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- Archives: June 2008
- Concert Review: In Pursuit of Manna Dey, Part 1
One thing was becoming more and more apparent - for a casual music listener Manna Dey does not seem to have much of an appeal
- Jeffrey Archer's Blogging Mistake
Jeffrey Archer confesses in his blog how he's surprised to find out that Bombay and Madras got their names changed.
- Attrition And New Recruits
Especially new joinees leave the firm, a little after the embryonic stage of their job career cycle.
- Book Review: Hacking - The Art of Exploitation
The main thing about the treatment of the subject matter is that the clarity of thinking of the author is very prominent.
- The White Tiger & Superstar India : An (Un)likely Duo
One is a comment on India from a servant's point of view while the other from the master's point of view.
- Pedicures and Paedophiles in Paradise
In Nepal the cost of a child's life is worth about the same as a pedicure
- Pakistan and India - The Short End of the Stick
Peace vs. nationalism in the sub-continent
- Rajasthan Royals Win IPL Twenty20 Championship Off Final Ball
The victory was an exciting moment. The teams were visibly tensed, and it was an emotional scene.
- Machiavellian Revenge
The older Indian males are powerful and yet they lose out in the competition for sex to less powerful young males. So, how do they
- Book Review: Quondam by Jayel Gibson
What makes this book a novelty is that Jayel Gibson is herself a gamer and believes that video gaming is actually good for people.
- Why the Western Invasion?
When was the last time you saw a non-NGO Indian website which had Indian faces? At the most it might have the token Indian or
- Manguide 5: Bollywood Pin-ups
what you can tell about a man by his favorite Bollywood pin-up.
- Tobacco: Gift From the Great Spirit or Global Epidemic?
Blame it all on the Indians, the American Indians, that is.
- Jinnah, Advani And Jinnah
There is peace in the pursuit of peace.
- Restaurant Review: Nanking, Hyderabad - Pioneering Indian Chinese Cuisine
A Hyderabadi Chinese restaurant started nearly 50 years ago, still caters to the Chinese needs of the city as it's always full!
- Fiction: Malady of the Emotional Refugees
She had always been labeled a non-conformist, a rebel; just for being, just for standing independently.
- The Onion Jokes About Indian Call Centers And Malaria
At what point does a joke stops being funny?
- Me, The Chor Magnet.
Tell me something - what are the chances of walking in on an intruder who has parked his arse completely...
- Taking Stock of The IPL Effect
The success of the IPL can be gauged by how much the IPL had become a part of our daily life!
- The Builders' Banditry
Scarcely a day passes when some property dealer is not accused of some murder or extortion.
- Obama vs. Clinton - De-Sanctifying Politicians
In this era of specialization, is it practical for us to expect our politicians and heads of state of be impeccable human beings in all
- On Volga and Other Restaurants Not Gone "Disco" Yet
I do hope restaurants such as Volga and Embassy among others in Delhi, will not change or go “disco”.
- Arabian Nights
Who really is blinkered by the burqa?
- Oil Price Hike - The Left and the Right
It is easier to sit in the back seat and give directions to the driver, than driving an automobile.
- The Case of the Fat Air Hostess
An overweight air hostess and an overweight policeman - who would be a bigger liability in their job setting ?
- Little Deaths in the Garden
He enraged me and so was killed with poison.
- Poetry: jibal al tariq/ gibraltar
if mirages desert us in quick-sand, what then
- Intimidation of the Press
The Democratic State and the Lumpen have both used power to further their own ends.
- The World Congress of Information Technology 2008, Malaysia
Some thoughts on the discussions at the World Congress of Information TechnologyDr Bhaskar Dasgupta
NEWS | Media: Internet | Media: Citizen Media | Media: Blogs | BizTech: Web 2.0 | BizTech: Software | BizTech: Management | BizTech: Jobs | BizTech: Internet | BizTech: Innovation | BizTech: Globalization | BizTech: Gadgets | BizTech: Entrepreneurship | BizTech: Economics | BizTech: Customer Service | BizTech: Consumers | BizTech: Companies - Indian Prime Minister Calls for Austerity Measures
This is political posturing at its worst, instead of actual measures to reduce wastage and expenditure.
- Book Review: Making Things Happen
Hard-pressed Project Managers would definitely like the sage advice of people in as difficult situations as they face on a daily basis as part of
- The B-C-O of American Politics - Through Children's Eyes
The word "Obama" gets a red line as the editor does not identify this word- time to update the text editor.
- Film Review: Kung Fu Panda
A wonderful summer entertainer for the entire family
- Writing, Toilet Seats, and Everything in Between
One moment I’m a writer, and the other, one more of 3 billion people who write and publish, many on them on their deathbeds.
- India - The Dichotomous Republic
A paradox exists between the principles laid down in our Constitution and the practice.
- Stale Wine With Mouldy Cheese - The ‘French’ Experience
My brush with inept bureaucracy and rolls of red tape
- Book Review: Tarbela Damned - Pakistan Tamed
The plot is complex as the protagonists set up their plans, and this makes the book a page turner.
- Malaysia – Truly Asia But Not Fully Asia
A review of Malaysia based upon my first short trip to that delightful country.
- Deccan Chronicle And The Naked Art of Selling News
Youngsters like to see naked truth in newspapers, not naked women.
- Sexing Up Disasters
Smugglers from the Bay of Bengal smuggled what they could into the area as the Junta frustrated Official Relief Ships
- It’s Saturday, So Eff You
I lifted my air-gun sized cellphone off the nightstand: 3 AM. Are we standing still in Time? Heh? Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva, what the fuck is
- Secret Rules for Air Hostesses
A satirical look at airline service quality and the recent Court ruling on air hostesses
- Philanthropy - Giving it All Away
Foreign contributions to scores of Indian voluntary organizations, religious groups and charitable institutions every year touch nearly Rs 5,000 crore.
- Unsanitary Peeing Habits Of Urban Indian Women
Unlike men who are generally sure short aimers and don't deliberately spray at will, women continue to indulge in uncivilized peeing.
- The Right 'Ism' For India
With Gandhian philosophy perhaps we would have gifted the world with a new "ism".
- Civic Sense : Of Budding Brahma Kamals and Blooming Idiots
Let him leave only after he has managed to produce six healthy budding Brahma Kamals to show as his exit pass
- Fear and Hate in Indian Politics
Stoking emotions, is easy for the short term gains of leaders and long term perils for the public
- On Mercy Killings and Euthanasia
One way of looking at it is that it’s her life and now that she is legally an adult she should be responsible for it.
- Perceptions and Culture
What I thought was a beautiful work of Body Art evinced apoplectic reaction from my colleagues.
- A Veiled Insult
What does it mean to wear a full veil in the Western world?
- Fiction: Baby Massage
She smooths her lips into a straight line, hopes her left nipple isn’t giving her away.
- Book Review: Mountains Beyond Mountains
Paul Farmer, Ophelia Dahl and Jim Kim, Tom White and their bunch come through as incredible people.
- Keeping An Eye on Government Spending
Money is siphoned off through middle-men, local politicians, workers, and the entrenched mafia.
- Kitchenomics
After trial and errors, by lunch time I had that “Pongal” break-fast ready.
- Pakistani and Indian Madrasas - A Fine Balance?
Have the political environments of madrasas in two different countries affected their programs and curricula?
- Delhi Development Authority Bureaucracy Sadistic, Says High Court
Citizens of the country have mostly bad thoughts about interacting with Government bodies.
- The Homo-Desi-Graduatus: Desi Graduate Students in the United States
A case study of the evolutionary behavior, salient features and general observations of the desi graduate student.
- A Woman Among Men
It was good to not have to keep judging various contenders for my attention, juggling them and playing them against each.
- The Pleasures of India Gate
While watching these families enjoying themselves, I thought about the vendors there.
- The God Question
I sat down, feeling snubbed. I was seething inside. Did my question not deserve an answer, even a small one?
- Poetry: wrinkles and other poems
moments captured and frozen
- Book Review : Kali-Katha: Via Bypass by Alka Saraogi
Alka Saraogi has captured well the compulsions that made the Marwaris come away from their distant Rajasthan to Kolkata.
- Snoring in Peace
Snoring intensifies with consumption of alcohol or sedatives.
- First Day Of School And Anxious Parents
The otherwise tranquil school was in chaos. Dealing with parents especially with the newbie ones was tough.
- poetry: against an azure sky and the dieffenbachia
a mountain, a hobo, a woman and a dumb cane
- Movie Review: Aamir
In such a realist movie, there are no good guys. And that's the scary part.
- The Insignificance of Breaking News
Our media is deciding a case, opinionating the public and literally handing out the verdict for one and all even while investigations are on.
- Review: Hobnobbing with Hobson-Jobson
Words we take for granted as authentic English like loot, bandicoot, catamaran, godown, verandah have their roots in Indian Languages.
- Switch-Hits and Misguided Motives
Cricinfo reports today that the MCC has approved Kevin Pietersen's so-called "switch-hit" reverse slog for six which drew so much attention this week
- Book Review : Speaking of Empire and Resistance by Tariq Ali
No matter what view point we hold- this book will make the reader sit up and take note.Shantanu Dutta
REVIEW | Culture: Books | Culture: Books - Non Fiction | Politics: Asia | Politics: Empire | Politics: Europe | Politics: Freedom | Politics: Governance | Politics: Middle East | Politics: Pakistan | Politics: Peace | Politics: Religion | Politics: Terrorism | Politics: United Kingdom | Politics: US | Politics: War | Politics: War on Terror | Politics: World - Right Of Admission Reserved For Consumers
This sort of blatant elitism makes me want to throw up. It isn't capitalism at its worst but lack of humanity that we tend to
- Downtime, Uptime: 10 Suggested Activities
A list of 10 things to do during your free time
- What the Heart Desires
It was interesting to watch Dil Chahta Hai seven years after the now iconic film was released.
- Bagheera, By Any Other Name: My Black Panther
Leopard-fixation is caught at an early age when a child is vulnerable to the environmental and psychological influences of the mysterious jungles of India.
- The 'M' Word Part 8: The Numbers Game
When it comes to a marriageable age woman, it’s a completely different ball-game.
- The Right To Cuss
When am I allowed to cuss for real?
- Book Review: Dragon Queen - An Ancient Mirrors Tale
It would be unfair to compare this book to some of the classic fantasy books but nevertheless; this book stands on its own.
- The India-US Nuclear Deal - What Happens Next?
Going by current conditions, the Congress Government will buckle down
- Government Considers Reviewing Anti-Dowry Laws
A harsh law has a strong potential for misuse and there is an urgent need for reform.
- I Refuse To Be Fashion Conscious
Whether it be the bumble bee shades or the tent like tops with tights people have now gone crazy looking their worst.
- Bangalore: Following the Kempegowda Tower Trail
These towers in four directions were the limits to which the then kings thought that the Bangalore city may extend to.
- George Carlin, Comedian and Cynic, Passes Away
George Carlin came of age, in the media sense, as it were, in the 1960s and 1970s, the time of Johnson and Nixon.
- Poetry: Into The Arms of Morpheus and Other Poems
a thought appeared/over the horizon/captured it/on my laptop
- Playing On Vulnerabilities
I know you are looking for a "raise", which is not happening, the healer said and continued 'that's the problem with all "self starters"
- Easy Warm Summer Vegetable Salad
This colorful salad is great served warm when it is first made
- A Letter To My Boss
I feel that sometimes I should be allowed not to come to the office without any reason.
- The North South Divide in India: Language, Culture, Prejudice?
The perspectives differ with individuals and not with communities.
- When Kiran Met Karen : Masterpiece or Titillation Vehicle?
The good news is the storyline seems to deal with lesbianism as a normal way of life.
- Love And All That Jazz
Is it just me, or does anyone else see the irony of an arranged marriage advert that promises love?
- Kashmir Protests - The Federation of the Indian State
Is this the fate of all large societies?
- Book Review: The Art of Black and White Photography
A well-documented book covering the whole gamut of black and white photography
- It's Time To Stand Up And Stand Tall
If more gay celebrities came out it would make it easier for others to do the same.
- Thoughts Inspired By A Sack
How an apparently inconsequential tidbit can set off an entire chain of thought about the human dilemma!
- Sex Bloopers
Before your eyeballs pop out, let me rephrase this. Sex Bloopers that I’ve Heard Of from Friends.
- The Vagina Dialogues
Wish me a happy birthday since I'm being reborn. On second thoughts, don't say a word. Just listen as we speak - my vagina and
- ‘Mommy Dearest’ - The Controversial Legacy of Mother Teresa
The brief curriculum vitae of Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu does not do adequate justice to the extraordinary career of Mother Teresa.
- Children - We Can Make a Difference
This is a story of the worst kind and at the same time the best human behaviour ladled on to the people who can least
- Elie Wiesel And The Kingdom of Night
In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Elie Wiesel recounts how surviving the holocaust forever changed his view of life.
- Cram Junkies
It is common to see bright and talented high-schoolers dissipate over four years into mediocrity at engineering school.
- Movie Review: The Happening
The shock value of the film plays on both usual disaster movie themes and classic American Paranoid styles.
- Mercy Killing in India
Is India ready for physician assisted death of terminally ill patients?
- Tech Review: Vysr - A Lookup Bar, Not A Toolbar
It aims to enhance the browsing experience by giving easy access to popular services within the current view of the web page.
- Infected by Inflation
Inflation is a rapidly spreading infection and potentially fatal among the particularly vulnerable.
- Dangers of Exercising the Right to Information
Such measures to victimize a RTI applicant need to be condemned across the board.
- Movie Review: Laaga Chunari Mein Daag - The Figurative Womb
As unlikely as it may seem, this movie made me think about a mother's lifelong responsibility towards her children.
- Book Review : Cherry Bomb
The Ultimate Guide to becoming a Better Flirt, a Tougher Chick and a Hotter Girlfriend, And to Living Life like a Rockstar
- Dark Windows - Respecting Traffic Rules
Who actually is responsible for breaking rules?
- Movie Review: The Ruins
Shyamalan could take a few lessons from Carter Smith.
- Poetry: Bajan Claire Collins
imprisoned and conditioned by suspicions and stereotypes
- Short Story Review : "Supriya at Fifty" by Prasenjit Gupta
Some things are irretrievably lost as one becomes a citizen of the world from being the native of a town.
« May, 2008 || July, 2008 »
- Concert Review: In Pursuit of Manna Dey, Part 1
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