A New Milestone

First of all HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

On the occasion of my birthday, I complete some milestones and begin my life's next milestone by deciding to do something new on this day. After much thought I have decided to move my blog to the Promised Land i.e. WordPress.

Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. ~Pauline R. Kezer

Fellow bloggers and WP users convinced me. Yesterday my feed readers count suddenly decreased from 19 to 14 and drove the last nail in my blogger coffin. And so I moved. All my readers, visitors, commenters and feed readers are requested to update their blogroll with this new url. My new feed is available on this url.

New Blog : http://opinionsandexpressions.wordpress.com/

See you all there!!!

Lost Love and Fair Skin

An advertisment of Pond's White Beauty face cream is being aired on TV nowadays which shows a guy dumps his gf and 3 years later she comes to know he is a celebrity now and engaged with another celebrity girl. The ex-gf sees an ad of the product which claims to give "a white glow" (read: become fair skinned) and starts thinking...rather decides to buy it. For part 1 of the story watch the video. Now in part 2 the fiancee is shown to be a short tempered girl who cares more about her fingernails than the gifted diamond ring. The ex-gf uses this cream and becomes all fair and glowing and the guy comes to her flower shop (by chance) and can't stop ogling at her. She is still in dilemma whether to tell him that she still loves him.
Now my point is do these Pond's guys intend to show that an ex-bf can be won back by becoming fairer??? If that is so then should a guy who apparently dumped you for your looks be wooed back??? Even if he didn't dump you on basis of looks , still should he be wooed back at all??? that too by becoming fairer n all??? What is with this prejudice against the dark skin in India when we are on the receiving end of racism?? I think the British rule made the Indians fascinated with white skin and we have not got over that yet. All dark or wheatish colored girls are made to think as if they are some misfits and have to apply all sorts of creams or soaps to become fair to get married or an audition or guy or whatever. Infact now guys are also being targetted and urged to become fair to woo girls!!! In arranged marriage being fair is a must criteria for the girl, no matter how the guy looks. Being very fair is a bonus. The qualifications and the nature of the girl are hidden or compromised upon after seeing her shining beauty. In fact I suspect even in an affair the girl may use such creams to keep her guy happy lest he leaves her for some more "greener pastures".
This prejudice and discrimination irks me no end. My elder sister is wheatish colored whereas I'm fair. Since childhood I've listened to many comments on the difference which has made me very annoyed with people who advocate fair color. Even when I was 7 yrs old or so, I gave a piece of my mind to some 70+ old men in my mother's village where we had gone for vacation. They had dared to say "how different Niru's (my mom's name) kids are in color" or words to that effect. I have seen my roommates desperately using these products. For what? for whom? Someone who will judge you and accept/reject you by your looks? So much effort for that? Does being fair give confidence? Helps you win laurels?? No I don't think so. I admit being fair does give an edge due to all the pre-existing prejudices and morons who judge by a person's looks but if you have it in you no one can stop you for getting what you want. Be it clearing a job interview or getting your guy or winning an Oscar. Check out Halle Berry's Oscar acceptance speech.
As for winning back ex-bfs I don't think a jerk like the one shown is that much of a trophy and if it was so easy as made out to be in the ad then there wouldn't be so many heartbreaks in the world. You know the ad says "sometimes life gives you a second chance"....and the second chance is cosmetic product????? what #@#$&%!
Part 3 of the ad is awaited. First time I'm waiting for a sequel in an advertisement and curious to know what will they show ultimately.

P.S. Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless: peacocks and lilies, for instance. ~ John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice

My Look Alikes

I got this funny game from Sulz's post. I had once read somewhere that there are atleast 7 people in the world having same facial features. I found 8 having similar faces as mine!!!! There are 2 more who are not celebrities and not listed in the website MyHeritage.com because people have mistook me few times in real life for two different lady teachers in two different colleges in two different cities!!!

Beyonce!!!!!!!! Hee hee :) :)
Ahem! Monica Lewinsky ...Umm ..No problem..its about face resemblance only.
Atleast I didnt get any suggestion that my face resembles anyone of opposite sex. [Amit :P]

World War 3.0

So now I know how the world is going to end. It will be annihilated by the commencement of World War III. How did I reach to this conclusion? Read on.

There was a bomb blast in Thane, Mumbai on June 4 2008. Some more bombs were recovered live from other places. Two Hindu extremists have been arrested for the same. Supposedly they belong to some Hindu organizations called Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) and Sanatan Sansthan. Read the whole news here. Now after this happened, the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamna ran an editorial in which Mr.BT (the editor) advocated "build-up of Hindu response to counter the 'growing Islamic terrorism' in the country while ridiculing members of a Hindu fundamentalist organisation held for low-intensity bomb blasts in Thane." Of course it doesn't matter that 7 people died (correction:injured) in the blast and my guess would be all of them were not Muslims. What is the problem if 7 die (correction:get injured) among 13 million population of Mumbai? Sacrifice must be made for the greater good, right? I guess this is the convoluted mentality of these people.

So Mr.BT has commended the creation of Hindu suicide squads as a tit for tat for Islamic outfits. I've already expressed my indignation over how irresponsibly leaders speak and behave. But this has crossed the limit. How can a leader in his sensible mind ask his people to form suicide groups for spreading violence? How can he ask them to sacrifice their lives and families to die for his absurd cause or rather I presume his personal vendetta? In today's world how can a leader champion the cause of terrorism and blood for blood? Our Nation's Bapu must be turning and tossing in his grave!! (yes, I know he was a Hindu) How can a leader encourage his people to take the law in their own hands?

I condemn such fundamentalist leaders of any country who show the path of violence and bloodshed to their people. Instead of waging wars why doesn't he encourage people to form cleaning squads to keep Mumbai clean and water logging free?
According to Mr.BT these Hindu squads should go to Islamic countries and carry out bomb blasts there. I guess if this happens those countries will retaliate and US & EU will jump in too in the foray. Taking the opportunity China may attack India from other side. And thus World War 3.0 will ensue. And the world will come to an end.

On second thought, that might be a good thing. Everything will start anew after humans have wiped out each other. Sigh! A 6 yr old kid is wiser than a 80+ adult.

Click to enlarge and read

P.S. Logos credited to northernsun.com

The Other Side of Bench

All of us have been students but few have got the opportunity or have chosen to be on the other side of the benches as a full time job. It provides a different perspective, an understanding of the things which seemed to bother as students, some shocking realities, some realizations and some funny moments. And it helps if one doesn't forget his or her time on the bench. It helps not only to connect but also to see through many tricks of one's students. These are few thoughts for all students out there from the Other Side of Bench.

#1 Some of us are always aware what each one of the class is doing and can make out who is faking writing down the lecture or looking out of window lost in thoughts or ogling at a girl classmate. We can make out when a student starts to press calculator buttons just to show he/she is solving the given numerical when we approach his/her bench.

#2 Don't think the invigilator won't know what you are up to when you crane your neck forward or when you lean back sliding little on the seat. We know that's when you are going to asking your friend answer to a question. All other tactics ( I'll not mention here) are also known to us and sometimes we just pretend to ignore.

#3 Writing absolute nonsensical/irrelevant stuff or repeating the same words over n over again and making the pages of answer sheets look filled is not going to work because we read before giving marks.

#4 Literally writing Ramayana in Hindi for 5 pages just because you had time to kill in the exam room is not going to help either. We are secular when valuating answer sheets.

#5 Why do guys need to write in scrawly handwriting and draw horrible diagrams? Even if the roll number is hidden we know which one is a girl's copy and which one a guy's. And girls, please don't use glitter pens. We don't like our palms and faces to shine.

#6 Writing "Sir, please please ( 5-10 times) pass me. I'll be eternally grateful/I'll touch your feet/You'll get my good wishes" in the end of your answer sheet is not going to help. Firstly a Madam may be valuating your answer sheet and she may get offended by the presumption of Sir. Secondly, unless you have written enough to be passed no pleading will work even if you write "Om Sai Ram"/"Om Ganeshaye Namah"/"Jai KaalBhairavi" at the beginning.

#7 Some of us are merciless and some are generous in valuation. So, once you have passed, even on border marks, DO NOT apply for revaluation. 95% chances are you'll fail.

#8 We have a personal life too. And sometimes we are really busy personally or professionally and unable to give time to solve your doubts. That doesn't mean we don't care.

Click to enlarge and read

P.S. Wish I could take and post snap shots of some classic answer sheets I recently valuated but that was against my ethics. Cartoon images (except C&H) credited to clipart.net