What Musharraf's resignation means for India?

Pervez Musharraf's resignation as President on Monday saved Pakitan a great deal of trouble. It was obvious that no one, absolutely no one, really wanted to drag Musharraf through impeachment proceedings. The cost to the nation could have been terrible; and beyond Pakistan, the impeachment would have hurt all authoritative regimes in the Islamic world of which there is no scarcity. No wonder the rulers of Saudi Arabia have stepped forward to bring about a settlement amongst the contending parties.

Musharraf's exit may not augur well for India in the near future because he was adept at keeping the pot from boiling over. He learnt quickly in the wake of the attack on Parliament and drew away in time from what could have been a first class disaster for the sub-continent. President Musharraf was no friend of India but he was no worse than other democratically elected leaders of Pakistan.

The Kargil caper took place during the prime ministership of Nawaz Sharif, though he did make some exculpatory noises when in exile. The late Benazir Bhutto [Images] showed some contrition for what happened in the Kashmir valley in 1990s when she was the prime minister, but her changed attitude remained un-vindicated. In any case no one need take politicians in exile at their word.

What with a democratically elected prime minister in charge of Pakistan, and even more, the sequence of events that brought him to power, a three-part makeover -- reconstruction and renewal exercise -- is going on in Pakistan at present.

World's Most Expensive Cities

If your boss wants to transfer you to Moscow this year, he'd better offer you a fair sum to do so - or even a downright handsome one depending on where you live now. That's because Moscow has just been designated the world's most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive after taking into account the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

World's most expensive cities 2007

1. Moscow

2. London

3. Seoul

4. Tokyo

5. Hong Kong

6. Copenhagen

7. Geneva

8. Osaka

9. Zurich

10. Oslo

11. Milan

12. St. Petersburg (Russia)

13. Paris

14. Singapore

15. New York City

16. Dublin

17. Tel Aviv

18. Rome

19. Vienna

20. Beijing

Source:Mercer
"The appreciation of the ruble against the U.S. dollar, combined with ever-increasing accommodation charges, has driven up costs for expatriates in Moscow," Mercer research manager Nathalie Constantin-Metral said in a statement. A luxury two-bedroom in Moscow now rents for $4,000 a month; a CD costs $24.83, and an international newspaper, $6.30, according to Mercer. By comparison, a fast food meal with a burger is a steal at $4.80.
25 dream vacation homes London takes the No. 2 spot, up from No. 5 a year ago, thanks to higher rents and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar. Mercer estimates London is 26 percent more expensive than Gotham these days. Following closely on London's heels are Seoul and Tokyo -- Nos. 3 and 4, respectively -- both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No. 5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Asuncion in Paraguay is ranked as the world's least expensive city for the fifth year running. Mercer estimates that to live in Asuncion costs half as much as it does to live in New York. Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two to rank in the top 50 of the world's most expensive cities. But both have fallen in their rankings since last year's survey -- New York came in 15th, down from 10th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42nd from 29th place a year ago. San Francisco came in a distant third at No. 54, down 20 places from a year earlier. Toronto, meanwhile, ranks as Canada's most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82nd place worldwide. In Latin America, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are still the most expensive cities, coming in at Nos. 62 and 64 worldwide. In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live and ranks No. 21 worldwide. In the Middle East, Tel Aviv takes the cake, coming in at No. 17 globally, while in Africa, Accra in Ghana will cost you the most. It ranks No. 76 worldwide.

आजादी के नाम पर...

सभी आजाद रहना चाहते हैं, लेकिन दिक्कत यह है कि आजादी की सबकी परिभाषा अलग-अलग है। संभव है कि जहां से किसी की आजादी शुरू होती हो, वहां किसी के लिए इसका अंत हो रहा हो, लेकिन हम इस बात को मानने को तैयार नहीं हैं। हमने इतने स्वतंत्रता दिवस मना लिए, लेकिन सच यही है कि ज्यादातर लोग आज भी आजादी को गलत अर्थों में ही ले रहे हैं:

जिन लोगों ने आजादी की लड़ाई लड़ी थी और सचमुच में आजादी क्या होती है, इसे शिद्दत से महसूस किया था, अगर उन चुनिंदा बचे- खुचे लोगों से आप बात करें, तो पाएंगे कि वे देश में ब्रिटिश शासन की वापसी चाहते हैं। उन्हें देश का आज का रंग-ढंग कुछ रास नहीं आ रहा। वे चाहते हैं कि जो अनुशासन अंग्रेजों के समय में था, वह फिर से देश में वापस आए। आजादी के नाम पर आज जिस तरह से सब कुछ बेलगाम है, वह उनसे सहा नहीं जाता।
वैसे, उन लोगों का दर्द समझा भी जा सकता है। आज लोग हर वह काम कर रहे हैं, जो वे करना चाहते हैं और यह सब कुछ हो रहा है आजादी के नाम पर। व्यक्तिगत आजादी के नाम पर वे दूसरों की स्वतंत्रता छीन रहे हैं, बोलने की आजादी के बहाने वे दूसरों को बोलने से रोक रहे हैं, लोकतांत्रिक तरीके से विरोध के नाम पर वे क्षेत्रवाद को हवा दे रहे हैं, धार्मिक आजादी के नाम पर आतंक को आसरा दे रहे हैं, तो राजनीतिक अधिकारों का दुरुपयोग अरबों का बैंक बैलेंस बनाने में हो रहा है। शायद यही चीज उन्हें इस बात के लिए विवश करती है कि वे अंग्रेजी हुकूमत की वकालत करें।

आजादी यानी डिप्रेशन और स्यूसाइड
आजादी का मतलब किसी एक तरह की आजादी से नहीं है, लोगों को हर तरह की आजादी चाहिए। कोई किसी नियम-कानून में बंधना ही नहीं चाहता, चाहे वे सामाजिक नियम हों या सरकारी कायदे कानून। प्रैक्टिकल स्थिति यह है कि जो मनमर्जी नहीं कर पाता, वही अपने को गुलाम समझने लगता है और फिर शुरू होती है उससे मुक्त होने की कवायद। इस कवायद में लोग बागी हो रहे हैं। वे परिवार से बगावत कर रहे हैं, समाज छोड़ रहे हैं, सरकारी कानूनों से खेल रहे हैं और यहां तक कि अपनी आजादी के सामने देश की भी परवाह नहीं करते। जो ऐसा कर रहे हैं, वे दूसरों के लिए दुश्मन बन रहे हैं, लेकिन जो ऐसा नहीं कर रहे, वे खुद अपने दुश्मन बन रहे हैं।
आजादी की चाह में इंसान दिनोंदिन कमजोर होता जा रहा है। दरअसल, जो व्यक्ति बड़ी शिद्दत से आजादी चाहता है, लेकिन उसे हासिल नहीं कर पाता, वह खुद को मिटा डालना चाहता है या अपनी मानसिकता बीमार कर बैठता है। परिणाम यह है कि आत्महत्या का आंकड़ा तेजी से बढ़ रहा है, तो डिप्रेशन की वजह से समाज का एक बड़ा तबका बीमार हो रहा है। आप यह कह सकते हैं कि समाज तब से ज्यादा बीमार रहने लगा है, जब से लोगों में आजादी की चाह तेजी से हिलोरें मारने लगी हैं और जब से लोगों ने आजादी को अपने जीने-मरने से जोड़ लिया है।

पर्सनल स्पेस की डिमांड
लोग जहां पहले एक-दूसरे से जुड़कर रहना चाहते थे, वहीं अब वे अलग रहना चाहते हैं। इतना अलग कि कोई यह न पूछे कि अभी क्या कर रहे हो। और इसे नाम दिया गया है कि पर्सनल स्पेस का। यह पर्सनल स्पेस आज पारिवारिक कलह की सबसे बड़ी वजह है। मियां-बीवी, पैरंट्स-बच्चे, भाई-बहन जैसे तमाम रिलेशंस पर्सनल स्पेस की बढ़ती मांग की वजह से कमजोर होते जा रहे हैं। वेस्ट ने तो पर्सनल स्पेस से होने वाली क्षति के साथ जीना सीख लिया है, लेकिन भारतीय समाज को इसने बिखेर कर रख दिया है।
इस पर्सनल स्पेस ने लोगों में एक किस्म की उच्छृंखलता पैदा की है, जिससे तलाक की संख्या बढ़ रही है और विवाह संस्था छिन्न- भिन्न हो रही है, तो बड़े-बूढ़ों को सामाजिक सुरक्षा नहीं मिल रही। बच्चे अब बूढ़े पैरंट्स को अपने साथ रखना नहीं चाहते, क्योंकि वे बच्चों की पर्सनल स्पेस का खयाल नहीं करते। जाहिर है, इस पर्सनल किस्म की आजादी ने देश के सामने एक बड़ी चुनौती रख दी है और यह चुनौती है अनाथ बच्चों व बूढ़ों को सहारा देने के लिए जल्दी से जल्दी एक राष्ट्रीय नीति पर काम शुरू करने की। यही नहीं, तलाक की बढ़ती संख्या ने तलाक कानून को और लचर बनाने की जरूरत भी पैदा की है।

कमजोर कर रही है आजादी
एक आजाद मुल्क हर तरह से मजबूत होता है, लेकिन सभी यह मान रहे हैं कि हम लगातार कमजोर हो रहे हैं। देश की छवि आजाद देश से ज्यादा एक सॉफ्ट नेशन की हो गई है। यही वजह है कि लोग मनमौजी हो रहे हैं। हम सिर्फ अधिकारों की बात करते हैं, कर्त्तव्यों की परवाह नहीं करते। हम यह नहीं देखते कि हमारी आजादी से दूसरों की आजादी कितनी छिन रही है। आज मदरसे, चर्च और तमाम हिंदू संगठन कट्टरपंथ को बढ़ावा देने में लगे हैं और यह सब हो रहा है धार्मिक आजादी के नाम पर। देश अपनी ही आबादी के भार से दबा जा रहा है, लेकिन धर्म की आड़ में लोग फैमिली प्लानिंग से तौबा कर रहे हैं। पोलियो वैक्सीनेशन अभियान भी इसी कथित आजादी के नाम पर फ्लॉप हो रहे हैं। जाहिर है, लोग अपने और अपने विश्वास की आजादी के सामने देश व समाज की चिंता बिल्कुल नहीं कर रहे।
खोखला हुआ सरकारी तंत्र
आजादी का गलत अर्थ कितना गलत होता है, इसे हम अपने देश के सरकारी तंत्र के ढहने के रूप में देख सकते हैं। सरकारी कर्मचारियों ने इतनी ज्यादा आजादी ले ली कि देश का सारा सिस्टम ही बिखर गया। कर्मचारियों की मनमौजी की वजह से जनता के पैसे से बनीं तमाम सरकारी कंपनियों का दीवाला निकल गया, तो कुछ कंपनियां बंद होने के कगार पर पहुंच गईं और बिकने भी लगीं। प्राइवेट हाथों में अब वही कंपनियां मुनाफे की फसल काट रही हैं।

Emotional Intelligence- The key to success in the workplace

Success in the workplace is determined less by IQ and more by Emotional Intelligence (EI).

EI is necessary for people to work together in harmony towards the organisation’s goals
EI is largely learnt.
EI is nothing but maturity and character.

Why EI is important
Good leadership works through emotions
Emotions are important because of the open loop nature of the limbic system.
Open loop system depends on external forces to regulate itself.
People rely on connections with others for their emotional stability
Negative emotions must be controlled
Anger, anxiety and depression can divert attention from the task at hand.
An upset person finds it difficult to empathise with others.
On the other hand, positive emotions increase optimism, helpfulness and creativity.
Emotionally intelligent leaders create resonance.
Effective leadership involves a combination of feeling and thought

In many situations, especially during stress and emergency, the emotional centres command the rest of the brain .
The ability to sooth the surge of emotions – particularly intense surges – is an important skill.
The brain’s design means that a person has little control over when he or she is swept by an emotional wave.
However, through effort, behavior change or even medication, individuals can exert control over how long and intensely an emotion will endure.

Tata Steel will invest Rs 600 cr in Oman

Tata Steel will invest around Rs 600 crore in a joint venture with the Al Bahja group, a leading business house of Oman, for development of the Uyun limestone deposits at Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2nd Asian Mining Congress, B Muthuraman, managing director, Tata Steel, said that 10 million tonnes of limestone would be developed and the investment would be spread over three years. The limestone deposits would cater to Tata Steel’s facilities in India and the UK under Corus.

IN THE LIMELIGHT

• The limestone deposits would cater to Tata Steel's facilities in India and the UK
• Tata Steel will pick up 70 per cent stake in the existing company, Al Rimal Mining, through its subsidiary TS Global Minerals Holdings
• The Indian company has set a target of 50-60 per cent raw material security over the next 3-4 years
  
  Muthuraman said though the investments were not that big, they would go a long way in making Tata Steel competitive. He did not quantify the extent of savings to Tata Steel on account of captive limestone deposits.
  
  Industry sources pointed out that there were no significant limestone deposits in India.
  
  This is not Tata Steel’s first limestone venture. In 2004, Tata Steel signed a shareholders’ agreement with Unitstretch Limited, a member of the G Premjee Group of companies. and Sila Eastern Company was established, with Tata Steel holding a 49 per cent stake. The objective was to source limestone for Jamshedpur Works on a long-term basis.
  
  Muthuraman said the quality of limestone in Oman was better and cheaper. According to the arrangement with the Al Bahja group, Tata Steel would be holding a 70 per cent stake in the existing company, Al Rimal Mining LLC through its subsidiary TS Global Minerals Holdings. Al Rimal Mining LLC would develop the Uyun Mine.
  
  The move to forge the agreement with the Al Bahja Group was part of Tata Steel’s initiative to secure raw material security.

Unforgetable Images- 'Abhinav The Champ'

‘India must give Abhinav respect, kudos, love’

Abhinav Bindra won India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal on Monday with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the men's 10m air rifle.

Bindra signalled his intentions early on in the final, with a 10.7 on his first shot. None of Bindra's shots in the final dropped below 10.0.

The medal is India's first individual gold, and the first since 1980, when the hockey team emerged triumphant in Moscow.

Bindra shows off his gold medal.

He had won the 2006 world championships and finished seventh in Athens four years ago.

Kick the butt before you kick the bucket!

So you think it's cool to light up and puff away at a cancer stick, do you?
And the younger you are, the more attention you tend to get when you're smoking a cigarette -- even disapproving glances give you some kind of satisfaction, as long as it's not an elder relative or family member who catches you doing it and reports straight back to Daddy!
Well, World No-Tobacco Day 2008 is coming up on May 31, so we thought we'd bring young smokers the lowdown on the ill effects of smoking.
According to research, nine out of 10 tobacco users start before they're 18 years old (www.kidshealth.org). And yes, with all the wordly wisdom of their teenage years, they believe that they'll never get addicted to it.

But the fact is that you do get addicted and your body suffers, because tobacco is poison and cigarettes are small doses of it! Yes, yes, you've heard about the heart risks, the increased possibilty of cancer and emphysema, but that always happens to someone else, right?
Wrong! And besides these more serious concerns, here's a number of other health issues ranging from the trivial to the life-threatening that are sure to make youngsters sit up and take notice!
Bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease Of course, smoking leads to cigarette breath, given that you're breathing in smoke and nicotine and most folks find the odour rather unpleasant। But it's very likely your breath will remain bad for a long time after you've smoked and may cause a permanent problem. Cigarettes cause a build up of nicotine and tar on the teeth, tongue and inner lining of the cheeks; they also hamper the secretion of saliva, which leads to the growth of bacteria in the mouth (www।gumsurgery.com). These bacteria are the reason behind bad breath, so the next time you pucker up for a goodnight kiss after a date, you'll know the reason why your partner is holding his/ her nose shut! Other than bad breath, the bacteria in your mouth can also cause unsightly yellow stains on your teeth and in some cases, gum disease.
Wrinkled, damaged skin So a pimple on your face usually calls for drastic measures?
Here's a heads-up on what smoking can do to your skin -- you may be 25, but cigarettes could have you looking 10 years older!

Because smoking tightens the blood vessels, it does not allow the requisite oxygen and nutrients from nourishing the skin. As a result, your skin may acquire a pale yellowish tinge. Also, instead of remaining supple, it becomes more prone to premature wrinkles, because nicotine has a damaging effect on your skin's collagen and elastin too (www.mayoclinic.com).

Sexual dysfunction
Yes, smoking does affect your performance in the sack! This is applicable to men, because as mentioned previously, smoking restricts the blood vessels, which in turn inhibits the flow of blood to the penis. As a result, erectile dysfunction, or the inability to sustain an erection, occurs.
Cigarettes can also create problems for those who are trying for a baby. Women smokers take longer to conceive -- chances of pregnancy are reduced by 10 to 40 percent. As for men, besides hampered sexual performance, smoking leads to reduced fertility -- it damages the sperm and causes a reduced sperm-count (www.atihealthnet.com).

Hampered overall immunity
Research has shown that smokers are more susceptible to illnesses and infections than non-smokers. You are particularly more prone to respiratory disorders like common colds, asthma, bronchitis etc. Also, cigarettes tend to kill one's hunger and a lot of youngsters smoke to curb their appetites, thereby depriving their bodies of vital foods and nutrition. This also leads to reduced immunity (www.kidshealth.org).

Life-threatening health concerns
If all the above hasn't convinced you to quit smoking, maybe the mention of the following life-threatening diseases will:
~ Researchers have found that even smokers who are in still their teens have severely damaged blood vessels and cells which result in chronic bronchitis, heart disease and strokes.
~ Smoking is the main reason behind various forms of cancer in the lungs, mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas, and kidney.
~ The more you smoke, the larger the chance that it will ultimately lead to your death. One in three smokers die as a result of the habit and several more suffer from debilitating diseases (www.youngwomenshealth.org). So look at it this way -- if nine of your friends are addicted to cigarettes, three of them will die if all of you don't quit!
So think twice before you light up again -- you'd rather kick the butt than kick the bucket!

From the Heart: Love Thoughts!

Here is a some good quotes about love that I have collected over a period of time and other people have sent me for my list. Feel free to send me any good quotes on love if you think they would fit in here nicely. I will be more than happy to include them.

• It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.


• Maybe we have to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.


• Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in a relationship and find out you still care for that person.


• A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.


• When the door of happiness closes, another opens but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.


• The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.


• It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.


• Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back. Don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their heart, but if it doesn't, be sure it grew in yours.


• There are things you'd love to hear that you would never hear from the person whom you would like to hear from, but don't be so deaf as not to hear it from the one who says it from his heart.


• Never say good-bye if you still want to try, never give up if you still feel you can go on, never say you don't love a person anymore if you can't let go.


• Love comes to those who still hope although they've been disappointed, to those who still believe although they've been betrayed, need to love those who still love although they've been hurt before.


• It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.


• Don't go for looks, they can deceive. Don't go for wealth, in the end it fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.


• There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real.


• Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to all the things you want to do.


• May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy and enough money to buy me gifts.


• Always put yourself in other's shoes. If you feel it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person too.


• A careless word may kindle strife, a cruel word may wreck a life, a timely word may level stress, a loving word may heal and bless.


• The beginning of love is to let those we love be just themselves, and not twist them with our own image otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.


• The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.


• Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.


• Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.


• The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.


• When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.


• Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.


• Love is an unusual game. There are either two winners or none.


• If I could reinvent the alphabet, I would put U and I together.


• Love doesn't make the world go 'round, it makes the ride worthwhile.


• Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there's plenty of room at both ends.


• The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

Supreme Court becums Silent Spectator!

• In India, even God is helpless, says SC

"In India, even God cannot help. He will be a silent spectator as He will also feel helpless" — this observation came from the Supreme Court on Tuesday as it expressed its frustration over the reluctance of the Centre and state governments to take tough measures against bureaucrats and others unauthorisedly overstaying in government accommodation.

"The whole government machinery is corrupt. We may lay down the law, but who will implement it? It has to be done by the clerks. The secretaries and joint secretaries have no guts to go against the clerks. The law is there, the statute is there, but the governments have become non-functional," it said. The court slammed the government for being obstinate towards implementation of laws. Because of this, those in the corridors of power were able to continue occupying government accommodation unauthorisedly without fear, it said.

The SC, frustrated by the determination of politicians and bureaucrats to stay put in subsidised accommodation beyond their eligibility, had proposed amendment last year, saying that only "third degree method" would work with the heedless and well-connected lot. If it had thought that its tough posture would work with regimes indulgent of powerful squatters, it was to be disappointed. Most of the states did not respond to suggestion. Those who did, toed Centre's line. There were two exceptions though — Orissa and UP — which have tough laws in place making squatting in government bungalows a non-bailable offence.

Bollywood starlet, Shilpa Shetty is all set to host ‘Bigg Boss 2’, the Indian version of UK’s popular reality TV show ‘Big Brother’. Shilpa will be seen hosting the second season of this series.
Shilpa is an experienced hand at reality show. She had won Big Brother, UK’s hugely popular show that made the actress an instant celebrity in London and other parts of the country.
BIGG BOSS SEASON 2′, premiering August 17th, everyday (Monday to Sunday), at 10:00 p.m. Only on COLORS. Bigg Boss Season 2, the Indian version of Big Brother, comes with its unique twists this year that make it bigger and better ‘newsmakers’ replace celebrities in BIG BOSS SEASON 2. That apart, for the first time in the history of Indian television, a show is being launched that will be aired everyday.

Further, there will be half an hour LIVE and unedited slot everyday starting second week that will air starting 12.30 a.m. Can it get more exciting? Yes, throw-in a couple of commoners with the newsmakers and the equation becomes even more exciting. Bigg Boss Season 2 presents the unique combination of reality and real unscripted drama.

It is the ultimate reality where 14 handpicked strangers will be locked in a house here we are talking about REAL people, REAL emotions and REAL drama. As the 14 hand picked contestants vie with each other to survive in the Bigg Boss Season 2 house, irritation, backbiting and backstabbing reach it’s prime. This group living together for 12 weeks brings out the best and worst in the contestants as they tussle to cope with the social pressure cooker until the bitter end stands a chance of winning the title and the large cash prize of Rs 75 lakhs!
Five elements make up the foundation of Bigg Boss- Season 2:

1. Back to basics: The environment in which the housemates will have to live is stripped down to bare necessities.

2. No contact with the outside world: Nobody is allowed to have contact with the outside world and vice versa.

3. Assignment: The assignments are special tasks. The housemates can earn money with it to increase their weekly budget.

4. Confession Booth: The Confession Booth is the place where the housemates must report personally on their experiences and feelings.

5. Eviction : Every week participants are nominated by a voting procedure to leave the house, selected by their housemates and the viewers. Regularly, the housemates are nominated to be evicted, and the public decides which of the nominees will be evicted. (This time, viewers vote for who they want to see in the house.)

FACTS of BIG BOSS SEASON 2
Second season will feature 14 contestants Live under one roof, sprawled over 10,000 square feet of land, 200 kms away from Mumbai Every action and emotion will be captured over 84 days, 24X7 by 32 cameras Contestants vie for the ultimate title and booty of Rs 75 lacs.One anchor -Shilpa Shetty, India’s new heartthrob. A massive crew of over 250 trained professionals work round the clock to bring this show daily to millions of viewers. 76800 hours of footage captured over 3 months About the Show Bigg Boss Season 2.

Dream becomes Nightmare !

Dream becomes Nightmare !

The Gulf dream seems to have become a death trap for Indians, with 79 of them committing suicide this year alone in the UAE due to mounting debts. Most of the victims belonged to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. "In 2006, 109 people committed suicide. The number rose to 118 in 2007. This year, from January to June, 79 Indians have killed themselves," Manish Kumar Sinha of the Indian consulate in Dubai. According to voluntary organisations working among the less fortunate in Dubai, as many as 23 of the victims belonged to Tamil Nadu. The rest were from Kerala and other states. K V Shamsudheen, chairman of Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust, said suicide among Indian expatriates has been on the rise since 2003. According to figures put out by the Indian consulate early this month, 40 suicide cases were recorded in 2003, 70 in 2004 and 84 in 2005. "On an average we get two calls a day from people who are severely depressed. In 75% of the cases, the depression is due to financial crisis which they are not able to share with others," said Shamsudeen. The Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust has formed another trust, named Sandwanam (consolation), with the aim to reduce suicides among Indians in the UAE. "When a person arrives in a Gulf country, he is already in debt after spending money on visa and travel. And even before he can settle down, his family back home starts putting pressure on him to send money," Shamsudheen said. The main sources of debt, according to him, are bank loans, credit cards and individual illegal lenders. The interest rates vary. While banks charge up to 8% for loans, the rate can go up to 30% on credit cards. Individual lenders charge as high as 72% to 120%. "The family back home starts spending lavishly without considering the financial situation of the breadwinner," said Shamshudeen. According to him, when people run out of money, their first option is to get a loan from the bank. When they can’t pay back the loan, they apply for credit cards. And when they reach their borrowing limit on the card, they turn to private lenders who charge exorbitant interest rates. "In some cases the minimum payment on credit cards is more than their monthly salary. Such cases are increasing by the day," Shamsudheen added. The UAE is home to about 1.5 million Indian nationals. Construction workers account for the majority of the Indian migrant workforce, constituting 42.5% of the labour force.

Funny Tagline For Popular Brands ~

• Funny Tagline For Popular Brands

• iPod: It’ll break in a year, but by then you’ll want the new one.
• Apple: You think you need it, we know you just want it.
• Samsung: Didn’t you mean to buy Sony?
• Ikea: One day you’ll be able to afford real furniture.
• Hummer: Get the attention you’ve always craved.
• While filling up the gas tank again.
• Taco Bell: You’re drunk and we’re still open.
• Zipcar: So convenient that you’ll ignore the high rates AND the dog hair.
• Southwest Airlines: On your marks, get set, find a seat!
• UHaul: We don’t guarantee availability because we can get away with it.
• PopTarts: Until you realize how disgusting they are, we’ll keep making them.
• Ben and Jerry’s: Whoah, dude, did you eat that whole thing?
• Krispy Kreme: Less filling, just as fattening.
• McDonalds: Always a good idea. Until afterwards.
• Starbucks: Long lines, high prices and the best legal high available.

Monday, August 04, 2008

My Story- is it Homesickness?

Some feelings sink so deep inside the heart and only loneliness can help you find them I recall scrolling through these lines on my mobile screen not so long ago. A question came to my mind. How many of us prefer to be alone? The graph of positive and negative responses may depict great variations. We have been shaped to be blissful with people around us and it is such a nice feeling to be with family members, friends, sometimes colleagues, and well wishers.

For those who working GCC or anywhere outside India, the excitement were palpable initially when they came to stay in the hostel. Friends were a constant company and source of support. Obviously the vibrancy of a city like Delhi paved the way to look at a totally new world with different interests and ideas. New place, new dreams, or simply stated, everything on the campus was an awesome experience in the initial phase. Then slowly the reality that we have to be away from our family sunk in. For the first time, a feeling of homesickness slowly crept in.

My story is a mix-package of rollercoaster drive. Delhi to Muscat then in Khasab in a 6 years profession. You also agreed with me everything happen is happen for a good reason. I had seen days in Call center job in Noida where I had enjoy the life fullest but after 15th of each month (paying EMI for car & other expenses) we used to think life is hell? Everyday with friends I made future plans for business. But never succeed to even put first step. After coming in Muscat, I made new friends and got a great mentor who gave me lessons of life & management. ‘Demand for more is never ending saga’ so I decided to move on and now I am shifted to Khasab. Totally different place from rest of the world. I seen it all from the noise of call center in Noida to the Window shopping in Carrefour and discovering some amazing and hard experience of Mining Industry.

I think someone rightly quoted “When patterns are broken - new worlds can emerge”

This is just an example or a very effortless phase of explaining loneliness and the need for people around us. Somewhere you feel you need a friend, to trust, to tell everything on your mind, to love, to laugh over all the little things, to cry with and to stay with to the very end. Every one needs a mom to care, a father to be strict, brothers and sisters, as well as all the basic necessities of life. But to maintain these relationships in healthy terms is a Herculean task. It is a responsibility we have to carry out successfully in this journey of life.

We are consequently busy with our day to day life. We need to study, complete our extra coaching, plan for the days ahead, oh! How much we have to do? Rarely do we have time for ourselves. Let me put a question before you. Why is it so? Why do we work so hard? You may say, 'to get a fine job and keep all my loved ones happy'. But after you get a good job you'll be busy with that. You just struggle so hard through the ladder of life to reach zenith only to find that you have lost the most wonderful part of your emotional existence which you may never get back. You should have someone to wish you 'all the best' when you go to face something crucial, be there to pat someone and say 'congrats' when they win.

What I am trying to say is simple. We are born to struggle through life and so we should respect our dreams, achievements and never to leave it till we attain the same. But along the way, the most valued branch of our lives must be enjoyed. Savor life to the fullest. Be a friend to someone when they need you, be social with all, and admire your family members who have sacrificed humpty quantity of things to make you smile. Most of all, Love them. To quote the words of William Shakespeare, “When love speaks, the voice of all gods make heaven drowsy with harmony.’ To take risks in life has its own delight. One should know how it is to get hurt, how it is to miss someone, the value of tears, to live in harmony, to compromise, to forgive and what not. These are the bits of imperceptible feelings gifted by the creator to experience real human hood, not mathematics and history. What if you reach your dream goal and you have no one to celebrate with? I know it hurts to even think of such things. Don't ever say no to Love. It'll help you through the worst of times.

@a$hu.

Is anyone happy at their job?

Is anyone happy at their job?
While having dinners with someone last night, I was asked this question.

I was stunned. All I could say was that I spent too much time at my desk of the Internet.

Frankly, I was a little wasted at the time, but I'm sober now and still don't have an answer. So, does anyone enjoy going to work today?And not in a schadenfreude way.

No enjoyment of suffering of plots to steal shit count. OK.

Do you look at your job and feel fulfilled by what you do?