Saturday, July 30, 2011

Wine or Woman



Sent by Ralph Reeves

Teddy F Stoddard, M.D

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.'
His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'

His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.'

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets.'

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.'

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.'

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today.. pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today. Tomorrow? Just 'do it'.

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it!

'Believe in Angels, then return the favour'


Sent by Arun Shroff

Secret of Success: Get the Mind-Set of an Ant

All of us tend to look up to big people for lessons on how to get better. We are keen to learn the secrets of their success. But we forget that sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us. Now that's a good lesson to remember!

Take ants for instance. Would you believe those small creatures can teach us how to live a better life? Jim Rohn - the great motivational guru - developed what he called the 'Ants Philosophy'.

He identified four key lessons from the behaviour of ants that can help us lead better lives. Jim Rohn is no more - but his messages continue to inspire. Here then, are the four lessons from Rohn's 'Ants Philosophy'.

1. Ants never quit. Have you noticed how ants always look for a way around an obstacle? Put your finger in an ant's path and it will try and go around it, or over it. It will keep looking for a way out. It won't just stand there and stare. It won't give up and go back.

We should all learn to be like that. There will always be obstacles in our lives. The challenge is to keep trying, keep looking for alternative routes to get to our goals. Winston Churchill probably paraphrased the ant's mindset when he offered this priceless advice: 'Never give up. Never, never give up!'

2. Ants think winter all summer. Remember the old story of the ant and the grasshopper? In the middle of summer, the ant was busy gathering food for the winter ahead - while the grasshopper was out having a good time. Ants know that summer - the good times - won't last forever. Winters will come. That's a good lesson to remember. When the going is good, don't be so arrogant as to believe that a crisis or a setback cannot happen to you. Be good to other people. Save for a rainy day. Look ahead. And remember, good times may not last, but good people do.

3. Ants think summer all winter. As they suffer through the unbearable cold of the winter, ants keep reminding themselves that it won't last forever, and that summer will soon be here. And with the first rays of the summer sun, the ants come out - ready to work, ready to play. When we are down and seemingly out, when we go through what looks like a never-ending crisis, it's good to remind ourselves that this too shall pass. Good times will come. It's important to retain a positive attitude, an attitude that says things will get better. As the old saying goes, tough times don't last. Tough people do.

4. Ants do all they possibly can. How much food does an ant gather in summer? All that it possibly can! Now that's a great work ethic to have. Do all you can! One ant doesn't worry about how much food another ant is collecting. It does not sit back and wonder why it should have to work so hard. Nor does it complain about the poor pay! Ants just do their bit. They gather all the food they can. Success and happiness are usually the result of giving 100% - doing all you possibly can. If you look around you, you'll find that successful people are those who just do all they possibly can.

Follow the four simple steps of Jim Rohn's 'Ant Philosophy' - and you'll see the difference. Don't quit. Look ahead. Stay positive. And do all you can.

And there's just one more lesson to learn from ants. Did you know that an ant can carry objects up to 20 times their own weight? Maybe we are like that too. We can carry burdens on our shoulders and manage workloads that are far, far heavier than we'd imagine. Next time something's bothering you and weighing you down, and you feel you just can't carry on, don't fret. Think of the little ant. And remember, you too can carry a lot more on your shoulders!


Sent by Arun Shroff

Are we witnessing the US Obituary

What have we learned in 2066 years?
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest we become bankrupt. People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance."
- Cicero - 55 BC, Rome

So, evidently nothing


Obituary

In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage." The Obituary follows:

Born 1776, Died 2008 It doesn't hurt to read this several times.

Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul , Minnesota , points out some interesting facts concerning the last Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Obama: 19
McCain: 29
Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000
McCain: 2,427,000
Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million
McCain: 143 million
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Obama: 13.2
McCain: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory McCain won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country.

Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..."

Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's - and they vote - then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

If you are in favor of this, then by all means, delete this message suggests my American friend..

If you are not, then he suggests passing this along to help everyone realize the true state of the Union.

The Union is a Constitutional Republic.

Someone should point this out to Mr. Obama. who it appears pays little, if any attention to that U.S. Constitution. The stakes in the 2012 Presidential election are enormous.

Equally,we can only hope that the Repulicans get their heads out from
up their collective butts and put together a worthy Presidential ticket.
God help the U.S., and indeed, humanity if Sara Palin again gets anywhere near the ticket/Office.


Sent by Prakash Bhartia

A cure for prostrate

Wiremu, a New Zealander, was on the dole in Australia but about to fly home
to watch the Rugby World Cup and was not feeling well,

So he decided to see a doctor.

"Hey doc, I dun't feel so good, ey" said Wiremu.

The doctor gave him a thorough examination and informed Wiremu
that he had long existing and advanced prostate problems and that the
only cure was testicular removal.

"No way doc" replied Wiremu "I'm gitting a sicond opinion ey!"

The second Aussie doctor gave Wiremu the same diagnosis and also
advised him that testicular removal was the only cure.
Not surprisingly, Wiremu refused the treatment.

Wiremu was devastated, but with the Rugby World Cup just around
the corner he found an expat Kiwi doctor and decided to get one last
opinion from someone he could trust.

The Kiwi doctor examined him and said: "Wiremu Cuzzy Bro, you huv Prostate
suckness ey."

"What's the cure thin doc ?" asked Wiremu hoping for a different answer.

"Wull, Wiremu", said the Kiwi doctor "Wi're gonna huv to cut off your balls."

"Phew, thunk god for thut!" said Wiremu,
"those Aussie bastards wanted to take my test tickets off me!"


Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Friday, July 29, 2011

Management Policies





Sent by U Banerjee, NP.

They give a true picture of today's management

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Why is California bankrupt?

A story about a coyote
California:

The Governor of California is jogging with his dog along a nature
trail. A coyote jumps out and attacks the Governor's dog, then bites the
Governor. The Governor starts to intervene, but reflects upon the movie
"Bambi" and then realizes he should stop because the coyote is only
doing what is natural.

He calls animal control Animal Control captures the coyote
and bills the State $200 testing it for diseases and $500 for relocating
it.

He calls a veterinarian. The vet collects the dead dog and
bills the State $200 testing it for diseases.

The Governor goes to hospital and spends $3,500 getting checked
for diseases from the coyote and on getting his bite wound bandaged.

The running trail gets shut down for 6 months while Fish & Game
conducts a $100,000 survey to make sure the area is now free of
dangerous animals.

The Governor spends $50,000 in state funds implementing a
"coyote awareness program" for residents of the area..

The State Legislature spends $2 million to study how to better
treat rabies and how to permanently eradicate the disease throughout
the world.

The Governor's security agent is fired for not stopping the
attack. The State spends $150,000 to hire and train a new agent with
additional special training re: the nature of coyotes.

PETA protests the coyote's relocation and files a $5 million suit
against the State.


Texas

The Governor of Texas is jogging with his dog along a nature
trail. A Coyote jumps out and attacks his dog.

1. The Governor shoots the coyote with his State-issued pistol and
keeps jogging. The Governor has spent $0.50 on a ..45 hollow point
cartridge.

2. The Buzzards eat the dead coyote.

And that, my friends, is why California is broke and Texas is not

A Cow from Egypt

The only cow in a small town in Lebanon stopped giving milk.
The town folk found they could buy a cow in Egypt quite cheaply. Theybrought the cow from Egypt and it was wonderful, produced lots of milk
every day and everyone was happy.
They bought a bull to mate with the cow to get more cows, so they'dnever have to worry about their milk supply again. They put the bull inthe pasture with the cow but whenever the bull tried to mount the cow,the cow would move away. No matter what approach the bull tried, thecow would move away from the bull and he was never able to do the deed.
The people were very upset and decided to go to the wise old Vet totell him what was happening and ask his advice.

"Whenever the bull tries to mount our cow, she moves away. If heapproaches from the back, she moves forward. When he approaches her
from the front, she backs off. If he attempts from the one side, shewalks away to the other side."

The Vet rubbed his chin thoughtfully and pondered this before asking,

"Did you by chance, buy this cow in Egypt ?"

The people were dumbfounded, since no one had ever mentioned that theyhad brought the cow over from Egypt .

"You are truly a wise Vet," they said. "How did you know we got the cow from Egypt ?

The Vet replied with a distant look in his eye:

"My wife is from Egypt "


Sent by U Banerjee, NP

COMPLAINT LETTER TO THE RAILWAYS IN 1909!!!

Okhil Babu's letter to the Railway department:

I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with lotaah in one hand and dhoti in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female women on platform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station. This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers.

Okhil Chandra Sen wrote this letter to the Sahibganj divisional railway office in 1909. It is on display at the Railway Museum in New Delhi. It was also reproduced under the caption Travellers Tales in the Far Eastern Economic Review.

Any guesses why this letter is of historic value?
.
.
.
It led to the introduction of TOILETS in trains in India.....!!!!

So please don't think any idea is stupid and discard it.

so next Time when u sheshe in the Train Remember OKHIL CHANDRA SEN


Sent by U Banerjee, NP.

A British Prophecy


WHAT THE BRITISHERS DIDN’T SUCCEED IN DOING, WE ARE EXCELLING IN!!

Sir Winston Churchill wrote 64 years ago about India :
"Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low caliber & men of straw. They will have sweet tongues & silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power & India will be lost in political squabbles. A day would come when even air & water would be taxed in India."

We are indeed an incredible NATION; we have worked very hard and we have indeed proved him right.....


India against Corruption!
Releasing Shortly Multi Billion $ Small Budget Film

"LOOT LE INDIA"

Producer : Ambani Bros,
Director : Sonia & Sharad
Hero : Manmohan Singh.
Villian : Baba Ramdev & Anna Hazare
Supporting cast : Ashok Chavan, A Raja , D Maran , Kanimohzi & Kalmadi
Comedy : Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, Digvijay Singh
Guest Appearance : S Balwa
Script : Karunanidhi
Choreography : Supreme Court & Subramanian Swamy
Action : Delhi Police,
Stunts & Inaction ; CBI, ED
Music : Neera Radia
Noise ; J Natarajan, M Tiwari, A Singhvi
Media Partners : Sun TV, Kalaignar TV
Banking Partners : Hasan Ali, S Balwa
Shot at locales in Switzerland, Cayman Islands , Tihar,

Tickets printed by TELGI
No e tickets please

Monday, July 25, 2011

Deep Discounts

Two friends were just about to tee off
at the first hole of their local golf course when a guy carrying
a golf bag called outto them, 'Do you mind if I join you? My partner didn't turn up.'

'Sure,' they said, 'You're welcome.' So they started playing and enjoyed the game and the company of the newcomer.

Part way around the course, one of the friends asked the newcomer,
'What do you do for a living?'

'I'm a hit man,' was the reply.

'You're joking!' was the response.

'No, I'm not,' he said, reaching into his golf bag, and pulling out a
beautiful Marlin sniper's rifle with a large telescopic sight.
'Here are my tools.'

'That's a beautiful telescopic sight,' said the other friend,

'Can I take a look? I think I might be able to see my house from
here.' So he picked up the rifle and looked through the sight in
the direction of his house.

'Yeah, I can see my house all right. I can see right in the window.'

'Wow, I can see my wife in the bedroom... Ha Ha, I can see she's
naked!! Wait a minute, that's my neighbor in there with her......
He's naked, too!!!

He turned to the hit man, 'How much do you charge for a hit?'

'I'll do a flat rate, for you, one thousand dollars every time I pull the trigger.'

'Can you do two for me now?'

'Sure, what do you want?'

'First, shoot my wife, she's always been mouthy, so shoot her in the mouth.'

'Then the neighbor, he's a friend of mine, so just shoot his dick
off to teach him a lesson.'

The hit man took the rifle and took aim, standing perfectly
still for a few minutes.

'Well, are you going to do it or not?' said the friend.

'Just be patient,' said the hit man calmly, 'I think I can save you a Grand here.....'

Domino Effect

There was a 10 year old boy walking down the sidewalk dragging a flattened frog on a string behind him.

He walked up to a house of ill repute and knocked on the door. When the Madam answered it, she saw the little boy and asked what he wanted. He said, 'I want to have sex with one of the women inside. I have the money and I'm not leaving until I do.'

The Madam figured, why not, so she told him to come in. Once in, she told him to pick any of the girls he liked. He asked, 'Do any of the girls have any diseases?'

Of course, the Madam said no, but the boy replied, 'I heard all the men talking about having to get shots after making it with Amber. So THAT'S the girl I want!'

Since the little boy was so adamant and had the money to pay for it, the Madam told him to go to the first room on the right. He headed down the hall dragging the squashed frog behind him.

Ten minutes later he came back, still dragging the frog, paid the Madam, and headed out the door.
The Madam stopped him and asked, 'Why did you pick the only girl in the place with a disease, instead of one of the others?'

He said, 'Well, if you must know, tonight when I get home, my parents are going out to a restaurant to eat, leaving me at home with my babysitter. After they leave, my babysitter will have sex with me because she just happens to be very fond of little boys. She will get the disease that I just caught..

When Mum and Dad get back, Dad will take the babysitter home. On the way, he'll have sex with her, and he'll catch the disease.

Then when Dad gets home from the babysitters, he and Mum will go to bed and have sex, and Mum will catch it.

In the morning when Dad goes to work, the Milkman will deliver the milk, have a quickie with Mum and catch the disease...and HE'S the bastard who ran over my FROG


Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Some Medical Pearls

These are sentences exactly as typed by medical secretaries
in NHS (National Health Service) Greater Glasgow:


1. The patient has no previous history of suicide.
2. Patient has left her white blood cells at another hospital.

3. Patient's medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days.

4. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.
5. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

6. On the second day the knee was better and on the third day it disappeared.

7. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

8. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

9. Discharge status:- Alive, but without my permission.

10. Healthy-appearing decrepit 69-year old male, mentally alert, but forgetful.

11. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

12. She is numb from her toes down.

13. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.
14. The skin was moist and dry.
15. Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.

16. Patient was alert and unresponsive.
17. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.
18. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life until she got a divorce.
19. I saw your patient today, who is still under our care for physical therapy.
20. Both breasts are equal and reactive to light and accommodation.
21. Examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus sized.
22. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.
23. Skin: somewhat pale, but present.
24. The pelvic exam will be done later on the floor.
25. Large brown stool ambulating in the hall.
26. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.
27. When she fainted, her eyes rolled around the room.
28. The patient was in his usual state of good health until his airplane ran out of fuel and crashed.
29. Between you and me, we ought to be able to get this lady pregnant.
30. She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.
31.. Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Smith, who felt we should sit on the abdomen and I agree.
32. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stock broker instead.
33. By the time he was admitted, his rapid heart had stopped, and he was feeling better.

For the sake of your health - stay away from hospital!


Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Posted from Mumbai

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Mandatory Warning on All Tickets.

TRAVELLING BY INDIAN RAILWAYS IS INJURIOUS TO YOUR HEALTH.
THE RAILWAYS TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION.
ANY INJURY INCURRED BY YOU IN THE COURSE OF YOUR JOURNEY WILL BE COMPENSATED BY AN ASSURANCE BY THE CONCERNED RAILWAY MINISTER OF COMPENSATION AS PER THE EXTENT OF INJURY.HOWEVER, THE RAILWAYS DO NOT GUARANTEE WHEN THE SAID COMPENSATION WILL REACH YOU OF EVER REACH YOU. THE RAILWAY MINISTER HIMSELF REGRETS THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE THE TIME FOR FORMALITIES LIKE LOOKING HOW YOU HAVE FARED IN THE ACCIDENT. FOR THAT HE HAS DEPUTED HIS DEPUTIES TO WHO HE PAYS FAT SALARIES.

By Order

Railway Board




The above is a scene of ill-fated S2 compartment of Kalka Express which met with an accident yesterday..
We are told by highly reliable sources, that in future, all tickets issued by the railways will carry the above captioned warning.

Diga del Cingino dam


This is the Diga del Cingino dam in Italy - can you see the little dots on the wall?
What do you think they are?
Look closer maybe.....

Still don’t know what they are??
Let's take a closer look again......




They are European Ibex and they like to eat the moss & lichen,
And lick the salt off the dam wall.
Just when you think you've seen everything!

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Monday, July 11, 2011

New Michelin Tires... Absolutely SCARY looking...

Look for 'em in August.

These tires are made in South Carolina , USA .

SEE THROUGH TIRES!

Radical new tire design by Michelin.
The next generation of tires.
They had a pair at the Philadelphia car show.

Yes, those are 'spoke' like connections to the inner part of the tire from the outside tread 'wrap!'
The next picture shows how odd it looks in motion...

Makes you wonder how the ride feels, doesn't it?

These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.

The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these.

Just think of the impact on existing technology:
A. no more air valves...
B. no more air compressors at gas stations...
C. no more repair kits...
D. no more flats...
These are actual pictures taken at the South Carolina plant of Michelin.


Sent by Arun Shroff

An Important Issue!






Indian government approves 200% MP's salary hike , Still some MP's are unhappy.

Now , MP's take home salary is Rs 45 lakh per anum + other allowances.

TOTAL expense for a MP [having no qualification] per year : Rs.60,95,000

For 534 MPs , the expense for 1 years :

Rs. 325,47,30,000
3254730000 X 5 years =
Rs. 1627,36, 50000 ( One Thousand six hundred crores plus..)

CA Dr. AS Vishnu Bharath.
President V-CAT
This is the present condition of our country:

1627 crores could make their lives livable!!
Think of the great democracy we have ¡K

Do MP's really need salary hike? Do they really wait for 30th of every month for salary credits to there bank accounts, like we do every month ????


Sent by Keith Hayward

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Crossing caste lines, they cast off surnames

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) Upon entering the cold room and extending the formal niceties, Reshma, 30, introduces herself to her prospective employer. A pregnant pause and a puzzled look later she's asked the indispensable question - 'Reshma what'? That she doesn't have a surname always has the same effect on people-a long reluctant silence.
In a nation where identity comes in a rigid two column template, where a mandatory surname box greets you in documents, where everyone inherits a last name if not a fortune, not having a surname is considered the greatest of all misfortunes.
But there's a niche tribe which is happily shunning the excess baggage and sticking to strict first-name basis-in order to set a precedent for a casteless society or just to sound cool.
Or for no peculiar reason as is the case with Reshma, a PR professional. When she decided to get rid of her Rajput identity five years back, she knew it won't be a cakewalk and a crash course in deep breathing will come in handy.
'It's very difficult for people to digest that someone cannot have a surname. I have to do it day in and out, explain that I'm just Reshma and if they are trying to figure out my pedigree, they won't get anywhere,' Reshma, who migrated to Delhi from the freshly carved out Jharkhand in 2001, told IANS.
While on one hand the caste census has become a living reality, in a symbolic move 100 people on April 14 (Ambedkar Jayanti) gave up their last names in an event organised by the NGO Swaraj in Delhi.
'Everyone gave up their surnames and took up caste neutral names like Swaraj or Hindustani. Our idea is to create a casteless society,' said Sambit, who heads the NGO which works for Dalit upliftment.
While many would dismiss the concept of a casteless society as a utopian idea, Bharat Bhushan, who has done away with the Sharma in his name and adopted a Bharatiya, is optimistic.
'Earlier, people used to address me as Sharmaji or Panditji knowing that I was a Brahmin. It doesn't happen anymore. I feel more proud of my identity this way,' said Bharat, who own an advertising agency.
Ask him what prompted him to take the extreme step and he does a little flashback. 'I am from Uttar Pradesh and I've seen caste politics from very close. No one decides which family you are born to, it's unfair to be in an advantageous position just because of your second name.'
However, sociology professor Satish Deshpande believes there's more to the act than just the token dropping of the surname.
'Mere dropping a surname is a very small thing if you remain conscious of your caste, you also have to give up the privileges... otherwise it doesn't make a difference.'
'Talk of a casteless society has to be serious. There's a lot of humbug that is going in its name,' the Delhi School of Economics professor told IANS.
However, 25-year-old Manish Sawarkar is unperturbed. He believes the act is the stepping stone to an ideal society, though it hasn't been a smooth ride for him after he parted with the Mishra in his name.
'Some of my relatives were not very happy with my decision...there were taunts that I had disrespected my community. But thankfully my parents were very supportive,' said Manish, who recently completed his masters from Delhi University.
While the likes of Manish have very consciously alienated themselves from their caste identities, there are some like Arunima who by default grew up without a last name.
'Most people of my generation from Bihar grew up without a surname because our parents thought better of it due to all the Mandal Commission things happening.'
Though she has not faced any startling awkward situation due the singularity of her name, she had her share of problems while getting government work done.
'Getting the passport, visa made was a big pain. At immigration, they check my documents twice. My London School of Economics (LSE) degree even has my name written twice - Arunima Arunima - since they had to write something in the extra space,' she says.
Apart from deciding whether you will worship Ram or Christ, one other thing that fate seals at the very birth in India is how much reservation you can claim at the important junctures of life- thanks to your caste.
Add to that the cosy relationship it shares with politics, and the idea of a casteless society sounds farfetched. But as E.M. Forster once said, 'Ideas are fatal to caste.'


The above has been posted by Mohita Nagpal in Yahoo.
It is a good idea. Now let us see if it can catch on.
As I see it since reservations are disadvantageous to the upper castes, they probably have adopted it mostly.
When the people who gain most by reservation adopt this practice will we know that a revolution has occurred.
Our government, by now carrying out the caste census are just entrenching the caste system further for their vote banks.
Everything that the UPA has done is retrogressive.
The positive action which they are doing on corruption is because they are being forced to do so by the Supreme Court and public opinion , that too with great reluctance and dragging of feet.
If the Supreme Court and public opinion relaxes the pressure, they will be back to their old ways, honest PM or no honest PM

Goethals Memorial School has gone past the 104 mark and many would be interested in tracing its beginnings.
BR FREDDY MARTIN FERNANDES who is in St Mary’s , Dum Dum, wrote this piece in 2005 for Radheshyam Sharma’s website (http://goethals1907-2007.blogspot.com/ )
It covers events leading up to 1963 and we should look forward to comments that will take us through to the present ….another 50 years !
Many thanks to Martin and Radheshyam for keeping the flag flying.
History of Goethals

The great earth-quake of 1897 caused so much damage to Cooper’s house, the lower storey of which for more than halt a century had served as St. Xavier’s chapel (Bow Bazaar, Calcutta) that the building of a new church became an immediate imperative. The ground floor of the new St. Joseph’s did duty as a chapel while the building of the present church, on which work was begun on the 19 January, 1898, was in progress.
One of the last functions to be performed by Archbishop Dr. Paul Count Goethals, 1st Archbishop of Calcutta, was the blessing and laying of the foundation stone on the 12 April.
Shortly after that he was ordered by his doctors to return to Belgium in the hope that his indifferent health might improve. However, it was soon obvious that he would not survive very long, and when he realized this he determined to return to Calcutta and die among the people for whom he had so long and zealously laboured. He returned to his diocese and lived for some months in his residence in Park Street until the Lord called him away on the 4 July, 1901. He died at his residence, 12 Park Street, Calcutta. His funeral was the most imposing that had been seen in the Capital of British India for years, attending as it was on the route to the Cathedral, by crowds of persons of all classes and creeds, Catholic and Protestant, Mussalman and Hindoo alike. He was succeeded by Most Rev. Dr Meulmann, S.J.

The Hon’ble Mr. James Woodroffe, Advocate General of the High Court, an Irishman and a convert, called on Archbishop Dr. Meulmann, S.J., soon after his consecration and told him that he wished to have a memorial erected to the late Archbishop Goethals and requested him to call a meeting of the principal Catholics in Calcutta to devise what shape that memorial might take.

Archbishop Meulmann agreed to Mr. Woodroffe’s proposal and the first meeting was called of all the priests in Calcutta and all the principal Catholic laymen. It was agreed that the nature of the memorial should depend on the amount of money collected; but first of all a marble tablet was to be erected in the Cathedral in Moorghihatta with a record of the life and works of the good Archbishop Goethals. Woodroffe was ready to put down Rs.5000. Collectors were appointed but very little money was coming in except what was collected by Woodroffe himself. At a subsequent meeting Woodroffe expressed the wish to get all the European boys out of Moorghihatta Orphanage and bring them into healthier surroundings. It was at this stage the Christian Brothers were consulted to see what they were prepared to do. Br Fabian Kenneally was prepared to back the project if the memorial selected were a school situated in a Hill Station. The Brothers had only one Hill Station in Nainital and that was not sufficient for their increasing numbers. Br Stanislaus O’Brien representing the Provincial attended the next meeting of the organizing committee and it was agreed that he with Mr. Woodroffe were to be the sole collectors. Both did very well among the gentry and merchants of Calcutta and a large sum of money was collected.


The Maharajah of Burdwan, who had sold to the Jesuit Fathers the land on which St. Mary’s Scholasticate stands at Kurseong, agreed to sell a large strip adjoining the Scholasticate grounds for the purpose of the Goethals Memorial School. The Government also agreed to lease us an area adjoining the Maharajah’s strip. The lease is for twenty five years renewable at the same rate as long as it will be required for a school. Thus, abundance of land was secured for the new venture.

In September, 1903, Brother Stanislaus O’Brien was sent to Kurseong for the building and equipping of the new establishment, and he became its first Superior. The tenant on both the Government land and the Maharajah’s had to be compensated. There was no trouble with the Government tenants as they were called together and paid off, the Government sending a man from Darjeeling to assist. It was different with the tenants of the Maharajah’s property. These held out a long time until the Superior invoked the assistance of a native lawyer named Bishambur of the town of Kurseong. Bishambur got them all out except the head-tenant, a lady whose name and titles were Hurka Maya Jemadarini Mondolini. This lady was the only tenant of the Maharajah, the others were her sub-tenants, and she held a vast stretch of the Maharajah’s land on these slopes of the Himalayas. The Jemadars are low-caste Indians who are employed as sweepers, but this lady, though she belonged to this caste, had become wealthy. Mondol means a landlord and the word are rendered feminine by the termination - ‘mi’. After a long struggle, Bishambur got her to go and take up her abode lower down on the slope on the other side of the main road to Darjeeling. Of course she had to get a considerable compensation for disturbance.
Mount Carmel Novitiate stands on the ground she occupied for her own dwelling. The flat lower down on which Goethals was built had been occupied by a previous mondol.
Br Stanislaus O’Brien was thus enabled to clear the site and make preparations for the erection of the building. The Archbishop came, blessed the site and turned the first sod. He also loaned us Br John Molitor, S.J., the builder of St.Francis Xavier’s Church in Bow Bazar for the building of Goethals Memorial.

The building now went ahead in right earnest. Sir Andrew Fraser the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, gave us a building grant of 60,000 Rupees and promised another 60000 which we never got. When Sir Andrew’s time was up he invited Brother Stanislaus to his residence in Darjeeling and showed him his private file in which he had had recorded for his successor that the first 60,000 Rupees available should be given for Goethals School. Sir Edward Baker his successor, refused to give this further sum. He thought that too much had been given already-Later on in the progress of the building Brother Gilbert Cooney and Brother S. O’Brien had an interview with Lord Michael, then Governor of Bengal, and induced him to give an additional 10.000 Rupees for the building. On account of the Government grant the plans had to be submitted to the engineers of the PWD. They came frequently to examine the work, good advice and expressed themselves well pleased with all they saw. When the g stage was reached Br Molitor suggested a Mansard roof which would give full dormitory accommodation on the top storey. When the Government engineers were consulted they said they knew nothing of the mansard style of roof but allowed it to up. Later one of them said that it was a tricky roof but that the work was well So on the work went, but it was not completed and the school furnished until the end of 1906.
In the summer of that year all the Brothers in the plains with the Br. Provincial came up to Kurseong to spend their holidays in the new establishment. The Provincial decided that we must have a house warming, so the whole community of St.Mary’s priests and scholastics were invited as well as the priests of the Dacca and and those of Bettiah and Krishnagar who were on holidays in the neighbourood. All were greatly pleased with the new Catholic centre, and after a good tiffin returned happily to their homes.
In the following January, 1907, we opened the school with 100 boys. Later in that year when Sir Andrew and Lady Fraser were going to Darjeeling for the summer months they came for the official opening, leaving the special train on which they were traveling to their summer residence waiting for them at the Goethals siding.
Sir Andrew examined the whole building and in his speech at the opening ceremony expressed himself well pleased with all he saw. Very soon we had 200 boarders and began to make our mark at the competitive examinations.
A Two years’ engineering class started for the purpose of obtaining entrance into the Sibpur Engineering school for mining. Several of our boys became managers of mines. Unfortunately this course has now been closed to our students.
For many years a successful farm was worked at the Goethals which supplied the school with abundance of milk, butter, vegetables, and eggs and to a large extent with meat. However, because of the depredations of some of the local community, the farm had to be given up and the land is now under trees.

As the Hill Station of Kurseong is much nearer to Calcutta than that of Nainital, the Provincial, Brother Fabian Kenneally, determined to build a holiday house for the Brothers of the plains close to the Goethals. A journey of one night in the train brings the travelers from Calcutta to the foot of the hills below Kurseong, and a few hours climbing by motor or by train brings the wayfarer into the cooler atmosphere of the hills, 6000 feet above sea-level at the Goethals. Hurka Maya’s flat, a few hundred feet above the school was selected as the site of the vacation house which, when completed, gave accommodation for 36 Brothers and was fully utilized for many a mid-summer holiday by the communities from the houses in the plains. When Br Arsenius Ryan became Provincial (1914) he made it the Novitiate and called it Mount Carmel.
On March 1st, 1915, the Novitiate was transferred from Asansol to Mt. Carmel. Br. Philip Studdert was the first Novice Master at Mount Carmel, and he was succeeded by Br Baptist Holland in his second term as Novice Master. When through old age he had to relinquish the post he was followed by Brother Luke Aherne. (Mount Carmel was closed in the ‘40’s for want of young men willing to join the Brothers. However it was re-opened in 1959 by the then Provincial Br. and the first Novice Master was Br.Slattery and Br. Barrett was his Assistant. Those who joined at that time finished their schooling in Goethals. Some might remember the names: Stanley Alvarez (Now Provincial of the Christian Brothers in India), Cedrick Fernandes (1961); Joe Pinto (now Congregation Consultor - Rome (1962); Suresh Pinto, Fredryck Fernandes (1963); Gordon Gale, and many others of more recent vintage, some of whom have left the Brothers)

Br. Freddy Martin Fernandes
July 8th, 2005


Sent by Sir, Mr. Lobo.

I have posted it again just for our new readers and for recall of our heritage.

Tequila and Salt

This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror

where one could read it every day. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for...

2.. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. You are special and unique.

8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.

11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

So....

If you are a loving friend, send this to everyone, including the one that sent it to you. If you get it back,

then they really do love you.

And always remember... when life hands you Lemons, ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!

Good friends are like stars....You don't always see them, But you know they are always there..

"Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway"

I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.

Happiness keeps You Sweet,

Trials keep You Strong,

Sorrows keep You Human,

Failures keeps You Humble,

Success keeps You Glowing,

But Only God keeps You Going

'Worry looks around, sorry looks back, Faith looks up.'


Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Friday, July 8, 2011

Village scenes of Birbhum
















Advancement in Medicine

A doctor from Israel says:

A doctor from Israel says: "In Israel , the medicine is so advanced that we
cut off a mans testicles, put them on another man and in
6 weeks, he is looking for work"

The German doctor comments: "Thats nothing, in Germany we take part of a
brain from one man, put it in another man, and in 4 weeks, he is looking for
work"

A Russian doctor says: Russia has you beat, Gentlemen We take out half a
heart from one,put it in another's chest, and in 2 weeks, he is looking for
work."

The United States doctor answers and laughs: "You all are way behind us. 2
years ago in the USA , we took a man with no brains, no heart and no balls,
put him in as President. Now, the whole country is looking for work!!!


Fred's Funeral

Fred works hard at the office but spends two nights each week bowling,
And plays golf every Saturday.

His wife thinks he's pushing himself too hard, so for his birthday she
Takes him to a local strip club.

The doorman at the club greets them and says,
""Hey, Fred! How ya doing?"

His wife is puzzled and asks if he's been to this club before.

"Oh no," says Fred. "He's in my bowling league."

When they are seated, a waitress asks Fred if he'd like his usual and
Brings over a Budweiser.

His wife is becoming increasingly uncomfortable and says,
"How did she know that you drink Budweiser?"

"I recognize her, she's the waitress from the golf club. I always have
A Bud at the end of the 1st nine, honey."

A stripper then comes over to their table, throws her arms around Fred,
Starts to rub herself all over him and says, "Hi Freddie.
Want your usual table dance, big boy?"

Fred's wife, now furious, grabs her purse and storms out of the club.
Fred follows and spots her getting into a taxi.
Before she can slam the door, he jumps in beside her.

Fred tries desperately to explain how the stripper must have mistaken
Him for someone else, but his wife is having none of it.

She is screaming at him at the top of her lungs, calling him every four
letter word in the book.

The cabby turns around and says, "Geez Fred, you picked up a real bitch
This time."

Fred's funeral will be on Saturday.


Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Sadhak Bamakhyapa's birthplace at Atla village, Birbhum




























































































In the first photo is myself with son with Atla village in the background.

The old lady in the third photo is the wife of Sadhak Bamakhyapa's grandson.


















Banka Rai's submerged temple at Birchandra village, Birbhum