it, don't you?

Take my case for example. I learnt about blogging 3 years back. Got started then. Never publicised it and posted almost like twice in a year or so. Recently the blogging bug got to me. So here I am, pouncing on almost everything, and writing a blog about it.

I am sure many are there like me out there (Of the 11 crore i.e 110 million bloggers the world over and the millions getting ready to start). For all of them here is some help.

Look at guys like Amit Agarwal, an IIT alumnus who have taken up full time blogging along with being a technological columnist. He is now among the top 200 bloggers in the world and has around 2.5 million page views a month. Another one, Amit Verma, after being in the cricinfo.com, now blogs full time and has taken up writing as a career.

You can also have a look at some of the best Indian blogs and decide for yourself, what you would like to write and how. There are thousands of others whom you will come across while u keep blogging. All the info should help you.

Though its tough trying to be the best among bloggers, I guess its even greater fun just trying to be so. It can also help many others by getting them the information that they want, all the while enriching your own experience and knowledge about this world.

BEES SAAL BAAD!

Life is strange and some deaths are even stranger.

Syed Modi was murdered in 1988.

Why would someone want to murder a badminton champion? Obviously not his badminton rival. Its not settled in sports that way. Also there was not enough money in badminton at that time (Is'nt it the case even now?)
. Atleast not enough money to motivate a murder. But it happened.

Murders happen based on mostly business/ money rivalry; fight for women; and family/community/caste honour. Right
?

Money being out of question here, an entire ocean of suspects can be excluded. Could it have been for a woman? The murdered man's wife marries a UP politician two years after the murder. As soon as he is acquitted by the courts. They live happily ever after. So it could have been for her - a point blank love.

From 1988 - 2009 , one by one most of the accused are liberated by the courts. Only one contract killer gets a lifer at last. The scape goat? or the contract convict? I dont know . But its strange that the contract killer should decide to make a murder on his own and he didn't get the dead man's wife. Some one else did. But that was incidental, atleast it is made to appear so.

Since he is the only one to be convicted we should assume that he made out a contract to himself to eliminate someone.
Very bad guy.

The honourable courts are right, but then its a bit strange that after 20 years of struggle we find no motive for the crime. Scotland yard says - any murderer how so ever well planned or meticulous makes on an average 39 mistakes to which the police and courts can latch on to.

But we failed to even find the motive. In the motive lies the criminal. Hence we failed in the first step itself. Hence we failed to find the motive itself, lest we may arrive at the criminal himself.

So we have now set a new precedent in the criminology books, so that scotland yard and others may update themselves.

We have donated an unmotivated high profile crime for the records.

Friday 21 August 2009

Minister With The Foot-In-The-Mouth Disease

After a lull he takes off again.

This time its his foul language. Ghulam Nabi Azad used some unparliamentary words in his swine flu induced delirium. He accuses the "bloody" state health departments of complacency amounting to culpable negligence whereas the central health ministry has supposedly stopped sleeping ever since the swine-flu hit India.

Bravo sir! Bravo! How committed you and your officials are. India is indeed lucky.

If someone tells you that you and your bloody officials kept on sleeping or was caught napping while the H1N1 entered due to improper screening at airport and other entry points, Iam sure you would be happy that such a mistake was pointed out and in such a stern language.

But I like it anyhow because as far as the public is concerned. It doesn't really matter whether its the central ministry or the state ministry that gets abused as long as things get done.

Jokes apart, Iam sure we may soon hear the minister again with both the foot in his mouth.

And if he sustains his tempo, he may not have miles to go before he sleeps and falls from his chair.

Wednesday 19 August 2009

More about Jinnah.....

From Tarun Vijay's blog -Indus Calling- in the TOI, I get to know more about Jinnah :

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"Muhammad Ali Jinnah , aristocrat by temperament, catholic in taste, sectarian in politics, and the father of Pakistan, was the unlikeliest parent that an Islamic republic could possibly have. He was the most British of the generation of Indians that won freedom in August 1947.

As a child in the elite Christian Mission High School in Karachi, he changed his birthday from 20 October to Christmas Day. As a student at Lincoln's Inn, he anglicised his name from Jinnahbhai to Jinnah.

For three years, between 1930 and 1933, he went into voluntary exile in Hampstead, acquired a British passport, set up residence with his sister Fatimah and daughter Dina, hired a British chauffeur (Bradley) for his Bentley, kept two dogs (a black Dobermann and a white West Highland terrier), indulged himself at the theatre (he had once wanted to be a professional actor so that he could play Hamlet) and appeared before the Privy Council to maintain himself in the style to which he was accustomed. He wore Savile Row suits, heavily starched shirts and two-tone leather or suede shoes……

Despite being the Quaid-e-Azam, or the Great Leader of Muslims, he drank a moderate amount of alcohol and was embarrassingly unfamiliar with Islamic methods of prayer. He was uncomfortable in any language but English, and made his demand for Pakistan — in 1940 at Lahore — in English, despite catcalls from an audience that wanted to hear Urdu.”

----------------------------------------------------

Not bad at all for a man supposed to be a purist islamist who was deeply worried about the fate of Mussalmans.

What actually might he have been worried about? Equal rights for all OR the biggest stature and seat for himself ?

Mohammed Ali Jinnah and More

One of the leaders of India's right wing party tries to glorify Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the architrect of Pakistan. Jinnah is given a clean chit and infact is projected as having tried to prevent partition and failed in the same because the other leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar patel would'nt accomodate the demands of a better status for the muslims in India.

These are the revelations supposedly in former foreign minister Jaswant Singh's book (recently published) - and he has been expelled from the BJP for that.

It seemed worthwhile to me, just to check on this personality of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and some connected happenings.


Jinnah's Official Life
Born probably on Dec 25 1876 (Christhmas day) in Karachi. Belonged to Khoja Muslims (Sindhi merchants converted to Islam by Persians). Studied law in England from age 16 to 20yrs. There after practiced in Mumbai. Worked with Gopala Krishna Gokhale (moderate faction of INC). Got disgruntled with Gandhiji's leadership and also the then muslim league leadership. Went back to England to practice law in 1931.

Some other milestones :
1910-1919 - In the Viceroy's legislative council
1916 - For the first time, in the 'Lucknow pact' demanded separate communal electorate for muslims.
1934 - Was persuaded to come back to India. Revitalises Muslim League. Unlike an outgoing leader he was "formal, fastidious aloof and imperious" as some of his followers put it.
1937 - Due to differerences with INC starts working for Pakistan nation.
1942- Muslim League's Lucknow conference passes resolution for Pakistan
1947- Pakistan formation.
Till death in 1948 Pakistan's first governor general and was titled Quaid-e-Azam (Supreme Leader)


Jinnah's Personal Life - A life of Separations

His first wife, a child bride, died when he was a student.

The second wife was Ruttie Jinnah, nee Rattan Bai Petit.

She was the daughter of Sir Dinshaw Maneckjee Petit, one of the richest and most devoutly orthodox Parsi-Zoroastrians of the nineteenth century Bombay. Ruttie converted to Islam on her 18th birthday and left her father's mansion with two pets to marry Jinnah. Exactly eleven years later she was dead of an overdose of painkillers to treat her abdominal cancer. Jinnah never married again and died a lonely man. Known as the nightingale of Bombay, Ruttie died on her 29th birthday on 20 February 1929. Rattanbai bore Jinnah his only child, daughter Dina, on the midnight of August 14, 1919. Exactly 28 years before Pakistan's Independence.

Ruttie died at the age of 29. When Pakistan became independent Jinnah's daughter Dina was 28 and she preferred to remain in India.She went to Karachi only for Jinnah's funeral.

Jinnah's relationship with his daughter was marred by the fact that Dina wanted to marry a Parsi, Neville Wadia. Jinnah tried to dissuade her, just like Sir Dinshaw had tried to influence his daughter (Ruttee) many years ago, but to no avail.

Justice Chagla (who Jinnah had invited to join him and settle in Pakistan as the Law Minister) recalls, "Jinnah, in his usual imperious manner, told her that there were millions of Muslim boys in India, and she could have anyone she chose.

Then the young lady replied: 'Father, there were millions of Muslim girls in India. Why did you not marry one of them'?" The relationship became formal after she married. They did correspond, he addressed her formally as 'Mrs Wadia'.

(Dina wadia married Neville wadia. Their son is Nusli wadia. Nusli's & Maureen wadia's sons are Ness & Jeh Wadia. Ness wadia of IPL and Preity Zinta fame and Jeh Wadia of Go-Air)


The only person from his family who accompanied him to Pakistan was his sister Fatima.

Jinnah Built his - Jinnah house (originally called "South Court")- on the Malabar Hill in Mumbai, in 1936 after returning from England. He spent Rs. 2.0 lacs then for the 10000 sq.mtrs i.e 2.5 acres property. Supervised its construction brick by brick. Italian stone masons were brought from Italy for the marble work. Jinnah House is worth more than Rs.300 crores now.
(No
wonder Dina Wadia is legally making a fight for the property now, though she got estranged from her father when he was alive)

Ironically the round of talks, between Nehru and Jinnah, that altered the course of history and led to partition, was held in this building on the 15th of August 1946. The talks failed.

There after India and Pakistan separated.

Jinnah then led a separate life in Pakistan, from his prized possession in Mumbai, as was the case with many of his prized possessions.

Separation was always on his mind. So did he reap.

Tuesday 18 August 2009

Astrological Notes

Some major planetary movements that are to take place this year are as below:

Saturn on September 9 - from Leo to Virgo - Natives of Rasis (Lagna Chart ignored here) Gemini, Acquarius and Sagittarius will go through the " Kantaka Sani". Natives of Rasis, Leo, Virgo and Libra will undergo the Sade-Saath Sani.

Rahu (Hence Ketu too) - Rahu will move from Capricorn to Sagittarius and Ketu from Cancer to gemini on the 17th of November. The natives of the different Rasis shall face the difficulties (or finish their difficult periods accordingly). e.g: natives of sagittarius Rasi may have a troubled family life where as natives of Virgo rasi may have troubles at work place.

Jupiter - Moves from Capricorn to Acquarius on the 19th of December. Jupiter moving away from its debilitated position in Capricorn should do good to some atleast.

Mars - The mars remains in cancer (debilitation) from October 5th to May 26 , 2010. This will do a lot of bad effects for some atleast.

(All elaborations above are based only on Rasi Charts and Lagna charts are not referred to at all)

Sunday 16 August 2009

Sterilise and Rule !

It was divide and rule mainly.
Then the British also tried - Sterilise and Rule.
That's how the British and Queen Victoria allegedly tried to bring the Rajasthan Royals to an end.

Read this link from TOI :
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Queen-asked-Ranjit-Singhs-wife-to-end-dynasty-Book/articleshow/4899311.cms

But that's ok with some people. But, what if the Royal foraged among some others than his wife and then produced some results? The British might have banked on the fact that the illegitimates won't be getting the same public backing as the legitimates.

But then would'nt the assassination of the Royal himself, have been a better plan for the British rather than lurking around the Royals bedroom and attempting family planning ?

Saturday 15 August 2009

A frisking Fiasco Yet Again

Its Sharukh Khan this time around.

Shame on us ,really.

What do we expect? :-

That we be allowed to pass through any place through the green or VIP channel?

That crowds buzz around us everywhere, as in Bandra, and then we shake our heads as if exasperated at being a celebrity, while secretly enjoying the same.

That no man consider his duty above our celebrity status?

That others are to take us for granted that like some of the MLA's and MPs and other big guns caught in the Human Traficking scandal - no S.R.Khan or any other man will ever be caught again.

That if Sharukh Khan decides to reduce the frequency of his visits to the US, the US as a country will wind up and hence they will start diluting their securuty checks.

That we expect the US and all others to take a defensive posture the moment we accuse them of discriminating others on religious grounds. Hence we take it as a first line of offence when pushed in to a corner.

That even though there are islamic terrorists all around, no country has any right to check on anyone since that amounts to suspecting everyone as islamic terrorsts.

In short we expect all others to follow the rule book as we do - i.e in a shamelessly lawless way.

We never had a rule book for ourselves.
Rules never applied to us.
It only applied to our neighbour or others when we wanted to suffocate them, when we wanted to impose ourselves on them.

Then our victims too lost faith in the rules.
Thus we all became lawless.

Now we believe that the histories of other countries too are similar to ours.
So it gives a jarring effect when others follow the rules, unlike us.

The SRKs and others in this part of the world, instead of visiting countries like US should stay there for longer periods to cure themselves of this "celebrity-flu".

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/My-name-is-Khan-Too-bad-SRK-feels-the-heat-of-American-paranoia/articleshow/4897426.cms

Disregard to the Anthem on the 15th?

Looked strange to me.

There was the national anthem playing in the background. People (spectators and other officials) in the stadium could be seen standing, including some foreigners too.

But the anchor on the Doordarshan Sports and Aparna Popat (if Iam not mistaken) were seen seated and what's more they were carrying on with their expert chatter, with the national anthem as their background music. The anchor even appeared to be irritated by the national anthem being played in the background. This happened around 1.50 pm, today, during the live telecast of the world badminton championships being held at the Gatchibowli stadium , Hyderabad.

Now I do not know whether the anchor and Aparna Popat were seated in the stadium, the studio or somewhere else.

Was anthem audible to them? It appeared to be so.

Did'nt they know what to do on hearing the national anthem?
Were they so callous enough to disregard our national anthem or was it plain negligence?
That too on the government owned channel?
That too on our Independence day.

I hope I saw things wrongly.
But I am all for finding out what actually happened.
People can make mistakes. But the issue should be sorted out so that some others don't commit such blunders again.That too on the National Television.

Thursday 13 August 2009

Going A Bit Green In The Head

First of all I never thought that my buying a car will endanger this world.

When I had to buy a car,I had to.

Power windows, power steering, keyless entry, spaciousness, adjustable steering, collapsible seats, etc etc, whether these mattered or not, were discussed.

Carbon-dioxide and his brother 'monoxide were never mentioned, neither by the salesman nor by me. Then we haggled about the discount and tried to outsmart each other openly.

Regarding emission standards of the vehicle,I always thought it as - Euro III as more car for the same money as compared to Euro II. If it was Euro IV compliant- a still better bargain for me. It was as if I was getting the latest gadget.

Environment figured nowhere in my head.

But then this article on the "Cash for Clunkers" scheme in the US makes me think about how deeply, green-conscious, people are. (Cash for clunkers is a scheme which encourages the car owners to discard their old cars and avail hefty discounts on buying new ones)

On the basis of a better fuel effeciency, it seems it takes on an average of 5 years for the new cars to sort of break even with the higher emission caused during the production of the new cars. Since the average american uses a car for around 10 years (and I thought americans just threw their cars away after a months use) the positive effects for the environment are not much.

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"Was spending $1 billion a particularly cost-effective way to achieve those CO2 reductions? Probably not. Assuming the above calculations are correct and that each consumer keeps his or her car for 10 years, then the total savings should be a little less than 5.7 million tons of carbon dioxide. That means each ton of carbon dioxide would be worth about $175.53 to the U.S. government. As the Washington Policy Center pointed out, a ton of CO2 currently goes for about $17.50 on the European Climate Exchange."
----------------------------------------------------

And finally in the process of writing this, I discover how rich India is.
With CO2 at, $17.50 a tonne, India certainly is a rich country.


http://www.slate.com/id/2224306/

How much will it cost to shoo...A Judge?

Just Rs.200/-.
Or if you can't pay that, then free food and accomodation for a month at a jail of 'their' choice.
I really thought that was a graver offence.
Though a murderous intent is not there in a shoe throwing episode, the judges don't come so cheap, do they?
After all can anyone throw a shoe anywhere (even outside the courts) on a judge at a cost of Rs.200/-?
Look at what happened at a court in Mumbai from the link below.

A free Kick !!

A 25 Crore freek kick at that.

The BCCI has decided to help out its impoverished cousin, AIFF, with 25 crore from its coffers.
The goal? Is to find a few goals in the 2011 Asian games.

If poverty has been the constraint, then with this,we have started moving towards providing the foodballers with some pizzas instead of vada-pavs.

It remains to be seen whether they will find their goals or if the 25 Cr will vanish in to their own goal post.

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"With little funds coming from corporate houses for the 'Goal 2011 Project', AIFF acting president Praful Patel was seeking help of his party chief Sharad Pawar to get financial assistance."
---------------------------------------------------------

And who says that sportsmen should head sports bodies?
Iam all for the ministers heading them.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/BCCI-approves-Rs-25-crore-grant-to-AIFF/articleshow/4889522.cms

Weather God v/s Indian Weather men

Peter Webster, a professor at the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, says:
"The basic problem of the Indian Meteorological Department is that they are mired in the past" .

Mr. Hatwar, of IMD, defends his model, noting that it has accurately gauged the country's average rainfall for most years.

In 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005 the IMD predicted a near normal rainfall . In '03 and '05 it matched with what actually happened. In '02 and '04 we had drought.

In '06 and '07 , below normal rainfall were predicted and we had near normal and normal. Mumbai got flooded too. in '08 the prediction and actuality merged at near normal. But '09 seems to be way off the mark.

The weatherman's job is not easy. But he may have to devise better methods and models for predictions. With 60 crore farming families, to say the least, looking upto him, he cannot leave anything unturned.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125002552576623777.html

Wednesday 12 August 2009

One DJ Gets Magsasay

An engineer who reached MIT.
A couple of years there and he's back in India to work for the "poor India".

He helped uplift about 1,00,000 families.
His NGO PRADAN is associated with projects in about 5 Indian states all among the poorest of the poor.PRADAN works with around 1,70,000 families and adds around 20,000 to 30,000 families every year.

Poverty, for him means- "at one level it is the inability to feed your children and yourself, at another level it's the fact that you don't count, you don't have a voice, you can't influence anything."

His pancea for food security and empowerment of the poor and unskilled is - Proper management of Rain-fed agriculture by better rain water harvesting.

He says " Work is work, nothing high or low brow- it became a habit for me"

That's Deep Joshi for you - the recipient of Magsaysay award this year.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124990333366219177.html

Some Marriage Ads.

(Some of the details in the ads ( from an internet site), given below, have been doctored to protect the identities, the essence alone is bottled for you)
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1) Suiteable Match for Teentotler M.A, B.Ed, Manglik, Girl
(teen..... toon....probably she got confused between teens and the toddlers)
--------------------------------------------
2)Hi, i am 49 years old 6' ht. fair, in govt. job,in search of a friend cum life partnerblind, Deaf & dumb, over weight or can not become a mother or alone for any reason please welcome / contact me ........if conning, lair, riggid, after property& comfort only, quarralsome,selfish please exuse me .........
(Now whats riggid? The fellow got too eloquent towards the end)
--------------------------------------------
3)The matrimonial AD For somu
SM4PbBr HBoy 39 5'9" M.Sc Math,MCA,Mphil wkg MNC S/W Engr 4.50LPA wkg Girl DLI- NCR Area.
(Now Somu surely had a stint with the telegraph department)
-------------------------------------------
4)Wanted grooms for my cuisine brother in Tanjavur dist
(Is the brother a sister wanting a groom? or is he gay? Any way what has the cuisine got do with either of them? Is that why they say not to speak (err.... place an ad.) while eating?
-------------------------------------------
5)Looking for wife
I am a boy .28 years .i need wonderful one wife. my one month salari 120000
(Very Clear - one month, one salary and one wife)
-------------------------------------------
6)I am looking for someone serious to share my time with that enjoys doing the things I do and can introduce me to new things as well. Someone that will take an interest in getting to know me and not be afraid to show me what they're all about in return. I am pretty silly at times, so someone with a sense of humor and great appreciation for just living life is important. I am very selective of those I allow into my life and I only like to surround myself with real and genuine people who can let loose and have a good time.

(what does he want actually? Iam sure he inserted this ad. while in one of his "Pretty silly times")

Mil-'Kingg' The Reality

The thread is still running.

Rakhi & her newfound 'would be' (or 'may be' or 'should he?' rather) play parents on another reality show.
--------------------------------------------------------
After Rakhi ka Swayamvar comes Pati, Patni Aur Woh, where television’s ‘it’ couple Rakhi Sawant and Elesh Parujanwala will take on the task of bringing up kids
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv-/Baby-paws-Rakhi-in-public/articleshow/4878586.cms

Now Iam not blaming them for doing this show, since in reality it's all about money.
But then should the babies be subjected to it? There is nothing in it, at all, for them.
After all they dont get any pleasure out of pawing at cleavages. They are just eyeing the milk route and I dont know if they will get it.

Also I dont know if Elesh will get to paw at anything at all or whether he will get mauled instead.

Tuesday 11 August 2009

Unhealthy Minister

After the Television - contraceptive, our health minister comes back with a bang. This time saying that the dead child in Pune (Reeda) was responsible for spreading the virus to around 80 people.

Though he quickly retracted the statement and apologised to the family - it showed the insensitivity of the minister

And then he follows it up with another gem when he said - around 33% of the Indian population are likely to contract the flu by 2011 and many more deaths are likely to happen.

He means :-
1) Another 30 odd crores will surely be infected.
2) The flu is likley to remain for another 2 years atleast.

Even if these are true, I cannot fathom the minister's wisdom in scaring the people.

Then he says - "People should not PANIC"

Ram Gopal Varma may have failed in scaring the film going public with his film "Agyaat".
Our health minister here scares the whole nation with his foot-in-the-mouth comments.

Not Air Pockets, But Pockets Full

In these times of pronounced wails from the airline industry, its quite heartening to note that atleast one is flying without hitting air pockets.

Indigo air not only is making profit but steadily increasing its market share all the while sticking to its no frills model.

The link gives an idea about how some perform in difficult conditions too.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20090810/1056/tnl-head-above-the-clouds.html

While every now and then the promoters of Jet Airways and KingFisher occupy the front pages of our news papers for reasons ranging from retrenchment to threats of strike followed by heavy sobs, Indigo people are not visible.

--------------------------------------------------------
"The airline management declined to meet HT. Gangwal did not respond to emailed queries. CEO Aditya Ghosh, too, refused comments."

"And Bhatia said over phone, "We don't run our business through newspapers. I don't want to say anything."
-------------------------------------------------------

Thats how they function. Quietly but efficiently. Especially the wails and threat to corner the Government pie being significantly absent.

The reasons for success may be many, including not making costly aquisitions (like King Fisher and Jet did). But most of all their one minded devotion in running the show efficiently with less of hype may have been the most important one.

Tiger Roars For His Opponent - Fined

I've heard about sportsmen arguing with the referees.
I've seen them complaining about the poor officiating of the match.
But almost always, such complaints are when the complainant is part of the losing delegation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/golf/top-stories/Woods-to-be-fined-for-criticism-of-rules-official/articleshow/4879814.cms

But now, Tiger woods shows us what a true proffessional is.
Though he was on the winning side , he faulted the officials for the sake of the sport.

He faulted them for putting his opponent to discomfiture and argued that his opposition would have performed better and probably won had there been no time pressure.

Though I know about golf as much as I know about space shuttles, nothing prevents me from appreciating the born sportsman that Tiger Woods is.

Monday 10 August 2009

How Many More?

England decided to pull out of the World Badminton Championships in Hyderabad. Not that they were bound to make a huge impact on the matches. But that's besides the point.

Whats relevant is that, this is becoming a trend now. Sports in India is getting targeted.
(Sports in Pak too, probably- the way Srilankan cricketers were attacked)

First it was the IPL being shifted to South Africa.
Cricket did'nt lose. India did.

Now the guns are trained on Badminton.

Do we see the threats continuing for the Nehru Cup Football (August 19-31, 2009); the hockey world cup ( March 2010); Common Wealth games (October 2010); and the cricket world cup (2011) ?

Iam sure the last two certainly will be a tug-of-ego-war between India and the terrorist outfits.

Its Indian sports under threat - generally speaking. This is on top of our Sports Boards, Assocaitions, Federations etc heaping shit on our sportsmen.

(Disclaimer : Cricketers are beyond sportsmen and being on a much higher pedestal they heap shit on others and not the other way. They can dope too or atleast avoid doping tests, since their families get to spent less time with them. Hence applying the term 'Indian Sport' to them may be misplaced.)

Someone has to pay for these Pak based anti sports threats, surely. Why should we be at the receiving end, silently bearing it all - shifting venues, cutting sorry pictures in the face of withdrawing national teams and all. Why should we?

If not the political establishments, then atleast the sports establishments in Pak should be made to pay for these. That way we may atleast sleep peacefully, after having done something.

Sunday 9 August 2009

A case of Mass Arousal

Hospital, delivery, operation, nurses strike and baby dead. Do these sound like a part of any pornographic material ever published?

But pictures of this failed delivery were branded as pornography in Zambia. By none other than the President of the nation , Rupiah Banda, himself.

The journalist who mailed the photos, to highlight the plight of the patients, was charged with supplying pornography and arrested.

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"The defence is arguing that the case rests on the definition of obscenity and so witnesses should have to describe what counts as obscene and arousing.

The first prosecution witness, the senior private secretary to the vice-president who opened the Post's letter, was roundly embarrassed by having to describe arousal."

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The private secretary, I am sure, would have found it hard to describe "the great arousal" and would probably have resorted to fantacising.

The courts seem to be in cahoots with the aroused president, else it would've dismissed the case as frivoluos and refused to admit the same.

We should atleast be happy that the journalist (being woman) was charged with only pornography. Had the individual been male, they would have somehow fitted in a rape as well.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8185221.stm

Salman in Siberia?












Hey there, surely a Salman look alike. The attire and all. And I didn't mean the horse.

Sorry Putin-bhai, You know what? How much ever you try, you just cannot match our Sallu-topless-guy.

Next time around, leave the horse alone and have something to do with Chinkaras and Black bucks and ofcourse you can try the ultimate stunt of mowing down a few people sleeping on the side walks, with your car.

Will He ? or Wont He? - Be finished.

Where-ever I happen to read about it, its always :

"Will Rakhi wed Elesh?"
(Rakhi Sawant and Elesh Parujanwala of the "Rakhi ka Swayamvar" fame)

Iam yet to read the reverse.
The poor guy does'nt seem to have a choice nor seem to be able to stand a chance.
No one seems to care for that poor chap with suicidal tendencies.

Nobel & Nudity

Both are linked.
No, they have'nt yet announced a new Nobel for the best nude. No

They are linked by blood.
Nobel Laureate father Amartya Sen's daughter, Nandana Sen, plays a nude model in the film "Raja Ravi Varma" - a film about the painter prince of the Travancore Royal Family in Kerala.

Whats more, there is every chance of an M.F.Hussain style controversy being raked up for replacing Goddesses Saraswati's and Lakshmi's faces with that of Nandana Sen.

That's after this swine flue mess gets cleaned up.

Nandana and her co-workers may be wishing the same too- for the publicity that years of advertisement cannot bring can be achieved with one good controversy.

Thus the controversial prayer to the Goddesses are already made now.
Controversial blessings remain.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Nandana-goes-nude-is-proud-of-it/articleshow/4873356.cms





Friday 7 August 2009

Blogging Gets on Someones Nerve

A blogger gets on the nerve of nations.
Then the nation/nations/groups bring face book and twitter to their knees, atleast for a few hours.

Thats what has happened in Georgia.

The states around or behind the iron Curtain are still holding on to their charactarisitcs, I guess.


Go through the link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/aug/07/internet-attacks-georgia-cyxymu

Epidemic, Pandemic or Whatever ; Somethings that Possibly You Could Do

Everything comes to India. Except its people - they all want to go out.

After reading about it for a while - creating chaos in the east asian and western countries, we are ultimately face to face with the swine-flu.

Why the hell did it choose Pune? More swines there? I dont know.

But even Delhi and other cities are starting to throw up many more cases of the disease.

Citizens of other rich countries can quell the danger by shutting themselves out from the outside world.

But not Indians.
They will then die of hunger.
They have to essentially go to work.


So what do we Indians do?

1) Wear a mask (Iam sure, in a few days time flight tickets will be cheaper than masks)

2) Wash your hands and face frequently and keep them clean. Never touch your face with your hands after touching any object or anyone.

3) Eat what ever you want (The flu does'nt spread that way)

4) If you feel the symptoms keep away from others and consult a doctor.

Symptoms include : Cough, sore throat, fever, chills, body ache , running nose etc.

5) Take a dose of the drug Tamiflu, probably ( Forget the flight ticket, the vaccine might become costlier than the plane itself)


Read this link below, quite a useful one :

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Symptoms-and-prevention-of-swine-flu/articleshow/4867481.cms



Now be a gentleman and dont throw stones at the swines that cross your path.


We already have crossed that stage
. Swines dont spread the disease anymore.

Its spreading from human to human now.



So be a good boy, keep yourself clean and help others around you to remain safe.



The situation is grave and can go out of hand.
Dont let that happen.
Dont let the flu make a swine out of you. protect youself.


Mind your Decibels !!

I read from the TOI about the arrest of a few members belonging to a 'bhajan' (hindu religious hymns) singing group in a local train in Mumbai.



This arrest came, it seems, after the crack down earlier on the 'paan' (betel leaves)spitting and card playing groups.


This compels me to be philosophical and rationalise things yet again :


1) If 'Bhajans' on local trains can be troublesome to other (not so explicitly religious) people, should'nt we apply the same yard stick to our loudpeaker based religious fervour too?


2) It is obvious that even in a temporary place like a train people use 'bhajan' groups as a ruse to corner seats as well as carry on doing what they like to do most. These at the expense of others (say, someone who would like to quietly read).

Isnt the religion being exploited the same way outside the trains too? Isnt it high time that we started cracking down on any public display of religion.

Isnt terrorism an extrapolated phenomenon of the false religious passion. A passion hollow in spirituality and filled to the brim with ritualistic fanaticism.


3) Its time that we declared - "Religion in this country exists in the souls of the people and nowhere else"

And if it exists in the souls, why to go for temples, churches , mosques and ofcourse mobile Bhajan sounding rail compartments?

Wednesday 5 August 2009

Mothers -in- Law , Safe and Kicking

Its official now.

Mothers-in-law can safely kick their daughters-in-law.

Whats more, they can threaten and and recycle their used clothes too.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Kicking-daughter-in-law-or-divorce-threat-not-cruelty-SC/articleshow/4858336.cms


Look at it this way-

If the daughter-in-law's mother had kicked her when she was at her home and given her old clothes of her sister, would she have complained?

So why does she complain now?

Afterall if her mother had kicked her properly then, she would not have to be repaired now.


So any way you look at it - "Its Saas Andher Bahu Baahar" (similar sounding to Baba Ramdev's Pranayam?)




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"Allegations that appellant No 2 (mother-in-law) kicked the respondent (daughter-in-law) with her leg and told her that her mother is a liar may make out some other offences but not the one punishable under Section 498A. "

"Similarly her allegations that the appellant No 2 poisoned the ears of her son against the respondent; she gave two used lady suits of her daughter to the complainant (daughter-in-law) and has been giving perpetual sermons to the complainant could not be said to be offences punishable under Section 498 A", it said.

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There is something in it for the sons too. Now they need not fret over their ears getting poisoned from either side.

And if his mother can kick her, why not he too enjoy doing his bit.



(Disclaimer : Whereas the court decision is on a specific case, this write-up is general in nature and does not attempt to question the court nor its wisdom in any manner whatsoever. This is a write-up without any prejudice or malafide intentions to any person or institutions mentioned above)

Tuesday 4 August 2009

STRINGS OF SAFETY

In these uncertain times of road safety, using religious festivals in this fashion to enhance safety for the young world is most welcome.

The people who thought this out, need to be given a good round of applause.

And unlike the subterfuge of mixing business with religion, this was all about infusing more logic and spirituality in to religion.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4854133.cms

BIHAR FEELS THREATENED

It seems Maharashtra is ahead of Bihar in the number of crimes committed (..errr atleast reported) So the link below suggests

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/mumbai/State-ahead-of-Bihar-in-crimes/articleshow/4854034.cms

A detailed list of other crimes (in 2008), not seen in the link but shown in the paper based version of the news paper, goes like this :

Dacoities; Robberies; Burglaries; Thefts

1085; 3031; 16004; 52860 for Maharashtra


640; 1536; 3343; 14143 for Bihar

Thats awesome figures for Maharashtra. Bihar may look to out gun the Marathi Manoos next time around.

But what perplexes me is this - How to distinguish between burglary, theft, dacoity and robbery?

Each obviously looks to be a different profession.

Looking at the figures we may safely assume that while theft is a mass oriented profession with lower skill requirements, Dacoity is a class phenomenon with higher specialisation.

Also that the dacoits may have to ensure a basic minimum number of personnel and a threshold sum , otherwise they face the ignominy of being called thieves.

I pity the policemen who have to not only find the criminals but also do the exact required classification.

Monday 3 August 2009

Are These Laws For Real ?

Sunshine.co.uk, an online travel agent, has launched a guide that warns travellers about the dos and don'ts in many foreign cities.

The travel advisory goes like this :

http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090730/385/ten-new-guide-tells-holidaymakers-about.html


Are these for real?

Look at point no.6
(6. In Florida, any unmarried woman who parachutes on a Sunday could be jailed. Singing while wearing a swimming costume is also prohibited.)

Whats that? Are they tring to protect- the Unmarried women, Parachute or Sunday?


Point no. 8
(8. In Hong Kong the wife of a husband who commits adultery is legally entitled to kill the mistress in any manner desired, and the husband with just her bare hands.)

Thats called killing two birds with the same stone. Mistress eliminated by Mrs. Mrs eliminated, by Mr in self defence, while trying to kill her husband. Thats called a 360 degree legal protection for the Mr.


(4. In Thailand, it is illegal for anyone to leave a building without wearing their pants.)

what is the average Thai ? A Perennial pant hater?