Its time again for some New Year Resolution & next week will be the time to again break all the resolutions made.
Cheers!!
Happy New Year........
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy New Year
To start our lives anew;
This time we'll leap old barriers
To have a real breakthrough.
And then we'll take one more,
Our unlimited potential
We'll totally explore.
Everyone will be inspired;
(Hmm…while I'm writing this,
I'm getting very tired.)
We'll read and learn a lot,
All our goals will be accomplished,
Sigh...or maybe not.
source - some email to me today morning
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
My letter to Santa......
Dear Santa,
This is my first ever letter to you. I know I could do that using Indian Post Service, but I think I am late. So I thought that it would be easier and faster to blog it. Well, I want to tell you that this year I already got my Christmas gift I wished for. The love of my life, my wife Hemangi.
Dear Santa, if you already bought a gift for me, please give away to those who need it more. Dear Santa, hope you are doing well. I know the economy is slowing down, but I have full trust in you and your helpers. I am sure that you will make all the children around the world very happy.
Dyna 2009 Calender
After a lot of to & fro on the design, finally my client gave a go ahead on the design we presented to them for 2009 Calender.
The Calender has Katrina Kaif at its best & looks simply superb.
The Calender has Katrina Kaif at its best & looks simply superb.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Download e books
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tips for buying Aquarium Fishes
Throughout my life of 30 years till now we had a freshwater aquarium in our home. I have grown up seeing aquarium at my place. Taking that into consideration now I can let guide people atleast in the basics of aquarium. Listed below are some very very important tips when a person goes out to buy fish to add beauty to his aquarium.
1. Fish appearance.
Observe the particular fish you are interested in carefully to make sure he is active and swimming around properly. Make sure his fins are not chewed and he doesn’t have any growths or white fuzzy patches.
2. Tank condition.
Dealer’s tanks can have parasites and disease that might not be apparent in your fish right away so you need to observe the other fish in the tank and take a good look at the tank conditions. Is the tank clean? If not that is an indication that the dealer probably doesn’t care for the tanks well. Make sure the other fish in the tank are alert and swimming around actively. Avoid buying a fish from a tank that has dead fish floating in it. Even if your fish appears to be healthy, he could already be infected with something that might not show up until days after you get him home. By then it might be too late and you could risk infecting your other fish.
3. Water Conditions.
The condition of your water is important as well as the number of fish you already have in the tank. If your water condition is poor then adding more fish will just make things worse and endanger the health of all the fish in the tank. Also, you should be careful not to overload your tank with too many fish as this will cause stress on all the fish as well as cause your water quality to degrade. The general rule of thumb for freshwater tropical fish tanks is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. If you add too many, you will have to spend more time changing the water and will need really good filtration in order to keep your tank healthy.
4. Water Temperature.
Not all tropical fish like the same temperature water. While most will do well with temps in the mid 70’s some do better in cooler waters while others like it on the warm side.
5. Fish size.
Before you buy a new fish you might want to find out how big he can be expected to eventually grow. Since your tank can support about 1 inch of fish per gallon, you wouldn’t want to put a fish that might grow to 5 inches in your 5 gallon tank or he might be the only one you can have!
6. The type of fish.
Is your new fish aggressive or does he play well with others? Is he OK being the only one of his kind in the tank or will he do better in a school. Make sure you only put fish that will get along in the tank or the more aggressive fish will pick on the others. Also, some fish are territorial and you should only keep one per tank.
7. The food.
Find out what type of food your new fish likes to eat. Most eat flakes, but some like freeze dried worms or other types of food. When you bring home your new fish be sure to also take home some of his favorite dinner.
A Woman's Worth
IT bridegrooms, it seems, are no longer the preferred choice of parents hunting for the right matrimonial catch for their daughters in parts of
The same fixers of alliances point out that this recent trend, which is not limited to Andhra, has also affected the position of IT professionals on the dowry ladder. They no longer command the stratospheric price that they did before. In the new pecking order, they are outdone by IAS officers who reportedly are worth about Rs 5 crore. If it weren't an indicator of a serious social malaise, we could perhaps be amused by such reports. They only confirm what we have always known. Dowry is a deep-rooted reality in this country, and it has social sanction. All instances of dowry may not be coercive which have devastating consequences for the bride and her family but the voluntary giving of money and expensive gifts is common practice. The social obligation to gift voluntarily puts no less pressure on women and their families than when the gifts are a precondition of marriage.
As more women enter the workforce in our country and become economically independent, practices such as dowry which perpetuate gender inequality should be on the wane. Unfortunately, that is not the case. And it's not just dowry. Disturbing sex ratio imbalances reflect serious gender disparities in our society. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health reports that the sex ratio is most skewed among those sections of our population that is much better off than the rest. The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act, which makes sex-determination tests illegal, has had little effect. However, there are differences reported across the country;
It is fairly clear that the economic empowerment of women alone is not going to further the cause of gender parity. It requires a revision in our collective social mindset, which can be brought about only through better education. Above all, there must be strict enforcement of laws, such as the Dowry Act and the PNDT Act. Without determined enforcement, laws are effectively toothless.
Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Editorial/EDIT_A_Womans_Worth/articleshow/3842107.cms
Three cheers to India
Three cheers to India for winning a superb Test. All that it took place was only a surprise. That Sachin Tendulkar hit the winning runs, bringing up his hundred in the process. It was a perfect and classic manner in which to end a Test whose preparations were blighted not by rain, or poor form, or injuries, but by terror.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Marathi Baana
Got a chance to watch Marathi Baana, a cultural orchestra by Mr. Ashok Hande of Chaurang Group on 13th December 2008 at Savitribai Phule Kalamandir, Dombivli. It is one of the best live performances I have ever seen. Every thing seems to be perfect in terms of production, lights, execution. A team of around 125 people perform with sheer perfection and coordination. It’s a fast track show and always keeps you interested in the show.
But what show! Superb! The costumes, props, attention to detail are excellent. The stage has over 30 men and women dancing in perfect sync with not a step out of place. Looking from a physical point of view, these young boys and girls are extremely fit and flexible. Energy levels remain high through each performance and the artists seem to enjoy every moment of it. The 'bharud' and dance depicting the 'Ambabai' is par excellence. The tribal dance and the 'lavani' got a loud call for a 'ONCE MORE'. Lighting is used imaginatively and the musicians (about 15 of them) stayed on stage all throughout.
The whole show is written, conceived and directed and anchored by Mr Ashok Hande. Full marks to the concept, execution and direction. But at times Mr Hande does get to you. He does have a team of awesome singers, yet it is he who takes over most of the time. And the only other thing that put me off was the barb directed at outsiders who come into
The play was all about our Maharashtian culture. It is not the story about the history of
It is overall a great show, and myself and my wife Hemangi, left the theatre with only one resolution, that we will see Marathi Baana as many times as possible.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Happy Birthday
Here’s a Birthday greetingEspecially to show
How much you mean
Although you surely must know
That without a doubt
There’s no-one nicer than you
Or anyone dearer
Happy Birthday
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Please appreciate "HER"
Tomorrow you may get a working woman, but you should marry her with these facts as well.
Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are; Who is earning almost as much as you do;
One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;
One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements
One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;
One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name
One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen
One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;
One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities; Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply
Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise
One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;
One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important, relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her;
One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.
But not many guys understand this......
Please appreciate "HER"
Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are; Who is earning almost as much as you do;
One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;
One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements
One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;
One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name
One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen
One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;
One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities; Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply
Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise
One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;
One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important, relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her;
One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.
But not many guys understand this......
Please appreciate "HER"
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Kutte ki Kahani
Ek din ek kutta jungle main raasta kho
Ped par baitha ek Bandar yeh sab tamasha dekh raha tha. Usne socha yeh mauka achha hai sher ko sari kahani bata deta hoon - sher se dosti ho jayegi aur usase zindagi bhar ke liye jaan ka khatra dur ho jayega. Woh phataphat sher ke pichhe bhaga. Kutte ne Bandar ko jaate hue dekh liya aur samajh
Kutte ne sher ko aate dekha to ek bar phir uskii taraf peeth karke baith
Monday, December 8, 2008
A Letter to Mr. Raj Thackeray
Mr. Raj Thackeray!
Mumbai can smile again today, as all terrorists were gunned down and Hotel Trident Oberoi, Nariman House and Hotel Taj have been cleared. People of Mumbai, who have been living in panic and terror since Wednesday night, now can relax and get back to work.
I don’t where you were for the past 3/4 days, but I can assure you that you can come out of your hiding now and roam freely on the street of Mumbai. No, Mr. Thackeray, the credit does not go to you or MNS, who always talked about the pride of Marathi Manoos. MNS did not save Mumbai, it were our Army and NSG Commandos, who rescued Mumbai from these terrorists. If I am not wrong, Major S. Unnikrishnan (Originally from
Mr. Raj Thackeray, if you still believe that Mumbai was saved by any Marathi Manoos, think again. The Army and NSG Commandos were not Marathi Manoos only. They were from Bihar, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, North East and all other parts of
Our braveheart martyrs Hemant Karkare (originally from Madhya Pradesh, but had chosen
Mr. Raj, Isn’t it high time we abandon regionalism and join hands together to work for national integration and fight the biggest menace - terrorism together. They can’t break us if we are united. There is no ‘Marathi Manoos’ or ‘North Indian Bhaiya’, Mr. Raj Thackeray. We all are Indians and let’s pledge our support to the national cause. Mr. Thackeray, Will you stop now??? I hope the good sense prevails now.
Jai Hind!
Source - http://shashidharkumar.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/12/04/A-Letter-to-Mr-Raj-Thackeray.html
Friday, December 5, 2008
Where are you?????
Sons of the Marathi soil, are you on holiday abroad or not keeping well these days? Or is it because the election dates in
We saw you both, traveling under heavy police escort as your men went on damaging Mumbai property in the recent past. But when Mumbai saw one of its worst attacks by militants, you were deeply missed. Even your so called sainiks, who are known to jump to public property to damage, were absolutely absent.
At least shed a tear for the cops, who put country before self, and lost their lives fighting back the militant attack, or are you looking on their name tag's to check if they were "Marathi Manoos"???
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Show of solidarity at Gateway of India
A week after Mumbai was struck by coordinated terror attacks, in an unprecedented display of solidarity, thousands of residents gathered at the Gateway of India on Wednesday to take out an Anti-terror rally. Citizens from all over Mumbai gathered around the Taj to support and fight back against the terror at the Gateway of India on Wednesday to take out an anti-terror rally demanding action against terrorists.
The Gateway of India is a stone's throw away from heritage Taj hotel, one of the locations hit by the audacious attacks.
People carrying candles and placards in memory of the victims reached the Gateway, some of them in processions via
People were seen shouting slogans against politicians, blaming them for the state of affairs in the country.
"I feel that politicians should be made answerable for their actions, or like in this case, inactions which are causing the country dearly," Ram Varma, a resident of suburban Bandra was quoted as saying.
Tens of thousands of people across the country poured into the streets and held candle-light vigils and peace marches on Wednesday evening in a spontaneous show of solidarity with residents of terror-ravaged Mumbai which saw an unprecedented turnout at Gateway of India voicing their anger against the politicians.
Shouting slogans, people gathered in Jantar Mantar in Delhi, near Cubbon park in Bangalore, War Memorial in Secunderabad and at the Maidan and College street in Kolkata, Lucknow and Chennai as Mumbai emerged from the pall of shock and grief that hung over the city since the 26/11 attacks that claimed 181 lives.
Posters and placards vividly captured the anger and concern as young and old, women and children thronged the iconic red sandstone Gateway to India opposite the Taj Mahal hotel which along with Trident-Oberoi bore the brunt of last Wednesday's terror attacks.
"Enough of terrorism", "Let us kill terrorism Halla Boll!", "Politicians get out" and "We want actions not words" were some of the messages conveyed in banners and placards.
"We have never seen such a show of solidarity for a single cause at the Gateway of India," said Ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, as white candles were lit around a wreath of red roses laid on the cobbled plaza of the harbourfront structure.
As dusk fell, the Taj Mahal was fully lit with roads packed with people right from Colaba police station till the Gateway and Regal.
In other metros too, anger was the all pervasive emotion. In Kolkata, a Pakistani flag was burnt by protestors who condemned
"Terrorism has no religion. People should unite in the fight against terror," said Sandeep Mishra, an engineer at Jantar Mantar in
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Show_of_solidarity_at_Gateway_of_India/articleshow/3788910.cms
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Lets Work Together
Mumbai is no stranger to terrorist strikes, but there can be little doubt that this latest assault was qualitatively different. The implication
that we may have seen the debut of a new model of terrorism is one that should concern not just India but the global community. As, indeed, it seems to have done given that US, UK and Israeli investigative teams have flown to India with France and Australia
looking to follow suit. Of all the lessons they and our new home minister may take from Mumbai, two are of prime importance the vulnerability of any city to such an attack and the importance of securing extended coastlines.
A lack of infrastructure and poor communication may have hampered the initial response to the attack but these endemic issues should not obscure the larger picture, that this could have happened in New York or London. 9/11 was the first and likely last of its kind. Such high-profile operations are difficult to carry out in the face of security measures implemented since then. What the Mumbai attack has demonstrated is the viability of a new, leaner model. There are fewer moving parts, lower logistical requirements and less chance of detection by security forces. All it needs is a handful of men with automatic weapons who subscribe to an extremist creed. This tactical viability married to the strategic purpose of exposing vulnerability is a lethal combination.
Porous coasts are another crucial issue. As seen, captured vessels with appropriate identification and small boats with weak radar profiles can exploit holes in coastal defence. Navy deployment can combat this only partially; it must maintain readiness for operations in other theatres, leaving the onus on coast guard forces. In countries such as India and a number of European nations with extensive coastlines, this creates a serious vulnerability.
A new threat demands a new response. India has made a good start with the expansion of National Security Guard forces and the creation of a rapid response unit within the Maharashtra police as well as the beefing up of a third layer of coastal defence, marine police, all long overdue. But perhaps the most potent measure would be broad-based cooperation among the intelligence systems of various countries. India-US intelligence cooperation is already at an unprecedented level. The aftermath of the Mumbai attack provides an opportunity to further enhance it and add countries such as Israel to the framework.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/EDITORIAL_COMMENT__Lets_Work_Together/articleshow/3785266.cms
that we may have seen the debut of a new model of terrorism is one that should concern not just India but the global community. As, indeed, it seems to have done given that US, UK and Israeli investigative teams have flown to India with France and Australia
looking to follow suit. Of all the lessons they and our new home minister may take from Mumbai, two are of prime importance the vulnerability of any city to such an attack and the importance of securing extended coastlines.
A lack of infrastructure and poor communication may have hampered the initial response to the attack but these endemic issues should not obscure the larger picture, that this could have happened in New York or London. 9/11 was the first and likely last of its kind. Such high-profile operations are difficult to carry out in the face of security measures implemented since then. What the Mumbai attack has demonstrated is the viability of a new, leaner model. There are fewer moving parts, lower logistical requirements and less chance of detection by security forces. All it needs is a handful of men with automatic weapons who subscribe to an extremist creed. This tactical viability married to the strategic purpose of exposing vulnerability is a lethal combination.
Porous coasts are another crucial issue. As seen, captured vessels with appropriate identification and small boats with weak radar profiles can exploit holes in coastal defence. Navy deployment can combat this only partially; it must maintain readiness for operations in other theatres, leaving the onus on coast guard forces. In countries such as India and a number of European nations with extensive coastlines, this creates a serious vulnerability.
A new threat demands a new response. India has made a good start with the expansion of National Security Guard forces and the creation of a rapid response unit within the Maharashtra police as well as the beefing up of a third layer of coastal defence, marine police, all long overdue. But perhaps the most potent measure would be broad-based cooperation among the intelligence systems of various countries. India-US intelligence cooperation is already at an unprecedented level. The aftermath of the Mumbai attack provides an opportunity to further enhance it and add countries such as Israel to the framework.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/EDITORIAL_COMMENT__Lets_Work_Together/articleshow/3785266.cms
People at risk but hundreds of crores to protect netas
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: While they seem unable to protect ordinary people from terrorist attacks, politicians, cutting across party lines, spend
hundreds of crores of tax-payers' money to protect themselves. Some of them may be at genuine risk, but there are numerous politicians who surround themselves with gun-toting commandos to flaunt their `status' and end up harassing ordinary people by blocking traffic and pushing vehicles off the road.
Over Rs 250 crore is spent on VIP protection — including VIPs like Deve Gowda, Amar Singh, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sajjan Kumar, B L Joshi, R L Bhatia, Sharad Yadav, Rameshwar Thakur, E Ahmad, Murli Manohar Joshi, Brij Bhushan Sharan and Pramod Tiwari. Most of these worthies are said to be facing little real risk. It's also questionable whether lakhs of rupees should be spent on the protection of some others, like Sajjan Kumar, who have murder cases against them.
The explosion of VIP security has led to a ridiculous situation in which commandos meant for anti-terror operations have been diverted to protect politicians. The NSG, set up in 1984 for anti-hijack and anti-terror operations, has two wings--the Special Action Group (SAG), comprising army personnel on deputation, and the Special Rangers Group (SRG), comprising personnel from the ITBP, CISF, CRPF, BSF and SSB. More than half of SRG has been diverted to VIP security.
This is in addition to the Special Protection Group (SPG) that is exclusively meant for providing security to the PM, former PMs and members of the Gandhi family. Interestingly, the SPG budget for 2008-09 is Rs 180 crore, up from Rs 117 crore the previous year, while the 2008-09 budget for NSG, which is meant to protect over a billion people from terror, is Rs 158 crore, down from Rs 159 crore crore the previous year.
It's not only the SPG and NSG that protect our netas. In addition to them, every state diverts a sizeable number of policemen for VIP security. In
VIP security is broken up into five levels — SPG for those at the top of the heap, followed by the Z-plus, Z, Y and X categories. Z-plus security is provided by NSG `black cats' consisting of six personal security officers, two head constables, 12 constables, one escort and one pilot vehicle. Thirty politicians like L K Advani, Mayawati, Narendra Modi, Jayalalithaa, Murli Manohar Joshi, Amar Singh and Paswan are provided this cover.
The pyramid gets wider at the lower level of security — 68 VIPs get Z category protection, 243 get Y category and 81 X category. Of course, all of them get to flash red lights on their cars and flaunt their status, generally viewed as a nuisance by the aam admi . So intrusive is their security that the
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/People_at_risk_but_hundreds_of_crores_to_protect_netas/articleshow/3786239.cms
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