Anjali Anjali... Anjali!!!

Remember the hit song many years ago where we had our small cute Baby Shamili?

Recently I happened to see a telugu movie "OY!". I actually saw the movie coz it had Siddharth in it. But as I went through the movie, I liked the acting of the heroine too. Apart from some silly comedy in between, the movie was superb. Then, I enquired about this new heroine with a telugu friend of mine. I was shocked to hear that this is the grown up Shamili. I was completely bold out! She is beautiful, good at acting and adorable!

I have to say that Shamili still ROCKS!

Afternoon snap!

A fantastic view of city of Iowa City on a typical mid summer afternoon! The distant building seen at the other far end is the University of Iowa. The snap was taken from the 4th floor of parking lot of the Old Capitol Mall in Iowa City downtown. The Iowa River flows in between the downtown and the main universtiy campus. Is it not beautiful?

When H2O and gravity come together!

Photo Courtesy: A dear friend from Bangalore via forwarded email!

Happy Gowri Ganesha Festival to all!

I got to know its the festival weekend back in India. This is the second time in my life I am out from home during the fest. The first time was during my Internship, 2 years back. I couldnot get leave as I had my duty in the famous Govt Hospital in India, serving patients was equal to serve God. And this time, I am completely out of track here in US. I remember during childhood, even till my college days, I never missed an opportunity to get the Ganesha Idol to our house! My Grandpa used to do all the rituals, prayers and how we used to follow his instructions.

Then in our Hostel, we used to keep Ganesha with us for 11 days and then with bursting crackers and shoutings slogans for Ganesha, we used to say "Meet U next year"!!!

The days are not the same anymore.I donot know if I will be able to attend the festival in Future as life gets busy! I miss all the pomp, glory and of course the tasty food of the famous Gowri Ganesha Festival.

So here I am to wish each and everyone a very happy festival and may Lord Ganesha bring joy and prosperity to his devotees!

Nature's Rangoli !!!

Photo Courtesy: They come to me from Arkansas through my dear friend from Columbus :-)

My Name is Khan!

I recently read the news of Shah Rukh KHAN being held up in Newark airport. I agree that Shah Rukh Khan is a celebrity but that is only in India & not throughtout the world!!! He should understand it and behave like any other normal citizen if he is asked to co operate. This is very common in US due to high security reasons.

Just imagine if Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise or Tom Hank would have been held up in some Indian Airport, Would it have been the same level issue! How can some custom official who sees only hindi movies recognise them.

I donot think this is an issue which can be considered to spark the friendly relationship between two nations which boast to be the top economies in the world! How can Shah Rukh Khan say "I donot feel like stepping on US soil again" He has been shooting most of his movies here only. Still if he has that opinion, who is forcing him to! He is neither a social worker nor some leader. He is just an actor. Even I am a fan of his acting but I personally donot support him on this issue. If he had told its all routine, he could have been considerate someone who loves not to be an issue. Shah Rukh, "Be Practical, You are an outsider wherever you go except in India"

Who knows, this may be another publicity gimmick for his "MY NAME IS KHAN!"

Saare Jahaan Se Acchhaa!!

I wish each and ever Indian a very Happy Independence Day!

Picture Courtesy: A dear Indian friend from Muscat!

In Memory Lane # 10

After finishing the puja at Sigandur, We left towards Kollur. On the way, as usual all the people in the back seats of our Sumo started to feel nauseated and we decided to stop for half an hour. Status of Dr. MC & Dr. M was quite bad. But our Dr. BM was in his usual Josh as he was sittin in th front seat with me! So we thought of having a walk around. That was the time when the movie "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" had released. We were discussing regarding that when Dr. BM thought to enact as a Shah Rukh Khan in front Sumo Wrestler, he assumed me to be the one! And there we were in the middle of the road playing characters of a bollywood movie. Crazy people were are, no doubt in that:-) Meanwhile, Dr US & Dr. A were also accompanying us for the walk but seemed to be busy clicking their cameras. Time passed by, people's nausea progressed to vomiting and then back to normal. We were all set to go again. On the way, I saw a peacock and shouted so that all could have a glance at the wonderful bird. Dr A commented,

"Dude, that bird ran off hearing u shouting!!!". I hope u can see the bird in the photo:-)

We reached Kollur in an hour few playing cards and few dozing off. When we reached Kollur, it was damn hot and 2pm. We came to know that temple is going to open again only at 3. We cursed ourselves for spending time on road. Few told "Lets leave", Few told "No No, We have come, lets take the blessing of the powerful godess Mukambika", But there was our Dr Pocket who told, lets have prasadam first, then we can take the blessings! Fascinated by this idea, we were successful enough to make to the last batch of the Prasadam. We had stomachful of typical lunch as prasadam, hot rice with sambar! Dr Pocket was dissappointed that the sambar fellow didnot come again.. he he.

By the time we came out, we were reminded by the absence of Dr BM & Dr US. We thought they might come by the time we get back from the puja as they didn seem to be interested in it earlier. But we all were found scolding them at 330 pm when they didn turn up. Nobody was interested to search them. "Lets leave those 2 fools and leave", Dr Pocket declared. But me and Dr M were kinda serious fellows who went in search of them Tired up, we had an opportunity to have nice ice cold Sprite in between. Finally we came back empty handed. There was no mobile network working there. So we thought these 2 fools will get nicely from all of us when they come back, at that very instant there was that super Colgate Smile of our Dr. BM in distant far and behind was skinny Dr US. Dr. Pocket was about to hit at them when he was controlled by me. They told they had been to the Puja of the Goddess!!! We had searched whole of Kollur for them except at the temple, Damn!

Driver Arumugam shouted "we are getting late sir!" He had already started the vehicle. We all jumped into it and started towards Murdeshwar where we planned to make a halt, but different things were waiting up for us!!!

Blame the system!

The following is a recect article in Times of India.

BANGALORE: Even as cities have started invoking the Epidemic Act after the tragic death of young Rida from Pune, a key hospital in Bangalore which is authorised to treat H1N1, seems to be taking it easy.

Sample this: a patient with symptoms of swine flu goes to the hospital for a check-up; the doctors ask her to wear a mask and go home, and come again the next day.

On Wednesday, a Times Now journalist visited Victoria Hospital, posing as a swine flu patient. She was not only taken to the isolation ward without any prior check-ups, she was also asked to go back home.

When she explained her symptoms to the junior doctors, one of them took her to the isolation ward straightaway. “I just came back from Singapore and I have been having symptoms like fever and severe cough. I got it checked, but the doctors said it could be normal cold. After the Pune incident, I got very worried and that’s why I came here for a check-up. I live with my sister and she has two very young children,” she said.

The junior doctor explained the procedure of getting admitted to her: that throat swab samples will be taken the next morning and sent for testing. Till then, the patient could keep her face covered with a mask and stay at home. “You can go home today. Don’t go near the children and keep your face covered. Come back tomorrow morning and get admitted. Your throat swab will be taken and if it tests positive, you will be isolated for five days and put on Tamiflu,” she said.

The journalist also asked if there are enough stocks of Tamiflu in the authorized government hospitals and the doctors confirmed that the situation was not very bad. In spite of the patient repeatedly reminding the doctors that there were very young kids at home, the doctor told her: “It’s ok if you don’t get admitted today. If I tell you to get admitted now, will you? Go back and consult your family and then come."

Now it is not the doctors to blame. What the Junior Doctor told speaks of pure common sense. In India, the status of Government Hospitals is as it is. No people who have money come or get admitted to the Govt. Hospital. This person who has come from Singapore can be assumed to have enough money for her treatment at a private set up. Its almost obvious that even if anyone is advised to get admitted, they would get back to home and get advise from the family. Usually no one in Victoria gets admitted without a companion to look after them as there is not enough staff to look after each and every patient. Over that the Junior Doctors are intelligent enough as to diagnose who is malingering and who is not! So they must have found out what this journalist is upto. If she had been a true Swine Flu Patient, they would have recognised and also the patient would have naturally told that she shall discuss regarding admission from her family. But here the case is not so!! It is a very common scenario of cases of malingering at the hospital where the person comes and gives false story to get admitted to the hospital for the sake of food & shelter which is almost free. So the doctors are experts in identifying them and avoid their admission. Here the Doctor has played good role of both identify the malingering and also speaking common sense.

So its not the Doctors or the media to be blamed, Blame the system!!!

Effect of Technology!!!

Source : Mail from my dear friend in Muscat!

NGC is amazing!

These are the most amazing pictures taken by National Geographic Channel team. I couldnot resist myself putting them up in my blog!

Hats off to NGC!

Courtesy: One of the most

special friend of

mine from Shimoga who sent them to me as a forward mail!

T

Movie Review # 3 LUV, AAJ KAL !

Love AAJ KAL

Director: Imtiaz Ali

Rating: 3/5 stars [***]

Here is one more Imtiaz Ali special menu for the 'Generation X' bearing very typical shadows of "Socha Na Tha" & "Jab We Met". I will conclude the theme of story in just 3 lines at the end!

The movie is a very nice blend of 2009 & 1960s. Saif Ali Khan, as usual is best in his performance and gives whatever he has. He never feels old, Evergreen. Its very interesting to see him play younger Rishi Kapoor [New Veer]. The latter's love interest played by Giselle Monteiro, 1960's traditional punjabi girl "Harleen Kaur". She being a Brazilian model is nothing less than an eternal beauty. Rishi Kapoor plays the Love guide guiding by his own experience. Its when the New Saif realises that he is very much similar to Old Saif. Confusing right! But Watch the movie. Its sort of a fresh breeze with regard to editing which first feels so haphazard. How can I not mention our Bangalore 'Om Shanti Om' gal Deepika! She has done a neat job as Meera Pundit, but still her hindi feels to be somewhat artificial. It lacks the natural ishtyle! It is a delight to see Neetu Kapoor as the new Harleen.

The story is of 2 generation X people, Saif [Jai Vardhan Singh] & Deepika Padukone who are more career oriented and assume they are very practical. Having no belief in Long term relationships, they are happy with the life they are having. But the separation makes them learn what they have lost and what mistake they did. In the mean time, we are taken back to Old Saif's [Veer Singh] love life & his triumph. Only the song "Yeh Duriyaan" hums in the ear after watching the movie, very similar to Jab We met's "Hum to Chalne lage"

Ok, now the theme of the story:

1) Human Psychology for Love is eternal and never changing even with ages!

2) Please, Please & Please realise who is your true love before you lose them, Keep them for life and Never hesitate to express yourself!

3) Hear to elder's voice who are more experienced and were once similar to us, just a few years ago!

I have to say that we are waiting for one more brilliant piece for Imtiaz like "Socha Na Tha"

Watch the movie for its unique editing & obviously entertaining one:-)

They call it FRIENDSHIP DAY:-)

What better article than regarding "FRIENDSHIP" can I get to write as my 51st blot on 1st of august!

Celebrated on every first sunday of August, a day dedicated to a UNIQUE relation called as "Friendship". A relation purely based on trust. Rather than a relation, its a feeling. Its a wonderful concept supposed to have started way back in 1935 in US which gradually spread out throughout the world

There are many people who may argue that why a day for it! But don't we have a day for our independence, for our Gods, for our country, for many great people of the past, for our parents, for brothers & sisters, for environment, for population, for pollution, for heart, for kidney, for AIDS! Come on, we deserve to have a day for the beautiful bliss known as "Friendship".

Friendship is never compulsory but always voluntary! It is something which happens automatically. The age, the sex, the country are all no bar for friendship. True friends neither need to be close not in regular touch, they should have each other in their hearts always.

They have always stated that "A friend in need is a friend indeed". But thats not always true, each of us have our own restrains. Understanding & knowing each other is the an essential factor of friendship. One of my friend quotes : Everyone is a friend until proven otherwise!

Friends need not be alike too, many a times they are so different from each other. A friend never says "You are mine", but say "I am there for you"! Friends they quarrel, they have misunderstandings, they have disagreements but atlast they are the ones who stand by us.

As life passes in different paths, we meet many people on & off but only few agree to walk along us, they are called as 'Friends'. I wish that every creature on earth could enjoy the feeling of "Friendship"

A very very very happy friendship day to all of my friends whom I am missing so much!

Photo courtesy: It is very obvious that the pictures are from unknown source. But I thank my dear friend from Chennai who sent them to me!