jai ma Saraswati

                                              Two-and-a-half  months ago. I started out from a very dark place. I was in deep depression because I was laid up in bed thanks to my back. I was eating all kinds of junk food - all the cupcakes and brownies that people were sending me to make me feel better. I was in a very bad state emotionally. With all the education I have about health and fitness, I didn't see a way out in the short time I had to prepare for LiFe. Which is why I want to share this transformation tale with the world. I want to break the myth and tell people that we are all the same. We all can get in that state of rut, we all can get unhappy, but there is a way to bounce back. Being sexy is just a state of mind. My aim when I woke up that morning and took that "fat" picture of myself was to get so healthy that I would never be in pain again. I've lived through so many injuries and so much pain, that I can count on my fingers the days when I was pain free. I decided I needed to explore this possibility of the human body in a way that has not been done. My goal was to be pain free; the aesthetics is just a by-product of me wanting to be healthy.

Arranged Marriage

For centuries, arranged marriages have been the tradition in Indian society though men and women have always had the choice of who they want to marry. Even today, the vast majority of Indians have their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family-members, with the consent of the bride and groom. Arranged matches are made after taking into account factors such as age, height, personal values and tastes, the backgrounds of their families (wealth, social standing), their castes and the astrological compatibility of the couples' horoscopes. Generally this is done to reduce culture shock for the bride and groom as most families are extended families.

In most marriages the bride's family provide a dowry to the bride to safe guard herself and her children in the event of her husband passing prematurely. In most families the inheritance of family estates pass down the male line.

In India, the marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce rate is extremely low — 1.1% compared with about 50% in the United States. The arranged marriages generally have a much lower divorce rate, although divorce rates have risen significantly in recent years for love marriage. The divorce rates of marriage is increasing nowadays (3.5%)[

"Opinion is divided over what the phenomenon means: for traditionalists the rising numbers portend the breakdown of society while, for some modernists, they speak of a healthy new empowerment for women." 

Recent studies suggest that Indian culture is trending away from traditional arranged marriages. Banerji et al. surveyed 41,554 households across 33 states and union territories in India in 2005. They find that the marriage trends in India are similar to trends observed over last 40 years in China, Japan and other nations. Fewer marriages are purely arranged without consent. The study found that majority of surveyed Indian marriages were arranged with consent. The percentage of self-arranged marriages (called love marriages in India) were also increasing, particularly in the urban parts of India. A 2006 article reported that between 10 and 20 percent of marriages in urban India were self-arranged.

Barbequed sweet potatoes with fresh herb pesto

Ingredients:

8 peeled medium sweet potatoes, into 1-inch [cm] cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

1 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed chilies

1 teaspoons salt

Fresh thyme sprigs

Fresh rosemary sprigs

100 gms pine nuts

Preparation:

1. Preheat barbecue to medium intensity, to approximately 400°F [200°C].

2. Make a fresh herb pesto with herbs, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil. Make a fine paste of that.

3. Into a medium bowl, delicately mix together sweet potato cubes with this pesto and Evenly arrange seasoned sweet potato cubes into lightly oiled cooking rack.

4. Barbeque until soften and just golden, for 20 to 30 minutes, turning often.

What is wrong with our society ?

                                       What an amazing New Year gift for Indian women! A police chief and a Minister telling them that if they get harassed, molested or raped, it is actually their fault. We have heard this before on many occasions. But coming as it does just as the New Year dawns, it is a bit of a downer for all those who thought that perhaps our society would finally accept that women are equal citizens and that if they continue to be sexually assaulted, there is a sickness in our society that must be tackled. Not quite yet, it would seem.According to Indian mentality if women wore flimsy clothes, they provoked rape. So, ‘provocative', ‘obscene' clothes equal an invitation to rape. The more things change, the more they remain the same. Despite decades of campaigns for women's rights, against sexual violence, for stronger laws, the deeply ingrained view that women had it coming to them has not changed.

Public memory is notoriously short on most issues and people like the young man who has written, presuming he is young, are probably unaware of the long struggle waged by the women's movement in India against rape. He and others like him have probably never heard of Mathura, a 16-year-old tribal girl who was raped by two policemen in the Desai Ganj police station in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district in 1974. Mathura had gone to the police to register a complaint about her missing husband. Even as her relatives waited outside for her, she was assaulted and raped by the two men. Did this attack have anything to do with what she wore? Did she invite the rape? It was a question of power. The police had the power; Mathura did not.

Or take a more recent case, that of the rape and murder of 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama in Manipur in 2004, allegedly by the security forces. Did it matter what Manorama wore? Her rape and death triggered the iconic naked protest by a dozen elderly Manipuri women in Imphal, who stood before the headquarters of the Assam Rifles on July 15, 2004, with a banner stating “Indian Army Rape Us”. The “Imas” or mothers as they are called, have continued to protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and are the main support group behind that determined and brave woman, Irom Sharmila, whose indefinite fast against AFSPA will soon enter its 12 th year.

So, how is women's attire relevant when the subject is rape and sexual assault? When little girls are raped, can they be charged with being provocative? When old women are raped, can they be accused of wearing ‘obscene' clothes? When a woman is simply going about her daily routine, and she is sexually assaulted, can we turn around and tell her that she should be ‘dignified'? There is no dignity in being the target of violence for no other reason than that you are a woman — old, young, thin, fat, dark, fair, any caste, creed or class. To reduce the heinousness of this crime to such triviality, by bringing up women's attire, is a crime in itself. And for law enforcers and lawmakers to do so, is even worse.

BaJaJ RE 60

                                         Bajaj Auto has made a foray into unchartered territory with the RE60, which as of today is the most cost effective, cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicle on the planet. Some may refer to it as a small car, however it does enough to break away from what we would term as a conventional car to be something unique and totally different. The RE60 boasts innovation in design and functionality and unravelling this unique four-wheeler concept, already signed off for series production.

How to Socialize, Be Funny and Make Friends

1.    Just be yourself. Don't be afraid to express your opinions. If someone insults you, just ignore them. The people who are jealous and hate you will be outnumbered by the people who love you for being yourself.

2.     Be optimistic. Even if you are feeling really down, remember that there's always something out there to smile about. A positive outlook will make people want to be around you a lot more. Be cautious, however. There's a point where optimism can be annoying. Don't be too optimistic.

3.    Crack a joke. (Having a sense of humor is important, but don't get too carried away, there are some things you have to be serious about.If you joke about your friend in a rude way it could damage your relationship with them.

4.    Smile as much as you can! Signs of encouragement let people know you care about what they are saying. But have a reason to smile. Make it clear you have a reason to smile with humor or optimistic words. Smiling without a reason, or smiling too much may creep people out.

5.    Share interesting/silly ideas. Your thoughts can open up many doors that can lead to friendship.

6.    Listen more than you talk. Instead of nodding and smiling and occasionally wiping the drool off your face, try to take what the person says and run with it. Add your own thoughts into the mix - but don't hijack the conversation.

7.    Start by doing little things if you are very reserved. For example, every time you go to school, work, or wherever, say hello to one person and have a one-on-one conversation with them.

8.    Say "hello" to those that don't talk much. (Share something about yourself, such as where you're going or why you're there. Avoid talking about the weather - as Tom Waits says, "Strangers talk about the weather." Try to compliment them.

9.    Don't expect perfection out of anyone, especially yourself. For example, if you forget your own name while introducing yourself (which probably won't happen), just make fun of the situation.

10.  Be Patient. If you are still among strangers, the apprehension of a conversation may cause a delay in comments. Don't worry, that will go away in short order.
11.  Talk to older people, maybe even your own folks. They will be less likely to ridicule you, therefore making it easier to learn to talk well.

12.  Place importance on making social contacts. The people who are considered popular may not be the sharpest tacks in the box, but they are acquainted with important people who may contribute to their future careers. It is never too late to feel that being popular is important. If your work environment allows for it, host a party, organize a sports game, etc.

13.  Love yourself. It is difficult to like others when you do not appreciate yourself for who you are. Try exercise to improve your self-esteem. Start your journey to "self-discovery."

14.  Be loyal. Little things count. If you make an appointment, be on time. If you're in a group, show up early, and stay late (even if you don't have anything to say at the moment).

15.  Be nice to others. Always give compliments, but don't try too hard. If you are shy, take a deep breath and risk it - you never know what might happen. Again, if you are shy on the outside but a little crazy on the inside, let it out once in a while. Wear your hair up high and spin around or dance. Others will laugh and find you funny and fun to be with.

16.  Try not to be defensive over something that is possibly your own issue. For example, don't shout, "Why are you so prejudiced?" or "Why don't you like women?" when due to past situations you may just be overly sensitive. Try to always believe the best of others and give them the benefit of the doubt that can go a long way in getting to know the real person. If it turns out they are a bigot, then move on to befriend the next person and don't waste any more energy. It may take a few tries to find friends that "click." And anyway, if you're arguing with someone about something stupid such as shoes, drop it. Try to get out of arguments that are dumb. If you're arguing because you were sticking up for your friend such as something like someone was making fun of her and you were trying to stand up for her, then I completely understand.

17.  Be honest. Lying will make people not want to be your friend any more, because they will not trust you anymore.

Predictions for 2012

For Telecom Scamster:
Professional Life
A possible 4G scam!

Personal Life
Personal life will be going down as you are going to spend most of your time in jail.

Love will still be only for money and more money.

You will have a new member in the family (possibly a new partner in crime).

Travel
You will travel... there are chances of moving to another country for another scam.

Warning
Kill Civil Evil is out to get you


For Stock Market  Scamster :

Professional Life
Rigging world markets and making money in Dollars, Pounds, Euros, Dirhams etc.

Personal Life
Your personal life will crash faster than the sensex. It will go through more ups and downs than the stock market.

Travel
Global meeting in prisons around the world.

Warning
Kill Civil Evil is out to get you

For the Political  Scamster :

Professional Life
Your political mind will take the country for another grand ride!

Personal Life
You will continue to make and break relations, to suit your purpose. You will succeed in taking advantage of people to move up the ladder.

Travel
You will visit small villages for false promises. And also sun bathe in exotic beaches. All your travel expenses will be taken care of by ‘Tax’ money the common man pays.

Warning
Kill Civil Evil is out to get you