Tuesday, August 30, 2005
August Trivia
Some trivia (ofcourse no googling )
1. What is acetyl salicylic acid commonly known as ? Hint : It is a common medicine available OTC (Over the counter).
2. What does IP, BP and USP represent in the context of drug
ingredients ? For ex. Paracetamol IP 500 mg.
3. Where did PM Manmohan Singh inaugerate India's first Prototype
Fast Breeder Reactor in Oct 2004 ?
4. Why is Yamuna river dark blue (or black) in colour ?
5. Among NH1, NH2, NH3 and NH4, which is the longest national
highway in India ?
Answers to be posted as comments.
PS : For answers, please see comments.
1. What is acetyl salicylic acid commonly known as ? Hint : It is a common medicine available OTC (Over the counter).
2. What does IP, BP and USP represent in the context of drug
ingredients ? For ex. Paracetamol IP 500 mg.
3. Where did PM Manmohan Singh inaugerate India's first Prototype
Fast Breeder Reactor in Oct 2004 ?
4. Why is Yamuna river dark blue (or black) in colour ?
5. Among NH1, NH2, NH3 and NH4, which is the longest national
highway in India ?
Answers to be posted as comments.
PS : For answers, please see comments.
Friday, August 26, 2005
India bound
Morality or national self interest in foreign relations ?
Check out Gurcharan Das's article in last sunday's TOI here, titled Unsentimental Choices (14 Aug 05).
The "argumentative and sentimental Indians' would do well to ponder on it.
Meanwhile, I am trying to get hold of India Unbound by the same author.
Check out Gurcharan Das's article in last sunday's TOI here, titled Unsentimental Choices (14 Aug 05).
The "argumentative and sentimental Indians' would do well to ponder on it.
Meanwhile, I am trying to get hold of India Unbound by the same author.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Really thought provoking - Interview with God
I dreamed I had an interview with God.
“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.
“If you have the time” I said.
God smiled. “My time is eternity.” “What questions do you have in mind for me?”
“What surprises you most about humankind?”
God answered...“That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make money... and then lose their money to restore their health.”
“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.”
"That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they had never lived.”
God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while.
And then I asked...“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?”
“To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved.”
“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”
“To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.”
“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them.”
“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.”
“To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”
“To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”
"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.
"Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"
God smiled and said,“Just know that I am here... always.”
-Author Unknown
“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.
“If you have the time” I said.
God smiled. “My time is eternity.” “What questions do you have in mind for me?”
“What surprises you most about humankind?”
God answered...“That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make money... and then lose their money to restore their health.”
“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.”
"That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they had never lived.”
God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while.
And then I asked...“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?”
“To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved.”
“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”
“To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.”
“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them.”
“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.”
“To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”
“To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”
"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.
"Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"
God smiled and said,“Just know that I am here... always.”
-Author Unknown
A-dwitiya
Have you heard the way Amitabh says "Dwitiya" after "Kaun Banega Crorepati" in KBC-2 ?. Lots of things have changed since the first KBC avatar in 2000. The suits of the host have given way to designer jackets. The questions still number 15, though one has been dropped in between to make way for the 2 Crore one. And you can now win 2 lakhs from the comfort of your home via the "Har Seat Hot Seat" contest.
What haven't changed though are the charisma and presentation skills of the host and the immense popularity of the show. Also the trademark Amitabh signoff "Shubh ratri, Shabba khair, Bhagwan Aapka Bhala Kare, Take very good care of yourselves".
What haven't changed though are the charisma and presentation skills of the host and the immense popularity of the show. Also the trademark Amitabh signoff "Shubh ratri, Shabba khair, Bhagwan Aapka Bhala Kare, Take very good care of yourselves".
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Two to tango
These chaps happen to share the same workplace i.e. Hotel Pomra, Secretariat Road, Gangtok 737103, Sikkim. Snap taken on June 7, 2005.
Monday, August 08, 2005
The life you thought you had... it never happened.
Watched The Island yesterday and got smitten by Scarlett Johansson.
I found the movie OK, probably not a must-see.
I found the movie OK, probably not a must-see.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Offshore vortex and The Ballad of Mangal Pandey
So how did 26 July happen ? Well, this excellent article appeared in yesterday's Indian Express (yeah, not in TOI), offers some answers with a phenomenon called "Offshore vortex". A combination of the moisture laden winds from the arabian sea, the western ghats and a cloud column of 15 km. caused this, resulting in a heavy downpour of 94 cms. in a small localised area of 30 sq.km. And the bad thing was that nobody could predict such a rainfall.
---
With all respects to A. R. Rahman (he is still my favourite from the current crop of music directors), "The Rising" doesn't have a music which you would want to listen again and again. Swades was far better, even after 8-9 months, the music doesn't bore you. I don't know how the music of "Bose: The forgotten hero" went largely ignored. The songs "Des ki Mitti" and "Ekla Chalo" are simply excellent.
---
With all respects to A. R. Rahman (he is still my favourite from the current crop of music directors), "The Rising" doesn't have a music which you would want to listen again and again. Swades was far better, even after 8-9 months, the music doesn't bore you. I don't know how the music of "Bose: The forgotten hero" went largely ignored. The songs "Des ki Mitti" and "Ekla Chalo" are simply excellent.
Monday, August 01, 2005
The maestro
Thanks to aldrin's prior notice here and my own mobile Nokia 7250i which has an excellent FM radio, I could enjoy Rafi all day long on Vividh Bharati yesterday. While his every song is good, here are my ten picks of the lot, not in any particular order.
दीवाना हुआ बादल ( काश्मिर की कली )
तुमने मुझे देखा होकर मेहरबान ( तीसरी मंझिल )
मधुबन में राधिका नाचे रे ( कोहिनुर )
तेरे मेरे सपने अब एक रंग है ( गाईड )
में जिंदगी का साथ निभाता चला गया ( हम दोनो)
कर चले हम फ़िदा जानो तन साथियो ( हकीकत )
इस रंग बदलती दुनिया में इन्सान की नियत ठीक नही ( राजकुमार )
देखी जमाने की यारी बिछडे सभी बारी बारी ( प्यासा )
हुम बेखुदी में तुम को पुकारे चले गये ( काला पानी )
क्या हुआ तेरा वादा ( हम किसीसे कम नही )
दीवाना हुआ बादल ( काश्मिर की कली )
तुमने मुझे देखा होकर मेहरबान ( तीसरी मंझिल )
मधुबन में राधिका नाचे रे ( कोहिनुर )
तेरे मेरे सपने अब एक रंग है ( गाईड )
में जिंदगी का साथ निभाता चला गया ( हम दोनो)
कर चले हम फ़िदा जानो तन साथियो ( हकीकत )
इस रंग बदलती दुनिया में इन्सान की नियत ठीक नही ( राजकुमार )
देखी जमाने की यारी बिछडे सभी बारी बारी ( प्यासा )
हुम बेखुदी में तुम को पुकारे चले गये ( काला पानी )
क्या हुआ तेरा वादा ( हम किसीसे कम नही )
