tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68460341531734440522024-02-19T21:44:21.326-05:00You Don't Say!I think I should think less...I've never triedPoojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-10912032914731364002014-10-09T14:17:00.003-04:002014-10-09T22:35:33.870-04:00Karva Chauth: The Bond that Holds (North) Indian Marriages Together!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first year I did it with gusto. The second
with some skepticism. When the date started nearing in my (now) third year of marriage, for the first time, I truly started to
wonder "What does Karva Chauth really mean and why am I doing it?!" </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unable to come up with a satisfactory answer, I started asking around - friends, family, mom, etc. their
reasons for following a tradition that, at best, is limited to a really tiny
population of women, from one part of one country, in the entire world. The
answers I heard compelled me to write this post. I'm shocked, dumbfounded, and
also offended. And I'll explain why. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not going to repeat the same-old "its superstitious and illogical" argument that I'm sure all of you know by now. I'm pretty
certain that not a single person doing Karva Chauth in this age really believes
it will make their husbands live longer. If you do, I have really nothing to
say to you. Close this browser, and enjoy your life. But for those who made
sure to emphasize their disbelief in this theory, please read on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are some of the responses I heard:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"There's no harm in doing it. If nothing, I'll lose a pound
or two"</span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"It's one day my husband pampers me" </span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"It makes our relationship
stronger" </span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"I do it for the fun and celebration in the evening when I
break the fast with friends" </span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"I get gifts and presents from the family and the husband" </span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"Its just one more way of making my husband feel
special" </span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">"My in-laws expect me to do it"</span></i><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and several more responses like this that were just difficult
to believe. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So <b>what's my problem here</b> you want to know?! Oh
a million, but let me see if I can try and explain a few: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fact that a tradition that was started centuries ago has
been distorted in meaning to the point where noone knows the original meaning,
and are yet willing to follow it for reasons that at best, are selfish. You
want a gift, go buy it for yourself. Don't manipulate your family into thinking
you're doing something noble for which you need to be rewarded. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, fasting for a day cleanses the system, helps you lose
pounds and helps you control your mind. But why add the tradition, culture,
religious, or whatever else tag you're willing to give it. Why not just observe
the fast for what it is? I read somewhere "Fasting is a great reminder of
how fragile our systems are, and how much we depend on things beyond ourselves."
I agree. Do it to be humbled by the knowledge of this fact. Why the fanfare of looking at the moon through a
sieve, and then your husband, while counting seconds till you can get your hand on some food? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, I'm extremely sorry to say that if you believe that doing Karva
Chauth for your husband makes your relationship more special, there's something
really wrong. Marriage is between people who trust and love each other in, and despite every situation. If your husband treats you as special on this day because you're
starving to save his life, and doesn't on any
other, maybe its time to talk about why. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Want to make your husband feel special? How about setting aside an evening without
looking at the phone or tv or laptop to just talk? Believe me
its the most special thing you'll do for each other in a long time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If your in-laws are asking you to do it, they might not know
any better. They perhaps didn't go to the schools you went to, they didn't talk
to the people you talk to, they didn't have the internet to access information
the way you do. Talk to them, explain it, reason with them. And if you're not
willing to even try, if you'd rather continue to do things without raising a question, what is the difference between their generation and
ours? <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's also funny how many times I heard, "My husband is fasting for me too," as if that this supposed to suddenly infuse some sense into this senselessness. Firstly, doesn't inconveniencing your husband render this whole thing pointless? Okay, that's not the point. But why do it at all? Why don't the two of you just go to a movie, a restaurant, something! There are so many ways to make life interesting. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A friend (who also doesn't keep the fast) asked, why am
I taking this personally and that I should just let the women who're observing
the event, do it. I'm glad she asked. Here's my answer to that: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because the Indian society is hard-wired enough to make men
believe they're superlative. And we don't need yet another regressive
tradition to massage their ego by making them feel they deserve this sort of
attention. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe <b>your </b>husband isn't hung up on you fasting. Maybe he's
cool, and casual, and whatever <i>modern</i> husbands do. <b>But
by not speaking up against something that needs to be stopped, aren't you
supporting it?</b> </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If your husband doesn't ask for dowry, but doesn't
stop his parents from demanding it, would you still defend that by saying it hardly matters? So why is it okay for you
to follow a tradition because you think "<i>it's just one day of my life,
kya farak padta hai." </i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It isn't infact just about this one day. The question is, how far are you
willing to go to do things that don't make sense, just because someone will
feel bad if you don't do it, or that you believe, you're <i>upholding Indian
tradition. </i>You're not. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Women are now speaking up against changing their last names
because its the 'cool' thing to do, so why not Karva Chauth? Because your own
superstitious mind won't allow you to take the risk that something bad might
happen? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some people don't like the fact that I'm opinionated.
That I have views on what someone should/should not be doing. But here's the
thing. History wasn't changed by people who were politically correct, who kept
shut because it was 'appropriate,' because they didn't want to lose friends. I'm
not trying to change history. All I'm doing is asking my educated friends to
think about the broader consequences of their actions. It's not just YOU. What
you do today, what this generation does, will decide where we are going to be
as a country decades later as well. Its easy to say "<i>India kabhi nahi
badlega</i>," "<i>I hate how conservative my country is,</i>"
"<i>My family is so traditional!</i>" <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But kaise badal sakta hai India when the reigns are in the hands
of those who're too afraid to loosen it - for tradition's sake! <o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">India's patriarchal ways are crying to be changed. But we're too busy saying "Why should I bother as long as I'm enjoying doing something, and it doesn't inconvenience me!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">I made a decision that I will not individually ask anybody about their decision to fast on Karva Chauth..Apparently it is rude to ask people about things they can't explain, especially about misguided or blind beliefs. So I won't ask ask you to justify your decision. But I do ask you to read this post, and think. For yourself. And irrespective of whether you do observe Karva Chauth or not this year, do try and be honest to yourself about your reasons for doing it. </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span></div>
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Ciao! </div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">PS. The purpose of this article is not to put down those who
observe certain traditions. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe ignorant. If you have a
reason other than any of the above, or if you can point out to me why I'm
wrong, I would be happy to stand corrected. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;">PPS. If you still haven't got it, the title was sarcasm. </span></div>
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Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-65183399916916006372013-03-25T19:00:00.001-04:002013-08-01T15:38:17.508-04:00The Pied Piper of New York<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2XwHoTcYI3-nMO00KMFqlBYicIj4QC-5DfA05weCvn8LS6D0IGQYQ0EjUvMhlvEn9HxdL8f115m5S0o8UT9FIADTWzATOyKfWV4V29c3Ul3QzTEAnAK0U7_rZ4px-y_gr502oyvRPIm2/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2XwHoTcYI3-nMO00KMFqlBYicIj4QC-5DfA05weCvn8LS6D0IGQYQ0EjUvMhlvEn9HxdL8f115m5S0o8UT9FIADTWzATOyKfWV4V29c3Ul3QzTEAnAK0U7_rZ4px-y_gr502oyvRPIm2/s640/DSC_0301.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pigeon Man of Washington Square Park</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."</b></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #674ea7;">~Mother Teresa</span></i></div>
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<br />
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If you’ve been to Washington Square Park, it’s difficult to
miss this man who’s seen there nearly everyday with a fan following largely
comprised of pigeons, squirrels and other little birds. Of the several other eye-catching residents of WSP, this individual is a delight to watch. I'm not sure if he's homeless or just another guy who finds his peace amongst his tiny friends but there's surely some kind of peace that overcomes upon you as you stand there and watch the squirrels and birds come up right to him and eat out of his hand, as if he's one of their kind. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-37818413961600893502012-06-05T00:05:00.000-04:002013-03-25T18:46:02.583-04:00Haters will hate!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGbvLo4FZs5Jk8_6WbZ_ofi9Yqf0vt_5lhRcsx8yljoSf9hgPxZNUchb1kFgW83M00bS5O6uTkyxd61Hm4xOBdk3_Y7tqcmOTfmuJjVCq1ySS-k-zWzrgCQy9K45Ykp3OFLS5CXIa-P2s/s400/DSC_0180+(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="277" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Don't they?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Two amazing things happened in these
last 10 days. One, I caught up with a few videos I have been planning to see
for a few months. Another, I’ve finally come to hate half of mankind a little
more, if that was possible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/show/satyamevjayate?s=1">Satyamev Jayate</a>, the
Aamir Khan hosted talk show on Indian television has been creating a few
ripples and then some. It was all over my facebook, twitter and even in
conversations I had with friends the same day all the way here in New York. Oddly though, I
managed to survive 5 weeks without watching a single of the 5 episodes aired so
far. That was till the weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I caught up with two of the episodes yesterday.
Expectedly, I was moved to tears, had every single hair on my body stand on its
end, wanted to give up everything and devote my life to a social cause, and at
some moments felt like I just want to run away, somewhere, not sure where, (is
that normal?). I’ve stayed up last night wondering how is it that someone,
somewhere, made up of the same flesh and bone and brain as God (or science? Both
ok?) put in my body, could have committed crimes so heinous. Grandfather raping
his 2-year old granddaughter? Biting off your wife’s face for delivering a baby
girl? Surely, these things don’t really happen, do they? Sadly, as I realized
years ago, they do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another thing I saw is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc">Kony 2012</a> video! Yes, yes
after all these months. For the uninitiated, please take a look at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kony_2012">this</a> and <a href="http://invisiblechildren.com/">this</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But I’m not going to talk about the issues raised by either of the two. These are dialogues
that have a beginning, but no end. What has got me reeling reall, is
the disbelief at how many cynical people exist in the world. Sadly these cynics are not in hiding at someplace that I would never know, but right there, lurking in the next facebook post or tweet, perhaps in a casual cafe conversation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before I even saw the first SJ
episode, someone remarked to me, “Watch, but don’t take it seriously, it’s not
so good also haan. It’s just a stupid publicity thing by Aamir. He’s not getting
any good movies, that’s why he’s trying to gather public sympathy.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Then there was that video by the
Ugandan girl who called the Kony 12 video a total fraud. And the several other
videos. Forgive me for my ignorance, but am I missing some larger
point here?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To me it’s as clear as this – somebody
has made an attempt to make a change. Either do something better or stop trying to pull them down! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It appalls me to think how many people
out there are criticizing Aamir and Jason of the Kony video (here, please
feel free to extend these names as metaphors to anyone who has ever stood up
for a cause), as individuals out for a vested interest, trying to get public
attention for their own good and nothing else. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is this behavior exhibitive of a
typical crab drag down crab mentality, an ad hominem, or worse? I’d say the
worst because not one of these people with an opinion is ever able to substantiate
it. Their words are at best a regurgitated hash of what they’ve been fed
through a perpetually-slow-news-day media or they’re saying things they don’t
mean, only to prove to an equally disbelieving and mostly disinterested audience
that they could have an opinion different than the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course Aamir had his own interest
when he agreed to host the show. Of course <span style="background-color: white;">Jason
Russel</span> hoped to raise money for his organization when he made Kony 12. But
how, in the name of God, do their interests not compare as infinitesimal to the
larger good that their voices can do and have been doing to the world? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Think about this - if
even one child, a single child, raised his/her voice against the abuser after
watching Aamir’s show, or one woman put her fears on the backburner for a day and
confronted her family, refusing to abort her girl child, or even if even one
child was saved from being abducted from Africa (does it even matter that Kony
moved from Uganda to Sudan or Congo or anywhere else or that he hasn’t struck
for 7 years? He’s still out there goddamit), then any thing that these guys
have tried to achieve, has been achieved. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anything they have wanted for
themselves is irrelevant. Even a single incident of change has been a real contribution. Maybe that one
child won’t seem like such a small number, if it was someone you knew!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To all the haters and non-believers
and cynics and critcs out there, I have only this one thing to say – Unless you
have a better recipe for change and are willing to stick your neck out for it, stop
nitpicking!</span></span></div>
<br /></div>
Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-38825906701047945802012-05-26T23:28:00.000-04:002012-05-26T23:28:13.691-04:00The meteor with the needle bill<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphq9Ha5atwybvxkrqgfKktHupDXvcCs6Wy624Pym9nX6G2ncTs3yJx2LOZF77bTPuqX4WR0I4a-g-3R4WihkWmLK6jJ8Igq-W4AE_bosUbeT3X5Ush5b07j82TeiCPUioATTK5vSccOOp/s1600/sucess+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphq9Ha5atwybvxkrqgfKktHupDXvcCs6Wy624Pym9nX6G2ncTs3yJx2LOZF77bTPuqX4WR0I4a-g-3R4WihkWmLK6jJ8Igq-W4AE_bosUbeT3X5Ush5b07j82TeiCPUioATTK5vSccOOp/s640/sucess+copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hummingbird, not sure what species, doing what it does best<br />Arenal, Costa Rica </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">"And make us happy in the darting bird,</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">That suddenly above the bees is heard,</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,</span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And off a blossom in mid air stand still."</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><b>- Robert Frost</b></span></div>
<br />
There's something about watching hummingbirds live in action. They're tiny, so tiny that they could easily be mistaken for butterflies. They buzz when they fly past you, they flap their wings at what seems like a 100 times per second, they hover in mid-air, they're all at once colorful and shiny and full of life. The first time I saw one was last week in Costa Rica. I have so much to share about the place. Lots of pictures too. But the first hummingbird I saw, I knew that I'm not leaving that country without getting a good photograph of it. Haha!<br />
<br />
In retrospect, it does sound like I made a bigger deal than it should have been but then, all I wanted was one decent picture of this shiny little speck of restless!<br />
<br />
In the end, I did manage to get a couple. Also got pointed out the smallest little hummingbird nest, a picture of which I can share with you if you like and a bunch of other hummingbird shots that I'm proud of.<br />
<br />
While it's not an earth-shattering, paradigm-changing photograph by any stretch of anyone's imagination, it is in essence my eight day trip defined in one picture.<br />
<br />
May you be blessed by the delight of finding a hummingbird hover around your head someday! </div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-54208068236544482392012-03-21T12:25:00.000-04:002012-03-21T12:25:33.512-04:00Spring makes 'anything' possible!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUcXbViaYtXPGEKHtezaM_Xjxgd_huTSz1A-tNB9Yt-DuLIiI_8oCK_kLU9R6xX86NCDhRaaqg5X2OLIZkjcxAXMU3LKi1KKflode696HRt4gF5x8efg27ydno5ItmD9zjeN6ikg7h0-d/s1600/3627960427_f14418c79c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUcXbViaYtXPGEKHtezaM_Xjxgd_huTSz1A-tNB9Yt-DuLIiI_8oCK_kLU9R6xX86NCDhRaaqg5X2OLIZkjcxAXMU3LKi1KKflode696HRt4gF5x8efg27ydno5ItmD9zjeN6ikg7h0-d/s640/3627960427_f14418c79c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Every bee loves a sting..err..spring</b><br />
Photograph taken in 2009, India</td></tr>
</tbody></table>New York had a mild winter. Mild by the definition of those who've lived through snowstorms, -20 degree Celsius, zero visibility and days of being locked in at home, at the airport, at restaurants and other such horrific encounters. By that yard, two days of snow, one in early October and another in late January, could 'hardly even be called winter,' said all my friends and the husband. Even my experience of virtually non existent winter seasons in Bombay not being accounted for, I did brave an all time low of -11 degree C, not holed in at home but out on the streets in what (in retrospect) was obviously not enough warm protection.<br />
<br />
So when, in keeping up the climate pattern this year, spring displayed signs of an early arrival, I cheered as loud as a grasshopper would in an untrimmed lawn :D<br />
<br />
Spring's making the days longer, the sun brighter, the trees more colorful, people more cheerful. I no longer look out to dark evenings and 4 pm sunsets. I no longer have to spend 60 minutes dressing up in winter layers. And mostly, no longer have to think of gloomy days for an entire year!<br />
<br />
It does make you feel a little like anything is possible, really!<br />
<br />
I'll soon be complaining about the warm weather and the merciless sun but till then, have a Happy Spring guys!</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-77077606081037789162012-03-06T12:33:00.003-05:002012-03-06T13:14:49.559-05:00When a fall becomes fatal...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not really one for sharing too much about life’s most personal moments on public platforms such as blogs and FB. But there are times when the need to share your message becomes greater than the medium used to share it. And I wish for the message at the end of this post to reach as many people as possible.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I lost my dadi in October last year. To try and express my grief in any words would be a euphemism. Let’s just say that my earliest memories of my life revolve around her and noone else – be it sleeping to her stories or her making aloo poori for me when I didn’t want to eat my veggies. Dadi always said that since she had only two sons, she got a daughter in me and always insisted that she would be the one to do my kanyadaan.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyeA9rWsMu-dA51YoGQqi2Psrnz6uYu5qpnilbYyZpa3liF4mK9xbxz5_bkQKLYBYLVlaC5fgXBnS5G2axzGoEHTnNwKC8dAKadTHXmQjDLBOzkQB4Gg_wK9Yq3H4fuM8tBW-F4uyo3Zc/s1600/YSF_5878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyeA9rWsMu-dA51YoGQqi2Psrnz6uYu5qpnilbYyZpa3liF4mK9xbxz5_bkQKLYBYLVlaC5fgXBnS5G2axzGoEHTnNwKC8dAKadTHXmQjDLBOzkQB4Gg_wK9Yq3H4fuM8tBW-F4uyo3Zc/s640/YSF_5878.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wedding day: May 14, 2011. Last picture I have with dadi</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, a few weeks before my wedding, in May last year, she fell down and suffered an injury to her hip. For days, she didn’t realize how severe it was nor did any of us. She attended the wedding in a wheelchair. I moved to the US in July and hoped that her fracture would heal soon<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A few weeks later, she had another fall. This time, it was worse. She needed hip surgery and complete bedrest for a few months. Again we thought she would be back on her feet in some time. Unfortunately she never did. The fear of falling made her not leave her bed for months after her surgery. She started developing bedsores and blood clots. Having been overweight and a diabetic for years, did not help. Doctors started telling us that if she didn’t start walking again, it could be really bad for her. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now this is the point I wish for everyone to understand –<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>How many of us really fathom that a simple fall injury can be fatal to life? </b>That is perhaps the same mistake we made. Despite the warnings, we didn’t think that dadi not moving out of her bed would lead up to what did. We did try everything that we could. Coaxing, requesting, pleading, getting angry, everything to try and make her stand up on her feet. Everyone from mom to relatives to the doctors to me over skype. Nothing worked. Around the same time, grand-dad had taken severely ill. I was told to come down as soon as possible. November 8<sup>th,</sup> I was supposed to reach India.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">October 31<sup>st</sup>, Dadi passed away. Suddenly. Shockingly. The last I remember is speaking to her on the 29<sup>th</sup> when she said very little. As we realized later, she was the only one who realized that she didn't have long to live. The cause and the process of her demise is something I struggled to understand and come to terms with, for days after that. I just could not fathom the fact that dadi lost her life simply because she was bed-ridden for 4 months. This is when I started reading up online and gathered some facts. As I later found out, falls are the leading cause of death due to injury among the elderly. The figures are APPALLING! <br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> - </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">about one third of the elder population over the age of 65 falls each year, at 80 years, over half of seniors fall annually. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">- One </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">of every four seniors over 60 who have a fall, die within one year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">- </span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Hip fractures are the most common serious injury. M</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">ore than 24 percent of all people suffering a hip fracture die within a year of falling, and another 50 percent never return to their prior level of mobility and independence.</span><span style="color: #565656; font-family: Symbol; font-size: x-small; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #565656; font-family: Symbol; font-size: x-small; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">- </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; text-indent: -0.25in;">About one third of the elder population over the age of 65 falls each year, and the risk of falls increases proportionately with age. At 80 years, over half of seniors fall annually. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; text-indent: -0.25in;">- </span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">Those who fall are two to three times more likely to fall again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">- 53% of the older adults who are discharged for fall-related hip fractures will experience another fall within six months.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">It seems ludicrous to think that the only thing needed to reduce these alarming statistics is to avoid injury by fall and yet, we have failed to do what it takes to be there. Everyone has been following the conventional wisdom that we have held on to for ages. As we grow older, we feel that we should follow the advice of “taking it easy”. However, that is exactly what we <i>should not</i> be doing. The lack of exercise and decreased activity leads to weakness and an increased chance of falling.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">I don’t really want to give a sermon, especially when I do nothing to lead a more active lifestyle myself. But for those of you reading this - the point is that guys if you have elders at home – parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, anyone. Please, PLEASE do not think of a ‘fall’ as harmless. Any fall. Get them examined. And moreover, get them to remain active. The older they get, the more. Don’t encourage them to put their feet up and relax. You might be doing it for their good but it really is no good for them. Yoga, a short walk, just doing chores around the house. Anything. But make sure they are on their feet, atleast for some time during the day. And make sure you never lose someone to something that with a little more information and awareness could have been prevented.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZOf6PCZggTDe7tnnjA-nkFY5vREYh5mb8OOonLKPUHSAAb5_pPDPzzwlb7dtdd56A46nbFhQ9USYhNcIOmfG8npVWr3cTPoEOvmscw3Za0gR8HCejSmpw_IoPPY8urQvifgjn_52ecSq/s1600/IMG_4238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZOf6PCZggTDe7tnnjA-nkFY5vREYh5mb8OOonLKPUHSAAb5_pPDPzzwlb7dtdd56A46nbFhQ9USYhNcIOmfG8npVWr3cTPoEOvmscw3Za0gR8HCejSmpw_IoPPY8urQvifgjn_52ecSq/s640/IMG_4238.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few days before the wedding</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-25763140953453289562012-02-23T10:04:00.005-05:002014-01-14T16:45:53.506-05:00The last meal before I...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6z07BMSqleRx1MoPRIx2DJpVKzU1hS455whPSbZz2JWoeQ9NGRBBHkkY3283ND_Qk5hiXxlqZ022xe9_YmUxWnYsCkyIudjmIsmn543R_HbAe7nbStp5N6Ity0CXHfTf2LUKQ2a90Bm3/s1600/taiim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6z07BMSqleRx1MoPRIx2DJpVKzU1hS455whPSbZz2JWoeQ9NGRBBHkkY3283ND_Qk5hiXxlqZ022xe9_YmUxWnYsCkyIudjmIsmn543R_HbAe7nbStp5N6Ity0CXHfTf2LUKQ2a90Bm3/s640/taiim.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixed Falafel Platter, Taim Falafel, <br />
West Village, Manhattan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not to get my family worked up but I recently thought about dying.
Not the depressing 'when will I die' or how, but something that actually
matters! Like what will be the last thing I eat before I pop! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I take stuff like this pretty seriously. So please give me your
full attention. I will only repeat what I'm saying on this post a million more
times. If you happen to still know me in my last days on Earth, the best thing
you will do for me is to bring me back food from Taim Falafel. I will bless you
forever (if you don’t, chances are I will come back to haunt you in the shape
of a falafel.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My husband had been talking about this place for a while now. And
as with most other things that he likes, he sold this place to me endlessly. I’ve
had some pretty awesome Mediterranean food in New York and I didn’t think
anything I ate elsewhere would trump that. So obviously, I prepared myself to
feign some fake excitement when I actually did visit.* <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But boy, did I end up eating my words. And also the best meal I’ve
ever eaten under 15 bucks. Maybe even the best meal ever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Taim is like being hugged on the inside. Comfort food away from
home. Something you know you will keep coming back to. It's a small,
hole-in-the-wall, nestled in the West Village, and if you're looking for
ambiance, you're probably better off staying away (believe me, you're not). But
if you want to turn into a believer of all things good that exist on earth,
visit Taim. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We got the Mixed Falafel Platter which is basically a sampling for
3 falafel flavors on a bed of Hummus, Israeli and Tabouli Salads and an
assortment of sauces. The falafels are earthy, fried to perfection, nutty,
moist, greaseless, the pita fresh, warm and soft, the hummus rich and to die
for, I'm still struggling to figure out what the sauces were but you probably will
be too stuffed to care by the time you’re done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
E<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">ach
time I eat something life-changing, which is actually not that often, I always
think about how it must be my last meal on earth. So a friend recently told me
that I would die just from eating all the things I want to eat before I die. But
this time I just know – for my last meal on earth – nothing else but Taim would
work! What about yours? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Dinesh, if you actually do read this blog, that sentence
means nothing. </span></div>
</div>
Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-10835582759634410822012-02-23T09:39:00.001-05:002012-02-23T09:39:49.101-05:00Nothing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's been so long since I posted on the blog. Not for the lack of subject. Only time. Yessir. I have been busy - busy eating, busy writing (err, yeah besides the blog), also often busy doing what I'm best at - nothing. You know 'nothing', the space of time between thinking and doing? Or is it thinking and not-thinking? Does it matter? Probably not. Writing about what I did when I did nothing is sort of contradictory right? Am I asking too many questions now? Probably. I should stop. Really.<br />
<br />
I'm going to start a new post to get away from my rant in this one. Okay?<br />
<br />
</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-64460898056952985412011-10-30T13:46:00.007-04:002012-02-23T10:56:34.277-05:00Brevity or the lack of it<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsRRIEfmnHPwhUOzlInyTGPEfTdGzeKmrySA3G8NaaD5NaqKRAaWnJQmJ1-V1FG0j0EeOAseIvWaargEJ-7qngpGLok8gSM26FjIOs5yJmrMj39QjhIcD0IkZfnf2TLzr4Ac6PwWLh_jK/s1600/DSC_0462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsRRIEfmnHPwhUOzlInyTGPEfTdGzeKmrySA3G8NaaD5NaqKRAaWnJQmJ1-V1FG0j0EeOAseIvWaargEJ-7qngpGLok8gSM26FjIOs5yJmrMj39QjhIcD0IkZfnf2TLzr4Ac6PwWLh_jK/s640/DSC_0462.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I have always believed that as a wannabe writer/author, my biggest weakness is my inability to be coherent - dexterous, , lucid, whatever. Damn I can't even do that when talking about it, if you know what I mean. I especially hem and haw when facing larger crowds in a formal setting. So naturally, when asked to attend a session by one of my favorite authors, I jumped at the opportunity. Mainly, to hear her speak and learn a thing or two about brevity.<br />
<br />
Do you know what it feels like when after craving for a chocolate, you bite into a Lindt dark chocolate with 85% cocoa? Well, if you don't, find out. For that is how I felt when I heard Jhumpa Lahiri read out passages from her new unfinished book and later answer audience questions. Disappointed. Just how I felt after I first met the editor of my favorite youth magazine, back in the days. Subsequently, I worked with this woman for 2 months on her new book, but the charm did not disissipate slowly. It went away poof! in one quick motion, in the first few minutes that she first interviewed me for the job.<br />
<br />
I digress. Back to Lahiri's reading. Not only could she not articulate her thoughts well and she <i>umm'd</i> and <i>err'd</i> a lot, her tone was very deadbeat. She could use her striking appearance to her advantage to create a stronger positive impression, but obviously doesn't seem to have bothered.<br />
<br />
Maybe my expectations were set too naturally high. Or it could simply be that the audience wasn't stimulating enough. High chance it was the latter. Here's some example of the kind of questions the audience asked her:<br />
<br />
<b>Sample Audience Question I: "</b>You had a thick accent when you began reading. Why did it disappear mid-way? Were you trying to create an American atmosphere"<br />
<b>Lahiri's Response</b>: "I'm born and raised in America. Whatever accent I have is part of my natural communication"<br />
<br />
<b>Sample Audience Question/Comment II</b>: "8 years ago I ran into a woman in Kolkotta. Her last name was Lahiri. Today I realized she was your cousin Subbalaxmi Lahiri" (or something like that. I was laughing too hard to understand what exactly the woman said)<br />
<b>Lahiri's response:</b> "Small world"<br />
<br />
Its not that I suddenly dislike her for not being a great orator. She is a writer and great at that. Its only that she makes me feel like anyone can be like her. I can be like her. And I dislike thinking this way. I want my idols to be that way. Idols. Awe-inspiring. Jaw-dropping. Too much to ask for I guess.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I'm just going to ignore the fact that I heard her speak in such a boring way and gloat a little more at the fact that I managed to get her to sign my copy of her book.<br />
<br />
</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-2593145127301086952011-10-30T01:44:00.004-04:002012-02-23T10:56:41.840-05:00Fall No More<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQKCMrDAhvFWdM-GPp9LCB9n-M0mSDX5zZ2qGiNglltTgC_s2s2HbzaD1IrgM36CtcM6SHEzS2BVMszAkkSZoecHRArxBNQMRYYEErkT2djJ76kqlwcNUJFCtyG4lvPrQgRC9zV8oThUC/s1600/DSC_0357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQKCMrDAhvFWdM-GPp9LCB9n-M0mSDX5zZ2qGiNglltTgC_s2s2HbzaD1IrgM36CtcM6SHEzS2BVMszAkkSZoecHRArxBNQMRYYEErkT2djJ76kqlwcNUJFCtyG4lvPrQgRC9zV8oThUC/s640/DSC_0357.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Window-sill, Home, Manhattan<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The first snowfall in NYC. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">My first snowfall. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">My first snow experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The first of many to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Now excuse me as I continue to go a little silly, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">for<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old" <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~Lady Bird Johnson <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td></tr>
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</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-87576817130928445062011-09-26T21:54:00.003-04:002012-02-23T10:56:47.309-05:00New-York Pizza, really?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcp-BfJQMfzcOEeexlzZcp9TsVcPvnEUZRH0nwZtAh5m9US1tQoLUnHid3FO_3bJ77ob-9yWlENEUiEEAEaV8it1nFsJgYqKdSQ208LohfqPuIljTN0V5VaTfvYSXISX6PweJ4iQf6ki0/s1600/pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcp-BfJQMfzcOEeexlzZcp9TsVcPvnEUZRH0nwZtAh5m9US1tQoLUnHid3FO_3bJ77ob-9yWlENEUiEEAEaV8it1nFsJgYqKdSQ208LohfqPuIljTN0V5VaTfvYSXISX6PweJ4iQf6ki0/s640/pizza.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luzzo's Pizza, Easy Village, Manhattan<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For all my ranting about the unhealthy food habits of the people in this country, I have to admit that if there’s one thing that will make me never want to leave New York, it’s the New York pizza! Look at the picture above, look me in the eyes and tell me you would disagree. Guilty! </span></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-78725505993924593032011-09-23T14:33:00.004-04:002012-02-23T10:10:56.833-05:00Deep-Fried WHAT?!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfOvc5LylZEXUyVYm-PDhU_KcqD1THuAfPDHzevr62KJt7T8XKdqtayyfJ0vXARruDYn5Iu6AZkGZC0QD6dAHbKBG89C3En6pZnUOIXaCb7rlnMF1Fn8JsAaluToBW3824djv7hZa39f2/s1600/fry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfOvc5LylZEXUyVYm-PDhU_KcqD1THuAfPDHzevr62KJt7T8XKdqtayyfJ0vXARruDYn5Iu6AZkGZC0QD6dAHbKBG89C3En6pZnUOIXaCb7rlnMF1Fn8JsAaluToBW3824djv7hZa39f2/s640/fry.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Led Zappole, Manhattan<br />
Interesting name of the place itself, will plan a visit here when I drop say, 20 kilos. (think: never)</span></i></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>What do you do when you are given an oreo cookie? </b><i>You eat it</i>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>What do you do when you are given a snickers bar? </b><i>You feel a little guilty, and then eat it.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>What do you do when you are given a slice of pizza? </b><i>You ponder, feel guilty, and then eat it. </i><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>What does an American do when they are given any of the above?</b> <i>Deep-fry them! </i><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is it. I have concluded that Americans will eat anything. Anything that is fried and deep-fried and covered in oil-and-grease or sugar! Let me re-phrase. Not only will they eat anything that is fried, they will find a new thing each day that can possibly be fried and then deep-fry it till it doesn’t even resemble the original product.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whoever thinks of frying Oreo cookies? Snickers? Pizza, for heaven’s sake?! 400 calories a slice ain’t good enough for you? Let’s dunk it in oil and make it a round 1000! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I think my arteries clogged up just by looking at the sign-board above. Now excuse me while I write to the Association of Diabetes Specialists or whatever organization it was that named <b><i>India</i></b> is the <b>Diabetes Capital of the World. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-84703953825102926232011-09-14T15:51:00.004-04:002012-02-23T11:07:29.623-05:00Look, Willy Wonka is for real!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewMKw-MhMBRMjihilNXXTq3lbHFBCdpCsHrRYe73UDHiWVmP4zQC5ba5gRTc0N7WyD4oO1VysKMOjrx9opObGOldClxTSBycb2JEy_XKf8bBvuHBdPMLS87Wq5nY8-Whca_gncX5Sqzfd/s1600/blog+pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewMKw-MhMBRMjihilNXXTq3lbHFBCdpCsHrRYe73UDHiWVmP4zQC5ba5gRTc0N7WyD4oO1VysKMOjrx9opObGOldClxTSBycb2JEy_XKf8bBvuHBdPMLS87Wq5nY8-Whca_gncX5Sqzfd/s640/blog+pics.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Max Brenner - Chocolate by the Bald Man, Manhattan</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed, but chocolate makes it worthwhile ~ Anon</b></i></div><br />
Do you know what Charlie felt like in Willy Wonka's factory? No? Well, i'll tell you what Charlie felt like Willy Wonka's factory! Do you know what it feels like to suddenly wake up one day and be told that an alternate world exists? That the world you lived in was just a cheap substitute where mortals are banished from finding out about all that is good and beautiful and utopia-like. No? Well, then you shouldn't be spending any more time reading this than you have and instead start plotting your way to visit Max Brenner as soon as possible, for it is the closest you'll get to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory as possible! <br />
<br />
Oh of course, you're still reading! So i'll just sum up my visit to Max Brenner in a few individual words instead of stringing together sentences. And it's not because I'm too bored to write (really!), it's only because I don't think I can talk about an experience like Brenner in just a few lines, and partly also because I think these words will do the job that any other style of writing would.<br />
<br />
Think of: chocolate, coffee, rains, warmth, winter, cozy, gooey, fondue, sweet, candy, melting, waffles, marshmallow, romance, music, cheese, caramel, cookies, sugar, crepes, hazelnut, vanilla, mocha. What, are you drooling already? There's a lot more. So now go visit.<br />
<br />
PS. Did I mention that they have the most adorable mugs? Hug mug for some warmth, kangaroo cup for the un-deciders like me (coffee? chocolate? coffee? No both!)! </div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-83293471749480062812011-09-09T09:41:00.001-04:002011-09-09T09:48:33.437-04:00Be Safe - City of Djinns<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1ZPY65WKpRg9GAm-b3sZ6iecFtSWDGEUiqA0n89Wpmpe6Je1qwWnCcmmpEabMPEZyZBYwArlaiSYime8_k-OOMTmZUIOVpWs05eATA6ag3EpUkIUm8xT6ZBr5QxlO_K5pCkGQt4y4mj2/s1600/delhi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1ZPY65WKpRg9GAm-b3sZ6iecFtSWDGEUiqA0n89Wpmpe6Je1qwWnCcmmpEabMPEZyZBYwArlaiSYime8_k-OOMTmZUIOVpWs05eATA6ag3EpUkIUm8xT6ZBr5QxlO_K5pCkGQt4y4mj2/s640/delhi.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A regiment rehearses outside Rashtrapati Bhavan for the upcoming Republic Day celebrations in Delhi<br />
Picture taken in January 2008</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Untill I enrolled for post-graduation in 2007, I had never been to Delhi. Yes, that's right. Never. I was almost always embarassed when in any conversation the name 'Delhi' popped up and I had to sheepishly admit, 'I do look forward to going there.' Of course, I've yet never been to Kerala or Assam or West Bengal (err..yes) either but having reached over the age of 20 without having visited the capital of my country somehow didn't feel right. At all. <br />
<br />
So I guess as with most things, one always gets an opportunity to balance things out and when I did, I grabbed it with 3 hands. Or whatever. I made my first visit to Delhi in late 2007. And then again in early 2008. And again in mid-2008. And again...okay so you get the point. Over the last 4 years, I've been to Delhi innumerable times and I guess partly because so many of my closest friends from college belong from there. And I have to admit, each time I visit, I fall in love with the city again. <br />
<br />
People from India will tell you of this strong Mumbai-Delhi divide where each one thinks they're superior to the other. But I can tell you this - I have lived most of my life in Bombay and completely love the city but Delhi has an unparalleled charm that's unique and should not be competed against. Okay, it has its share of perverts who think that they own a license to drink, to rape, to cause road rage, Delhi is blingy and flashy and superficial at a lot of levels; but if you're telling me Mumbai or New York or any other big city for that matter is perfect, you're obviously not in a position to have your opinion counted. <br />
<br />
I love delhi winters, I love its street food, I love the historical vibe that the city sends out, its beautiful heritage structures, even its crassness! Oh yes, I love Delhi. And that's how I identify with the city. Not with blasts and earthquakes. I refrain from writing anything about it because obviously, 2 days after the incident, i'm not expecting people to be here to read the latest news update. I'm only paying my respects, my way of tribute to the city that has always been a great host to me, a city that I look forward to visiting again as soon as Im back in India, the <b>City of Djinns<i></i></b>. Take care Delhi!</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-14434231258013214062011-08-30T11:55:00.006-04:002011-09-26T22:59:15.657-04:00The Irene that Never was<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5N3pfeeCFDOIp7EWQv2hfHsjW8V8j2Y_qnFduuf7K0i851d6e8cBG3iF9LOvIR8wHLVqvDMCcjXAOBH4p5VD49AyFeAYnU3SL0T5lCkB79_sMFJ5b6vFnbi2rricqcAwCOTtpxRQZb-Mg/s1600/for+irene-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5N3pfeeCFDOIp7EWQv2hfHsjW8V8j2Y_qnFduuf7K0i851d6e8cBG3iF9LOvIR8wHLVqvDMCcjXAOBH4p5VD49AyFeAYnU3SL0T5lCkB79_sMFJ5b6vFnbi2rricqcAwCOTtpxRQZb-Mg/s640/for+irene-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Combined with the Irene scare, the unprecedented shutdown of all mass transit systems by the MTA brought the city to a grinding halt.Most shops remained closed over the weekend.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>The ones open, made revenues of 10 times than on an average day.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Irene will be remembered more for what it didn't do than what it did. Here are some reactions of different people to the Hurricane-that-never-was.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Surfer:</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> </span></b>Suicide mission! Hah! Watch me conquer those waves!<b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Ocean waves: </u></b>Aaja bacchu!<b> </b>(Slurrp, feast tonight)!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Restaurant/Café Owner:</u> </b>I should have put up a billboard. An A4 notice isn’t enough for these idiots to stop knocking & gesturing at our doors to ask if we’re open. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Retailers: </u></b>Bring out the expired stock! Its clearance without a sale. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><b>Enthu boys at supermarket</b>: </u>Quick, grab all those dorritos before the woman with the moustache does. Quick, get that last quart of milk. Quick, pick up all the hummus you can lay hands on. Quick, don’t let that kid near the chocolates. Quick quick quick, stop the cart from falling over! <b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Confused old lady at supermarket: </u></b>Is there a rave party going on somewhere? <b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Fruit seller outside our house: </u></b>When was the last time I sold a watermelon at $15? Bless you Irene.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><b>Conspiracy theorists:</b> </u>It’s a retail conspiracy! It’s a media conspiracy! It’s a government conspiracy! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Indian couple next door:</u> </b>If the power goes off,<b> </b>the electric burner won’t work. Do we have enough food? Aloo Matar – check. Jeera pulao – check. Bhindi masala – check. Gobi paratha – check. Daal fry– check. Kanda Poha – check. Chole, rajma, samosa,idli – check check check check. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Husband:</u></b> Emergency evacuation bag – medicines, energy bars, water, windcheaters, important documents, change of clothes, batteries, flashlight, communication numbers and addresses. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Me:</u></b> Emergency evacuation bag – + Vaseline, lip balm, hand sanitizer, external hard disk (im not losing my pictures ok), socks, 2 pairs of shoes, an inflatable pillow, The Last Continent, Ipod, Nail trimmer, facial wipes, chewing gum, chocolate. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Hurricane Irene: </u>Boo! Fooled ya, fooled ya! <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Virginia Earthquake: </u></b>Sorry lady, I stole your thunder!<b><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Obama: </u></b>Well, I only said that Irene would be historical, not why! <b><o:p></o:p></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>PS. </b>This post is in pure humor and in no way intended to hurt/mock anybody's sentiments, least of all someone affected by Irene directly or indirectly. My prayers are for the ones impacted in any way. </span><o:p></o:p></div></div></div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-86909077157903964752011-08-26T15:52:00.001-04:002011-09-23T14:39:39.144-04:00Dear Irene,<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP770pFyzYq_pYrcjL9f8qvuc6D0idoVHaqP3emwdZn1s9fg-gbn-o9ATSkPxu080g7B8Li-ab977L9U7QpU2hs93wFC8BPrR7K7LFlrPOSgvpMQobxLjqkX6RIiYavUsIT_pudZYbYUCf/s1600/DSC_0695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP770pFyzYq_pYrcjL9f8qvuc6D0idoVHaqP3emwdZn1s9fg-gbn-o9ATSkPxu080g7B8Li-ab977L9U7QpU2hs93wFC8BPrR7K7LFlrPOSgvpMQobxLjqkX6RIiYavUsIT_pudZYbYUCf/s640/DSC_0695.JPG" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b>Home, Manhattan, New York<br />
Duct tapes on windows - Mandatory provision by our building administration in anticipation of Hurricane Irene</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
To,<br />
Hurricane Irene<br />
<br />
Dear Angry Lady Irene,<br />
I cannot be unhappier at your arrival and my reasons go beyond emotions for the havoc that you are intending to cause. You are way too brash, the way you keep changing your course, I can tell you’re also impulsive and what can be said about your timing, it’s totally off! Although I hope you never show your face again, if you have to, please take cognizance of my complaints.<br />
<br />
We kind of just got over the unannounced visit by an Earthquake last week. We’re really not looking for anything serious just now. Don’t plan your visit right after an earth-shattering event! (pun intended). On that note, the next time, can you please plan your arrival during the work week rather than the weekend?<br />
Most importantly, there is no reason for you to interfere with our internet and mobile connections. We’re not trying to steal your thunder, you don’t steal ours.<br />
<br />
Lastly, we honeslty don't care! Duct tapes up, the kitchen is stocked. It’s a two-day party!<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
New York</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-22827195757063570582011-08-25T17:20:00.000-04:002011-08-25T17:20:55.198-04:00Majestic Problems? No Problem!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NO3utabffxVoCcgRdhltXlRiy55Zs9fyGol70nQ86H3H4btbIDBgNTiSIwsYMUSnRd9X4-1hjQV8VIepeB0LI_pGdzsB1AtfFhzEaCLN5tqAYknGk91IO015ep-hXL8YvHrd6PFbBnYu/s1600/Miyan+Samrat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NO3utabffxVoCcgRdhltXlRiy55Zs9fyGol70nQ86H3H4btbIDBgNTiSIwsYMUSnRd9X4-1hjQV8VIepeB0LI_pGdzsB1AtfFhzEaCLN5tqAYknGk91IO015ep-hXL8YvHrd6PFbBnYu/s640/Miyan+Samrat.jpg" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Cure to all Cures</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
This post actually breaks two of my own blog rules:<br />
1) No post without a photograph<br />
2) No photograph that is not taken by me<br />
<br />
But when a picture tells a thousand tales...well, it tells a thousand tales. And this one was too good to pass up.<br />
<br />
If you've been in India, or to India (if you know what i mean), you'll know that these kind of posters are pretty common all over. Yet it is no match for the actual number of 'sadhus' and 'tantrik's that exist- a breed that I am afraid will never fall under the endangered category.<br />
<br />
What is striking about this particular 'Miyan's marketing is the unabashed use of a language that he obviously doesn't have a clue about. Most of us know about the idiosyncrasies of the patois that is “Indian English”. But this particular piece of communication doesn't even fall into that. It's a language unto its own.<br />
<br />
I don’t want to steal away from the real star of this post and so I let you go back and read the text on that poster one more time. And yes, Miyan Samrat, while you fail English, you definitely top the class in marketing! You got a bunch that will be talking about your services each time they want a good laugh.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Disclaimer: </b>I solemly declare that the views declared on this blog have nothing to do with Anna Hazare or Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh or Kapil Sibal and the opinions and views contained herein are not intended to be, and do not constitute humor to disintegrate the moral fabric of any nation, organization or any individual. Although I live in America, I am not acting as a foreign agent deployed by the Obama administration to deplore the East or its citizens. </span><br />
</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-64633667178323860962011-08-17T00:05:00.005-04:002011-08-16T23:57:18.848-04:00Twitterati for Anna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOa5lg-K2MfzJQf-piZoNAErvbNjxZIkPSvCyNGX-ijFLZ9nYzFOVGUjxrNOzi6Z0bm1QitB4iOG2Lz0dV8fDVmn1nk61Q4enbw-ZHZVny4hBX1haN_WkGuMbYXU0IJZhkLTTeOm4blHgO/s1600/Picture+184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOa5lg-K2MfzJQf-piZoNAErvbNjxZIkPSvCyNGX-ijFLZ9nYzFOVGUjxrNOzi6Z0bm1QitB4iOG2Lz0dV8fDVmn1nk61Q4enbw-ZHZVny4hBX1haN_WkGuMbYXU0IJZhkLTTeOm4blHgO/s640/Picture+184.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>What's your side huh?</b><br />
District Tumsar, Nagpur, India</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In my last post I spoke of how everyone who is anyone has an opinion to express - be it about Anna Hazare, Tihar Jail, Jan Lokpal or Sonai & Co. The twitter citizenry, or tweeps, if you like is not only never behind, it is usually a few paces ahead in breaking news these days. Its also the most interesting. I came across a few tweets that I felt necessary to share in a post.<br />
<br />
Some are witty, others hilarious, some regular and yet others that are downright dumb. Some display angst, some frustration, some motivation and others just poke fun. But all of them drive home a point. What that is – I leave for you to decipher and interpret yourself. Here's a compilation of some of the best tweets (by my personal measure) on the issue over the last 2 days.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/claudeveigas">@claudeveigas</a><br />
15 Aug 1947:Whn the world slept, India rose to freedom; 15 Aug 2011:Now that India has risen, the govt.is trying to put it back to sleep<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/hkollar">@hkollar</a><br />
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. - Mahatma Gandhi<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/prachi_dhanuka">@prachi_dhanuka</a><br />
#annahazare the new age gandhi with more hair and less teeth!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/RohanDasgupta">@RohanDasgupta</a><br />
#AnnaHazare is a mad man. Oh, he sure is. But India really needs some of his madness right now. #IndiaAgainstCorruption #iSupportAnnaHazare<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/MTVIndia">@MTVIndia</a><br />
Anna Hazare arrested. Our faith in demoNcracy is restored.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/IACMumbai">@IACMumbai</a><br />
It took 9 months for the govt to arrest Kalmadi, 4 yrs to arrest Raja n Kanimozi but 3 mins to arrest Anna #FakeDemocracy<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/jhunjhunwala">@jhunjhunwala</a><br />
Arresting Anna Hazare for a Hunger Strike is like arresting AR Rahman just because you don't like his Songs<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayvasavada">@jayvasavada</a><br />
Government sending message that vandalizing is d only way of protest not fast because they never arrested Thakeray but arrested Anna!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/sapnabhavnani">@sapnabhavnani</a><br />
Got arrested, singing in the police van, never felt so alive!#annahazare aage bado, hum tumhare saath hai!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/anilthakraney">@anilthakraney</a><br />
Soniaji & Co: Don't know how to say this in Italian, so here goes: Vinaash Kale, Viprit Budhhi.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/vikramchandra">@vikramchandra</a><br />
They are sending Anna Hazare to Tihar jail?! Is no one in the UPA thinking at all of what they are doing?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/maya206">@maya206</a><br />
This is the theater of the absurd. Corrupt and anti-corrupt in cells side by side in Tihar & the most inept, out of control govt I've known<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/kiranmanral">@kiranmanral</a><br />
This has gone beyond being the theatre of the absurd. This has become sheer ridiculousness. This is what will now cause anarchy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/chetan_bhagat">@chetan_bhagat</a><br />
Corruption hurt UPA. Arrogance will kill it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/greyoceanblues">@greyoceanblues</a><br />
Its not about #Anna anymore. Its about whether we want to be lorded over by a power hungry dynasty who doesnt feel answerable to the people<br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/RajeshAmarnath">@RajeshAmarnath</a><br />
#isupportannahazare when Gandhiji wanted congress to be dismantled after freedom, he must have been right!! We can see the british congress.<br />
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And the winning tweets:<br />
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@<a href="http://www.twitter.com/PetaIndia">PetaIndia</a><br />
If you’re with Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption, then also consider being vegetarian like him. #isupportannahazare<br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/adityamendonca">@adityamendonca</a><br />
#AnnaHazare , You've spammed us .Good movement , WRONG COUNTRY<br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ranvirshorey">@ranvirshorey</a><br />
It's almost like #AnnaHazare has just asked this Govt. "Who's your Daddy now..?" #janlokpal<br />
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/manish_moments">@manish_moments</a> <br />
Dear Rahul Baba .. Ever heard of kalidas chopping th branch on which he sat..<br />
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Have you come across any others? Feel free to share them on a comment...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The only form of communication I know</b><br />
Naddi, Himachal Pradesh, India</td></tr>
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There’s news coming in fast and quick about Anna Hazare…Anna Hazare’s fast, Anna Hazare’s jail, Anna Hazare’s bail. Sitting in my Manhattan apartment, I feel deprived of the circus usually put up by Indian news channels following a political tamasha, or any tamasha for that matter.<br />
<br />
It is on occasions like these, that I appreciate even more the role of Twitter and Facebook in providing real-time updates on the situation back home. I know, there is enough of a case against calling twitter a reliable source for news, but there are just as many who will make a case for it. I add my count to the latter. Atleast, its news with a sense of humour. On a rare occasion, wit too. Provided you’re following the right mix of people. I ensure that my timeline reflects the regular and the ‘reliable’ but also the im-too-cool-for-my-pants dude who picks up the breaking news, adds his own hilarity to it and jolts out his own version of the original serious intonation. What’s wrong with that? There’s enough serious news to go around the internet if you’d rather look that way.<br />
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As I look at my twitter stream today, I see a common mass of young India, shocked (some amused) at the events conducted by its own government, I see chants of a ‘second freedom movement’, I see support and encouragement for a man they don’t know – for a man that they might not necessarily agree with but agree to his right to democracy, the right to speak up and the right to protest. More importantly, I see less cynicism about the outcome of the protest and much less ignorance than would have existed without Twitter. :)<br />
<br />
Armchair activism? Maybe but again, what’s wrong with that too?</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-51184602902441932602011-08-15T05:27:00.003-04:002011-08-16T14:04:09.603-04:00Happy Birthday India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie77xhQe8O8btKAiFC8SWKlrpKtOWpvjsWoRfjX04ClpAjnMrif3T-kd26qy72SvyiD_imgIfqoHdNOFlTRQ4CkEL4nBqUeQrVBfhyphenhyphen-v5ulWf69OEMreFyF7QnXDdd__xKKhAnySWDDccT/s1600/Picture+177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie77xhQe8O8btKAiFC8SWKlrpKtOWpvjsWoRfjX04ClpAjnMrif3T-kd26qy72SvyiD_imgIfqoHdNOFlTRQ4CkEL4nBqUeQrVBfhyphenhyphen-v5ulWf69OEMreFyF7QnXDdd__xKKhAnySWDDccT/s640/Picture+177.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Indian tri-color represented by colorful balloons<br />
Ahmedabad, Gujarat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What is to be said of a nation that in its 65th year of Independence witnesses a fresh wave of unrest? A movement for independence from its own people? A nation in which one man leads the country in a manner reminiscent of the freedom struggle fought 65 years ago? When its youth, to whom 'social' had otherwise come to mean a social profile on a website, now drive out in hordes to support a man they know little about. A man who 65 years on, follows the same principles as his idol to free his nation from the clutches of those who abuse its sanctity? There are more questions in my mind than opinions, more excitement than doubt, more patriotism than cynicism.<br />
<br />
It reminds me of the one great speech made on the occasion of India's Independence, that I know still gives most Indians goosebumps.<br />
<br />
I quote,<br />
<br />
"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance."<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><i>~ Jawaharlal Nehru</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Happy Birthday India!</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div></div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-16837097773747321562011-08-14T04:49:00.002-04:002011-08-14T22:40:32.536-04:00The Panda eats shoots and leaves<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhEw8eU-ntX045dOS3cE7s8ncr0kkz8tUmJK0huhxM2bJ0G7JiqLtNacIg8oYwyae2YQczAx3JXdPvL06kYCds5H7EP4g4c5tQldHah_0xsVfNPpob4s2gJYunpHz4jc6PY8oszWBV33s/s1600/DSC_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhEw8eU-ntX045dOS3cE7s8ncr0kkz8tUmJK0huhxM2bJ0G7JiqLtNacIg8oYwyae2YQczAx3JXdPvL06kYCds5H7EP4g4c5tQldHah_0xsVfNPpob4s2gJYunpHz4jc6PY8oszWBV33s/s640/DSC_0459.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mei Xiang, Pregnant Giant Panda<br />
Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington DC</td></tr>
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Okay, now I'm done with the history tales of DC. The highlight of the trip was anything but a stone/marble/granite structure.<br />
<br />
It was these furry, black and white, playful little Giant Panda pair at the National Zoo. Ever since reaching DC, I had wanted to see the pandas and when I was told that the female panda was pregnant, I knew I wouldn’t leave DC till I made a trip to the zoo.<br />
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SO-worth-it!<br />
<br />
Mei Xiang (female) and Tian Tian (male) are not only the star attractions of the Smithsonian Zoo (National Zoo) but are also being watched closely by people across the world. Because of their ‘endangered species’ status, Mei Xiang’s pregnancy has got people very excited about the birth of one more Giant panda and she is being observed through a live feed every minute of the day. A fully-equipped observatory has specially been put in place for them as well as a simulated temperature controlled environment to ensure no difficulty for the expecting mother. Though I wonder what difficulty would a Panda have, given that statistically, it spends 90% of its time only eating bamboo!<br />
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Yessir, 90%! And they put up a good example of that while we were there. Except that they had a little more luxury and while Tian Tian modestly stuck to bamboo, Mei Xiang (probably in one of her pregnancy cravings) munched on carrots and apples too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fQEdf7p_zzt4dJh2oLX1o84RaJSyOfIRH75QCR-RX6qKjpLalnLpyKop5FCQcUYxeKMITKbtj98xEh2zPAtiCdR5En5IhAtbvviO8VDcoRwEiEZ3pLTyXqJhNQUOjYYdv3T-NaSnTNn1/s1600/blog+pics1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fQEdf7p_zzt4dJh2oLX1o84RaJSyOfIRH75QCR-RX6qKjpLalnLpyKop5FCQcUYxeKMITKbtj98xEh2zPAtiCdR5En5IhAtbvviO8VDcoRwEiEZ3pLTyXqJhNQUOjYYdv3T-NaSnTNn1/s640/blog+pics1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clockwise from top left</i>: 1.Queue Area 2.Tian Tian eating bamboo 3.Mei Xiang eating bamboo <br />
4.Mei Xiang breaking for water 5.The panda research station 6.Tian Tian getting irritated with the camera lights</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When she did take a break from eating, she climbed up the rocks, went down to the stream of water, took a few gulps and then resumed her place back on top of the hill to continue eating bamboo!<br />
<br />
Tian Tian meanwhile, in typical male characteristic, decided to put up a dramatic show for his audience (deny all you want, but men are definitely more dramatic). He first came up to the glass to look at the visitors, then plonked himself on the floor on his back and covered his eyes with his hand to indicate being blinded by the flashlights from the cameras. When his audience didn’t leave him alone, he rolled around a little and made cutesy faces. After every minute, he would peek over his arms to see if people were gone, and finally sulkily rolled sideways to show his back to the thoroughly amused spectators!<br />
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If you’re feeling bad about not being able to see them, here’s a little consolation –the live Panda webcam that has a direct live feed from Mei Xiang’s quarters at the zoo - http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/default.cfm</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-8547871619032178782011-08-13T06:48:00.000-04:002011-08-13T06:48:00.594-04:00Of history and memorials<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lincoln and World War II Memorials<br />
Washington, DC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As I was looking for a picture from the DC album to post today, I realized that my blog is soon going to resemble a history text-book. Then again, what is a capital city that doesn’t showcase some culture?<br />
<br />
DC is of bygone monuments and memorials, of historical architecture and memorials, of political institutions and museums. One of my very favorite, of all that we saw in DC is the picture above – the Lincoln memorial, in memory of the 16th President of the United States - who's statue (from my previous post) sits in the central chamber.<br />
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An intimidating structure of marble, granite and limestone, the building is modeled after the Greek Parthenon and is the site of many famous speeches, including Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech.<br />
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In the front of the Lincoln memorial is yet another beautiful structure - the World War II memorial, dedicated to the 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during World War II. With its 56 pillars, representing each of the states and other territories, two 43-foot arches, fountains, a wall of stars and inscriptions, not only is it a beautifully planned edifice but also very soothing to look at.<br />
<br />
Right in the front is an engraving for both memorials. </div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-84030050299006023452011-08-11T13:08:00.000-04:002011-08-11T13:08:17.245-04:00Whatever you are, be a good one<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln Memorial<br />
Washington, DC</td></tr>
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On politics in the US, its hard for me to resist posting this picture of the one American president who’s quotes I have followed and loved for a long time.<br />
<br />
Abraham Lincoln, the man who opposed the expansion of slavery in America, and successfully led the country during the Civil War was mostly self-educated. But his intelligence, wit and humor, were second-to-none.<br />
<br />
A lot of us now use his quotes as status updates on our social profiles, but not all of us know just how many were uttered by this one man.<br />
<br />
This post is essentially a collection of some of my favourite Lincoln-isms. Give it up for Lincoln, our man!<br />
<br />
o How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.<br />
<br />
o If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?<br />
<br />
o If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.<br />
<br />
o Whatever you are, be a good one<br />
<br />
o No matter how much cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens.<br />
<br />
o A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have.<br />
<br />
o You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.<br />
<br />
o In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">o You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.<br />
</div><br />
The statue of Lincoln in the picture above is cast in marble and sits in the central chamber of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.<br />
</div>Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-16143098889932569742011-08-09T23:53:00.003-04:002013-08-01T15:39:46.146-04:00Pretty Darn Fucked<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">United States Capitol<br />
Capitol Hill; Washinton, DC</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">America is a funny country. Here’s just one example why:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Two days after S&P downgraded the American economy’s rating from AAA to AA, President Barack Obama essentially dismissed the credit rating:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>“Markets will rise and fall. But this is the United States of America. No matter what some agency may say, we've always been and always will be a triple-A country"-</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If that statement doesn’t exude confidence, I don’t know what does. Or wait, is the word to be used here ‘denial’? For, even as global markets shriek alarms of economic calamity, Obama, our man stands at a lectern to give a speech that could easily be mistaken for a campaign speech. At best, a press briefing. But nothing to speak as warning of a nation on its fiscal tenterhooks, struggling to tame a staggering accumulation of debt.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And yet, on the other hand, is the former chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Obama’s one time confidante, Christina Romer who didn’t mince any words when speaking of the situation on television said that the credit downgrade was a sign that the country was “pretty darn fucked”</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While I’m far from any sort of expertise on financial matters (I barely manage to understand my own), I do know that the credit downgrade is not the end of it. It is, if anything, the proverbial ‘beginning’.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">On that, I shall keep my rant continuing, but a photograph of the day that I found to be most appropriate – almost like the closest physical visual of the saga – Capitol Hill.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While Capitol Hill is actually a neighborhood in the District of Columbia (DC), where the Congress building resides, it has come to be a metonym for the United States Congress. The actual congress building, as seen above is called the United States Capitol. </span></span></div>
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Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6846034153173444052.post-81407476719264287732011-08-08T18:11:00.003-04:002013-03-25T19:01:40.123-04:00Its all about the money, honey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkijisKWG9JpnnfKdj-PtPQRY7bwopuwx2Mi_0Knj70Dhr6JjCyw1E8FNI8K9-R7nQbKoen2ZHT4lJQUanDnp9r4jgzWdmvZbsDk1KmTz-HoY3oeNQQ1hInpclWug4moayWOQCpXN94xy/s1600/DSC_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkijisKWG9JpnnfKdj-PtPQRY7bwopuwx2Mi_0Knj70Dhr6JjCyw1E8FNI8K9-R7nQbKoen2ZHT4lJQUanDnp9r4jgzWdmvZbsDk1KmTz-HoY3oeNQQ1hInpclWug4moayWOQCpXN94xy/s640/DSC_0193.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US Treasury Building<br />
Washington, DC</td></tr>
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Is there something about Washington, DC and crises? After giving me a health crisis to grapple with last week, it's now plunged the American economy, and might I say the entire world into dealing with a debt crisis that can <i>apparently</i> snowball to cripple the world economy. </div>
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I find it a little uncanny that I happened to be at DC, right outside the US treasury building only a week before the drama unfolded. Im known to have a pretty crazy imagination. So when the building was pointed out to me as the treasury, I envisioned huge halls stashed away with piles and piles of dollar upon dollar. Naive? Well maybe, but then that's what made Alice, Alice right? </div>
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Now as I hear the jargon fly around me- #creditrating #downgrading #stocks #buylowsellhigh -on TV, in the news, on twitter, on facebook even, I can't help but wonder if some colossal meeting was taking place inside the structure at the same time as I was staring at its walls, taking pictures; if the decisions being now thrown at bewildered Americans, were being analyzed right then, if somebody at that minute said to Obama, "hey boy, easy, don't bite off more than you can chew or the vultures will come out to get you."</div>
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If only I could have stepped in to know what really goes on in the coffers of the treasury of the (so far) greatest economy on earth and what will be its fate. </div>
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Sigh! I guess I have to be content with the picture I got then; pretty impressive structure though, what say? </div>
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PS. I found these posts to be pretty useful in understanding the debt crisis issue - </div>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathanmiller/debt-ceiling-for-dummies-_b_907847.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathanmiller/debt-ceiling-for-dummies-_b_907847.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathanmiller/credit-downgrade-for-dummies_b_920116.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathanmiller/credit-downgrade-for-dummies_b_920116.html</a></div>
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Poojahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718586858396702171noreply@blogger.com0