Thursday, 14 April 2011

Thursday Tagline Award

So happy to receive this certificate from Soham.
Visit his fabulous blogs for some highly creative photos and write-ups!! M sure u will love them.

www.thursdaytagline.wordpress.com
www.sohams.blogspot.com
www.sohams.wordpress.com

And here it is... :)

Thursday Tagline pic - https://thursdaytagline.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/framed-flight/


Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Leaders of the fee world - The Economist

I am not sure how one should react to this, but I am feeling good about it. Read the report from The Economist.
May be we are at the bottom cuz most politicians don't really count on salaried income.

The Economist


Politicians' salaries

Leaders of the fee world

How much a country's leader is paid compared to GDP per person

ON MONDAY July 5th Raila Odinga, Kenya's prime minister, rejected the pay increase he was awarded by the country's parliament last week. MPs had granted Mr Odinga a rise to nearly $430,000 a year, while giving themselves a 25% increase to $161,000. This boost would place Mr Odinga among the highest-paid political leaders in the world. More worryingly, his salary would be some 240 times greater than the country's GDP per person (measured on a purchasing-power parity basis). Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore, tops our list of selected leaders' salaries. He is paid more than 40 times the city-state’s GDP per person. At the other end of the scale, Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of India, reaffirms his reputation for saintliness by taking a modest sum from Indian taxpayers.

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

Revaluing the Indian Football

One of the futile FAQ is “India’s population is over 120 Cr and counting and still we can’t manage to bring out a team of 11 footballers worth sending to FIFA World Cup?” On that logic, considering the size, population and development of US, by now they should be hitting in the ICC World Cup. But it isn’t so. The decisive factor here is the overall interest of the country and much crucial is the boost from the administrators of the game in that particular nation.

Football is possibly world’s most popular game and the current buzz. In India, states where it is chiefly played are West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim, though the fan following across India knows no boundary. Perhaps, football is played more than cricket on the Indian school grounds and is loved equally to cricket. Moreover, minimalistic need to play this game on the local level is a ball and a pair of sport shoes (which were atypical in earlier days) and a place same as required to play galli cricket.
                  
League football in Kolkata is much older than the formation of FIFA. We have had such excellent players who made us proud at various national and international levels. The yesteryears few gems are Gostha Pal, Subimal Chuni Goswami, Sailen  Manna, P K Bannerjee, Peter Thangaraj, Jarnail Singh Dhillon. And the current whizzes include the impeccable captain Baichung Bhutia, Climax Lawrence, Sunil Chetri, Mahesh Gawli to name a few. Their efforts have given football a new position in the land of cricket. Still we are missing something very crucial due to which at various competitions either we don’t enter or we get disqualified. We win some and loose most.


We have world’s richest cricket board. We have IPL, which have changed the way cricket was played, watched and perceived. We have nurtured cricket so well that we have topped ICC rankings. While for Indian football team, July 2010 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ranking is men at 21 and women at 13, while FIFA ranks men at 133 and women at 56.
Priyaranjan Dasmunshi has served as President of All India Football Federation (AIFF) from 1988 till 2008. Currently he is the honorary president of AIFF. He was also associated with AFC and FIFA. He is ex-VP of Indian Olympic Association, member of Mohun Bagan AC, East Bengal & Mohammedan Sporting Club. Despite holding such strong portfolio in football, he missed his aim. According to a report published in 2004, Dasmunshi had abandoned the criticisms of the infrastructure and management of football in India. He had assured of his confidence in the mission that would qualify India for World Cup by 2010. Its mid July 2010 and we have already enjoyed some terrific football.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr. Praful Patel is the current president of AIFF. On the website of AIFF Mr. Patel is mentioned as a sports person. Which sport made him that is a matter of speculation. The question isn’t about his credibility to handle India’s Football, but it would be better if he is left to do what he does best. Let him manage aviation and let him be an industrialist.


Management of football coaching is haphazard here. Players often complain of paucity of qualified trainers and inadequate infrastructure. The call is to bring in best coaches to make future footballers fit for the international standard, to have state of the art infrastructure. To make this transformation possible we need investment of money, expertise and man power. Tycoons like Lakshmi Mittal, Sunil Bharti Mittal and liquor baron Vijay Mallya have already entered into sponsoring and supporting football at foundation level. 

The blend of corporate world and the football administration can bring a football revolution in India. When money is poured in glamour, fame, audience and more money will eventually follow in. The other essential ingredient to add is a pinch of professionalism and a little bit cutback of political touch. At this stage only professionals can give a makeover to Indian football and not the politicians. We need to set up football clubs across the country with high standard amenities, make it easily accessible to any aspiring footballer, supporting the needy with financial aids. We may be having all of these but there is lack execution.


If searched, there are many, many talented but unexposed footballers in the nook and corner of the country. They are still lying in there cocoon, thanks to the crabby administration and pitiable response we provide them.
To sum up, we have done enough cheering up for Brazil, Argentina, Spain and others. Now we want our own team to applaud for in the next FIFA World Cup. Hope, in near future, we will hear our National Anthem on the international field of football. Waka waka. 

Saturday, 15 May 2010

It is not safe, anymore.


I’m talking about the cabinet of your two wheeler.
Unlocking it without key have become as easy as locking it.
Two days before, I kept my mobile and purse (with everything possible in it) in the cabinet of Activa, LOCKED it. After returning, lock was broken, and you know the following. (I know some people must be thinking, why there is always something wrong with me and my mobile. Huh!)
If there are too many vehicles in parking and that “someone” special watches u keeping something in it, be assured, it is gone.
My sis told me this story which she recently read in a newspaper.
“”A lady was alone at home. A plumber ranged the doorbell and was supposed to do some repairing.
Her daughter at school needed pickup.
In a dilemma, that plumber might steal her gold jewellery; she took it all with her to school, locked it in the cabinet of her vehicle.
She returned only to find the cabinet lock damaged and you know what. All in the count of few minutes.””
My sis almost consoled me with this story :)
Well, this is just to warn you if in case u are unaware of it.
==================================================================================
BTW, don’t you think cricket should be banned in India for at least two years?
Mainly for three reasons –
  1.     To resolve all these, Modimania, BCCI, IPL’s JHOL
  2.     To get players back in shape (good shape)
  3.     And I am personally really very bored of news with all the cricket in it
Also, the players can get uninterrupted parties for two years…the captain says, “parties ke beech me cricket bahut aa jata hai.” So touchy situation.

Saturday, 1 May 2010

And This Too Shall Pass

You might have heard or read this story, but I thought this should get a place on my blog space.
It's beautiful, mythological story.
========================================================================

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"
"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.
That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: "gimel, zayin, yud", which began the words "Gam zeh ya'avor" -- "This too shall pass."

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.
Source  - http://www.inspirationalstories.com
=========================================================================

If you are bestowed with happiness, love and prosperity, enjoy it - coz, may be, "this too shall pass".

And if you are caught in some sad situation or are afraid of something, don't worry - coz, definitely, "this too shall pass".
Love.
A

Friday, 9 April 2010

Review: The White Tiger (Novel)







Novel: The White Tiger (Fiction, 2008)
Author: Arvind Adiga
Publisher: HarperCollins




The review is somewhat late (by 2 years, only!), but I wish to give some crisp review of whatever I read, then it could be a 50 yrs old writing. Yeah. Especially for those who didn’t read it.


  • The White Tiger is first novel of Arvind Adiga and lucky guy won The Man Booker Prize, 2008, at first attempt

  • The entire book is in the form of a letter to the Premier of People’s Republic of China, Wen Jiabao, who is scheduled to visit India and is keen to know about the development of Bangalore and the entrepreneurs there

  • Story is of Balram Halwai alias Munna, the main character and narrator in the book

  • Book is about Balram’s journey from a school boy to a tea stall worker to a driver to a murderer and to a entrepreneur. From Laxamangarh in Gaya Dist. to Delhi to Bangalore

  • Enlightens us about the life and relationship of the dedicated servant and master in the democratic (?) India, about America returned confused being, about rotten bureaucrats and rotting Indian system, about the eccentric lifestyles of categories of people, about China, America and much more to mention here

  • There are many moments when you can hear yourself crying out words like -- Yuk!...EEEEEEEE!(if u r a girl ;)), how he could!! And many of your personal vocabulary gathering

  • You may hate Delhi and overall metros at some (rather many) points. Sometimes India too

  • And you may hate your driver too, if you have one

  • Its humorous, justifiable and unjustifiable at the same time, very angry sometimes and very true

  • Simple and slangy in expression

  • Ratings???? - - 4.13 Stars out of 5

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Weirdly Funny


I couldn't understand this..
Why I can't use WordWeb for Free if I take flight twice???


(Click On Image to...blah ..blah)

Tuesday, 11 August 2009

An Outreach

Hey all,

This is something really extraordinary.
Please read this article here from rediff on an extraordinary Indian.

N Krishnan feeds 400 mentally ill people on the streets of Madurai three times a day, every day, all 365 days of the year.
His organization is called Akshya Trust.

Hats Off to such extraordinariness.


Tuesday, 28 July 2009

We Cure Insomnia

Best treatment for person with Insomnia… (by Alan & Sandy Carey)

Patient will fall asleep by just looking at them. No medications involved.


Aren’t they tooooo cute???

Friday, 17 July 2009

Too much to read


Too precious to waste…

Discovery channel says, after 30 years, 1 liter water will cost more than 1 liter of petrol, too much eh?


Too innocent to poach…

Tiger Population in India -
At the beginning of 19
th century - 45,000 ----------Year 2008 – Approx - 1411 or may be less…
Tiger – India’s National Animal…really?


The few minutes nuisance…

The result of few minutes of comfort, PLASTIC Bags--- I-WILL-NOT-DECOMPOSE-EVEN-AFTER-1000 YEARS…..It’s always wise to carry your own carriers.

A shop owner said to customer, “madam, please get your own bag, coz I have to pay 58 paise, for one polythene bag, if you buy one milk pouch, I would hardly earn anything on it.”

I would suggest to tax polythene bags to take that amount to at least 3-5 Rs, eventually, usage MIGHT decrease.


GM Crops – A harmful boon?


I have heard some positive but also some threatening facts about GM.

Positive like increased productivity, pest resistance properties, improved yield, less maintenance…

Negative developments like low quality, crop limitations as it is alleged that the land cultivated with GM do not support any other crop/seed due to its harmful chemical releases in that land, generation of new pests. It is also said that GM’s high cost and non availability and total dependence on it is one of the cause of endless suicides of cotton growing farmers in Maharashtra.

I don’t know if too much interference in all the natural processes is really gonna help.

Having info on GM or any other issue? Do Share.

(photos courtesy to respective sources)

Sunday, 21 June 2009

What the Heck?!!



Jai ho…!! Poor cow or buffalo!! At least they should have wasted the milk on real Rahul once he was back in India after his Holidays.
Photo - Rediff (Babu/Reuters)



Photo - Sakal
Read about this in today’s Sakal. People in Nagpur got two frogs married to please the Monsoon to arrive, in short "band bajwa diya".
One of the heights of Superstition!!
Poor monsoon was waiting for this divine wedding of “made in heaven jodi” so that he could finally arrive!!
Or, People are thinking “why only we should suffer through marriage…let the frogs bear this, too”?.?
Bechare Mendhak!! I hope the lady frog don’t start harassing the gentlemen for a long holiday tour.
BTW, the guy in cut-out figure in 1st pic is known as most eligible bachelor of India, huh?
Any frog..i mean any Girl Reading...??

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

My Dear Activa

Finally they (RTO) picked my dear Activa!! For parking her in P1 zone on 20th April.

And I’m glad it happened. I was frustrated for first five minutes as it happened for first time. But optimism you see. I had a chance to see personally how this works. Its fun only till it’s happening with others.

Well, here is a tip (especially for girls) - If the pickers gang try to scare you of knotty, complicated process to get your beloved vehicle back and say that the process will sweep u of a good amount, don’t give a damn.

As I caught them catching my vehicle, they chased me instead of me doing that. I was left with two pay options Rs.100 or Rs.150, later with a receipt. After some bargain, just to check, I picked Rs. 100 option. The picker hopped back happily to his gang.

Later I said I will pay 150. As I said this, in a matter of second they all fled and advised me to get my vehicle from the centre!! J

It’s true that - 100 Divided by a Gang - is just too negligible amount to name it as corruption but at least that amount won’t end up sponsoring anything outlaw that it shouldn’t.

At the centre, after some consultation, I decided to pay off with a receipt whatever may be the amount as I didn’t had vehicle papers with me (one guy there said it would cost me around 500 bucks and offered to settle it at 250, again receipt less). I had to disappoint him too.

Final outcome was, I didn’t pay 500 or 250 but 150 with a reciept. To my surprise, I was not even asked for license, papers are far away.

You must have gone through all this, and may have had different experiences…mine was bit trouble less but full of future guidelines.

Friday, 17 April 2009

He is an Artist !!!






I was in my home when i could hear spellbinding sounds from Shehnai. I thought it was some function somewere, and they have took effort to play records of Ustad Bismillah Khan.
I came in porch just to breathe in some fresh air and was spellbound again to find this beared man in front of main gate playing that shehnai in actual along with his "naati" (as he called him).
My sis n me couldn't hold on but meet him and give him some words of appreciation and take a pic too.

So artistic, so hard working but much more down to earth, the duo from Karnataka. One must have never thought from ancient India that artist will have too wander in scrotching sun and give free treat to everybody's ear and not get even noticed!!
I wanted to tell him to pass on his art to next generation, but then I thought, for what?

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

Guru on Swiss

3-4 days ago, I had a little E-mail conversation with Mr. Gurumurthy over Swiss bank issue.

(Remember R. Madhavan from film Guru?? Same in real)

Here is the abstract of article –

".....Advani has only questioned why the Manmohan government is not acting now [in March 2009] in tandem with the West which has begun crusading against secret banking. Only now the West has turned against secret bank funds....."

I Asked – 

 --> If west had not paid any heed to this issue (openly) and if there were 
no recession, then was it so that Advani Jee had not taken up the 
issue as an agenda?

I, like many others, think that Swiss Issue should be taken very 
seriously and should be cleared as early and as clearly possible.

On this, he said –

à I had written in the first one as to how my effort (related to Swiss bank) of 1987 was aborted by arresting me. 

It is not easy to make Swiss banks to unlock their secrets. It means compelling the Swiss government to change their law. 

It would be possible only if the West exerted pressure on the Swiss. 

The West has begun doing only now. 

Otherwise we can raise the issue, but that will be only a propaganda.

We cannot succeed. Now we can, if the government does something effective in collaboration with the West. 
  ß

Well, I agree with him that getting information out of Swiss and acting on it is a bit of Herculean task.

Now that the western countries have started hunting for bank a/c and names, Swiss Govt has agreed to expose (only on demand) the list of account holders and related details.

It’s just worthless to ask that why any previous Govt. did not ask for Swiss exposure.

Also, as we know, many of these themselves hold a Swiss A/C!

Monday, 13 April 2009

Questioning the Questions

Some days ago, I saw on TV, a bunch of furious people (as usual, alleged to be from different parties). They were shouting at politicians, or say party representatives, over various unfortunate conditions they were facing, on the overly, cowardly failed five year old promises. People were asking what can you “give us” if we vote you to power. (I know it’s a worth laughing question)

Have we become such fools to believe in the answers given just before elections?? We shouldn’t.

Is there going to be any “NO” in answer about fulfilling public demand? NO.

It’s just the Wrong time to ask such questions.

Why we cannot have them in front of people during their tenure (for Damn Five Years!) asking about the progress of their cheerful promises?

Recently, Lok Sabha sittings have come down to a record number. Why? (552 member council, for sleeping??!). May be they don’t have any think to display to Lok in that Sabha. Or, may be, simply not interested.

Don’t we need a platform, where we could replay the promises made by candidates and cross question them about the progress? Why the work is halted, how they plan to resume it and also applaud the sincere persons who have managed to keep their election campaign words.

AT LEAST IT'S A MUCH BETTER OPTION THAN COLLECTING HURLED SHOES...!! ;-)

I know, they are answerable only to higher authorities once they are ministers’ and all. But they are ministers because of people, on the people’s money, and of course for the people.It would be a strong recommendation to have such a question answer platform during five year tenure which is only for juntas.

Not those TV debates please. Anchors, producers all seem to be politically motivated now and cannot give an unbiased view.

(Have you seen Obama initiative where he interacted with common people via internet in a hall jam-packed with few more common people. He answered questions regarding from recession to studies, jobs to house and lots more.)

They say don’t follow west, but it’s not bad always.

Sunday, 29 March 2009

Who said there is only "Lady's Finger"???




Here is the ill effect of Free Time...I know, the guy is looking bit dumb in front of gal but thats Universal truth..can't help it.. kidding.. ;-)
I have video of them but need to edit it..might add if get another chance of doing free time blunders... P)
(I have painted my fingers....if u didnt get it)

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

Snap

I clicked this photo on a Railway station 2-3 years back...I was amazed to see the solution this man had for pillow..

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

It is not always that…

It is not always that…

Everything I say is heard

Everything I do is a success

Every time I cry is real

Every time I laugh is real

Every time I pray; is answered

Everything I hide is a secret

Everytime I lie is false; Or

Everytime I pledge is a truth

 

But I still say, do, cry, laugh, pray, hide, lie, pledge…Why???

u can answer, if u want