AlPhA KaPpA DeLtA PhI

For most of us in the developed/developing world having a regular meal, is something we take for granted. For some, finding a meal may be hard but it’s not impossible. But for people in third world countries, finding a regular meal once a day is really hard. This situation is deplorable and is a gross abuse of the fundamental rights of all men, something that we harp on every day.

These pictures (that I came across on the internet) bothered me and made me want to pen my thoughts. Writing about the imbalance of food, can hardly solve the problem. But at least it can raise awareness about things that our gossip-mongering media miss out on. Imagine if you had the sad plight of being born in such a community. Is there any value for some basic principles that we advocate in civilized life. Is there any meaning in saying that violence is wrong? What if violence is the only source of a respectable life for a man and his family? Do we have any moral standing in advocating non-violence to such people/communities? Doesn’t a man have the right to want to eat? Should luxuries like social well-being and moral-uprightness come in the way of wanting to live? What Mahatma Gandhi said on poverty rings loud to me now, “Poverty is the worst form of violence”.

It is an open secret that most of such incidents happen in Africa. I will re-count an incident that happened to me in Tanzania. It might not be as chilling as any of these pictures, but it made a big impact on me. 

On one afternoon, when driving through the country side, the sun was scorching down on us. At a signal on the highway, a kid, perhaps 10 years old, was selling coconut water for two hundred shillings. He gave me one and I shook it and found that there was not much of water. I asked for another and he didn’t have any. I gave back the coconut and we moved on. About a kilometer later, at another signal the same kid came running with a coconut in his hand. Beads of sweat were pouring from his face. He gave me the coconut saying that this one would have more water in it. I was touched. What made the kid hurry and fetch a fresh coconut, run a fair distance (I don’t know how he made it there so fast, a short cut perhaps), with his bated breath getting the better of his words, for a mere 200 shillings. (200 Tanzanian shillings = 0.1476 U.S. dollars). That meager amount was perhaps this kid’s source for his next meal. Chilling. I can still re-collect the smile on his face when I gave him the money.  

My morning today began with the usual chores and I packed off from home to park my bike at the parking lot from where I catch my bus to office. This is my daily routine and is a monotonous one. Pack my bag, park my bike, board the bus, take a nap and swipe in at office. But today morning was different. As I parked my bike and walked to the stop, I saw a beautiful girl standing by the shade of a tree. She looked pretty in a green top and blue jean, with a pair of matching dangling ear-rings. Her fair skin tone made her stand out of the crowd. On seeing her, my heart skipped a beat. Wow. It felt good. Wish I knew her name, where she was from and where her desk was. I have seen her before several times at the same place. I even know that she works in my office. But she was never this sparkling.

My gush of emotions was interrupted by the arrival of the bus and by this time she had noticed my glances. And she didn’t frown or turn away. Good. But the perennial pessimist in me was telling me that there were several people looking at her, and she probably didn’t turn away because people were ogling at her from all sides. Hmm. Somehow guys loose their mind when a girl is around. When the bus stopped, she walked in and sat in a 3-seater. I walked past her and sat in the row just behind her’s. After everyone boarded the bus, she suddenly got up and looked back for a moment and searched for someone. It was me. She looked at me in the eye. And for that brief moment our eyes met, and she sat down looking a little awkward after others in the bus started looking at her. Perhaps she wanted me to sit next to her. Damn. I didn’t realize it.

Nothing much happened over the next hour. I was not able to look at her for the entire journey and neither was she. As soon as the bus stopped inside office, she got down and walked away. I followed her quickly. But now we were inside office and she wasn’t as interested as before. When a man is nearby, women loose their mind if other women are nearby. Life!! She noticed me coming towards her and she walked briskly. Hmm. This was going down hill.

As we neared the cafeteria, she walked in to it. I had to go to my desk. She noticed me walking in a different direction and turned around, and glanced at me. Again for a few minutes our eyes met. Wow. Nothing happened beyond that, but it still felt good. I felt light when she walked past the door with a smile on her lips. 

A great way to begin my morning, I thought; a pretty looking girl responding to my glances. That’s a great feeling for any guy. What a nice sun shine, I was thinking when I was walking down the pathway. As I turned around, I saw another girl dressed elegantly, smiling and waving her hands. Her slimy, long hands and the shape of her fingers in motion made her look very graceful and elegant. Under the bright sun her skin shone radiantly. My heart fluttered for a few seconds; she blew me away in an instant. I looked at her for a few seconds and then looked at the door where I last saw the girl from the bus, laughed at myself and walked away.     

I was betting on James Cameron to walk away with the Oscar for Best Director. But it turned out that the Academy had a special surprise on International Women’s Day. Kathyrn Bigelow walked away with the award. Leaving James Cameroon high and dry.

Well, this is not the first time that she has left James high and dry. The winner of the Best Director at the 82nd Academy Awards, did the same a few years back when she decided to split with her hubby, James Cameron. That’s right, Kathyrn was James Cameron’s ex-wife for close to 3 years. James has married twice after that. (How many more left, James??!!).

Word has it that James took to Full Tilt Poker rather seriously after this incident. Full Tilt Poker Bonus was too tempting for the ace director to bury his sorrow in. This game is a super cool one. The quality of players is one the highest and player traffic is awesome. During peak times there can be a very heavy demand for this one. Leading Hollywood scoop sites reported that James had a ton of Full Tilt Poker Referral Code. So what’s this. Well, its like store credit, an online version for this game. Full Tilt Poker referral code can be hard to get sometimes and James had so much of it. Looked clearly like James had serious issues to deal with then. But this game can be good fun. Just try it out to break your monotonous routine in life. There are a host of games to choose from; Omaha, 7 Card, Razz and Horse. Most review sites give a superb “thumbs up” for this one.

Now that she has done it to James again, any chance of getting back again. Both the stars laughed at the question. Clearly, they have moved on.

As I sit on my desk writing down whatever comes to my mind,  I find that today is an unusually silent day. Monday’s are always full of energy. You re-charge your energy levels over the weekend and spend them cautiously over the week. Cautiously, because, by Friday you are drained out and you are possibly sleep walking your day at work. I am warding off sleep in the god destined hour of sleep, afternoon. Wait, isn’t that supposed to be night. Hmm. That’s for people who are not working. For all those gentlemen and women toiling at a work place, afternoon is the time to sleep.

Let me go ahead. This is a routine Monday post-lunch hour at work, in an software company. The usually noisy team nearby is unusually silent. Have they fallen asleep as well? Let me look. Nah, they are just on an extended tea break. The only noise is from the pressing of keys on my keyboard, the occasional ringing tone of a cell phone and the one that is keeping me up, against God’s wish, the noisy girl nearby indulged in a loud personal conversation over the telephone. Seriously girl, get a room..!

Well, what about work? I leave that secondary to God’s wish - “Thou shalt sleep in the noon, or spend the rest of your life in the forbidden Garden of Eden”. So basically, it’s a choice that Adam and Eve faced with the forbidden fruit – “Eat it to be doomed in the Garden of Eden”. What do I do? Stay awake and anger God or sleep and please him. Hmm. Easy!

Hurt Locker and Avatar are battling it out at the 82nd Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars. Both the movies have recieved a pile of nominations under various categories; from Best Costume to Best Picture. And keeping in mind the jury’s tendancies in the past, they are both expected to share the honours equally.

Despite several nominations, the award for Best Picture and Best Director are the most sought after. The academy has never selected two movies for its Best Picture award and is expected to follow the same. The Academy cant play compromise and select both the movies. So which one of the two exciting movies will get coveted award. I am betting, nay, willing to play online roulette on Hurt Locker. The movie has a more serious/relevant theme, plus the Academy has never given its full nod to animation movies. Though Avatar stretched all existing practises in film making, Hurt Locker will walk away with the award.

Best Director, well James Camerron should run away with this one rather easily. Kathryn Bigelow did an awesome job, and it’s International Women’s Day as well. But I am willing to play the casino game roulette on James Cameroon winning this. Very few director’s are so well versed with neearly all aspects of film making, as James Cameroon is. He deserves this. Better luck next time Kathryn.

Meanwhile, news is out that Christopher Waltz has won the Best Supporting Actor Award for Taratino’s Inglorious Bastards. No casino roulette on this one. Great Job, Chris.

Art has always come under the control of vigilante groups. The freedom of expression through non-conventional methods (unlike verbal) has been a grey area. Writing, painting and speaking have been commonly targeted forms and the divisions have been mostly on religious grounds, with little care for the real issues behind them.

M.F. Hussain is a celebrated artist. He has been acknowledged by the powers that be, in the world of arts, as an artist par excellence. So when he drew those paintings of Lord Saraswathi baring all, it should be looked at as an expression of something more profound than obscenity. The pedigree of Hussain begs you to look at it with an artistic eye. And that is not too hard too do either. Temples in India are filled with sculptures of women scantily covered. The temples at Khajuraho are dedicated to acts of love-making. And Hindus celebrate these as a part of their society. So, is it right to say that Hussain’s paintings drew the attention of Hindu extremists only because of his Muslim religion. I think it would be.

This is a poor reflection of the state of arts in India. Art has always enjoyed patrons in the form of rich kings, in ancient India. The Indian republic though, seems to be constrained by the tender fabric of democracy and can do little but provide inadequate security after violence breaks out. In the absence of strong protection artist are often left bare in facing up to such threats. Most often the mobs get to impose their will, or the artist will have to face ostracism. And the result of all these is skewed creativity which acts akin to cancer on the human body. They pave way for death (in creativity) without one realizing it. Art, as was in the past, may never speak for true human conscience.

Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya, the much awaited movie of Gautam Menon has finally released. Here’s how much I liked the movie, i.e my review on this rather chick movie

The movie begins with how Jessie (played by Trisha) and Karthik (played by Simbu) meet each other. Jessie is a rather up-tight character who doesn’t fall in love easily. When she is suited by Simbu, she questions his intentions from the start. Karthik plays it cool with her and manages to bring her out of her cloister and makes her fall in love.

Things however don’t go that smoothly. Karthik is an aspiring movie director and has to take the call between his love and career. And he chooses love. Next come the obtrusive family members. A Hindu-Christian marriage doesn’t go well with either community and Jessie has to take the call in deciding between her family and love. She chooses her family. And things get crazy at this point in the film. But destiny (again…!) brings the stars together, hah.. thats what you think would happen. But no, the movie ends the other way, with the Karthik and Jessie not uniting. A brave decision by the director to keep the movie this way.

What’s special in the movie is not the story, but the way it is told. Gautam Menon weaves his magic and it captures the youngsters. The loves scenes make for good viewing. Compliment this with soul-stiring music and elegant cinematography, and you have the perfect combination for this genre of movie. A. R. Rahman scores high with a new brand of unconventional song structures. It’s nothing like what you might have heard before. It is great to see the master stretching the limits of creativity, even after achieving dizzying heights. Manoj Paramahamsa, impresses with his neat cinematography. I haven’t heard of him before, maybe I will watch out for him from now.

So will this be a cult film in romance. It’s hard to say and so it won’t. Its a great film to watch, but perhaps the Gautam Menon could have chosen other stars as protagonists to make the film greater than it already it.

On the whole, it’s a 4 on 5 for Gautam Vasudev Menon’s Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya. Watch it for the neat romance, elegant shots and awesome music. An evening spent well. 

Tiger Woods, till recently famous only for his golfing skills, made headlines a few months ago by crashing his car outside his home. Since then the ace golfer has faced a serious of allegations, most of which have been acknowledged by the golfer. In a recent development on this saga, Woods bore all and made an apologetic confession in front of his family and the media. The star expressed sincere regret, at least tried to, and made commitments towards seriously reforming his personal life. To most of his fans, that means an extended wait to see the star back on the golf course.

True, his scandalous behavior has disappointed many of his fans, around the world. But ever since that near fatal car crash, people seem to have forgotten his skills as a golfer. So much has been made out of the incident that Tiger would even consider to donate car cancer.

Well, donate your car cancer may not seem a bad idea, but this is no normal issue. The man was, and is, considered a legend. His performance would of (f)-course be of interest to many.

A lot has been said on this issue. A lot, even on this site, so I don’t wish to state the obvious, but shall still do it. Leave the man alone. His golfing skills made him a legend. Let that be the benchmark for judging him. Let’s not make the cancer car donation of that famous car, a forced compulsion on him.

The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are off to a flying start this final placement season with pre-placement offers pouring in.

Final placements at IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) start this Saturday, while IIM-Indore (IIM-I) and IIM-Lucknow (IIM-L) will begin the process next week. IIM-Bangalore (IIM-B) and IIM-Calcutta (IIM-C) will start their final placements from March 4.

Students at IIM-C have already received over 100 pre-placement offers against 56 last year. The institute says it has so far witnessed an increase in the packages offered to the students, with a few offers above Rs 20 lakh per annum. Last year, the highest offer at the institute stood at Rs 60 lakh per annum.

The recruiters who have made offers at IIM-C include Cognizant Business Consulting, Deloitte, Hinduja Group, Aditya Birla Group, Accenture Business Consulting, Mahindra & Mahindra, Virtusa, Essar, leading collagen face cream companies and Bristlecone.

At IIM-B, recruiters have so far made over 40 pre-placement offers and 10 pre-placement interview offers. The institute says it expects some more offers to come in before it begins the final process. Last year, IIM-B received a total of 53 offers.

Sapna Agarwal, head (career development), IIM-B, said: “Things are definitely looking better. Response from companies and also market conditions, they are looking positive.”

IIM-B will place 266 students from the PGP (Post-Graduate Programme) batch and 70 students from Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (ePGP). Close to 100 companies are expected to come for hiring at the PGP batch, while it could be 70-80 companies for ePGP. Placement for PGP will start from March 4 and go on till March 10. Placement for the ePGP batch, which is a rolling process, has already begun.

At IIM-L, while the lateral placements have seen over 100 offers so far, offers for PGP is already in the range of 30-40. Last year, the institute received 25 pre-placement offers. IIM-L has 324 students to place this year.

IIM-I expects 65 companies to come to campus this year to recruit 235 students of its PGP batch.

The institutes, however, are maintaining a cautious stand on placement as the numbers are still not as good as the pre-recession (2007-08) levels. “While this is a significant improvement compared to last year and we look forward to a great placement season ahead, the mood on the campus is one of guarded optimism,” said a placement executive from IIM-C.

In the past, model trains were usually considered as toys that were meant to be played with and were developed on the mechanism of straightforward motors. With time, as railroad replicas gained popularity, enthusiasts decided to experiment and so they started to transform motorized models into ingenious little electric prototypes. These prototypes laid the foundations of what would be developed into the models that are familiar today.

Today, there are many model train aficionados who will halt outside any shop window to stare at the different types of train layouts showcased. The movement of the train as it traverses the track, climbs up panoramic hills and scuttles across bridges after emerging from a tunnel is a fascination that captivates everyone’s minds, young and old. There is a certain delight that enthralls and captivates the minds of the spectators as they spend countless happy hours pursuing this leisure activity.

The most striking feature about taking up miniature model designing  hobby is that it allows one to introduce different levels of customization in the development. The miniature model is as important as how a  prenatal vitamin is for the pregnant woman. It is also possible for one to build a custom layout, however this can become a very daunting task as it not only requires patience, persistence and dedication, but also an undying willpower to complete the project. While some hobbyists work on their train models for years at a time, others may decide to purchase one off the shelf and have it fabricated to meet their specifications. If considering taking up model railroads as a hobby, there are a plethora of blogs and websites on the internet that can be used to help individuals with all their building woes. Perhaps the greatest advantage of operating such train models is that it opens up one’s imagination to different scenarios as it helps in cultivating one’s architectural and mechanical skills.

Today, an online fax is fast replacing the traditional method of sending faxes. But many people are confused about how exactly they should go about the entire process of actually sending the fax via the internet.  It’s like a natural fat burners question.The following are five very easy methods that anyone can use to send and receive faxes over the internet.

1. Signup for any online fax service provider

When choosing any online fax provider, the following points must be kept in mind.

• Reputation of the company

• Is there a period during which you could try out the product?

• How many faxes can you send and receive per month.

• What are the additional charges that you will have to pay once you cross the above limit?

2. Choose the required fax number

After you have finished signing up, the next thing that you need to do is to obtain your fax number. For many of the services, you need to select the area code and location. You will be provided with a list from which you can select the number that you would like. Using this number, you will be able to receive all faxes. When someone sends you a fax, it will be directly sent into your mailbox. You can then perform a variety of options on it such as saving it, printing it or even forwarding it to a desired recipient.

3. User information sign up

All that you have to do here is simply sign up with your required information.

4. Send faxes

Once you have finished signing up, you will be able to easily send all faxes that are required. The exact instructions regarding what you should do to send faxes will be explained to you. Sending an online fax is very similar to sending an email attachment. If you know how to send an email, sending a fax should be no problem at all.

5. Receive faxes

Using an online fax, you would also be able to receive faxes directly into your mailbox.

SANS vLive! delivers live online security courses taught by SANS’ top instructors directly to your desktop!

SANS vLive! uses cutting-edge webcast and collaboration software to provide the same live interactive classroom experience you get from a SANS security conference, but delivers it over the web to you in the comfort of your home or office.

Each domain of knowledge is dissected into its critical components. Every component is discussed showing its relationship to each other and other areas of network security. After completion of the course the student will have a good working knowledge of the ten domains of knowledge.

Note: CISSP exams are not hosted by SANS. You will need to make separate arrangements to take the CISSP exam. For early registration i heard you will get a chance to read unbiased fat burners reviews . So hurry up and grab this offer. Don’t forget to tell your friends…

Keep checking my blog for more details on this…

If you can read this, you have a strange mind too.

I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this forwrad it

Can you raed this ? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

so if u make it , u r one among the 55%.

It is very good practice for your GMAT prep

Kindly leave your comments if any below… Keep checking my blog for more interesting update like this

There are a great many things you can do online- shop, meet friends, make friends, play online casino, the list is endless. The internet makes living that much more easy for us. It is truly beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. The structure of the internet as we know it today is beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. It is a true bench mark of our times and perhaps the single greatest technological innovation of modern man.

The experience provided by an online activity comes so close to real life. If you are buying for a book, you get to see all the books in the store, browse a few and then pick one. The object oriented structure of the programming world is throwing up endless opportunities to make the online experience memorable. Suppose you are playing a game of Black Jack and want to tip the dealer, you can. The money goes to the casino owner. More money for them from previously unexplored sources automatically means a better business strategy. This is the power of the online experience.

There is a lot of money to be made. And the best part is that it’s not only for the content providers. Readers sitting back home, can also get a share of the pie. Of course, static readers don’t form a part of the game. But if you are dynamic and participate in it, then the opportunities are endless

Online retailing is the perfect way to beat the shopping blues. But how do you know that you can get a good deal. In real shopping it is easy to scout for a good shop offering the best prices. But what gives you the same feeling in online shopping? Only if you know that your online portal offers deals from all and sundry, you can be sure that you are not missing out on something. So, with that said, how do you know which site gives you this. Shop Wiki gives you the same level of comfort that you would by manual shopping. It scans all the sites on the web and gives you the best deals. Conventional shopping portals give results only from paid retailers. So you get only the best deals that a particular retailer offers and not what is available.

Assume that you own a pet and want to go on a holiday, taking it along. Where do you get the best deal for a case to carry your pet along? Now, dog Transport is a tricky thing. Well, so is feeding your pet outide your home, it’s going to be a mess. How do you know what all you will need and where to get them. I would use Shop Wiki to get the info and the places to get them from. At least I know that I am scouting for the best deals out there, not just what is available to me. So the chances are that I may get a good deal. And I don’t have to walk up the curb of ten different shops.

Your search may be for anything, not just for a dress or a CD; toys for your pet, gifts for your loved ones, just about anything.

That’s one useful thing I found for the day. I have more to come. Hold on..!

I have read about Construction Gear apparel several places online, but have near tried to find out what it is or what they do. I searched for sweatshirts on Google and a link took me their site. They range of products they have is amazing.

From rugged work boots to sturdy rain suits, I found that they are having it all. The site maintains a detailed catalogue of the different varieties of products they produce. They even suggest you the best type of rain suits to buy. From parkas to ponchos, from work suits to work gloves, I could find them all in this site.

What impressed me was their analysis on why a different material will not work for some specialized needs. Well, for most of us a custom rain coat is not needed. But for those people with specialized industrial needs, you get a good reason as to why material x works better than material y. When you place bluk orders, that is exactly what I would want to know. And that’s what I get as well.

The prices blew me off too. Picture this; men’s rain coat starting at $6.50 and work boots at $8.50. That’s a great deal! Plus you can order all this sitting from home. The site provides a nice experience through their online shopping cart. If you make purchases over $24, you get a free home delivery too.

Angered by the Shiv Sena’s opposition to SRK’s movie? Express you anger here. Your punches will be delivered in person to the Bandar Sena’s big boss.

SRK is no saint, but he is a brave man. Just like all of us, he has his foibles. But what he said was right and his standing up for his statements speaks volumes of his personal integrity. His refusal to back down to the Bandar Sena is a courageous act and it requires our support. I am not an SRK fan, in fact I live in the south, can’t speak Hindi, can’t understand the language. But I know one thing that all Indians who think free should come out and express their opinion on this issue. Mine is to support SRK.

If we don’t stand up the threat of the Sena today, we are accepting their control over us. We are a free thinking society, more so a plural democracy. Separatists like the Sena have no place in our society. They are like causing Mesothelioma to our eyes.Their form of vigilante justice will make India another Pakistan. Fundamentalists of any kind, religion or caste, have no place in our vibrant society. The Shiv Sena and the MNS are both a thing of the past. Say no to divisive politics and express your opinions here.

I am sure SRK is following the developments on this issue on the web. Express your opinions and lend solidarity to the lone voice of sanity.

Theeradha Villayatu Pillai, is produced by Sun Pictures and stars Vishal as a love dude. The movie stars Vishal, Neetu Chandra, Tanushree Dutta, Sarah Jane Dias, Santhanam, Prakash Raj, Sathyan, Mouli,Mayilsami and is directed by Thiru. Yuvan Shankar Raja has scored the music for this film and doesnot impress much.

Vishal is back doing comedy flicks after a spate of action film bombed at the box office. Comedy seems to be the flavor of the season and Vishal is out trying to woo audiences and the lovely girls beside him, with his witty one-liners.

The Story: Karthik, played by Vishal, is an extremely out spoken and casual character who has his way the ladies. Trouble brews when he starts having too much of them. Prakash Raj plays the father character and as usual pulls it off with panache. His loud voice and commanding presence is a little too familiar. Maybe it’s because the role is all too familiar for Tamil Audiences. The lovely ladies in the movie, play nice fillers and except Neetu Chandra, very few catch your attention. The lady has to use weight loss products to lose her excess flabby muscles.They seem to be ephemeral; appearing and disappearing in a flash. Karthik gets into trouble with the girl’s parents and not the girls themselves. They seem to be fine with his philandering. The drama boils down when common-sense prevails among all, including Vishal, and ends with the – “All is fair in love and war” theme. This one is all too familiar for Tamil audiences, for others, read the next post. This one ain’t for you.

A special word about Santhanam. What we are seeing is the fast evolution of a lead comedian. After Vadivel and Vivek it is nice to see Santhanam come out and take mainstream cinema by storm. His genre is different from Vadivel and Vivek, and resembles the comedy king Koundamani. He has done a neat job and does make you laugh whole heartedly. Good job. Keep giving us more.

MNIK or My Name is Khan is Shah Rukh Khan’s latest offering. Directed by the ever-green director Karan Johar, this movie does not disappoint any of King Khan’s fans. Unlike many other heroes SRK does not get caught in the web of commercial movies and compromise on quality.

Here is the story of the movie.  It opens with junior SRK, played by Tanay Chheda, a Muslim, who suffers from Asperger syndrome. He grows with his mother, played by the charismatic Zarina Wahab,  in Mumbai.

As the story moves on SRK, playing the character of Rizwan Khan moves to San Francisco and lives with his brother’s family. It is here that he falls in love with Mandira (Kajol). They eventually marry and begin a business. But after the twin tower attacks in the US, there is a biased attack on Mulims in the US. SRK suffers as a victim of this biased persecution and after several trials, and typical commercial sequences, SRK and Kajol hang on together. However, that’s not all, after a cinematic series of events in between SRK and Kajol separate, leaving the King Khan alone to fight his battles. However, Kojol does re-unite with SRK and in the end, as you guessed it; SRK and Kajol re-unite after fighting off the battles drawn on the lines of religion.

SRK steals the show with his performance and for all his fans; it is refreshing to see him back after a while. He sizzles and makes you laugh and cry, all at once. In the end, you will end up appreciating this film where he plays the pivot.

Kajol has her moments in the movie. She looks damn good. No one could say she is 35. I think her best wrinkle cream has done a magic. Jokes apart. She plays her role convincingly. Maybe her character got lost in SRK’s, but never the less, the two make a splendid couple on screen. For all those fell in love watching Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, seeing the two back together is worth the effort to watch the movie.

This one is for SRK fans and for all those who feel Bal Thackery must die..!

Genetically modified BT-Brinjal has been stalled by the Government of India’s sudden reversal in policy. Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh was under immense pressure to back down from his earlier stand of backing the genetically modified version.

The last few days witnessed widespread opposition to the introduction of Bt-Brinjal. The discussions and the impact it had, is testimony to India’s vibrant democracy and the power of civil society. Concerns were raised from many quarters about the safety of such genetically modified products. Either the conglomeration of all these or due to fear of being accused in case of any mis-happenings in the future, forced the minister to change from his previous stand.

So what is the fuss all about? Well, GM foods or Genetically Modified foods create some very legitimate questions on safety of those who consume it. They may be genetically adjusted to withstand pest attacks, but their effects on humans, or other animals in the food chain are not proven.

However, the Minister clarified that the reversal of policy applied on to BT-Brinjal and not other genetically modified vegetables, such as cabbage or lady-finger.

White Hat – For factual thinking. Brainstorming for known facts on an idea

Red Hat – For Emotional Thinking

Black Hat – For weaknesses in an idea

Yellow Hat - For Optimistic/ Positive thinking on an idea

Blue Hat – For Thinking of an idea from an organizational perspective

Green Hat – For thinking on innovations possible, on a existing idea.

Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats is a rare book, providing insights on how to structure discussions. de Bono is an erudite thinker himself and his novel idea of the thinking hats should come as no surprise to anyone who has been following him. I have read one book of his before and though not path-breaking; the book gave me insights of the man behind it.

de Bono appears as a suave management expert, who understands the complexity and simplicity of the brain more than anyone. He emphasizes on logical thinking and exhorts us to think of possibilities to existing certainties. This unique view of him makes more compelling to read his works.

On the book, it’s not like any other book you might have read on group discussions. It does not tell you what to talk or even how to talk. It tells you how to think and how different you can think.

One phrase caught my attention while reading the book. The phrase is “Sensitizing your brain”. It made for interesting reading. de Bono says that if you sensitize your mind towards, i.e. actively and explicitly tell it what to do it does it correctly. In other words, the brain is willing to learn, the only think it needs is a constant input. I tried doing this by telling myself what I had to do and the brain keeps following it.

Let me explain. I have a really hard time waking up, especially if it’s early. One night I told myself, I am going to get up early the next and did not set the alarm. I told my brain to kick start its work the moment it had enough rest. And wonders..! I got up at 4 A.M the next day feeling fresh and without the alarm. The next thing I tried was that, I started to count the number of steps I walk to reach the cafeteria for lunch. I did this while walking to the cafeteria, and while returning I was subconsciously counting the number of steps!

Mr. Bono does have some interesting points. Do share with the readers if you have experienced similar things.