My School - I wish

Helping each Other

2012-01-28T12:09:00.001+05:30

The room was full of pregnant women and their partners. The class was in full swing.
The instructor was teaching the women how to breathe and was telling the men
how to give the necessary assurance to their partners at this stage of the pregnancy.

She said "Ladies, remember that exercise is good for you. Walking is especially beneficial.
It strengthens the pelvic muscles and will make delivery that much easier.
Just rest often and stay on a soft surface like grass or a path."

She looked at the men in the room, "And gentlemen, remember -- you're in this together –
It wouldn't hurt you to go walking with her.

The room suddenly got very quiet as the men absorbed this information.
A man at the back of the room slowly raised his hand.
"Yes”, answered the Instructor.
"I was just wondering if it would be all right if she carries a golf bag while we walk?
This kind of sensitivity just can't be taught.

A little boy was waiting for his mother to come out of the grocery
store.

As he waited, he was approached by a man called Terry who asked, "Son, can
you tell me where the Post Office is?"
The little boy replied, "Sure! Just go straight down this street a
coupla blocks and turn to your right."
Terry thanked the boy kindly and said, "I'm the new pastor in town.
I'd like for you to come to church on Sunday. I'll show you how to get to Heaven."
The little boy replied with a chuckle.
"Awww, come on... You don't even know the way to the fucking Post Office."

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

The Four Cats

2012-01-26T10:42:00.002+05:30

Four men were bragging about how smart their cats were..
The first man was an Engineer,
the second man was an Accountant,
the third man was a Chemist, and
the fourth man was a Government Employee.

To show off, the Engineer called his cat, "T-square, do your stuff."
T-square pranced over to the desk, took out some paper and pen and promptly drew a circle, a square, and a triangle.

Everyone agreed that was pretty smart.
But the Accountant said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said,
"Spreadsheet, do your stuff."
Spreadsheet went out to the kitchen and returned with a dozen cookies. He divided them into 4 equal piles of 3 cookies.

Everyone agreed that was good.
But the Chemist said his cat could do better. He called his cat and said, "Measure, do your stuff."
Measure got up, walked to the fridge, took out a quart of milk, got a 10 ounce glass from the cupboard and poured
exactly 8 ounces without spilling a drop into the glass.

Everyone agreed that was pretty good.
Then the three men turned to the Government Employee and said, "What can your cat do?"
The Government Employee called his cat and said, "CoffeeBreak, do your stuff."

CoffeeBreak jumped to his feet...
ate the cookies...
drank the milk...
shit on the paper...
screwed the other three cats...
claimed he injured his back while doing so...
filed a grievance report for unsafe working conditions...
put in for Workers Compensation...and
went home for the rest of the day on sick leave...

AND THAT, MY FRIEND IS WHY EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT!!

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

What is Celibacy?

2012-01-25T09:31:00.001+05:30

Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by circumstances.

While attending a Marriage Weekend, my wife and I listened to
the instructor declare, 'It is essential that husbands and wives know the
things that are important to each other."

He then addressed the men, 'Can you name and describe your wife's favorite flower?'

I leaned over, touched my wife's hand gently, and whispered,

'Robin Hood-All-Purpose, isn't it?'

And thus began my life of celibacy.........

Sent by Prakasah Bhartia

Punjab's turn as Team Anna campaigns in poll states

2012-01-24T16:20:00.002+05:30

By Indo Asian News Service

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) From Tuesday, Team Anna members will be in Punjab as part of their visit to poll-bound states where they plan to highlight the need for a strong Lokpal bill - and not speak for or against any party.
"Team Anna will not campaign for and against any party. We will educate people on our version of the Lokpal bill and urge them to bring a change in society by casting their ballot in favour of the right candidate," Team Anna member Manish Sisodia told IANS.
Under the banner of India Against Corruption, they kicked off their tour of poll-bound states, starting from Haridwar in Uttarakhand Jan 21.
While they have visited Dehradun, Rudrapur, Haldwani, Paniyali and Srinagar till Dec 24, the second phase of their campaign in Uttarakhand will tentatively resume Jan 27 in Kotdwar and end in Almora and Ranikhet Dec 28.
IAC members like Arvind Kejriwal, Gopal Das, Kumar Vishwas and Sisodia toured the state in the first phase, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan also made an appearance but left for Delhi after sometime.
The team visits Punjab from Tuesday, coinciding with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's visit to the state.
"The members who will campaign in Punjab are Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia, Kumar Vishwas and Gopal Das. Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi are also likely to come," said IAC media coordinator Aswathi Muralidharan said.
While Tuesday they will visit Amritsar and Jalandhar, the last leg of their campaign in Punjab will be in Phagwada, Navanshahr and Ludhiana Wednesday.
Five states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab are going to polls from Jan 28 to March 3.
But Team Anna will not visit poll-bound Manipur due to time constraints. The Goa visit is expected later this month.
"We are not going to campaign in Manipur due to time constraints. It could not be worked out in the itinerary. If we had more time, we would have surely gone," Sisodia said.
Their campaign for Uttar Pradesh - the most populous and crucial state going to the polls - has not been finalised yet.
"We're yet to decide on the members who will campaign there," said an IAC member.

I think team Anna is missing a golden opportunity.
They should not act so sanitized that they cannot call a corrupt politician - corrupt.
They should list out all the corrupt politicians from every party in each state and ask people not to vote for them. They should publicize all the corruption charges against each politician, constituency-wise and distribute it among the electorate.They should make the political parties fear to put up corrupt candidates.

Bihar cracks whip again, sacks corrupt official

2012-01-24T16:12:00.002+05:30

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited – 1 hour 56 minutes ago

Patna, Jan 24 (IANS) The Bihar government has fired a transport department official - who was caught accepting a Rs.50,000 bribe and was found to own property worth Rs.80 lakh - after he was held guilty of corruption, officials said Tuesday.
The order for motor vehicles inspector (MVI) Raghuvansh Kunwar's dismissal from service was issued after a review of departmental proceedings against him, officials said.
"After he was suspended on corruption charges, departmental proceedings began against him and the department approved his dismissal," an official in the general administration department said.
Kunwar was allegedly caught while accepting a bribe of Rs.50,000 when he was MVI of Aurangabad district Sep 24, 2008. In the course of investigation, vigilance officials found a huge amount of unaccounted for wealth.
The official said Kunwar's properties include two plots and a four-storey building at Kankarbagh locality in Patna, a house in Chaira, a jeep, Rs.1.94 lakh in cash and investments worth Rs.8 lakh.
"He owns property worth Rs.80 lakh," the official said.
A case of disproportionate assets was subsequently lodged against him in 2009. In 2010, a special court ordered confiscation of his property - it was the first such order in Bihar and came after four months of a speedy trial.
Till date, the Bihar government has confiscated the houses of an IAS officer, Shiv Shankar Verma, and a treasury clerk, Girish Kumar, in Patna. Kunwar's property is yet to be confiscated as his petition is still pending in the Patna High Court.
Proceedings have also been initiated to confiscate the properties of some more officials, including former state drug controller Y.K. Jaiswal, revenue officer Yogendera Prasad Singh, engineer Srikant Prasad, former director general of police Narayan Mishra and former Rajbhasha Parishad director B.N. Chowdhary.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gave his nod for prosecution of 11 officials of various departments Nov 11. Nitish Kumar had declared a war against corruption after becoming chief minister for the second consecutive term in November 2010.
Six special courts -- two each in Patna, Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur -- were constituted by the state government with the permission of the Patna High Court for speedy trial of cases involving corrupt officials.

While it is commendable that Nitish Kumar is taking action on corrupt officials, I fail to see the names of any politician.
Why?
Have they all suddenly become honest or is Nitish Kumar too scared to touch them?

US Debt - How much?

2012-01-24T09:17:00.003+05:30

The above is from Viraj Thacker

It is said that there are three degrees of lies.
Lies
Damned lies and
Statistics.

Statistics are funny things,
You can make them do anything to present rosy or gloomy figures.

I wonder what the above percentages would be in actual dollar terms?

Congress takes exception to tone of Hazare's letters

2012-01-23T22:43:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) The Congress Monday took strong exception to the tone and tenor of letters written by Anna Hazare to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some other political leaders, saying "no self-appointed preachers and guardians of political morals" have a right to lecture the entire political class.
Answering queries about Team Anna writing letters to the prime minister, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and presidents of Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was for individual leaders to answer the letters.
"But I do want to make a point that no self-appointed preachers and guardians of the political morals have a right to lecture, or preach to the entire political class across the board in letters or otherwise," he said.
"This preaching tone, this know-it all know tone" and the approach of treating the entire political spectrum as irresponsible "is shocking distrust of the democracy," he said.
Hazare had Sunday shot off a letter to the prime minister asking him to "show courage" in passing a strong Lokpal bill to give the country something to remember him by.
Using sharp language in the letters to the prime minister and Gandhi, Hazare described Home Minister P. Chidambaram as "corrupt" and wondered why the government wanted to keep Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) "in its grip."

I don't understand why the Congress should be so bristled at these letters.
As a citizen of India, anybody can write letters to our leaders or have rules changed?
When I was in college, I had written to Indira Gandhi and I had received a reply, signed by her personally.
I have written to L K Advani and received a reply from his secretary.
We write about topics which bother us and expect sensible replies from them and not from their sycophants.
What points Anna Hazare has raised is bothering the whole of India and our leaders should answer the letters.

Fine for not voting

2012-01-23T13:13:00.002+05:30

Rs 25 penalty proposed to push up local poll turnout
BASANT KUMAR MOHANTY
New Delhi, Jan. 22: A government panel has floated the idea of making voting compulsory in civic and panchayat elections, with a fine of Rs 25 for anyone who chooses not to vote despite the absence of disabling circumstances.

The panchayati raj ministry task force has argued that higher polling is likely to reduce the influence of money power on election results.

A low turnout suggests that only committed voters and those who have accepted money to vote came to the polling stations, the committee argued. Increased turnouts can be assured by making voting compulsory, it added.

However, citizens with genuine reasons for being unable to vote would be exempted. Also, the voters can choose the “none of the candidates” option.

The ministry has called a meeting of state representatives and state election commissioners in February to discuss if the recommendation can be implemented.

Compulsory voting is a controversial subject. The Gujarat Assembly passed a bill in December 2009 making voting mandatory in local body elections but the governor has been withholding assent on the ground that it violates the freedom of expression.

The panchayati raj panel has pointed a finger at the middle and upper classes, saying many of their members consider voting a waste of time. Ministry officials, however, failed to explain how a Rs 25 fine would deter these better-off citizens, or how such a fine could be collected from tens of thousands.

Perhaps with these legal and practical difficulties in mind, the committee has offered another suggestion to increase polling: online voting. It believes this option could encourage the middle classes to vote.

Several constitutional experts and social activists have criticised the idea. Bar Council of India chairperson Ashok Parija said compulsory voting “is not in consonance with” the Constitution.

Subhash C. Kashyap, former Lok Sabha secretary-general, said: “Instead of being made compulsory, voting should be made a fundamental citizenship duty (it’s already a fundamental right) under Article 51A of the Constitution.”

He explained that forcing a person to vote is “undemocratic” but if voting is made a fundamental duty, there will be no provision for punishments. “Rather, there can be incentives and disincentives. For example, while issuing passports, ration cards or driving licences, the government may ask applicants to show certificates of voting.”

The task force, headed by the ministry’s additional secretary, Hrusikesh Panda, cited how voting was compulsory in 12 countries, such as Argentina and Australia, which usually recorded 97 to 98 per cent polling.

It said compulsory voting might encourage voters to research the candidates’ political position more thoroughly, since they would be voting anyway. Besides, it added, candidates will have to appeal to a larger section of the electorate.

But activist Nikhil Dey said: “Electoral reforms will not come by making voting compulsory; there has to be a political solution. Every citizen will have to realise that the candidate they are electing will really represent them. The elected representatives have to demonstrate a level of political maturity so that people develop trust in them.”

T. Haque, director of the Council of Social Development, an NGO working on panchayati raj issues, too said that citizens must not be compelled to vote.

“If a voter has no interest in politics or no knowledge of the candidates, why should he be asked to vote?” he said.

How can they ask me to vote compulsorily when they cannot give me an honest candidate free of criminal records.
They should first provide for the rejection of all candidates in case none of the existing candidates are found suitable.
No piecemeal solution is possible.
The entire electoral process has to undergo drastic changes before they can compulsorily ask me to vote.
Further, they should not unilaterally remove a voter from the list without first contacting him and confirming that he is not a voter.
My name has been removed from the voter's list and I have not been able to vote during the last 15 years because my name was removed by the CPM cadres

Every case of helplessness is a result of a corrupt act'

2012-01-23T12:44:00.002+05:30

I really feel honoured to be before you in connection with the book release on a topic of great social relevance (Corruption and Human Rights in India [ Images ]).

If I may say so, Professor Raj Kumar could not have timed it better. It reminds us of the great cricketers -- the Indian cricketers -- they have a great sense of timing. I think Professor Raj Kumar has done the same thing. He has traced the history relating to corruption in society right from Kautilya down to this latter day ongoing debate on the Lokpal Bill.

Well, I am still a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court where I have some restraints of the office. But as a student of law, I really feel that there is no substance in the debate that the prime minister should be kept outside the Bill.

If the Lokpal Bill is meant for introducing scrutiny in the affairs of those who are holding public office, nobody will dispute the position that the prime minister is holding a public office. Anyone holding a public office cannot shy away from public scrutiny.

As far as I know from newspaper reports, the prime minister himself is willing to come under scrutiny. The more attempt is made to take him out of the purview of the Bill, the entire effort will become more and more suspect. That is my view as a student of law.

Now, the debate which is going on today on eliminating corruption is a debate which is made, if I may say so, without proper appreciation of the ground realities. Now, what is corruption? Professor Raj Kumar has attempted to define it. At the same time, he says it is difficult; it is incapable of a precise definition.

Corruption is an attitude of life. It is a particular mental frame. A perverted mental frame. Corruption has a very strong presence in our social life.

At every stage, there is an element of corruption. Every case of helplessness is a result of a corrupt act on the part of somebody else. And the voiceless people. They hardly count. The legal framework which is there under our laws does not touch them.

Corruption is very deep-rooted. In our society, a corrupt man is unfortunately offered a successful life. Let us accept this as the position. A corrupt man is not a social outcast. He is most of the time a hero, a leader.

The law is called the Prevention of Corruption Act. To my mind, and I am not talking as a judge, it is apt to call it the Preservation of Corruption Act. There is a very important provision in this Act. Unless there is a sanction you cannot proceed against the corrupt official.

Who is to give this sanction to prosecute? It is said that if this protection is not given, the courts will be flooded with frivolous cases of corruption. So we are not being sincere about eliminating corruption.

Look at the effect of corruption. Today the right to development is considered as a basic human right. Corruption means what? An undue advantage. What is due to me is denied to me. There is a recurrent theme in our Constitution. The theme is Constitutional governance.

Article 37 says the Directive Principles are not enforceable by the courts, but are fundamental in the governance of the State. Then the Fundamental Duties. The Constitution has emphasised that if you want to make the Constitutional promise, this country must proceed on the basis of Constitutional governance, which is not only your right, but also your duty.

Therefore, I have the feeling that if the act of corruption is unconstitutional per se, whenever somebody is acting in a corrupt way, it has to be tackled very seriously. But who is to do that?

I am happy that Professor Raj Kumar has also talked about corruption in the judiciary. He has referred to recent cases of impeachment. But in the next edition, he may kindly correct that Justice P D Dinakaran is not from the Sikkim high court, but basically from the Madras high court. Both the learned judges referred to, I cannot defend them. I feel sorry for them.

If the judges of the high court today are accused of these kind of things, then what will happen to the elimination of corruption? Even then I appreciate the candour and the courage with which Professor Raj Kumar has attempted this book. This is a very valiant effort.

Supreme Court Judge Justice A K Ganguly delivered this speech at the release of the book Corruption and Human Rights in India by Professor C Raj Kumar, vice-chancellor, O P Jindal Global University.

Sri Sri Ravishankar urges people to vote for clean candidates in polls

2012-01-23T12:30:00.002+05:30

Patna, Jan 23 (ANI): Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar has urged people to vote for only clean candidates in the upcoming assembly elections.
"I am not going during the election campaigning, but I am trying my best to build political awareness among the people. I am asking everyone who will vote that please select honest and clean candidates. Never elect people who ask for your vote in lieu of a bribe Ravishankar told media here.
The Election Commission had declared that voting in five states, including the most populous Uttar Pradesh would be held between January 28 and March 03.
Further appreciating Bihar's development, Ravishankar said: "A lot has been done. But a lot also remains to be done. Biharis are very resilient. You have come here through many challenges. Don't lose your resilience."
He asked every devotee to contribute in keeping the city clean by giving just two hours of physical labour every month.
"Many cities have done it successfully. You should follow suit," he said. (ANI)

I fully support Sri Sri in asking people to vote only honest candidates, unblemished by criminal records.
I could also recommend that both Swami Ramdeo and the Anna core group should make the people aware of the criminal records of the candidates in each constituency and ask the people to avoid voting for them.
This work should have actually been done by the Election Commission but due to technicalities they seem unable to do so.
Let the civil society groups and NGO awaken the people.
Just a few ads by Tata Tea asking people to vote, is good, it is a starting point but everyone does not have a TV set.
Let Civil society reach the ground level

Car ferrying Ambani caught in no-drive hill

2012-01-23T11:27:00.002+05:30

By Our bureau | www.telegraphindia.com – 5 hours ago
Mumbai, Jan. 22: Maharashtra police have seized a car in which Nita Ambani was travelling and registered a case against the driver on the charge of flouting the law in the hill resort of Matheran.
Nita, wife of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani, was in the car when the alleged incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, police sources said.
Cars are not allowed at Matheran, about 100km from Mumbai, in line with a central law. The environment and forest ministry had declared the hill station an eco-sensitive zone in February 2003 to protect its rich biodiversity.
Visitors need to park their cars at a point called Dasturi and trek uphill for around 2.5km or ride on horseback or hand-pulled rickshaws to reach the Matheran town centre. The other option is a toy train from Neral in Navi Mumbai, which takes about an hour.
The Honda CRV ferrying Nita was flagged down by a constable as it tried to negotiate the dirt track that leads up to Matheran, the police said.
"The driver ignored him and sped past till the vehicle was stopped at a police checkpoint ahead on the road. The driver, Sudhir Narain, got into an argument with the policemen on duty and was taken to Matheran police station along with the car which was registered under RIL's name," said Parambir Singh, inspector-general of police, Konkan region, under whose jurisdiction Matheran falls.
Singh said a non-cognisable offence was lodged against the driver and the car was seized by Matheran's superintendent of police.
"Nita Ambani's driver was booked for forcibly entering the prohibited area. The driver has said in his statement that Nita Ambani was inside the car at the time of the incident. The driver has been booked under section 15 of the Environment Protection Act as per a complaint registered by forest officials and under the Motor Vehicles Act by the SP of Matheran," Singh said.
Police sources said Nita had come from Mumbai on a chopper and landed at the Reliance helipad in Neral, Navi Mumbai, and then driven to Matheran. "After the incident, Nita Ambani was escorted by Reliance officials back to Neral," a police source said.
No Reliance industries spokesperson could be reached for confirmation.
Apart from wearing various hats in Reliance ventures, Nita is also the chairperson of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai.
The school, which has a study centre at Matheran for senior students, has adopted a nearby village, Hassachipatti, where the pupils carry out social work.
Matheran's landmark Rugby hotel was bought by Mukesh Ambani some years ago and converted into a private resort. Nita usually stays there when she visits Matheran.

The above is from the Telegraph.

The rich are a law unto themselves. They make their own laws.
It is obvious with the investment Nita Ambani has made in Matheron that she was habitually visiting the place in a car.
It is unfortunate that some new security guards may have been posted who did not know the rules (must not have received his bribe) and so the crime became public.
We may rest assured that some good money will flow and everything will be hunky dorky, the environment may go to hell.

AMRI families raise arrest question

2012-01-23T11:14:00.002+05:30

By Rith Basu

Calcutta, Jan. 22: As many as 68 families who lost relatives in the AMRI Dhakuria fire met at the Nandan complex this morning to raise safety awareness but some were unable to mask the anger at police's inability to arrest anyone on duty that night.
"I still can't forget how the security personnel kept insisting that the smoke could never enter the ICU, where my father was. He was a cardiac patient and his hands were tied to the bed. But they did not allow me to carry him down," said Raja Ganguly, whose father Jaharlal was in the fourth-floor ICU of annexe I.
Fumes from a fire in the basement on the morning of December 9 had choked 91 people to death, all but two of them patients of the hospital.
"I had sprinted up the stairs…. But they gave me the impression that the ICUs were fire- and smoke-proof. I believed them," said Ganguly, who works for a multinational.
The relatives of the victims have formed the Human Healthright Forum. Today's was the third meeting and the biggest so far. It was also the stormiest because a degree of frustration appears to be setting in after the initial burst of action by the investigators after the December 9 tragedy.
The police have so far arrested six owner-directors of AMRI, its executive director and two managers.
But none of the personnel against whom the victims' relatives have levelled one allegation after another has been brought to book.
Dhananjay Pal, a state health department employee, too had kept pleading with a security officer to switch off the central AC to prevent the smoke from spreading. "Not only did they keep ignoring me, the man seemingly in charge of security had said 'Pagaltake boshiye de to (make this madman sit somewhere). He is too much of a nag'. That prompted the other guards to shove me away," Pal said today.
His 15-year-old daughter Prakrita was in the hospital with a head injury after having fallen from the pillion of her father's bike. She was getting better when the fire took her away.
"My daughter would have been shifted to a general bed on December 10. There, she would have got food to her liking after four days. She was excited," Pal said.
"We want all the guilty to be punished. The combined callousness of a lot of people was responsible for the deaths," a relative of another victim said today. "Those people were untrained in dealing with an emergency and yet they misguided us," she added.
Sections of the police themselves are asking similar questions. "If the directors are held responsible for the incident that morning, why should the officials who physically stopped patients from leaving the hospital and prohibited the entry of relatives not be arrested?" wondered a police officer who is not part of the probe.
Members of the special investigating team cited their logic. "The seven directors were arrested only after conclusive evidence, proving both knowledge and intention, had been procured against them," an officer said.
Two senior employees, Sanjib Pal, assistant general manager (maintenance), and Satyabrata Upadhyay, vice-president (projects) and chairman of the safety committee, were arrested later. "Pal had signed on the affidavit against which the hospital had got a conditional NOC from the fire department while Upadhyay, being the chairman of the fire safety commission, can be directly held responsible," an officer said.
"We have been interrogating many of the employees. They could be arrested, too," he added.
This is what the police have been saying for a month and a half.
"The appearance being given is that the police have got clinching evidence against the directors. If that is true, why not chargesheet them?" said Subhashis Chakraborty, who lost his wife, Munmun, 38. He has an 11-year-old daughter and a toddler son. The police have to file a chargesheet within 90 days.
The forum pledged today not to accept the Rs 5-lakh compensation offered by AMRI.
Paromita Guha, whose mother Mridula was one of the victims, said they would fight for "just compensation" decided by an independent authority. "Over 90 people lost their lives because of the gross negligence like turning off fire alarms and not calling the police and the fire brigade on time. How can the AMRI management decide the compensation amount?" she asked.
The families hope to move the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
They also decided to write to the chief minister voicing their concern. "Our only hope is the power of public memory. If it fades, there is little hope for us," said Surajit Bose, who lost his mother.

The above is from the Telegraph.

I agree with the affected people that the persons who held back the patients relatives and prevented them should also be prosecuted.
I also agree that the compensation amount is not sufficient.
It should be the same as the AMRI doctors have been made to cough up in the case of Dr. Saha wh lost his wife because of negligence by AMRI, i.e Rs 1.73 crore per victim. Some advocate should take up the class action suit to represent all the victims agaist the management of AMRI.

THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER

2012-01-23T10:54:00.002+05:30

While we Indians are making ourselves proud because our government has brought about a few percent increase in the number f our adult population who can write their names or read page in a book, the USA is more busy holding classes for more important things which rule their lives.
Read on what Prakash Bhartia has sent.

REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED
By January 3, 2012

NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THEIR CONTENTS, CLASS SIZES WILL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM .

Class 1
Up in Winter, Down in Summer - How to Adjust a Thermostat Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.
Meets 4 weeks, Monday and Wednesday for 2 hrs. beginning at 7:00 PM..

Class 2
Which Takes More Energy - Putting the Toilet Seat Down, or Bitching About It for 3 Hours?
Round Table Discussion.
Meets 2 weeks, Saturday 12:00 for 2 hours.

Class 3
Is It Possible To Drive Past a Wal-Mart Without Stopping?--Group Debate.
Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 4
Fundamental Differences Between a Purse and a Suitcase--
Pictures and Explanatory Graphics.
Meets Saturdays at 2:00 PM for 3 weeks.

Class 5
Curling Irons--Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Bathroom Cabinet?
Examples on Video.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning At 7:00 PM

Class 6
How to Ask Questions During Commercials and Be Quiet During the Program Help Line Support and Support Groups.
Meets 4 Weeks, Friday and Sunday 7:00 PM

Class 7
Can a Bath Be Taken Without 14 Different Kinds of Soaps and Shampoos?
Open Forum.....
Monday at 8:00 PM, 2 hours.

Class 8
Health Watch--They Make Medicine for PMS - USE IT!
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 9
I Was Wrong and He Was Right!--Real Life Testimonials.
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM Location to be determined.

Class 10
How to Parallel Park In Less Than 20 Minutes Without an Insurance Claim.
Driving Simulations.
4 weeks, Saturday's noon, 2 hours.

Class 11
Learning to Live--How to Apply Brakes Without Throwing Passengers Through the Windshield.
Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, location to be determined

Class 12
How to Shop by Yourself.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM.

11 supplements that LOWER cholesterol

2012-01-20T15:44:00.003+05:30

Payal Banka, Lifemojo.com
Maintaining a proper and healthy cholesterol level is very important. By having a healthy cholesterol level, you can avoid so many health problems.

Today 'cholesterol' seems to be the buzzword for dieticians all across the globe. High cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Given, today's unhealthy diet patterns, it is no wonder that majority of the population is suffering from high cholesterol levels.

The best way to get rid of extra cholesterol from your body is to exercise. However, people are so busy tackling their jobs and social life that they do not have the time to exercise. But there are a few natural supplements that will help you reduce your cholesterol levels.

Here are a 11 cholesterol lowering supplements that will help you get rid of excess cholesterol.
1. Fish oil
Fish is well known to contain the essential fatty acids -- Omega 3 which is a natural triglyceride-reducer and an effective aide in heart maintenance. Research has proven that including omega-3 fish oil supplements in your diet helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol.

2. Flaxseed oil
Another source of omega 3 fatty acid, adding flaxseed oil to your diet helps lower triglycerides and buildup of fats in the liver

3. Green tea extract
Green tea extracts is also helpful in controlling cholesterol levels. The antioxidants present in green tea prevent further oxidisation of LDL thus helping you fight the cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

4. Barley
The soluble fiber, beta glucan, present in barley plays a role in binding cholesterol to bile acid (necessary for fat digestion) and then facilitating its excretion through the fecal route. When the bile acids are excreted, the liver uses up more cholesterol to form new bile acid, thereby further reducing the total cholesterol level in the circulation

5. Soybeans
Substituting meat sources of protein by soy protein has been shown to prevent coronary heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, soybeans also contain very good amounts of fiber. When eaten, the fiber in soybeans binds to fats and cholesterol in food, so less is absorbed.

6. Guggul
Guggul contains a mixture of lipid steroids called guggulipid, which have a cholesterol-lowering effect and helps in maintaining normal ranges of cholesterol levels.

7. Oatmeal
Oatmeal also contains a soluble fiber, beta-glucan, that helps reduce LDL. Just 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber every day will decrease your LDL cholesterol by 5 per cent. A study confirms that having a bowl of oatmeal everyday reduces the CVD risk by 10 percent.

8. Garlic extract
Garlic is a natural remedy for all cholesterol related problems. It has sulfur-based compounds known as allyl sulfides and other phytochemicals that help lower cholesterol naturally. Two to three cloves of garlic should be consumed in the morning on empty stomach.

9. Red yeast rice
Red yeast rice is a fungus that grows on rice which contains small amounts of a naturally occurring lovastatin -- form of statin. Various red yeast rice preparations have been shown to lower LDL by around 20 to 30 percent.

10. Fenugreek
Fenugreek (methi) contains a significant amount of dietary fiber that has cholesterol-lowering effect.

11. Pumpkin seed oil
It contains essential fatty acids which help to reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver.

As you can see, if you are searching for a way to supplement your lifestyle with a cholesterol reducing supplement, there are a number of options available. Pick the one that gives you maximum result and combine it with daily exercise for a holistic benefit.

The above is from a newsletter I receive from Rediffmail.
I am taking some of the items and so can vouch for their efficacy.
#1 is out for me as I am a veggie.
#2, I do not take the oil but I take the roasted and powdered flax seeds , three teaspoons every morning.
#5, We use Soyabean oil as the preferred medium for cooking in our home.
#8 too is no-no, as it makes the whole body stink, throughout the day. I had an acquaintance who used to take garlic. Every time he entered my room, I had to open the window.
#10, I do not take the seeds but in the powdered form. It is good for diabetes also.
The others I have not tried yet.
If anybody has, I would like to receive their comments.

THE TEA SHOP........

2012-01-20T14:46:00.001+05:30

A tale reflecting the character & high values of the brave men guarding the nation...

They were on their way to the post where they would be deployed for next three months. The batch being relieved, was waiting anxiously for their arrival so that they could fall back to safer confines of their parent unit. Some would proceed on leave and meet their families. They were happy that they were to relieve a set of comrades who had done their job.

It was a treacherous climb and the journey was to last till the next evening. Cold winter month with intermittent snowfall added to the torture.

If only some one could offer a cup of tea, the Major thought, knowing completely well that it was a futile wish.

They continued for another hour before they came across a dilapidated structure which looked like a small shop. It was locked.

It was 2 o'clock in the night and there was no house close to the shop where the owner could be located. In any case it was not advisable to knock any doors in the night for security reasons.

It was a stalemate. No tea boys, bad luck.

The Major told the men to take some rest since they had been walking for more than three hours now.

Sir, this is a tea shop indeed and we can make tea. We will have to break the lock though. The officer was in doubt about the proposed action but a steaming cup of tea was not a bad idea. He thought for a while and permitted for the lock to be broken. The lock was broken.

They were in luck.

The place was a shop indeed and had everything required to make tea, and also a few packets of biscuits.

The tea was prepared and it brought great relief to all in the cold night. They were now ready for the long and treacherous walk ahead of them and started to get ready to move.

The officer was in thoughts. They had broken open the lock and prepared tea and consumed biscuits without the permission of the owner. The payment was due but there was no one in sight.

The Major was not however moving out without doing what was to be done. He took out a Rs 1000/- note from his wallet and kept it on the counter, pressed under the sugar container, so that the owner sees it first thing when he arrives in the morning.

He was now relieved of the guilt and ordered the move.

Days, weeks and months passed. They continued to do gallantly what they were required to do and were lucky not to loose any one from the original group in the intense insurgency situation.

And then one day, it was time to be replaced by another brave lot.

Soon they were on their way back and stopped at the same shop, which was today open with the owner in place. He was an old man with very meager resources and was happy to see eight of them with the prospect of selling at least eight cups of tea that day.

All of them had their tea and spoke to the old man about his life and experiences in general, selling tea at such remote a location.

The poor, old man had many stories to tell all of them, replete with his faith in God.

"Kya Baba, yadi Allah hota to kyaa aap ke jaisa 'Allah kaa bandaa' is haal main hota, said one of them"; moved by his poverty and faith in God.

"Nahin Sahib, aise mat kaho, God actually exists.

I got the proof a few months back.

I was going through very tough times because my only son had been severely beaten by the terrorists who wanted some information from him which he did not have. I had closed the shop early that day and had taken my son to the hospital. There were medicines to be purchased and I had no money. No one would give me a loan from fear of the terrorists. There was no hope, Sahib.

And that day Sahib, I had prayed to Allah for help.

And that day Sahib, Allah walked into my shop.

When I returned to my shop that day and saw the lock broken, I thought someone had broken in and had taken away whatever little I had. But then I saw that 'Allah' had left Rs 1000/-under the sugar pot. Sahib, I can't tell you what that money was worth that day.

Allah exists Sahib, he does.

I know people are dying every day here but all of you will soon meet your near and dear ones, your children, and you must thank your God Sahib, he is watching all of us. He does exist. He walked in my shop that day. I know he did."

The faith in his eyes was unflinching.

It was unnerving.

Seven set of eyes looked at their officer and read the order in his eyes clear and unambiguous, 'Keep quiet.'

The officer got up and paid the bill and hugged the old man.

"Yes Baba, I know,God does exist - and yes the tea was wonderful.

Seven set of eyes did not miss the moisture building in the eyes of the Major, a rare sight.

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

A travelogue

2012-01-20T14:37:00.002+05:30

MY TRAVELS
I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots.
Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport;
you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there,
thanks to my friends,family and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and

I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try
not to visit there too often.

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important
to stand firm.

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm
getting older.

One of my favourite places to be is in Suspense! It really
gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart!

At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

And, sometimes I think I am in Vincible but life shows me I am not!

I have been in Deepshit many times; the older I get, the
easier it is to get there.

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Coincidences ?

2012-01-20T14:26:00.002+05:30

Those of the younger generation may not of course remember half of the following.

1981 & 2005 - Two Interesting Years

Interesting Year 1981

1. Prince Charles got married.
2. Liverpool crowned soccer Champions of Europe .
3. Australia lost the Ashes.
4. The Pope died.

Interesting Year 2005
1. Prince Charles got married.
2. Liverpool crowned soccer Champions of Europe .
3. Australia lost the Ashes.
4. The Pope died.

Lesson to be learned:
The next time Charles gets married, someone should warn the Pope

Sent by Prakash Bhartia.

Interesting indeed.
It would sound even more interesting if 1 and 4 were interchanged, i e if the Pope married

Beat drums till tax dodgers pay

2012-01-19T11:22:00.002+05:30

By K.M. Rakesh

Bangalore, Jan. 18: Property tax defaulters in Bangalore are now literally facing the music, with the civic authorities hiring drumbeaters to shame them and make them pay up.
For a fortnight now, four thamate (traditional flat drum) beaters have been arriving before apartment complexes, offices or shops that owe the city corporation Rs 1 lakh or more and kicking up a cacophony.
If the IT capital imitating a medieval practice ' that of parading shamed people accompanied by drummers ' is surprising, the technique's success has been equally so.
The corporation has already collected more than Rs 30 crore in two weeks from a slew of shopping malls, restaurants, shops and industrial and technology parks. It hopes to collect some Rs 500 crore by March 2012.
"This is an effective way to grab the attention of the defaulters, who can no more say they just missed the deadline," said a happy corporation commissioner, M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda.
Traditionally used in festivals ' and the funerals of certain communities ' the thamates are capable of quite a decibel torture.
Sigma Mall on Cunningham Road at the city centre tasted it first and promptly shelled out its dues of Rs 5.5 crore.
The drummers, who carry the civic tax department's banners, leave once the defaulter assures the corporation official accompanying them that he would pay up.
Vijayaraj Sankeshwar, who works for an outlet that owed the corporation over Rs 1 lakh, said: "These guys arrived soon after we had opened the shop and started drumming until our boss decided to pay up."
He chose not to reveal the company's name for fear of action from his employers.
It was no different when four drummers gathered at the Bagmane Tech Park. Several well-known IT companies that operate from the park quickly paid up a total of Rs 10 crore in property tax dues.
Besides attracting passers-by, the drumming caused quite a sensation with many employees leaving their workstations to watch the goings-on.
"We were aghast at this, especially since the place is usually very quiet," said Syed Zeeshan, a programmer at the technology park.
Under Gowda's plans, tax officials will visit the defaulters once and follow it up with at least three reminders on the phone before letting the drumbeaters loose.
"We give them enough chances before we send the drumbeaters," Gowda said.
All defaulters have been notified about a March-end deadline, said N. Narasappa, assistant revenue officer. "If they don't pay up, we shall cancel their commercial licence and force these establishments to close down."
But he added: "What we always see is that once the defaulters are shamed in this way, they'd just pay up and pretend as if nothing has happened."

The above is from the Telegraph.
I think here is a plan which our own Corporation in Kolkata can emulate.
Cutting off electricity and wate is unpalatable to Mamta Banerjee so this would be a good solution.

Knives out for rogue investors

2012-01-19T10:38:00.002+05:30

By Suman K. Shrivastava |

Ranchi, Jan. 18: The Jharkhand government, which is sitting on a pile of MoUs worth over Rs 3 lakh crore, is planning to take legal action against rouge investors who have signed deals with the state and used allocated resources for profit without setting up their promised projects.
Chief minister Arjun Munda has directed chief secretary S.K. Chaudhary to create a dossier on the status of all MoUs signed by the state government since 2001 ' as many as 100 ' so that action could be initiated against those who had circumvented norms to generate huge profits unethically.
Most of these MoUs, primarily in the steel sector, were signed during Munda's earlier tenure in 2005-2006. But, now in his third stint as chief minister, he has steered clear of mega investors, focusing more on IT investments and projecting a government that is sensitive to the land rights of tribals.
In a letter to the chief secretary, Munda listed several malpractices adopted by dodgy investors. He said a few investors, after being allocated resources like iron ore mines, coal blocks, water and land, sold off their stake ' or a sizeable chunk ' to other organisations at astronomical prices.
"Besides, a handful of investors approached banks and financial institutions for finances using the MoU and the resource allocated as tools. A few went for IPOs and created huge wealth for themselves in the process," he said in the two-page letter dated January 7. Some organisations, he added, also got into joint ventures in the guise of entering into technical collaborations by selling a large number of shares and made huge profits.
Munda said the government was not averse to the idea of raising funds for setting up industries by adopting fair, honest and legal means. But, it was unacceptable for an investor to adopt wrong practices for generating resources circumventing the norms laid down by the government.
Similarly, the state would not tolerate it if investors projected the MoUs or letters of allocation of natural resources as tools mischievously and fraudulently.
The industries department is to prepare the detailed report on the status of MoUs on the basis of parameters set by Munda himself (see box).
Chaudhary, who has been told to go through the industry department report, will then recommend suitable action against the rouge investors. This will include initiating appropriate punitive and legal action, cancellation of the MoUs and allocations of resources.
Industries secretary A.P. Singh said he had received the directive. "We will begin our job soon," he said.

The above is from the Telegraph.

It cannot be denied that a majority of businessmen make it their business to loot the governments wherever and whenever possible. However, in most cases, the government itself is to blame.
Businessmen are asked to fork out larges sums to politicians and officials from the top to the bottom even before the project underway.
Why is it that Narendra Modi is attracting so many businesses?
Why is it that the Tatas shifted their Nano project from Bengal to Gujarat?
It is because businessmen get all clearances within one week in Gujarat.
Can Jharkhand and Bengal do that?
No!
Then why blame businessmen.

Syndicates rule: take it or…

2012-01-19T10:23:00.002+05:30

By ZEESHAN JAWED

Calcutta, Jan. 18: Alleged Trinamul-backed syndicates have disrupted construction in a Rs 300-crore-plus real estate project in Newtown to teach the contractors a lesson as they dared to procure materials from other sources.
The trigger behind the trouble at the site for Elita Garden Vista, a joint venture between Keppel Land and Magus Estates of the Jatia Group in Action Area III in Newtown, is the decision by contractors, Simplex Infrastructure, to source bituminous macadam directly from a company.
"Bituminous macadam, made of a mineral aggregate, is an appropriate binder and it is laid using machines. It is in vogue these days and we got this material to lay a 4km road inside the 25-acre project site," said a Simplex official.
The move to look beyond the syndicates ' small consortiums that supply building materials ' did not go down well with the groups, which claim the blessings of local Trinamul leaders.
Syndicates have always been part of the construction boom in south Bengal but, after the Assembly elections, the scales have tilted. Several builders have been complaining of poor quality and quantity of materials, for which they are being forced to cough up more. The flux is being seen as the fallout of more and more youths entering the field after waiting in vain for promised employment opportunities.
The Elita project felt the ripples yesterday when around 50 youths ' most of them members of the syndicates in the area ' raided the site and told the promoters not to source any material from elsewhere.
The youths blocked the main entrance to the site to prevent trucks carrying bituminous macadam from entering the site.
"We have been sourcing all construction materials from these syndicates. But we decided to use bituminous macadam to lay a durable pathway in the shortest possible time. Besides, the syndicates do not have the wherewithal to supply the mix as they can supply only bricks, sand and stone chips. Still they wanted us to source materials for the road from them. As we refused, they did not let the lorries enter the site," a Simplex source said.
If the contractors cannot source bituminous macadam, they will have to lay the road using the traditional mix of stone chips and tar.
"It is an unreasonable demand as we wanted to make it a showpiece project. Buyers will be spending anything between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 70 lakh to buy flats here," said a Simplex official.
Simplex Infrastructure, however, is not the only victim of the "unreasonable" behaviour of the syndicates. The Telegraph has earlier reported how the syndicates ' with support from local Trinamul satraps ' were forcing developers to buy inferior building materials at a premium.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has several times told Trinamul members to steer clear of syndicates.
"The only activity that has grown since the new government has come to power is that of syndicates. The arm-twisting approach of the syndicates is not restricted to Rajarhat…. The syndicates are using the same modus operandi all across the state," said a promoter of a leading real estate company.
Local MLA Sabyasachi Dutta, however, said that he was not aware of any disruption at any construction site, adding that Trinamul workers were not associated with any syndicate. "Nobody can force any builder to purchase materials from them. They can at the most request the builders," Dutta told The Telegraph.
The chronology of events at the site, around 20km from the heart of the city, since yesterday, however, tells a different story. The youths returned this morning to renew the threat, forcing the authorities to stop work on the pathway.
Panchayat samiti member Tapan Mondal, a local Trinamul leader, reached the spot in an SUV around 1pm and entered the site to hold a meeting with the Simplex officials. He came out after around two hours.
Asked what an elected representative of Trinamul was doing inside a construction site for over two hours, he said: "A lot of small stalls have come up in front of the project. The developers of the project want me to find out a solution so that they can beautify the fa�ade of the project."
Asked about the suggestions he might have made to remove the stalls, Mondal did not give any specific answer. No one from Simplex Infrastructure was willing to go on record on what transpired at the meeting.
However, a source at the site said it had been conveyed to Simplex officials that building materials would have to be sourced from the local youths.
A senior official of Simplex Infrastructure said they were too afraid to lodge a complaint against the syndicates and local leaders.
He added that such a step would be "futile" in any case. "It will be futile. Nobody is going to take any action against them. Even we know we will have to accept their demands or else the project will get stuck midway," said the official.

The above is from the Telegraph.
So, what is the difference between Mamata Banerjee and the CPM.
The CPM took all of 32 years to reach the stage of goonda raj which Mamta Banerjee has been able to achieve in 6 months.
Why?
Because the same people who were earlier extorting under the CPM banner have now shifted allegiance to the Trinamul.
Every now an then Mamta Banerjee castigates her party people in public that this will now be allowed but then winks at them in private to tell them that they may proceed as they want to earn money.

An Athiest's Holy Day

2012-01-19T09:41:00.002+05:30

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY
In Florida , an atheist created a case against Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

************
The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"
The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays..."

************
The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."
The lawyer said, " Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

************
The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool’s Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day.
Court is adjourned..."

************

You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Speaking Chinese

2012-01-17T11:58:00.001+05:30

Chinese speaking to a Chinese operator...
Caller: Hello, can I speak to Annie Wan?

Operator: Yes, you can speak to me.

Caller: No, I want to speak to Annie Wan!

Operator: Yes I understand you want to speak to anyone. You can speak to me. Who is this?

Caller: I'm Sam Wan. And I need to talk to Annie Wan! It's urgent.

Operator: I know you are someone and you want to talk to anyone! But what's this urgent matter about?

Caller: Well... just tell my sister Annie Wan that our brother Noe Wan was involved in an accident. Noe Wan got injured and now Noe Wan is being sent to the hospital. Right now, Avery Wan is on his way to the hospital.

Operator: Look, if no one was injured and no one was sent to the hospital, then the accident isn't an urgent matter! You may find this hilarious but I don't have time for this!

Caller: You are so rude! Who are you?

Operator: I'm Saw Ree.

Caller: Yes! You should be sorry. Now give me your name!!

Operator: That's what I said. I'm Saw Ree

This is what’s called as miscommunication

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Hotelier thrown in lock-up 'without charge'

2012-01-15T22:16:00.002+05:30

TNN | Jan 15, 2012, 03.10AM IST

KOLKATA: No complaints, no charges, no violation of law. Yet, an elderly guest house owner had to spend an entire night in police lock-up on Friday. He had as company two of his relatives who dared to offer help. Tapas Saha, the guest house owner, believes he was picked up as he refused to pay the cops a "monthly hafta".

Saha, a resident of 106 Bangur Avenue, owns a six-room guest house in Lake Town.

"Around 1.30am, two constables came to my guest house and asked me to show the guest register. When they found no fault with it, they spoke to a guest and verified his documents," said Tapan. The policemen then informed Rajib Dhar, inspector-in-charge of Lake Town police station, that nothing wrong was found at the guest house. But the constables were reportedly asked to pick up Saha.

Saha, meanwhile, informed his brother-in-law Gyanbikash Banik and his son Soumyadip Banik, a national shooter. But before their arrival, cops dragged out Saha and took him to the police station. "Without wasting time, we rushed to the police station along with my brother Souradeep and Gaurav, my uncle's son," said Soumyadip.

Initially, the family members were not allowed to enter the police station and the duty officer called up IC Dhar. "Dhar gave some instruction over the phone and they opened the door. Gaurav was talking over the phone some yards away. Soon after we got in, the cops locked the collapsible gate," said Soumyadip. Saha was found inside the lock-up.

"When we asked why they had put my uncle in the lock-up and what he was charged with, they refused to answer," alleged Gyanbikash. The duty officer, meanwhile, received another call from the IC and then asked the sentries to put us behind bars. They made us take off our shoes, shawls and took away our cell phones and watches," said Soumyadip.

Souradeep, who was outside, suspected some thing was wrong and informed other relatives. They even called up Suresh Sharma, a senior Inspector General of Punjab known to Soumyadip. Sharma called up IC Dhar but he did not pick up his call. Saha's relatives then met local MLA Sujit Bose, who tried his best to contact the IC but he dared to ignore his calls. Finally, Bose had to call up senior officers who intervened and told officers to release all three.

"It was around 7am by then. My father and uncle were shocked. They are traumatized after spending five hours in the lock-up without any reason," said Soumyadip.

When contacted on Saturday, Bose said, "His family members met me. I spoke to senior officers to bring them out. Such an act of police will damage the image of the government." Soumyadip on Saturday met Bidhanagar subdivisional police officer Debasis Nandi and lodged a complaint. He even told Nandi that Dhar was applying pressure on Saha for the past few months for "monthly" bribe.

"I refused to pay. This led the officer to teach me a lesson," alleged Saha. Local Trinamool councillor Mriganka Bhattacharya admitted that the IC harassed the family without any reason. "We will take up the matter with his superiors and ask them to take stringent action against the accused officer," he promised.

Lake Town IC Rajib Dhar did not deny that his men picked up Saha. "We found some irregularities with his guest house register and took him to the police station for interrogation," Dhar justified. But when asked how a police officer could put a person behind the bars without a specific case and why his men pushed two of Saha's relatives into the lock-up, the IC refused to comment. SP North 24 Paraganas Champak Bhattacharya, however, said he was not aware of such an incident. "I will enquire into the matter," he said.Police allegedly put an elderly guest house owner and his two relatives behind bars for an entire night, without registering a case at Lake Town on Friday. The guest house owner has reasons to believe that he was picked up and had to face the ordeal because he refused to pay police a "monthly" bribe.

Tapan Saha is a resident of 106 Bangur Avenue and owns a six room guest house in that posh locality in the city's northern fringes. Around 1.30 am on Saturday, two police constables landed at his guest house and called Saha. "They asked me to show the guest register. I immediately gave it and the cops found no fault with the register. They even spoke to a guest who checked in late on Saturday and also verified his documents," said Tapan. But the matter did not end with the sudden check. The policemen informed Rajib Dhar, inspector-in-charge of Lake Town police station that nothing wrong was found at the guest house. But Dhar reportedly was not convinced and asked his men to pick up Saha.

Saha, meanwhile, informed his nephew Soumyadip Banik, a national shooter and brother-in-law Gyanbikash Banik, Soumyadip's father. They reside close to Saha. But before their arrival, cops dragged Saha out and took him to Lake Town police station. "Without wasting a single moment, we rushed to the police station along with my brother Souradeep and Gaurav, my uncle's son," said Soumyadip.

Initially, the family members were not allowed to enter the police station and the duty officer called up IC Rajib Dhar. "Dhar gave some instruction over the phone and they opened the door. Gaurav was talking over the phone some yards away. Soon after we got in, the cops locked the collapsible gate of the police station," said Soumyadip. They found Saha inside the lock-up. "When we asked why they had put my uncle in the lock up and what he was charged with, they refused to answer," alleged Soumyadip and his father Gyanbikash. The duty officer, meanwhile, received another call from the IC and then asked the sentries to put us behind bars too. They made us take off our shoes, shawls and took away our cell phones and watches before shoving us into the lock-up," alleged Soumyadip.

Souradeep, who was outside, suspected some thing wrong and informed all other relatives who queued up in front of the police station. They even called up Suresh Sharma, a senior Inspector General of Punjab, known to Soumyadip. Sharma called up the duty officer who gave the IC's number. But IC Dhar did not pick up his call, claimed Soumyadip. The ordeal continued. Saha's relatives than met local MLA Sujit Bose. The MLA tried his best to contact the IC but the officer dared to ignore his calls. Finally, Bose had to call up superior officers who intervened and told other officers to release all three. "It was around 7 am by then. My father and uncle are shocked. They are still traumatized after spending five hours in the lock-up without any reason," said Soumyadip.

When contacted on Saturday evening, Bose admitted that he had to intervene. "His family members met me. I spoke to senior officers to bring them out," said Bose who conceded such an act of police will damage the image of the government. On Saturday evening, Soumyadip met Bidhanagar subdivisional police officer Debasis Nandi and lodged a written complaint describing their horrific experience. They even told Nandi that Dhar was applying pressure on Saha for the past few months to fix a deal for a "monthly" bribe. "I refused to pay. This led the officer to teach me a lesson," alleged Saha. Local Trinamool Congress councilor Mriganka Bhattacharya, who is also the CIC (PWD) of South Dumdum Municipality, admitted that the IC Lake Town harassed the family without any reason. "We will take up the matter with his superiors and will ask them to take stringent action against the accused officer.

Lake Town IC Rajib Dhar did not deny that his men picked up Saha. "We found some irregularities with his guest house register and took him to the police station for interrogation," said Dhar. But when asked how a police officer could put a person behind bars without a specific case and why his men pushed two of Saha's relatives into the lock-up simply because they had gone to enquire about him, the IC refused comment. SP North 24 Paraganas Champak Bhattacharya, however, said he is still not aware of such an incident. "I will enquire into the matter," said Bhattacharya.

The above incident has occurred in the rule of Mamta Banerjee.
Is it a sign of further things to come?

Threat from China

2012-01-15T21:50:00.002+05:30

Colonel Anil Athale (retd)
It is time the ministry of defence got cracking in building up the Indian Army's military capability to face the Chinese threat, warns Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
Last year when this author wrote about a Kargil- style foray by China in the near future, the idea was more in the realm of speculation. But the events of the last few months seem to move the likelihood from the speculative to the possible.
But it seems that New Delhi is in deep slumber or has no time to pay attention to such 'minor' issues like national security when all attention is focused on the upcoming assembly election in Uttar Pradesh.
It is, however, unfair to blame the government alo#8800 even the Opposition is equally busy in its perennial game of one 'UP-manship' and has never effectively taken up the issue of defence preparedness in Parliament.
The media is frivolous as ever and is chasing TRPs; unfortunately there are no TRPs to be gained on defence issues.
This is an attempt by a student of history to give a wake-up call.
What makes matters even worse than 'normal' in Delhi today is the inefficiency that has crept in all decision-making due to the 'Diarchy' that prevails in Delhi.
For those unfamiliar with the term -- this was the system in British India when the rulers of the princely states had all the trappings of power but the British resident exercised the real power.
In its second avatar, the United Progressive Alliance resembles that model with real power in the hands of the Gandhi dynasty while the prime minister has all the trappings of power.
What this has done is the pivotal position of the Prime Minister's Office and its job of co-ordination and enforcement of the will of the government on the State machinery is severely compromised.
In case of vital decisions on security issues, this can lead to disasters.
The portents indeed are ominous. On December 14, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Parliament that his government does not share the view that China plans to attack India.
Exactly half a century ago, another Indian prime minister stuck to a similar view, until November 21, 1962.
Broadcasting to the nation that day, that prime minister lamented that in this hour of peril, our heart goes to the people of Assam!
As Jawaharlal Nehru spoke to the nation, the civil administration in Tezpur had begun to burn documents and currency in the government treasury, prison doors were thrown open, and everyone made a beeline to get across the Brahmaputra by whatever means.
The stage was being set for surrendering all territory north of the Brahmaputra to the Chinese.
To the people of my generation, the memories of that day give goose pimples even today. The unfortunate similarities do not end there.
Just a year before that, in 1961, the then defence minister V K Krishna Menon had a scrap in public with the highly esteemed army chief, who resigned and then took back his resignation on the prime minister's advice.
The prime minister then went on to humiliate the general in Parliament. As a consequence, the morale of the army was badly affected.
As someone who has studied that conflict, including the famed Henderson Brooks Report, one can say without any contradiction that 'loss of morale' was the single biggest cause of our debacle in 1962.
It is incredible that exactly after half a century we have a similar confrontation between the army chief and the defence ministry bureaucracy.
One of the horror stories of the 1962 conflict with China was the way India made a frenzied effort to arm the soldiers with modern weapons. The insistence on 'indigenous' production of arms and inability of the local R&D/factories starved Indian soldiers of tools of war.
So, what do we do?
Brand new rifles (the 7.62 SLR) were airdropped at Dirang Zong, of course without ammunition! As if the soldiers are robots who can instantly master new weapons and begin using it!
Our army's modernisation is stuck in red tape of the deepest hue.
Import of the critical lightweight howitzer, so important to provide artillery support to infantry in the mountains, is stuck in the courts/CBI clearances and what not.
Anyone familiar with the armed forces remembers the phrase often used by superiors while giving orders, 'I do not care whether you beg, borrow or steal! I want this done!'
It is time to remind the defence minister that the country expects him to deliver security and efficiency.
His primary job is to ensure honour and safety of the country, and not his honour, that must come last, always and every time (a sort of modified version of the Chetwood pledge that all newly commissioned officers take).
It appears that China is carefully choreographing incidents with India. First, there were several instances of Chinese troops crossing the border, marking their presence. We have dismissed these as 'minor' incidents.
Then there was the verbal spat and exchange of notes over the Indian foray into oil exploration in Vietnam waters. The New Year saw ill-treatment of an Indian diplomat. Earlier, there were cases of Indian diamond merchants being imprisoned in China. All these could well be dismissed as minor incidents that involve local officials.
If similar incidents were to take place on the India-Pakistan border, they are not to be taken seriously because in Pakistan nobody is in control of the armed forces or civilian officials.
But China is NOT Pakistan -- the People's Liberation Army, the media (including the Internet) are all under tight party/government control in China.
India would be making a grave error of judgment if it considers these incidents as non serious. There seems to be a design behind these orchestrated events, especially the forays by the PLA.
It is time India woke up. Luckily, we do have some time.
At the moment the Himalayan passes are frozen and no military operations are possible.
The likely threat will only emerge in June/July 2012. It must be made clear that one is not talking of an all-out war.
What we must accept is a short, sharp, attack by the Chinese, more in the nature of a slap!
To those who claim that Indo-Chinese trade is too big -- one needs to remind them that as a proportion of overall Chinese trade with the world, it is of very little consequence!
It is time the ministry of defence cleaned up its act got cracking in building up the Indian Army's military capability to face the Chinese threat.

The above is from the newsmail I receive from Rediffmail.
I could not agree to the author more.
While we are fighting how much reservation to give to the OBCs and Muslims, the Chinese are mounting strength along our northern borders.
Even God cannot save this country because of these corrupt politicians who would stoop to the lowest levels to win votes, no matter how much that would affect the efficiency of our administration.
Why don't our politicians be treated and operated by quota politicians?
Why then do they go to the AIIMS or go to the UK or USA?

The 99 Club

2012-01-13T17:34:00.002+05:30

WELCOME TO THE 99 CLUB!
Once upon a time, there lived a ruler...
Who even in the face of his luxurious lifestyle,
was neither joyful, nor content...

ONE day, the ruler came upon a servant,
who was singing happily while he worked...
This fascinated the ruler...
Why was he the supreme ruler of the land
unhappy and ominous, while a servant had
so much bliss in his heart...?!

The ruler asked the man “why are you so cheerful...?”
he replied...
“Your majesty i am nothing but a servant
but my family and i don't need too much
just a roof over our heads
and food to fill one's stomachs...”

Later in the day the ruler sought the advice
of his most trusted advisor...
After hearing the ruler's woes and the servant's story,
the advisor declared…
“Your majesty, I believe that the servant
has not been made part of the 99 club...”
“And what exactly is that?” the ruler enquired...

The advisor replied…
“Your majesty, to truly know what this club is,
place ninety nine gold coins in a bag
and leave it at this servant's doorstep...”
And this was done...

When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house...
When he opened it,
he let out a enormous shout of joy...!
So many gold coins!, he began to count them...
After several times, he was at last convinced...
that there were ninety 9 coins, he wondered...
What could have happened to that last gold coin...
Surely there was ONE missing...
He looked everywhere he could, but
that final ONE coin was nowhere to be found...

Finally, exhausted, he decided that
he was going to work harder than ever...
to earn that gold coin and complete his collection.. .
From that day the servant's life was changed...
He was overworked, grumbled a lot,
scolded his family for not helping him
to complete his collection to a 100...
He even stopped singing while he worked...!

Witnessing this drastic transformation,
the ruler was puzzled...
When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor concluded...
“Your majesty, the servant has now
officially joined the 99 club...”
he continued...
“A name given to those people
who have enough to be happy,
but are never contented
because they are always yearning, striving,
for that extra ONE to round it out to ONE hundred...!”

We can be happy with what we have in our lives...
But the minute we are given something superfluous. ..
We want even more,
We lose our sleep, our happiness...
We even hurt the people around us...
All this, for the price for our growing needs and desires...

Don’t look for the ONE...
Be the ONE...

The above was posted by Santanu Acharya on FB.
It is very good and worth a thought if not application in ones life.

Perception

2012-01-13T09:24:00.002+05:30

Eyes

Do you know the relation between two eyes?

They never see each other.......BUT

1. They blink together.

2. They move together.

3. They cry together.

4. They see things together.

5. They sleep together.

They share a very deep bonded relationship

However, when they see a woman, one will blink and another will not.

Moral of the story:

Yes, woman can break any kind of relationship !!!

Heights of woman dominance-

Woman at optician's shop: I am returning the glasses I bought for my husband. He is still not seeing things my way. ;)

Husband Down
A husband and wife are shopping in their local Target.
The husband picks up a case of Budweiser and puts it in their cart.
“What do you think you're doing?” asks the wife.
“They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans” he replies.
“Put them back, we can't afford them” demands the wife, and so they carry on shopping.
A few aisles further on along the woman picks up a $20 jar of face cream and puts it in the basket.
“What do you think you're doing?” asks the husband.
“It’s my face cream. It makes me look beautiful,” replies the wife.
Her husband retorts: “So does 24 cans of Budweiser and it's half the price.”

He never knew what hit him.

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Look who's gheraoing now

2012-01-12T10:47:00.002+05:30

Bolpur, Jan. 11: A college principal today slumped unconscious in his office after Trinamul Congress-backed students deployed a weapon once associated with the Left: the gherao.
A Trinamul minister condemned the incident but advised "some principals obsessed with political ideology" to "maintain impartiality". A Trinamul student leader openly admitted his party's supporters were involved and said since the principal had not fainted during similar protests earlier, it must have been "dramatics" this time.
But governor M.K. Narayanan did not mince any words. "Stern action should be taken to curb campus violence and attacks on teachers and principals. Our teachers and principals are important persons of our society. Students should respect them," Narayanan said on the sidelines of a meeting in Calcutta.
The students gheraoed Shibashis Banerjee, the principal of Rampurhat College in Birbhum, asking him to explain why he told the media yesterday that they had threatened him with a "repetition" of last week's assault on a principal in Raiganj.
The principal regained consciousness at the Rampurhat sub-divisional hospital an hour after treatment.
"He will be kept in the hospital today and observed. He is under sedation. We think he had fallen unconscious because of mental stress," a doctor said.
Banerjee is the third principal over the past one week to be heckled by students owing allegiance to either Trinamul or the CPM.
Today's gherao started around 11.30am when around 25 college students allegedly belonging to the students' wing of Trinamul, barged into the principal's chamber and started shouting. "Apni kano media te mithya bibriti diyechhen (why have you given a false statement to the media?). Apni akjon cheatingbaj (you are a cheat)," cried out a student.
Banerjee, in his fifties and heading the college for the past two-and-a-half years, had told reporters yesterday that some "right-wing" students had threatened him with "a repetition of the Raiganj incident" if he did not take action against SFI members who allegedly beat them up in the college union room.
After regaining consciousness, Banerjee told reporters from his hospital bed that Trinamul students had gheraoed him. "Students belonging to Trinamul carried out today's gherao. I started feeling ill and became unconscious, unable to bear the noisy protest," he said.
A witness, a non-teaching employee, said: "The students were all known Trinamul Chhatra Parishad faces and they were angry. Many were banging their fists on the principal's desk. The principal stood up and tried to reason with the students. He told them that he had only told the truth to the media but the students continued to shout."
Around noon, the principal collapsed in his chair. Group D employees lifted the principal, laid him on a table and virtually pushed the students out of the room. Already taken aback, the students had started to leave in a hurry.
The employees informed police and called an ambulance in which Banerjee was taken to the Rampurhat sub-divisional hospital. Teachers decided not to hold any more classes for the day.
A team arrived from the Rampurhat police station and dispersed students crowding near the gate. District superintendent of police Hrishikesh Meena said no complaint from the college authorities had been lodged against any student till this evening.
Trinamul-supported students at the college later claimed that the principal had resorted to "dramatics in a pre-planned manner".
"Trinamul Chhatra Parishad members were in the principal's room today. We have carried out a number of agitations in the principal's room earlier. But nothing like this has happened before. We believe the principal resorted to dramatics in a pre-planned manner," said Amit Ghoshal, the president of the Trinamul Chhatra Parishad unit at Rampurhat.
Local Trinamul MLA Ashish Banerjee echoed Ghoshal and alleged that the principal was "making up all this" to avoid an impending inspection at the college.
Banerjee, however, said he was aware of the inspection. "We are all prepared for the inspection."
Condemning the Rampurhat incident, state urban development minister Firhad Hakim said: "At the same time, it is being noticed that some principals are still obsessed with their political ideology. I would request them to run colleges impartially and keep their political ideology at home. They should realise that change has taken place in the state."
He also pointed fingers at the Rampurhat College principal. "He was blaming a particular political party for the past few days, holding it responsible for the trouble. It appears that he has done it intentionally. We have come to know that there are charges of financial irregularity against the principal," the minister said.
State higher education minister Bratya Basu, who had vowed to depoliticise education, said it was a "law-and-order problem and it is the responsibility of the home department to look into it".
"We, too, are concerned. We have urged the home department to take necessary steps to prevent occurrence of such incidents," Basu added.
The rift between the allies was apparent in the reaction of Congress minister Manoj Chakrabarty. "This kind of hooliganism should be stopped immediately," Chakrabarty said.
Raiganj leave
Shatrughan Singh, the new principal of Raiganj College where the season of assault began, has gone on leave a day after taking charge. Citing "personal reasons", Singh has handed over charge to a history teacher.
The Congress had said Singh, who was appointed principal after the assaulted Dilip Dey Sarkar resigned, had links with Trinamul.
"There is some sudden personal work. I do not know when I will complete the tasks and I have not specified any joining date," Singh said.
A section of the teachers said Singh, who had requisitioned personal security round the clock, had been saying threat calls were made to him and he was feeling insecure. The Raiganj campus violence was a fallout of the turf war between Trinamul and the Congress.

Shows the true colour of Mamta Banerjee.
Her fangs are showing now like Red Riding Hood's big bad wolf.

Bill & Blanche

2012-01-11T21:47:00.001+05:30

Bill and his wife Blanche go to the county fair every year and every year Bill would say, " Blanche, I'd like to ride in that helicopter. "

Blanche always replied, " I know Bill, but that helicopter ride is twenty quid and twenty quid is twenty quid! "

One year Bill and Blanche went to the fair, and Bill said,
" Blanche, I'm 75 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter, I might never get another chance."

To this, Blanche replied, " Bill that helicopter ride is twenty quid, and twenty quid is twenty quid."

The pilot overheard the couple and said, " Folks I'll make you a deal. I'll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and don't say a word I won't charge you a penny! But if you say one word it's twenty quid. "

Bill and Blanche agreed and up they went.

The pilot did all kinds of fancy manoeuvres, but not a word was heard.

He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, but still not a word.

When they landed, the pilot turned to Bill and said, " By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I'm impressed! "

Bill replied, " Well, to tell you the truth I almost said something when Blanche fell out. But you know, Twenty quid is twenty quid! "

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

I have a feeling I may have posted this earlier also,

Subject: Letter from the Boss - A real letter from a real company

2012-01-11T21:43:00.001+05:30

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job.

What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country. Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you whom to vote for - it is against the law to discriminate based on political affiliation, race, creed, religion, etc.

Please vote who you think will serve your interests the best. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interest. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story.

This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company which, by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's.

My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 a.m., mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 p.m., I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have the weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to me like a one day old baby.

You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations. You never realized the back story and the sacrifices I've made. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions, sacrificed and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't.

The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man just to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Is it me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, is it the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?

Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country. The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.

Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep. So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV payment and for your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.

You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don't forget the back story: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on zero dollars is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn't? Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you "It's the economy Stupid" I'm telling you it isn't.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me in South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

Signed, Your boss,

Michael A. Crowley, PE Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc.
Professional Engineers
1906 South Main Street, Suite 122 Wake Forest , NC 27587 Phone: 919.562.8860 x22 Fax: 919.562.8872
http://www.crowley/ crisp.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

Sent by Prakash Bhartia.

While this letter has been specifically written in the context of the USA, it could very easily be applicable to India

Team Anna not to campaign against any party in 5 poll-bound states

2012-01-10T20:04:00.002+05:30

Ralegan Siddhi, Jan 10 (PTI)
Team Anna today decided to desist from campaigning against any party in the five election-bound states, a decision apparently prompted by divisions within its fold over its strident anti-Congress stand.

"There was a consensus in the Core Committee meeting that we should tour all five poll-bound states but we should not campaign against any party. Anna Ji shares this view and we will not campaign against any particular party," Anna aide Arvind Kejriwal told reporters after meeting the ailing Gandhian at his native village.

Team Anna's Core Committee had met in Delhi yesterday amid "confusion" on how to take the movement forward after a tepid public response to Hazare's fast in Mumbai against the "weak" Lokpal Bill brought by the government in Parliament and criticism of their anti-Congress posture.

According to sources, a section in the Team, including social activist Medha Patkar and a few others, were against the movement solely targeting Congress on Lokpal issue. Though Patkar did not attend yesterday's meeting, she sent a note in this regard.

Key members of his team, including Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan, met Hazare to inquire about the 74-year-old Gandhian's health after he was discharged from a Pune hospital recently and to communicate to him what transpired at the Core Committee meeting.

The Core Committee had decided to leave it to Hazare to take a final call on its future strategy, including whether or not to target any single political party in polls.

Kejriwal said Hazare was still "very ill" and a decision on whether he would join other members of his team on the tour will be taken only after he has fully recovered.

While I concede that Anna has suffered a rebuff in Mumbai by the poor response of the people to his hunger strike, they should not be demoralized.
It may be that the people wanted to give parliament a chance to see how it would perform.
It has performed miserably.
The elections are the best time to see if the people support corruption.
Irrespective of party or caste or religion, Anna and his group should go after people who have corruption charges against them, no matter how high or mighty.
I understand the Punjab Chief Minister, Prakash Singh Badal too has corruption charges against him.
Anna's team should identify those facing corruption charges and go after them so that they do not win.
They should support Swami Ramdeo in his campagn.
Remember Robert Bruce.

Congress to blame most

2012-01-10T19:50:00.002+05:30

Author: A Surya Prakash

Mrs Indira Gandhi and later Rajiv Gandhi had a huge majority in Parliament. Yet neither of them used that majority to legislate the Lokpal Bill.

When it comes to creation of an effective Lok Pal, India’s politicians have always dragged their feet and sought to hoodwink the people into believing that despite their efforts, the law has not entered the statute book because of some legal tangles and political developments well beyond their control. Is this true? When the history of this legislation is written, many political leaders, including two of India’s most powerful Prime Ministers, will be judged harshly.

The need for such an ombudsman was first articulated by the Administrative Reforms Commission in the 1960s. Such was the concern of the ARC in regard to mounting allegations of corruption that it produced an interim report and also a draft Bill to enable the Government to act swiftly on its recommendations. The Government, then headed by Mrs Indira Gandhi, responded with alacrity and introduced the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill in May 1968. But this Bill lapsed because it was pending in the Rajya Sabha when the fourth Lok Sabha was dissolved.

However, Mrs Gandhi re-introduced the Bill after returning to power with a thumping majority in 1971 but did not ensure its passage and allowed it to lapse yet again. Thereafter, the Janata Party Government introduced a fresh Lok Pal Bill in 1977, but this Bill too did not see the light of day because of the early dissolution of that Lok Sabha. After the Janata Party squandered the opportunity given by the people, Mrs Gandhi returned to power with a thumping majority in 1980. But despite her formidable strength in both Houses of Parliament, she took no initiative to establish the Lok Pal.

The Congress resumed its dalliance with the Lok Pal legislation soon after Rajiv Gandhi took over the reins and went through the motions of introducing a Lok Pal Bill in 1985. At that stage, Rajiv Gandhi’s Government was still in its honeymoon phase; he was seen as ‘Mr Clean’ who would cleanse the system and get rid of ‘power-brokers’ who he said were riding on the backs of poor people. Like his mother, Rajiv Gandhi had all the political strength (over 400 MPs in the Lok Sabha) to push a tough anti-corruption law through Parliament. But he too backed out and quietly withdrew the Bill.

Thereafter, a series of non-Congress Governments tried in vain to bring in this law. VP Singh’s Government re-introduced this legislation in 1989, but the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the ninth Lok Sabha. The Bill introduced by Mr HD Deve Gowda’s Government in September 1996 fell with the dissolution of the 11th Lok Sabha. The NDA Government’s initiative in August 1998 became history with the dissolution of the 12th Lok Sabha. Then a fresh attempt was made by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee to introduce the Bill in the 13th Lok Sabha, but it never saw the light of day.

What lessons can we draw from this? Undoubtedly, all the major players in the political field are guilty of dragging their feet in regard to the Lok Pal legislation. But some political leaders and parties are far more guilty than the others. Till 2011, the Lok Pal Bill had been introduced eight times in the Lok Sabha. On seven occasions it had lapsed because of the dissolution of the House. On one occasion it was withdrawn by the Government. The present UPA Government has introduced this Bill twice. It brought a Bill in August 2011 which it withdrew and introduced a fresh version in December 2011.

Under the Constitution, the Government can introduce a legislation in either House of Parliament. But the life of the Bills varies from House to House. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body in that it can never be dissolved. Hence, a Bill introduced in that House can survive and await an appropriate moment for passage. But the Lok Sabha is subject to dissolution. Hence, a Bill introduced in that House can face sudden death when the House is dissolved or when a Bill passed by it is pending in the Rajya Sabha. We can gauge the intentions of the political class when we realise that the Lok Pal Bill, which has lapsed on seven occasions, has never been introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

The need for a Lok Pal was first mooted in Parliament in 1963 when Jawaharlal Nehru was Prime Minister. The first Bill was introduced in 1968 when Mrs Gandhi was Prime Minister and passed by the Lok Sabha in 1969, but the Government did not ensure its passage in the Rajya Sabha till the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in early-1971. What happened thereafter is even stranger. Mrs Gandhi re-introduced the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill in 1971. This Government imposed the dreaded Emergency, used its brute parliamentary majority to turn the Constitution on its head and even extended the life of the lok Sabha. But it did not ensure the passage of the Lokpal Bill.

Another Prime Minister who had humongous parliamentary majority was Rajiv Gandhi. He had more power in Parliament than Nehru and Mrs Gandhi. Yet he lacked the courage to establish a Lok Pal and withdrew the Bill which he had introduced. Among the non-Congress Governments, the Morarji Desai Government had the requisite strength in the Lok Sabha to begin with, but mid-way through its term it fell victim to internal desertions and collapsed and the Lok Pal bill went down with it. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government, on the other hand, lasted a full term but failed to bring in this law after holding out much promise.

The ball is now in the Congress’s court and the party’s forked-tongued approach to setting up the Lok Pal is on display yet again. The party virtually ran away from the Rajya Sabha when MPs moved amendments to the Bill passed by the Lok Sabha. A standard explanation that the party now offers is that it does not, on its own, command a majority in Parliament and is therefore at the mercy of its coalition partners.

This may be true. But can we forget history? Would we be discussing the Lok Pal Bill in 2012 if the Congress had shown the courage to use its brute majority between 1971-77 and 1980-89 to establish this institution?

The above is from The Pioneer

Swami Ramdeo to campaign against corrupt politicians

2012-01-10T09:53:00.001+05:30

Haridwar, Jan 5 (ANI): Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's social outfit, the Bharat Swabhiman Trust, has initiated a training programme for young volunteers from across the nation to campaign against 'corrupt and tainted' political leaders during the upcoming five-state assembly polls.
Ahead of the upcoming state assembly polls, Ramdev and his brigade of dedicated volunteers have stepped up their efforts to make good of their promise and to spread awareness and mobilise the voters on the issue of graft and black money.
Speaking to mediapersons here, Ramdev's close aide Acharya Balkrishna revealed the plans of the Bharat Swabhiman Trust.We are imparting training to volunteers for campaigning in the upcoming assembly polls that are to be held in five states of the country. We want them to ensure that 100 percent voting takes place and people vote for only good, honest and clean candidates," said Balkrishna.
Balkrishna further stressed that their exercise was not in favour of any single political party.
"We are not doing this in favour of any political party. We are doing this in favour of national interest. The Bharat Swabhiman Trust's aim is to ensure that people elect only clean and honest candidates, for national interest," said Balkrishna.
Ramdev shot into political scene after he went on a fast against black money and corruption in June 2011, adding to the woes of an embattled government following the nationwide agitations spearheaded by veteran social activist Anna Hazare.
However, his fast was stopped by Delhi Police, which swooped on the protesters with batons in a pre-dawn raid that triggered a fierce public and political outcry.
Following the police crackdown, Ramdev vowed to campaign against the government in the elections, indicating full support from his followers and volunteers in the 'fight against corruption.' (ANI)

I plaud Swami Ramdeo in taking up the cudgels against corruption.
This should be the next step also for Anna and his core team.
If inspite of all the protests against corruption, corrupt politicians of one party resign from one party and easily gain admission in another party and become their candidates.
We are seeing this in UP and Uttarkhand where ministers thrown out by the BSP for corruption charges are admitted easily into the BJP.
Politicians are like the lemmings. They abandon a party when they see it losing in an election and join an opposing party if that has a greater chance of winning. All the good intentions of the anti-defection laws are thrown in the sea.

The Power of Vitamin C... No words needed!!!...

2012-01-10T09:25:00.000+05:30

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Best PM of India

2012-01-09T16:52:00.003+05:30

The year 2011 is being touted as one of the worst for the Indian government. U-turn on major policies just because they threatened loss of votes. Policy paralysis. Spate of scandals. Stark evidences of corruption. Such issues have darkened the public image of the government. Even the business community hurled verbal stones blaming the government and most importantly the Prime Minister (PM) for the dismal state of affairs in the country.

The PM, Dr Manmohan Singh, has naturally come under the hammer as he is the face of the government. He has been held responsible for the government's inaction. But despite such a widespread negative opinion, there is one respected gentleman who thinks that we Indians are blessed to have Dr Singh. This gentleman is none other than Mr Deepak Parekh, of HDFC Ltd. who in 2011, was vociferous on issues like the inefficiencies of the Indian government. He is the same man who had co-authored the Open letter to the PM citing the need for better governance to improve the business sentiment in the country. Now in a recent media interview, Mr Parekh has stated that Dr Singh is the best Prime Minister that we have had. The reason for this is that Dr Singh is one of the cleanest politicians with hardly any scandal or misappropriation to his name. Without argument, Mr Parekh's reason is true. However, we think his conclusion is wrong.

True, Dr Singh is as clean a politician as it comes. However, his inaction and silence on the poor governance by his team question his ability to lead the country. We need a PM who is willing to bring about the much needed reforms. Considering that Dr Singh is the same person who had introduced reforms way back in 1991, he does appear to be the ideal candidate for this job. But by bowing to the demands of the coalition as well as the opposition, he seems to be doing everything but his job. His job profile appears to be just helping his peers in garnering more votes. Rather than helping the country, the job for which he was appointed in the first place.

The above is from a Newsmail I receive from Equitymaster.

Opinions will vary as to who has been the best prime minister.
The Nehru - Gandhi family and their chamchas would like that title to go to one of its family. After all there were three, Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi.
The family just cannot think of another person who could actually get the credit, P V Narsimhan Rao who has been thrown in the dustbin
Business would say Manmohan Singh for not what he did as Prime Minister but what he did as Finance Minister under P V Narsimhan Rao. He opened the floodgates for making astronomical profits, unthinkable earlier.
As PM, Manmohan Singh has been a total failure and he cannot be called the best just because of his honesty. Even if honesty is taken into consideration, that credit should go to Lal Bahadur Shastri.
A person who allows dishonesty to flourish under him, whatever the reasons, cannot be called honest, by any chance.
No, Manmohan Singh will be remembered for the mess he has made of the country by succumbing to the pressures in different directions and not having a true Lokpal bill passed. If he was honest, he would have allowed the CBI to be removed from government control which everybody wanted.
By allowing the likes of Lalu Yadav and A.Raja to flourish under him, he has brought a disgrace to the office of the prime minister.
It would be unfair not to mention some good he has done.
Right to Information, although the poor person who raises the question is killed.
NREGA has put money in the pockets of the poor. But it is money given for unproductive work which does not improve our GDP. There is a saying, you give a man fish, he will eat for one day but you teach him fishing, he will never be hungry. NREGA is just like giving fish only and is breeding further corruption and low output.
ADHAR or UDI is the single most important decision he has taken.

Sukhram granted bail by Supreme Court

2012-01-09T14:53:00.003+05:30

Telecom scam: Supreme Court grants interim bail to ex-minister Sukhram
New Delhi, Jan 9 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim bail to former Telecom Minister Sukhram, who was convicted in connection with the 1996 telecom equipment purchase scam, till January 16.
A bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam also granted interim bail to former bureaucrat Runu Ghosh and Hyderabad-based businessman P Rama Rao who are co-accused in the case.
The bench had, on January 5, refused to entertain their appeal against the Delhi High Court's order convicting them in the scam and awarded a jail term of three years for Sukh Ram and Rao and two years of imprisonment for Ghosh.
The 1996 telecom scam involved award of a contract to a Hyderabad firm for supplying telecom equipment to government at exorbitant rates.
Sukhram, a cabinet colleague of Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, was held guilty under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code.
The CBI, in its charge sheet filed in 1998, had accused Sukhram of showing undue favour in awarding the cable supply contract to HTL. Sukhram had been put on trial along with HTL chairman Devinder Singh Choudhary who died during the trial.
In 2009, Sukhram had been held guilty of possessing disproportionate assets worth Rs. 4.25 crore.
In 2002, he was awarded a three-year jail term under the Prevention of Corruption Act in a separate case relating to equipment supply for causing a loss of Rs. 1.66 crore to the state exchequer. (ANI)

Our courts are very lenient.
I have said this earlier.
The influential and powerful people always escape punishment because of our courts.
The IPC should be changed for politicians.
The should be considered guilty unless they prove themselves innocent and until they prove themselves innocent, they should remain in jails. This would prevent them for postponing their trial on flimsy grounds and remain outside on bail

Love thy Job

2012-01-09T14:43:00.001+05:30

If you don't laugh out loud after you read this you are in a coma!

This is even funnier when you realize it's real! Next time you have a bad
day at work think of this guy.

Rob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana . He
performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs.

Below is an E-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to the radio
station 103.2 on FM dial in Ft. Wayne , Indiana , who was sponsoring a worst
job experience contest. Needless to say, she won.

Hi Sue,

Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother.

Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down
lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you
realize it's not so bad after all.

Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few
technicalities of my job.

As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the
office. It's a wet suit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So
what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water
heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It
heats it to a delightful temperature.

It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to
the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it
several times with no complaints.

What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and
stuff it down the back of my wet suit. This floods my whole suit with warm
water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi.

Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch.
So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few
seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the
damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened.

The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit.
Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to
it. However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate.

When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the
jellyfish into the crack of my butt.

I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His
instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other
divers, were all laughing hysterically.

Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three
agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I
could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression. When I
arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet.

As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running
down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as
soon as I got in the chamber.

The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt
was swollen shut.

So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it
would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt.

Now repeat to yourself, 'I love my job, I love my job, I love my job.'

Now whenever you have a bad day, ask yourself, is this a jellyfish bad day?

May you NEVER have a jellyfish bad day!!!!!

Sentby Prakash Bhartia

Hilarious World War II data & The Toilet Seat

2012-01-09T14:39:00.001+05:30

You might enjoy this from Col D. G.
Swinford, USMC, Ret and history buff.
You would really have to dig deep to
assemble this kind of historical info.
________________________________

1. The first German serviceman
killed in WW II was killed by the
Japanese ( China , 1937), the first
American serviceman killed was killed by
the Russians ( Finland 1940); and the
highest ranking American killed was Lt.
Gen Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army
Air Corps. So much for allies.

2. The youngest US serviceman
was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He
was wounded and given a Dishonorable
Discharge for lying about his age. His
benefits were later restored by act of
Congress.

3. At the time of Pearl Harbor,
the top US Navy command was called
CINCUS (pronounced 'sink us'), the
shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th
Infantry division was the Swastika, and
Hitler's private train was named
'Amerika.' All three were soon changed
for PR purposes.

4. More US servicemen died in
the Air Corps than the Marine Corps.
While completing the required 30
missions, your chance of being killed
was 71%.

5. Generally speaking, there was
no such thing as an average fighter
pilot. You were either an ace, or a
target. For instance, Japanese Ace
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80
planes. He died while a passenger on a
cargo plane.

6. It was a common practice on
fighter planes to load every 5th round
with a tracer round to aid in aiming.
This was a mistake. Tracers had
different ballistics so (at long range)
if your tracers were hitting the target
80% of your rounds were missing. Worse
yet tracers instantly told your enemy he
was under fire and from which direction.
Worst of all, it was the practice to
load a string of tracers at the end of
the belt to tell when you were out of
ammo. This was definitely not something
you wanted to tell the enemy! Units
that stopped using tracers saw their
success rate nearly double and their
loss rate go down.

.........AND YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE
THIS ONE

7. When allied armies reached
the Rhine, the first thing men did was
pee in it. This was pretty universal
from the lowest private to Winston
Churchill (who made a big show of it)
and Gen. Patton who had himself
photographed in the act.

8. German Me-264 bombers were
capable of bombing New York City
.....but they decided it wasn't worth
the effort.

9. German submarine U-120 was
sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

10. Among the first 'Germans'
captured at Normandy were several
Koreans. They had been forced to fight
for the Japanese Army until they were
captured by the Russians and forced to
fight for the Russian Army until they
were captured by the Germans and forced
to fight for the German Army until they
were captured by the US Army.

AND I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST....

11. Following a massive naval
bombardment, 35,000 United States and
Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska,
in the Aleutian Islands . 21 troops
were killed in the assault on the
island. It could have been worse if
there had been any Japanese on the
island.

THE TOILET SEAT

Charlie's wife, Lucy, had been after him for several weeks
to paint the seat on their toilet. Finally, he got around to
doing it while Lucy was out. After finishing, he left to take
care of another matter before she returned.

She came in and undressed to take a shower. Before getting
in the shower, she sat on the toilet. As she tried to stand up,
she realized that the not-quite-dry epoxy paint had glued her
to the toilet seat.

About that time, Charlie got home and realized her predicament.
They both pushed and pulled without any success whatsoever..
Finally, in desperation, Charlie undid the toilet seat bolts.
Lucy wrapped a sheet around herself and Charlie drove her
to the hospital emergency room.

The ER Doctor got her into a position where he could study
how to free her (Try to get a mental picture of this.).

Lucy tried to lighten the embarrassment of it all by saying,
"Well, Doctor, I'll bet you've never seen anything like this before".

The Doctor replied, "Actually, I've seen lots of them......
I just never saw one mounted and framed."

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Montek Singh raises 'technical questions' on Universal Identity Card

2012-01-08T21:20:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Jan 7 (ANI): Planning Commission, Deputy Chairman,Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said that there is a need to address and resolve certain technicalities in the Universal Identification Card(UID) programme.
He said this on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi on Saturday.
Singh made this remark in the context of several technical queries raised by some central lawmakers on the Planning Commission going ahead with instituting Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) to execute the UID programme. Their contention was there exists another similar organ, National Population Register (NPR) that functions under the Home Ministry.
Earlier in the day, the Planning Commission had rejected the Home Ministry's suggestion to make the UID card that could be swiped.
"I know that we are responsible for pushing forward the UIDAI proposal. We are not actually opposing what the NPR is doing. But I believe there are some technical questions as to what kind of biometrics are necessary and they must have given their comments. But this will go to the EFC (Expenditure Finance Committee) and the EFC will take a combined view. It is the job of the Planning Commission to criticise every proposal in a constructive kind of way," said Ahluwalia.
He also stated that the modus operandi of UIADAI is more effective since it is based on data compiled on a wide range of parameters as compared to the NPR.
"We had suggested that what the UIDAI is doing is actually better because all the detail is centrally stored. And you identify, you give the person concerned an ID number. And basically through any kind of secure mobile network you can authenticate the person's ID. There is no swiping of a card. But which is better, that is up to them to decide," added Ahluwalia.
Singh further added that the Planning Commission can only advise regarding the matters of the UID card and the main decision rests with the government regarding its overall implementation.
The UID card is an identification card mooted by the federal government to establish a centralised identity system for all bona-fide Indian citizens.
The UID scheme action plan, conceptualised by Nandan Nilekani, has run into a controversy with lawmakers questioning its utility. (ANI)

The UID scheme, initiated by the UPA government is one of its better schemes and should be encouraged by all. It does not surprise me that some of the other organisations who also do the similar job are trying to discredit the scheme. They would. They have a hand in increasing corruption by not keeping a useful data dank of India's population.

This scheme should be extended in the first phase to all police stations, post offices, banks and other offices of state and central government and undertakings. In the second stage it could be extended to private organisations.In the third stage, the unorganized sectors too should be covered.

All persons who are employed in the above sectors should have a UID card.
All police stations should have computers with Data Bank of all the UID card holders. It may seem expensive initially but in the long run it would result in immense savings.

Last Tuesday, my wife and I got our UID card from the Lake Town branch of Central Bank of India.
You have to go there with some address proof which may be ration card, Voter ID card, Passport, Bank Passbook, etc etc. carry a xerox copy of the same, signed on both sides.
The UID appointed personnel will see the original and copy and then give you an application form which you can fill and submit.
He will check the application form and the attached proof of address and then call you after about two hours.
At around the called time, he will call you and then take your photograph, Iris scan, finger prints of all ten figures, all in front of a computer monitor and you will be asked to confirm the details on the computer.On your confirmation he will give you a signed receipt.
The UID card will reach your home within three months.

All persons in India who read this should get their UID card.

Willy Peppers - Tears Of Joy

2012-01-08T16:51:00.002+05:30

I have never seen a Willy Pepper before...

These are actual peppers from a garden. They are called 'Willy Peppers'..
By the way, the farmer says they can grow up to 18" long!
Sort of brings tears to your eyes doesn't it?

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Bal Thackeray targets Team Anna, Hazare

2012-01-08T16:08:00.002+05:30

Mumbai, Jan 8 (IANS) Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Sunday trained his guns on Team Anna members Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, terming them 'a bunch of worthless, selfish persons'.
He also hit out at ailing social crusader Anna Hazare, raising questions on the source of finances for his 'five-star, corporate' hunger strike agitation in recent months, in an interview in Saamna, the party mouthpiece.
'They go on hunger strikes for flimsy reasons, demand this and force to do that ... This is nothing but a 'political rape'. What is going on in this country,' Thackeray demanded.
Attacking Hazare, Thackeray wanted to know 'What happened to the much-tom-tommed 'Lokpal Bill'? Does the country really need it, and will it serve any purpose?
'It will end up in vicious circles, committees will be appointed for committees, corrupt would probe the corrupt, and in the process, the common man will continue to suffer,' he pointed out.
Referring to Team Anna members, the Sena chief said that they have been cheating the government and it has been proved by the recent Shanti Bhushan episode.
'They wear 'I Am Anna' caps, but they are headless...' he remarked sarcastically on Team Anna.
Terming their acts as nothing but 'a Bollywood filmy drama', Thackeray questioned Team Anna members' credentials in carrying on the anti-corruption agitation.
All this is going on because the central government is 'weak and lame' - 'Who are (P.) Chidambaram or (A.K.) Antony? Do they deserve to occupy such high posts? It has happened because of using influence,' he declared.
Thackeray said that these days it has become the 'fashion' of some people to go on hunger strikes and emerge 'healthier' from the exercise. 'Is anybody bothered about the forced hunger that the (malnourished) infants in the state have to undergo?'
The interview comes ahead of Thackeray's 86th birthday scheduled to be celebrated Jan 23, barely a fortnight before crucial civic elections across Maharashtra.

Thackeray's attack on Anna and his group should surprise no one.
Just as the Nehru/Gandhi family has been ruling Delhi, the Thackeray family has been ruling Maharashtra ever since Thackeray raised the parochial slogan of Mumbai for Marathis.
He could afford to do so because Marathis never go out of Maharashtra and his could never think of winning a seat outside Maharashtra, it is a cmpletely localised party.

One thing I have noticed is that it is the smaller parties who are attacking Anna the most. Is it because they have the maximum to lose if Anna's fight against corruption is successful? NCP - 9,SHIV SENA -11,SP -22, RJD-4, LJP-1 are the main critics who created the most noise and yet their total strength in the 543 member house is only 47, i.e less than 10%.

Where will the terrorists attack next?

2012-01-08T12:46:00.000+05:30

In today's newspaper the CM says that Mumbai is not equipped to tackle terror. Our future PM says blatantly that not all terrorist attacks can be stopped.

Which basically means we are fucked and left to fend for ourselves !

However today morning while I was scanning the FM channels I think I stumbled upon a channel which picked up some chatter from somewhere in POK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir).
Here are the excerpts of this conversation :

Chacha-jaan (CJ) : Welcome Bhai-jaan (BJ), welcome back from a succesful Mumbai blast. We scared them..hurrah ! (in the background there are gunshots being fired in the air).
BJ : Ghanta CJ ! Balls we scared them ..No effect at all. Next day it was all back to normal.As if nothing happened !
CJ : Then next month you go back again and plant some more bombs.
BJ : No dude..I am not going back.
CJ : Why ?
BJ : No challenge.I just walk in- bomb the place- walk out, Its so easy and I am bored. I have been in the business for many years, took so much training, slept with you stinky bastards, every night I think of those 72 whores waiting for me in heaven..I also need the adrenaline, some excitement . Every time same bloody Zaveri Bazaar, same same locations..I am sick and tired of Mumbai.
CJ : Relax baccha, today I heard they will beef up security, install 5000 cameras , update the NSG..I promise next time will be fun.
BJ : CJ you are a chut to believe all this. this will never happen..Its been years after those hotel attacks..anything happened ?? Balls, I am not going back..period.
CJ : OK, lets forget South Mumbai for a while, lets look at other areas of Mumbai.

(They open a map of Mumbai on a table and look at it)

CJ: Peddar Road ?
BJ : Too close to the US Consulate..they will fucking send big missiles up our ass..
CJ: Yeah agreed..we fucked them once..thats enough..what about Worli ?
BJ: No no, Worli is one big mess now.. Upper, lower, east, west Worli ..I get confused there..full fucking area is called Worli now ..dont know where it starts and where it ends..We will never get to co-ordinate anything from there.
CJ : Dadar again ?
BJ: Are you fucking insane..do you lavdoos have a Dadar Fetish ..Thrice we tried blowing it.. all of them now know me on first name basis there.
CJ: Mahim ?
BJ : Are you nuts ? Firstly the stink will kill me and secondly on a Wednesday ??...no way ..Cant move your arm or leg there thanks to the novena there..I will fucking be the first to come under a stampede.
CJ : Ok Bandra then ??
BJ : Bose DK , last time I went to Bandra to do a recce, I was hungry so went to a new place called Hakkasan for dinner..They fucking took my money, wallet, my mobile with my timer, my explosives, my dry fruits, everything..they stripped me ..i am not stepping close to Bandra now.
CJ : Ok its Khar then ! Final !
BJ : Khar??..are you frickin crazy..you dont remember what happened to our other Bhai-jaan last time..He was fixing a bomb on his scooter in Khar..he went to take a leak and when he was back, everything was stolen by the Sindhis there , only the Scooter stand was remaining..they even took the wires (both red and black).
CJ : Oh fuck.yes...lets move on..Santacruz ??
BJ : Sorry I may be a terrorist and frustrated but I am not gay..Santacruz has a fuckin 'PINK' foot over bridge ..Sorry kill me now but i dont enter gay territory ! No !
CJ : Juhu beach then ? Always crowded and we will get a lot of mileage..Its the Bollywood hub !
BJ : CJ the problem with you is that you have been stuck in this POK for way too long..Have you seen Juhu Beach ?? Before I walk 10 metres there, either the fuckin plastic will devour me or Amitabh Bachchan's continous tweets will kill me..
CJ : OK last stop - Versova ?
BJ : Dude..no need to kill Versova citizens..Their own bloody never ending Metro will kill them either by the delay or by the pollution..No point !
CJ : Yeah dude..now I see what you getting at..Mumbai is too easy and they have enough of their problems ..I get your point..lets forget Mumbai.(they tear the map)...how about we go to Delhi and kill their entire fucking Cabinet ??
BJ : Sorry dude..firstly I dont do pigs...secondly..the Indians will only be too happy..We are here to terrorize them..not to solve their problems and make them happy..

So now friends..you can be safe and relax..no-one is attacking Mumbai...

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Chinese Phrase English Translation

2012-01-07T14:35:00.003+05:30

China has become a global power and it has now become imperative to learn Chinese.
Thus on the one hand parents in China are making their children learn English to deal with the English speaking countries, and on the other hand we have American parents hiring Chinese nannies to teach their school going kids Chinese so that they are one up on their peers.

Here is a crash course in certain Chinese phrases and their English translation, taken from Silicon India

Ai Bang Mai Ne: I bumped into the coffee table

Chin Tu Fat: You need a face lift

Gun Pao Der: An ancient Chinese invention

Hu Flung Dung: Which one of you fertilized the field?

Hu Yu Hai Ding: We have reason to believe you are harboring a fugitive

Jan Ne Ka Sun: A former late night talk show host

Kum Hia: Approach me

Lao Ze Sho: Gilligan's Island

Lao Ze: Not very good

Lin Ching: An illegal execution

Moon Lan Ding: A great achievement of the American space program

Ne Ahn: A lighting fixture used in advertising signs

Shai Gai: A bashful person

Tai Ne Bae Be: A premature infant

Tai Ne Po Ne: A small horse

Ten Ding Ba: Serving drinks to people

Wan Bum Lung: A person with T.B.

Yu Mai Te Tan: Your vacation in Hawaii agrees with you

Wa Shing Kah: Cleaning an automobile

Wai So Dim: Are you trying to save electricity?

Wai U Shao Ting: There is no reason to raise your voice

Case Study for Management Students

2012-01-07T13:52:00.001+05:30

Noah's Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .

ONE : Don't miss the boat.
TWO : Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE : Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark .
FOUR : Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE : Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN : For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT : Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE : When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN : No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Most people walk in and out of your life,
but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.

Sent by U Banerjee, N P

A good laugh for people in the over 50 group!!!

2012-01-07T10:28:00.004+05:30

When I bought my Blackberry, I thought about the 30-year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.

That was before one of my grandkids hooked me up for Tweeter, Tweetree, Twhirl, Twitterfon, Tweetie and Twittererific Tweetdeck, Twitpix and something that sends every message to my cell phone and every other program within the texting world.

My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.

The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife and everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. I had to take my hearing aid out to use it, and I got a little loud.

I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside that gadget was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say, "Re-calc-u-lating." You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then if I made a right turn instead. Well, it was not a good relationship.
When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.

To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't figured out how I can lose three phones all at once and have to run around digging under chair cushions and checking bathrooms and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.

The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden "Paper or Plastic?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused, but I never remember to take them in with me.

Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or Plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look. I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do toot a lot."

P.S. I know some of you are not over 50. I sent it to you to allow you to forward it to those who are.
We senior citizens don't need any more gadgets. The TV remote and the garage door remote are about all we can handle.

The above has been sent by Arun Shroff.
I have a feeling I may have posted it earlier.

We old people have this problem of forgetfulness.
Fay Kelly of Loretto, Darj, has sent the following video of Tom Rush to show how exactly.
Really hilarious.

http://www.tomrush.com./video_remember.html

America truly is the Greatest Country in the World.

2012-01-06T13:18:00.004+05:30

By: Kitty Werthmann
Kitty Werthmann is 85 years old.

What I am about to tell you is something you've probably never heard or will ever read in history books.

I believe that I am an eyewitness to history. I cannot tell you that Hitler took Austria by tanks and guns; it would distort history. We elected him by a landslide - 98% of the vote.. I've never read that in any American publications. Everyone thinks that Hitler just rolled in with his tanks and took Austria by force.

In 1938, Austria was in deep Depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce was unemployed. We had 25% inflation and 25% bank loan interest rates.

Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people were going from house to house begging for food. Not that they didn't want to work; there simply weren't any jobs. My mother was a Christian woman and believed in helping people in need. Every day we cooked a big kettle of soup and baked bread to feed those poor, hungry people - about 30 daily.

The Communist Party and the National Socialist Party were fighting each other.. Blocks and blocks of cities like Vienna , Linz , and Graz were destroyed. The people became desperate and petitioned the government to let them decide what kind of government they wanted.

We looked to our neighbor on the north, Germany , where Hitler had been in power since 1933. We had been told that they didn't have unemployment or crime, and they had a high standard of living. Nothing was ever said about persecution of any group -- Jewish or otherwise. We were led to believe that everyone was happy. We wanted the same way of life in Austria . We were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be assisted, and farmers would get their farms back. Ninety-eight percent of the population voted to annex Austria to Germany and have Hitler for our ruler.

We were overjoyed, and for three days we danced in the streets and had candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and everyone was fed.

After the election, German officials were appointed, and like a miracle, we suddenly had law and order. Three or four weeks later, everyone was employed. The government made sure that a lot of work was created through the Public Work Service.

Hitler decided we should have equal rights for women. Before this, it was a custom that married Austrian women did not work outside the home. An able-bodied husband would be looked down on if he couldn't support his family. Many women in the teaching profession were elated that they could retain the jobs they previously had been required to give up for marriage.

Hitler Targets Education - Eliminates Religious Instruction for Children:

Our education was nationalized. I attended a very good public school. The population was predominantly Catholic, so we had religion in our schools. The day we elected Hitler (March 13, 1938), I walked into my schoolroom to find the crucifix replaced by Hitler's picture hanging next to a Nazi flag. Our teacher, a very devout woman, stood up and told the class we wouldn't pray or have religion anymore. Instead, we sang "Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles," and had physical education.

Sunday became National Youth Day with compulsory attendance. Parents were not pleased about the sudden change in curriculum. They were told that if they did not send us, they would receive a stiff letter of warning the first time. The second time they would be fined the equivalent of $300, and the third time they would be subject to jail. The first two hours consisted of political indoctrination. The rest of the day we had sports. As time went along, we loved it. Oh, we had so much fun and got our sports equipment free. We would go home and gleefully tell our parents about the wonderful time we had.

My mother was very unhappy. When the next term started, she took me out of public school and put me in a convent. I told her she couldn't do that and she told me that someday when I grew up, I would be grateful. There was a very good curriculum, but hardly any fun - no sports, and no political indoctrination. I hated it at first but felt I could tolerate it. Every once in a while, on holidays, I went home. I would go back to my old friends and ask what was going on and what they were doing. Their loose lifestyle was very alarming to me. They lived without religion. By that time unwed mothers were glorified for having a baby for Hitler. It seemed strange to me that our society changed so suddenly. As time went along, I realized what a great deed my mother did so that I wasn't exposed to that kind of humanistic philosophy.

Equal Rights Hits Home:

In 1939, the war started and a food bank was established. All food was rationed and could only be purchased using food stamps. At the same time, a full-employment law was passed which meant if you didn't work, you didn't get a ration card, and if you didn't have a card, you starved to death. Women who stayed home to raise their families didn't have any marketable skills and often had to take jobs more suited for men.

Soon after this, the draft was implemented. It was compulsory for young people, male and female, to give one year to the labor corps. During the day, the girls worked on the farms, and at night they returned to their barracks for military training just like the boys. They were trained to be anti-aircraft gunners and participated in the signal corps. After the labor corps, they were not discharged but were used in the front lines. When I go back to Austria to visit my family and friends, most of these women are emotional cripples because they just were not equipped to handle the horrors of combat. Three months before I turned 18, I was severely injured in an air raid attack. I nearly had a leg amputated, so I was spared having to go into the labor corps and into military service.

Hitler Restructured the Family Through Daycare:

When the mothers had to go out into the work force, the government immediately established child care centers. You could take your children ages 4 weeks to school age and leave them there around-the-clock, 7 days a week, under the total care of the government. The state raised a whole generation of children.. There were no motherly women to take care of the children, just people highly trained in child psychology. By this time, no one talked about equal rights. We knew we had been had.

Health Care and Small Business Suffer Under Government Controls:

Before Hitler, we had very good medical care. Many American doctors trained at the University of Vienna . After Hitler, health care was socialized, free for everyone. Doctors were salaried by the government. The problem was, since it was free, the people were going to the doctors for everything. When the good doctor arrived at his office at 8 a.m., 40 people were already waiting and, at the same time, the hospitals were full. If you needed elective surgery, you had to wait a year or two for your turn. There was no money for research as it was poured into socialized medicine. Research at the medical schools literally stopped, so the best doctors left Austria and emigrated to other countries.

As for healthcare, our tax rates went up to 80% of our income. Newlyweds immediately received a $1,000 loan from the government to establish a household. We had big programs for families. All day care and education were free. High schools were taken over by the government and college tuition was subsidized. Everyone was entitled to free handouts, such as food stamps, clothing, and housing.

We had another agency designed to monitor business. My brother-in-law owned a restaurant that had square tables. Government officials told him he had to replace them with round tables because people might bump themselves on the corners. Then they said he had to have additional bathroom facilities. It was just a small dairy business with a snack bar. He couldn't meet all the demands. Soon, he went out of business. If the government owned the large businesses and not many small ones existed, it could be in control.

We had consumer protection. We were told how to shop and what to buy. Free enterprise was essentially abolished. We had a planning agency specially designed for farmers. The agents would go to the farms, count the live-stock, then tell the farmers what to produce, and how to produce it.

"Mercy Killing" Redefined:

In 1944, I was a student teacher in a small village in the Alps . The villagers were surrounded by mountain passes which, in the winter, were closed off with snow, causing people to be isolated. So people intermarried and offspring were sometimes retarded. When I arrived, I was told there were 15 mentally retarded adults, but they were all useful and did good manual work. I knew one, named Vincent, very well. He was a janitor of the school. One day I looked out the window and saw Vincent and others getting into a van. I asked my superior where they were going. She said to an institution where the State Health Department would teach them a trade, and to read and write. The families were required to sign papers with a little clause that they could not visit for 6 months. They were told visits would interfere with the program and might cause homesickness.

As time passed, letters started to dribble back saying these people died a natural, merciful death. The villagers were not fooled. We suspected what was happening. Those people left in excellent physical health and all died within 6 months. We called this euthanasia.

The Final Steps - Gun Laws:

Next came gun registration.. People were getting injured by guns. Hitler said that the real way to catch criminals (we still had a few) was by matching serial numbers on guns. Most citizens were law abiding and dutifully marched to the police station to register their firearms. Not long after-wards, the police said that it was best for everyone to turn in their guns. The authorities already knew who had them, so it was futile not to comply voluntarily.

No more freedom of speech. Anyone who said something against the government was taken away. We knew many people who were arrested, not only Jews, but also priests and ministers who spoke up.

Totalitarianism didn't come quickly, it took 5 years from 1938 until 1943, to realize full dictatorship in Austria . Had it happened overnight, my countrymen would have fought to the last breath. Instead, we had creeping gradualism Now, our only weapons were broom handles. The whole idea sounds almost unbelievable that the state, little by little eroded our freedom.

After World War II, Russian troops occupied Austria . Women were raped, preteen to elderly. The press never wrote about this either. When the Soviets left in 1955, they took everything that they could, dismantling whole factories in the process. They sawed down whole orchards of fruit, and what they couldn't destroy, they burned. We called it The Burned Earth. Most of the population barricaded themselves in their houses. Women hid in their cellars for 6 weeks as the troops mobilized. Those who couldn't, paid the price. There is a monument in Vienna today, dedicated to those women who were massacred by the Russians. This is an eye witness account.

"It's true..those of us who sailed past the Statue of Liberty came to a country of unbelievable freedom and opportunity.

America Truly is the Greatest Country in the World. Don't Let Freedom Slip Away

"After America , There is No Place to Go"

The author of this article lives in South Dakota and is very active in attempting to maintain our freedom. Encourage everybody to read this article and pass it along. We see so many parallels in this country–are we going to sit by and watch it happen? Spread the word; also contact your MPs; vote them out if they don’t do what they should. If you don’t want to be bothered, then you’re part of the problem!
Bombard them with emails although most of them hardly read your emails they read, they do not care to reply. One MP has a one line automatic reply by his machine.
Your mail has been received and a reply will go in due course.
The reply never comes.
But he is better than the others who do not even care to reply

Bhanu Pratap Gupta

2012-01-04T13:56:00.001+05:30

Bhanu Pratap Gupta, GMS 77 Batch is no more. Bhanu was one of the fixtures in kurseong and besides being one of the leading advocates of town also ran a darjeeling tea shop (one of a kind in the heart of tea country) where one could pick up a packet of castleton first flush at down to earth prices. bhanu was an active alumni member of GMS and was also actively involved in the local social and political life. My association with Bhanu or BP Gupta goes back a long way when both of us studied in St Helens for a good three years before joining Goethals in class2.
Bhanu died of a head injury due to a simple fall from a rickshaw in Aligarh. For the last week he was admitted in a hospital in Noida where he breathed his last, this morning. Shashi Agarwal from our batch is right now with him. Details of cremation can be asked from Shashi at his cell no. 9837161048.
RIP BHANU.

The above was posted by Norbu Tshering on FB

Never fool with Birbal

2012-01-04T13:48:00.001+05:30

Tansen was a high ranking official in King Akbar’s court. However he had one longstanding wish – to suck the queen’s voluptuous breasts to his heart’s desire.
Every time he passed the queen he would get frustrated. He revealed his desire to Birbal one day, and begged him to do something about it.
Birbal, after much thought, agreed on the condition that Tansen could suck the breasts to his desire but later he would have to pay Birbal 1000 gold coins for it.
Tansen agreed. The next day Birbal prepared a high voltage itching lotion and poured it into the queen’s bra while she was taking a bath. Soon the itching started and grew in intensity much to the king’s anxiety.
Consultations with doctors and Birbal revealed that a special saliva, if applied for four hours, would cure it. Birbal also added that such a saliva was only in Tansen ‘s mouth.
Akbar summoned Tansen and for the next 4 hours Tansen violently sucked the queen’s breasts. Licking, biting, pressing, playing he got what he always desired. Satisfied he returned back and met Birbal, but in his lust and since his mission was over, he refused to pay Birbal anything and in fact shooed him away.
Tansen of course knew that Birbal could never report this matter to the emperor since he was instrumental in it himself.
What Tansen did not know was what Birbal would do the next day……
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“Birbal duly put that lotion in Emperor Akbar’s underwear”

Sent by Praksah Bhartia

Kerala Varsity Wanted Albert Einstein to be Vice-Chancellor

2012-01-03T14:35:00.002+05:30

Thiruvananthapuram: Decades before India embarked on its quest for superpower status, the tiny princely state of Travancore aimed it high in higher education and even made an unsuccessful bid to enlist the services of great physicist Albert Einstein as vice-chancellor of its fledgling university for a monthly pay of 6000.

The Nobel prize winning scientist, considered as the founder of modern physics and who developed the theory of general relativity, politely declined the invitation saying he wanted to join Princeton University in America.

The University, set up in 1937 as Travancore University, was renamed as University of Kerala later, and is planning year-long celebrations to mark its Platinum Jubilee this year.

According to eminent historian,late Prof A Sreedhara Menon, who authored a comprehensive history of the university, seeking Einstein's service for the state was the idea of the then Diwan (Prime Minister) of Travancore Sir C P Ramaswamy Aiyar. Aiyar was a shrewd administrator and multi-faceted scholar who kept abreast of contemporary developments including those concerning modern science.

Citing records of local people's council, Menon says Aiyar advised the reigning prince Chithira Tirunal Balarama Varma, the last Maharaja of Travancore, to invite Einstein to decorate the prestigious academic post.

Aiyar thought that the prestige and status of the university would get elevated if a great scientist like Einstein agreed to head it. According to writer and historian M G Sashibhushan CP, as Aiyar was popularly known, had tried to bring not only Einstein but many famous personalities from various academic disciplines as faculty of the university.

"I have heard people saying of CP's public announcement about the proposal first at the Sree Chitra State Council. But as far as I know, unfortunately, the copy of the letter sent to Einstein is yet to be traced," Sashibhushan told PTI.

It is sad that Einstein did not accept the invitation. However, in a way it was good because "Relativity" would never have been discovered if he had come to India. But at least the invitation could go in 1937.
If it were today, even the invitation would never go.
Einstein was neither SC/ST or OBC or religious minority (read Muslim).
Sorry, no place for Einstein in India.

Cong men, train passengers clash

2012-01-01T21:11:00.003+05:30

BASIRHAT: A clash broke out between supporters of Basirhat Town Congress and railway passengers after partymen reportedly supporters

squatted on railway tracks at Basirhat station on the Sealdah-Hasnabad section of eastern railway on Saturday morning.

The party was protesting against renaming Indira Bhavan as Nazrul Bhavan. Forced by the passengers, Congress supporters later withdrew their agitation. had to withdraw their agitation squatting track after the passengers forced them to do it.

Train services on the Sealdah-Hasnabad section were disrupted for an hour following the blockade and the clash.

Problem started at around 8am when passengers requested party workers to vacate the tracks. A clash occurred when Congress supporters refused to budge. "The agitators threatened passengers with dire consequence if they tried to force them to stop their agitation," said daily commuter Kundan Haldar. TNN

Around 8am the supporters of Basirhat Town Congress squatted on the track at Basirhat station and launched an agitation to protest against the renaming of Indira Bhawan while Up and Down Hasnabad-Sealdah local were stranded at the Basirhat station. Few minutes after some passengers got down from the train and requested the agitators to remove from the track. But the party supporters allegedly did not pay any heed to their request and continued to squat on the track. "Later more persons including the local residents joined the passengers and asked the party supporters to remove from the track which the agitators denied again and threatened the passengers with harm if they tried to force them to stop their agitation", said Kundan Haldar, a daily passenger. Then a heated argument was exchanged between the party supporters and the passengers and soon a clash ensued. Later the Congress supporters had to withdraw their agitation and remove from the rail track. The normal railway services resumed again around 9 am.

Is this new courage shown by the passengers a harbinger of the resolve of the general public to stop being blackmailed by a handful of demonstrators who hold the whole city to ransom.

I have commented earlier that just 10 or 12 hooligans placed strategically at each important cross roads can bring the entire city to a halt i.e just a 100 people can bring the whole of Kolkata to a standstill.

The police just stand quietly while these people smash window panes of cars and buses. Smashing one is sufficient to make other vehicles which were on route to hastily.

However, these were congress demonstrators.
I wonder if the passengers would have acted similarly in the demonstrators were from the Trinamul Congress or after Mamata Banerjee's becoming CM, have the TMC stopped demonstrating.

Only time will tell.

Indira Awas whistle-blower shot dead

2011-12-31T11:54:00.003+05:30

By Our Correspondent | www.telegraphindia.com

Ranchi, Dec. 30: An RTI crusader, who exposed misappropriation of Indira Awas Yojana funds two months ago, was shot dead in a Latehar village last evening in a grim rerun of the fatal attack on MGNREGS activist Niyamat Ansari in the same rebel-hit district in March.
Though a hand-written note found beside 40-year-old Pradeep Prasad's body in Salodi, 104km from the state capital, said the PLFI ' a breakaway CPI(Maoist) faction ' was responsible for the killing, police are yet to confirm Naxalite role in the incident.
According to Town police, who exercise jurisdiction over Salodi village, Prasad ' the Latehar block convener of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, a trade union outfit ' was returning to his native Mukka village on a motorbike around 6pm, when he was intercepted. His bullet-riddled body ' two wounds in the forehead and one in the chest ' was discovered around 8am today.
Latehar SP G. Kranti Kumar expressed his inability to name any individual or organisation behind the attack. "Though the PLFI has claimed responsibility for the murder in Salodi, we are yet to ascertain the genuineness of the note found beside the body. Anybody can write it to mislead the police. We are also trying to verify the motive behind the killing," he said.
Local villagers said Prasad often invoked the RTI Act to highlight corruption in government departments and might have made several enemies in the process.
"In October, he had exposed embezzlement of funds meant for distribution among beneficiaries of Indira Awas Yojana in villages here, which led deputy commissioner Rahul Purwar to suspend a panchayat sevak, Ishidor Aiend," a villager said.
On whether Prasad was the victim of a conspiracy hatched by unscrupulous government functionaries, the SP said: "We are yet to ascertain the exact motive behind the killing and are investigating the case from all angles." He reiterated that the PLFI note could be a decoy to confuse police.
Surprisingly, DGP G.S. Rath said he was not aware of the incident in Latehar, but insisted that the PLFI was not active in that district.
"Latehar is the base of breakaway Maoist groups like the Jharkhand Janmukti Morcha and the Tritiya Prastuti Committee," he added.
After Prasad's body was recovered, angry residents blocked NH-75 near Latehar bus stand for two hours from 9am, demanding adequate compensation for the activist's family. Prasad is survived by his wife and five children ' one son and four daughters.
The protest quelled after the district administration provided Rs 10,000 for last rites and assured Prasad's kin of further financial assistance soon.
On March 2, Niyamat Ansari ' a trusted aide of economist and MGNREGS architect Jean Dr�ze ' was targeted by unscrupulous contractors, backed by Maoists, for exposing rampant corruption in the Centre's flagship rural job scheme in a Latehar village.
While Ansari died after being beaten up brutally by a 12-member gang at Jerua, 130km from the state capital, his friend and colleague Bhukan Singh had a narrow escape because he wasn't home when the rebel-backed group came hunting for him.
Both Ansari ' the block convener of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and MGNREGS Sahayata Kendra ' and Singh had hit headlines on February 20, when they detected financial irregularities in two projects at Rankikala village in Manika block of the district and lodged an FIR against former BDO Kailash Sahu.
More than Rs 2 lakh were recovered from Sahu and his accomplices during raids that followed.
After much dilly-dallying, the Arjun Munda government sanctioned a CBI probe into Ansari's killing in July. The central agency is yet to begin investigations.

This has been going on and on with no respite from the corrupt government.
The latest example being shown in the Rajya Sabha debate of the Lokpal bill.

2011-12-31T11:42:00.004+05:30

First day of school in Quebec:

"Mustapha El Ekhzeri"

"Present"?

"Achmed El Cabul"

"Present"

"Kadir Sel Ohlmi"

"Present"

"Mohammed Endahrha

"Present"?

Chanhira Amarttayaku

"Present"?

"Ala In Ben Oit"

Silence?

"Ala In Ben Oit"

The class remains silent

For the last time!?"Ala In Ben Oit!"

Then, timidly, a young boy in the last row stands up and
says to the teacher:

It's me, but it's pronounced: Alain Benoit

Watch your Language

- 'Name?'

- 'Abdul al-Rhazib.'

- 'Sex?'

- 'Three to five times a week.'

- 'No, no... I mean male or female?'

- 'Male, female, sometimes camel.'

- 'Holy cow!'

- 'Yes, cow, sheep, animals in general.'

- 'But isn't that hostile?'

- 'Horse style, doggy style, any style!'

- 'Oh dear!'

- 'No, no! Deer run too fast!'

This came from a Marine’s wife. It says it all:

I sat, as did millions of other Americans, and watched as the government
Underwent a peaceful transition of power two years ago..
At first, I felt a swell of pride and patriotism while
Barack Obama took his Oath of office.
However, all that pride quickly vanished as I later watched 21 Marines,
In full dress uniform with rifles,
Fire a 21-gun salute to the President.
It was then that I realized how far America's military had deteriorated.
Every one of them missed the bastard.

All the above sent by Prakash Bhartia.

Shows how important, it is to speak in the same sense, not only in the same language.

Lokpal bill waiting since 1968 for parliament's nod

2011-12-30T20:47:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) First introduced in 1968, the Lokpal bill is yet to get parliament's nod, and faces an uncertain future with the Rajya Sabha Thursday night adjourning sine die without voting on the legislation.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas bill was first introduced in the fourth Lok Sabha May 9, 1968, and passed the following year.
However, while it was pending in the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha was dissolved, and so the bill died.
A Lokpal bill was again introduced in the fifth Lok Sabha Aug 11, 1971, but was not passed by either house and died upon the dissolution of the Fifth Lok Sabha.
According to parliament's records, Lokpal bills were brought in 1977, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, and 2001 but were never passed.
In December 2011, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in a special extension of parliament's winter session but failed to make headway in the Rajya Sabha despite a spirited debate.
The United Progressive Alliance government has now said the bill is still alive and it will be passed in the budget session of parliament next year.

During earlier attempts, the bill failed to be passed because of dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
However, this time, it was intentionally scuttled by the Congress and the combination of UP, Bihar parties like SP, JLP and RJD which sends the maximum number of criminals to the Lok Sabha.

December 29, 2011, will go down in the history of Indian democracy as marking the acme of insincerity, inepti

2011-12-30T20:31:00.002+05:30

The government of Dr Manmohan Singh and the Congress party headed by Sonia Gandhi conducted themselves in a manner that confirmed the suspicions of many -- particularly in the younger generation that is the future of this country -- that they have been insincere in their professions of wanting to rid this country of the evil of corruption by setting up an anti-corruption architecture that will fight this evil with determination and competence.

The Lokpal Bill introduced by the government gave the impression of a leadership at long last conscious of the depth of public anger against corruption at the political and bureaucratic levels and determined to meet the demands and expectations of the civil society for meaningful and firm action to fight it.

But the shockingly casual manner in which the government steered the passage of the Bill through the two Houses of the Parliament demonstrated that it was a make-believe legislative measure brought in not because the government and the Congress had realised that was the crying need of the hour, but because they felt that it was the only way of diverting the attention and anger of the people away from the misdeeds of the government and its failure to deal with this evil.

Whatever compulsions and anxiety there were in making the government show even a modicum of determination to have the bill passed were visibly dissipated when Anna Hazare, the leading and moving spirit of the anti-corruption crusade, and his team of young anti-corruption warriors failed to receive the expected measure of public support, when they tried to shift the centre of their protest movement to Mumbai from Delhi.

The failure of large sections of the people of Mumbai -- for whatever reason -- to respond as enthusiastically to the protest movement as the people of Delhi had done in April and August brought out dramatically the insincerity of the government and the Congress leadership. The urgency of action against corruption was lost right across the political spectrum and particularly in the Congress.

This insincerity was compounded by the amazing ineptitude with which the government -- and Dr Singh in particular -- handled even this make-believe legislative exercise.
Ineptitude marked by lack of attention to details, a casual approach to important decision-making and a failure to do the homework efficiently before undertaking important administrative, legislative or policy-related exercises had become the hallmark of the government since it was re-elected in 2009. It was behind many of the embarrassments faced by the government one after the other throughout the year.

One saw it in the controversies that had surrounded the appointment of a new Chief Vigilance Commissioner, the attempted but jettisoned-half-way-through decision to permit foreign direct investment in the retail sector and now in the legislative exercise to seemingly end corruption. The bill was badly drafted and provided for a Lokpal without the required independent investigative capability.

Moreover, under the ill-advised pressure of the Anna Hazare movement, the government let itself be forced to tread into the domain of the state governments by seeking to prescribe in a central legislation the contours of an anti-corruption architecture for the states.

This roused the anger of many regional parties -- even some who were supposedly allies of the government in the ruling coalition. In the face of this anger, the government lost its cool and lucidity.
The anger was the result of a lack of consultations with the regional parties while drafting the bill and the shocking insensitivity of the government and the Congress to regional concerns and nervousness over the way the government had gone about this exercise.

The government got the bill passed in the lower House where it managed to muster the required political support, but it failed to rally majority support in the upper House where it knew it was in a hopeless minority.
By lunch-time on December 29, it was apparent to all that the government would be defeated if the bill was voted upon .

One would have expected a government and a political party with genuinely democratic instincts and impulses to convene a meeting of the leaders of different political parties represented in the Upper House and find a way out of the dilemma. There was no such move by the government and the Congress.
Instead, they blatantly manipulated the proceedings of the upper House in a cynical manner through a mix of filibuster tactics and keeping the other political parties guessing about the real intentions of the government.

In the last hour before the House under the rules was required to be adjourned sine die, it witnessed disorderly scenes -- that many suspected with valid reasons to have been choreographed by the government -- that enabled the chairman of the House to adjourn the House sine die disregarding the wishes of the members to extend the session.

Lack of decorum and gravitas had become the defining characteristic of our Parliament for many years. What one saw on December 29 -- a day of infamy in the history of the Parliament -- was a charade organised by the government in order to wriggle out of the promises and commitments made by it to the civil society of the country.
While the government and the Congress as whole are worthy of total, unreserved condemnation for the way they turned democracy into a cynical exercise in the manipulation of procedures, specially strong words of condemnation are due for the prime minister, Mrs Gandhi and Dr Hameed Ansari, the vice president of India and the chairman of the House.

Initially, the prime minister chose to absent himself from the House, but was forced by the members' clamour for his presence to rush to the House. Subsequently, he sat through the proceedings without any visible attempt to provide leadership and enter into consultations with other political parties.

Sonia Gandhi is not a member of the Upper House, but one expected her as the leader of the party to take over the leadership in the exercise to find a way out of the political quandary in the House. At a time, when her party badly needed her leadership, she failed to rise to the occasion and lead.

Dr Ansari was a batch-mate of mine in the All-India and Central Services. He used to enjoy a tremendous reputation for his straightforwardness, but the way he conducted himself -- as seen on television -- in the final minutes of this charade made many of us suspect that he chose to play along with this charade instead of stopping it firmly.

It was a particularly black day in the history of Indian democracy, the Indian Parliament, the Indian institutions and the Congress leadership. It is important for the public and other political formations which still believe in the importance of political ethics if democracy has to survive in this country to ensure that the government and the Congress are not able to get away with their sins of December 29.
Fresh premature elections are the need of the hour if the reputation of Indian democracy has to be salvaged. All right-thinking persons -- particularly the youth -- should unite behind the demand for fresh elections.

The above is from Rediffmail.com.
It strengthens my feelings and those of many of my countrymen that the Presidents and Vice Presidents of India should never be a political appointments as they will favour in moments of crisis, the party who has appointed them.
I would go further and say, the Speaker too should not be a political appointment. This post should be held by a judge of the Supreme Court under the recommendation of the Chief Justice of India.
We saw how the CPM tried to influence the decision of Mr. Somnath Chatterjee, the Speaker in the last UPA government.

Most Influential Person of the Year

2011-12-30T17:09:00.004+05:30

If one wants to acquaint oneself with the most influential person in any given year, the Time magazine provides an excellent clue. And this year too, it does not seem to have disappointed.

With revolutions being the order of the day, it has very rightly chosen the 'Protestor' as its person of the year. Although the word is very generic and does not allude to any one person, it could very well have been a gentleman called Mohamed Bouazizi. Indeed, he was the one whose sacrifice by way of self-immolation produced the spark that eventually engulfed continents ranging from Asia and Europe to the US and Russia. And what was he protesting for? A life of dignity and the ability to earn two square meals a day. That's it, nothing more.

It is certainly the paradox of our times that while we are supposed to live in an era of unprecedented wealth and prosperity, a mere loaf of bread sparked the kind of revolution we saw in 2011 and may even continue to see in 2012. Does anyone have an answer to this anomaly? We believe that most of it has to do with the fact that while we have grown enormously prosperous, welfare of each and every individual has not kept pace. By way of political oppression, lack of property rights and other such inhuman means, the gap between haves and have-nots has only widened over time. And with most pleas to correct the same falling on deaf ears, protests seemed to have acquired the status of the means of last resort.

The above is from "5 minute wrap-up", a news mail I receive from Equitymaster.com

It is ironical that our MPs who were just a few months backs grovelling in front of Swami Ramdeo and Anna have suddenly found their voice just because Anna was not able to carry forward his agitation because of ill health.
Suddenly, they have tossed away the Lokpal bill to the dustbin.
This is the behaviour which causes revolution.
The people have not lost interest in Anna's agitation but the inclement weather has rightly made them think twice before going out.
Our MPs are taking this as a sign of dwindling interest in Anna's agitation, have gone back to their old ways of promoting corruption.
How wrong they are going to be proved - only time will tell.

Lawmakers slam Government for not being able to pass Lokpal Bill

2011-12-30T15:01:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec 30 (ANI): Slamming the Central Government for not being able to pass the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha, leaders of various opposition parties termed the adjournment of the House sine die a conspiracy.
Talking to reporters here, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leader Sitaram Yechury slammed the government by saying that since the government wanted to bring in a weak Lokpal Bill it was not supported by the opposition parties.
"The minister of the Central Government cleared that the government will decide the business of the Parliament and the reason was clear that they didn't have the numbers in the Rajya Sabha, they didn't have majority in Rajya Sabha. They didn't want changes to be made in the Lokpal Bill and they wanted an ineffective Lokpal Bill to work as an institution, so stop all these things, a conspiracy has been hatched and I believe that it is very unfortunate for our democratic country and it is huge defeat of the government," he added.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Satish Chandra Mishra said that the government never wanted to present a strong Lokapl Bill.
"Definitely, the government has completely failed today, because it was in minority, it continued the debate deliberately till 12 O' clock, we kept on insisting, when we smelled the mind of the government, we insisted that it should continue for the whole night, if required," said Mishra.
Trinamool Congress party lawmaker Sukhendu Sekhar Roy termed the whole episode in the upper house as sad day for Indian democracy.
"We wanted the Lokpal Bill to be passed properly but the amendments which we wanted to make on the Lokayukta were necessary and we wanted the government to pass them. We also wanted part three to be omitted from the Bill. This is what we asked for and we also gave amendments but it's very unfortunate that when we were waiting for voting suddenly an atmosphere was created to disrupt the house proceedings and according to us it is very sad for the democratic country," said Roy.
The bill, which was passed by the Lok on Wednesday was taken up for a discussion and vote in Rajya Sabha . But after a marathon debate that stretched until midnight, the vote failed to take place for lack of time.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die late night amid uproar created by several MPs, without voting on the bill.
The anti-graft legislation for which social activist Anna Hazare and his team have fomented a successful mass movement may now be taken up in the budget session of parliament, probably in March. (ANI)

We never know how, God, in His Wisdom, decides to play things.
He made Anna unwell to such an extent that he could not continue his fast.
So one of the things which our MPs were always objecting to is that they would not be pressurized into making laws.
So there, God had removed the pressure - what have our august MPs done.
Made a mess of the whole thing.
Anna has always been saying that the Congress would be responsible for not passing the Lokpal bill.
He has been proved right again.
Right from the beginning their aim was to drift aimlessly so that the bill was not passed.
Since they knew that they were not in the majority in the Rajya Sabha, it would have been proper to have the bill passed first in the Rajya Sabha with whatever amendments could be agreed upon by both the government and its allies on one side and the opposition on the other.
It could then have been given to the Lok Sabha with all the amendments and since the government was comfortably placed in the Lok Sabha, they should have had no problem.
Instead, they got it passed first in the Lok Sabha and presented it to the Rajya Sabha as fait accompli for passing knowing full well the all parties wanted the CBI to be separated from control the government.
The government just did not want to release control of the CBI as that was asking it to give up one of its aces to harass the opposition and anyone who went against the government.
The other point of the Lokayukta was minor and could easily have been sorted out. The main thorn was "control of the CBI"
It is obvious that if any single party is responsible for the failure of the Lokpal bill, it is the Congress party.

Everybody fights over nobody's bill

2011-12-29T10:49:00.003+05:30

By Sankarshan Thakur

New Delhi, Dec. 28: Rumour has it that leader of the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee, read out the "sense of the House" wrong in end-August. Rumour has it the sense of the House was never to install a "strong and effective" Lokpal, the sense of the House was always to postpone the prospect, as it has been for more than 40 years.
"And rightly, wouldn't you think?" wondered one of the scribes of the bill, assured that there were no flies on the wall as he spoke, the door was shut and a sting-cam had not invaded his space.
"Nehru didn't do it, Indiraji did not, Vajpayee did not and they must have had good reason. And we have now convinced ourselves we have greater wisdom than all of them put together? What travesty!"
It's a rumour that the noveau advocates of Lokpal, this side and that of the Parliament floor, actually endorse the idea; they've been hectored into it.
But that cannot be told as truth because truth, last heard, was still hostage to the dictatorship of political correctness. It has deemed all the institutions of democracy incapable of fighting off corruption and it has decreed that all must agree. It is no rumour that the political class submitted to that decree, against its own will and wisdom.
"The terrible problem is," one member of Parliament said, again strictly off the record, "we are having to applaud the birth of a demon in our midst, we are having to celebrate a damned charter of no-confidence in ourselves."
What makes rumour of patent truth is that nobody ' or very few ' will put their names to the sentiment. Between private conviction and public posturing, between the Central Hall of Parliament and the floor of the House, lies a chasm so deep it balks the collective sense of nearly 900 elected members of the Indian republic.
What is it that has driven them to speak, act, vote against their own sense and creed? A mob moment? A scary siege? An inflamed street? Lack of will ' and spine ' to meet any of that squarely? "Frankly, I can tell you none of the better-known democracies have anything like the Lokpal we have constructed," confessed a junior minister. "But somehow we have got pushed into it. Why only us, even the Opposition, frankly, is in terror of what we might end up enacting, but we have become competitive crowd-pleasers, there will be wages to pay, if not today, tomorrow."
This was a baby nobody seemed to want, but now that it has been forced into fullness, nobody wants to be seen forsaking it. They are competing to wish upon it greater health and vigour, but secretly they are all wishing it dead without, of course, having to take the blame for it; best if it can be blamed on the other.
Witness that no side in Parliament has rushed to embrace the Lokpal; they've all only been interested in inoculating it with correctives of their choosing. This is a flawed baby. Nobody's stepping up to say this is a baby they did not wish in the first place.
Bar a few exceptions like Lalu Prasad, who is himself so politically anaemic he has ceased to effect anything but the odd round of laughter. But give it to Lalu. He stood and said for the record what the rest of Parliament is only able to express in anonymous whispers: "This is a dangerous move, you are signing the death warrant of elected democracy, history will not forgive you for this."
A stealthy masquerade has unfolded behind the clamorous adoption of the Lokpal bill in the Lok Sabha, a deception play that has distorted both reality and perception.
Well-timed walkouts brokered in the backrooms, mock battles devised by rival political managers, amendments inserted last-hour, deals struck between allies and adversaries alike, a whole choreography of pretexts and subtexts aimed at securing one common end: turn the death of the Lokpal into a bewildering whodunit. Kill it, let no one take the blame.
The Lokpal is, of course, not dead, it has just been born, but let that not take away from the elaborate effort.
Conventional wisdom is that the defeat of the constitutional amendment last night is a huge embarrassment to the Congress, especially to its prince charming, Rahul Gandhi, who floated the idea to begin with. But there may be more convention, less wisdom in reaching that conclusion.
Consider this: close to 10 members of Rahul's own band were not present to vote the amendment. Many of them may have been attending the wedding of the granddaughter of Dinsha Patel, a Congress MP, in Gujarat. How did that come to be? There was a whip in place. Are we to believe they defied it? Defied Rahul's own diktat? If they did, they deserve not show-causes and admonishment but bravery awards at the Republic Day parade.
But no, comes the explanation from Congress managers, their absence did not matter because even if they had been there, we did not have the numbers to push the constitutional amendment through.
Cat stepping out of bag and mewing aloud: the Congress always knew Rahul's effort was headed for defeat, the idea to bring it was merely to put the blame on the BJP and secure scoring points. Banish the thought that Rahul or the Congress were embarrassed ' even devastated, as some are suggesting ' by that defeat. Don't be taken by the long faces, the outrage at the BJP's betrayal. They all knew what was coming, the BJP included.
Does it say something that the petulant midwives of the Lokpal inexplicably suspended the chaotic delivery rituals today, leaving the emaciated entity huffed out of the Lok Sabha on the gurney, waiting to be patted to life by the Upper House?
They were meant to attend to it first thing upon recovering from last night's exertions this morning. Then word came it had been parcelled off to Hyderabad for presidential approval. Procedures, the due process. Then the afternoon was set as witching hour.
But that too came to pass with an unstated putting off. It's now meant to happen on the morrow but should you take the midwives aside and ask, you're likely to get a sense they are keener on a burial than on birth.
Each amendment, they'd tell you, is aimed at making that baby stronger, better, but each has a likeness to the bayonet ' send that thing to hell with good intentions!
The BJP has planned a slew in the Rajya Sabha to add to the catalogue of correctives they moved last night in the Lok Sabha. They have now been joined by the Trinamul Congress, rockjawed on securing guarantees for states to fashion Lokayuktas after their own will.
Nobody will say they really do not want a watchdog institution scanning them ' that would mean defying correctness ' but each is trying to divine a way to delay and defer. Just what happened to reservation for women in legislatures ' everybody swears by the idea, nobody will commit to it. That commitment is as well-crafted a rumour as the sense of the House Pranab Mukherjee read out at the end of August.

The above is from the Telegraph.

It conveys truly what has been going on in the MPs minds.
They have been made to swallow their prides and take action against themselves,against their wills.
Like a bird trying to swallow a large morsel which it can neither swallow or throw out as it is stuck in its throat.
We must thank Anna for being able to achieve what he did, with the people's support.

Health tug fails, Hazare ends fast

2011-12-29T10:10:00.002+05:30

Mumbai, Dec. 28: Anna Hazare today called off a protest programme that would have spilled over into New Year's Day after an attempt by his team to whip up sympathy through a steady flow of health alerts failed to make a big difference.
"We had hoped that reports of Anna's ill health will at least inspire people to come and join him. But Mumbai disappointed," said Mayank Gandhi, a member of Team Anna.
Hazare not only called off his fast on the second day but also suspended the proposed "jail bharo" agitation for which nearly 1.9 lakh people had registered themselves. He vowed to defeat the "betrayer" Congress in the Assembly elections early next year.
Hazare, 74, broke his fast at 6.45pm by sipping lime juice offered by Prateeksha Khandale, a girl from his village Ralegan Siddhi.
Asked if poor turnout was the main reason for calling off the agitation, Hazare said: "It is not correct (that he has not received public support). I don't have power, money... yet so many people have come here. Is the crowd not good enough? People across the country have joined the movement. You will get to see our popularity when we campaign during the elections."
The high-decibel campaign on the status of Hazare's health had begun late last evening when it became clear that Mumbaikars did not turn up in strength even after office hours as Team Anna had hoped.
Text messages from volunteers of India Against Corruption (IAC), which organised the protest, claimed that Hazare's condition was so serious that "he will have to be shifted to some hospital on an emergency basis".
Ambulances were summoned and photographs of a listless Anna, lying on a bed with his eyes closed and surrounded by friends and aides, were circulated.
"He is not in a state to speak. We are very worried. What he has done for the country is unbelievable. His sacrifice will be remembered," said a member of Team Anna in the early hours of Wednesday.
Still, when morning broke, the crowd count stood at no more than 600, though it picked up around 2.30pm when Hazare appeared on the dais. Team Anna claimed the turnout was between 50,000 and 60,000 when Hazare ended the fast.
At least one doctor who examined Hazare said that though doctors were extremely concerned about the fallout of the fast on his health, the condition had not worsened to a level that demanded emergency intervention.
"Please remember the state would have intervened if that had been the case. A makeshift clinic was also set up for him on MMRDA Grounds," Dr T.P. Lahane of JJ Hospital told The Telegraph.
"We have medically advised him not to undertake similar fasts in the future as it can affect his kidneys and may have an adverse impact on his health in the future," Dr Lahane said. Sources in the Maharashtra health department said the state government wanted to find out first hand the condition of Hazare. "This is why the Maharashtra chief minister instructed us to send a team of state government doctors to examine Anna on Tuesday night," said the source.
Team Anna also requested a panel of eminent doctors to announce Anna's health status from the stage. "While lying down his blood pressure reads 130/90 but while standing, it is 105/70, indicating dryness and dehydration. He is running a temperature of 100 degrees. There is evidence of dehydration. His sodium levels are low. His creatinine level (an indicator of kidney functioning) is a little worse off than his last test," said Ashwin Mehta of Jaslok Hospital.
Daulat Pote, a doctor who hails from Anna's village, had earlier claimed that the activist's blood pressure stood at 150/90. "He spent a comfortable night. His pulse rate has come down to 72 from 96, and blood pressure is 150/90. I weighed him a little earlier, he weighed 70.5 kg, he seems to have lost about a kg and a half since Friday," Pote said.
Team Anna's search for crowd multipliers also did not yield results. On Tuesday, an IAC functionary had claimed that yoga practitioner Ramdev was expected to join the protest in Mumbai and bring in his followers.
But Team Anna discovered on today, by when the tepid response was apparent, that it could not get in touch with Ramdev. "We could not speak to him. He is still in his Hardwar ashram," the IAC functionary said.
Medha Patkar, who yesterday said that Team Anna needed to review its methods of protest, said she was on her way to Nanded today for "pre-planned programmes" of the Baba Amte Trust.
Kiran Bedi was in Delhi making an unsuccessful bid to garner crowds at the Ramlila Maidan.

I am glad that Anna has given up his fast.
Although he had said that he was ready to give up his life for the cause of a strong Lokpal bill, I for one felt that life was more important. We are given life once my God and we should care for it and not take unnecessary risks to extinguish it prematurely.

India needs Anna more than our MPs. There are many other causes still to fight for before India can raise its head with pride. Presently India leads in the wrong things. Most corrupt nation, least transparency, most female fratricide, most rapes, most criminal legislators in parliament, highest child death, highest poverty. Oh the list could go one.

We saw how the debate raged in Parliament. One and all MPs, irrespective of party affiliations, were making a mockery of this bill which would curb their corruption. Finally what came out was a watered down version of an effective bill.
The BJP was the worst culprit. It tried to postpone consideration of the bill for three months. Why?
Because the did not want the Congress to get any credit for getting the bill passed.
I was really shocked to read Sushma Swaraj's speech.

As I said, there are many other causes for Anna.
1.First and foremost, an overhaul of the system by which criminals and can become legislators.
2. One person should not be allowed to stand from more than one constituency.
3. Electoral expenses of genuine candidates should be borne by the government. Genuine candidates are those who can claim to get more than 10% of the cast votes.
4. Rejection of all candidates, if none are found to be suitable - None vote.
5. A person should get elected only after procuring 50% of the cast votes. For this 2nd, 3rd and 4th preference votes should be allowed. The candidate who comes last should have 2nd preference votes transferred and so on until any candidate crosses the 50% mark. Then only will a candidate be a true representative of the people.
3. EVMs are good step forward but we should have mobile voting. The telecom companies should device a system by which each person can use one Unique Cellphone no for casting his vote. Once his vote is cast that number is disables so that he cannot cast a second vote with that number. This would reduce our Electoral expenses. Further, it would aid us in recalling inefficient and corrupt legislators

All that din on Lokpal Bill

2011-12-28T14:10:00.003+05:30

As the year draws to a close, most articulate Indians would like to believe that the “political class” has received a bashing at the hands of “civil society”; that for once in the life of the Indian Republic, politicians have been reminded of what it means to take the nation for granted.

For the most part, this message will reverberate down the new year, principally on account of the way the media has shot and provided the voice-over for that conflict between the typologies it has created: The Political Class and Civil Society. The only problem is that both concepts are metaphorical; they belong to a discourse cooked up by a media that in turn reflects middle-class angst at the promise of power and, at the same time, the distance from that promise.

MORAL OUTRAGE NO BASIS

Without knowing it, the middle-class Indian, most vociferous on the i-pad and Internet about corruption and the fight against it, might just have become even more alienated from the campaign against it. When Anna Hazare and his “team” rant against the government, what they do is to alienate the masses that they supposedly represent even further from the frontlines of the battle.

They do this by their single-minded focus on the Lokpal Bill or, more specifically, on their version of it, at the cost of the larger campaign that any drive against corruption in public life should focus upon: A fight against an immoral way of life, a struggle against the terms of reference by which modern Indians would like to live or at least, aspire to live. What this would mean then, would be a return to the Gandhian Satyagraha: A struggle not just against the most visible forms of misconduct in political life but against the underlying principles of such behaviour in all walks of life.

“Team Anna's” campaign against anti-corruption, even at its most abstract level, is not premised on codes of morality in public life so much as on a middle class-fed moral outrage. It is the sense of rage at the scale of corruption in a few areas rather than its pervasiveness and deleterious effect on society and nature that infuses the campaign against the government. Fed by an inchoate anger of a middle-class deluded into believing that its own prosperity is not devastating nature or is morally upright, the anti-corruption campaign easily slips into a battle for political power.

At the outset itself, in May, it was evident that the mass movement was a movement in virtual reality. Wearing Gandhian caps, posing for television cameras with V-signs and bright smiles, candle-lit vigils and afternoon-break gatherings at public places in Mumbai may have given the sense of mass support for the anti-corruption drive, but what did they really amount to? What does it mean when the virtual world is abuzz with moral outrage and fierce words in support for Mr Hazare other than an indulgence in the metaphor of commitment to change rather than an engagement with alternative aspirations and modes of development?

Bereft of a moral base fed on outrage that is necessarily short-lived, Mr Hazare and his team may appear to represent that illusory world of “civil society” but, in fact, do not have even the semblance of participatory democracy.

PARTICIPATORY OR REPRESENTATIVE?

Alone among many democracies, India has the arguable distinction of evolving its democratic structure, however anarchic, largely through participatory rather than purely representative means. The Constitution was framed by representatives in the Constituent Assembly but only after some huge amounts of petitions from people across the nation-in-the-making from the Jewish Board to women and tribal organisations, all seeking a place and voice in the new formation.

Lacking that mass base, focused largely on New Delhi and its most apparent forms of the abuse of power, Mr Hazare's campaign has reduced what could have been a reassertion of a moral-based social contract to a fight over a legislation that increasingly seems like a perversion of participatory democracy.

The provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill threaten that constitutional democracy which holds the nation together however tenuously; equally, the methods employed by Anna Hazare leave no room for dialogue. Fasting is a coercive means, but in Gandhi's case, it was used to arouse a moral consciousness both among Indians and the colonial power not to get the state to do one's bidding.

POLITICS IS ALL

That is why Mr Hazare's campaign is centred around the capital. Reducing the drive against corruption to a piece of legislation turns it into jockeying for political power, and television helps.

For a while, it almost seemed the Anna Team had won the game of realpolitik when Opposition leaders joined them on stage for what appeared, in retrospect, a blundering photo-op.

Muted as their support was, neither the Left nor the Right could have imagined that the government was capable of the brilliance it showed when it tabled the Lokpal Bill in Parliament. Introducing the minority quota in the proposed Lokpal bench, insisting on state-wise Lokayuktas, among others, undid whatever solidarity the Opposition might have shown for Anna, with one party after another slamming the Bill, much to the satisfaction of the Congress.

While Anna ranted with furious, but media-pleasing, rhetoric, what the Congress has achieved is to get the judiciary also into a flap with experts like Soli Sorabjee questioning the constitutional basis of certain provisions contained in the Bill.

Regardless of the way Anna Hazare's next move pans out, it is clear that the campaign has lost much of its teeth. The Lokpal Bill and, more so, the version he and his team insist on Parliament passing, has less of a chance of seeing the light of day than at any other time. The Opposition has stumbled over its own feet; blinded by its opposition to the UPA, it almost shot itself on the foot and will now think twice before posing with Anna on the same stage. The campaign itself becomes more prone to ridicule as was evident when the High Court denied it exemption from fees for the Bandra-Kurla Complex grounds.

If Anna Hazare has to gain the ground he never had, he ought to start from where corruption really hurts: Village India.

I do not know whom Mr. Upadhyay represents, but his article shows that he is a strong Congress supporter.
I don't know from where he got the notion that to fight corruption, Anna should start from where corruption really hurts: Village India.
Anna has already taken action in his village and made it a shining example for the rest of India.
However, to take action in all the villages of India, it would require one Anna for every village in India, a stupendous task.
Instead, he has rightly decided to attack the source of corruption - New Delhi.
The Central government is the Fountainhead of all corruption in India and attacking that is a good start.
Mr. Upadhyay, probably residing in Delhi, is also part of the system which generates this corruption and so he is finding faults with Anna, trying to belittle the agitation.
At least this frail man, without any self interest, has had the courage to draw the people's attention to this scourge which is eating up our national resources.
And talking about Anna Hazare, not having the ground he never had, is trying to speak good English but is divorced from facts. He has more grounds than a thousand no a lakh of Upadhyays.
Anna has time and again stated that he has no political ambitions but these people would like him to have those ambitions. It is easier attacking a political opponent but attacking Anna is very frustrating as Manish Tewari realized. They have not been able to stick any corruption charges against him, inspite of using the ED, Income tax department, the CBI and the member of Parliaments themselves.

MAGNOLIAS

2011-12-27T21:17:00.004+05:30

I spent the week before my daughter's June wedding running last-minute trips to the caterer, florist, tuxedo shop, and the church about forty miles away.

As happy as I was that Patsy was marrying a good Christian young man, I felt laden with responsibilities as I watched my budget dwindle.

So many details, so many bills, and so little time. My son Jack was away at college, but he said he would be there to walk his younger sister down the aisle, taking the place of his dad who had died a few years before. He teased Patsy, saying he'd wanted to give her away since she was about three years old!

To save money, I gathered blossoms from several friends who had large magnolia trees. Their luscious, creamy-white blooms and slick green eaves would make beautiful arrangements against the rich dark wood inside the church.

After the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, we banked the podium area and choir loft with magnolias. As we left just before midnight, I felt tired but satisfied this would be the best wedding any bride had ever had! The music, the ceremony, the reception - and especially the flowers - would be remembered for years.

The big day arrived - the busiest day of my life - and while her bridesmaids helped Patsy to dress, her fiancé Tim walked with me to the sanctuary to do a final check. When we opened the door and felt a rush of hot air, I almost fainted; and then I saw them - all the beautiful white flowers were black. Funeral black. An electrical storm during the night had knocked out the air conditioning system, and on that hot summer day, the flowers had wilted and died.

I panicked, knowing I didn't have time to drive back to our hometown, gather more flowers, and return in time for the wedding.

Tim turned to me. 'Edna, can you get more flowers? I'll throw away these dead ones and put fresh flowers in these arrangements.'

I mumbled, 'Sure,' as he be-bopped down the hall to put on his cuff links.

Alone in the large sanctuary, I looked up at the dark wooden beams in the arched ceiling. 'Lord,' I prayed, 'please help me. I don't know anyone in this town. Help me find someone willing to give me flowers - in a hurry!' I scurried out praying for four things: the blessing of white magnolias, courage to find them in an unfamiliar yard, safety from any dog that may bite my leg, and a nice person who would not get out a shotgun when I asked to cut his tree to shreds.

As I left the church, I saw magnolia trees in the distance. I approached a house...No dog in sight.. knocked on the door and an older man answered. So far so good. No shotgun. When I stated my plea the man beamed, 'I'd be happy to!'

He climbed a stepladder and cut large boughs and handed them down to me. Minutes later, as I lifted the last armload into my car trunk, I said, 'Sir, you've made the mother of a bride happy today.'

No, Ma'am,' he said. 'You don't understand what's happening here.'

'What?' I asked.

'You see, my wife of sixty-seven years died on Monday. On Tuesday I received friends at the funeral home, and on Wednesday . .. . He paused. I saw tears welling up in his eyes. 'On Wednesday I buried her.' He looked away. 'On Thursday most of my out-of-town relatives went back home, and on Friday - yesterday - my children left.'

I nodded.

'This morning,' he continued, 'I was sitting in my den crying out loud. I miss her so much. For the last sixteen years, as her health got worse, she needed me. But now nobody needs me. This morning I cried, 'Who needs an eighty-six-year-old wore-out man? Nobody!' I began to cry louder. 'Nobody needs me!' About that time, you knocked, and said, 'Sir, I need you.'

I stood with my mouth open.

He asked, 'Are you an angel? The way the light shone around your head into my dark living room...'

I assured him I was no angel.

He smiled. 'Do you know what I was thinking when I handed you those magnolias?'

'No.'

'I decided I'm needed. My flowers are needed. Why, I might have a flower ministry! I could give them to everyone! Some caskets at the funeral home have no flowers. People need flowers at times like that and I have lots of them. They're all over the backyard! I can give them to hospitals, churches - all sorts of places. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to serve the Lord until the day He calls me home!'

I drove back to the church, filled with wonder. On Patsy's wedding day, if anyone had asked me to encourage someone who was hurting, I would have said, 'Forget it! It's my only daughter's wedding, for goodness' sake! There is no way I can minister to anyone today.'

But God found a way. Through dead flowers. 'Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.'

TO EACH OF US, BEING NEEDED IS SO UPLIFTING.

Sent by Arun Shroff

A Father, a Daughter and a Dog

2011-12-27T21:09:00.001+05:30

- story by Catherine Moore
"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me. "Can't you do anything right?"
.
Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.
.
"I saw the car, Dad . Please don't yell at me when I'm driving.."
.
My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.
.
Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts.... dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him?
.
Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon . He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed often. The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess.
.
The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger man.
.
Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing.
.
At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone..
.
My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.
.
Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue.
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Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad 's troubled mind.
.
But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it.
.
The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices that answered in vain.
.
Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article.."
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I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression. Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were given responsibility for a dog.
.
I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon.. After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other for various reasons too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed.
.
Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hip bones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly.
.
I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.
.
As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror.. "You mean you're going to kill him?"
.
"Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog."
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I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said. I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me.. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch... "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad !" I said excitedly.
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Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.
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Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad . He's staying!"
.
Dad ignored me.. "Did you hear me, Dad ?" I screamed. At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate. We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw..
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Dad 's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw Confusion replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was on his knees, hugging the animal.
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It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne . Together, he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at is feet.
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Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years.. Dad 's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night, I was startled to feel Cheyenne's cold nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night.. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.
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Two days later, my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad 's peace of mind.
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The morning of Dad 's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made, filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life.
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And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this, some have entertained angels without knowing it."
.
"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.
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For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article... Cheyenne 's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter. . ...his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father. . and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.
.
Life is too short for drama or petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.

Sent by Arun Shroff

When Insults Had Class

2011-12-27T20:51:00.003+05:30

These glorious insults are from an era before the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words.

The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor:
She said, "If you were my husband I'd give you poison."
He said, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."
"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second.... if there is one." - Winston Churchill, in response.

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." - Billy Wilder

Sent by Shiba Prasad Dutta

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

2011-12-27T20:41:00.001+05:30

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Sent by U Banerjee, N P

Team Anna Slams Congress for Linking Hazare to RSS

2011-12-26T14:18:00.003+05:30

New Delhi: Team Anna released photographs of some Congress leaders with former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Nanaji Deshmukh as it slammed the party over its renewed allegations about the social activists' saffron links. The Bharaitya Janata Party (BJP) also slammed the Congress for raising a ruckus over the photograph published in a daily. The photographs released by Team Anna show Congress leader Motilal Vora sharing the stage with Deshmukh. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Congress leader Balram Jharkhar have also been photographed with Deshmukh. In one of the photographs, Deshmukh is sitting alongside former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Jhakhar. Earlier in the day, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh alleged that Hazare had links with the RSS. Referring to the photograph published by a Hindi daily, Singh tweeted: 'And he denied any association with RSS! Now whom do we believe Facts with Picture and the claim of RSS or Anna? I am again proved right.' His party colleague and union minister Beni Prasad Verma joined the tirade against Hazare, saying he was an 'RSS agent' and 'army deserter'. Congress spokesperson Raashid Alvi said that Anna should come clean on his links with the RSS. 'Which ideology Anna follows is his personal decision. But there should be some honesty about it, people have the right to know what your ideology is. People must know,' Alvi said. But Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal rejected the allegations, saying Hazare was 'an agent of the country'. 'Anna is an agent of our country. When they (government) don't have anything to say, they say these things...Why do they not pass Jan Lokpal bill, why do they want to keep CBI in their hands,' Kejriwal said, adding that the Congress wanted to divert the attention of people. Another Hazare associate Kiran Bedi tweeted: 'Does sharing of the dais make one each other's agent? Next time shud one sit alone? When two persons share a dais do they become each others agents? (sic)' Hazare is slated to start a three-day fast in Mumbai from Tuesday to press for a stong Lokpal bill. His fast will coincide with the expected debate in parliament on the long-pending anti-corruption legislation. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Congress was raising irrelevant issues. 'The Congress has lost its mind. And it is because of their frustration that they are talking rubbish and asking inane questions which need not be answered,' Javadekar said. 'Nanaji was a great patriot and activist. All parties had good relations with him. Who made this allegation? Digvijay Singh? He also has many pictures with Nanaji,' Javadekar added.

The above is from Silicon India.
It shows the desperation of the Congress party when it is clutching at every straw to derail Anna's agitation by any means fair or foul.
They first tried Manish Tewari but that failed. Now they are trying to resurrect all those allegations through their ally Sharad Pawar who himself is steeped in corruption charges.
They used the income tax department to send a notice to Arvind Kejriwal for some loan which they and everyone else had forgotten for a certain sum which is normally waived. However that loan amount was paid by Kejriwal's friends with a covering note to the PM to not harass the friends who had given him the interest free loan.
Systematically they have tried to harass Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan but the people have seen through the congress game and stick with Anna.
This morning's paper I saw Vijay Mallya commenting that with five people and a lakh of people Anna is challeging elected representatives.
These lakh of people are just the tip of the iceberg.
If he just cares to put down his drinks he would see that like an iceberg, the other 90% support is under the water. If that 90% too have to come out he and other politicians and capitalist would not be alive. With revolution in the air all around our elected leaders are still not seeing the writing on the wall

Team Anna gets a lesson in democracy

2011-12-25T10:25:00.003+05:30

Mumbai, Dec. 23: The judiciary today spoke up for the legislature and the democratic process in a far more full-throated and cogent manner than what the executive and Parliament have managed in recent months.

“How is the country’s interest involved? We are a democratic set-up. We have elected a government. Wouldn’t our intervention interfere in the functioning of Parliament?” a two-judge bench of Bombay High Court asked a petitioner who wanted rent on a ground waived so that Anna Hazare can sit on a three-day fast against the Lokpal bill tabled in the House yesterday.

The bench of Justices P.B. Majmudar and Mridula Bhatkar shot off question after question touching upon the fundamental principles of lawmaking, democratic responsibilities and corrective avenues, the supremacy of Parliament, the use of sweeping phrases like public interest and the rights of citizens who do not want to take part in protest programmes. (See chart above)

Displaying striking clarity and logic that seem to often desert the government, the court said: “We can’t allow parallel canvassing when Parliament is seized with debate on the bill. You can propagate the bill sitting at home. Till now, the bill has not been passed. No one knows what form and what features it will have. Is public debate permissible at this stage?”

The questions were all the more striking as they came from the judiciary, which has been giving several anxious moments to the executive over the past few months.

At the root of the dispute was an issue far less profound than constitutional propriety but a habit as rampant as corruption: seeking discounts on assets owned by the public.

Supporters of Hazare had approached the court to get the rent waived for the ground owned by the state-run Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The court not only disallowed the freebie but also raised the larger questions that — had they come from any other platform — would be termed “heresy” in the current atmosphere of drowning out dissent in disdain.

Not that some muted potshots were not taken. Without explicitly mentioning the high court order, film-maker Shekar Kapur tweeted: “Legal tech objections to Anna movement remind me of how British responded to Gandhian movements.”

“If Anna took d streets like Gandhi did in Dandi March, India would come 2 a stop as millions will march w/him,” another tweet from the same handle said.

That forecast — or implied threat — is unlikely to go wrong. Already, more than 33,000 people, including 378 from Calcutta till 9.30pm, have registered themselves to take part in a jail bharo movement that will start a day after Hazare’s three-day fast ends on December 29. It will be a cakewalk for Team Anna to fill the 50,000-capacity MMRDA ground for which it has agreed to pay now.

For seeking the waiver, Team Anna had cited another excuse often misused by many: “national interest”. To which the court asked: “How is the country’s interest involved?”

Team Anna said the money (over Rs 13 lakh), which was deposited with the officials in the evening, would be raised through donations payable by cheques and demand drafts.

Team Anna later conceded that it was a mistake for the group to have approached the court for a waiver or a discount but did not comment on the larger observations. Hazare said he would have dissuaded his supporters if they had sought his advice.

The above is from the Telegraph.

Since the paper is always pro-Congress, it has jumped on this opportunity to shore up the Congress and discredit Anna's agitation which it has been doing with unfailing regularity ever sice Anna started agitating.

I beg to differ from the views expressed by the honourable judges Justices P.B. Majmudar and Mridula Bhatkar.

What the honourable judges fail to grasp is that the crooks are being made to sit in judgement as to whether they should be allow to continue all the crimes they are committing.
If dawn shows the day, then the way the debate is taking place in Parliament with Lalu Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav leading the way, the Bill is going to be watered down to nothing.
Hence, this agitation is necessary to keep the pressures on the MPs that if they do not pass what the general mass of the population wants then they better watch out.
The present lot of MPs who represent us do not represent the voice of the people.
As far as being elected by the people is concerned, our MPs get elected with hardly 10% of the votes of the electorate in any constituency. 50% of the people do not vote as they know that all the candidates are crooks. The balance 50% is divided between the different candidates.
So how can MPs be considered to represent the people.
Anna and his group, although not elected, are actually representing the voice of the people.
People are voluntarily going to their rally, spending money from their own pockets and even giving donations at site.
In any political rally, people are paid money and other incentives or threatened to attend the rally.

21 months after bees flew over Maya, official says still feeling sting

2011-12-24T19:42:00.004+05:30

There are official files about this — the ‘Madhumakkhi Prakaran’, caused by ‘Apis darseta’, on March 15, 2010. Records show the honeybees concerned actually didn’t bite anyone that day. However, 21 months later, one man continues to feel the sting: apiculturist Sushil Kumar Mishra, who probed the surprise appearance of the swarm of bees at Chief Minister Mayawati’s rally in Lucknow, and who has been harassed, he says, since he concluded there was no conspiracy in it.

Mishra was at the time posted in the Horticulture Directorate at Lucknow. Along with then district horticulture officer S P Chauhan, he submitted a report saying the bees were of the species Apis darseta, that they were known to migrate in swarms upto 20 to 25 km away between February and April, and that them being at Mayawati’s rally was purely a natural phenomenon.

While Chauhan died some time later, Mishra claims his victimisation continues. He has been suspended once, posted without a vacancy, and now has no idea from where he is going to draw his next salary.

The bees had invaded the rally being held at Ramabai Ambedkar ground, hovered over the stage, and settled down inside the stone ceiling without harming anyone. Suspecting a “conspiracy” by rivals by lighting a fire under a nearby beehive, the Mayawati government had ordered an inquiry.

“Since I was the lone apiculturist posted at the Horticulture Directorate, S P Chauhan asked for my help,” Mishra recalled.

When they examined the spot the next day, they found no remains or possibility of a beehive being where a fire had been seen. After concluding that the bees that had come to the rally were apis darseta, a report was sent to the Chief Minister’s Office. Soon, Mishra says, his ordeal began.

The then principal secretary of Horticulture and Food Processing issued him a show-cause notice on March 25, objecting to him submitting the report to district-level officers without bringing it to his notice (though he officially wasn’t required to).

The next day, Mishra accompanied another probe team to the rally ground, along with the District Magistrate and DIG. Still, on March 31, he was transferred to Saharanpur as senior assistant researcher (entomology) at a horticulture centre, a post that did not exist. On April 3, the joint director of the centre informed the Horticulture Directorate that Mishra would face problems getting his salary.

Six days later, special secretary of Horticulture wrote to the director, alleging there were complaints that Mishra was not working for the benefit of farmers. On May 12, Mishra was suspended.

However, on May 20, the government revoked his suspension and five days later, the department said he could draw his salary from Lucknow. Perhaps for this reason, on June 16, while still posted at Saharanpur, Mishra was asked to look after the work of apiculturist at Lucknow.

However, on November 16, 2011, the Horticulture Directorate asked him to withdraw his salary from his place of posting at Saharanpur. The joint director at Saharanpur told the authorities again that there was no vacant post and, therefore, Mishra could not be paid. On December 16, Mishra was relieved of the additional responsibilities he had been given in Lucknow.

The above action by the woman does not surprise anyone.
She is mentally unstable and suspects a conspiracy in everything.
She also gets food tasters to taste everything before she eats it as she fears she may be poisoned.
I suppose Mishra must be wishing that the recent survey relegating the BSP to third place comes out true.

How useful are CCTVs? A first hand experience

2011-12-24T18:53:00.003+05:30

My son, Jay had gone to the Lake Town Branch of Axis Bank to deposit some cash and cheques.
While filling in the deposit slip he had kept his Cellphone on the counter to jot down the account number from the phone. While writing he just turned to ask a query and when he turned around, the cellphone was missing.
Only person at that time was the security guard of the bank and one other customer.
He complained to the bank but they exclaimed that nobody in the bank had taken it and wouldn't know if a customer may have taken it. jay tried tracing the phone by calling it, but by that time the battery was already taken off and hence the phone was not reachable. Dejected at losing the phone, jay came back home after finishing his regular banking activity.
On listening to the story, my wife suddenly suggested that the bank should definitely have CCTV installed and the theft should have been captured on the footage. I advised him to register a complaint with the local police.
He went back and asked the bank officials to share the CCTV footage for the specific period, to which the bank officials denied any co-operation. However, when he managed to coax them with a threat to involve the police. The bank officials however said that they did not know how to operate the CCTV and hence Jay would have to wait for a day to get the result. Jay submitted a written complaint to the bank officials requesting co-operation. The bank officials said that they would get back to him by two days. It was apparent, that the bank officials wanted to ascertain that none of their staff is involved in the act.
Within 4 hours itself, he received a call from the bank stating that someone had returned the phone back.
I am happy that my son got back his phone. But a few questions worry me.
1) When the bank was covered with CCTV why didn't the suggestion come from the bank to have a look at the CCTV footage?
2) When my approached the bank why were they recalcitrant in sharing the footage giving one excuse or another about the CCTV was outsourced and it would take two days to get a report?
3) How did the bank then get back the phone within 4 hours and inform my son to call on them the next day at 11.00 am and collect the phone?
4) What action have they taken on the person who pilfered the phone?

The matter should not be taken lightly.If one of their employees was involved, as I suspect he should be charge-sheeted and sacked.
Theft is a serious offence as per Standing Orders of any organisation, especially Banks where large sums of money are involved.

Lesson 1 is easy to understand, Lesson 2 really make its simple

2011-12-24T11:34:00.001+05:30

If anyone is having trouble understanding your national debt, then these two lessons will bring you up to speed ! (for the sake of your kids & grandkids)

Why the U.S. was downgraded:
• U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
• Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
• New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
• National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
• Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000

Let's now remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:
• Annual family income: $21,700
• Money the family spent: $38,200
• New debt on the credit card: $16,500
• Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
• Total budget cuts: $385
Got it?

OK now Lesson # 2:
Here's another way to look at the Debt Ceiling:

Let's say, You come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in your neighborhood....and your home has sewage all the way up to your ceilings.

What do you think you should do?
Raise the Ceilings, or
Pump out the sewage
Your Choice is coming November 2012

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

The thumping irony

2011-12-23T09:18:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec. 22: The irony of political predicament beat a tattoo on the venerable desks of the Lok Sabha today.
The majority of members lustily thumped the piece of furniture before them whenever somebody attacked or ridiculed Team Anna, under whose pressure the Lokpal bill was introduced today though the government would not say so.
Almost all MPs, with the exception of BJP members, showed signs of unease with the haste in cobbling together the legislation and certain provisions in it. They cheered an incisively critical Lalu Prasad who claimed the mandate of "all MPs" to speak on their behalf.
Most senior leaders cutting across party lines, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, thumped the desk as and when any speaker spoke of Team Anna's attempt to dictate to Parliament.
But the government's formal response came neatly wrapped in a miserable irony as the leader of the House, Pranab Mukherjee, confronted charges of "undue haste" and sought to take credit for tabling the Lokpal bill.
Asserting that there was no question of acting "under duress", he reminded the House that work on the bill started way back in April and the deadline was born out of the parliamentary commitment given to the nation.
However, even Mukherjee could not suppress his true feelings for long. He emphatically declared that laws were not made on the street and only the will of the majority in Parliament will decide the contours of Lokpal.
Responding to CPI's Gurdas Dasgupta who taunted Mukherjee for surrendering to Team Anna, the Congress veteran said: "Those who advise me to be strong should ask their leaders why they joined the agitators' dharna manch. They should advise their leaders to be strong, not me." CPI leader A.B. Bardhan, along with CPM's Brinda Karat and some NDA leaders, had gone to Anna's stage to debate Lokpal.
The majority of small parties firmly opposed the inclusion of the Prime Minister, evoking another round of frenzied applause from the treasury benches, which left few in doubt that the clause was added under duress despite claims to the contrary.
Strong sentiments like Lokpal weakening the institution of the Prime Minister, undermining the nation's prestige and creating perpetual concerns about stability drew loud cheers. Still, the Prime Minister has been included, no less ironical.
The government contested the contention of the leader of Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, that the bill be withdrawn because of unconstitutional provisions like reservation for minorities and violation of federal spirit. Mukherjee said Parliament should leave these issues for judicial interpretation.
While the Shiv Sena was the only party that rejected the very concept of Lokpal, parties like the Janata Dal (United), BJD, TDP, AIADMK, CPI and the CPM raised concerns about encroachment upon federalism because of a clause that requires states to set up Lokayuktas.
A fierce debate broke out as the government had deleted minorities from the quota list following the BJP's objection, which pointed out that the Constitution did not allow reservation on the basis of religion.
But parties like the SP, BSP, RJD and NDA ally JD(U) kicked up a storm, forcing the Congress core committee to revisit the subject and restore the minority quota through corrigenda which curiously corrected 46 errors ' another sign of the haste.
The BJP's Yashwant Sinha objected to an amendment being passed off as a correction but Mukherjee shrugged it off, pointing out the minority provision figured in the original bill.
The bill was finally introduced by minister of state for personnel and training V. Narayansamy and will be taken up for discussion and passage on December 27. After the Lok Sabha passes it, the Rajya Sabha will take it up.
Although the government is hoping that the bill will be passed before December 29, many members expressed doubts and wondered what would happen if the parties did not issue whips.
When Lalu Prasad dared Mukherjee not to issue a whip, he retorted: "Who is issuing whips?" But whips will be issued by the ruling parties as well as others.
A related Constitution amendment bill to grant the proposed ombudsman a constitutional status was introduced in the Lok Sabha.
Some Congress leaders expressed surprise at Swaraj's strong opposition to the introduction of the bill and wondered whether the BJP planned to scuttle the passage on the ground that it was "unconstitutional and patently illegal".
Sushma said the language, "not less than 50 per cent" reservation of the Lokpal members, is unconstitutional as this would mean five of the nine slots being reserved whereas several Supreme Court orders laid down that the quota limit would not exceed 50 per cent.

It was known long ago that these crooks who call themselves MPs would not allow easy passage of the Lokpal bill.
How could they?
It would be asking them to give up their licence to loot the country.
It is going to be a long drawn out battle.
I think Anna will have to undertake his fast once again.
The MPs are making a mockery of the assurance they themselves had earlier given to Anna.
With hardly 10% of the votes of a constituency, they think it gives them the licence to do what they want, overriding the feelings of the people.
An amendment to the constitution is urgently required which will allow an MP to be elected only after he gets 5o% of the votes of a constituency, whether it be second or third or fourth preference votes.
Further, there should be provision for rejection of all candidates if we find none of the scums suitable.
In such case the President should appoint suitable candidates to represent that constituency.

One Good deed deserves another

2011-12-23T09:05:00.002+05:30

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.

There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

'I want to repay you,' said the nobleman.
'You saved my son's life.'

'No, I can't accept payment for what I did,' the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.

'Is that your son?' the nobleman asked.

'Yes,' the farmer replied proudly.

'I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.'
And that he did.

Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London , and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted
Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved his life this time? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman?
Lord Randolph Churchill
… His son's name?

Sir Winston Churchill.

Someone once said: What goes around comes around.

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody's watching.

Sing like nobody's listening.

Live like its Heaven on Earth.

Sent by Prakash Bhartia.

It is the law of the Universe of Karma.
If you do a godd deed it is sure to come back to, multiplied many times.
On the other hand, if you do a bad deed, it too is going to come back to you, multiplied many times, to haunt you or your children or grand children.
The same goes for words which you may utter.

This is what I wish for 2012.

2011-12-22T14:31:00.002+05:30

Winds of Change....

Please forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list;
in turn ask each of them to do likewise.

In three days, most people in India will have this message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.

_*Reform Act of 2011*_

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

Parliamentarians collect a salary while in office but should not receive any pay when they're out of office.

2. Parliamentarians should purchase their own retirement plans, just as all Indians do.

3. Parliamentarians should no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Their pay should be linked to the CPI or 3%, whichever is lower.

4. Parliamentarians should lose their current health care system and participate in the same health care system as the Indian people.

5. Parliamentarians should equally abide by all laws they impose on the Indian people.

6. All contracts with past and present Parliamentarians should be void effective 1/1/12. The Indian people did not make this contract with them. Parliamentarians made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Parliament is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in India) to receive the message. Don't you think it's time?

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX Parliamentarians !

I do hope you agree with me. Happy New Year.

The above was posted by Suryajyoti Sengupta on FB.
I really liked it and am posting it.
I will also be mailing it to all our boys and also to all our MPs.

PRESS STATEMENT by Shanti Bhushan

2011-12-21T15:29:00.004+05:30

WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING BACK ON THE KEY PROVISIONOF ITS OWN LOKPAL BILL 2011.
All right thinking people in the country will have to ponder over this mystery.The Govt.’ own Lokpal Bill 2011, in section 12(1) provided as follows:-
“12(1) Not withstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the Lokpal shall constitute an investigating wing for the purpose of conducting investigation of any offence alleged to have been committed by a public servant, punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.”
It now appears that the Government is developing cold feet on this key provision i.e.Section 12 giving the function of investigation to an independent Lokpal.Everybody knows that “INVESTIGATION” is the real function, which alone can get apublic servant punished.Till now these investigation agencies have been the C.B.I. at the centre and the AntCorruption Bureau of the state police in the states. These have been under the administrativecontrol of the Governments. The appointments, promotions, transfers and disciplinary actionagainst the police officers of these organizations were made by the Government. TheGovernments have been shielding these corrupt officers and corruption has been growing

tomonumental proportions.This was the reason, why a Lokpal Authority which was independent of thegovernment was needed, which alone could have put a stop to this menace

of growingcorruption.Evidently the Government and the politicians know this and realize that if the power of investigation is conferred on an independent Lokpal, their coffers would start drying up.Nothing else can explain the Government‘volte face on Sec. of 12 its own Lokpal bill2011.(

SHANTI BHUSHAN)20.12.2011

The government has started showing its true colours.
They have always been assuring that they will come out with a strong Lokpal bill but when it comes to action it develops cold feet.
Is it any surprise that Anna is always saying the the Congress is the main culprit.
Let the government put forward the bill as desired by Anna. If then the opposition does not support it, then we shall know who is to blame.
But now, it appears truly that the Congress is the main culprit and we shall all vote against the Congress party

Food security: Sonia's NAC should learn from Modi's Gujarat

2011-12-21T09:11:00.002+05:30

If food security is as much about stoking an agricultural revolution as about redistributing available food to the poor, Gujarat is the place to seek answers from.

Gujarat is the one state in India that has consistently outperformed the rest of India in terms of agricultural production – and a large portion of this credit goes to Narendra Modi's long-term vision.

Unlike industry – where Gujarat has always had an edge – agriculture is a freshly-minted success story.

This is not the view of Modi's acolytes or of BJP partisans, but the Planning Commission, which is run by the PM's pal Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

According to a report in Business Standard, a Planning Commission working group set up to suggest booster shots for agriculture during the 12th plan – which starts next April – said that Gujarat and Chhattisgarh were the states to emulate.

In the period from 1999-00 to 2008-09, Gujarat reported a huge 11.5 percent annual average growth in agriculture (at 1999-00 prices). This dwarfs the national average of 3.5 percent during the five-year period 2007-12 and just 2.2 percent in 2002-07.

Should one credit Modi for this miracle? Apparently, so. For, the real change happened after 2002 – the year after Modi took over. Says the Planning Commission working group: “A closer examination of the data in respect of Gujarat shows that the state made remarkable increase in raising agriculture production after 2002-03.”

The Planning Commission isn't the only one impressed with agriculture's progress in Gujarat. Another fan of Modi's achievements is Shankar Acharya, former chief economic adviser to the government of India and honorary professor at Icrier in Delhi.
In an article titled Agriculture: be like Gujarat, Acharya gives six reasons why the state cracked the agricultural jinx.

Remember, Gujarat is not a state blessed with lots of irrigated land. Most of its land is semi-arid, and getting any crop out of it is a big effort.

So what did Modi do right? Six things, principally.

First, he focused on sustained water conservation and management programmes. Gujarat is one of the biggest users of drip irrigation in India today, and built many check dams, small ponds and minor irrigation sources. In 2008, Gujarat had 113,738 check dams and 240,199 little ponds dotting the state.

Second, the state launched a massive and well-coordinated extension effort – telling farmers what to grow, when to grow, how to grow and how to maximise output.

Third, Modi completely overhauled rural power supply. Even though supplies are subsidised, farmers get assured power. This contrasts with other states that offer free power, but irregularly and unpredictably.

Four, says Shankar Acharya, agriculture's allied sectors – like livestock development – were given a boost. This ensured steady and sustainable growth in rural incomes – a prerequisite for comprehensive food security.

Five, Modi also promoted non-food crops and horticulture, Bt cotton, castor, and isabgol. Contrast this with the endless debates we now have about the dangers – or otherwise — GM seeds.

Six, Gujarat made huge investments in infrastructure – especially rural roads, electricity and ports.

A report by IIM professors Ravindra Dholakia and Samar Datta says it all in one paragraph.

“The phenomenon of high agricultural growth in Gujarat is not confined only to Bt cotton but is widely experienced in several sub-sectors, including animal husbandry, milk and egg production, fruit and vegetable production, and high value commercial crops…All this in the last decade or so has been achieved through massive effort on rain water harvesting through check dams, farm ponds, recharging of wells, etc; providing stable electricity for agriculture on a regular basis to all villages; market-oriented reforms; opening of agricultural exports; provision of supportive infrastructure like ports, linking roads, storage, internet and telecom facilities at village level; and, significant effort on agricultural extension by covering a large number of farmers with soil health cards, advice on nutrients, pesticides, crop selection, etc.”

The big question: is the Gujarat model replicable? Dholakia and Datta answer with an emphatic yes.

Clearly, there is no short-cut to food security. We do not know whether Gujarat has been as successful in making food available to it poor as it has been in raising rural incomes and agriculture. But it has got at least one part of the food security equation right.

Maybe the National Advisory Council of Sonia Gandhi would be better off taking a train to Gujarat to find out how key elements of food security – an agricultural revolution, among them – can be put in place.

The above is from http://www.firstpost.com/economy/modis-gujarat-shows-the-way-to-better-food-security-160797.html

AMRI director brought to court on a stretcher, sent to SSKM

2011-12-20T09:50:00.002+05:30

Kolkata: Ailing AMRI director R S Agarwal was brought to court in an ambulance on Monday. With an oxygen mask strapped on and IV lines attached, he lay on a stretcher inside the ambulance outside Alipore court, prompting chief judicial magistrate Choudhury Hefazat Karim to walk out of the complex to check on him.

Seeing his condition, the magistrate sent the 66-year-old Agarwal to SSKM Hospital, where he was allotted a bed in the general ward. The prosecution had wanted police remand.

Agarwal, a co-founder of the Emami Group, has been suffering from unstable angina - a condition in which the heart doesn't get enough blood supply, leading to chest pain. He was admitted to BM Birla Heart Research Centre when placed under arrest on December 9 for the AMRI fire that killed 91 people.

On December 10, a magistrate remanded the other arrested AMRI directors in police custody and directed police to produce Agarwal when he is fit. At 3.30pm on Monday, Agarwal was brought out of the private hospital and produced before the magistrate though he complained of discomfort.

"Since the investigating agency has prayed for police custody, I thought it wise to see the accused by going outside the courtroom, where he was lying in an ambulance. I saw that the accused had an oxygen mask and his right hand was trembling. There was a crepe bandage on his left leg. He was not even in a position to speak. After observing his physical condition, I think it would not be proper to place him in police custody. Rather , he should be sent to SSKM Hospital for examination by medical experts," the magistrate said, adding that a medical board should be constituted, if necessary, to give a medical and clinical opinion about his health condition , and "how far his life is in danger" . The board is to submit a report to the court by Tuesday or Wednesday.

The magistrate directed that all care should be taken to protect Agarwal's life. "Let the accused be sent to SSKM under proper escort and the state will take all necessary measures to protect his life. After considering the report, the bail petition as well as prayer for police custody will be considered ," he said.

This is all faked.
The B M Birla doctors must be hand-in-glove with R S Agarwal as they are just as casual in treating their patients as AMRI and they know that they may be next on the list.
Anyone can be put under an oxygen mask and he can shake his hands to show they are trembling. By making sufficient noise, he can also show great pain. Our film and TV actors show it in sufficient quantities daily.
Let the courts not be fooled.
It is good that he has been sent to a general ward of SSKM. Let him know how ordinary people are treated in government hospitals. The courts should monitor so that the SSKM doctors are not influenced by R S Agarwal's wealth.

R S Agarwal not critical, say police

2011-12-20T09:37:00.002+05:30

Kolkata: The police maintained that R S Agarwal was in sufficiently good health to be remanded in their custody. "We had applied to the director of medical education to consider the condition of the accused. He had constituted a medical board with doctors from SSKM. The board examined him and submitted a report on Saturday, stating that his condition is not so bad that he has to remain in hospital. He can be administered the necessary medicines even when in custody," said Damayanti Sen, joint commissioner of police (crime).

When asked why the magistrate directed that Agarwal be admitted to SSKM, an officer said that the decision was taken after Agarwal said that he may die if he does not get proper medical care.

There was considerable drama in the courtroom during the day with the public prosecutor trying to convince the CJM that Agarwal was faking the seriousness of his medical condition . The public prosecutor said that doctors from the private hospital as well as SSKM had vouched that Agarwal's condition is not critical and that he "was not agreeing to enter the courtroom" .

Agarwal's counsel Ashok Mukherjee, however, argued that he was in the police custody and his willingness or unwillingness to appear before the court is immaterial. "However, this indicates that the investigating agency is not in a position to produce the accused before the court physically as there will be a risk to his life. Let him return to hospital for treatment for 2-3 more days. After that he may be produced before the court. If this is not done, his life will be at risk," he said.

I have said earlier and I still maintain it that R S Agarwal is faking illness.
The courts should set up a medical board in each state with honest doctors, if they can find any, or take the help of army doctors to examine the condition of these influential prisoners who fake illness to avoid arrest and questioning by the police. As it is the police themselves are corrupt and usually do not investigate the people but when the courts force them to do so, the medical profession comes in their way.

Declare property in 2 days: Speaker

2011-12-20T09:19:00.003+05:30

Ranchi, Dec. 19: Speaker C.P. Singh today ordered all members of the legislative Assembly to furnish their property details within two days, in compliance with a request of the Union law ministry.
Reprimanding members for not abiding by his earlier order to submit property details by March 31, 2011, the Speaker threatened to unmask the offenders as the winter session of the Assembly got underway.
"This is ridiculous. Despite me asking all of you to file your property declaration by March 31, the majority didn't do so. Only 20 or 22 legislators submitted their details. Should I read out the names of those who followed norms? After all, there should be transparency," the Speaker said, at his sarcastic best.
Assembly secretariat sources said no cabinet minister had furnished property details so far.
Singh said he needed to send the data to the Union law ministry at the earliest so that the latter would furnish the details during the ongoing session of the Rajya Sabha.
Though the issue was expected to open up a veritable pandora's box, all members agreed to abide by Singh's diktat, at least on the face of it. Aware that they had to send out the message that they were adhering to rules and that their image was clean, the legislators claimed that they would not be side-stepping rules this time round.
"I was the first to submit the declaration papers. I will ensure that all party MLAs submit the same before the deadline," said JVM Legislature Party leader Pradeep Yadav.
Congress' very vocal MLA from Daltonganj K.N. Tripathy would not say whether he had submitted his details to the Assembly secretariat or not, but alleged that none of the 11 ministers in the Arjun Munda cabinet had done so.
An embarrassed HRD minister Baidyanath Ram took cover by stating that everyone had declared assets before the elections. "Phir bhi nirdesh hain to karenge" (but if there is a directive, it will be followed)," he said.
Agriculture minister Satyanand Jha Batul was smarter. "Ready hai, jama karna baki hai" (It is ready, I only need to submit it)," was his response when asked what prevented him from doing so before the March 31 deadline.
Notably, on January 4 this year during the last winter session, chief minister Arjun Munda had announced in the House that all his cabinet colleagues would declare their property for transparency in governance.
The chief minister's unfulfilled promise assumes significance given that corruption cases are pending against several public figures, including former chief minister Madhu Koda and four of his cabinet colleagues.
In neighbouring Bihar, cabinet ministers made their assets public earlier this year. Any individual seeking details can find the same on the state's website.

This is very good.
It is the Anna effect.
People say that Anna's is a one point programme, "Lokpal".
But they feel to realize that because of Anna's agitation all the state governments have woken up to take action at the very top.
If the top people are honest, it will percolate down.

As a follow up to the above, the assets of all the legislators and their family ahould be put on the net.
If any one is aware of any additional asset of any legislators or their families, he should inform the vigilance department.
If the information is correct, that asset should be confiscated and 10% of the value of the asset should be given to the person who informs the Vigilance department.

HC notice to ailing Koda and Co.

2011-12-20T09:08:00.002+05:30

Ranchi, Dec. 19: Former chief minister Madhu Koda and his cabinet colleagues Kamlesh Singh and Bhanu Pratap Shahi today invited the ire of Jharkhand High Court, which hauled them up for allegedly faking illness to avoid being incarcerated in Birsa Munda Central Jail.
The court issued notices to the three and businessman Vijay Joshi, who is charged with money laundering along with Koda and company. Also on the receiving end of court notices were the inspector general (prisons) and RIMS director Tulsi Mahto, who was asked to explain the need and line of treatment meted out to undertrial VIP prisoners in the VIP cottages of RIMS.
A bench of Justices R.K. Merathia and D.N. Upadhaya also ordered constitution of a five-member medical board comprising three doctors from the armed forces and two from RIMS to examine the undertrials in question.
The bench while hearing a petition filed by Durga Oraon, which mentions a report published in a local daily exposing Joshi's "fake" admission, said the medical board will examine the prisoners and ascertain their exact condition and whether they required treatment in a hospital outside jail.
The bench also observed that the act of getting admitted in hospital soon after arrest was common among influential prisoners. This practice should be deprecated and strong action should be taken against the perpetrators, the court said. The case will again be taken up for hearing on January 10.
Oraon in his petition had sought a CBI inquiry into the genuineness of Koda and Company's claims of illness.
Koda, in custody since November 30, 2009, has been treated earlier in RIMS and Apollo Hospital for urinary tract infection, chest pain and cervical spondylosis.
At present, he is recovering from an elbow fracture he suffered in a brawl inside the jail.
Shahi has been a jailbird since August 6 this year and is recovering from cervical pain and neck bone dislocation.
Kamlesh Singh is behind bars since December 1, 2009, and is in RIMS since November 15, 2010. He is said to be suffering from hypertension and hip pain. The RIMS medical board had referred both Shahi and Singh to AIIMS, Delhi, for specialised treatment.
Joshi, on the other hand, has been diagnosed with a clot in his brain and is epileptic. He is in custody since early this year.
The absence of VIP prisoners from their respective wards made headlines last week when it was mentioned that Joshi, who has been admitted in the ICU, is only present when the doctors are on rounds.
He is not there in the nights and no one is aware of his whereabouts, Oraon said.
He also questioned the role of the jail authorities and doctors of RIMS who have allegedly connived to ensure that high-profile prisoners stay in RIMS and do not have to go to jail.

The above is from The Telegraph.

At last the courts of the land are taking action on the faked illness of these influential prisoners.
From Raju of Satyam fame, to Amar Singh of Cash for Votes to our new prisoner R S Agarwal of AMRI fame have been faking illness to avoid appearing in court.
We hope such vigilance by the courts become the rule instead of the exception to prevent such misuse.
These influential prisoners should remember the story of the "Boy who cried Wolf".

Follow the Leader

2011-12-20T08:54:00.002+05:30

Remember the game, "Follow the Leader"
Well, here is one leader not worth following.

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

Don't Waste That Lemon Peel

2011-12-16T20:20:00.001+05:30

- Junji Takano Surya
Lemon productions became more and more abundant around the world because of its nutritious contents. Lemons are used in many different ways in lemon industries and factories, but not among households.
## How do you eat or taste lemon in your house?
Probably, you do not know how to apply lemon the right away. Do you just squish a few drips to your whisky, vegetable salad, bread, ice cream, roasted meat, cake, baked chicken, fruit drinks, or to your other favorable dishes? If so, what a waste!
## Here, I'll tell you the real use of lemon
I'm sure you know how nutritious a lemon is. But you may only know how to use it as a simple seasoning, as most people do, and not as a side dish. You think that only the squished juice from lemon is used, while the lemon peel is thrown away. Yes, you think that you only need that sour, citrus taste of the lemon's juice, is that right? However, we found out that many professionals in restaurants and eateries are using or consuming the entire lemon and nothing is wasted.
How can you use the whole lemon without waste?
Simple...place the lemon in the freezer section of your refrigerator. Once the lemon is frozen, get your grater, and shred the whole lemon (no need to peel it) and sprinkle it on top of your foods.
Sprinkle it to your whisky, wine, vegetable salad, ice cream, vegetable soup, chicken soup, curry soup, noodles, spaghetti sauce, rice, sushi, meat loaf, sausage, fish dishes, and ramen. It doesn't matter whether it's a Chinese dish, Italian dish, French dish, African, Indian, Japanese, Korean, or Latin American dishes, you just name it. All of these foods will unexpectedly have wonderful taste, something that you may have never tasted before in your life. You don't believe me? Just try it and you will agree with me. Everything will certainly taste great!
Most likely, if you hear the word lemon, you only think of lemon juice and vitamin C. Not anymore. Now that you've learned this lemon secret, you can use lemon even in instant cup noodles.
## What's the major advantage of using the whole lemon other than preventing waste and adding new taste to your dishes?
Well, you see lemon peels contain as much as 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself. And yes, that's what you've been wasting. But from now on, by following this simple procedure of freezing the whole lemon, then grating it on top of your dishes, you can consume all of those nutrients and get even healthier. The lemon peel is good in making you slim if you are a fat person, or makes you healthy fat if you are skinny.
It is very good that the PYRO-ENERGEN is also for the taste of all people. It's also good that lemon peels are health rejuvenators in eradicating toxic elements in the body.
Place your lemon in your freezer, and then grate it on your meal time every day. It is a key to make your foods tastier and you get to live healthier and longer! That's the lemon secret!

Sent by Arun Shroff.

We do use the complete lime with skin in our lime picklss.

There is too much meaningless one-day cricket: Dravid

2011-12-15T12:07:00.002+05:30

Rahul Dravid has urged the ICC to cut down on the number of "meaningless" ODIs and focus on major tournaments like the World Cup, besides exploring the possibility of day-night Test cricket.
"It must scale down this mad merry-go-round that teams and players find themselves in: heading off for two-Test tours and seven-match ODI series with a few Twenty20s thrown in.
"Since about, I think 1985, people have been saying that there is too much meaningless one-day cricket. Maybe, it's finally time to do something about it... anything makes more sense than a seven-match ODI series," he added.
Dravid said he was surprised to see the lack of crowd during the India-England ODI series in October in India and described the sight of empty stands as "alarming".
"The five-match series against England was the first time our grounds were not full for an ODI featuring an Indian team. The India versus England ODI series had no context, because the two countries had played each other in four Tests and five ODIs just a few weeks before.
"When India and the West Indies played ODIs a month after that, the grounds were full, but this time matches were played in smaller venues that didn't host too much international cricket. Maybe, our clues are all there and we must remain vigilant," he said, according to espncricinfo.com.
The middle-order maestro, who was in Canberra to deliver the annual Sir Donald Bradman Oration for 2011, at the Australian War Memorial, also believed that efforts need to be put in to bring fans back to the longer form of the game.
"Test cricket deserves to be protected; it is what the world's best know they will be judged by. I don't think day-night Tests or a Test championship should be dismissed. In March last year I played a day-night first-class game in Abu Dhabi for the MCC - and my experience from that was that day-night Tests is an idea seriously worth exploring.
"There may be some challenges in places where there is dew but the visibility and durability of the pink cricket ball was not an issue," said Dravid, the first foreign player to deliver the Bradman Oration.
Plans were afoot to organise the championship in 2013, but commitments to the broadcaster and sponsors forced the ICC to postpone it until 2017.
Dravid said even if fans watch matches on television, the experience is not worth if the stands are empty.
"Empty stands do not make for good television. Bad television can lead to a fall in ratings, fall in ratings will be felt by media planners and advertisers' looking elsewhere.
"If that happens, it is hard to see television rights around cricket being as sought after as they have always been in the last 15 years. And where does that leave everyone?"
Dravid called on cricketers to give up "a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy" if it helps keep the game free of corruption.
"Cricket's financial success means it will face threats from outside the game and keep facing them. The last two decades have proved this over and over again.
"The internet and modern technology may just end up being a step ahead of every anti-corruption regulation in place in the game.
"As players, the one way we can stay ahead for the game is if we are willing to be monitored and regulated closely. Even if it means giving up a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy. If it means undergoing dope tests, let us never say no."
If it means undergoing lie-detector tests, let us understand the technology, what purpose it serves and accept it. Lie-detectors are by no means perfect but they could actually help the innocent clear their names. Similarly, we should not object to having our finances scrutinised, if that is what is required," he said.
First mooted by the MCC as a tool to curb corruption, the proposal was backed by former Australia captain Steve Waugh, who took a lie-detector test himself.
"Players should be ready to give up a little personal space and personal comfort for this game, which has given us so much. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear," Dravid said.

This is what I have been saying all along.
Too much of everything is bad and so is cricket.
to make BCCI and ICC understand, we should stop going to watch matches and also stop watching it on TV.
Your time is very valuable and once that is gone, you will never get it back.
So why waste it on a meaningless game day in and day out, throughout the year.

Plea on VIP prisoners

2011-12-15T11:30:00.002+05:30

Ranchi, Dec. 14: A petition was filed in Jharkhand High Court today, seeking the CBI's intervention in stopping the near-routine practice of high-profile prisoners choosing to get themselves admitted to hospitals in order to evade jail time.
Petitioner Durga Oraon named former chief minister Madhu Koda and three of his associates involved in the disproportionate assets case, along with his former cabinet colleagues Kamlesh Singh and Bhanu Pratap Shahi, for purposely evading detention at Birsa Munda jail by allegedly undergoing "fake treatment" at the state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS).
The petition also levelled similar allegations against Vijay Joshi, another accused in the money laundering case, seeking a CBI inquiry on the genuineness of their admission to RIMS.
The high court will hear the case on December 19.
VIP prisoners, slipping out of their hospital wards, was also published in a local daily today and this was brought to the notice of the high court.
In his petition, Oraon mentioned that Joshi, was admitted to a RIMS ICCU, was only present when doctors come for their rounds. Rest of the time, including night, no one in the hospital was aware of his whereabouts.
Oraon also questioned the role of jail authorities and RIMS doctors, alleging that they must have a nexus that facilitated the hospital stays of such high-profile prisoners.
Influential prisoners managed to get themselves sick on paper and on the excuse of medical treatment spend time in hospital, he said.
Oraon said in his petition that the nexus between the prisoners and the hospital authorities was strong and everyone was aware t that the detainees were there to pass time.
The guards assigned to the prisoners were also not bothered about who come to meet them which was a violation of the provisions of the jail manual, he said.

The above is from the Telegraph.

What has been mentioned above is nothing new.
Whenever, the police go to arrest an influential person, be they the rich or politicians, the person immediately clutches his chest, faking pain and then lands in a hospital.
The courts also know know this and cannot feign ignorance.If they want they can act on their own, based on Newspaper reports.
The Satyam fame, Ramalinga Raju was said to hold complete meetings the whole time he was in hospital.
Nearer home, I understand that Radheshyam Agarwal, the majority owner of AMRI got himself admitted in to B M Birla Heart Research Institute when the police came to arrest.
Who is going to stop this rot?
Not the judiciary for they too follow the same procedure when they are in problem.
I do hope Anna is able to stop this.

Govt Does Not Share View That China Will Attack India: PM

2011-12-15T11:14:00.002+05:30

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday refuted views that China is planning to attack India and maintained that the policy of both the countries is to engage in dialogue on the border issues though there has not been much progress in recent times.

Singh assured the Lok Sabha during Question Hour that India's borders with China "by and large remain peaceful". "Our government does not share the view that China plans to attack India," Singh said.

The Prime Minister's response came after Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav claimed in the House that he has information that China has made preparations to attack India and has marked out areas near the borders for this purpose. He said the attacks were imminent. Yadav maintained that the neighbouring country has also stopped flow of Brahmaputra river water to India.

The Prime Minister, however, maintained that he had assurance from the highest quarters that China has not stopped flow of Brahmaputra waters to India. Singh accepted that there were intrusions from China into areas which India considers to be a part of its territory. However, China differs from India's claim on this issue. "These matters are sorted out by the area commanders of the two countries," Singh said.

The Prime Minister stated that India has followed the policy of engaging in dialogue and good relations with China and underlined that the erstwhile NDA government had also continued with this policy.

India and China have been engaged in dialogue through its representatives on the border issue. Singh said both countries had made some progress in talks in 2005 and thereafter, but in recent times not much has been made.

In the 50s and 60s we had another prime minister who shared the views with our present PM, coining the slogan Hindi-Chini bhai bhai.
We all know what happened and J L Nehru died shortly thereafter, a saddened man.
Those who don't learn from history are forced to repeat it.
China is making inroads into Pakistan with the approval of the leaders of than country.
They too have forgotten the story of Frankenstein.
China is building all weather roads and railway lines along our northern border.
They are nt doing so for the benefit of the Tibetan people who they rate as 3rd class citizens.
They are making all these preparations to teach India another lesson.
While they do so, our politicians are just interested in minting money and playing vote bank politics and are PM tells us not to worry.
India, I weep for thee.
You too, if you have tears left weep now for once the Chinese invade you will not be able to weep.

Wives

2011-12-15T09:07:00.001+05:30

God - bete, mannat maang.
Man - plz mujhe phir se unmarried kar do.
God - beta 'mannat' maangne ko kaha hai, "Jannat" nahi !

~~~~~~~
Teacher: In 3 Mein farak Batao... call GIRL, GIRL FRIEND or BIWI ??
Sari Class chup ho gayi, itne mein MONTY bola: Madam ji, prepaid, postpaid aur unlimited !
~~~~~~~~~
Wife to Santa : "You don't love me at all"
Santa points towards their five children and says "Do you think I downloaded them from Google."
~~~~~~~
Beta: Papa meri teacher kitni mast hai na!
Father: Beta teacher maa ke baraber hoti hai..
Beta: Aap to hamesha apni hi khushi dekhte ho ... :)
~~~~~~
There are 3 kinds of men in this world.
Some remain single and make wonders happen.
Some have girlfriends and see wonders happen...
Rest get married and wonder what happened !
~~~~~~~~~
Puri LIFE ko Sudhaarne ke liye ek WIFE kafi hai, Par ek WIFE ko sudhaarne k liye puri LIFE bhi kam hai, -
~~~~~~~
Swami Dukhiya Nandji.
~~~~~~~~
Wives are magicians. ..... . . . . . . . . . . They can change anything into an argument
~~~~~~~~
Women live a Better, Longer & Peaceful Life, as compared to men.
WHY?
A very INTELLIGENT Sardar replied:
Women don't have a wife!

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

In Memory of all those who love their boss........

2011-12-15T08:51:00.002+05:30

A guy phones up his Boss, but gets the boss's wife instead.
"I'm afraid he died last week." she explains.
The next day the man calls again and asks for the boss. "I told you" the
wife replies, "he died last week."
The next day he calls again and once more asks to Speak to his boss.
By this time the wife is getting upset and shouts, "I'VE ALREADY TOLD
YOU TWICE, MY HUSBAND, YOUR BOSS, DIED LAST WEEK! WHY THE HELL DO YOU
KEEPCALLING?"

He replied laughing,
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"I just love hearing it

Sent by Prakash Bhartia.

I would be happier if the word "boss" is substituted by "politician".

What is Service?Service

2011-12-15T08:41:00.003+05:30

I became confused when I heard the word 'service' used with these agencies.
Indian Administrative 'Service'
Indian Police 'Service'
Civil 'Service'
Indian Revenue 'Service'
Indian Postal 'Service'
Telephone 'Service'
State, City, Public 'Service'
This is not what I thought 'service' meant.
But today, I overheard two farmers talking, and one of them said he had
hired a bull to 'service' a few cows.
BAM!!! It all came into focus. Now I understand what all those bureaucrats
are doing to us.
Now you are as enlightened as I am.

Sent by Prakash Bhartia

How sad?
Anna is trying to control this service through the Lokpal.

Basu govt's AMRI sweet deal

2011-12-14T09:10:00.002+05:30

Calcutta, Dec. 13: The Jyoti Basu government had handed over the Dhakuria land to AMRI in an unusual deal that locked the annual lease rent at Rs 9.94 lakh ' 16 times less than the current market lease rate.
Few lease agreements freeze the rent for more than five years. But AMRI Hospitals, Dhakuria, was allowed a flat rate of Rs 6.40 lakh for one parcel of land and Rs 3.54 lakh for another for a long period of 30 years.
The deals for 81.55 cottahs were struck in 1994 and 1998, when Basu was chief minister. This means AMRI needs to pay only Rs 9.94 lakh for the two plots ' one of which houses the annexe in which 90 people choked to death ' till at least the year 2024. The current market lease rent itself works out to Rs 1.63 crore, against which AMRI is paying less than Rs 10 lakh now.
Another inexplicable element: the higher Rs 6.40 lakh had been set for the smaller parcel (27.55 cottahs where the main building is located) in 1994. The bigger chunk (54 cottahs that house annexe I and II) was given away for a lease rent of Rs 3.54 lakh four years later.
The 1994 deal more or less stuck to the then market lease rent (Rs 6.88 lakh). But the 1998 agreement ' even after giving some allowance that the plot was not by the roadside ' was as sweet as it could get because the market rate then was Rs 13.5 lakh or nearly Rs 10 lakh more than what the government asked AMRI to fork out.
But the most confounding feature of the agreement is the flat lease rate for 30 years, which goes against the normal practice of revising the rates at regular intervals.
The Singur lease the Left government ' by then the baton had passed to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee ' had agreed upon with the Tatas, who had to be wooed assiduously in the face of intense competition from other states, had a clause to revise the rate after the initial five years.
The startling revelations on the AMRI land deal have been thrown up by an internal audit conducted by the finance department in November.
The then government may have had some justification initially as the hospital was conceived as a joint sector project in which the state held 26 per cent. However, by 2007, that fig leaf had also practically withered away as the government's stake had come down to 1.9 per cent.
According to filings by the company, the R.S. Goenka and R.S. Agarwal families, which own the Emami group, have a 66 per cent stake in AMRI Hospitals. The S.K. Todi family owns around 32 per cent.
"Although the Left government allowed repeated modifications in the agreement with the private promoters as its stake in the project plummeted, it never thought of revising the lease rent it charged the private promoters," said a finance department official, who was part of the team that conducted the audit.
The absence of any provision for periodic review ensured that the rent remained undisturbed while market rates soared in the prized area.
"A lease rent of around Rs 10 lakh for around 82 cottahs in an area where a cottah sells in excess of Rs 50 lakh is unheard of. The deal could not have been sweeter," said a senior official in the land and land reforms department.
According to him, if the provisions in the land reform manual are followed, the lease rent of a plot, excluding the building, should be 4 per cent of the current market value.
"Such concessional lease rents are allowed only under political compulsions," said another official in the department.
The proximity of S.K. Todi, one of the promoters of AMRI Hospitals and a director now in police custody, with Basu was well known. Although Todi's closeness with the CPM waned since Bhattacharjee became chief minister, the Left government is not known to have made any attempt to review the hospital's lease rent.
"The decision to offer a discount would have made sense had the government either increased or retained its share in the hospital. But this is a classic case in which the government lost out on rent and sharing of profits," said a finance department official, who had studied the documents dating back to the time when AMRI Hospitals was known as Niramoy Group of Institutions.
The Left Front government had acquired it in 1991 in an attempt to provide "affordable healthcare" to the people and brought in private partners ' led by the Todis of Shrachi Group ' in 1994.

Do you think Jyoti Basu was being philanthropic when he gave away the plot almost free?
I think it was Chanakya who said that nobody does anything for free.
There is always a price.
Jyotida must have got a good sum from the Todis, Goenkas and Agarwals.
After all he used to go quite often to UK for "treatment".
Wonder why nobody has investigated the Swiss angle for Jyotida?

BJP, RSS know how to play the politics of masks

2011-12-13T20:53:00.005+05:30

On the eve of the all-party meeting on the Lokpal issue, the Congress on Tuesday made a scathing attack on opposition parties, accusing them of seeking "approval and approbation from extra-constitutional elements" by participating in Team Anna's debate at Jantar Mantar.

"Show your own spine. Do not rely on others", was the message of Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi to the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party whom he charged with "riding piggyback on Anna Hazare's bandwagon".

Taking strong exception to the opposition sharing the dais with Hazare and his team, Singhvi said that by seeking "approval and approbation" from Team Anna, "you are admitting your non-representative character".

The opposition action was fraught with "grave and irreversible adverse consequences on Parliamentary democracy" as a "non-elected, non-representative outfit" was attempting to make Parliament superfluous and redundant, he contended.

Singhvi, who is also chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Lokpal Bill, said the opposition's action was "totally self serving act of bypassing Parliamentary process".

Singling out the BJP for attack, Singhvi said that in its "haste and greed" for power it was utilising Hazare, as the anti-corruption yatra as also bringing a "duplicate" Jan Lokpal Bill in one of the states ruled by it did not raise its political stock.

"Whether you have power or not. Get it or lose it on your own. Show your own spine. Do not lean on others...Do not do it merely because you are in the opposition. These are wrong precedents and precepts...which will bite you ferociously tomorrow," he told the BJP.

Singhvi said it was time that all the parties within the United Progressive Alliance and outside it sit together and try to evolve a political consensus.

"Even if that consensus yields a legislation which is good, bad or indifferent...at least the decision will be that of the Constitution of India and Parliament which have been designated to take decisions. Decision-making should not be outsourced to non-representative third parties," he said.

He said that by debating the issue in the streets, the opposition had shown why it was not allowing Parliament to function. "They have more faith in debating on the street instead of Parliament as they are getting a good TRP. But their action will certainly hurt Parliament, though its foundation is solid."

"The BJP and the RSS know how to play the politics of masks. They have an old history. It is the same game plan as regards making Anna a front. Gradually, the BJP could be seen standing with Anna," he said.

He alleged that the BJP has been attempting to play politics by making Anna a front as it has "panicked" following the action being taken by the government against communal forces.

Meanwhile, with the winter session about to conclude on December 22, talk has begun about the possibility of it being extended by a day as also a short session in January to get the Lokpal Bill passed.

"If the opposition parties suggest several amendments, then the only option left for the government was to have a short session in January to get the bill passed. The time till then could be utilised to hold consultations to arrive at a consensus," a Congress leader, who declined to be identified, said.

I remember a story from my school days.
A mother had gone to a school sports.
She was watching the march past on sports day with interest when suddenly she claimed loudly, " see, they are all marching wrong except my Johnny"
That is what the Congress is behaving like, a jaundice eyed mother.
In the Julius Casear, even Cassius realized this when he told Brutus
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."
But the congress will not accept it.
They fail to realize that we the people of India are just fed up of corruption and would like to put an end to it and will not accept any half measures.
The opposition has accepted it but the Congress will not accept it.
That is why Anna has said that he will campaign against the congress.

MPs want Games Village flat quota

2011-12-13T11:00:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec. 12: The corruption scandals surrounding the Commonwealth Games may have been a blot on India's political class, but that has not stopped them from asking for a share in the Games Village flats.
Samajwadi Lok Sabha member Shailender Kumar today demanded an MPs' quota in the allotment of the 715 unsold Games flats, the cheapest of which would fetch at least Rs 1 crore in the market. The other House members supported him in unison.
All the flats were to be auctioned off to the public but the Delhi Development Authority has already amended the rules to accommodate a few government institutions and public sector units.
"Many MPs have expressed the desire to buy the flats at the Commonwealth Games Village. It will be good if the government could fix a certain quota for the MPs," Kumar said during the afternoon session.
He did not suggest a concession on the price but a quota for MPs would be likely to offer one.
The Lok Sabha MPs, however, are not the first lawmakers to eye these flats, built on the Yamuna's banks in the east Delhi locality of Mayur Vihar and close to a Metro station and a flyover.
Delhi MLAs too had raised a similar demand in April, asking that the flats be given to them at a concession or on a soft loan.
In reply to Kumar's demand, urban development minister Kamal Nath said there was no such scheme for MPs at the moment. "But if we get a proposal from the respected Speaker of the Lok Sabha, we can think about it."
Nath, however, added that the flats might not be given free of cost to the MPs. "We will have to first carry out an open auction of limited flats to determine the market price."
Delhi Development Authority (DDA) vice-chairperson G.S. Patnaik said the agency would have to amend the rules "in case we have to allot (some of) the flats to MPs and MLAs".
Emaar-MGF and the DDA had jointly built the Games Village. Emaar owned 453 of the flats, while the remaining 715 belonged to the DDA. The flats owned by Emaar had been sold even before the Games concluded on October 14 last year. But 14 months on, the buyers have not been able to take possession because the DDA has not issued a completion certificate.
The problem is that the builder apparently violated the rule on the floor-area ratio and built about 17 extra flats. The case is being heard in the high court.
This is atrocious.
I lack words to describe the shamelessness of these MPs.
In spite of being in the eye of the storm for which Anna is fighting his battle against corruption, they still want more benefits at the expense of the taxpayer.

My opinion is that they already have sufficient benefits during the tenure of parliament for which they are elected. If they want anything extra, they should pay for it at the market rate.
I suggest we all write to the media and the MPs to stop this loot.

Lokpal row: Digvijay Singh charges Team Anna of having a political agenda

2011-12-12T17:25:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec 12 (ANI): Reiterating that the government is committed to bring in a strong and effective Lokpal Bill, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Monday hit out at veteran social activist Anna Hazare and his aides saying the anti-graft movement has a political agenda.
"(The) charge of my party and myself has always been that the whole exercise is entirely political, because they don't see corruption in Uttar Pradesh, they don't see corruption in Uttarakhand, they don't see corruption in Karnataka, they don't see corruption in Chhattisgarh, they don't see corruption in Madhya Pradesh," said Singh.
"Only Congress-ruled states and the UPA Government in Delhi is their target. The Congress Party stands committed to bring a strong Lokpal Bill and therefore, there is no question of going back on this," he added.
With the civil society team reaching out to the leaders of various political outfits by inviting them to a debate at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday during Hazare's daylong symbolic fast for the passage of an effective Lokpal Bill, the government has begun moves to build political consensus on the anti corruption law.
Digvijay Singh earlier in the day informed that the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has called an all-party meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue surrounding the Lokpal Bill.
"I would say that the Congress Party is totally supportive of a strong, effective Lokpal and therefore the Prime Minister himself has called an all-party meeting. He is meeting the allies today and tomorrow. He has called the meeting of all political parties on the 13th (December)," said Singh.
"I think everyone should, every political party, all senior leaders must now get their minds together to have a strong Lokpal," he added.
Hazare sat on a daylong fast at the Jantar Mantar here on Sunday to protest against the proposals of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Lokpal Bill.
Hazare, who is fighting for a strong anti-graft bill, has been demanding that the lower bureaucracy should be brought within the ambit of the Lokpal besides provisions for Citizen's Charter and setting up of Lokayuktas under a central law.
The 74-year-old social activist has also warned the government that he would sit on an indefinite fast from December 27 at the Ramlila Maidan here if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
The Lokpal Bill is seen as a weapon to root out corruption and nepotism from the government machinery and in public life.
The proposed Bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India.
Hazare had staged an indefinite hunger strike against graft that he gave up on August 28 when the government agreed to deliberate the issues raised by him and his forum vis-a-vis the passage and enactment of the Lokpal Bill, a suggestion that has received unprecedented nationwide backing. (ANI)

Earlier Diggy Raja used to see the hand of the RSS behind Anna.
Now that all political parties were on stage with Anna on Sunday, he has changed his tack. Now he accuses them of having a political agenda.
Anna has said time and again that he has no political aspirations but Diggy will not believe him as he just likes to hear his own voice.
He also remarks why Anna is not seeing corruption in the states.

Let me remind him that corruption starts from the top and slowly percolates down like cancer. That is what successive congress governments at the centre has done.
That is why, it is to be attacked at the roots, ie. at the centre.
If the centre is not corrupt the states will automatically fall in line.
Especially now that the Congress is the largest party and is ruling at the centre, we all see that it is the prevarication of the Congress which is a hindrance in having a strong Lok Pal bill

Lokpal row: Rajeev Shukla rubbishes Team Anna's allegations on Rahul, Sonia

2011-12-11T20:58:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec 11 (ANI): Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla on Sunday rubbished all allegations levelled against Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi of influencing the Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the Lokpal Bill, and said that the charges levelled against the two leaders of the ruling party were totally baseless and devoid of any logic.
"As far as the allegations are being made against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, I think these are totally baseless and incorrect. It is a blatant lie to say that Sonia Gandhi encourages corruption and keeps her lips sealed over it. It was Sonia Gandhi who facilitated Indians with Right to Information Act, and she got an agreement on the black money issue with 22 countries," said Shukla.
"Also, it was Sonia Gandhi and her National Advisory Council that first initiated the need for a Lokpal (Ombudsman). There was no such movement going on before that," he added.
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare's key aide Arvind Kejriwal had earlier in the day alleged that Rahul Gandhi influenced the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which examined the Lokpal Bill and submitted a report on it in the Parliament.
"The Standing Committee has recommended that the Lokpal should be granted a constitutional status because Rahul Gandhi wants that the Lokpal should be granted a constitutional status. As result of it, the Prime Minister has been ignored, Parliament has been ignored, and only one person has been followed," he told the gathering at the Jantar Mantar here.
Kejriwal said Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi failed to include lower bureaucracy within the ambit of Lokpal after the latter was pulled by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Shukla also hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Lal Krishna Advani and said that only chariot processions cant yield anything. He also accused the BJP of doing nothing when in power.
"The people of the country have to decide whether the person who took those three steps is correct or the people who just take out chariot processions, do absolutely nothing when in power, and are now sharing the stage with Anna are correct," he said, while criticising the BJP leaders for sharing the dais along with Hazare during the latter's one-day protest at the Jantar Mantar.
Further commenting on Hazare's daylong fast protest, Shukla said Team Anna should not jump the gun and should respect the parliamentary procedure.
"I think work should progress according to the legacy of the parliament. The all-party standing committee has given their report, which after being tabled in parliament will go to the related ministry and after that to the cabinet. Then when the bill finally comes in the parliament after that we should comment on it," said Shukla.
"People should not express opinions based on hearsay. First it will be discussed in the parliament and only then it can become a law. So, one should not react so quickly," he added.
Hazare sat on a daylong fast at the Jantar Mantar here to protest against the proposals of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Lokpal Bill.
Hazare, who is fighting for a strong anti-graft bill, has been demanding that the lower bureaucracy should be brought within the ambit of the Lokpal besides provisions for Citizen's Charter and setting up of Lokayuktas under a central law.
The 74-year-old social activist has also warned the government that he would sit on an indefinite fast from December 27 at the Ramlila Maidan here if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
The Lokpal Bill is seen as a weapon to root out corruption and nepotism from the government machinery and in public life.
The proposed Bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India.
Hazare had staged an indefinite hunger strike against graft that he gave up on August 28 when the government agreed to deliberate the issues raised by him and his forum vis-a-vis the passage and enactment of the Lokpal Bill, a suggestion that has received unprecedented nationwide backing. (ANI)

The Congress cannot be selective in taking credit.
If Sonia and Rahul claim credit for the Right to Information Act and the Black money agreement then she should also accept the brickbats for not passing a strong Lokpal bill.
What the Congress is envisaging to pass is a very weak Lok Pal bill which is totally ineffective. They are just trying to fool the people as they have been doing for the last 64 years.
First of all the CBI should work completely independently freed of the influence of the government in power and their cronies and criminal politicians. For that it should be under the Lok Pal.
Why shouldn't the PM also be brought under the Lok Pal. We have seen how successive chief ministers in Jharkhand like Shibu Soren and Madhu Koda have been jailed for criminal offences. Lalu Yadav with a criminal back-ground became a railway minister.He was but a step away from aspiring of becoming Prime Minister.

Tripura, Mizoram may depanel AMRI Hospital

2011-12-11T20:44:00.003+05:30

Agartala/Aizawl, Dec 11 (IANS) The devastating fire at AMRI (Advanced Medicare and Research Institute) Hospital in Kolkata may force the Tripura and Mizoram governments to remove it from their list of referral hospitals, officials said here Sunday.
Patients from several states in the northeast and employees of state-owned ONGC head to the hospital as AMRI is empanelled as a referral hospital for Tripura, Mizoram and other state governments in the northeast, apart from ONGC.
'We would consider at a high level meeting here next week whether the state government would delist AMRI from the list of referral hospitals,' a Tripura health department official said.
Tripura Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty told reporters that the matter of referring patients from the state to AMRI would now be reconsidered because of the 'horrible tragedy'.
Similar views were expressed by Mizoram.
'If private hospitals like AMRI do not properly care for the patients, we would not refer our patients to these places,' a Mizoram government official told reporters in Aizawl.
ONGC spokesman Rathindra Kumar Deb told IANS : 'AMRI is in our registry among the 10 to 12 empanelled hospitals in Kolkata. But after Friday's tragedy we would not advise our employees to go there.'
In the worst fire tragedy in any hospital in India, 91 patients and staffers were killed in Kolkata's well-known AMRI Hospital when the blaze engulfed its annexe building early Friday, trapping dozens of helpless patients.

I would like to congratulate the Tripura and Mizoram governments for taking a wise but belated decision.
I would also advise all the mediclaim insurance companies to do the same.
I took this decision about six months ago when I removed my brother from AMRI, Salt lake and shifted him to RTIIC although he was in the ICCU of AMRI at that point of time as I was sure he would be killed if he remained there.
I would request the W.Bengal government to invite information from the general public who feel they were mistreated at any of the AMRI hospitals. I can assure that the complaints against AMRI would run into more than a thousand pages.

BSP MP arrested in murder case

2011-12-11T20:32:00.002+05:30

Lucknow, Dec 11 (IANS) Mafia don-turned-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Dhananjay Singh was arrested here Sunday evening in connection with his alleged involvement in a double murder.
Uttar Pradesh Police chief Brij Lal said Dhananjay was arrested for the murder of two members of an OBC Nishad community in 2010 in Kirakat town of Jaunpur district, about 230 km from here, which is his constituency.
'This followed his indictment by the crime branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) to which the case was entrusted shortly after the incident,' he added.
Dhananjay, who has over a dozen criminal cases pending against him, was also among suspects in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam that rocked the state earlier this year and even led to the murder of two chief medical officers.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2009.
Earlier, he was associated with the Samajwadi Party but switched loyalties to the BSP after Mayawati's rise to power as chief minister on the strength of her own party in 2007.

These are the scoundrels who happen to be members of parliament and who are to decide about the Lok Pal bill.
Who were in the Standing Committee which decided on the Lok Pal.
1.Lalu Yadav who has scores of cases against him on the Fodder Scam and others cases.
2.Amar Singh who was in jail recently for bribing MPs to vote for the Congress government in the nuclear deal debate. And who funded Amar Singh. Of course the Congress who gained from the vote but it got away Scot free because the CBI is under the Congress government. That is why it does not want to loosen its grip over the CBI.

Hazare 'insulting Parliament', Lokpal Bill can't be made at Jantar Mantar: Congress

2011-12-11T14:19:00.002+05:30

New Delhi, Dec 11(ANI): The Congress party on Sunday said that veteran social activist Anna Hazare was denigrating the Parliament by holding a fast to protest the Central government's version of the Lokpal Bill.
"This is taking people to a wrong path. It's Anna Hazare's right to sit on fast, but the way he is pointing Sonia Gandhi and Rahul is just a political stunt. He is playing politics," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.
"The government has promised for Lokpal Bill and it has been shown up in the Parliament. Lokpal Bill cannot be made at Jantar Mantar. Anna is insulting the Parliament," he added.
Hazare is currently holding a day-long fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to press for his long-standing demand for a 'strong' Lokpal Bill.
Before beginning the fast, Hazare had visited Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
He was accompanied by his close aides Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia.
Hazare had earlier reiterated his demand that the Centre should table and enact an effective Lokpal Bill that includes the lower cadres in government and other proposals suggested by the civil society members under the banner of India Against Corruption.
He had also lashed out at the Central government and Parliamentary Standing Committee for "betraying" the people by drafting a "weak" Lokpal Bill.
"The issues and provisions that appear in the draft released by the Standing Committee are same as those in the government version of the Lokpal Bill," he had said.
"The Standing Committee's draft mirrors what has already been said by the government. This proves that the Standing Committee has betrayed and misled the people. The Standing Committee's draft will not in any way help eliminate corruption from this country," he had added.
The Lokpal Bill is seen as a weapon to root out corruption and nepotism from the government machinery and in public life.
The proposed Bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India.
The 74-year-old social activist had staged an indefinite hunger strike against graft that he gave up on August 28 when the government agreed to deliberate the issues raised by him and his forum vis-a-vis the passage and enactment of the Lokpal Bill, a suggestion that has received unprecedented nationwide backing. (ANI)

It was Devkanta Barooah who coined the phrase "Indira is India" and we know the result. Emergency and wiping out of the Congress in the coming elections.

Now, The Congress is equating parliament with the congress. We all know who makes up parliament. More than 60 % have criminal records and more than 40% are uneducated and can't even answer their e mails.

It is in the Congress's interest to maintain the status quo so that they can continue looting the country. After all they have been the main beneficiary for they have been ruling India for 50 of the last 64 years since independence

However, this parliament, leaving aside its differences, had give certain recommendations in August which allowed Anna to give up his fast.

The Standing Committee has made a mockery of parliament's recommendation - who is to blame?

The people of India have no faith in the politicians who make up our parliament.
They have more faith in Anna who represents the voice of the people.

UIDAI or the unique ID project is superfluous.

2011-12-11T13:21:00.002+05:30

2011 has been a bad year for the ruling government. Already haunted by the ghosts of the infamous scams, the government came under further criticism thanks to their policy inactions. Things became worse when they decided to backtrack on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail just days after approving it. Now it is likely that the government will do another U-turn on another popular project. This time the project under the spotlight is the UIDAI or the unique ID project that was started under the supervision of Nandan Nilekani. The parliamentary standing committee on finance is of the opinion that the Rs 178 bn UIDAI project is costly, unnecessary and will lead to communal disharmony in the country. They also feel that the project is just a duplication of data already collected under the National Population Register. The biometric data collected for UIDAI is also under the scanner with the committee stating that the data is a privacy breach and could be misused.

The thing is that the project is a brilliant idea to ensure that people have a single identification card that takes care of their social security, their voting rights and everything in between. Thus, the question that one needs to ask is whether the concerns raised by politicians genuine? Or are the so called 'intelligent' politicians threatened by Mr Nilekani's presence. He is after all not a politician but an ex-bureaucrat. Nevertheless, by the looks of it, another good proposal of the government is headed down the drain.

Every where we have vote bank politics in India.
A brilliant project envisaged by Manmohan Singh is on the verge of closure because of vote bank politics.
The standing committee is made up of corrupt politicians who depend on the Muslim vote bank.
If each citizen of India is identified and marked, they cannot then add to the numbers by infiltration from Pakistan and Bangladesh hence their clamour. Further, the poor will then get their money directly through banks instead of middlemen who loot them.
As far as duplication is concerned, it is a myth.
The data collected by the National Population Register is useless as it does not have the iris scan and hence there can be false registration.
As Anna said, politicians are the greatest threat to the country.

Fire safety alert AMRI did not bother about

2011-12-10T11:07:00.002+05:30

By G.S. MUDUR | www.telegraphindia.com
New Delhi, Dec. 9: India's apex agency that grants accreditation to hospitals had warned the AMRI hospital earlier this year that its fire evacuation plans were inadequate despite approvals from city authorities and mock drills, the agency's officials revealed today.
More than 80 persons, all but three of them patients, died from asphyxiation at the AMRI hospital early today in what may be India's worst hospital disaster that has exposed paltry levels of preparedness for emergency evacuation.
The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) had kept the hospital's application for re-accreditation from November 10 of this year in abeyance because of certain "non-conformities" to expected standards, NABH officials said.
"What has happened is unimaginable," said Girdhar Gyani, chief executive officer of the NABH and secretary general of the Quality Council of India. "We had specifically indicated to the hospital that its evacuation plans need to be strengthened."
"There was another serious issue ' the hospital did not have the required safety certification from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for two new machines it had procured," Gyani told The Telegraph. The AMRI hospital had first received accreditation from the NABH during 2008 which, following a mid-term review at 18 months, had remained valid until November 10 this year, he said.
Hospital management specialists and architects involved in the design of hospitals have expressed surprise at the high number of fatalities among patients, despite the hospital having all the "right papers" from local fire and municipal authorities.
"There are standard codes for fire safety and emergency response by hospital staff that should have been in place," said Meeta Ruparel, the director of Aum Meditec, a Mumbai-based hospital management consultancy, who had highlighted the need for fire safety in hospitals in India eight years ago.
The National Building Code of India issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards specifies several layers of safety precautions that should prevent the loss of life during fires, said Shamit Manchanda, a New Delhi-based architect who has designed several private and government hospitals.
"Ramps are crucial in the evacuation of bed-ridden patients during fires when staircases don't help and lifts don't work," said Manchanda. A hospital roof should also have a "refuge area" where patients can be moved from upper floors, said another architect involved in hospital design. "The risk of asphyxiation is reduced on the open terrace and patients get extra time," the architect said.
The NABH is not a regulatory agency and can merely ask hospitals to provide the approvals it has received from local fire and building regulatory authorities, NABH officials said. "Beyond that, we examine their evacuation plans, mock drills, and staff training," said Deepti Mohan, an assistant director at the NABH.
"But how (hospital) staff will react in an actual emergency, we'll never know until something happens," she said.
Hospital building design and "best-practice" manuals demand that after appropriate fire-fighting infrastructure and equipment ' from ramps to evacuate patients to appropriate numbers of fire-extinguishers ' are in place, the staff needs to be periodically trained to respond to emergencies.
"This calls more than just distribution of guidelines and manuals," Ruparel said. "Each member of the staff needs to know exactly what he or she should do when a fire breaks out and be trained to do it efficiently through regular drills," she said.
A senior consultant doctor who has been at AMRI for about 10 years said he had observed sections of security and nursing staff conduct a mock fire drill and take classroom lessons over the past year.
"It is very sad ' I lost two of my patients ' one in the ICU, one outside," said the doctor who requested anonymity.

These moneyed class care two hoots for any strictures passed by the government, fire brigade or NABH.
They know that money can purchase anything and they can continue their business as long as they place required money in the right pockets.
See the result.
The directors who have been arrested should be charged for not one but 90 or so murders.Each of them should be given life sentences.
They think they can get away with paying the relatives of the dead Rs 10.00 lakhs each.
They should be forced to pay Rs 1.73 lakhs at least to each of the dead patients relatives. This is the amount which was awarded to Dr. Kunal Saha whose wife too died at the hands of AMRI doctors.

A Shame on India

2011-12-09T20:58:00.002+05:30

The devastating fire in Amri Hospital in Kolkata exposes the greed, callousness and inhumanity of the owners of the Hospital. They were out to mint money from the sufferings of the ill. The persons in the government level whose duty it was to check the safety measures that ought to have been taken by the hospital authorities, are no less responsible for the tragedy. They should be made accountable and taken into custody along with the 6 board members.

This tragic incident, causing the death of about 100 helpless patients, is a shame for the country at the international level. I bow my head in shame.