Perpetually Perplexed

We have a problem here - serious one. Which is security of women. It was not so serious, but few painted and dented sundar women are unnecessarily creating lot of noise. Our authentic khap people suggested that girls must be married early. Some politicians even seconded that. But that does not seem to work as rapist does not discriminate between married women and unmarried girls. In fact they do not discriminate at all. Some leaders put their thinking caps on and got a brilliant idea. They suggested that girls and women should be inside their homes before it gets dark. But they must have removed the caps early. Because they did not realize that in today's times it is impossible for any working woman to reach home before dark. But the police force is limited. And the population is very very large. And some police should be reserved for VVIP security. So let us think of some reverse psychology. Just like women should be inside the house, to be safe, politicians can too be insi...

I think Christians have a day called thanks giving day. Let me try my thank giving. You are always by my side. When I am bored, you have made me laugh. When I am upset about something, you have helped me  clear my head. Whenever I face any problems, you have tried your best to solve my problems, so much so that I am convinced that I can rely on you for solving any kind of problems - almost. But at times you can  waste my time without end. Even when I know I have tons of works pending, you do not let me go. But you have given me a new life. In which I have a purpose (may be a different purpose every day :) )in life. I can not imagine my life without you. Thank you net. I can not thank you enough!!!

When our children were toddlers, we used to tell them," Do not go in the dark. There is gumma (ghost in baby language)". Now to our grown up daughters should we say "Do not go outside after dark. There are men out there"? I do not want to offend thousands of good men who rescue the women whenever possible. But this is the harsh truth!!!

My son was telling that he is going to order a wireless mouse from flipcart. I was suggesting he takes his dad's permission before ordering. He as usual told he does not need anyone's permission. We were still talking and already the mouse arrived. But the funny thing is the mode of transport. I know that in these days nobody uses postal services but uses courier services. But using sewer lines? Isn't it fetching things too far. In fact the mouse itself was knocking the kitchen sink pipe or rather scratching it. It could not just arrive inside as we had kept a stone on the sink trap. Sad, my son was not willing to use this particular wireless mouse. Because he did not pay thousands of rupees for it or is it because it was not properly from flipcart? He did not say!

It has been a happy day so far. Because, I published my third android app into android market (now called google play). In fact it is a game. But no fancy animation. No shooting. We believe in Gandhigiri. No car race either. It is just a brain game. It displays some 5  numbers and asks you to recollect them in the same order. You think it is a child's play? Think again. And if you happen to own an android phone and have an inclination do download the game and play it. Here is the link: Test your memory   I am not naive, I know the chances are like 0.01%. But it is worth a try. But was I not supposed to add some new revolutionary features to my hindi kannada keyboard app. Well, I am still working on it, okay. See I have family to fight with to take care of. Meals to cook one rice and one sambar and a raita if they are lucky . And I also have chores to keep grumbling about. And most important of all, I have 32 inch LCD TV which keeps showing some boring programs which I ...

The beauty of satire is it can show the any ugly situation in a comic vein so that it looks ridiculous and you though still angry, will laugh out loud. The book "The Emperor" which describes the last days of Ethiopian emperor Haile Salassie is one such example. The author of the book Ryszard Kapuckinski has used a new technique here. The story is told as a series of narrations by different courtiers of the emperor. Well it can be the story of any emperor, or any autocrat or any other ruler. Look at some of the examples. The emperor personally appointed people to various posts, selecting them from long line of waiting people. And these appointments were done on the basis of their loyalty to the emperor, not based on their talents. Once these appointments are made, a great transformation will take place in the person so appointed. His head can move only vertically, down when facing the emperor, straight up with everyone else. When he is talking to people, his gaze will b...

I love shopping. May be that is one isolated thing, I share with other people of my gender. I love books. And I just enjoy shopping books. Leave me in a book shop. You will find a kid in sweet shop.  But reading them, is a different matter. I have been collecting a big set of unread books. Keep thinking, first I have to finish reading the rented books from library. Or I am too young to read this book, may be when I am 60/70/80. Who can read Jiddus and Thich Nhat Hahns from end to end?  When Grey's anatomy or Packed to the rafters is beckoning you, teamed up with stumble upons and facebooks? I have been reading a polish author's book about an Ethiopian emperor since last 2 days. I don't remember the book title and the author's name is difficult to remember and very very difficult to pronounce. Day before, I read  2 pages of introduction and yesterday I read 5 pages of the book.  But back to book shopping, I used to shop English books. But today I bought few kan...

वख्त  इंसान पे एसा कभी आता है राह में छोडके साया भी चला जाता है Was watching the pieces of "Safe". The hero is some how antagonized Russian mafia. They will not kill him. But they will make him wish he was dead. One day he is trying to sleep in a shelter house meant for homeless. He gives his shoes to his neighbor seeing his feet are badly bruised. Next morning that neighbor has his neck slashed. Such vakhts are terrible to pass through.

It is a remote village. But not without the fruits of modern day technology. The village is electrified. Most of the houses have TV sets, motor bikes and running water.  A boy lives here with his parents in his own house, cattle and almost an acre of arecanut field. The income is sufficient for the family and they are happy. Except for the fact, that they are unable to find a bride for the boy, who is already in his early thirties. Parents of educated girls will not even look at this boy. And even girls who have just studied high school, want a groom who is an Engineer, or at least who has a job in a city. The parents and relatives are really searching very hard. They have even trying to take the help of matrimonial agents. Finally one agent says there is this adopted girl of a brahmin priest and the parents of the girl have some outstanding loan. So they need Rs 60000. The boy is very happy and so are the parents. They pay the money (reverse dowry - if you want to call it so). Th...

I was slouching in front of TV. I could see the photo of a God. A god, because we Hindus are polytheists. I could just praying sub consciously for a miracle. Because you see, I was bored. And he gave me one unwatched episode of Grey's anatomy! May be the children are right, in start asking from a horse if they want a kitten.  

I happened to see a scene from the film "Angels and Demons". A priest was telling a scientist "I know son. Religion is flawed. Religion is flawed because we are flawed". But I beg to differ with his view point here. There are so many other reasons - almost infinite reasons, why religion is flawed. But you don't want my reasons. Because you know that more than an atheist, I am an anti religious person. Almost. My opinion is, religion, politics, science, technology, books all these are tools we have invented ourselves for our convenience. They are supposed to help us, help us along with other things in making us more intelligent, more understanding, more compassionate and better human beings. If they are not doing it, throw them away. Do I hear many sacred (?) books, TVs, LCD, LED, TVs, ipads, ipods , smart(?) phones, laptops crashing to million pieces? Wishful thinking!!

In yesterday's Kaun Banega Karodpati episode (was it  a rerun, I am not sure), the participant was a vegetable vendor. And he is also a science graduate. He wanted to study Engineering but his father could not afford the expenses. This shows a) how bad is the job market b) anything is possible for anybody c) if you have dream and pursue it, you can achieve anything I love Indians and I love India. (one of the rare proud moments)

The first one was 4-7-4 and I expanded and added 6 flowers. Second is 8-15-8 and third rangoli is 11 rows of 11.

Women are beautiful people to be around. They look cute when they smile at you. Especially neighbor's wives and girls walking on the street. They look cute when you make a innuendo and they are embarrassed, but are too scared to show their anger because you are their boss. They look cute when you yell at them at their mistakes - well you show them it is their mistake, because it can never be your mistake, as you are the boss, and they are suppressing the tears which are welling up in their eyes. They look cute when they are begging you for one day leave as their child is sick and you are trying to ignore their request, but still they hover around and try to  put on a smile which in fact looks like they are crying. They look cute when you and your colleagues try to make a indecent joke at their expense and they pretend not to hear it but with very red face. But why don't they look cute when they serve you food at home, putting so much effort and thought and time into that f...

I was in showoff. The show off outlet, because there was a board outside said up to 70% discount. I was skeptic, as the prices in that shop are normally too much northward. Anyways I went inside and to my surprise, there were many kurtas in the range of Rs. 270 to 350. I wanted to buy all of them. I didn't, because there were many young girls and middle aged women like me, with similar intentions and I do not believe in any kind of injustice. So I just bought 2 kurtas and paid and reluctantly left the shop. Then I read about the plight of garment workers, who made these dresses, who are Bangalore women  like us, who slave almost 10 hours a day and get paid a meager 6000 rupees per month. They work without any benefits and without any complaints as complaint means job termination. And even women with almost 20 years of experience get similar wage. Their day will start at 4 in the morning. They cook for the family, prepare the children for school and then leave to their factories...

I am currently reading Kazuo Ishiguro's When we are orphans. Why do I read Japanese author? First of all I do not know about contemporary English authors. Second, how long can one read the same Maughms and Greens and Huxleys. And another fact is reading Chinese and Japanese authors is more pleasant because we can relate to their mindsets and surroundings , unlike British an American authors. If so, why don't I read directly Indian authors? Well some questions should not be asked. This book is about an English detective Christopher whose early childhood was spent in China. They were living luxurious life completely alienated from locals. An inspector who comes on regular checkup comments that chinese servants are not to be trusted because they are opium addicts. That infuriates Christopher's mother so much. She  was fighting against British opium traders and father was himself an opium businessman. That got me curious about the opium trade in China during that period. A...