3 cheers for LIC!

I remember that in the not-so-distant past, shaken by the state of the too-big-to-fail institutions on Wall Street, I had called upon my financial advisor. I was contemplating, what was from my humble point-of-view, a big ticket investment in some LIC product. And I wanted to be reassured that I was in safe hands. My advisor had just said one sentence - you cannot be in safer hands. I listened to her. And I am glad that I did.

Despite being a state-owned enterprise, LIC has always been a hallmark of stability and trust. Amazing, isn't it? It has just completed 54 years of its existence. And it has stayed true to its motto - योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम - which, in Sanskrit, means that Your Welfare is our Responsibility.

Thank You LIC! I hope I am around when you turn 100. :-)

What our neighbors from Islamabad should read - Changing mores on religion and gender in Bangladesh - if and when they decide to improve the lot of their country.

What do you conclude when Tony Blair says that he could not have imagined the "nightmare" that unfolded in Iraq? I don't know about you but all that I can say is that the guy doesn't seem to have even a bit of imagination!

I think now the time has come for the Center to take a tough stance against these jokers called "Maoists". We are already too late in saving an innocent life from being snuffed out. The authorities should send a clear message that if any harm comes to the remaining 3 cops, there will be very strong repercussions. We should try and eliminate all the local support that these terrorists might be having. Only that will help in bringing about a swifter closure to this menace.

My prayers go out for these 3 cops and their families. Hope they return home soon - safe and sound!

Absurdistan!

Really, Pakistan should be called "Absurdistan" instead of "Paranoidistan" now. They must be thinking of India all the time (as against thinking of God 5 times a day!) to see Her hand in everything that goes wrong. If there is a flood there, it is because India did something with the dams. Now that their players have been caught with their hands deep in the cookie jar, it is an Indian conspiracy.

The Pakistani authorities have been saying that the video isn't dated or timed so it could have been recorded after the match. Fair enough! But then what about the cash that was recovered from the players' rooms? Did it rain cash from the heavens or what? Or do they see an Indian connection here as well?

Can someone please tell these idiots that India has better things to do than try to sabotage a country which has been standing on the brink of disaster for the past 60+ years, thanks to their own leaders?

तुम्ही मुंबईत रहाता का? रोज लोकलने प्रवास करता का? असं असेल तर ही लिंक नक्की वाचा - ‘गांधीगिरी’च्या माध्यमातून रेल्वे प्रवाशांना आवाहन।

मालाडच्या हायपरसिटीत ‘गो ग्रीन’ची रोपवाटिका सुरू

गोविंदा आला रे आला!

सकाळपासून बॉलिवूडमधली तीच ती गोकुळाष्टमीची गाणी ऐकून डोकं उठलंय. ह्या लोकांना दरवर्षी बडवायला मिळावी म्हणून तरी गीतकार आणि संगीतकार ह्यांनी गोकुळाष्टमीची नवी गाणी आगामी चित्रपटात आणावी अशी नम्र विनंती आहे :-)

मला मात्र आज सकाळपासून शाळेत असताना व्हायचा तो दहीहंडीचा कार्यक्रम आठवतोय. पांढर्‍याशुभ्र लोण्याचा भलामोठा गोळा हातात घेतलेली, डोक्याला मोरपीस लावलेली आणि गालाला खळ्या पाडत हसणारी गोबर्‍या गुटगुटीत बालक्रृष्णाची छबी आज सकाळपासून डोळ्यापुढे आहे. मुलांनी हंडी फोडली की त्याचे तुकडे उचलायला एकच झुंबड उडायची. ते तुकडे म्हणे फ्रीजमध्ये ठेवले की दह्यादुधाची कधी ददात पडणार नाही अशी समजूत होती. अश्या समजुतींवर विश्वास ठेवणारं वय आणि भोळं मन कधीच निघून गेलंय. :-( पण बालक्रृष्ण मात्र लाडका होता, आहे आणि असणार आहे.

हाथी घोडा पालखी, जय कन्हैयालालकी! :-)

I think Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi was a bit vague when he said that Europe should convert to Islam. He didn't specify whether people there should become Sunnis or Shias. If the recent blasts in Pakistan are any indication then Islam is not just opposing all other religions of the world but it is in fight with itself.

One wonders whether to laugh or cry at such comments.

Speaking of Amitabh Bachhan, what are those new ads that he is featuring in? I am so repulsed by his antics that every time the ad comes up I change the channel. So I have never found out what it is all about - I just know it is related to some cricket tournament that is soon coming up.

Sometimes I am amazed at the way the so-called 'celebrities' in this country behave. The way they think they are head and shoulders above the common man just makes you bristle with rage. The latest case is Amitabh Bachchan who is worried that the proposed metro project will invade his privacy.There is absolutely no thought about the countless hapless commuters. Can someone please explain to this guy that if he craves privacy so much this country still has some remote uninhabited spots left? He doesn't have to stay in Mumbai. He can stay on some island and travel daily by helicopter or so. That way he will not have to deal with any "fellow travelers"!

Perhaps the Indian populace is to be blamed for giving undue importance to such people. It will not hurt to remind them once in a while that every morning they too have to wear their pants one leg at a time and that they too are mortals like the rest of us.

If you are thinking of growing something in your balcony, then here is the site for you: Urban Leaves India.

The politicians in this country are so thick-skinned that they will put the rhinos and elephants to shame. Recently the newspapers reported that workers digging land for 13 days were paid only Re 1 under the MGNREGA scheme. And the Rural Development and Panchayti Raj Minister of Rajasthan had the nerve to say that "The wage determination and distribution was according to the measurement".

If such rules of measurement are applied then the MPs should get even less salary than a Rupee per day. Why has their salary been increased manifold?

Come September and the audiences in some Indian cities will be able to listen to the epic Ramayana on FM Channel Fever 104. Check this out - Now, epic Ramayana to be aired on radio.

Also get a dope on what new TV channels are in the offing - Niche is the new mainstream.

I wonder how many of our politicians have over the years fallen off their executive chairs and hit their heads on the walls. Oh no, don't think I have gone bananas. I was reading about this Briton who is suing his government for 300,000 Pounds.

Check out the list of symptoms that he is giving as a measure of his pain and suffering - "slowed speed of information processing, impaired executive function, severe verbal communication difficulty and mild to moderate word-finding difficulties".

Now you know why I asked? ;-)

My first reaction on watching the conversation between the agent and the reporters of the "News of the world" was to burst out laughing - especially because it implicated Kamran Akmal. The guy is an absolute nuisance on the ground - what with his constant shouting. But then reality set in as I wondered how many idiots from our own team might be involved in similar shady deals. Thank God I have stopped wasting my time watching cricket matches - stage-managed or otherwise!