One of my earlier compilations.

Glory...

Both the Congress and the BJP have covered themselves with glory in the Asaram case....

A ray of hope...

"Onion prices drop in Nashik, likely to stabilise next week"- news

A spoof on American invasion of Iraq

A couple of months ago I saw an English film on tv...it was a hilarious spoof on American invasion of Iraq. The story went something like this- two American soldiers- one fat and the other sloppy looking who were to have gone to Iraq, get dropped over Mexico by mistake.

The soldiers of course think that they have landed in Iraq. So the first group of locals they see are interrogated by them about 'where the weapons of mass destruction' have been hidden. What follow are a series of funny situations. One of the soldiers falls in love with the daughter of a local tribal Chief etc...etc...

Unfortunately I could see only a part of the film and could not catch the tittle.

I would love to see the full film. Would any friend be knowing the name of this movie?

Elusive 'weapons of mass destruction'......

It was such a treat watching on tv the debate in the House of Commons last evening. What civility! What dignified way to disagree! (Even though the subject was the elusive 'weapons of mass destruction'....)

Manmohan was 'Singh' in Parliment today

Manmohan was 'Singh' in Parliment today....

Et tu, Ms. Durga Shakti?

"Durga meets Mulayam; may be reinstated: .... ...It has now emerged that instead of challenging her suspension in either High Court or Supreme Court, the 28 year old officer has taken recourse to political intervention by meeting the party patriarch...."
(News source: August 30, 2013)

No, no, no....I hope it is not true...

"Sources say the 28-year-old officer has met Mulayam Singh Yadav, the chief of UP's ruling Samajwadi Party, to present her case." (ndtvnews)

I do hope that the above news is not correct. Why should an IAS officer call on the head of a political party?

Karan Thapar & Modi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXYlS41n4zs

Karan Thapar & Modi....

Take a look.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHS_eSoOBzg

Some icons these...Shame..Shame!

* English players allegedly urinated on the Oval pitch after winning the series against the Australians.

* Actor Om Puri booked for allegedly beating up his wife.....

Some icons these....Shame!...Shame!

Et tu, Mr. Narayana Murty?

'Mr.Rohan Murty son of Mr. Narayana Murty to become Vice-President of Infosys (news)

Et tu, Mr. Narayana Murty?

Pappa, Pappu & Yatra

Pappu: Pappa is it true that the BJP is thinking of taking over yatra.com ?

Pappa: I dont know Pappu!

'Ayodhya priest slams VHP'

"... ...Acharya Satyendra, the priest of the makeshift Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya where the 16th century Babri mosque was razed by Hindu activists in 1992, slammed the VHP's yatra, calling it an attempt to polarise votes and whip up a nationwide campaign to garner support for the BJP ahead of the 2014 polls... ..."
(http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/vhp-yatra-hindu-religious-leaders-divided-ayodhya-priest-slams-vhp-410042?pfrom=home-lateststories)

Yatra....

'Yatra is fundamental right (emphasis supplied) of every citizen: Sushma Swaraj'..Well...well...well....

Indians in Singapore

Today's Tribune reports:
"Singapore: Indian-origin man jailed-S**** S****, an Indian -origin Singaporean, has been jailed for 12 years and given 12 strokes of cane for raping a 16 year old girl in the back seat of his car."

While looking for this news item in Google' I was shocked to find the following punishments meted out during the last 3-4 months.


• Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore - Latest News on Indian-origin ...
zeenews.india.com/tags/Indian-origin_man_jailed_in_Singapore.html‎
17 hours ago - Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore - Get latest news on Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore. Read Breaking News on Indian-origin man ...
• Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore for housebreaking - Times Of ...
articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com › Collections › Singapore‎
May 30, 2013 - SINGAPORE: An Indian-origin man was on Thursday sentenced to 15 months in jail here for assisting in a housebreaking plan and theft of ...
• Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore for selling drugs - Economic ...
articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com › Collections‎
Jun 7, 2013 - SINGAPORE: An Indian-origin man has been sentenced to eight years in jail and ordered to be given five strokes of the cane for selling ...
• Indian-origin jailed for harbouring prostitutes in Singapore - India TV
www.indiatvnews.com/.../indian-origin-jailed-for-harbouring-prostitutes-...‎
Jul 30, 2013 - Indian-origin jailed for harbouring prostitutes in Singapore. ... Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore for selling drugs • Singapore court jails ...
• Indian-origin man in Singapore jailed - Yahoo! News India
in.news.yahoo.com/indian-origin-man-singapore-jailed-100051410.html‎
May 17, 2013 - 'Indian-origin man in Singapore jailed' on Yahoo! News India. Singapore, May 17 (IANS) A Singapore court Friday sentenced a 45-year-old ...
• Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore in road rage case - The Pioneer
www.dailypioneer.com/india.../indian-origin-man-jailed-in-singapore-in-...‎
May 10, 2013 - A court in Singapore Friday sentenced a 38-year-old Indian-origin businessman to one month in jail for punching a man in a road rage case.

Shame....Shame...What is wrong with us Indians?

'अभी तो मैं जवान हूँ...'

पाँच साल पहिले जब मैं नौकरी से रीटायर हुआ तो लगा मानो मैं आज़ाद हो गया हूँ. सेहत ठीक ठाक थी और मैने सोचा की 'अभी तो मैं जवान हूँ...'. उड़ीसा से आकर पंचकुला में पांचवीं मंजिल पर एक फ्लैट ले लिया. सामान खोलते मिटटी से जुकाम और ज्वर हो गया. फ्लैट की घंटी बजी और मैने दरवाज़ा खोला. सामने खड़ा सज्जन मुस्करा रहा था 'सर जी मैं राजू हूँ और यहाँ कूड़ा एकता करता हूँ. मेरे नाक से पानी बह रहा था और चेहरे से परेशानी साफ़ थी. राजू ने कहा 'सर जी बचपन बचपन है, जवानी जवानी है और बुढापा बुढापा है'. कल फिर आऊंगा जी कहकर राजू तो चला गया पर उसकी बात से मेरी सुन कर मेरी हालत और भी ख़राब हो गयी. मैने पहिली बार अपने आप को प्रश्न किया की क्या मैं बुड्डा हो गया हूँ. धीरे धीरे मैं यह घटना कुछ भूल सा गया.

एक साल बाद मैं एक त्रेच्किंग ग्रुप के साथ गढ़वाल पर्वतों मैं रूपकुंड के रहस्यमयी तालाब के लिये निकल पड़ा. बाकि सभी सदस्य तो जवान थे लेकिन मैं भी जोश से उनके कदम से कदम मिलाकर चलता रहा. तीसरे दिन जब हम कठिन रास्ते से जा रहे थे तो ऊपर से गुजरों का एक दल अपनी भैसों के साथ नीचे उतर रहा था . गुजर लोग तीखे शकल सूरत के थे और उनकी औरतें तो अति सुंदर थी. मैने एक गुजर को कहा 'सलाम औ लेय्कुम'. उसने हाथ हिला कर उत्तर दिया 'वा लाय्कुम सलाम' और कुछ क्षण बाद मुझ से पूछ 'बुड्ढा ठीक है'. मेरी तो हवा ही निकल गयी. मैने उपने आपको समझाने की कोशिश की की वेह एक सीधा सदा गुजर था और उसने तो शिष्टाचार के नाते मेरा हाल ही पुछा था. पर यह बात मुझे चुभ ही गयी.

समय गुजरता रहा और मुझे अपने बुढापे का धीरे धीरे अहसास होने लगा. गत सप्ताह मुझे दिल्ली में एक कार्यालय मैं किसी से मिलना था और मैं समय से करीब पंन्द्रह मिनिट पहिले ही पहुँच गया. क्यों न तब तक एक कप चाय का पिया जाये, मैने सोचा, और पहुँच गया साथ के टैक्सी स्टैंड के पास जहाँ एक व्यक्ति चाय बना रहा था. जब मेरी चाय बन गई तो चायवाले ने प्याला ला कर जहाँ मैं एक पत्थर पर बैठ था मुझे दिया. मैने उसे धन्यवाद कहा. पहली चुस्की लगाते ही मैने पाया की चाय बहुत अच्छी थी और मैने चायवाले को चाय की प्रशंसा की. थेंक्यू जी, उसने कहा, बस आप लोगों की सेवा करने बैठे हैं. मुझे यह सब बहुत अच्छा लगा. चायवाला टैक्सी स्टैंड की और गया और अपनी जगह एक छोटे लड़के को छोड़ गया. मैं बैठा रहा क्यों की मुझे अभी भी पाँच मिनिट गुजरने थे. कुछ समय बाद टैक्सी स्टैंड के पीछे से चायवाले ने चिल्ला के लड़के से पुछा "अरे क्या बुड्ढा पैसा देये गया है'. और उस लड़के ने उतनी ही ज़ोर से चिल्ला के कहा 'नही बुड्ढा अभी बैठा है.'

इस बार यह मुझे बिल्कुल बुरा नहीं लगा और मैं मन ही मन मुस्काया. ठीक ही तो कहा है उसने की मैं बुड्ढा हूँ - तो क्या हुआ?

(This was written 5 years back and was published in the Hindi Tribune)

"Marriage Ability Certificates"

Do you know that in Punjab "Marriage Ability Certificates" are issued to those who apply and fulfill the criteria- after publishing a notice in the newspapers?

Mukesh Ambani picks up stake in Epic TV

‘…Epic TV will be Mr. Ambani’s second broadcasting venture, as he already owns a considerable stake in the Network18 Group.
In January 2012, a shell company floated by Mr. Ambani had agreed to invest close to Rs. 2,000 crore in Network 18 and TV18 Broadcast, which runs channels such as CNBC TV18, CNN—IBN, and Colors, among others…. …’. http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/mukesh-ambani-picks-up-stake-in-epic-tv/article4895242.ece

Faith and rocket science hand in hand

I always look at science by excluding all elements of faith. I admire those who are blessed with faith. But I have already felt that what is required is scientific approach and not blind faith.

I overlook that there could be other valid view points and that science and faith can also co-exist in harmony.

A news item in today's The Hindu (GSLV-D5 replica placed at Lord's feet)is what prompted me to write this. It reads:

The replica of Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-D5, scheduled to be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota rocket port on Monday, was placed at the feet of the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara.

Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) K. Radhakrishnan carried the facsimile of the rocket along with him to the temple during the Suprabhata seva performed in the early hours of Sunday. Mr. Radhakrishnan, who spent the night atop the temple town, proceeded towards Sriharikota in Nellore soon after the darshan of the deity. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/gslvd5-replica-placed-at-lords-feet/article5036693.ece


Mera Bharat Mahan....I love my India.

Bitter 'karelas', mother's recipe and mobile phone...

I love karelas (bitter gourd). But every time my domestic help cooked it, I found it to be too bitter. Then I remembered that my mother was once telling someone, maybe sixty years back, to peel the karelas and put salt around them and leave them like that for some time, then wash and cook. So I repeated it to my domestic help. She dutifully did that. But I found the karelas to be still bitter. Maybe I forgot some step from my mother's recipe.

Then it was the turn of my domestic help to do some research. She used her mobile and rang up her mother in the village who advised her to soak the karelas in curd water before cooking. It was done and last night I had an excellent karela bhaji for dinner.

By the way when I was a child I used to think that 'ek karela doosra neem chara' meant that the vine of karela climbing up on the neem tree would make the karelas even more bitter...till I was told that 'neem' in this phrase meant half...

Bachpan kay din bhi kya din thay... ...

Papa, Pappu & USA visa

Pappu: Pappa USA is unlikely to give visa to Mr. Narendra Modi.

Pappa: So what but why are you getting involved in politics again?

Pappu: No please tell me Papa why is Mr. Modi so very keen to visit the USA?

Pappa: I dont know Pappu. Now enough...go and finish your homework.

Hide spoon in underwear...

Women who fear being forced to marry abroad told to hide spoon in underwear: Charity advises women and young girls to set off airport metal detectors to give them more time to seek help from authorities….(http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/15/women-forced-marriage-spoon-underwear)

German Chancellor

I did not know that the present German Chancellor Her Excellency Ms. Angela Merkel was born, brought up and educated in what was then East Germany....

Independence Day.

I wish we could elect persons like Mr. Ratan Tata, Mr. Sridharan, Mr. Narayan Murty, Mr. Rahul Dravid & Mr. P Gopichand to lead the country....


The wrongdoers, the corrupt and the communal must not be voted in.


Please do not circulate/re-circulate emails denigrating India as a country.


Garv say kaho ki ham Indian hain...

Google & the circular Indian flag....

I have a feeling that the way 'Google' is showing the Indian flag (in a circular form) is against the Indian Flag Code......

Du Pont, Newshour Tonight & Arnab Goswami

I generally find Arnab Goswami to be taking a fairly independent line on various issues in the programme 'Newshour Tonight'.Therefore I am puzzled, if not disappointed, on learning of 'Newshour' announcing a joint programme 'Shunya' with Du Pont Multinational, howsoever interesting and useful the programme might be...

No, I am not a Modi fan... ...

No, I am not a Modi fan... ...

Bravo Ms. PV Sindhu...

Bravo Ms. PV Sindhu...Give it to them hard and get the Winners Cup...

Paulo Coelho....

I would be very, very happy not to see any spiritual/inspirational quote from Paulo Coelho for a few days....kuch zaida hi ho raha hai....

On piligrim's path to Badrinath, July 2012.

Government, Panchayat, the loud mouthed NGOs....please do something...

RBI makes it easier to report fake notes to banks

The next time someone passes on a fake currency note to you without your knowledge, you need not palm it off surreptitiously. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday directed banks to accept all fake notes over the counter from customers and pay them back the full amount. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/RBI-makes-it-easier-to-report-fake-notes-to-banks/articleshow/20825157.cms

Arise, awake.... ....

Generations of Indians have been inspired by the exhortation of one of the greatest Indians, Swami Vivekanand: 'Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached' ....

I am a little confused with the chronology of these ideas.......Should it not be "Awake, arise and stop not till the goal is reached?"

Nimuda, nimuda, nimuda!

Modi & Rahul....

"Modi has no clout outside Guj, Rahul has no great future", thus spake the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Naveen Patnaik (The Times of India, June 12, 2013)

Cricket Quiz

Do you know in which area of cricket did the following gentlemen excel in during their cricket playing days?

Mr. Srinivasan - Batsman/ Bowler/Fielder /All rounder

Mr. Rajiv Shukla - Batsman/ Bowler/Fielder /All rounder

Mr. Arun Jaitly - Batsman/ Bowler/Fielder /All rounder

Mr. Anurag Thakur - Batsman/ Bowler/Fielder /All rounder


Now this is a tough one....




...

A cottage to die for....

A cottage to die for ...(Somewhere in Romania, not far from 'Dracula's Castle')

A quiet walk...

Hush...Let us go for a quiet walk, you and me, hand in hand..