An Incandescent Frog

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This is a Cuban tree frog on a tree in my backyard in southern Florida. How and why he ate this light is a mystery. It should be noted that at the time I was taking this photo, I thought this frog was dead, having cooked himself from the inside. I'm happy to say I was wrong. After a few shots he adjusted his position. So after I was finished shooting him, I pulled the light out of his mouth and he was fine. Actually, I might be crazy but I don't think he was very happy when I took his light away.

The above was sent by Desmond Oliver

Nirmal Verma

Mon, Aug 31 03:41 PM
New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) Vice Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, who once commanded India''s sole aircraft carrier INS Viraat, today took over as the new Navy chief. Vice Admiral Verma, who was till now the Eastern Naval Commander at Visakhapatnam, assumed responsibility as the head of world''s fourth largest Navy from incumbent Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who retires from service.

Verma, who was born on November 14 in 1950, was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the Navy on July 1, 1970 and during his long service spanning nearly 39 years, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. His sea command experience includes the Leander-class Frigate INS Udaigiri, Guided Missile Destroyer INS Ranvir and the flagship aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

Before taking over as Eastern Naval Command Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, he was the Navy vice chief and has been decorated with Param Vishist Seva Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal and honorary Aide de Camp of the President. An alumnus of Royal Naval Staff College in United Kingdom and the US Naval War College, Verma has instructional experience at National Defence College as Senior Directing Staff and at Defence Services Staff College at Wellington.

He has also commanded the Naval Academy at Goa.

Congratulations Nirmal.
I suppose this was the newsitem all we Goethalites were waiting for ever since the party.

We Shall Overcome -Someday

This is 'Faith'

This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which need to be amputated. He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.

His first owner also did not think that he would survive. Therefore, he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'. By this time, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him. She was determined to teach and train this dog to walk by himself. Therefore she named him 'Faith'

In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfing board to let him feel the movements. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him to stand up and jump around. Even the other dog at home also helped to encourage him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his 2 hind legs and jumped to move forward. After further training in the snow, he now can walk like a human being.

Faith loves to walk around now. No matter where he goes, he just attracts all the people around him. He is now becoming famous on the international scene. He has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows. There is even one book entitled 'With a little faith' being published about him. He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies

His present owner Jude Stringfellew has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to teach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'






In life there are always undesirable things. Perhaps one will feel better if one
changes the point of view from another direction.

I hope this message will bring fresh & new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone can appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day that follows. Faith is the continual demonstration of the Strength of Life

Life's battles don't always go,
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!

Unique Identity

Apparently, the Nandan Nilekani led Unique Identification (UID) number will not be mandatory for people. According to the planning commission, UID is expected to be demand-driven and will be for people who are not comfortably placed in society and need the assistance of government welfare schemes. The population covered under welfare schemes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA), integrated child development scheme, nutrition programme for adolescent girls and benefits under the targeted food distribution systems will require the number, while people who are not covered by such welfare schemes might not necessarily require a unique identification number. Given the enormity of the task of covering over a billion people, we believe, it indeed makes sense to get the priorities correct.

The above has been received in my mail which I receive from Equitymaster.
Nandan Nilekani was offered the job with much fanfare on 26th June and now hardly two months have passed and the government has already got cold feet.
The spineless prime minister we have is already changing the very purpose for which UID was being asked.
UID was for purpose of national Security to have a record of our citizens.
The first dilution came when I read in the papers that UID would be issued to all people who lived in India, including terrorists who may have entered.
Now they are saying UID will be issued only to those who are entitled to welfare schemes.
They are changing the very purpose for which UID was required and Nandan was asked to join.
I would suggest that Nandan should resign and go back to Infosys as mentor.
He will soon have no job and the whole project will be dropped or curtailed drastically. Nandan is not required for that.Any IAS officer will do.

I suppose the next casuallty will be getting the black money from Switzerland.

No matter how much politicians change, like the dogs tail, they always remain crooked.

Terrorists escape for wrong sanctions

Dealing with flaws, not laws, police weaken cases against terror suspects
ANANYA SENGUPTA
New Delhi, Aug. 30: Even if you’ve been proven to be an outlaw in India, there’s always cause for comfort — in the law itself and from those who are meant to invoke it.

Take the case of suspected Hizb-e-Islami militant Ayaz Ahmed Shah, who was arrested by Delhi police’s special cell with 3.5kg of explosives in 2004 and let off by the courts in January 2009.

Shah got away not because he was proved innocent; he went free because the police were dealing with flaws rather than laws.

Or, to put it more bluntly, they got sanction for prosecution under the wrong law from the wrong authorities — where they should have used the explosive substances act, they applied the explosives act; whereas they should have gone to the relevant district magistrate, they went to the police commissioner. Now the two provisions might sound similar, or indeed the same, but in fact there exists a wide enough gulf between them to let the guilty slip through.

Additional sessions judge R.K. Jain came down heavily on the special cell for such a slumbering blunder on the basics of terror law while acquitting Shah. “The special cell officers were not vigilant enough to procure required sanctions against the accused, resulting in lapses. They treated it as just another case under the arms act. In any case, the benefit of all these lapses has to be given to the accused. Accordingly, I acquit the accused for the offences he is charged with.”

But it now turns out that many more might be in line for freedom, courtesy this critical legal lapse by the special cell; officials have failed to take due sanction under the explosive substances act in close to 40 terror-related cases since 2002. Most such cases are in the final stages of trial and there is little the police can now do to make amends.

Had he been booked, as he should have been, under the more stringent explosive substances act, Shah couldn’t even dream of getting bail, much less acquittal.

Shah’s case has set an alarming precedent for prosecuting agencies — err on as little as a word of the law and it can become an ignominious and embarrassing chapter.

Records show that after the discrepancies in this case were highlighted by Shah’s counsel, M.S. Khan, last year, the police have been scrambling to file central sanctions in cases where they have spotted similar faux pas. The law states that no court shall proceed to the trial of any person for an offence against this act except without the consent of the district magistrate.

The confusion can be traced back to two sets of laws, which the super sleuths overlooked. While the accused were all booked under the explosive substances act, which pertains to materials for making any explosive substances, they got sanctions from the police commissioner under the explosives act, which relates to an act to regulate the manufacture, possession, use and sale of explosives.

These are two different laws with separate sanctioning authorities.

According to the statute, the police commissioner is authorised to sanction cases pertaining to the explosives act, but the district magistrate authorises cases under the explosives substances act.

Thus, in Ayaz’s case, where the commissioner had sanctioned the trial, the court found itself incapable of going on with the case and acquitted him.

“The provisions of both the acts are very clear and the police need to act with great caution as hardcore criminals are involved. What happened shows the police’s callousness and exposes dereliction of duty on the part of the police. They might have overwhelming evidence to nail the accused, but unless there is proper sanction, the case is bound to fall apart and the terror suspect will be acquitted. If an elite anti-terror unit does not know the basics of law that it is claiming to protect, then obviously the terror accused will use the benefit of the technical provision. It’s a matter of great shame for the police,” said noted criminal lawyer Majeed Memon, who defended those accused in the 1993 Bombay blasts.

Khan, who is also the lawyer for another terror suspect, 46-year-old Nazir Ahmad, who was arrested by the special cell in 2005 and booked under the explosive substances act for carrying RDX, has also exploited the terror cops’ negligence.

“We have already shown the court that the trial was invalid and in the next few days when his final hearing comes up in court, I am sure he will be acquitted,” said Khan.

Sources say that since the lapse came to light in Ayaz’s case in 2008, it took the police seven months to get back to court with a satisfactory reply to the defence query about the lapses in sanction. Sources in the department say that Delhi police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal held a high-level meeting with his senior officials and it was then that the process of getting the appropriate sanctions was started.

“According to the principle of double jeopardy, no one can be prosecuted for the same crime twice. The lawyers of the accused are going to invoke this law to get their clients out when the prosecution presses for a fresh trial. The mess they have landed themselves into has become a tangled web,” said Memon, adding that a sanction is a condition precedent for initiating criminal proceedings in the court of law and not subsequent to it, so no fresh trial can be initiated by the prosecution.

Ahsan Untoo, head of the International Forum for Justice as well as the Human Rights Forum of Jammu and Kashmir, however, sees a larger conspiracy in the special cell’s inability to get proper sanctions.

“They are not going to the central authorities, in this case the district magistrate, because they have no case against these people. If the police go to the central government, they have to furnish evidence, which they don’t have. So, the easier way out is to go to the police commissioner. It’s not confusion but conspiracy because in most of these cases, innocent Kashmiris are implicated. In the fight between RAW and ISI, poor Kashmiris are being victimised,” Untoo said.

It is known that political criminals escape action by the law because their mentors who are supposed to give the sanctions sit on the files.
But if terrorists criminals escape justice because of negligence on the part of the police to get proper sanction, this is unpardonable.
Since most of the police force is made up of people who have been given the post either for vote bank or for money it is understandable why these flaws are occurring.
It is the duty of their bosses to train them so that when FIRs are lodged an iron clad case is made. Unfortunately, the FIR has become an instrument to earn money from the rich and to harass the poor and so the police do not understand the importance of an FIR.
An officer who files a case under wrong provision and which allows a criminal to escape justice should be suspended as he may have done it intentionally to allow the terrorist to escape.
An enquiry by some other department should be conducted as a department enquiry will always find him pure as Caesar's wife

An American Perspective..........

An American Perspective: We Are All Hindus Now?
NEWSWEEK
Author: Lisa Miller
Published Aug 15, 2009

America is not a Christian nation. We are, it is true, a nation founded by Christians, and according to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as Christian (still, that's the lowest percentage in American history). Of course, we are not a Hindu—or Muslim, or Jewish, or Wiccan—nation, either. A million-plus Hindus live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth. But recent poll data show that conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our selves, each other, and eternity.

The Rig Veda, the most ancient Hindu scripture, says this: "Truth is One, but the sages speak of it by many names." A Hindu believes there are many paths to God. Jesus is one way, the Qur'an is another, yoga practice is a third. None is better than any other; all are equal. The most traditional, conservative Christians have not been taught to think like this. They learn in Sunday school that their religion is true, and others are false. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me."
Americans are no longer buying it. According to a 2008 Pew Forum survey, 65 percent of us believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life"—including 37 percent of white evangelicals, the group most likely to believe that salvation is theirs alone. Also, the number of people who seek spiritual truth outside church is growing. Thirty percent of Americans call themselves "spiritual, not religious," according to a 2009 NEWSWEEK Poll, up from 24 percent in 2005.

Stephen Prothero, religion professor at Boston University, has long framed the American propensity for "the divine-deli-cafeteria religion" as "very much in the spirit of Hinduism. You're not picking and choosing from different religions, because they're all the same," he says. "It isn't about orthodoxy. It's about whatever works. If going to yoga works, great—and if going to Catholic mass works, great. And if going to Catholic mass plus the yoga plus the Buddhist retreat works, that's great, too."

Then there's the question of what happens when you die. Christians traditionally believe that bodies and souls are sacred, that together they comprise the "self," and that at the end of time they will be reunited in the Resurrection. You need both, in other words, and you need them forever. Hindus believe no such thing. At death, the body burns on a pyre, while the spirit—where identity resides—escapes. In reincarnation, central to Hinduism, selves come back to earth again and again in different bodies. So here is another way in which Americans are becoming more Hindu: 24 percent of Americans say they believe in reincarnation, according to a 2008 Harris poll. So agnostic are we about the ultimate fates of our bodies that we're burning them—like Hindus—after death. More than a third of Americans now choose cremation, according to the Cremation Association of North America, up from 6 percent in 1975. "I do think the more spiritual role of religion tends to deemphasize some of the more starkly literal interpretations of the Resurrection," agrees Diana Eck, professor of comparative religion at Harvard. So let us all say "om” , “hari om”!

Another Pay Commission Extravaganza

Pay hike for teachers of government colleges

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The State government on Saturday announced hike in pay for teachers of universities, government colleges and government-aided colleges. The move will benefit 20,000 teachers and entail additional expenditure of Rs.557.49 crore annually for the government.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi told reporters that a newly appointed assistant professor would get Rs.26,352 a month against the present pay of Rs.19,680. The minimum increase would be Rs.6,672.

In the case of professors, the revised pay would be Rs.62,085 against their current pay of Rs.40,344, an increase of Rs.21,741.

As done in the case of government employees, the new pay scales would be fixed notionally from January 1, 2006. The monetary benefit would be given from January 1, 2007. The arrears would be disbursed in three instalments.

The Chief Minister also said that there would be no change in the structure of the revised pay scale and academic grade pay, as announced by the Centre, on the basis of the University Grants Commission’s recommendation.

The government would follow another recommendation of the Commission that there be three designations of teachers — assistant professors, associate professors and professors.

As advised by the UGC, pay scales of librarians, assistant librarians, physical education directors, deputy and assistant physical education directors would also be revised. They would also receive pension, family pension and other pensionary benefits.

The conditions followed for the provision of other allowances to the government employees will be applicable in the case of the teachers, Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Another example of what I am trying to say.
With 30% of the population of India living on less than Rs 300.00 per month, should we not start thinking of them and stop pampering the people who are already well off?
After all they are already getting DA and other allowances to take care of inflation.What is then the need to pamaper them further?
This money should be spent on those who don't have anything.
We will have fewer Maoists.

32 people die In Bihar because of Pay Commission

Junior doctors' strike claims 32 lives in Bihar

Patna, Aug 30 : Thirty two patients admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) have died amid a strike by junior doctors that entered its fourth day Sunday, authorities said.

"Eleven patients died in the last 24 hours alone (Saturday and Sunday) due to lack of doctors and treatment in the hospital," a government official said.

Six patients died during the first 12 hours of the strike beginning Wednesday, followed by 15 on Thursday and Friday, he said.

The official said lack of doctors in the emergency ward led to most deaths. But the government is yet to confirm a single death due to the ongoing strike.

More than 400 junior doctors went on an indefinite strike Wednesday evening, demanding a hike in stipend and payment of salary instead of stipend.

"We are not going to end the strike following the state government's decision to raise stipend. We want the state government to pay monthly salary to us instead of stipend," PMCH Junior Doctors Association president Rajiv Babu said Sunday.

A leader of the junior doctors' association said their demand for hike in stipend has been pending for the last couple of years now.

"We are getting stipend of Rs.13,000 in the first year, Rs.14,000 in the second year and Rs.15,000 in the third year of post-graduation. We are demanding that this amount be increased to Rs.22,500 at par with some of the neighbouring states," he said.

The strike has badly hit emergency, outdoor and surgery services of the hospital.

Most of the wards of the hospital wore a deserted look as hundreds of patients were forced to shift to private nursing homes. "Those who cannot afford treatment outside have been left in the lurch and and waiting for treatment despite the strike," a nurse told IANS.

She said the strike has become a death trap for poor patients who are helpless and can not go for private treatment. "It is really a bad situation. Neither the striking doctors nor the government realise the problem. You can imagine that the emergency ward has few patients. In normal days, the emergency ward remains overcrowded and patients have to be treated on the floor due to shortage of beds," she said.

The above is another consequence of the pay Commission Awards.
These awards set off a chain reaction and one department after another goes on strike, pressurising the government to increase their salaries.
Not everybody can print currency notes like the central government and satisfy its employees.
People are dissatisfied and death is the result.
This 5-yearly tamashas at the expense of the common man should stop.

Msgs from friends 33

Msg from Peter Barber

Hi Radhesham,

I appreciate the amount of time you put into your blogs,but, if you have overlooked my short note to you ,I would be obliged if you could spare a few minutes and check my message and enlighten me regarding.Brother Foran he taught me in 1957, and I would very much like to either ,phone him or send him a mail.I was at G M S 1954-1957

Many thanks and a big God Bless,

Peter Barber.

Dear Peter,

I personally have no news of him.
I had put your letter in my weekly mail to elecit some info.
It seems I have drawn a blank.
I shall put it up next week again

Regards

Radheshyam

Friends, If anybody can give info of Bro Foran, it would be highly appreciated.

Msg from Desmond Oliver

Dear Raheshyam,

Could you please send me the email addresses of my classmates Manas Chowdhary, A.K.Daw and N.G.Kar.

Thanks,

Regards,

Desmond Oliver

Dear Desmond,

N G Kar does not seem to have an email ID His cell no/Restaurant no is 09831082509 / 03322521710.
Anup Daw's ID is anupdaw@yahoo.in and Manas's is craig.chowdhury@gmail.com

Hope you can now bring yourselves up to date in news.

Regards

R S Sharma

Dear Radheshyam ,

Thankyou very much for the prompt action taken, it is very kind of you to take all the trouble to find out and mail the info. back to me. I shall update you as to the outcome.

Thanks once again.

Regards

Desmond Oliver

Msg from Maj N K Rai

Hari Om Radheshyam......many thanks for the news.

Maj NK Rai

Kathmandu


Msg from Karma Phincho

sir,

my name is karma phincho 77 batch and i have been reading your mails and i have to admit it is refreshing, whatever that means. you may think i am flattering you before i ask you a favour but that is not the case. i am in the sikkim athletic association and we will be having a meet very soon. i will also be coming to cal to purchase medals and trophies and since you are in cal i would like to ask you if you can recommend some shops. the intention of coming all the way to cal braving the bad roads, monsoon landslides is we save a substantial amount of money, after all we are not the BCCI. i am not sure i should be writing to you with this request but it is evening and the influence of alcohol has given me the strenght to go ahead and try. please ignore this mail if you think i have overstepped.no matter what your reply is please keep sending those mails and i will be reading and enjoying them. goodnight

Dear Karma,

It was a pleasure receiving your letter.
Do let me know what are your planned purchases for the Sikkim Sports Association. Is it cups and shields or any other things.
I shall be able to guide you better after I know your requirements.
There are some "77 boys in kolkata.
When you come over, you could meet the

Cheers,

Radheshyam

sir,

i am glad i got a positive reply from you and i am sure happy that you are willing to help somebody you have never seen or just being a goat is enough for you, so it seems. i will be coming or rather i will be there on the 1st of September. the purchases are medals and trophies.i did make a purchase last year but it was not satisfactory. the reason i am asking for your help is you being a local and that we dont get swindled.my mobile No. is 9932333444, 9944330059.
good day or goodnight

karma

Dear Karma,

When you come on the 1st, do give me a ring.
My Cell no is 09331259878 and residence no is 033 25740583.
I normally go to office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Since the 1st is Tueday, I'll have no problem helping you.
In the meantime I am asking some of your batch mates to get in touch with you also so that you can have a small get together, if you all so desire.

Cheers,

Radheshyam

cc: Sudeep Sanyal 9830005812
Debashis Saha: 9831120904
Pinaki Mitra : 9748720000
Santanu Acharya : 9831062675

Msg from Indranil Aich

Dear Radheshyamji,

Firstly I must compliment you on the great job of bringing all geothalites together by the most powerful networking tool of the 21st century the internet. If we didn't have the blog and your weekly updates probably we wouldn't have had the alumni chapters getting formalised . Also the great variety of topics from socio-political issues , political commentary and satire and of course some great desserts of humor at the end of the weekly messages.

I feel that we should make this blog the official mouth piece for our alumni association.

The felicitation evening of our Alumni Nirmal Kumar Verma was my first . I missed the last two get togethers and enjoyed the evening very much.

I have a small suggestion we should come out with a directory of students of Geothals immediately. To take a step further we can organise some guest lectures from our Alumni who are all well placed in various works of life.

In the blog we can start a small section on achievements of our goethalites across the globe.
Please keep up the good job.
Regards,
indranil aich.

Msg from Ajit Roy

Dear RS,

Please recall Ranjan, Manas, Avijit and some others canvassing Membership for the Alumni at the Bengal Club. You shall be surprised to note that it is 16 days now since I wrote to Ranjan but he is yet to reply my emails and to send the details about my membership and the relevant forms.

You are an office bearer of the Alumni. Are you aware of these adverse incidents? Maybe you could contact Ranjan to ascertain the reasons for these awkward situations.

Bye for now.

AK.

Msg from Ranjan Guha

Dear All,

Please find attached a list showing details of the Membership position of Goethals Alumni (Kolkata).

As of now I do not guarantee that this list is 100% accurate but after doing some tallying, specially with our Bank Statement, we will know for sure. However, as of today I feel this will give a more-or-less correct picture from where we can proceed further.

As regards the list, please note the following :

You will notice that as of date we have received 21 + 20 = 41 Membership.

If any of you notice any discrepancy in the attached list, please mail me immediately so that I can correct my records (after checking).

This list will help us to discuss this matter further during our meeting on Saturday in K K’s office at 1.30 pm.

Thanks N Regards

Ranjan Guha Majumder

Dear All,

Please suggest a DOMAIN NAME for our Web Site. I was thinking of

1. www.goethalsalumni.com
2. www.goethalsalumni.in (.in is India Specific)


Any other suggestions ? I am avoiding the word Kolkata for two reasons
1. Name will become too long.
2. Not mentioning Kolkata will late on permit us to make this THE WEB SITE for Global Goethals Alumni

Waiting for your response
Ranjan

Dear Ranjan,

Good progress.
Since ours is not a commercial organisation, I would suggest gms.org, if it is available.
Let other suggestions also roll in.
Then we can take a decision.
Do let me know how many of our boys will be going to the Loreto party. I'll take a decision after seeing the count.
I would like to go in the interest of our blog as Ex-Loreto girls are already participating in it.
Of course, since we were more connected to St. Helen's school, we will be knowing very few of the girls (now ladies) there.
Cheers

Radheshyam

www.GOETHALSALUMNI.IN seems appropriate to me

Regards/Partha

PARG GROUP

Msg from Sumeet

Hi Radhe Jee,

It would like to convey to you my gratitude for all effort and dedication you put into your mails.
god bless you.

"do all things well"

Sumit

Msg from Vineet Mitra

Hi Radhe,

I am an Ex- Goethalite too and passed out in the year 2002. Right now i am located in Bangalore and want to know if there is an Alumni here and if so who can be contacted with regard to this. Please take it as a request if you do know the required information as i want to catch up with Goe

Vineet Mitra

Software Engineer,(Product Dev)
Tecnotree
No. 65/2, ‘B’ Block, 5th Floor, Level 07,Bagmane Tridib
Bagmane Tech Park, C V Ramanagar, Byrasandra
Bangalore – 560093
Mob : +91 9900952046

Hello Vineet,

I don't think you have an alumni association in the south.
However, it would be good if you could take the initiative to start one.
I am sending the Email ID of the boys in the south, i.e. Chennai and Bangalore.
I am sending a copy of this message to all the boys.
Somebody will have to take the initiative.
Why not you?

Cheers,

Radheshyam

Msg from Shautick Das

Hi

I am a goat from the '96 batch. Like others, I have been a constant
follower of your blog. I must admit that I havent contributed much besides
giving all the necessary details to keep in touch with other goats.
Your 'job through the blog' idea has come in at the right time for me.
Would be really glad if you could keep me in mind and forward my CV
should there be any requirement among our guys.
In short, I started my career in advertising, then founded a company of
my own and owned a lounge in hyderabad. I resigned on moral grounds
very recently and moved to Bangalore. I was not very happy with the way my partners
were handling certain issues which in turn was damaging my reputation.
I am looking for a good opportunity in Marketing
(marketing/brand manager), in Bangalore.
Being a Brand and Marketing person, and
in this digital age, where your CV is your
mouth piece, I decided to position &
present the facts in a style of my own.

In the world of MS Word's, heres a PPT.

Thanks and Regards

Shautick

Hari Om friends,

I sent a mail to you all last evening for setting up an Alumni in the south, and here I am giving you a job
Our school fellow is looking for a Marketing Job in Bangalore itself.
Please see if any of you can be of help to him.
I have given his letter, below, and also his CV in PPT format.
I do hope you can all help each other.

Radheshyam

Msg from Deborshi Sengupta

Dear Shautick,

Just came to know that you are looking for a change through Mr. Radheshyam's e mail.If you are interested in marketing 3M products do let me know if I can share your resume with others. Kindly let me know soon as a friend of mine is looking for Managers for this portfolio.

Warm Regards,

Deborshi

DEBORSHI SENGUPTA.
DIRECTOR-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
BUILDERS BOX (INDIA) PVT. LTD.
UNIT# G5-6.
26,RACE COURSE ROAD.
BANGALORE 560 001.
KARNATAKA
INDIA
MOB # 98453 58202.
Tel:- +91 80 412 26 332/33
Fax:-+91 80 412 26 331.

Hi

Thank you so much.

As you are aware, Deborshi, who was my senior
in school and someone whom I know very well,
has already responded.
Shall meet him and discuss.

Regards
Shautick

Passing the Batton

What wisdom one generation passes to to the next.
sent by Prakash Bhartia.

.

Manmohan Singh Speaks

Editorial from The Statesman

Corruption curbs

Exercise begins at home

HAD his personal reputation not been so clean the Prime Minister’s latest sermon on tackling corruption would have invited ridicule. And had the conventional concept of discipline and subordination not been at play, many of the officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation and its counterparts in the states might have told him that essentially political factors prevented them from netting the big fish that he regretted were seldom brought to book. Any realistic evaluation of the CBI’s track record would raise more than a chuckle over Dr Manmohan Singh’s contention that “you have the constitutional and legal protection and safeguards to do so.” For no policing agency has been more palpably misused by those in power than the CBI to try and slam their political rivals on corruption charges. Just recall the on-off probe into the leader of the Samajwadi Party: when he bailed out the government on the trust vote triggered by the US nuclear deal the momentum was most conveniently lost. Or another recent example, in response to shrill cries from the UPA supremo the CBI went after a former defence minister in “coffingate”, but we now understand that his name is not included in the charge-sheet. Not that similar misuse of the premier investigation agency ~ tackling corruption was originally its prime aim ~ was not made when governments of other political complexions were in place.
Before speaking from a lofty perch, Dr Manmohan Singh would have done well to also reflect on the legal ping-pong played when a degree of functional autonomy was sought to be judicially conferred on that agency. If the history of police misuse by the central government is highly disturbing, what obtains in the states is simply revolting.
Since the Prime Minister has chosen to speak of “fish” he must be reminded that it rots from the head ~ so unless the political class is purged the nexus with top officials and crooks of all description will flourish and only the minnows will be caught. Nobody can dispute the adverse fall-out of rampant corruption that Dr Manmohan Singh projected, but as the nation’s chief executive it is from his office that the action must commence. A Cabinet clean-up could be the right beginning.

The above is from Today Editorial in "The Statesman"
The Statesman was once my favourite paper.
We were introduced to it by sir, Mr. Lobo in 1962 and since then that was the only paper which came to my home, until two years back.
Gradually the reading matter in the paper was reduced until we found there was nothing to read.
I had written once or twice to Mr. C R Irani regarding the degradation in the paper but it continued going down.
How I miss the paper?
I took the Times of India for some time but I found that it has no editorial policy.
It tries to satisfy everybody, having no views of its own.It just pampered Page Three people and put out obscene photographs of models in various stages of undress.
I take The Telegraph now but this paper looks at events with Congress eyes and so cannot be fair although it tries.It is better than The Times of India.
The above editorial is just what I feel of our PM's statement.
Mr.Prime Minister,sir, the buck stops at your table.
If you cannot root out corruption, move out and let somebody who can do it.
There is no point in trying to wish the the CBI goes after the big fish.
You had two big fishes in your last ministry.
Sibu Soren and Lalu Yadav.
They were as corrupt as can be but you allowed both of them to serve their term and you divorced Lalu only after he went into a relationship with Paswan without informing you otherwise you two would still be cozying up.
SO, PLEASE DON'T FOOL THE PEOPLE.

Is Nitish fooling the people?

Nitish reiterates demand for Presidential nod for Bill on corruption

Patna, (Bihar Times): A day after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked the investigative agencies to catch the big fish to eradicate corruption, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday once again requested him to ensure early Presidential assent to a Bill related to corruption passed by the two Houses of Bihar assembly over five months ago.

He said that it is appropriate time for the Centre to step up measures to root out corruption from the system. The Prime Minister must intervene to ensure clearance of the Bill already passed by the two Houses of the state legislature.
It needs to be recalled that the Prime Minister had on Wednesday asked CBI and state anti-corruption officials to aggressively pursue high level corruption cases saying the perception that big fish escape punishment while small is caught must change and they should act swiftly and without fear.
The Bill referred to by Nitish, provides for confiscation of assets of public servants accumulated by them beyond their known sources of income. Mr. Nitish said he had raised the issue with Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily during their recent meeting in New Delhi too.
Meanwhile, the chief minister left for the aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Madhubani and Darbhanga district early on Thursday

And I thought at least we had one honest Chief Minister in Nitish Kumar.
I have not seen the definition of public Servant in Nitish's bill.
If by Public Servants Nitish means only government employees, then I am afraid Nitish is making a fool of the people.
However, if public servants also include MLA, MPs councillors then I appreciate Nitish's effort.
These are the fountainhead of corruption.
All corruption emnate from MPs, MLAs and Ministers.
these should be targetted first.
But does Nitish have the guts.
After all many of his own party men too are criminals.Two of them being Rajiv Ranjan and Vijay Kumar Shukla.
He should first clean his own house.

Male or Female - Eternal Question

How many of you remember our Hindi teacher, Mr. P Yonzan, the old man. The younger one was I think Mr. C Yonzon. He taught Nepali. Correct me if I am wrong.
Whenever Mr. Yonzon could not find chalk for writing on the blackboard he used to say "conspicuous by its absence"
In Hindi grammar, he had a very easy way of finding out whether a word was male or female.
Like, "Chiriya", meaning bird. Is it male or female?
Well pick it up and look underneath.
Thondup here explains why certain words are male or female, with reasons.
Do you agree with him?

Is It Male or Female?
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ever wondered the gender of a photocopier? Wonder no more, the answers to all your gender questions are here, You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are either male or female.

Below are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong ones.

TYRES: Tyres are male, because they go bald easily and are often over-inflated.

HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under them.

SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGES: Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.

TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.

EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female, because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying.

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa needs no introduction.
Sent by Partha

The mystery of Mother Teresa

Navin Chawla

To love one’s neighbour was to love God — this was the key, not the size of her mission or the power others perceived in her. Mother explained it thus to her biographer: “We are called upon not to be successful, but to be faithful.”

Mother Teresa, the diminutive nun who straddled her century as one of its most towering personalities, was at one level a very simple person and at another a complex enigma. In modern management parlance, she could well be projected as a management guru who could have presented to the world’s best business schools her uniquely evolved model for success. With 4,000 nuns, she created a multinational enterprise of service that encompassed 123 countries by the time she died in 1997.

She would however have rejected such a proposition because her model was not based on material achievement, but on its spiritual quotient that sprung from and was nurtured by her faith. It required no banks of computers, no army of accountants, no bureaucrats. Her Order was rooted to a unique vow of “wholehearted free service” to the abject poor and marginalised.

As her biographer, I found there were several mysteries that lent themselves to no easy answers. Mother Teresa was hardly qualified in academic terms. She never went to university and her studies were largely confined to the scriptures. And yet she set up hundreds of schools that lifted poor children from a desolate life on the streets. She provided a safety net for the homeless by opening feeding centres and soup kitchens and also started Shishu Bhawans for infants her sisters found abandoned in the streets. There were homes for the terminally ill, so that they were not alone when they died. Not all these centres were in the poorer parts of the world; many were in the affluent west where loneliness and despair was a sickness she likened to leprosy.

Her coming to India itself was a mystery, a word I use in its mystical sense. Born in 1910 in Skopje, then a small town in what was Albania at the time, Agnes was raised in relatively frugal circumstances by a fiercely Catholic mother, the youngest of three children. As a young girl, her imagination was stirred by stories of Yugoslav Jesuit priests who worked in distant Bengal. At the age of 14, barely a teenager, she asked her mother for permission to join the Church and work in India. At 18, she had her way and when she bade her mother goodbye, she was never to see her again.

We might well imagine Kolkata from an Eastern Europe standpoint in 1928. The journey from Albania to India would itself have seemed inconceivable to most. In those days missionaries hardly ever returned home and India was a world apart. To leave her tightly knit family for a most uncertain future in a land of whose language, customs and traditions she knew nothing was, at the very least, foolhardly. But young Agnes never recorded any doubts about this decision, even in her later years.

She had learned that the only way to India was through the Loreto Order of teaching nuns headquartered in Kolkata. Her route however lay through the heart of the Order in Ireland. From Zagreb she travelled by train and ship to Dublin, where she spent six weeks learning a smattering of English, a language unknown to her but which she would need in India. Her ship journey to Mumbai would have exposed her for the first time to peoples and climate so different from her own. And, finally, when the Bombay Mail steamed into Howrah station in Kolkata on a January morning in 1929, an 18-year-old had taken a major step that covered geography and time zones into a world that would gradually unfold itself. But of her decision, she was even then not in doubt.

She had said to me, as she had said to others before, that it was a lesser wrench for her to leave mother’s home than it was for her to leave the Loreto Convent in Entally. In her 20 years as a Loreto nun, first a teacher and later Principal, she developed the discipline of an Order; in its most simplistic sense, her life was regulated by the ringing of the school bell. Here there was order and security, but also some exposure to the disadvantaged, as many of her wards were orphans and children of poor parents, with whom she could speak in Bengali with ease.

She was happy in her work, but restless too. The world she glimpsed from her classroom window was made up of slums and abject poverty: it seemed to be the real world, and she slowly sensed that her vocation belonged there. She began to attempt this almost impossible transition from convent to street, but with her vows intact: a Catholic nun within the Church order, yet outside of it. This was inconceivable in the Church’s rigid framework. Her Superior General of Loreto gave her the nod to try. But the Archbishop of Kolkata forbade it.

In these many divides of life, she resorted to prayer that deepened her faith. I often found that she faced dilemmas by first a retreat to prayer, and then renewed attempts, until the object was achieved or otherwise. Two years later, surprisingly but perhaps not, the Vatican made its first exception of this kind.

Her early steps, too, were a mystery. What a strange sight she would have presented on the streets of Kolkata in 1948. A European not in a familiar western habit, but in a cheap sari similar to what the municipality sweepresses wore, her feet encased in a pair of rough leather sandals: a nun in her belief but not in appearance.

She was alone. She had no helper, no companion and carried no money to speak of. She stepped into a city in which she had taught long years but of which she knew nothing. She taught herself to beg, the ultimate humiliation for one whose life had not been luxurious but it had been secure. In her only diary, which I was privy to, she wrote of her struggle between her faith and the temptation to return to the security with convent walls.

Between occasional bouts of tears and longing to get back to Loreto, she set up her first school in the very slum she saw each morning outside her classroom. It had no classroom, no table, no chair, no blackboard. She picked up a stick and before a group of curious children who had never seen the inside of a school, she began to write the Bengali alphabet on the ground.

Within a few days, some rickety furniture appeared; someone donated a blackboard and chalk. Lay teachers from the Convent soon volunteered to teach. Her little school in Motijhil became reality. And soon there was a school in Entally. A tiny dispensary followed, stocked with a few basic medicines cajoled from chemists. Bengali-speaking Teresa discovered she could multi-task, and her disarming charm and directness moved people to want to help her.

Her early admirers included the legendary Chief Minister B.C. Roy’s family members. In later years the equally legendary Jyoti Basu lent her his shoulder. Till the end she invariably prefixed the words ‘my friend’, whenever she spoke of the latter. In the years in between, the Calcutta Statesman began to follow her activities. Her name became known outside Kolkata when the Indian government awarded her the Padma Shri at a ceremony where she arrived matter-of-factly in a van and at which she moved many to tears.

As a Hindu, armed only with a certain eclecticism, I found it took me longer than most to understand that Mother Teresa was with Christ in each conscious hour, whether at Mass or with each of those whom she tended. It was not a different Christ on her crucifix and a different one who lay dying at her hospice in Kalighat. Neither existed without the other; they were both one. There could be no contradiction in her oft-repeated words that one must reach out to one’s neighbour. For Mother Teresa, to love one’s neighbour was to love God. This was what was essential to her, not the size of her mission or the power others perceived in her. She explained this to me simply but meaningfully when she said, “We are called upon not to be successful, but to be faithful.” In her life, Mother Teresa exemplified that faith: faith in prayer, in love, in service, and in peace.

(Navin Chawla is the Chief Election Commissioner of India and the biographer of Mother Teresa.)

Strange bed-fellows

Amar phones in troubled waters
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT


New Delhi, Aug. 25: Jaswant Singh received sympathy from Singapore today. Amar Singh called to sound him about joining the Samajwadi Party.

Amar later told a television channel he had told the expelled BJP leader: “You are not unknown to us, we are with you.”

The Samajwadi general secretary, who is recovering from a kidney transplant in a Singapore hospital, said he decided to call after reading former L.K. Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni’s newspaper column which described the changing face of the BJP.

Amar said he had not directly invited Jaswant into his party, but had indicated that the Samajwadis would be happy to receive him.

“It will be my fortune if I can do something for him to be in active politics through the platform of the Samajwadi Party,” Amar told another news channel.

According to a PTI report, Amar said Jaswant told him the two of them could talk about the matter after the Samajwadi leader recovered fully and returned to India.

Many Samajwadis, however, believe that the Darjeeling MP would be a misfit in their party. “He is a different kind of person and will probably not choose to be with the SP. What will he do in our party?” a senior leader said.

It makes little sense for Jaswant to be associated with another party when he is MP from an area that is hardly a BJP constituency. Besides, party-hopping puts him at risk of expulsion from Parliament.

The BJP has already tried to get Singh removed as the public accounts panel chairman in Parliament, the decision on which is the Speaker’s prerogative, sources said.

Amar’s chat with Jaswant today was not his first. Last year, the former foreign minister had apparently visited Amar’s home during the political bargaining on the nuclear deal to see if the Samajwadis could be kept away from the Congress.

Soon enough, Amar was telling reporters how Jaswant had contacted him. Today, he said he had not read Jaswant’s book on Jinnah.

Mulayam Singh and Amar Singh have been known to invite dacoits, criminals and other anti-socials in their party.
By inviting Jaswant Singh are they raising their own bar or lowering Jaswant Singh's and now consider him as one of their own? After all once Mulayam was known as Maulana Mulayam so he can understand Jaswant's new found love for Jinnah.

Your Cell phone IMEI No

Have you lost your mobile phone ?

For GSM Phones
1. Call up the "Customer Care" helpline of your airtime provider and ask them to deactivate the SIM.
2. Call up the police. Submit them the IMEI number of your phone (which you should have noted before the theft).

If you haven't lost your cellphone as yet, here's what you can do.
Don't delay it... Just bring your cellphone near the computer and do it now !

Instructions :
Look behind the battery of your phone.
To confirm, type *#06# on the keypad.
Note this IMEI number down.
* Report this IMEI number to the police if your cell is stolen.

Knowledge Tit-Bits
A unique code encrypted in each mobile, known as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, is now being used to trace a mobile anywhere in the country. Even if the SIM card (network) is changed, it can be traced.

Whenever a phone logs onto a particular network to make or receive calls, its IMEI number is emitted and this gets registered. In case of stolen phones, the service provider can pass on the information to the police. and they can trace the user through the SIM card. It is possible to even track down gangs running cellphone-stealing rackets.

But I'm On CDMA.... Help !
Sorry. This technology is not available in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobiles. Handset can be traced only if used in the same network. The programming can be changed very easily and it can be activated for a different service.

Thondup sent the above.
Many of us may have lost your telephones.
It may help you to recover the same.
I tried to find out my cell phones IMEI no but was getting back "please check the number you have dialed"
I tried three times and then saw that that experiment is not applicable for CDMA technology based telephones like the ones Reliance and Tata Infocom have.

This Fat Little Pig

Govt decides to release final installment of pay arrears

PTI | New Delhi

Ahead of the festival season, the Government on Tuesday decided to release the second and last installment of salary arrears to Government servants numbering about 50 lakh which will put a burden of over Rs 17,500 crore on the exchequer.

Pensioners will also get their final installment of arrears. Remaining 60 per cent of the total arrears have to be paid as the Government implemented the new pay scales with effect from January 1, 2006 after the 6th Pay Commission report was approved by the Cabinet with modifications.

The first installment of 40 per cent of the total arrears were paid during the last fiscal.

"It has now been decided that the remaining 60 per cent of the arrears may now be paid to the concerned Government servants," said a Finance Ministry's office memorandum.

The memorandum is, however, silent on the date for payment of the final installment of arrears.

According to the Government calculations, the total arrears are estimated to cost Rs 29,373 crore to the Government kitty.

The memorandum further said that the Government servants are encouraged to deposit their arrears in general provident fund (GPF) account.

"As in the case of the first installment of the arrears, Government servants would be permitted to deposit their arrears in their GPF accounts," the memorandum said.

The Government in August last year had decided to pay the arrears in two installments of 40 per cent and 60 per cent.

The memorandum further said for employees, who have joined the service after January 1, 2004, the second installment should be released only after ascertaining that they have joined the new pension scheme.

The Government had accepted the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission with modifications following representations from various associations and Government departments

Arrears of Rs 29,373 crores are to be distributed between 15 crore people who make up the government/semi-government undertakings, i.e on an average each government employee is to get 1958 crores.
These people on an average are earning not less than Rs 30000.00 per month in salary, incentives and perks.
On the other hand more than 30 crore Indians do not earn even Rs 300/- per month and are happy if they get one meal per day.
Don't you think that if the government distributed the 1958 crore among the 30 crore people, there would be fewer Maoists?
Don't you think this largesse distributed every 5 years by Santa Claus on government employees by printing money should be stopped and the same should be used for upliftment of these poor people?

Modern Fables

We have all heard of Aesops Fables when we were young.
The morals were very valid then and are still valid now.
Times have changed and new fables have come up.
Here are some sent by Atul.
I have a lingering feeling that I may have posted something similar ealier.
Anyhow, it would be new to our recent readers.

Lesson 1:
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.

The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.

When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbour.

Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800to drop that towel.'

After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.

The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.

When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?'

'It was Bob the next door neighbour,' she replies.

'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?'

Moral of the story:

If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time,you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Lesson 2:
A priest offered a Nun a lift.
She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident.

After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg..

The nun said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'
The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again.
The nun once again said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'

The priest apologized 'Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.'

Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way.

On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, 'Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.'

Moral of the story:
If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Lesson 3:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.

They rub it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.'
'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk. 'I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.'
Puff! She's gone.

'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of PinaColadas and the love of my life.'

Puff! He's gone.

'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager.
The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'


Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.

Lesson 4
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.

A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him,'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?'
The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.'

So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson 5
A turkey was chatting with a bull.

'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey, 'but I haven't got the energy.'
'Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. They're packed with nutrients.'

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.

Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree..

He was promptly spotted by a farmer, whoshot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:
Bull Shit might get you to the top, but itwon't keep you there..


Lesson 6
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.

While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.

As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.

The dung was actually thawing him out!

He lays there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.
A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate.

Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and

promptly dug him out and ate him.

Morals of the story:
(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.

(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your
friend.

(3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep
your mouth shut!

Not worthy of trust

PM mulls Iran trip for pipeline
Ramesh Ramachandran

New Delhi

Aug. 23: The drift in India’s relations with Iran might enable China to source piped natural gas from that country, much like the manner in which China beat India to win the rights to buy natural gas from Burma. China has shown interest in the Iran- Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project and, to New Delhi’s consternation, Iran has made it known that it cannot wait indefinitely for India to decide on her participation in the project.

New Delhi has not vigorously pursued the negotiations of the IPI project partly in deference to Washington’s sensitivities. However, India’s preoccupation with strengthening her strategic partnership with the US has almost cost India her military facility in the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan, and New Delhi can ill-afford a misadventure on the IPI project. Plans are now afoot to schedule Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Iran for restoring bilateral ties.

Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s visit to India in October will likely prepare the ground for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Iran, possibly by the year-end or early next year. Iran’s ambassador to India, Mr Seyed Mehdi Nabizadeh, said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who visited India in April 2008, has invited Prime Minister Singh to visit Iran.

"When Supreme National Security Council Chairman Saeed Jalili and I called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a month before the 2009 Indian elections, he said that if he became Prime Minister, a journey to Iran will be one of his priorities," Mr Nabizadeh told this newspaper. He hoped India would join the IPI project and avoid further delay.

"India did not participate in some of the IPI meetings in Tehran because India wanted to discuss issues such as the transit fee and transportation tariff with Pakistan. Unfortunately the India-Pakistan talks got blocked. In the meantime Iran and Pakistan continued their discussions and signed an agreement. We hope India will not delay participation in the IPI project," he said.

Until recently, New Delhi did not want to be seen doing business with Iran for fear of jeopardising the India-US nuclear deal. Also, it took the position that unless the delivered cost of the gas in India is competitive with other alternative sources, it will not be worthwhile to participate in the project merely for political reasons. However, New Delhi has indicated that a delegation of Indian officials will visit Iran in September to resume discussions on the IPI project.

The talks between India and Iran are stuck on the issue of price. Mr Nabizadeh said the price issue was discussed two years ago but the situation has changed in the interim and it is only natural that the price be revised. A new price needs to be discussed for an LNG deal too, he said.

Prior to his India visit, Mr Mottaki will meet external affairs minister S.M. Krishna on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. They last met in July on the sidelines of the 15th Nam Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Union petroleum and natural gas minister Murli Deora said in the recently concluded Parliament session that India will not bow to external pressure on participation in the IPI project. Mr Deora said he has clarified India’s stance on participation in the IPI project to US energy secretary Sam Bodman. The energy needs of the country were paramount and there was no question of succumbing to external pressure, he asserted.

Mr Deora’s remarks indicate a shift in New Delhi’s position. Only last year, the Prime Minister’s special envoy, Mr Shyam Saran, had said that the more the IPI project gets invested with political sentiments, the more difficult it becomes for New Delhi to really get an economically viable deal. "We must take the time which it requires in order to ensure that it is [viable and competitive]. Merely to put a political label on the project is not [good]," Mr Saran said.

As India dithers, Iran and Pakistan have gone ahead and signed a deal at Istanbul, Turkey, in May. Hojjatollah Ghanimifard, deputy head (international affairs) of the National Iranian Oil Company and Iran’s special envoy for the pipeline talks, has said that Iranian and Pakistani officials are expected to meet in Islamabad soon to discuss ways of transferring gas and other technical issues.

I have said it once and I will say it a hundred times that Pakistan is not to be trusted.
If some other route is found for it then we can accept it otherwise it is a big NO.
We have two neighbours, China and Pakistan who are both untrustworthy.
China itself is after the Gas supply from Iran.
After the pipe line is laid with Indian money some problem will be fomented by either of these countries and our gas supply will be stopped.
If we were in Pakistan's position we too would act similarly with our enemy since birth.
After all if you remember right, we had stopped Pakistan flights over Indian territory when the Bangladesh war broke out.
Pakistan will do the same and it would be foolish falling into their trap.

Mini Jallianwala bagh repeated?

Court acquits massacre accused in Bihar

Patna, (Bihar Times): The additional district and sessions judge, Gaya, K N Rai, on Saturday acquitted 24 people, accused in the case of Khagaribigha and Jawahirbigha carnage in which 12 people were shot dead.

The court acquitted them of all the charges for want of sufficient evidence to proceed with the trial.

Six Yadav and six Dalits were shot dead by activists of Ranvir Sena, said to be an outfit of Bhumihars, the landed upper caste, at Khagaribigha and Jawahirbigha in the district on April 11, 1999.

Any mass murder reminds me of General Dyers and the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
The above judgement just reinforces by belief that the general public were much better off under the British Rule than by our own despots.
Six people are massacred and the police cannot build a case strong enough to put them behind bars.
If this is not collusion between the moneyed high caste and the administration, tell me what is?
It is these cases where injustice is done to the poor that gives birth to Maoism.
Is Nitish Kumar listening?
No amount of Aapki Sarkar, Apke Dwar will remove Maoism if this injustice continues.

How to wear your collar

A little boy got on the bus, sat next to a man reading a book, and noticed he had his collar on backwards.
The little boy asked why he wore his collar backwards.
The man, who was a priest, said 'I am a Father.'
The little boy replied 'My Dad doesn't wear his collar like that.'
The priest looked up from his book and answered 'I am the Father of many.'
The boy said 'My Dad has 4 boys, 4 girls and two grandchildren
and he doesn't wear his collar that way'
The priest, getting impatient, said 'I am the Father of hundreds'
and went back to reading his book.
The little boy sat quietly thinking for a while,
then leaned over and said,'Maybe you should use a condom
and wear your pants backwards instead of your collar.'

Atul has sent the above to brighten your Monday

Limitations of homeopathy

Homeopathy not a cure, says WHO

Homeopathic remedies often contain few or no active ingredients

People with conditions such as HIV, TB and malaria should not rely on homeopathic treatments, the World Health Organization has warned.

It was responding to calls from young researchers who fear the promotion of homeopathy in the developing world could put people's lives at risk.

The group Voice of Young Science Network has written to health ministers to set out the WHO view.

However practitioners said there were areas where homeopathy could help.

In a letter to the WHO in June, the medics from the UK and Africa said: "We are calling on the WHO to condemn the promotion of homeopathy for treating TB, infant diarrhoea, influenza, malaria and HIV.

"Homeopathy does not protect people from, or treat, these diseases.

"Those of us working with the most rural and impoverished people of the world already struggle to deliver the medical help that is needed.

"When homeopathy stands in place of effective treatment, lives are lost."

Dr Robert Hagan is a researcher in biomolecular science at the University of St Andrews and a member of Voice of Young Science Network, which is part of the charity Sense About Science campaigning for "evidence-based" care.

He said: "We need governments around the world to recognise the dangers of promoting homeopathy for life-threatening illnesses.

"We hope that by raising awareness of the WHO's position on homeopathy we will be supporting those people who are taking a stand against these potentially disastrous practices."

'No evidence'

Dr Mario Raviglione, director of the Stop TB department at the WHO, said: "Our evidence-based WHO TB treatment/management guidelines, as well as the International Standards of Tuberculosis Care do not recommend use of homeopathy."

The doctors had also complained that homeopathy was being promoted as a treatment for diarrhoea in children.

But a spokesman for the WHO department of child and adolescent health and development said: "We have found no evidence to date that homeopathy would bring any benefit.

"Homeopathy does not focus on the treatment and prevention of dehydration - in total contradiction with the scientific basis and our recommendations for the management of diarrhoea."

Dr Nick Beeching, a specialist in infectious diseases at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said: "Infections such as malaria, HIV and tuberculosis all have a high mortality rate but can usually be controlled or cured by a variety of proven treatments, for which there is ample experience and scientific trial data.

"There is no objective evidence that homeopathy has any effect on these infections, and I think it is irresponsible for a healthcare worker to promote the use of homeopathy in place of proven treatment for any life-threatening illness."

Homework

However Paula Ross, chief executive of the Society of Homeopaths, said it was right to raise concerns about promotion of homeopathy as a cure for TB, malaria or HIV and Aids.

But she added: "This is just another poorly wrapped attempt to discredit homeopathy by Sense About Science.

"The irony is that in their efforts to promote evidence in medicine, they have failed to do their own homework.

"There is a strong and growing evidence base for homeopathy and most notably, this also includes childhood diarrhoea."

The UK's Faculty of Homeopathy added that there was also evidence homeopathy could help people with seasonal flu.

Dr Sara Eames, president of the faculty, said people should not be deprived of effective conventional medicines for serious disease.

But she added: "Millions die each year as those affected have no access to these drugs.

"It therefore seems reasonable to consider what beneficial role homeopathy could play. What is needed is further research and investment into homeopathy."


This is just another poorly wrapped attempt to discredit homeopathy
Paula Ross, Society of Homeopaths

The above has been sent by Lalit Narayan.

I agree with Paula Ross of Society of Homeopaths.
The pharmaceutical industry has become a multi-billion industry and they finance all members of the medical profession including their associations. I will not mention here all the perks they give the medical profession. It is not given free. Nothing is free in this world.
The medical profession then comes out with all sorts of reports discrediting the Alternate Medical Profession.
Intitially they tried to discredit Swami Ramdeo's Pranayam and Yoga. However, when the people of India started doing pranayam and benefitted from it, they have now started advising their patients to do pranayam and yoga.

The less said of the allopathic physicians, the better it is for them.
They waste no opportunity in looting the public by whatever means are available.
Some of these are:
Prescribing unnecesary tests as they get a kick-back of up to 40 % on the testing charges.
Prescibing unnecessary medicines as the MR of a Pharma company has given them some gifts.
Giving referrals to other doctors. I scratch your back, you scrath mine.
Overcharging patients going to hospitals and nursing homes. Once the nursing home becomes aware that the insurance companies will be footing the bill, they double the charges.
Keeping patients who have expired under the ventilator to give an impression that he/she is alive and so continue billing the patients relative.
Advising patients to undergo angiography although the patient was found ok in TMT test.
Prostitutes are bad.
But the other Ps, Physicians, Police and Politicians are much worse.

Protectorate of Emigrants

CBI unearths corruption, forgery in Protectorate of Emigrants, Chennai

Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation unearthed a well-organised racket of corruption, forgery and bribery in the office of the Protector of Emigrants (POE), Chennai, last month. Since 2006, it has registered cases of organised corruption by officials of the POE in Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chandigarh.

Senior CBI officials told The Hindu on Friday that in almost all the cases, emigration clearance was given on the basis of forged and fabricated documents. The then CBI Director, P.C. Sharma, brought this up, in a December 12, 2002 letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Labour.

Last month, the CBI registered a case against R. Sekar, Protector of Emigrants, Chennai, and two others — chairman of a Chennai-based trust D. Ravindra Babu and a service agent for emigration Anwar Hussain — under various Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 120-B for alleged criminal conspiracy.

The POE again hit the headlines when its Delhi chief J. N. Panda committed suicide in his native place in Orissa after gunning down his family members.

The CBI searched the houses and offices of the POE, the service agent for emigration and other staff members in Chennai and seized Rs. 2.03 crore in cash and documents.

The probe revealed that on average, 300 emigration clearances were being issued by the POE, Chennai, every day, and the bribe amounted to Rs. 3 lakh. The bribe was not directly collected by the POE and his officials from candidates or agents, but passed on through select recruiting agents. The accounts of bribe to be paid a month for the total number of clearances made by the POE were maintained by a couple of recruiting agents to whom other agents were asked to make payments.

For the POE officials in Delhi and other places, the bribe ranging from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh a month was sent to their native places through domestic hawala channels, CBI sources said. The amount, collected by the POE, Chennai, alone amounted to Rs. 8.5 crore in the past one-and-a-half years. The CBI seized cash and documents pertaining to movable and immovable property of the accused to the tune of Rs. 4.3 crore.

Established to protect the interests of emigrant labour, the POE processes applications from workers seeking employment in West Asian countries. A change in the policy, effected three or four years ago, stipulated that certain documents from the employer are a must for emigration clearance. The aim is to make sure that the workers are not cheated by recruitment agencies.

The CBI sources said that hardly any employer in Saudi Arabia or Gulf countries ever furnished such documents, and recruitment agents took recourse to forgery. Interestingly, more than 100 fake stamps were recovered during searches in Chennai. Similarly, evidence of large-scale “forgery industry” came to light during the investigation of the cases registered in Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Thiruvananthapuram. Hardly any applicant ever got any original document from the employers, the sources said.

Senior CBI officials said innocent labourers seeking employment abroad were left with no option but to submit forged documents. “All this is common knowledge among POE officials who demand bribes for emigration clearance on the basis of forged documents.”

This is another case of the protector looting the people whom they are supposed to protect.
We have seen railway policemen robbing people in trains, people who they were supposed to protect.
We have seen the presidents guards raping two young girls who had gone to a park.
Now we are seeing officers from the Protectorate of Emigrants looting the very emigrants they were supposed to proctect.
After seeing fathers rape their daughters these shoould not surprise us.
But there must be a solution.
Our morals have degraded to such an extent that now we are not filled with horror of seeing / hearing these.
There is something basically wrong with our education system which does not tech morals and morality.
In this age of cut-throat competition, children are made to study only the relevant subjects which will give them a boost in life but destroys the nations character.
Our government are just interested in education without character.

Syed Modi Murder Judgement

Amita Verma

Lucknow

Aug. 22: Twenty-one years after he shot dead ace badminton player Syed Modi in Lucknow, Bhagwati Singh was awarded life imprisonment by a local court here on Saturday.

The court also imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the convict, who had been held guilty by additional sessions judge Shashank Shekhar on Friday. Another accused, Jitendra Singh, has been acquitted due to lack of evidence.

It may be recalled that Syed Modi was shot dead on July 28, 1988 near the K.D. Singh Babu Stadium while he was coming out after practice by assailants who came in a Maruti car.

The state government had transferred the investigation to the CBI keeping in view the sensitivity of the case.

The CBI filed a chargesheet against former minister (and now Congress MP) Sanjay Singh, Ameeta Modi, Akhilesh Singh, Bhagwati Singh, Jitendra Singh, Amar Bahadur Singh and Balai Singh. The charges against Dr Sanjay Singh and Ameeta were dropped on September 17, 1990, while the high court acquitted Akhilesh Singh on August 29, 1996. The other accused, Balai Singh, died, while Amar Bahadur Singh was later found murdered.

The wheels of justice grind slowly but surely.
That is what the saying goes.
But is this justice?
It has taken all of 21 years to convict a criminal for murder for life.
A life sentence is just 14 years.
The convict has already passed away 21 years outside the jail for he must have got bail within a few months if not few weeks.
Since it is the lower court which has given its verdict, he will again file an appeal in the High Court. While this is pending, he will again roam about freely to threaten witnesses and commit more murders.
This normally happens when MPs and MLAs are involved in murders.
If I remember the case right, Sanjay Singh ,former minister in UP and now Congress MP, was having an affair with Ameeta Modi, wife of Syed Modi, ace badninton player.
It was alleged that Sanjay Singh was involved in the murder.
However, as is the case with politicians, the case against Sanjay Singh and Ameeta Modi were dropped for whatever reasons.
Some scapegoat has to be found so Bhagwati Singh was made one.
Although Sanjay Singh and gang have been freed, the case history does leave a bad taste in the mouth on justice miscarried.
The rich and the powerful use all their resources to play with justice and we can truly say that she is truly blind, not just blind-folded.

Human Blood Pressure

Human Blood Pressure Range Diagram

The 1st Number: Systolic pressure is the pressure generated when the heart contracts .

The 2nd Number: Diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when the heart is relaxed.

What is Normal Blood Pressure ? Buy and use a blood pressure monitor.
Compare your BP reading with the numbers on the chart above. Draw a line from your systolic pressure to your diastolic pressure.
Is the slope of the line about the same as shown on the chart? Where do YOU fit in? What are your risk factors?
Are your blood pressure readings within the normal blood pressure range?Should you take anti-hypertension medication to lower your blood pressure?

Normal human daily Blood Pressure Range can vary widely, so any single blood pressure monitor reading is not reliable. BP monitor readings must be taken at different times of day, to determine AVERAGE blood pressure over time.

What is important is your AVERAGE BP, or MAP (Mean Arterial Pressure) over time. Or, where are those numbers sitting MOST of the time?

Normal MAP is about 93 mm of mercury.
Lowering High Blood Pressure Tactics
Download a 1-page printable .PDF file of the
Blood Pressure Chart above.


Blood Pressure Range Chart Notes
NORMAL BLOOD PRESSUREREADINGS RANGE
HIGH Blood Pressure Symptoms -Stressed, Sedentary, Bloated, Weak, Failing Systolic - Diastolic
210 - 120 - Stage 4 High Blood Pressure
180 - 110 - Stage 3 High Blood Pressure
160 - 100 - Stage 2 High Blood Pressure
140 - 90 - Stage 1 High Blood Pressure
140 - 90 - BORDERLINE HIGH
130 - 85 - High Normal
120 - 80 - NORMAL Blood Pressure
110 - 75 - Low Normal
90 - 60 - BORDERLINE LOW
60 - 40 - TOO LOW Blood Pressure
50 - 33 - DANGER Blood Pressure
LOW Blood Pressure Symptoms -Weak, Tired, Dizzy, Fainting, Coma
With Swine flue playing havoc, over 50 deaths so far, here is and Homeopathic dose which would help you.
Precautional Homeopathy medicine for swine & all flus.
" Influenzinum 1M "
once a day in the morning for a week. (foradult )
Kids Influenz 200 (1to10 yrs),
once a day in morning

BP is one of the easiest, fastest and cheapest non-invasive tests carried out on the human body to monitor its condition. It gives the earliest notice that everything is not OK in you.
Indranil Aich has sent the above chart to know what is wrong with your body vis-vis your blood pressue.
Since it is difficult to memorise, it would be useful if you took a print-out and kept it under your table glass.
The homeopathic dose has also been suggested by him.
Indranil attended his first reunion with us on the 9th,

MPs overstaying in their Bunglows.

Renuka, Paswan, 15 others cling on to Lutyens houses
Prashant Pandey

New Delhi

Aug. 21: The list of former ministers and MPs who continue to unauthorisedly occupy their bungalows, which are part of the general pool, in the Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ) has come down from 36 to 17 in a month. However, some of the leaders, like former minister of state for women and child development Renuka Chowdhury, former minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Mr Jagdish Tytler continue to be in unauthorised occupation of their bungalows despite their cases having been referred to the litigation division of the ministry of urban development (MoUD).

The directorate of estates, under the MoUD, provided the information in reply to a petition under the RTI Act by Subhash Chandra Agarwal. The figures are till August 10.

Having lost the parliamentary elections from her constituency, Khammam, earlier this year, Ms Chowdhury, who occupies 76, Lodhi Estate, was supposed to have vacated her bungalow. However, she has continued to stay with sources close to her claiming she would get a Rajya Sabha berth.

Mr Paswan, who occupies 12, Janpath, also seems to be in a mood to stay on, though his attempts to get the accommodation allotted in the name of his party has failed.

The other leaders who have not vacated their bungalows are Saleem Sherwani, Vinod Khanna, Charanjit Singh Atwal, S.N. Jatiya, Subhash Maharia, Yerran Naidu, Shankarsinh Vaghela, P.R. Das Munshi, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Taslimuddin, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Suryakanta Patil, Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan and Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav.

In the case of former minister Kanshi Ram Rana, there seems to have been some confusion. Though his name appeared in the list of 36 last month, he claimed that he had already vacated his bungalow. But in its reply the directorate of estates stated it had not received any "vacation report". The matter is still under consideration with the ministry.

Some of the other leaders who have vacated their bungalows include the defence minister in the NDA regime, Mr George Fernandes, who is now the JD(U) Rajya Sabha candidate from Bihar. The others who vacated were A. Narendra, L. Ganeshan, Basangouda R. Patil, Faggan Singh Kulaste, Jual Oram, Santosh Gangwar, Vallabh Bhai Kathiriya, S.S. Badal, V. Radhika Selvi, Naranbhai Rathwa, Raghunath Jha, Kanti Singh, Mahavir Prasad, Santosh Mohan Dev, Shakeel Ahmed and P.R. Kyndiah.

Just as a baby is reluctant to move out of the safety of its mother's womb, these shameless MPs do not vacate their houses after losing elections.
The baby normally moves out on its own or is coaxed out with the midwife of doctor's help.
If it overstays, you have stillbirth abd the baby dies.
I suppose our MPs should also be coaxed out with police help, we cannot hope that they would die of stillbirth.
They are the people who make laws and expect the rest of India to obey those laws when they themselves flout them.
If any party is palnning to send these MPs to the Rajya Sabha, they should give it in writing and a time limit should be fixed