VIRTUOUSLY

The Monk who Sold his Ferrari by Robin S Sharma - Part I

2011-07-27T18:20:00.002+05:30

1. Your vision will become clearer only when you can look into your heart.When you look outside, dreams; when look inside, awakens.

2. Failure whether of the personal, professional or even spiritual kind, is essential to personal expansion. It brings inner growth and a whole host of psychic rewards. NEVER REGRET YOUR PAST. Rather, embrace it as the teacher that it is.

3. One was pouring water in already filled cup. Just like cup, we seem to be full of our own ideas. And how can any more go in... until we first empty our cup?

4. Nothing is absolute. There is no such thing like objective reality or 'the real world'. An event that appears to be tragedy to one might reveal the seed of unlimited opportunities to another. Everything is relative, what separates people who are habitually upbeat and optimistic from those who are consistently miserable is how the circumstances of life are interpreted and processed.

5. Every event has a purpose and everything happens for a reason. Every setback is a lesson.

6. It is hard to let go of the past, if you have not learned from the past. As soon as you learn and let go you improve the present.

7. It is important to experience painful situations and learn from them rather than try to distract yourself with something else.

8. Ultimately life is all about choices. Ones destiny unfolds according to choices one makes.

9. Dreamers dream are never fulfilled, they are always transcended ( go beyond the range of experience, belief.)

AMAZING FACTS-V

2011-07-24T20:06:00.003+05:30

1. The most common name in world is Mohammed.

2. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib.

3. 9 out of 10 people believe Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. This isn't true; Joseph Swan did.

4. The lowest section of the average person's arm - between the elbow and the wrist - is exactly the same length as their feet.

5. The total combined weight of the worlds ant population is heavier than the weight of the human population.

6. Normal Saturn day is only 10 hours and 14 minutes and 1 year on Saturn equal to almost 30 years on Earth.

7. Actually it doesn’t take 24 hours to Earth rotate on its axis. The real amount of time is 23 hours, 56 mun and 4 sec. That mean that our day is actually 4 minutes shorter that we normally think it is. And a year on our planet isn't 365 days, but actually 365.25 days. Here's the reason why we add on an extra day in February.

8. The typical lead pencil can draw a line that is thirty five miles long.

9. Black pepper is the most popular spice in the world.

10. Honey is the only food that doesn't spoil.

11. The animal that farts the most is Elephant.

12. Ants never sleeps and butterflies taste with their feet.

RULES OF POWER

2011-07-22T23:09:00.004+05:30

1. Never outshine the master.

2. Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use your enemies.

3. Always say less then necessary.

4. So much depends on reputation. Guard it with your life.

5. Win through your actions, never through arguments.

6. When asking for help, appeal to people, self interest never at mercy.

7. Keep others in suspense. Cultivate an air of unpredictability.

8. Know who you are dealing with, do not offend the wrong person.

9. Use the surrender tactic, transform weakness into power.

10. Make your accomplishments seems effortless.

11. Act like a king to be treated like one.

12. Master the art of timing.

Why --> How --> What

2011-02-26T05:34:00.002+05:30

A very thought provoking video which challenges the basic thought process.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

2011-01-13T01:03:00.001+05:30

Just finished reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. It has been said that every book lover has two favorites. If it is true, one is ought to be War and Peace. A book possessed by many and read by few. Having once read it, one is certain to turn it to again, to get mesmerized and to experience ever possible human emotion. The characters of this book became as real to us as people whom we have know all our lives. Every possible human emotions find its place in this magnum opus.

Here I quote few of my favorite excerpts from War and Peace

War & Peace-Book 10-Chapter VII-Para I
"A Good Chess player having lost a game is sincerely convinced that his loss resulted from a mistake he made and looks for that mistake in the opening, but forgets that at each stage of the game there were similar mistakes and none of his moves were perfect. He only notices the mistake to which he pays attention, because his opponent took advantage of it. How much more complex than this is the game of war, which occurs under certain limits of time, and where it is not one will that manipulates lifeless object, but everything result from innumerable conflicts of various wills! ".

War & Peace-Book 14-Chapter XII-Para IX
"He learned that there is no condition in which man can be happy and entirely free, so there is no condition in which he need to unhappy and lack freedom. He learned that suffering and freedom have their limits and that those limits are very near together; that the person in bed of roses with one crumpled petal suffered as keenly as, sleeping on the bare damp earth with one side growing chilled while the other was warming."

A visit to Amber

2011-01-07T20:42:00.005+05:30

Amber Fort is located in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Amber fort is all built in white marble and sandstone and known for its artistic style which is blend of Hindu-Mugal architecture.

Front view of Amber fort across Maotha Lake

As we move in we come across Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience). Patterned after similar halls in Mughal Palaces, Diwan-i-Aam was the place where Emperor gave audience to his subjects and met his officials.

Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of public Audience)

As we move beyond Hall of public audience, we enter into Char-Bagh or Four Gardens. Char Bagh provides access to inner and private parts of palace.

Char Bagh(Four Gardens)

Four Gardens lead us to Sukh Mandir. The Royal family used to live there during the mid days of summer season. The walls of the chamber have beautifully designed lime work in mughal architecture.

Sukh Mandir

Now comes the Diwan-i-Khaas (Hall of Private Audience). Diwan-i-Khaas is also called Sheesh Mahal or Glass Palace because of beautiful mirror glass work. The emperor used to meet his special guests, like envoys from other rulers, here.

Diwan-i-Khaas (Hall of Private Audience)

The Trader : Tips on how to select shares in stock market

2010-10-24T05:54:00.002+05:30

These are few suggestions/tips I happen to learn while reading the book "The Naked Trader" by Robbie Burns. I found them extremely useful and easy to follow to pick good shares. They are as follows-

Dividends, Profits and turnover are rising
There are tons of positives
Debt is low and under three times(3x) full year profit (PBT)
Demand for its product is likely to grow. Never buy a single product company as chances of failure are much higher.
It looks cheap as compare to its peers and expected growth
It has full listing
You understand what the company does and check the company's background
There are no question marks on the company
Avoid dealing in penny stocks. Its more of a gamble.
The share is under 15x profit to market cap.
The chart looks positive and is in upward trend.
Go with the sector which is in demand. If the sector is hot and you picked the right stock then chances of making good money is quite high. Go with the trend rather then antagonistic to it.

Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt and Uncommon Sense: Economic Insights, from Marriage to Terrorism by Becker and Posner

2010-08-17T03:05:00.003+05:30

This book can be summarize in one sentence i.e The art of economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups."

The author is definitely the advocate for free market and Laissez-faire type of economy where there is minimal intervention from the government. Throughout the book, the author held government and its policies responsible for all the financial mess we are in right now.

In accordance with author's premise financial deficit, extravagant tax burden, minimum wages laws, government sponsored inflation, tarrifs and Keynesian theory is responsible for troublesome and uncertain era we live in.
Though few of his ideas are very compelling and to the point , however, I feel author gets too tough on government and Keynes that he negates and dismisses all other theories and ideas which are indeed important going forward.

"Uncommon sense: Economic Insights, from Marriage to terrorism" is an array of exhaustive and extensively researched essays on various topic ranging from marriage to economy. The authors don't needs any introduction as one is Nobel prize winning economist ( Gary Becker) and another is US Court Judge (Richard Posner).

Through out the book both the authors put up their unique perspective on issues and problems which are highly debatable and have no clear answers. I must admit few of solutions suggested by authors are very innovative and can be clear answer to those problems.

Beginning chapters are monotonous but once you move to later section it gets interesting and appealing.
Becker and Posner blog- http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

2010-08-13T12:57:00.003+05:30

Throughout History it is believed that a person who doesn't involve emotions in decision making process tend to make better decisions. However, recent studies showed that emotions indeed play vital role in decision making process. How We Decide is a book about decision making process and How we can make better decisions by conditioning our brain. This book is written on the premise that decision making is amalgamation of art and science. A good decision maker is not the one who makes decision based on pure logic but the one who uses right combination of feelings(emotions) and thinking(logic). How we decide also analysis different parts of brain and what respective role they play in our thought process.

For Centuries Brain has always been a mystery. It is no less than a wonder that how this 3 pound of flesh inside our skull is responsible for all the decisions ranging from simple to the most complex one can imagine.

Brain believes in continuous learning process and tend to learn from the mistakes which we make. When we try harder and learn from our mistakes, then only we can manage to make better decisions. Practice also plays a very important role in our quality of decisions. The more we practice, the more patterns(experiences) we spawn in our brain. However, it is the quality of practice rather than quantity which matter most. In crux It means we should analyze the patterns(experience), particularly mistakes and then incorporate those lessons in our future decision making. This way we can enrich our thought process and can make better decisions.

Brain works in similar patter like division of labour where each part of brain given certain responsibilities and they work in accordance with that. Lets look at different brain sections which affects the decision making process.

Among them OFC (Orbito Frontal Cortex) which is situated below the eyes is responsible for "emotions" into the decision making process. If this part of brain is defective or get damaged then a person cant comprehend the emotions and we lose access to wealth of opinion that we normally rely on. Along with Amygdala, OFC regulates our feelings and emotions

NACC (Nucleus Accumbens) along with Dopamine neurons generates pleasurable feeling. On the other hand Insulas generates painful and negative feeling. It is the combination of Insula and NACC which determines our decisions. If Insula is more activated then we tend to avoid that thing and if NACC is more activated and release more Dopamine then we tend to have pleasurable experience.

Apart from it, PreFrontal Cortex is part of brain which is responsible for rational and logical thinking. Prefrontal Cortex determines the ability to withstand emotional urges. It allows the person to reject first impressions which are often based in impulsive decisions. It helps in making informed and rational decisions by analyzing through process rather than emotional shortcuts which are impulsive and often wrong.

Author suggests few strategies which can help us in making better decisions. It works like this-

If the situation is complex and involves lots of choices and options then use your conscious mind to acquire all the information you need for making a decision. But don't try to analyse the information with your conscious mind (rational thinking). Instead distract yourself by engaging yourself in something else or take a break while your unconscious mind digest it. Whatever your intuition or instinct then tells you is most certainly going to be the best decision or choice.

On the other hand If the decision is trivial or doesn't involve much choices and complexity then it can be handled through logic and taking all variable (options) into account.

The gist is when the situation is complex and involve lot of choices (variables), its better not to think much about it and go by your instinct. And If the situation is simple and doesn't involve much choices then its better to make informed decision rather than rely on instinct (emotions).

Well it does sound bizarre But let me assure its worth give a try.

Another thing which particularly grabbed my attention is concept of "Loss Aversion". It is a mental defect which we all suffer from. We get so determined to avoid any option associated with loss that we are willing to risk lose everything. The thought of loss can be really dangerous and can trigger a dangerous set of feelings where you find yourself taking risk your probably shouldn't take. At such times it is always better to think or take a break before making a decision.

At last Jonah Lehrer word of advice, The best way to make sure that you are using your brain properly is to study your brain at work, to listen to the arguments inside your head. whether these arguments are repulsive or antagonistic to what you believe. still let them have a say. Then only you can make a better and informed decision.

I highly recommend this book to all who want to know how conditioning of brain can help them in making better decisions.

The Dream: How I Learned the Risks and Rewards of Entrepreneurship and Made Millions by Gurbaksh Chahal

2010-07-28T13:01:00.002+05:30

Quite an Inspirational and Interesting read.

Though the biography is full of adage which everyone must have heard and read myriad times.. Inspite of that this biography is like a fresh air with few interesting narration which indeed makes this book quite a treat to read.

A worthy read for all book lovers.

The Armchair Economist by Steven Landsburg

2010-07-26T07:01:00.003+05:30

Most of the economics can be summarized in four words "People respond to Incentives".. This is how Landsburg commence this book which is full of bizarre riddles, solved by not so common economics principles.

The books take you on the journey where every chapter is like a riddle which compels you to think and exhaust your brain to the core. Landsburg basic premise is that "things and situations which look simple are actually much more complicated in reality."

However, on various fronts I disagree with his findings which seemed ludicrous and too impractical (specially his anti-environmental approach)

The Polyester Prince by Hamish McDonald

2010-07-05T20:27:00.003+05:30

If you can get it, Read it.
It will take you on the journey of Dhirubhai Ambani's struggle, competence, hard-work, excellent management skills and forward thinking.
This book also take into account the darker side of Dhirubhai Ambani and that could be the reason behind the possible ban on this book in India. The tussle between Dhirubhai Ambani and Nuslie Wadia to control the polyester market was no less than a thriller.

While Reading the book I felt like I am witnessing the India's Post Independent Political History. Author covers the license raj with such pragamatic view that you cant agree more with him. Hamish extensive research of India's corporate world of 1980s and 90s shows how an Industrialist(read Dhirubhai Ambani) took advantage of the tedious and corrupt bureaucratic set up rather than crying over it. As Author quoted Dhirubhai Amabani words "You should not do anything illegal. First of all, the law should be changed" And Dhirubhai Amabani indeed did it.

The Darker side of Dhirubhai Amabani abilities was an eye for human weakness and willingness to exploit it. This indeed was his most used weapon o his journey from rags to riches. Inspite of all the flaws he came out as an inspirer, a forward looking industrialist and creator of the India's largest Private Sector company having the biggest investor base. Dhirubhai Amabani had the knack to seize the opportunities at the right time..

Overall A bold step by Author Hamish McDonald to reveal the complete portrayal of most celebrated business tycoon in Indian History.

How an Economy Grows and Why it Crashes by Peter Schiff

2010-07-01T23:22:00.007+05:30

A quick and informative read.

A nice overview of the other side of Economics which is thoroughly neglected in today's era. Gives new meaning to economic terms like inflation, deflation, stagflation, spending etcetera . I never knew that saving and production of goods and services are more important component of healthy economic growth rather than spending. And Deflation is actually a good thing for economies as well as consumers.
Peter Schiff also take a shot at fiscal deficit and how we are negating the truth about deficit bubble which is building right now across the world and can be more scary and slaughtering than ever seen before.

Criticizes Keynesian theory and blames it for recession and the mess which we are in right now.

Allegories used by author makes the book entertaining, interesting and fun to read. Must read for all who have slightest interest in economics and the world we live in.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

2010-06-28T00:18:00.003+05:30

Outliers: The Story of Success can be encapsulated as follows-Outliers are those who have been given opportunities and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them. They were born in the right time at the right place."

I cant agree more with the author. Outliers:The Story of Sucess is full of illustrations to support his premise and he indeed succeeded in proving it.
However, I felt Malcolm Gladwell just lengthened the book with paltry narration which could have been easily avoided (especially the part "The ethnic theory of plane crash"). I kept on yawning throughout the chapter.

The Epilogue was touchy and summarized the book in a wonderful and memorable way".

Made a good read and highly recommended.

The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

2010-06-25T23:16:00.004+05:30

The Importance of being Earnest- The trivial comedy for Serious people

"Comedy of Manners and epitome of Sarcasm". This is how I will describe this lively play of my favourite play writer "Oscar Wilde".
The way he describes the essence of Victorian Era is remarkably humorous but has so much truth hidden in it.

Characters in the play are so real and fathomable that you actually relate each character to the people whom you interact and communicate on day to day basis .

Its hard to choose the favourite character in this masterpiece of Oscar Wilde but if I have to choose my vote goes to Algernon Moncrieff for his candid sarcasm which is beyond comparison and full of humour.

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

2010-06-25T14:56:00.004+05:30

I liked this book for its comprehensible and simple language in explaining the complex and enigmatic world of Human Psychology. The author cleverly explains the pitfalls and benefits of Instinctive and adaptive unconscious.

Malcolm Gladwell explains the complex psycho - analysis through real world experiences and how the initial two seconds are enough to make important an decision.
And he very interestingly explains how excess information which seem to be relevant and in context can actually act as distraction and moves us towards wrong conclusions and false beliefs.

He takes into account both the positive aspect of the adaptive unconscious in decision making and weakness in form of impulse judgement based on stereotypes and prejudices.

However I find some of the examples paradoxical and not that suitable and relevant to justify the authors premise ....

I enjoyed reading it as a naive and amateur psychology enthusiast and looking forward to read "Outliers - The 3rd book in the series."

BJP- A Sinking Ship or In phase of Reincarnation?

2009-09-01T23:10:00.000+05:30

Once upon a time there was a party named BJP. Everyone including Opposition thought their days are over. BJP was the new fad. Talk of the country. A party with a 'difference'. A party expected to survive the turbulence and turmoil of “Great Indian Politics”. It risen and faded. The party which came out of nowhere and now going no where. I appreciated the measures taken by NDA during their Government of India tenure. I am strong supporter of “Uniform Civil Code” which is one of the BJP's principle ideology.. Alas..All In vain....Intra-Party conflict, greed, lack of good leadership and too much intrusion of RSS makes it a party of past and with no future. For a democracy to be successful and effective its important to have a strong opposition who can keep government on its toes. Left is hopeless and BJP, as it looks is on verge of extinction in the foreseeable future.

Where are we heading and What as Citizens of India we can expect or can do ? ..
VOTE.. But to who? The one who promises development of their constituency or the one who promises a bright future for India? I would prefer amalgamation of both if possible. India is a diverse country with myriad cultures. Local and regional parties are taking a toll and because of that regionalism is on rise and National Issues are not given their due concerns.
National Party like BJP is so busy juggling and contemplating over their own differences. And It seems they don't have any time left to look at the National Issues and raise them which is suppose to be their prime concern.

But as rightly said there is no void in Politics. Exit of BJP might give rise to something more promising and sustainable substitute. Just Like Albatross rises from the ashes

Is it a phase which will lead to emergence of stronger BJP or Is it the end of another party which could prove to be effective opposition?

Optimism

2009-07-22T22:26:00.003+05:30

An Individual Who thinks positive and always look on the brighter side of everything. A person who believes everything is happening for good and will lead to their respective goals?

Or

An Individual who negates and shun the reality and objectivity. An Individual who believes that thinking positive will eliminate the negative aspect as if it never existed. An Individual who is so scared of reality and objectivity that he\she doesn't want to think of it?

Persuasion by Jane Austen

2009-06-13T19:09:00.002+05:30

Jane Austen certainly dissects human disposition so pragmatically and beautifully that you cant help but concur with her. She certainly was a gifted lady who exposed the basic human behavior so vividly while maintaining the curiosity among readers.

Persuasion is indeed her best novel after Pride And Prejudice and take us on a journey of characters which we can relate to and connect with.

Anne Elliot, The Protagonist certainly is a lady with distinctive disposition and taste. She epitomizes benevolence and what a lady should be like... Her unbiased tendency to look at things without judging them and not affected by cursory and superficial luring manners worth praise.
I also liked Anne Elliot for maintaining a fine balance between her friend cum guardian and her love (Lady Russel and Fredrick Wentworth).

I throughly enjoyed every part of this novel and would recommend it to anyone who wants to have an insight into basic human behavior in the form of a gripping story line which you one wont regret reading.

The Mayor of Casterbridge

2009-06-11T00:08:00.003+05:30

A tragic story which make you ponder over many things....

Michael Henchard though presented as an evil and depraved person.. But somewhere deep down I felt bad and sorrowful for the way he died with such heavy heart and burdened soul.

"Occasional happy episode in a general drama of pain" (The Mayor of Casterbridge)

Atlas Shrugged- A Review

2009-06-02T19:47:00.008+05:30

Atlas Shrugged is a Novel authored by Ayn Rand who is known for developing a philosophy based on Objectivism, Epistemology and Metaphysics.

It took me more than 3 month to complete this "Magnum Opus " of "Thinker Philosopher and Doer" AYN RAND as she liked to call herself.

I concur with her in pieces... I agree with her definition of Morality.. Ethics ... Guilt... Selfishness... Love ...Objectivism.. Metaphysics... Self Interest..

But at the same time her strong biased attitude towards Capitalism & Anarchism and neglecting the positive aspects of other forms of economy (for say Mixed Economy) is certainly not pragmatic enough. Her abhorrence towards Socialism and Faith is prevalent throughout the novel. In accordance with her creed.. Faith is just a way to escape reality and objectivity.

Other than that I like her for being a Male Chauvinist (satiates my male ego ;) ).. Because the protagonist Dagny Taggart first submit herself to Francisco D Anconia then Hank Rearden and finally to John Galt (which she pronounce as her true love ). On more serious note She understood and explained the basic human demeanour so precisely that you cant help but relate yourself to the characters of this very masterpiece.

I reckon, After reading Atlas Shrugged I am a changed person now..for the better...

Please go for this masterpiece of Ayn Rand..... Its worth reading and will help you understand yourself better

Arjun Singh Saga

2009-02-05T22:44:00.000+05:30

Our very own Arjun Singh, Human Resource Minister of India symbolizes Capriciousness, Sycophancy and Vandalism. I wonder does he have anything 'human' in him?

Lets start with the controversies he was and he is part of

His Karwa Dam palace has been differently assessed between 10 to 20 crore although he claims that it cost him only forty lakhs to build. (Is he ready to sell that palace for 40 lakhs?...I am sure many buyers are there in the queue …Liar)

While Arjun Singh was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he was involved in the scandal which was called by some the Churhat Lottery case in the 1980s, in which allegations, never proved, were leveled that he had helped set up a phony state lottery. (No wonder he can do that…or may be he is continuing till now)

A case under the Anti-Dowry Act has been registered against Arjun Singh. Mayawati government has decided to seek CBI inquiry into dowry harassment case. (The Education minister who is directly involved with future of young generation of India is involved in DOWRY…. Shame)

And of course reservation controversy…( And he claim himself to be secular…huh)

Well people designate him with different adjective(s) i.e. Arjun Singh a 'sycophant'… Arjun Singh a 'Coward', Arjun Singh a 'Dowry seeker'... And he is proving it right by his actions. He certainly deserves these designation(s) to the fullest.

His stand and actions are ambiguous and confusing. At one side he is projecting naïve Rahul Gandhi as a Congress candidate for Prime Minister Post and on the other side in his latest book he is criticizing Indira Gandhi Emergency Episode and his very own Congress Party for Groupism and Incipient Undemocratic Culture. Or may be this whole melodrama is a way to encash loyalty…Err...I mean 'sycophancy'....Phew

His stand on reservation certainly epitomizes arbitration. His efforts to segregate India on basis of casts and religion are not at all justifiable. Why doesn't he favor reservation on basis of merit rather than caste? …

I certainly believe that such an important ministry shouldn't be headed by a person whose actions are so ambiguous and who is involved in controversies related to dowry and scandal…He is certainly jeopardizing the future of young generation by his discriminational and scandalous acts.

Mr. Arjun Singh should seriously consider of taking voluntary retirement to prevent this very nation from capitulating in front of social evils like caste and racial discrimination which were fuelled by his very action(s).

Nature Beauty Personified

2009-01-20T21:19:00.000+05:30

These pictures epitomizes Nature's beauty and been taken by me at the bank of river Yamuna , Mathura.

Note >> Click the photo(s) to enlarge them.

Fanatical Cricket Loving Nation

2008-05-17T00:35:00.003+05:30

Ladies and Gentlemen (North and South American Nationals) I am not talking about insect species belongs to Gryllidae Family. This is what usually Latin and North American people think when I talk with them about “cricket”. I want to clarify this misconception. We are not insect fanatic Nation. WE ARE NOT… Sigh!!!!!!!

Ladies And Gentlemen (Rest of the world).. Yes you guessed it rightly. We indeed follow cricket religiously. WE DO

We shout…We slang…We criticize when India lost… But latest DLF India Premiere league is putting me in such a dilemma. I don’t know whom to support and whom not to..

~So called Mumbai Indians have more “Non-Indians” than Indians. I wonder still they proudly tag themselves as Indians.

~Rajasthan Royals hardly have anything “royal+loyal” in them. The latest Jaipur bomb blasts were enough to scare “royal” people (Shane Warne, Shane Watson etcetera) and they were in verge of flying back to their respective countries… Royalty+Loyalty epitomized” … Sigh!!!!

I can’t help myself but wonder Is cricket no more a sport? ...Heavy commercialization of most sought after game has put the very game on path of retrogression…

Owned by few eminent personalities, auction of Cricket players, Negligence of Playing for nation are enough to support my perspective. I believe Cricket is not just a source of entertainment but much more than that. The negligence of other sports and not getting the much deserved attention to regional cricket is certainly not good for future of this great nation ... That is the real jeopardy. I feel lot can be done for regional cricket instead of just making cricket a means of earning money and entertainment.

Period!!

Bleeding heart: Jaipur Serial Blast

2008-05-15T00:09:00.000+05:30

Tara Chand Sharma is no more. A priest by profession and choice… It was the usual evening time. With other priests he was carrying out regular pooja –archna(prayer) in a famous temple of Jaipur . He had never thought in his wildest dream that this is his last day on earth. Tara Chand Sharma is survived by six daughters, a 14 year old son and wife. He was the only bread winner in the family… The future of his family is uncertain. No one knows what will happen?..How the family will survive?.. Who will take care of them?

I want to ask those inhuman people who carried out these dastard act … Which mission they have accomplished?...Surely their coward act is epitome of lameness…. Shame..

May their Gentle Souls rest in Peace and God bestow strength to those who hurt and survived… Amen!!!!

In the name of Religion? :Jaipur Serial Blast

2008-05-13T22:50:00.008+05:30

May 13 2008
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Jaipur Blast in Pics
Jaipur Blast in NEWS

Headline : More than 60 people killed on spot. More than 200 people injured.
Inhuman, Stoic, Farcical, Hate, Sadness, Pain, Revenge, Treachery, Wrongly Motivated, Cruel, Cold Blooded, Ruthless, Barbaric, Pitiless…….

These are the words which crawls in my mind when I think of “Inhuman Terror-ist” … I HATE THEM

The recent Serial blast in my peace loving city (Jaipur) is a living example of how helpless and cruel these terrorist can go... They are doing it in the name of religion...But I feel they all are “atheist”.. Why they target innocent people who don’t even have anything to do with them…Not even remotely…

Many of the people who died are Muslims also. How can they justify this? They are killing their own people...Killing people of their own religion and putting a tag of “Jihad”?????… Pity on them and on their intentions.

The gOd must be really CrAzY

2008-05-01T23:41:00.002+05:30

I wonder does God really exist or it is just a figment of imagination. Personally I believe there is some positive force which does exist …

Let me start by putting some extraordinarily strange but amusing facts regarding our very own “almighty”. According to Hindu mythology god exist in more than 360 million forms and by adding other forms of god as perceived and worshiped in different parts of world I sometimes feel the population of god must be far more than that of human population…Still we make such a fuss about population explosion? :-). Before you all start calling me brat and start hitting me, I want to add few more dimensions to this “ultra serious thought” … Just imagine One god for each human being. In accordance with above mentioned facts this could be a possibility….Sounds like god himself is very much concern about the “god –human ratio”, just like today’s schools and universities which make hay of adequate “teacher –student ratio”…Such crazy thoughts always hit my mind and tickle my funny bone.

We people of this very planet are such strange creatures and Almighty is strangest. ...Sometimes it become to hard to decipher what is actually happening and what is hallucination. But that is why I call this place “Strange ...Unpredictable …. Beautiful... and ofcourse Unique”…

Nothing is absolute...Everything is relative…Don’t misunderstand me to be nihilistic but yes I proudly designate myself as “Maverick”...

Disclaimer: I am not an Atheist or Anarchist. It is just that i am too curious and confuse :-)

Paradox

2008-05-01T23:38:00.000+05:30

We as human beings always busy try to please ourselves by doing several different things to keep life going and make it more interesting and vivacious. But at the same time we are not ready to accept that what we do, we do for ourselves. People do charity not just to help others but such acts make them feel contented and happy. So somewhere personal motive is there which drives them to do such more acts…It’s a very human nature that a human being repeats only those acts in which he\she sees his\her benefits and progress. Unless there is no motivation and no benefit he\she cant continue with same acts.. A son chooses to be a doctor not just because his parents want him to be a doctor but because somewhere deep down he also aspire for the same. Unless he doesn’t aspire for being a doctor how come he can be successful in chosen profession? We always keen to present ourselves in such a way that we should be known as altruistic. But aren’t all these characteristic of a hypocrite? Why is it necessary that we should always stood by standards set by the society…. Why raising a voice against cliched thoughts are always termed as “revolt”? TO TOP that…Moral Brigade comes to the rescue to edify us about what is virtuous and acceptable and what is illicit and not rightful thing to do. And so called “social parameters” made by “Anonymous Ancestors” states that thinking about oneself is a biggest sin one can commit and he\she should think and work for the benefit of “human kind”. Making efforts to keep oneself happy is superficially not acceptable in this “virtuous society”. But aren’t all these ethics and parameters are paradoxical and vague?

Journey Continues....

2007-04-06T02:08:00.000+05:30

Today is just another day. like every day i wake up late , got late for college and as usual still suffering from driving phobia. somehow i reached college. there i came to know that few people from some youth organization are coming and they going to give a sort of presentation. i thought this presentation is going to be another example of narcissism. i was not at fault. my previous experience made me felt like that. they arrived and i went. they were busy arranging they brought and audience(including me) are busy gossiping and talking as expected from educated audience like us. the show begun. the presentation was fine. but the facts they mentioned about organization forced me to give 2nd thought to it. i took up the form and filled it. just for the sake of filling as everyone else is doing same....so why shouldnt i?

I got a call from this youth organization to make me aware about date on which group discussion will take place. i went for group discussion. when i reached there i was nervous as well as excited. excited because this group discussion is going to be my 1st official group discussion and i want to make it special. me and other candidates were called in a distinct room and GD commenced. i always assumed GD to be like FISH market. but here people are quite civilised or i would rather say not so full of ideas. during whole GD i was speaking like hell (as i always perceive GD as fish market) so that my fishes(ideas and thought) should be heard and finally sold(accepted).the observer who was assessing us was contradicting and confronting me intensely as if he gonna buy my fishes(errr..ideas). i answered almost all his quarries confidently but he doesnt sound impressed with me. anyways who cares???.......I CARE...

I left the premises with a thought that chances of my selection are not so high....

To my surprise i cleared that GD round and they called me for interview. they want me to be in formal. FORMAL AND YOUTH ORGANIZATION...i found it unusual...the judgement day arrived. i was in formal and sitting infront of interviewer... he greeted me and i did the same...he started interacting.

GOSH! what is this?..does this interviewer vocal cords not developed..why his voice is so low??...and secondaly he is calling me with different name(i hope he has enough grey matter in THE BRAIN)...changing name sounds like i am suffering from identity crisis...god forbid me...i dont wanna be one of the sufferer...so i confronted him politely and made him correct. he apologized and started asking different questions...though few question sounded goofy to me but i answered them quite seriously..
He is still calling me with a different name . at that moment i thought of gifting him a memory booster tonic. the interview went asi asi(so -so)...i lost hope of being selected......but still some spark is there which made me felt that i was not that bad.

HURRAY! finally,I i got a call and i got selected!!!!

so now my journey starts or i would say JOURNEY CONTINUES......

Rendezvous with my former self

2007-02-23T20:16:00.000+05:30

There is nothing noble in being superior to other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self." In one of my illusion I had rendezvous with my former self. . A rendezvous to remember....A talk to remember. We both approached each other. My former self is standing in front of me. I can’t call it a shadow or something which exactly resemble me because I am indeed very much different from my former self. I can’t help but wonder is it really me? Do I used to look like that? Or it is just a hypothetical framework which is part of my illusion. I started behaving like an anatomist. I didn’t even left my former self from my nature of passing judgment but when I gave a 2nd thought to it I found that it is part of human tendency that we pass judgment on what we feel and experience and I am no exception.

I was in deep though thinking what exactly is going on then suddenly I heared a sound. I came out of my utopia leaving besides my going on thinking process and what I saw is that my former self is still standing infront of me and want to say something. I approached towards him but he resisted. The more I tried to come closer to him he was moving away from me as much distance as I am moving towards him. I asked in my stammering voice "why you are not allowing me to come close to you"? He replied with a predictable smile on his face that "you can’t increase or decrease the distance which is present between you and me. We both are infact part of same self still so different. We are like two ends of a river. When the water from one end of river reaches to the other end lot of things get added and separated. The whole composition of river changes. Both ends are part of same river still so much difference in their composition and structure. And one more jeopardy is that they can never meet. They are connected with each other through water still they can’t increase or decrease the width which is present between them. Same is the case between you and me. There is demarcation between us and it is not possible to cross that line."

Being skeptical I tried to resisted thoughts narrated by my former self but his thoughts are so true and powerful that I was compelled to accept them.
I realize that there is noticeable difference between me and my former-self. Change is not just good but it’s critical for survival and may be that would be the reason for the difference which is present between me and my former self. It’s better to compare oneself with the former self rather than with people around us. "for heaven sake never get in the habit of comparing your self worth against others net worth" these were the last words which my former self spoke to me before I came out of my illusion and entered into so called real and practical world.

New Resolution

2006-12-04T17:39:00.000+05:30

New year is approaching. like every year this year also i have planned to make a new resolution. my mom always pushes me to make atleast one new resolution every year. just to make her happy i do. well lemmie tell you one thing. all my previous resolutions were disasters. infact they never last long. more to add on i dont even remember my last resolution which i had taken in the beginning of 2006. felling pity for myself.........huh?....how can i forget my resolution so early. resolutions are made to be remembered. working on resolution is different but forgetting resolution is simply unacceptable. i deserve punishment....but what punishment?....lemmie decide my punishment for myself...isnt it KEWL that i am deciding my punishment on my own....my punishment is that i wont forget my resolution atleast for a year before i take any new resolution. but for that i really need to brush up my memory. to polish my memory i have an idea. i think i should try one of the memory enhancement tonic which are flooded in the market....what you all suggest?...do i try dabur shankhpushpi?...he he he he he.......

but i am sure my mom wont allow me to do so bcoz recently my mom's friend told her that these tonics are made from tails of lizards(which according to her easily available), wings and juice of cockroack(which according to my mom easily accessible) and ofcourse oil of fish. i cant help but wonder..she is damn innovative. people here are so creative..huh?lets get back to my resolution. so now i am ready with my improved memory. thanks to memory enhancement tonic which i had taken inspite of my mom objection. i am ready to take my new resolution. hopefully this time i wont forget my resolution and i really hope this time i will live upto my resolution.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

CHAT BETWEEN GOD AND I , ME AND MYSELF

2006-09-06T00:29:00.000+05:30

God : Hello. You called me.

I, Me, Myself : Called you? No, who is this?

God : This is God. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will
chat with you.

IMM : Sure, I pray. Just makes me feel good. Actually,
am busy now In the midst of something, you know.

God : What are you busy with? Ants are busy, too.

IMM : Don't know. But I can't find free time. Life has
become hectic. It's rush hour all the time.

God : Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets
you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity
frees it.

IMM : But I still can't figure it out. By the way, I was not
expecting YOU to buzz me on instant messaging
chat.

God : Well, I wanted to help you resolve your fight for
time by giving you some clarity. I wanted to reach
you through the medium you are comfortable with.

IMM : Tell me, why has life become so complicated?

God : Stop analysing life. Just live it. Analysis is what
makes it complicated.

IMM : Why are we then constantly unhappy?

God : Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about
yesterday. You are worrying because the act of
worrying has become a habit. That's why you are
not happy.

IMM : But how can we not worry when there is so much
uncertainty?

God : Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.

IMM : But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty.

God : Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

IMM : If suffering is optional, why do good people always
suffer?

God : Diamonds cannot be polished without friction.
Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people
go through trials. With that experience their life
becomes better, not bitter.

IMM : You mean to say such experience is useful?

God : Yes. Experience is a hard teacher, though. She
gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

IMM : But still, why should we go through such tests?
Why can't we be free from problems?

God: Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering
Beneficial Lessons to Enhance Mental Strength.
Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance,
not when you are free from problems.

IMM : Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't
know where we are heading.

God : If you look outside you will not know where you are
heading. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream.
Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight.
Heart provides insight.

I Me Myself : Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here?
I don't know the answers.

God : Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who
you want to be.

IMM : Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt
more than moving in the right direction.

God : Success is relative, quantified by others.
Satisfaction is absolute, quantified by you.
Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than
knowing you rode ahead.

IMM : Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here? I don't
know the answers.

God : Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who
you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to
why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of
discovery but a process of creation.

IMM : How can I get the best out of life?

God: Face your past without regret. Handle your present
with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

IMM : Sometimes my prayers are not answered.

God : There are no unanswered prayers. At times the
answer is NO.

IMM: Thank you for this wonderful chat. I'll try to be less
fearful.

God : Keep the faith and drop the fear. Life is a mystery
to solve, not a problem to resolve. Life is wonderful
if you know how to live.

SOURCE:TOI

2006-08-15T12:23:00.000+05:30

AMAZING FACTS-IV

2006-07-15T01:16:00.000+05:30

1.The Ganges River symbolizes purification to Hindus, who believe drinking or bathing in its waters will lead to salvation. But 29 cities, 70 towns and countless villages deposit about 345 million gallons of raw sewage a day directly into the river. Factories add 70 million gallons of industrial waste and farmer are responsible for another 6 million tons of chemical fertilizer and 9,000 tons of pesticides.

2.*LONGEST ENGLISH WORD* : *Praetertran*ssubstantiationali stically * has* **37 *letters.

3.Of the estimated 2.7 million annual deaths from air pollution, 2.2 million are from indoor pollution -- including smoke from dung and wood burned as fuel which is more harmful than tobacco smoke, 80% of the victims are rural poor in developing countries

4.The world's 225 richest individuals of whom 60 are Americans with total assets of $331 billion, have a combined wealth of over $1 trillion equal to the annual income of the poorest 47% of the entire world's population.

5.It is estimated that the additional cost of achieving and maintained universal access to basic education for all, basic health care for all, reproductive health care for all women, adequate food for all and clean water and safe sewers for all is roughly $40 billion a year -- or less than 4% of the combined wealth of the 225 riches people in the world.

6.There are 5.93 billion people on the planet. If all of Gates' wealth was distributed equally to the citizens on the earth, each person - including Bill Gates - would get $15.

7.If Gates gave away Rs.1 crore every day, he would have to live for another 653 years to give it all away.

8.The richest fifth of world's people consumes 86% of all goods and services while the poorest fifth consumes just 1.3%. Indeed, the richest fifth consumes 45% of all meat and fish, 58% of all energy used and 84% of all paper, has 74% of all telephone lines and owns 87% of all vehicles.

AMAZING FACTS-III

2006-07-02T00:39:00.000+05:30

1.Although modern images & descriptions of India often show poverty, India was one of the richest countries till the time of British in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth and was looking for route to India when he discovered America by mistake.

2.The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, which was long before the European mathematicians.

3.The most sensitive finger is the forefinger.

4.A full moon always rises at sunset.

5.In 1386, a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child.

6.Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.

7.One quarter of the bones in your body, are in your feet!

8.Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.

9.Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."

10.Coca-Cola would be green if colouring weren't added to it.

12.More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.

13.Earth is the only planet not named after a god.

14.An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

15.Slugs(type of gastropod) have 4 noses.

P.S-amazing facts-I, amazing facts-II

ASSET AND LIABILITY

2006-06-27T00:37:00.000+05:30

Asset and liability are antagonistic but still both are integral part of one's life just like optimistic and pessimistic sides of a same individual...are assets and liabilities interconvertable? Yes they are, but it moreover depend upon situation to situation...might be a characteristic which is considered as an asset in a particular incident prove to be a liability in another case. It is just the matter of time and the way we interpret things. But, is it fair to put tag of asset or liability on things and characteristics? May be tagging help us in identifying which things are good for us and which ain't. But aren't we narrowing and limiting ourselves by just focusing and concentrating our efforts in preserving and maintaining assets rather than working on our liabilities to transform them into worthful ones, as I mentioned earlier both are interchangeable.................

amazing facts-II

2006-06-25T12:24:00.000+05:30

1.The number system was invented by India. Aryabhatta was the scientist who invented the digit zero.

2."Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.

3.Cats can taste food that is sour, bitter and salty but they do not know anything about what 'sweet' tastes like. So if your cat gobbles up strawberry ice-cream it must be the colour and texture, certainly not the taste!

4.The game of snakes & ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat.' The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. Later through time, the game underwent several modifications but the meaning is the same i.e good deeds take us to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.

5.There is a city called Rome on every continent.

6.paper money is made from cotton rather than wood pulp which means it doesn\t disintegrate as easily as ordinary paper if you leave it in laundary.

7.A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!

8.Raw cashews are poisonous and must be roasted before they can be eaten (this is
probably one reason that you can't buy cashews in the shell).

9.You must lose over 50% of your scalp hairs before it is apparent to anyone.

10.There is no word in the English language that rhymes with orange.

11.The largest employer in the world is the Indian railway system, employing over a million people !.

12.An elephant can be pregnant for up to two years.

13.No matter how big or small the piece of paper, you can't fold it in half eight times.

14.Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already
married.

15.What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.

16.The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump!

17.A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off!

18.Until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world. ( Source . Gemological Institute of America )

19.It's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland!

20.There is no word in the English language that rhymes with orange.

21.You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.

22.It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

23.Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.

24.Bingo is the name of the dog on the Cracker Jack box.

25.The name `India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.

26.The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.

27.Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!

28.Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian, and had only ONE testicle.

29.Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food!

30.The worlds oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old!

31.sharks never stop moving, even when they sleep or rest.

32. a lemon conatin more sugar than a strawberry.

(gather from different source)
if you like these facts please go through amazing facts partI ...i am sure you will enjoy reading them too.

ILLUSION

2006-06-24T00:00:00.000+05:30

-The world illusion, maya, is individually called avidya, literally, "not-knowledge," ignorance, delusion. Maya or avidya can never be destroyed through intellectual conviction or analysis, but solely through attaining the interior state of nirbikalpa samadhi.

-Illusions are dreams that come to surface when we least expect.An illusionist, is someone who weaves those dreams for others .

- A hallucination is a fact, not an error; what is erroneous is a judgment based upon it.

-The one person who has more illusions than the dreamer is the man of action.

-It is respectable to have no illusions, and safe, and profitable and dull.

- Delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there

drug abuse and addiction

2006-06-23T16:52:00.000+05:30

Today in this era when life is so busy ,so hectic and people have no time left for socializing..everyone is getting more and more eccentric and prefer to spend there time alone rather than socializing…So, in order to fill that emptiness within them which generate due to solitary nature, to get rid of feeling of hollowness ,to move out of there problems and worries ....they look for things which help them in getting away from all worldly problems .... the easiest way they found to get rid of all stiffness is to take so called "recreational drugs"...

Being a drug abuser and drug addict have some difference.. drug abuse doesn't certify that he\she is drug addict also...a person who abuses drug may or may not be addicted but a person with addiction is surely a drug abuser.

Addiction have different phases...it start with exploratory phase in which person just take drugs for fun or to ease circumstances or situation..then comes recreational phase , next stage is abusive phase and finally addictive phase in which no choice is left other than taking drugs.

So thing is that we should pay and concentrate efforts on stopping a person in any of 1st three phase as they form the basis of addiction and sow the seed for future addiction..if we succeed in stopping a person in any of 1st three stage then it become bit easier to keep him\her away from drug addiction.

Well drug addiction is of two types mainly physical and psychological...but they are moreover spirally winded with one another as they both occur simultaneously. But psychological addiction is often found to be more dangerous , stubborn and profound.

Mainly it is seen that a drug addict end up in jail ..But prison is not a place for drug addicts because its become compulsion for them to take drugs as they have no choice left...instead they need a rehabilitation center to come out of deadly addiction rather than imprisonment or judiciary hearing.

.....Why often only addicted people are being trapped?..Why not many drug traffickers are being caught and the one who caught are just small fishes ...what about those who supply these drugs on large scale ..why don't they come under net?....is the reason behind big fishes not being caught is political back support or something else.. drug addiction is making almost every country hollow from inside as its mainly youth and teens who get involved and consume drugs heavily....so to stop this deadly thing from spreading its already deepen roots concrete steps should be taken by combine effects of government and the people.

2006-06-20T17:47:00.000+05:30

Tom Cruise Kills Oprah

i tried my best to forget it..but found myself helpless

amazing facts

2006-06-17T23:07:00.000+05:30

1 If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on your right side. If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on your left side .

2 If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. For when a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.

3 Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

4 Your tongue is germ free only if it is pink. If it is white there is a thin film of bacteria on it.

5 The Mercedes-Benz motto is 'Das Beste oder Nichts' meaning 'the best or nothing'.

6 The Titanic was the first ship to use the SOS signal.

7 The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.

8 The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep a night.

9 Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system.
Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.

10 The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.

11 Dalmatians are born without spots.

12 Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.

13 The 'v' in the name of a court case does not stand for 'versus', but for 'and' (in civil proceedings) or 'against' (in criminal proceedings) .

14 Men's shirts have the buttons on the right, but women's shirts have the buttons on the left .

15 The owl is the only bird to drop its upper eyelid to wink. All other birds raise their lower eyelids .

16 The reason honey is so easy to digest is that it's already been digested by a bee.

17 Roosters cannot crow if they cannot extend their necks.

18 The color blue has a calming effect. It causes the brain to release calming hormones.

19 Every time you sneeze some of your brain cells die .

20 Your left lung is smaller than your right lung to make room for your heart .

21 The verb "cleave" is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.

22 When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red .

23 When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red .

24 The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was built in 1903, and used a tomato can for a carburetor .

25 The lion that roars in the MGM logo is named Volney.

26 Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros .

27 Switching letters is called spoonerism. For example, saying jag of Flapan, instead of flag of Japan .

28 It cost 7 million dollars to build the Titanic and 200 million to make a film about it.

29 The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples .

30 There are 1,792 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

31 The sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is actually the sound of nitrogen gas bubbles bursting .

32 Human hair and fingernails continue to grow after death .

33 It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.

34 The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets .

35 Most soccer players run 7 miles in a game .

36 The only part of the body that has no blood supply is the cornea in the eye. It takes in oxygen directly from the air .

37 Every day 200 million couples make love, 400,000 babies are born, and 140,000 people die .

38 In most watch advertisements the time displayed on the watch is 10:10 because then the arms frame the brand of the watch (and make it look like it is smiling).

39 Colgate faced big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking countries. Colgate translates into the command "go hang yourself."

40 The only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning its head are the rabbit and the parrot .

41 Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

42 The average person laughs 13 times a day .

43 Do you know the names of the three wise monkeys? They are:Mizaru(See no evil), Mikazaru(Hear no evil), and Mazaru(Speak no evil) .

44 Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

45 German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog .

46 Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump .

47 Whip makes a cracking sound because its tip moves faster than the speed of sound.

48 Two animal rights protesters were protesting at the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn. Suddenly the pigs, all two thousand of them, escaped through a broken fence and stampeded, trampling the two hapless protesters to death.

49 If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural cause.

50 The human heart creates enough pressure while pumping to squirt blood 30 feet!!
(from a book)

one more black day in Indian history

2006-06-09T22:29:00.000+05:30

Few weeks back the government of India formally announced the
implementation of 27% quota for OBC (OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES) from
session 2007...Are these, the so called backward classes, really
backward or is it that the Indian government is living in a world of
illusion or are the students victimized in the vote bank politics...

The government is justifying the reservation by saying that it will
make "all classes of the society equally educated" and reservation is
a way to bring up the underdeveloped classes in the society, but at
what cost and whose expense? Is it at the expense of many deserving
candidate that has made India proud in the past years??

To stop the nationwide agitation against reservation, our government
proclaimed that "they will increase the number of seats in higher
educational institutes so that the general student's category would
not be affected" but again I sometimes wonder if this statement would
remain just another statement in the whole bunch of broken promises!!
.I believe its nothing more than that, as IIM-A and DELHI UNIVERSITY
already came out strongly against the expansion plans and mentioned
that it's not possible to increase seats in their respective
educational institutes without due consideration…

So what is going to be Indian future? Will the brain drain of the
early 1990's continue? ...isn't it making India hollow from inside?
These are some questions which need to be assessed and thought about?

festivals of rajasthan

2006-04-14T15:00:00.000+05:30

Rajasthan is more commonly known for its festivals & fairs. Rajasthan has an unending cycle of fair and festival throughout the year. Every year thousand of rajasthani men &women gather in this festival and fairs , and people from all across the world come here to enjoy these exciting moments.Some of the important festival are as follows.
1.Teej
Held during the monsoon.teej is dedicated to lord shiva and parvati and this time women pray for happy and long married life. It is the festival of swings which are decorated with flowers and hung from trees. Young girls and women dressed in green clothes sing songs in celebration of the advent of monsoon. The most colourful Teej fair is held at Jaipur. In big towns impressive processions, led by gorgeously caparisoned elephants, camels and horses are taken out which make a grand spectacle.

2. Gangaur
Gangaur is a religious festival which symbolises cultural heritage of Rajasthan. . This festival begins in the first week of Chaitr and continues up to the fourth day of the bright half of the month. The rituals in honour of the goddess are colourful, with the singing of the most beautiful songs in praise of her and her consort.Mehendi is applied by the devotees on the palms of their hands. Singing and dancing are an essential part of the festival.

3. Diwali
Diwali is the most popular of all Indian festivals celebrated throughout the country. It is a celebration of light, roughly marks the advent of winter. The origin of this festivalcan be traced back to the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana, when Lord Rama returned to his kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. Houses allover India glow with the twinkle of innumerable diya, candles & electric lights. Thlluminated with the flaming lights of fire works.

4.Holi
Holi is celebrated throughout the northern belt of India to welcome the spring season when crowds of merry makers spray coloured powder (Gulal) on one another. Allover the place blithe faces smeared in rainbow hues and drenched in coloured water can be seen. On this day barriers of social status are let down as prince & pauper alike enjoy a bout of revelry.

5.Urs
The urs, acommomerative celebration is held in the solemn memory of Khwaja Muin-nddin Chisti, a prighly respected sufi saint fondly revered as the benefactor of the poor, popularly known as Gareeb Nawaz. The Dargah Sharif in Ajmer, is the place where the Saints mortal remains lie burried and is the site of the largest Muslim Fair in India. Chadar; Ghilaph & Neema which are votive offerings for the tomb are offered by several hundred thousand devotees. Mehfils & Qawwalis are held and mass prayer calls for the eternal peace of the mankind. An interesting ritual is the looting of Kheer (Milk Pudding) which is cooked in two large cauldrons called Degs and distributed to the devotees as tabarruk (blessed food).

jaipur-images

2006-04-14T01:09:00.000+05:30

jaipur was bulit in 1727 by king jai singh after whom it was named. its most striking feature is the pink wash applied to the building, giving jaipur its universal title, the "pink city". jaipur , a royal city with fairl tale palaces, rugged fortresses display remarkable harmony in architectural splendour, jaipur's craft , specially lacquer bangles are famous all over the world. some of the places , once the residence of maharaja have been converted to heritage hotel.

What Men Really Mean.

2006-04-13T21:53:00.000+05:30

"I'm going fishing."
Really means..."I'm going to drink myself dangerously stupid, and stand by a stream with a stick in my hand, while the fish swim by in complete safety."

"Woman driver."
Really means..."Someone who doesn't speed, tailgate, swear, make obscene gestures and has a better driving record than me."

"It's a guy thing."
Really means..."There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical."

"Uh huh," "Sure, honey," or "Yes, dear."
Really means...Absolutely nothing. It's a conditioned response like Pavlov's dog drooling.

"My wife doesn't understand me."
Really means..."She's heard all my stories before, and is tired of them."

"It would take too long to explain."
Really means..."I have no idea how it works."

"Take a break, honey, you're working too hard."
Really means..."I can't hear the game over the vacuum cleaner."

"It's a really good movie."
Really means..."It's got guns, knives, fast cars, and Heather Locklear."

"That's women's work."
Really means..."It's difficult, dirty, and thankless."

"Go ask your mother."
Really means..."I am incapable of making a decision."

"I do help around the house."
Really means..."I once put a dirty towel in the laundry basket."

"I can't find it."Really means..."It didn't fall into my outstretched hands, so I'm completely clueless."

fight , fight and fight

2006-04-13T21:17:00.000+05:30

when things go wrong , as they sometimes will,
when the road you are trudging seem all uphill,
when the funds are low and debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing u down a bit,
rest if you must, but don't you quit

life is like a queer with its twist and turn,
as everyone of us sometimes learn,
and many a failure turns about,
dont give up though pace seems slow,
you may succeed with another blow,

success is a faliure turn inside out,
the silver tint of the cloud of doubt,
and you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems so far,
so stick to the fight when you are hardest hit,
its when things seem worst that you mustn't quit
(extract from a book)

TERROSRISM-HOW IT ORIGINATES

2006-04-13T21:04:00.000+05:30

TODAY EVERY NEWSPAPAER AND EVERY NEWS CHANNEL IS FLOODED WITH NEWS RELATED TO TERRORISMTERRORIST ARE MAINLY BELONG TO THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE THERE IS DISSATISFACTION AMONG PEPOLE…THOSE WHO FEEL UNSAFE AND NEGLECTED………WHO ARE TERRORIST?….WHAT THEY WANT?……..WHY THEY DO SO?……….WHY THEY BELIEVE IN VOILENCE?………WHO SPONSER THEM?…THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WHICH NEED TO BE EVALUATED AND EXAMINED TO KNOW THE ROOT CAUSE OF TERRORISM AND FOR THIS CERTAIN MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN LIKE FORMING AN INDEPENDENT BODY WHICH LOOK INTO SUCH MATTERS WITHOUT ANY INFLUENCETODAY IN THIS ERA WHEN WORLD IS CONSIDERD AS SMALL VILLAGE AND EVERY COUNTRY IS VICTIM OF TERRORISM THERE SHOULD BE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AND BETTER UNDERSTANDING AMONG DIFFERENT NATIONS TO CURB THIS DEADLY TERRORISM WHICH IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.