Why do we never wish "HAPPY NEW MONTH"?

New Year is approaching and everyone around is looking at innovative ways to wish a happy New Year. A thought just occured to my mind - Why do we never wish "HAPPY NEW MONTH"?

Being good is worth it

There are two types of people – good and bad. There isn’t anything like ‘almost good people’ or ‘almost bad people’. The sooner you realize it, the better.

A few appreciate people who are good, but the rest and majority of people who are bad make use of good people. And yes, if you are good, you are not allowed to make even one tiniest mistake. Even if you do it accidentally, even if you are sure that it’s not a mistake, the bad people put it in the ‘bad deeds’ category. And please note that ‘bad things’ listed by bad people are actually good things that are wrongly listed under bad category. But then, since the majority of people are bad, things listed by them in the bad category are eventually considered bad by the world.

That the world is good is a proven-over-a-million-times myth. But good people, who insist on staying good, try to be optimistic and believe that the world is good / the world can be good / bad people will one day become good / there are a very few bad people. The fact is that there are more chances of good people becoming bad rather than bad people becoming good.
So the number of bad people keeps increasing and you notice lesser and lesser good people as time passes by.

But whether you are good or bad, remember this:

When you are on your deathbed remembering the time you spent in this world, you would certainly not want to feel bad about anything you did.

If you have been bad, you would wish you could relive your life and rectify all the bad deeds you did. This would include the smallest bad thing you did like being unfair to a person who really cares for you. But then, obviously you won’t be able to rectify your deeds and die with a deep and unfulfilled wish. And people you knew might either not remember you after a while or would only recall all the bad things you did to them and others.
If you have been good, you will remember that you have done so much good. You won’t lie repenting as you would not have anything to repent for. There would be loved ones around you who will always remember you for your good deeds. And you will pass away smiling.

When we say life is short we must remember that the time on the deathbed is shortest. Because if you want to change anything when you know you are dying, you won’t have any time at all.

So try to be good, because it is worth it.

The sorry 'state' of Indian students

Indian students being bashed up in Australia is a big deal. I agree it has to be. Indian students from one Indian state being bashed up in another Indian state (for whatever reason) is not a big deal. I fail to understand why.

Recession Definition 2009

Recession is like a gun with 1 bullet aimed at you. You are destined for 1 shot but you really don’t know the bullet rests in which compartment. Oops layoffs.

Are you a cruel husband?

Husbands beware! Coming home late regularly without informing wife is cruelty, says the High Court.

In the current scenario, late working hours are a reality. Let me correct myself ‘regular late working hours’ are a reality. However, coming home late without keeping the family members informed is unfair. And trust me, the High Court (by High Court, I also mean the lady of the house who is often termed as the ‘high court’) is very serious about this!

"Such type of conduct on the part of the husband amounts to cruelty to the wife," observed a division Bench comprising Justice P.B. Majmudar and Justice R.V. More. The high court added that the husband should at least inform the wife on telephone. Read more here.

Wondering why no one’s talking about women coming home late without informing their husbands? Well, you really think it’s possible that women would ever miss an opportunity to call up their husbands and inform them about blah blah…?

Getting used to

Getting used to things is tough. Getting used to ‘getting used to things’ is a bad habit.

5 Easy tips to get silver jewelry for free

1 - Buy / make your husband buy the latest design in silver.
2 - Tell people it's your birthday / anniversary and silver is in your wish list.
3 - Attend a Punjabi marriage (be on the bride's side), hide the groom's shoes and demand silver stuff for joota chupaai.
4 - Quit your job and hint a farewell. Casually tell people that you were thinking of buying that silver set since long.
5 - Try to touch the clouds... every cloud has a silver lining.

Confused Whether You Are Confused Or Not?

"Since confusion is not as confusing as it seems, try not to be confused when you think you are confused or rather try not to be confused when you are confused whether you are confused or not."

- Anuradha Khanna Pentapalli

Just bought Nokia E63 phone!

It was about time I bought a new mobile handset. And as always, I wanted to be sure about what I must purchase. I was sure about certain things, unsure about the rest.
For sure, I wanted to pick up a Nokia or Sony Ericsson with at least 2MP camera, FM, better navigation and email / blogging features. What I was unsure about the price range I should opt for. Well, the last time my Nokia phone worth Rs 10000 plus drowned in water. So I didn’t want to buy a very expensive handset.
I was okay with a broad price range: Rs 7000 to Rs 14000
My colleagues had recommended the business phone Nokia E63. And then it would help me blog too. I do have a soft corner for Sony Ericsson though. That made things tough. After reading reviews and consulting friends, I had to decide between Sony Ericsson C510 and Nokia E63.
Eventually, I finalized on Nokia E63. Why? Well, I found the buttons of C510 keypad a bit uncomfortable. And then Nokia E63 gave me the QWERTY advantage. There was price difference of just around Rs 1000, Nokia being on the higher side.
The first day with Nokia E63 has been good… love the navigation, speed and the preloaded games! Yet have to explore many features. Let’s see!

Am Loving the Nine West Jewelry

I loved the Nine West Jewelry when my best friend Ranjeeta gifted the sparkling silver set to me. It’s just so elegant. Little did I know that I’ll receive a million compliments after I wear it! Thanks Ranju for the cute necklace with earrings.

Perseid meteor shower / shooting stars in India on 12th August 2009

Perseid meteor shower will be at its best on 12th August 2009. And yes, if skies are clear, Perseid meteor shower / shooting stars will be visible in India too!

What is Perseid meteor shower?

Well, while orbiting around the Sun, comets leave behind a trail of debris. Now when earth passes through the same path, a meteor shower is visible as these the debris particles burn in the earth’s atmosphere.

This time, the earth will be passing through the trail of debris left by the comet Swift-Tuttle. It takes as much as 130 years to orbit around the Sun. so the rare sight will not be visible to us again.

Solar eclipse July 22 2009 - Surya Grahan 2009

Solar eclipse in India:

Bhopal
1.Eclipse begins before Sunrise
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:22:11 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:23:47 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:25:23 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:22:51 AM

Patna
1.Eclipse begins at 05:29:57 AM
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:24:37 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:26:31 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:28:24 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:29:29 AM

Varanasi
1.Eclipse begins at 05:30:03 AM
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:24:10 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:25:44 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:27:17 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:27:34 AM

Gaya
1.Eclipse begins at 05:29:34 AM
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:24:26 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:26:04 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:27:41 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:29:00 AM

Surat
1.Eclipse begins before sunrise
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:21:16 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:22:54 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:24:33 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:19:53 AM

Ujjain
1.Eclipse begins before sunrise
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:22:51 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:23:40 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:24:30 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:21:56 AM

Vadodara
1.Eclipse begins before sunrise
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:22:41 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:23:20 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:23:59 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:20:27 AM

Siliguri
1.Eclipse begins at 05:30:26 AM
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:26:33 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:28:26 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:30:23 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:40:45 AM

Darjeeling
1.Eclipse begins at 05:30:35 AM
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:27:01 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:28:30 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:29:58 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:33:07 AM

Sikkim
1.Eclipse begins at 05:30:40 AM
2.Total Solar Eclipse Begins at 06:27:15 AM
3.Greatest Eclipse Phase at 06:28:30 AM
4.Total Solar Eclipse Ends at 06:29:58 AM
5.Eclipse ends at 07:34:10 AM

Source

Total Solar Eclipse in India on 22 July 2009

It’s true that the total solar eclipse will be visible in India on July 22, 2009. The time of the solar eclipse is from 5:28 am to 7:40 am (Indian Standard Time / IST). However, the total solar eclipse (when the sun is not visible at all) will take place from 6:26 am to 6:30 am.

Where will the total solar eclipse be visible in India?
As per reports, the total solar eclipse will be visible at the following places:
Bihar - Patna
Gujarat - Surat
Madhya Pradesh - Bhopal
Uttar Pradesh - Varanasi
West Bengal - Darjeeling
North Eastern States

Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai will witness a partial solar eclipse.

Chandra Grahan / Lunar Eclipse on July 7 – Not in India

A penumbral lunar eclipse / chandra grahan (in Hindi) will occur on July 7, 2009. However, the lunar eclipse will not be visible in India. The eclipse will rise over Australia after dusk on July 7. It will set over western North and South America in the early predawn hours of July 7. It will be difficult to see the eclipse with the naked eye.

Magnitude of the penumbral lunar eclipse: 0.156 at its maximum

Eclipse visibility: North America west of the Great Lakes, Hawaii and Alaska. The moon will be high in the sky over New Zealand and eastern Australia.

What is lunar eclipse / penumbral lunar eclipse / chandra grahan?

What is lunar eclipse / penumbral lunar eclipse / chandra grahan?

When does lunar eclipse / chandra grahan occur?

Lunar eclipse / chandra grahan takes place when the earth is in a straight line between the sun and the moon. Due to this, the earth’s shadow falls on the moon.

When does a penumbral eclipse occur?

Now, earth’s shadow has two parts: umbra and penumbra. There is no direct solar radiation within umbra. But in penumbra, the lighter part / outer portion of the earth's shadow, solar illumination is only partially blocked.

A penumbral eclipse takes place when the moon passes through the earth's penumbra. What happens as a result is that the moon’s surface appears a bit darker.

Vikas Swarup's Book Q&A - Slumdog Millionaire's Foundation

Slumdog Millionaire - Based on book Q&A written by Indian author Vikas Swarup.

It’s true I haven’t read the novel Q&A. I want to. I will. But I’ve watched the movie. And what a movie! Can’t watch it again because while it’s an amazing piece of work, while it’s a genius of a concept, while it shows us the reality… it makes me feel sad, really sad.

My mother in law wants to know about the movie, she woke up early in the morning to catch up with Slumdog Millionaire winning awards, but yet, she refuses to watch it. She can’t see little children suffer. No one can. Wonder how some inhumane ‘human beings’ can do such evil deeds as showcased in the film or I would rather say brought to the world’s knowledge by the author Vikas Swarup.

While the movie is winning praise all over, somehow I feel a gap. We hear all names – Danny Boyle, A R Rahman, Anil Kapoor, Gulzar, Loveleen Tandan, Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan… truly deserving! But somehow Vikas Swarup’s name is not echoed a lot. Wonder why in the acceptance speeches, people don’t mention the writer’s name! Come on, how would you have made / thought of the movie if you hadn’t read the story in the Q&A book?

Let’s take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Vikas Swarup without whom the movie wouldn’t have been thought about!

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2009

I look forward to Kala Ghoda Arts Festival every year. Just got the info on dates. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in 2009 will be on from 7th February to 15th February.

Will keep you posted! Until then, click on the title of this post to go the official Kala Ghoda Festival website.