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Showing posts from May, 2006

Arjun Singh and Reservations

WHAT IS AN ARJUN SINGH SALE ? Ans :49.5% off. WHICH IS ARJUN SINGH'S FAVOURITE CITY ? Ans :Kota WHY DOESN'T ARJUN SINGH HAVE TOO MANY FRIENDS? Ans :Because he's 'reserved' by nature . WHY DID ARJUN SINGH LEARN ARABIC? Ans :So that he could read 'backwards'. ARJUN SINGH WAS MADE THE LAW MINISTER. HE ZAPPED EVERYONE BY CREATING ANOTHER SUPREME COURT. HE CALLED IT THE SUPREME TRIBUNAL. WHAT WAS HIS LOGIC? Ans : For every SC, there should be an ST . IF ARJUN SINGH WERE TO MAKE A CAREER IN FILMS, WHICH JOB WOULD HE OPT FOR? Ans : Choosing the caste . IF ARJUN SINGH OWNED A MOVIE THEATER, WHAT WOULD THE BALCONY BE CALLED? Ans : Backward Class IF ARJUN SINGH WERE A HISTORIAN, HOW WOULD HE DIVIDE TIME? Ans :AD, BC & OBC. __________________________________________________

Reservations : A Non Issue to begin with

I grew up as ‘OBC ’!!! Not in the strictest sense. In fact, I wasn’t even aware what my caste was but I did realize of being at a disadvantageous situation, when I looked at convent bred guys but did also feel fortunate at the sight of those who went to municipal run schools. Now after few decades down the life’s journey, in a global MNC work environ, I do feel a sense of privilege in joining bandwagon of the advantageous elite group of those who I was in awe at convent schools. Amidst current imbroglio of reservation struggle, If I were to look at my yester-years, I would relate myself in a slot of OBC with convent grown boys as higher caste and municipal school guys as backward castes. I shudder to think of any social strata for those who spent their childhood rummaging through scraps at railway tracks. How did this transformation happen? I did my school education in traditional Marathi medium based in the neighborhood of govt. servants and mill workers. With just a pair of

Fascinating Images of Ganesha

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stock market crash in India

Market crash by 1200 points in two days : This story I got from my walchand college yahoo group conveys everything about stock market in a manner no financial pundits, stock brokers, fund managers or columnist could ever sum in such a succinct manner Once upon a time in a village a man appeared who announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for Rs. 10. The villagers seeing that there were many monkeys went out in the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at 10 and as supply started to diminish and villagers started to stop their effort he announced that now he would buy at 20 rupees. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer rate increased to 25 and the supply of monkeys became so that it was an effort to even see a monkey let alone catch it. The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at 50! However, since he

Da Vinci Code

I picked up the pirated DVD of this movie two months ago, in Chiang mai. I marvelled at the ingenuity of pirated DVD makers to get hold of coveted and well guarded print well ahead of its formal opening. I wasn’t sure if I should watch this movie before I read this book. However, curiosity grew more intense after reading controversy from Orthodox Christian Groups in UAE influencing govt to ban this movie. I decided to watch this movie with English subtitles and all set to an engrossing journey to Louver Museum. Movie started with fascinating panoramic view of France country side with interiors of castle of the clergyman who struck goldmine by deciphering of Da Vinci code. Beginning of the movie appeared more like a documentary but then it’s not so uncommon for director to delve into the back ground of the subject for the benefit of ignorant viewers like me. But somehow, this sermon went far beyond the precipice of human tolerance. With no Tom Hanks and Louver Museum in sight, I wonder

sikkim : A visit year ago but feel like it happenend y'day

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As my car approached LuLu supermarket where I had gone to take my passport picture for my forthcoming Japan trip, the thought flashed my mind “ why I am wasting my life here in Dubai Summar at 40 plus temp”. I consoled myself that India is no better than Dubai with temp in most parts atleast 3 degree more than in Dubai and on top of it, perennial power cut and water shortage. When I watch NDTV weather bulletin every morning and see Gangtok temp at 20 degree, I long for that place. What’s special about Sikkim ? I can’t pick up. Is it sheer beauty of nature, Is it Himalayas or wonderful people ? All I know is that I miss Sikkim- Gangtok very much. How often I have told myself that I do belong to this place and its people. Destiny brought me to this place after decades and now I feel Sikkim should be part my second part of life innings . How I miss being at my friend Khanna's home made up of simple wooden planks on raised platform amidst lush green rain soaked surroundings and sipping

India smiling

I never knew laughter international club has its headquarters in Mumbai and ‘world laughter day was founded by an Dr. Madan Kataria -Indian physician at the Jaslok Hospital (Bombay) . The first “World Laughter Day” gathering took place in Mumbai, India, on 11th of January 1998 and now there are more than 12,000 members from local and international Laughter Clubs joined together in a mega laughter session. “HAPPY-DEMIC” was the first World Laughter Day took place on 9th January 2000 In Copenhagen, Denmark and more than 10,000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World records. “World Laughter Day” is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. For me, laughter is when i read santa- banta and jeeto (sant's wife) jokes and watch Jaspal Bhatti on Ulta Pulta. • Tourist: Whose skeleton is that? Santa: Tipu's skeleton. Tourist: Whose that smaller skeleton next to it? Santa: That was Tipu's skeleton when he was child • Banta: Y did u

IPC 498a: Is it a shield or a weapon of assassination ?

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The story goes like this. In old bygone days, there was a king who was sincere, committed to his people but was weak in terms of his ability to defend his kingdom against his superior neighbors. In order to safeguard himself , He decides to pray Lord Shiva and prays hard, long hours that stretches to days and months, with sustained dedication and penance. Lord Shiva, a kind and merciful god gets pleased with King’s prayers and bestows him a boon that could protect him from any threats. King is now happy and relieved. He is free from any worry from any external threat and can concentrate on the betterment of his kingdom. But soon, he is devoured by the thought that he is invincible. He becomes arrogant, and instead of using the boon as a protection, he become aggressor and use it to instill a fear in the mind of anyone against his wishes. He now becomes tormentor, evil and curse to the society. Indian Mythology is replete with similar stories. Something similar is happened to Indian Pen

if things don’t go my way I’m filing a 498a

I believe lot of these women who end up filing 498a’s are inherently very insecure and weak. They appear to have craved for attention and control all their life. They are not willing to commit to a relationship and bear the ups and downs of marrried life. Also, something strangely familiar with most of these women is the role of their father and mother in their parents marraige. Allow me to clarify, IMO, women coming from homes where the father is a dodo and nothing short of a doormat tend to be most vengeful. Simple reason being girls have seen their fathers getting trounced by their wives (aka the girls mother) all their life and their fathers squirming at the thought of his wife giving him some 3rd degree. With time girls begin to rationalise that men are meant to be controlled and ridiculed by their wives. Hence the hard stance - if things don’t go my way I’m filing a 498a. This is just my observation. Some of the most successful marriages I have seen with friends and relatives are

Amman : city of white stones

My distress of arriving in Amman with non arrival of checked in luggage quickly disappeared with the sight of pounding rain, chill climate with temp in single digit. Those who stay in Gulf can understand the pleasure and joy of cloudy weather with rain that fills up parched lungs with heat and sand of desert. This was my second trip to Jordan. My previous visit was at Dead Sea using Amman as a transit point for an evening dinner and a movie. This time, all my 3 nights 4 days were in downtown Amman at Hotel Regency. This supposedly five star hotel appears impressive at a distance with its neon signs but apart from convenient location and running hot water there was hardly anything that was worth enjoying my stay. My purpose of the visit was to participate at Arab Nephrology Conference at Hotel Le Meridian. Security cordon at all star hotels in Amman are strict and understandably so, with recent bombing at hotel Renaissance. Hotel porch is out of bounds for all vehicles with huge concret

Maharashtra Day

जय जय महाराष्ट्र माझा, गर्जा महाराष्ट्र माझा रेवा वरदा, कृष्ण कोयना, भद्रा गोदावरी एकपणाचे भरती पाणी मातीच्या घागरी भीमथडीच्या तट्टांना या यमुनेचे पाणी पाजा जय जय महाराष्ट्र माझा ... भीती न आम्हा तुझी मुळी ही गडगडणार्‍या नभा अस्मानाच्या सुलतानीला जवाब देती जीभा सह्याद्रीचा सिंह गर्जतो, शिवशंभू राजा दरीदरीतून नाद गुंजला महाराष्ट्र माझा काळ्या छातीवरी कोरली अभिमानाची लेणी पोलादी मनगटे खेळती खेळ जीवघेणी दारिद्र्याच्या उन्हात शिजला, निढ़ळाच्या घामाने भिजला देशगौरवासाठी झिजला दिल्लीचेही तख्त राखितो, महाराष्ट्र माझा