tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13973343310723863532012-02-13T07:08:03.273-05:00Simply Speaking by "A" Simple Blogger Copyright protected. Contact :- arealblogger@gmail.comAmrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.comBlogger1371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-70403629826434269992012-02-05T00:52:00.001-05:002012-02-05T01:13:10.599-05:00

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, the last city of our European trip, turned out to be the best among the cities we visited. City planners have clear vision: maintain quality of life while conserving nature.   With 1/3 area of Stockholm being water, 1/3 allocated for urban development and rest 1/3 kept for green space, Stockholm has 14 islands. Beautiful green parks, lakes, canals, bays and

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-3966805346492086942012-01-22T16:40:00.001-05:002012-01-22T18:16:11.175-05:00

Constant in the change in our life A change to believe A change to achieve A change with a new right A change to conquer a new height   A change builds a new path   A new path with new light A new hope for future to be bright A new wish to succeed with no strife A new beginning to find a new life

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-80951767052870625612012-01-18T22:37:00.001-05:002012-01-18T22:53:02.344-05:00

Most men mind mother-in-laws. The thought of gracious visit from her creates panic in them. Business travel, late work hour and boys night outs are frequent during her stay. Fitness and especially exercising in gym becomes important. History channels and annoying soaps appear better options. Though reasons are unknown to me, this seems to be a universal phenomenon cutting across race, culture,

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-1132156717974562562012-01-11T21:36:00.001-05:002012-01-11T21:40:49.071-05:00

I don’t see color I don’t see race I don’t see religion I don’t see gender   I see a man I see a human   I have a thought I have an idea I have a vision I have a dream   Dear Readers:- As you know I am not a poet but it seemed like a good dedication to Martin Luther King.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-62775118711586700272012-01-07T17:58:00.001-05:002012-01-07T20:23:47.245-05:00

Jan 8 marks my wedding anniversary and someone asked for how long I have been married. My honest reply:  Sometimes it feels like years Sometimes it feels like seconds Sometimes it feels like forever Sometimes it feels like an instant   Let a timepiece count my hours with her Let a calendar add up my years with her   I share joy and sorrow with her I cherish moments of love with her I relish

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-28296112425053047452011-12-21T10:43:00.001-05:002011-12-21T10:43:53.752-05:00

Despite long lines and expensive tickets Disney World remains the best holiday spot. The magical environment keeps one motivated to stay in the parks and find out about numerous aspects of the world. While providing opportunities to learn more about the future technologies, earth, space, energy, and the culture of various countries in a simple and friendly way, Disney also provides a lot for

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-42107672460921054842011-12-04T23:30:00.001-05:002011-12-04T23:30:39.053-05:00

Pursuing a passion requires time, dedication and of course required skill set. Mostly the reward is personal satisfaction and appreciation from friends or like minded people. But the financial reward is the better when one begins to spend significant personal time and energy and use skill as a favor to others. Considering capital and hours utilized ‘helping’ others, I have made a resolution to

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-45970958673863525632011-11-25T11:07:00.001-05:002011-11-25T14:28:13.336-05:00

Mumbai terrorist attacks of 26/11 (26 November 2008) continue to haunt the people of Mumbai and Indians across the world. With a single arrest and trial, India and in particularly families of the victims are still waiting for the execution of the death penalty even after three years of the attacks. At a broader level people of India continue to wait for security, law and order. Clear exposure of

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-51126866252258582542011-11-21T23:37:00.001-05:002011-11-21T23:37:06.618-05:00

4th Thursday of November is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day in the USA. Thanksgiving Day started as to thank God for good harvest. After civil war, Abraham Lincoln declared it a National Holiday, effectively using his proclamation to unite the nation. Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful and celebrate what we have and enjoy. It is a day to recognize the material and non material comforts of the

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-14915023900541159982011-11-10T21:04:00.001-05:002011-11-10T21:04:21.387-05:00

Fascinated by the mathematical properties of number 11, some expect spiritual awakening on 11-11-11 and some anticipate ghastly incidents. All of them are wrong. An amazing event has already occurred but several years back. An extraordinary person, my friend, Bikram was born on 11-11 but several years back. What makes him incredible? He is very scary. Yes, dreadful British criminals are scared

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-15238790708711916842011-11-09T20:17:00.001-05:002011-11-09T21:50:42.382-05:00

Mool Mantra is the first verse of the Sikh Holy book and the first composition of Guru Nanak Devji, the founder of Sikh religion. Mool Mantra sums up Sikhism in a verse of nine words. On Guru Nanak Jayanti, here is an attempt to explain it. (Used other sources to study it) ikk ōankār sat(i)-nām(u)kartā purakh(u) nirpà'u nirver(u) akāl mūrat(i)ajūnī sepàŋ gur-prasād(i) ॥   Part of the verse

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-78988626134438854432011-11-06T19:10:00.001-05:002011-11-06T19:10:53.056-05:00

    Falling leaves whisper in my ears Let help and hope conquer fears   Colorful mosaic touches my heart Telling life is pain and pleasure in part   Cool breeze jolts my soul Altering essence to embrace a new goal   In days the trees would be naked and mute Yet the stem has strength in the grounded root     Dear Readers:- As you know I am not a poet but I tried to capture my current state of

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-73704135390868667622011-10-31T22:11:00.001-04:002011-10-31T22:12:28.874-04:00

“Let us see who takes a better picture. You take my picture and I will take yours.” Ajay asked smilingly. Ajay did not really give me a choice and started clicking and I reciprocated. Comparing picture on the tiny three inch screen of his Nikon and my Canon digital SLR, Ajay declared, “I take better pictures.” “Why do you say that?” I asked “Look at the quality of pictures.” “May be it is

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-82919921218385623732011-10-24T23:45:00.001-04:002011-10-24T23:45:17.268-04:00

Indian community celebrates Diwali, the festival of lights, with fanfare and zeal in different parts of the USA too. Every year Indian community of Raleigh/Cary area organizes Diwali festivities in an open air theatre in Cary. A large number of local children and some adults participate in mostly Bollywood songs based ‘cultural’ programs and a majority of Indians attend this daylong event. While

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-64318195844640991342011-10-20T21:14:00.001-04:002011-10-20T21:20:17.256-04:00

(This is the fourth in the series of posts on my friends.) Appreciating art of storytelling and power of positive energy is a trait that probably everyone has. Yet it remains concealed until one comes across people who demonstrate these qualities effectively. Meeting two individuals renewed my respect for meticulous narration and optimism. A cliché worth repeating: Positive energy produces

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-33720945821414940512011-10-17T23:21:00.001-04:002011-10-17T23:21:03.290-04:00

Sight of elderly dependent people makes most think, if not worry, about old age. But quite often senior citizens are ignored. Depending on the culture and country, they are either sent to old homes or expected to stay out of the way reading books or praying god. Unless wealthy, elders who were once young, important and critical fabric, are considered social and financial burden on society.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-11907163824160952792011-10-13T20:00:00.001-04:002011-10-13T20:09:29.457-04:00

Are we humans or animals? If we are humans we shall try to stop senseless slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children stuck in a civil or military conflict.  Killing of innocent people is a black mark on our human civilization.     In our society murdering another human is the most heinous crime. However we still read about this crime every day. While watching graphic images of pain and

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-87146073246815125092011-10-06T18:50:00.001-04:002011-10-06T21:03:50.045-04:00

“You are so selfish. Think about me and the future when you talk about environment”, my daughter said implying that I am not environment friendly. She is right. Probably all of us need to be more conscious and responsible towards protecting environment. My daughter had a reason to say it. I had quizzed her on plant cells, “What is chlorophyll?” Her quick reply, “It is the green pigment in the

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-8341273257585880792011-10-05T21:50:00.001-04:002011-10-05T21:51:35.093-04:00

I get a call from an unknown number claiming to be from ‘Windows Technical Support’ and calling to remove virus from my computer. He says my infected computer is sending messages to Microsoft and hence he is calling to fix it. This person walks me through Computer Properties to the Event Logs and tries to convince me that virus is causing the errors displayed in the Event Logs. He then asks me to

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-7596237677489139642011-09-29T22:22:00.001-04:002011-09-29T22:25:31.174-04:00

(Dear readers, being transcript of a presentation, this post is verbose and written in a different style) Do you ever challenge a preconceived notion? Do you ever question an assumption? Do you ever confront your own belief system? Right may not be right. A social norm may be misconstrued. But it is okay to question and challenge. It is okay to change. And we can make a change. People like us

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-60164033800336815772011-09-25T17:11:00.001-04:002011-09-26T17:32:30.220-04:00

Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India, born on 2nd October 1904 (same birthday as Mahatma Gandhi), took over office at a crucial and precarious time for India. With the blow of 1962 Indo-China war exposing India’s then weak defenses and Pakistan making advances in Kashmir with the latest tanks, Shastri had a difficult job in hand but he proved to be the best person to handle it

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-30813928678810929212011-09-20T00:33:00.001-04:002011-09-20T00:33:55.456-04:00

United Nations observes 21st September as International Day of Peace. It is a day to highlight and emphasize the importance of peace around the world. It is a day of non violence and ceasefire. It is a day to promote harmony in the world that continues to face the turmoil of major conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Iraq and Palestine and a regular threat of terrorist attacks in various

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-18384461434329189752011-09-13T00:40:00.001-04:002011-09-13T00:40:13.299-04:00

For some enjoying and drinking are synonyms. If it is a party, vacation, cruise, casino, restaurant, flight, weekend at home or a Friday night out, indulging in alcoholic beverages defines the fun. Probably there is a bigger variety of alcoholic drinks than soft drinks. What does alcohol do to us? A large number of people seem to enjoy alcohol in moderation. But alcohol and I don’t get along well

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-30232759676726068322011-09-06T22:36:00.001-04:002011-09-20T22:46:33.132-04:00

Riga, the capital of Latvia, is a beautiful city with a UNESCO World Heritage site, several tourist spots, and monuments. Minutes away from the seaport, Old Town of Riga is a perfect place to spend a day or a week. Museums, numerous churches and historical traditional European buildings make it a perfect place for tourist interested in history while a scenic park, Town Square, paved streets,

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-72467554387776248712011-09-02T18:09:00.001-04:002011-09-06T22:33:57.488-04:00

(For people who have not read my earlier quiz post, “Who uses this picture”:- I asked readers to guess the nature of business of a commercial organization that uses the picture on the left in the logo.) “Why are you smiling?”My wife asked me as I read my emails on my IPad. “I am proven wrong again”, I replied. “You are always wrong. That is not new. But why are you happy about it?” I was

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-46203984659343824092011-08-31T23:13:00.003-04:002011-09-06T22:31:04.540-04:00

While admiring traditional buildings of a European city, I captured a picture of a billboard used to advertise a commercial organization. The picture below is cut-out the same and is part of company’s logo.   Few more tips:- It is a European company with branches in at least two countries. The company has a website. Can you guess the business of this company? Lore tells fruits or food but

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-82570179971713632792011-08-28T18:18:00.001-04:002011-08-28T18:51:49.886-04:00

Irene hit hard on North Carolina. Fortunately Raleigh/ Cary area, being around 200 miles west of ocean, was spared by wrath of nature. However Outer Banks, my favorite vacation spot, is impacted by the anger of nature. Hurricanes are not uncommon in Outer Banks area but nevertheless they incur financial loss, disrupt life and leave a lot of work to clean up the aftermath. My heart goes out for

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-4824459738913570202011-08-25T17:09:00.001-04:002011-08-25T18:51:37.351-04:00

19 January 2010. I still remember the date of my accident in gym. On a bed in an emergency room of a hospital, suffering from severe pain in my left shoulder and arm, I tried to focus and understand the doctor but could not. I had a torn ligament in my left shoulder – an Orthopedist concluded based on several tests and X-Rays. He put me on pain killers, a sling in my left arm for six weeks

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-91077077163754542032011-08-21T19:21:00.001-04:002011-08-22T07:48:49.661-04:00

Reading a post on ‘Coincidences’ from my relatively new but very talented blogging friend Sunil Deepak left some traces of thoughts on probability of occurrence of various events. Thinking about surprises, I found out an interesting sequence: My very first blogging friend Queen’s (NRI Girl) birthday falls on 10th August. My second blogging friend Bindu’s (Insignia) birthday is 17th August (

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-67500320620056357032011-08-18T23:23:00.001-04:002011-08-18T23:23:03.016-04:00

On Wednesday August 17, 2011, several hundred people participated in a Candle Light Vigil at Bond Park, Cary, NC in recognition and support of Team Anna and its fight against corruption in India. Men, women, students, and youngsters joined hands for this common cause. Besides discussing the differences between the bills proposed by the government and Team Anna, people signed a petition for

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-39038314326556171502011-08-14T01:35:00.001-04:002011-08-14T21:04:16.391-04:00

15th August 2011 marks India’s 65th anniversary of Independence from British after a long struggle and a bloody partition. Where is India today after 64 years of Independence?   Achievement Yet to achieve / failure Economy India is 5th largest economy in the world after EU, USA, China and Japan Though India is rich, Indian people are poor. GDP per capita remains low and stands at 163rd

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-46449998415813398612011-08-08T22:53:00.001-04:002011-08-09T12:28:58.482-04:00

(Post with six pictures so allow some time for page to load. A picture follows its description. Click on the picture to see an enlarged version) Copenhagen, the capital and the largest city of Denmark is undoubtedly one of the coolest cities of the world. It is an environment friendly and often appears in the list of cities with the best quality of life in the world. While taking pictures in

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-77756041004118458952011-08-04T14:49:00.001-04:002011-08-04T14:49:24.556-04:00

Can you guess where I took this picture? Some clues: It is at the longest pedestrian shopping street of Europe. The street is in one of the most beautiful and environment friendly city. A large number of people bike to work in this city. You can cheat and refer to Internet. Let us see who answers first.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-32378734394023008862011-07-28T23:23:00.001-04:002011-07-28T23:23:10.414-04:00

Vacations are fun but some say vacations are stressful. Does vacation mean beach or a trip to mountains? A few consider lazing on a pool a perfect vacation but hiking and theme parks are also popular. For me a fun vacation means: Visiting new places: Exploring new cities, viewing architecture of the city’s buildings, getting sense of culture and tasting local food always provides opportunities

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-42336982791595405412011-07-20T23:27:00.001-04:002011-07-22T16:52:54.982-04:00

Oslo, the capital of a Scandinavian country Norway, does not sleep in summer. Locals and tourists enjoy outdoors with eighteen hours of daylight in summer months. Oslo is best described as forty islands with beautiful landscape, paved streets, statues, cafes, harbor, water front houses, and a lot of boats. Interestingly the Royal Palace, the Parliament, National Theater and the university are on

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-15564191373476639712011-06-27T21:18:00.001-04:002011-06-27T21:24:01.229-04:00

While we prepare for the 4th July, the US Independence Day fireworks and celebrations, here is my list of seven most interesting facts about the country: Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who signed the Declaration of Independence and served as the President, died on the same day: 4th July 1826, 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Franklin Roosevelt is the only president

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-33729747862226067962011-06-23T07:45:00.001-04:002011-06-23T07:54:24.082-04:00

With a series of islands and beaches, Outer Banks North Carolina is probably the best spot for a relaxing vacation. Besides beaches, light houses, stroll in the islands, & Jockey’s Ridge, Outer Banks offers several other activities for kids and adults. Wright Brothers memorial & museum at Kitty Hawk is the site of first flight that led to design of modern era airplane and in turn made this world

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-14634052515791746102011-06-21T23:41:00.001-04:002011-06-23T07:48:46.188-04:00

Let us see if you can guess who these people are and where I took this picture. Some hints. This place is popular for: Relaxing vacation and beaches Islands Invention of a machine that made this world a small place History But then who are these people? What are they doing on this beach? (Click on the image to see an enlarged version) PS:- Yes. It is a picture of actors of a play. See

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-70992721385936061522011-06-13T21:13:00.001-04:002011-06-13T21:13:21.362-04:00

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Alone and completely engrossed reading a book on philosophy, Sam lost his concentration. Sam thought of ignoring the call. He needed to relax after a tiring weekend. But loud ringing tone of six cordless parallel phones would not stop and it began to irritate him. He could not find any of six phones in his large 4000 sq. feet house. Sam ran upstairs for the

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-4124907307731782352011-06-09T08:00:00.001-04:002011-06-09T08:00:39.006-04:00

(This is the third in the series of posts on some of my friends for their achievements in life) Let me start this post with a question. What is life? My answer is: Life is what one makes out of a living body, mind and soul with a combination of fate and hard work. Some focus on physical fitness, some constantly nurture their mind by learning new skills while some devote their energies to enrich

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-73430856926342400182011-06-05T22:59:00.001-04:002011-06-05T22:59:56.976-04:00

The debate over the cause and effect of global warming will continue. Population growth & industrialization have increased energy usage and carbon dioxide emission. Cutting forests & tress and not planting new ones further amplifies the problem. The climate change is real. Long hot summers and extended cold winters seem to be the trend in this part of the world. Springs are autumns are lost

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-36245718510733832382011-05-31T23:34:00.001-04:002011-05-31T23:34:31.392-04:00

It is not unusual for phone to ring just at the ‘right’ time. (See the quotation mark around right). Of course it is absolutely essential to attend these calls. Let us see some of these ‘ringing at right time’ experiences: A hairdresser is diligently working on his hair. She picks up the sharp blade and starts cutting the sideburns. Ring Ring Ring. Instinctively trying to save himself from a

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-71770728975847190642011-05-25T23:18:00.001-04:002011-05-25T23:18:22.198-04:00

Head of State of two powerful nations visited Ireland recently. On his visit to Ireland, President Obama made a sincere effort to meet his distant cousin in a small village. The US, Irish ties are already strong and the President did not have to spend time on this non business related event. But he did. It was a great gesture. Last week Ireland also received Queen Elizabeth, the first visit of

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-25917346527852431252011-05-24T20:14:00.001-04:002011-05-25T23:23:44.550-04:00

Picture captures expensive chandeliers, luxurious furniture, golden colored plating on the wall corners and of course beautiful carpets. Can you guess where did I take this picture? Here are a few hints: This place is in a beautiful city with a river flowing through the center. This English speaking country has been recently in the news for two important unrelated reasons. Let us see who can

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-75902038033068338532011-05-22T12:14:00.001-04:002011-05-22T12:14:57.493-04:00

For my ‘Friends: A Role Model’ series feature, I asked a person that I always respected, “Do you want to be featured?” Her reply, “You have already raised the bar too high with the first post. I am surprised and flattened. What details to you need?” Expecting a similar answer, I asked her to confirm education, profession, hometown and struggle. She replied with her background, “I am a Dentist

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-36570947941970203412011-05-18T22:33:00.001-04:002011-05-19T08:51:18.223-04:00

Expecting parents spend hours and days discussing, debating and sometimes arguing about the potential name of the baby. (Well we all know the wife always wins but that is a topic of another post.) For some choosing a unique name is essential (even if people cannot pronounce it) and some are happy with a common name. Referring religious scriptures, name books, consulting priests, using horoscope

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-24430472663614372662011-05-15T22:33:00.001-04:002011-06-07T20:19:21.352-04:00

Capturing pictures of tourist spots is common but quite often memories exist close to home that we tend to ignore. My current home town Cary is a small beautiful suburb of Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. It is around 263 miles (423KM) south of Washington DC on the East coast of the USA. Downtown Raleigh is not like New York or Paris but it has its own charm of a small town. However the

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-38057512709793869412011-05-12T06:29:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:41:26.159-04:00

(This is the first of a series of posts on some of my friends for their achievements in life. I am starting with a friend who most bloggers know.) Let me start with a question. Tell me an Indian woman who I can call a role model for others. Is it Sonia Gandhi for controlling the government of the largest democracy or is it Pratibha Patil for being the first women President of India? Could it be

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-20310488754895750142011-05-06T18:20:00.001-04:002011-05-06T18:20:12.036-04:00

Anita gathered her camera, flash and tripod and entered the prom hall. She was designated photographer to take pictures at her daughter’s prom night. She instantly felt out of place as she entered the prom hall. She saw vivacious, slim, radiant stunning teenage girls with well done hair, perfect makeup, designer dresses, expensive purses, shining stylish shoes, and confident postures. With her

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-34914682272644427952011-05-01T22:44:00.001-04:002011-05-01T23:06:23.132-04:00

(Note:- Please click on pictures to view an enlarged and more authentic version.) “Hello, how are you doing?” I greeted my daughter as I entered home. “No,” she replied. “When did a NO become an answer to a HELLO?” I asked. “I mean I do not want to see your pictures,” she clarified with a chuckle. “I did not even ask you.” “But you were going to ask,” she said giggling. “How do you know

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-58460056765614529882011-04-26T23:41:00.001-04:002011-04-26T23:42:40.832-04:00

Several technical sites published the news about closure of Godrej & Boyce, apparently the last factory in the world that was still manufacturing manual typewriters. I was surprised that it closed down in 2011 and not earlier. Curiosity made me look into my stack of old documents to find one typed using a manual typewriter. Guess what! I found only one. My court issued marriage certificate

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-89368782473789961672011-04-21T12:55:00.001-04:002011-04-22T11:33:05.571-04:00

Some say that life is a learning process. Parents, teachers, friends and mentors facilitate in developing mental faculties. But sometimes unknown people help us to learn. At a photography lesson, Anna, a young girl volunteered to model for keen students. While the teacher talked about built in & external flash, soft & diffused light, background hiding and shadows; the young girl taught students

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-34125780296129184272011-04-17T19:17:00.001-04:002011-04-18T11:59:56.721-04:00

Life is short. One usually realizes it when an acquaintance or a friend suddenly departs the world. But Facebook made me recognize this fact today. As always, Facebook suggested a friend in ‘People You May Know’ column. Unfortunately he cannot be a Facebook or a non Facebook friend of anyone and a lot of people feel the pain of his death. This brings up a question in my mind. What happens to

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-27559691717174572352011-04-12T23:13:00.001-04:002011-04-12T23:13:40.508-04:00

Spring flowers can be a treat to a photographer. Two pictures of different flowers. Which one do you like better if any?  

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-11365741235706681132011-04-07T22:33:00.001-04:002011-04-07T22:36:08.975-04:00

A new sun A new day A new light A new beginning A new thought A new hope   Hope to change Hope to achieve Hope to win Hope to shine Hope to live   Live to learn Live to love Live to serve Live to create Live to laugh   (For photo enthusiasts: For this picture, I used Aperture Priority, F/22 aperture with speed 1/500. Later someone told me I could have spoiled sensor of my camera by directly

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-48445365865043372352011-04-05T20:46:00.001-04:002011-04-05T21:02:54.254-04:00

 The Maharashtra state government recommended center to award Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor, to Sachin Tendulkar. Per cricket statistics, currently Sachin has most runs and most centuries in the test as well as one day cricket. Besides a cricketer, Sachin is a successful businessman with several brand endorsements, sports management products, sports fitness products and restaurants.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-9630881287850472852011-04-04T00:02:00.001-04:002011-04-04T00:02:44.459-04:00

Like a number of my other posts, comments on my ‘Caption the Capture’ post are more entertaining and intelligent than the original post. Readers, my friends and my wife enjoyed reading all the comments and proposed captions. On the picture of a class room of a local high school, a number of intelligent readers left interesting comments and captions: Jidhu Jose: - Balls in Action Could not

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-54563257392395547312011-03-31T18:10:00.001-04:002011-04-01T17:10:25.917-04:00

While walking on streets, buildings make interesting subjects to photograph. However inside of a building does not seem very appealing. Hallways, rooms, corridors, staircase, tables, chair, computer, books, book shelves and cafeteria all look the same. Here is something that I found attention-grabbing in a building. Can you help me with a caption? Can you guess where did I take this picture?

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-2654440707538411902011-03-28T22:59:00.000-04:002011-03-29T08:13:44.285-04:00

No, the picture on left is not from India but it definitely reminds street markets of Mumbai and Delhi. Confusion, congestion and chaos give an impression of India but it is an experience of India right here in Raleigh, North Carolina. While shopping and eating, the viewers supposedly enjoyed two day long live performances of locals and special performances by Indian Idol Sreeram. The music

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-34098409948143931852011-03-20T23:31:00.004-04:002011-03-27T00:18:49.913-04:00

Located across Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City is one the most visited tourist spot in the World. The Forbidden City is a symbol of China’s dynasties, opulence, rich heritage and classical architecture. The Forbidden City design considered cultural aspects of China and carefully thought about every minute detail such as North South axis, colors of the walls, roof

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-49660629515423274172011-03-19T19:58:00.002-04:002011-03-20T23:37:12.552-04:00

This giant gate is a popular attraction in the center of a big city. The knobs or nails on the door are presumably gold. Similar to golden plate on lower end, the door has golden plate on the top end but not visible in the picture. This gate (along with other buildings of this tourist spot) was constructed more than 500 years ago. To give you an idea of the height of the gate, the person in this

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-35190536205795050842011-03-13T18:56:00.004-04:002011-03-13T19:32:56.704-04:00

I hear spring is beautiful with flowers bloom But why do I vouch sorrow and gloom I hear days are sunny and bright But why do I see ghost and no light I hear nights are fun and charming But why do I feel pain and suffering I hear life is full of joy and cheers But why do I find fear and tears I hear life is a love stage But why do I sense anger and rage I hear man’s intellect and power are

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-7684302901622400142011-03-08T22:52:00.000-05:002011-03-08T22:52:05.153-05:00

Love,compatibility, understanding, mutual respect, common interests, acceptance, maturity, equality, division of labor and friendship are some commonly quoted ingredients of life’s spiciest yet tastiest dish called ‘happy marriage.’ Our ancestors probably would say a husband making good money and the wife taking care of home is the recipe. Guess another factor in the equation of spouses.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-5457000985462994392011-03-06T09:44:00.000-05:002011-03-06T09:44:25.743-05:00

(A very talented fellow blogger Jyothi posted a beautiful poem (To a wonderful dream). By varying just a few words, here is an attempt to create another meaning and posted with permission of Jyothi) Love that is fulfilled without a single wordLove that brings in more joy than painLove that lasts till eternity The love left behind in the sands of time! Love that stood the test of time,Love that

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-32208639887037113962011-02-28T20:42:00.001-05:002011-02-28T20:44:23.406-05:00

(This short poem is dedicated to a very special person who celebrates her birthday this week on the 3rd) She is the reason for my life’s bash She is all four seasons in a flash In a moment, she is a mid Indian summer heat With just a smile, she is a sweet spring treat In a moment, she is a winter night freeze With just an embrace, she is an amazing autumn breeze She serves society with

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-55895355137041588632011-02-20T21:07:00.004-05:002011-02-26T21:19:45.866-05:00

(This is a sequel of my earlier work Saint Valentine: Villain Valentine  which was based on real incidents. If you have not already read, consider (do not have to) reading it before this story. Here is the link.) 14th Feb 2011. It was Valentine Day again. Running on his treadmill while watching The Early Show on Channel 5, Ajay heard his iPhone beeping with a reminder of Valentine Day. But

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-50552306529097386732011-02-13T21:14:00.000-05:002011-02-13T21:14:07.869-05:00

“What is the date tomorrow?” My wife asked early in the morning. Hoping to keep my morning trouble free, I recollected her birthday and wedding anniversary, “We have plans for your birthday next month and our wedding anniversary was last month.” “Don't you watch TV?” She stated with sarcasm. Luckily an advertisement with Valentine Day Sale interrupted the morning news. In my mind I cursed

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-45524881846863576272011-02-07T21:29:00.001-05:002011-02-07T21:30:42.686-05:00

Rays of light peeped through the window. Sunrise never looked more beautiful with sky embracing vivid colors. My eyes were suddenly wide open. My heart cheered up looking at the splendor of Mother Nature though I did not hear any birds chirping. Brighten up smile replaced boredom without any artificial stimulant. A tiny crammed place suddenly became enjoyable. Manually focused the lens and

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-81033895878767630892011-02-02T23:40:00.000-05:002011-02-02T23:40:24.346-05:00

“Oh! Hi Dad. Are you are already in Paris?” My daughter asked as soon as she picked up the phone at home. “No. I am still in the USA. Waiting for my flight to take off”, I responded while stretching my legs and looking outside from Boeing 777 plane’s window. “Okay. Why did you call?” “I just wanted to say bye and find out if you are doing okay” “I am good and bye”, uncharacteristically she

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-87149099708605433812011-01-29T22:24:00.002-05:002011-01-29T22:27:14.427-05:00

Social networking sites and email chains are pleading support for 30th Jan 2011 rallies organized by “India Against Corruption”. A number of prominent people and religious leaders support the cause and protests may influence the anti corruption bills. Waking up to fight against corruption is a good first step by Indian public. While waiting to see the impact of Anti Corruption rallies in sixty

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-27025832127655738172011-01-19T00:19:00.000-05:002011-01-19T00:19:42.329-05:00

“What is so good about Facebook?” My daughter asked a simple question. I tried to simplify, “Facebook is one big photo album to share pictures, comments and opinions with all your friends and view theirs.” “Is that why you like Facebook?” “Oh yes. I love Facebook but for different reasons. Facebook made my life so pleasant.” “It made your life pleasant. Really! How is that?” My reply surprised

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-11525432903751585262011-01-12T23:23:00.000-05:002011-01-12T23:23:37.143-05:00

A very peculiar news item on BBC website “Intimacy device lab ceases trading” caught my attention. Though not interested in a Scottish lab (Distance Lab), my curious technical mind would not give up the quest for the definition of so called ‘Intimacy Device’. Disbelief and astonishment stuck my brain and is still trying to comprehend that scientists can come up with something so bizarre. So what

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-4854251482083001782011-01-09T18:06:00.001-05:002011-01-10T22:50:41.199-05:00

A friend asked me to share my experience with a newly purchased iPad. Resting on a table, an iPad appears to be a traditional black diary or an agenda. But with just a switch on the right hand corner, it turns into an organizer, address book, newsroom, weather channel, calendar, small television, radio, book shelf, music player, photos viewer and an interface to the world. While iPad provides

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-22287190134283490432011-01-02T23:47:00.000-05:002011-01-02T23:47:07.868-05:00

Admiring snow clad tall trees, piles of white feather like snow on both sides of a winding road with a view of giant snow covered mountain Mount Shasta in the front, I heard everyone in the car saying, “Oh My God. It is so beautiful.” Quickly my daughter pointed, “Like pictures I see on Christmas Cards.” The scenery was simply spectacular and I could not stop myself from saying, “It is a small

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-89636922318593630172010-12-30T11:38:00.002-05:002010-12-30T23:08:07.002-05:00

Friends, family, teachers, and famous people influence one’s life. However my blogging life is a direct result of four unknown and random internet identities - Ashok, XYZ, LFC and Satish. Ashok’s insistence for a detailed explanation instead of my one line definition of ‘First Love’ motivated me to write my first blog ‘My First Love’. On completing one year of blogging, I thank all four of them

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-56339424375817894132010-12-21T00:49:00.001-05:002010-12-21T00:53:08.609-05:00

(Disclaimer:- Please do not read this article if you cannot or do not want to apply reason to religion.) “Do you need the USA visa? Just take eleven circumambulations of the shrine of the Visa temple,” Reddy advised the US visa seeker Srini. “Visa Temple! What is Visa temple? I never heard about it before.” “Are you new in Andhra Pradesh? It is Chikur Balaji (Vishnu) temple. We call him The Visa

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-18403670945941153142010-12-16T23:00:00.001-05:002010-12-16T23:02:37.067-05:00

“Oh My God, wow it is snowing”, my daughter screamed as soon as she got up this morning. “Yes. It is so beautiful”, my wife joined her at the window looking outside. She was right. White flurries, like small pieces of cotton, look beautiful. White accumulation on trees, bushes, sidewalks, grass, roofs and roads change the surroundings. Landscape appeared fresh, pure and unpolluted. Enjoying this

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-63713468717873355032010-12-12T21:18:00.000-05:002010-12-12T21:18:48.106-05:00

To stay happy in your married life, a wife shall never say to her husband: 1. “You don’t love me anymore.”This statement implies that you don’t trust him. Marriage is based on trust and understanding. Trust does not require romance and display of love. If you trust him, he does not need to make mundane statements of love all the time. 2. “Why is this TV program so important for you?”Do not

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-21346042965511172642010-12-08T00:42:00.003-05:002010-12-08T09:04:33.139-05:00

To stay happy in your married life, you shall never say to your wife: 1. “You don't look good”She may seek your opinion while viewing her-self in a full length mirror “Do I look good in this new outfit? Give me an honest answer PLEASE.” Ignore the plea for honesty. Disregard the mirror. She always looks good. She cannot look out of shape in any outfit of any color at any time. She is perfect. 2.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-65159729681789865352010-12-04T07:56:00.001-05:002010-12-05T10:39:21.831-05:00

We all know why birthdays are special. While we celebrate birthdays of family and friends, we tend to ignore the birthdays of people we interact every day at work and blogs. Why not celebrate a blogger birthday on blogs? December 5 marks birthday of a humble, grounded and unassuming blogger Jyothi. Let us all wish her a Happy Birthday. May God fill your soul with divine light Your days be

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-40501834920130826312010-11-29T22:39:00.000-05:002010-11-29T22:39:09.444-05:00

Is not Wikileaks brouhaha already over in one day? Did public or media find anything worthwhile in hundreds of diplomatic cables published on Wikileaks websites and summaries in numerous newspapers? •The US government imposed strict sanctions against Iran and clearly indicated that it will try all diplomatic avenues to stop Iran becoming a Nuclear power. Leaked cables confirm it. •India openly

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-80090418814104791192010-11-26T17:31:00.001-05:002010-11-26T18:05:48.054-05:00

Beautiful sight of Taj Mahal Palace hotel right across Gateway of India, reminded me of 26 Nov 2008 terrorist attacks. Suddenly I felt sad for all innocent people who lost their lives. Suddenly I felt sad for friends and families of security and police personnel who lost their loved ones trying to save others. Renovated within two years, Taj Mehal Palace’s restored parts opened on 15th August

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-25860759690967725112010-11-20T21:44:00.000-05:002010-11-20T21:44:44.264-05:00

A regular female reader, Devie, explained why she assumed my gender wrong. “I guess I was misled primarily because 99% of the blogs I read are written by women and it was a quick generalization on my part since there was no mention of your gender. Also, you're pretty considerate in letting others share their opinions and aren't overbearing with yours – a trait I've seen more frequently in women

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-20603226682303885732010-11-14T13:12:00.000-05:002010-11-14T13:12:11.902-05:00

14th November marks birthday of India’s first Prime Minister and a prominent freedom fighter Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru became the Prime Minister of India at the most turbulent time in the subcontinent. Creation of a new state, transition of power, partition, communal violence, Kashmir war, mass migration of Hindus from Pakistan and integration of princely states were some of the key issues that

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-58734849924738150462010-11-11T11:03:00.001-05:002010-11-11T13:42:18.684-05:00

The wind whispers as I walk through the red falling leaves The air is cool The days are dark but divine The sound of dancing leaves breaks the silence of the surroundings And that I know autumn is here Dear Readers, can you make a guess where and when I took this picture.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-27590819716648736982010-11-08T23:10:00.001-05:002010-11-08T23:13:14.230-05:00

Designer Unknown (2007 Fashion Show)  (A friend asked me to write a post on Fashion. Fashion is not my forte but a few months back blogging was not my book either. So I decided to take on the challenge. I dedicate this post to all Fashion Designers, Fashion Bloggers and Fashion Loving Females i.e. almost 99% females of the world.) Design by Tina of NY (2010 Fashion how) Attending a couple of

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-15050889562785108392010-10-31T20:20:00.005-04:002010-10-31T21:02:49.967-04:00

(My daughter is the author of this post.) Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated all over the world. Diwali word is a contraction of word ‘Deepavali’ meaning “row of lamps.” The legend is that Lord Rama, his wife Sita and younger brother Laxman returned home after 14 years of isolation in the forest and winning a battle with Ravana to rescue Sita. They arrived home, Ayodhya, on a dark

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-22208681399685028832010-10-26T19:29:00.000-04:002010-10-26T19:29:50.708-04:00

“I am really sick. I feel very tired. I am so lethargic today,” my wife said as soon as I entered the house. “Oh! I am sorry. Let me make you some hot soup,” like a caring husband I asked. “No. I don’t feel like eating anything,” she replied while yawning. “Maybe you should go to bed,” like a good husband I suggested. “No. I don’t want to sleep.” “May be we can watch a chick flick in home theater

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-77061019119263647372010-10-24T20:02:00.002-04:002010-10-24T20:05:49.049-04:00

24th October marks anniversary of the United Nation Organization (UNO or UN). With the key goals of avoiding a third world war, maintain international peace, improve economic and humanitarian co-operation, the UN was founded on 24th October 1945 as an International organization with 51 original members. Currently the UN has 192 member countries. Is UN successful in achieving its goals? Despite

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-24769235502643485642010-10-18T23:14:00.008-04:002010-10-18T23:30:00.923-04:00

“A man is getting married to two women within one day” I updated my wife with a seemingly interesting news. “It is not possible. It is not allowed?” My daughter instantly barged in. “Yes, it is allowed in Pakistan” I replied. “Is it still allowed in Pakistan?” My wife asked. “Morally and legally it seems to be allowed. But that is not the real problem with two marriages” I replied. “What is the

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-9111490495299621122010-10-14T23:37:00.000-04:002010-10-14T23:37:30.259-04:00

Reading through articles on Science, an interesting article crossed my eyes. I read and reread it. The article essentially says airline food does not taste good because of the background noise. I believe in scientific approach to prove a hypothesis but sometimes common sense should prevail. Regardless of the finding on 48 participants, I think theory is flawed. •With more than a million miles of

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-33107825314279153442010-10-10T23:41:00.004-04:002010-10-11T12:20:47.527-04:00

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month. Why it is important to be aware of it? Domestic violence hurts a victim physically and emotionally. While black eye, marks and sometimes life threatening injuries are visible signs of physical violence, the psychological effects are far reaching. •Domestic violence crushes the soul of victims because perpetrator is an individual or a set of

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-13279360963488092442010-10-05T23:34:00.004-04:002011-07-03T14:00:17.834-04:00

Yesterday Dr. Robert Edwards was awarded Nobel Prize (Medicine) for inventing in vitro fertilization (IVF), a technique to fertilize a human egg in a test tube to create an embryo. Using this technique, four million babies have been born and it fulfilled the desire of couples who could not have children otherwise. The Nobel Prize committee specifically quoted the treatment of infertility as the

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-66034416648219446902010-10-01T23:30:00.003-04:002010-10-02T13:55:11.697-04:00

The world respects Gandhi and his principles of civil disobedience based on non violence. India considers him the Father of Nation. His outstanding contribution to Indian independence stands out. Historians have written books on him, his philosophy is a research topic of pupils while some consider him a shrewd politician. But what makes him Mahatma? In my mind Gandhi’s constant effort to create

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-34773253951106599592010-09-28T17:43:00.001-04:002010-09-28T21:10:10.998-04:00

The Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition seeking rescheduling of the Allahabad High Court verdict on Babri Mosque/ Ram Jamam-Bhoomi dispute and in turn the verdict is due on 30th September 3:30PM IST. In preparation for the verdict, the security is being beefed up and a lot of people believe the verdict will be challenged. Regardless of the decision, the chances are, dispute will continue.

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-77575462037210160552010-09-23T22:07:00.001-04:002010-09-23T22:26:38.421-04:00

I read somewhere “The difference between a caricature and the caricatured ceases if the subject is a politician.”  It is so true. Let us read some recent statements of politicians. Commonwealth Shames (ops sorry Games) mess led some Indian politicians to make a few unintelligent statements. Sports Minister M S Gill had compared the Games to a typical Indian wedding — where there is chaos right

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-32220759066686608342010-09-19T17:47:00.002-04:002011-03-17T19:16:35.485-04:00

1.Roots: You can take an Indian out of India but cannot take India out of heart. It is so true. A person, born in the USA with parent migrating from the UK to the USA and with grandparents from Kenya to the UK, takes pride in Indian roots. Supporting financially to parents, brothers and sisters living in India, is still common. Most NRIs visit India as often as possible to meet family, friends,

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-16198168685386419822010-09-15T08:58:00.000-04:002010-09-15T08:58:47.441-04:00

1. Indian Standard Time: Arriving at a party several hours late is usual for Indians living here in the USA. In a recent party, a sole non Indian couple guest asked if they could come at 8PM instead of start time 6PM. Guess what! The non Indian couple was the first one to come while most others arrived after 8PM. 2. Return after use: Taking pride in exploiting return policies of department

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-16835229466602119322010-09-11T13:12:00.003-04:002010-09-12T18:55:13.272-04:00

My heart goes out for the friends and families of victims of 9/11. In my opinion, it was not a war against America. It was a terrorist act against the world and the humanity. People from seventy countries living, visiting or working in New York died. The victims were hard working innocent people with no influence, connection or relevance with policies of any state or country. Even after nine

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1397334331072386353.post-46917154005597562672010-09-07T22:09:00.001-04:002010-09-07T22:44:23.610-04:00

(Before I start this post, I would like to thank everyone that commented on my earlier post.  I truly appreciate the encouragement and spirit.) A Lebanese American artist, Kahlil Gibran’s quote reads “Art is a step from what is obvious and well-known toward what is arcane and concealed.”  By chance, this photograph attempts to prove the same but not completely. Fog masks the houses and

Amrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16023510703283897521noreply@blogger.com22