List of World's Most Expensive Things in 2012

While 2012 was a recession year, many high-net worth individuals still found money to splurge on some of the world's most expensive things, and live a luxurious lifestyle. Let's take a look at some of the world's most expensive things in 2012:

1. Worlds's Most Expensive Car: This car is the Bugatti Veyron Supersport, which is priced at S2,600,000
2. World's Most Expensive Dog: This dog is a fuzzy Red Tibetan Mastiff dog named Big Splash. The dog is a rare breed, and was sold for the price of $1,500,000.
3. Worlds's Most Expensive Watch: This luxury watch is the diamond encrusted 201 carat Chopard watch, priced at a whopping $25,000,000.
4. World's Most Expensive House: Beating luxury mansions and private island homes in the most developed nations, Gujrati businessman's monstrous home in Mumbai, India takes this honour. This 27-floor skyscraper is valued at a mind-numbing figure of $2,000,000,000. 
5. Most Expensive Shoes: These shoes are the Harry Winston Ruby slippers priced at $3,000,000. These shoes were made to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz. Also, see this diamond studded Cinderella shoe, priced at $500,000 for a single shoe. 
6. The Most Expensive Private Yacht: This yacht is the magnificent 'Eclipse' yacht, which is priced at a huge $590,000,000. Also see this list of cool luxury private yachts and Boeing VIP private jets.
7. World's Most Expensive Mobile Phone Case: This is the diamond-studded London Lotus iPhone 5 case, which is priced at a $302,985.
8. Most Expensive Christmas Tree: This is the pure-gold Mickey Mouse Christmas tree, which is made by Japanese jeweller Ginza Tanaka, and displayed in Japan. It is priced at a majestic $4,200,000. 
9. World's Most Expensive Horse: This horse is a thoroughbred colt named Green Monkey. He was purchased for $16,000,000 at an auction, and will race in the Kentucky Derby.
10. World's Most Expensive Kitchen: This is the Fiore De Cristallo luxury kitchen, which is priced at about $1,604,700.

What do you think of this list of the world's most expensive things in 2012? Would you like to add any other expensive items to it?

Arvind Kejriwal Sucks - Foreign Funded or Not?

I'm sick and tired of seeing Arvind Kejriwal-related news on every television channel. Arvind Kejriwal totally sucks. I wanted to see videos of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan's wedding functions, but there seemed to be a total blackout of their wedding by the media. Why?

I am beginning to believe Salman Khurshid's allegations about the media being paid to 'promote' and 'publicize' Arvind Kejriwal's allegations. There's big money involved in politics, with businessmen paying millions to promote a political party, which would give them the maximum benefits when they come to power. This is common in the United States, with parties receiving huge funds from corporate houses.

It seems to me that a lot of money has been pushed in by businessmen (both Indian and US-based) to promote Arvind Kejriwal's so-called 'exposes', and bring in a government to power that would be more flexible to their needs (who would loot the people even more and exploit India further). This was ever since Sonia Gandhi told Hillary Clinton to buzz off, last year.

Otherwise, why would the media totally blacklist and blackout Kareena Kapoor's wedding functions? News about the Saifeena wedding would have definitely got more eyeballs, higher ratings and better advertising revenue for the television channels...and we all know that the media does not have a conscience when it comes to raking in money.

The only logical reason: The media (read television channels like India Today's Aaj Tak and Headlines Today) are making more money by promoting Arvind Kejriwal's scams. Only a few channels (ones with low ratings) like India TV were showing Saif Ali Khan's wedding-related news. This infers that these television channels did not receive any funding to promote Kejriwal.

Why Does Arvind Kejriwal Suck?

Arvind Kejriwal really sucks. Blinded by the adulation and limelight he received as part of Anna Hazare's Lokpal dharnas, he seems hungry for more and more airtime on television screens. And who is watching? Retired and unemployed people at home, who have nothing better to do.

Arvind Kejriwal is floating a political party, but he seems to display no understanding of how politics really works. You don't go irritating and angering people with whom you may have to work with in the future...and, all politicians have to do a bit of cheating to collect funds to fight the political game.

Arvind Kejriwal seems to be a bit like a suicide bomber: He comes in, starts a political party, causes a ruckus, wreaks havoc...and soon we'll see him lose elections and disappear into oblivion. However, the damage will already be done...the current government will be destabilized and a worse government may have the chance of coming into power!

Do you think Arvind Kejriwal sucks, or is he just an innocent pawn in a game played by big powers, businessmen and politicians, worldwide? Is he an idealist who thinks that what he is doing will really benefit the people of India or is he a fool?

Marriage Bill: Property Rights of Wife After Divorce

In August 2012, a bill called ‘The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Act’ was passed in the Rajya Sabha, in which some changes regarding property-sharing in divorce cases were made. Divorce lawyers are expected to make a handful, if this Act gets implemented.

The main change in this bill, which has worried many men, is the clause that “the wife’s share in property would be 50% in all her husband’s residential properties, no matter what, and in other properties, her share will be decided as per the court’s decision”.

Wife’s 50 Percent Share In Husband’s Property

In the past, the wife was entitled to a share in her ex-husband’s property, but no specific proportion was detailed, according to law. With the present amendment to The Marriage Amendment Laws Act, the ex-wife will enjoy half of her divorced husband’s residential properties, without any conditions. Women will have to apply for their 50 percent share, either through themselves or through a divorce lawyer.

Another significant point to note is that this rule applies to all properties owned by the husband (those bought both before and after the marriage). In the past, the wife’s divorce lawyer could only claim a share of the properties bought by her husband after she was married to him. If the man does not have a good divorce lawyer, he will stand to lose a lot from such a divorce. Hence, it’s better to work things out and not get a divorce, if possible.

When A Wife Is Joint Owner in Her Husband’s Residential Property

Sometimes couples register a house in both their names. While some pay for the house with their respective salaries, in some cases the husband may for the house by himself. Now, what would happen in case of a divorce? Well, the woman would get her normal 50 percent share, plus 50 percent of her husband’s 50 percent share in the residential property. Meaning, the wife would get 75 percent, while the husband would have to remain satisfied with a mere 25 percent.

Wife’s Rights on Other Properties of Husband in India

Other than the compulsory share of 50 percent in her ex-husband’s residential properties, the woman’s divorce lawyer can also claim a share in the man’s other types of properties. This quantum is not specified in the bill, and depends on the ‘current living standard of the wife’.

Is This Law Against Men?

Many pro-male groups and lobbies have criticised The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill as being anti-male and illogical. Some of this points that have been brought up are:

• The bill only mentions division of the husband’s properties, and does not include the wife’s properties. Even if it is the woman’s fault, she will still get her husband’s hard earned land/house etc, but his divorce lawyer will not be able to claim anything from her. 
• If husband and wife are living separately for many years, the wife can oppose divorce due to ‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage’ on the grounds of financial hardship, but the husband’s divorce lawyers cannot. 
• The law is expected to encourage more women to file for divorce, and grab their husband’s property. This will spoil the family system, and encourage the proliferation of divorce lawyers, who will make big bucks. 
• Men who are thinking of divorce may convert their residential properties into immovable assets or transfer their house to parents/relatives names, to prevent their wife’s lawyers from claiming 50 percent in their property.

What do you think of the divorce-related property division clauses in the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Act 2010? Please post your comments below.

695DUC32BFST

Mary Kom – Fighting For Gold Medals

The 2012 Olympics is on, and the Indian sportspersons are working hard to turn out their best performances, and maybe bag a medal or two. Among them is little Mary Kom, a 5’2” boxer from Manipur, with the determination of a lion. Christened Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, she is also known as MC Mary Kom or Magnificant Mary. Mary Kom participated in Women’s Boxing, in the flyweight 51 kg category, and won a bronze medal.

Mary Kom – Meri Quam (My Country)

Here is a list of five things, you didn’t know about gold medal winning champion pugilist Mary Kom:

1. Her previous achievements: This Piscean (born on 1st March 1983) is a five-time World Boxing Champion, and the only female boxer to have collected a medal in each of the six boxing world championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Mary Kom was given the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) by the Manipur Government in 2010. She has also founded the MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy in Manipur to train other sportspersons, unlike the leading cricketers of our country who prefer to stick on to their spots in the team.

2. Her kids: Yes, Mary Kom is in fact married, and is the mother of five-year-old twin boys named Rechungvar and Khupneivar. She met her husband K Onler Kom in New Delhi, and married him at the Manipur Baptist Convention Church on 15th March 2005. After Mary Kom's children were born, she took a two year break from boxing; but returned to the ring in 2008, and won a gold medal at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship in China soon after.

3. Her schooling: Gold medallist Mary Kom attended three schools - Loktak Christian Model High School in Moirang (KG to 6th ), St. Xavier’s School in Moirang (7th to 8th), and Adimjati High School in Imphal (9th and 10th). She completed her schooling through NIOS open schooling, and later did her graduation from Churachandpur College. Mary Kom was always interested in sports in school, and dreamed of becoming an athlete.

4. Her inspiration: Well, it was the success of Dingko Singh at the 1998 Asian Games, which made her feel like becoming a professional boxer. Mary Kom was also impressed by the demonstration of women boxers at the 5th National Games in Manipur. She currently practices with three male boxers, who are taller and heavier than her, weighing in at 60kg, 57kg and 54kg. Mary Kom is also a big fan of heavyweight boxing champion Mohammad Ali.

5. Her parents: Mary Kom's father first learnt that she was a woman boxer when he saw her photograph printed in a local newspaper, after she won the Manipur State Women's Boxing Championship in 2000. Both her parents are farmers who work in the local jhum fields, and Mary Kom had initially hidden the fact that she was a boxer from them, because she feared that they would not approve. She has two younger sisters and a brother. Her mother has accompanied her to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Where was Mary Kom at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi?

Well, Mary Kom carried the Queen’s Baton along with Vijender Singh at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. However, as women’s boxing was not included as a sport in the Commonwealth Games, Mary Kom could not display her boxing skills and win a medal.

Mary Kom won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Congratulations lady!

We  wish Mary Kom the Best of Luck for all her future boxing matches! We also hope that Mary Kom comes back with many gold medals in the future!

You Go Girl! Mary Da Quam India!

Volkswagen Talking Newspaper Ad in Times of India

My sister had already told me about the shocking audio that leapt out of the pages of the Times of India when she opened it, so I knew what to expect. But even so, I was quite amazed. Well, yesterday, Volkswagen placed a ‘Talking Newspaper Ad’ in the Times of India. As soon as you opened the newspaper, a recorded voice reading out the benefits of the newly launched Volkswagen Vento, began playing.

I found myself more interested in the technology used to make the ‘Talking Newspaper Ad’, than the high-tech German engineering advertised for the Volkswagen Vento. The Volkswagen newspaper ad works on simple solar technology, using a PhotoDiode. A PhotoDiode is a small photodetector tool that can convert light energy into electrical energy, like those present in solar calculators. This electrical energy is then converted into sound energy, when the audio speaker in the little gadget begins saying its lines. When a person opens the newspaper, the natural light activates the PhotoDiode, which begins playing the sound clip.

At a time when newspapers are losing out to the Internet, this gimmick serves to bring back interest. The idea was truly innovative and very soon, I expect to see more companies joining the bandwagon, and flooding newspapers with such audio advertisements. Oh…the cacophony of technically dead voices greeting you every morning….

I suppose, an audio newspaper advertisement would work best for films and music companies. They can send clips of their music or movie dialogues, which people would actually like to hear repeatedly. They could also put a colorful sticker on their gadget, with a bit of information about the product. The black plastic audio player for Volkswagen looked quite ordinary. No one would guess it was given out by Volkswagen, unless one saw the actual printed advertisement.

What was your reaction when you first saw the Volkswagen PhotoDiode ‘talking newspaper ad’? What do you think it harbours for the future of newspaper advertising?

Cyberkitty Bollywood Movie Awards 2010

The Times Group recently announced the 2010 Filmfare Awards. The best part of the evening was the part where Neil Nitin Mukesh told hosts Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan to shut up twice. Well, we all know about the lobbying by public relations agencies and the money that changes hands while deciding who gets what film award. Leaving that aside, here are my choices for the 2010 film industry awards, which I have named - The Cyberkitty Bollywood Movie Awards 2010.

Best Film ........................ Kaminey

Best Director .................... Vishal Bharadwaj for Kaminey

Best Actor ....................... Shahid Kapoor for Kaminey

Best Actress ..................... Kangana Ranaut for Raaz

Best Supporting Actor ............ Chandan Roy Sanyal for Kaminey

Best Supporting Actress .......... Giselle Monteiro for Love Aaj Kal

Best Villain ..................... Mahesh Manjrekar for Wanted

Best Comedian..................... Johnny Lever for Aao Wish Karein

Best Debut Director .............. Glenn Baretto for Aao Wish Karein

Best Music Director............... Pritam

Best Action ...................... Wanted

Best Art Direction................ Aao Wish Karein

Best Background Score............. Kaminey

Best Cinematography............... Blue

Best Editing ..................... Kaminey

Best Choreography................. De Dana Dhan (Paisa)

Best Story ....................... Three Idiots

Best Screenplay .................. Shortcut - The Con is On

Best Dialogue .................... Kaminey

Best Special Effects.............. Avatar (dubbed version)

Best Costumes..................... Chandni Chowk to China

Did you watch the 2010 Filmfare Awards? What did you think of them? Who would you have given the awards to??

Stop the BT Brinjal Poison

A few years ago, I was hanging around in the newsroom of one of India's top television news channels when a senior journalist handed me a ball of what looked like dirty cotton. As I chucked the cotton away in disgust, he said that the cotton was a 'special gift' and that it was the start of a revolutionary change that would sweep the agricultural sector.

Well, that piece of dirty cotton was 'BT Cotton'. This genetically modified crop later proved disastrous to the farming community in India and was soon swept away to the farming archives. BT Cotton not only lead to lower yields, decreased soil fertility and dependence on multinational companies but also resulted in the suicides of thousands of farmers who were unable to cope with the burden of loans and crop failure.


BT Brinjal

Well, history seems to be repeating itself with government approval being given for the production of BT Brinjal. This has resulted in strong protests by farmers, environmentalists, students and so on.


BT Brinjal is a genetically modified type of brinjal. It is a strain created by India's number one seeds company Mahyco in collaboration with American multinational Monsanto. The company claims that BT Brinjal or Bacillus Thuringiensis Brinjal will be resistant to certain pests and improve yields for the farming community. However, these claims are not fully proven and the danger of introducing genetically modified food is way too great.

• According to environment activists, experiments with genetically modified crops on rats have shown to be fatal for lungs and kidneys. Consumption of such foods are poisonous and it is dangerous to introduce such experimental foods into the market.
  
• A study by French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini says the tests conducted by Mahyco, the company producing Bt brinjal, were simply not valid and raised serious health concerns.
• The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has shown a bias towards multinational corporations like Monsanto. Lots of money seems to have changed hands to get approval for BT Brinjal.
• Indian agriculture would be threatened when such multinational corporations create a monopoly and start charging exorbitant amounts for seeds. The increased dependence on seeds on such MNC's would again lead to farmer debt and suicides.
  

How Do Multinational Seed Companies Really Work?

Decades ago, before the advent of multinational companies, farmers had a different system of cultivating crops. After harvest, some of the vegetable seeds or grain would be kept aside, so that they could be replanted the next season. Cow dung, vegetable waste matter and so on were used as fertilizers to provide nourishment to the crops.


For pesticides, the farmers relied on the animal food chain of insects, frogs, snakes and other farm animals. Though the yield was not very high, the whole ecosystem benefited from the hard work of the farmer. The farmer was also self sufficient and did not have to depend on big multinationals for seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.

Well, the main aim of any profitable business is to first create a unique product and then create dependence on that product and related products. With good marketing strategies and timely government approvals, this maximizes profits. In the case of multinational seed manufactures this process includes creation of a new type of genetically modified seed to ensure that their business continues to flourish.

Monsanto and Mahyco are currently in the news for their new type of genetically engineered eggplant - BT Brinjal. Though the companies claim through their marketing departments that the new type of Brinjal plant will be resistant to some pests and increase agricultural productivity, the risks seem to far outweigh the benefits -

• The seeds can be used only once. The farmers cannot save seeds from the previous harvest for later use and will be dependent on Mahyco and Monsanto for more seeds in the coming years.
• The fact that BT Cotton is 'pest resistant' means that small animals that comprise the food chain in agricultural areas will either die of poisoning or starvation. Many organisms that depend on each other in the food chain will become extinct. This will have an adverse environmental impact and destroy the farm ecosystem.
• The production of genetically manufactured crops is known to reduce soil fertility. The amount of actinomycetes, bacteria and vital soil enzymes, necessary for healthy growth of the plant are lessened. Multinational companies hope to solve this problem of soil fertility by selling some of their related products like fertilizers and other chemicals to farmers. This will, of course, be at a high cost and only serve to increase their monopoly.
• Even though the company says that the crop is 'pest resistant', it still recommends 'one or two sprays' against insect attack, which may increase depending on the intensity of pest infestation. No prizes for guessing who manufactures the recommended pesticide...
• Around 2000 sheep were reported dead in India and New Zealand after grazing on post harvest BT-Cotton crops. Since humans don't consume cotton as a foodcrop, we were saved from experiencing adverse side effects to our health and long term poisoning deaths.
• As BT Brinjal is an edible foodstuff consumed by poor people all over India, it is necessary to make sure that the food is safe. This will stop health problems from happening and reduce dependence on pharma companies for medicines.
  

The advantages of genetically modified crops trumpeted by multinational companies is today an outdated concept. Organic farming is the new buzzword. This type of farming relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost, biological pest control and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests. It excludes or strictly limits the use of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives and genetically modified organisms.

Organic farming is downright cheap when it comes to agricultural inputs, healthy and protects the farm biodiversity. Farmers are also not dependent on multinational seeds, pesticide and fertilizer companies and their monopolies. Instead of giving approval to 'faltu' improperly tested genetically modified crops such as BT Brinjal, the Government should concentrate on promoting environmentally safe and healthy techniques of cultivating crops such as Organic Farming.

Have you read about the BT Brinjal controversy? What are your views on this issue?

Cold Delhi Weather

This year we are facing a really harsh winter in New Delhi. I don't remember it ever being this cold in New Delhi. For the past three weeks we have been having icy cold day temperatures, with a maximum of around 12 to 18 degrees Celsius per day and an average daytime temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.

On checking the weather report given out by the Regional Meteorological Centre of Delhi, I have seen that the Delhi area is divided into 6 sections - Delhi Ridge, Safdarjung Airport, Lodhi Road, Palam Airport, Gurgaon and Ayanagar. There are also two additional areas - Hindon and Rohtak. Through the Delhi temperature maps available on their website, I have noticed two things -

• The maximum temperature is usually the highest in the South Delhi area of Ayanagar. It grows colder the more north you travel.
• The minimum temperature is usually the highest in the North Delhi area of Rohini. It grows positively colder in the nights the more south you travel.

Adding to the discomfort caused by the Delhi cold is the fog and icy cold winds. The fog causes clothes to get damp and the icy cold winds blow through this dampness creating an unbelievably cold effect.

It is really great that the Shiela Dixit Government announced that schools would be closed during this cold Delhi winter. I remember when I was in school, how we used to suffer coming to school in the extreme cold conditions. We had to reach school at 7.30 am. Today, when I wake up everyday at around 9.30, I can't imagine how we managed through the cold back then.

When I think of the homeless people out in the cold, I feel really bad I can't do anything. I have really no idea what to do or what can be done, other than contributing cash to my local religious charity. Lots of people have lost their lives in the current cold wave running in North India. I was really saddened to read in the newspaper that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi demolished some night shelters for some faltu bureaucratic reason.

On the other hand, some schools of New Delhi have opened their doors to homeless people during the nights. It is good of the Principals of these schools to make use of their facilities to help out the homeless people who have nowhere to go. The homeless people have a cup of tea and leave in the mornings by around 7.00 am. The classrooms or sports halls where the homeless have rested are then cleaned before the school kids arrive, in case it is a school day.

Well, this is how cold the Delhi weather was this winter. How is the weather where you are? Do you think these weather changes could have anything to do with environmental reasons?

Main Attractions at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010

Like all Delhiites, I simply had to check out the 10th Auto Expo at Pragati Maidan. The Auto Expo is an exhibition of automobiles, machines and auto accessories held in New Delhi, India once every two years. This year, the entry ticket was priced at Rs. 200 per head. Well, here is a list of some of the main attractions at the Delhi Auto Expo, 2010.


1. Valentino Rossi - Yeah, he visited the Yamaha Pavillion at the Auto Expo. We were circling the place, trying to get a glimpse of the nine time MotoGP World Champion, but were not lucky enough.

2. Suzuki Hayabusa - The Suzuki Hayabusa was displayed in the Maruti Suzuki stall, away from the thronging crowds.The blue and white Suzuki Hayabusa, though not as cool looking as the red Hayabusa, was still quite dazzling.

3. Water Fountain at Honda Stall - The water fountain at the Honda Stall that formed pictures of people and logos as water droplets fell, was one of the most talked about items seen at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010. Have never seen anything like it before.

4. BMW Stall - Yeah it looked cool, but what was cooler still was the free 2010 wallet calendars that were being distributed by the Sales staff. BMW was perhaps the only foreign car stall where ladies and kids were allowed to walk in the car display area for a closer look at the car. Plus, I liked the blue BMW convertible priced at Rs. 64 lakhs.

5. Jaguar - This sleek black Jaguar car was really sexy. I'd love to own one of these. The Jaguar logo looks like my cat's reaction when he sees a pigeon at the window. I really like stuff related to cats and I really liked this black Jaguar car too.

6. Tiranga Bike - This orange, white and green coloured Harley Davidson Fatboy bike was something all bike enthusiasts found very eye catching. The tiranga Harley Davidson motorcycle was priced at Rs.18 lakhs.

7. Cycle Rickshaw - Yeah, after walking around for ages in Pragati Maidan, these cycle rickshaws were the cleanest and most comfortable thing to sit on. One of the few vehicles in which people were allowed and located away from the freezing cold winds, these cycle rickshaws provided much needed relief to my aching feet.

8. Continental Car - Located far back in a pavillion filled with stalls displaying boring car interior parts, chassis, wheels and so on, was the Continental Idol car. This car was the only car that you could calmly touch without being chased off by security, plus it looked cool too!!

Did you go for the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo? Which cars did you like the best?

Termination vs Resignation for Layoffs

Resignation or Termination for Layoffs

The current state of the economy and recession has led to many companies laying off their employees. Top companies such as HP, AOL, Sun, Microsoft, Satyam, Google, Ebay, Sify Technologies, Spectranet and CNN have been downsizing staff through corporate layoffs. This is prevalent across the world, right from USA, Europe and Australia to India, Dubai, the Middle East and South East Asia.

So, what is the right way to go about employee downsizing and cost cutting? In some corporate layoffs, employees are provided pink slips, termination letter and their dues are fully settled by cheque. In other employee layoffs, they are asked to submit their resignation and are convinced that job termination will not help them at getting a new job. This blog post aims to compare the merits and demerits of resignation vs termination for layoffs from both the employers and employees perspective.


Resignation Letter for Laying Off Staff -
This sort of employee termination for mass layoffs benefits the company management the most. The Human Resources manager calls the employee to be laid-off to a meeting, where he/she is told that their services are no longer required. The laid off staff person is then asked to submit their resignation citing some personal problem or other issue. He/she is told that if they ask for the rightful termination letter, they will not be provided a relieving letter and will have difficulty getting a job later. The senior management works to convince the 'laid off employee' that termination is 'shameful' and that it is better to submit a resignation letter and leave gracefully. Similarly, this process is repeated for laying off other employees. This system of employee layoff benefits the company management the most -

• The management does not fear legal action for staff layoffs as they have resignation letters to prove the employee 'resigned of his own accord.'
• The media does not have basis to report in the news that 'mass layoffs' have occurred in xyz company as the concerned staff has actually 'resigned'.
• The government cannot force the company to reinstate these laid off staff members or re-employ them with reduced salaries because the resignation letters prove that no one was terminated - everyone resigned of their own free will.
• The company need not pay the terminated employees the required notice period amount specified in the appointment letter/ contact in case of termination, as the employees have actually 'resigned' and have not been legally 'terminated'.
• The management of some companies may also deduct accrued leave for resigning without giving notice, even though they themselves asked the laid off employee for their resignation letter. This deduction is shown in the final settlement, which the employee gets around 2 months after leaving the company. Victims of such corporate layoffs are shocked but can actually do nothing, as they have 'resigned' in writing.

Termination Letter for Laying Off Staff

The management of most businesses prefer not to give termination letters to the employees in cases of corporate downsizing and cost cutting, as this could result in unnecessary hassles for the company. If incidents of ' mass layoffs' are reported in the media, the company may have to answer and pay heavily. The price of company stocks may fall, investors may become vary of the company and the government may intervene to reinstate the laid off employees. However, termination letters for staff layoffs is the most beneficial to employees and something those facing downsizing layoffs really need to know about.
During employee layoffs, when the staff is confronted by the HR team/ management to submit their resignation letters, they should resist. Termination for layoffs, downsizing or cost cutting is completely different from termination due to bad behavior. Legally and ethically, the management has to provide relieving letters/ certificates of good conduct to the employee if they serve termination letters due to corporate layoffs for reasons such as offshoring, recession, downsizing or cost cutting. Termination letters help the employee in the following ways-

• The company has to compulsorily give the terminated employees all their dues. These layoff benefits include notice period, cash in lieu of notice period, encashable leave and severance pay if any.
• The laid off employee has the right to file a case of wrongful termination against the company within 45 days in the labour court, if he/she is not satisfied with the reasons given for job cuts. This is why companies always delay paying the final settlement till 45 days are complete. Filing a case in the labour cost is very cheap and does not take much effort on the part of the employee.
• If the court/ government asks the company to reinstate the workers or employ them with lesser salary, the company has to comply, as least in part. Example- the air hostesses airline layoffs case.
• If the government offers compensation to terminated employees in the future, they may apply for it on showing their termination letter.
• If the government launches a loan/credit scheme for terminated employees in the future, they may apply for it on displaying their termination letter.

While asking an employee for his resignation letter, the company management may promise to re-employ him when things get better, but that is most certainly not going to happen. When it comes to corporate layoffs and recruiting, the management would rather hire a new employee with less salary and train him for the job than employ a highly paid terminated person who most probably harbors bad blood towards the company.

P.S. If you are really worried about not getting a relieving letter, then just pick up a few company letter heads from your office before the process of terminating staff for mass layoffs begins. Later, you can make your own relieving letter in the future.

Have you faced termination or submitted your resignation during a mass job layoff? Do you have any other tips or advice for people facing the threat of job loss during these times of recession and downsizing? All feedback is gladly welcome!!!

Who Is President Barack Hussein Obama II

Barack Obama Biography Profile

President Barack Hussein Obama II is the first President with dark colored skin to be elected as President of the United States of America. He was a junior Senator from the State of Illinois from January 3, 2005 until his resigned in November 16, 2008, after he got elected to the presidency.

Barack Obama's Parents
Barack Obama's parents met in 1960 while they were both studying at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. At that time, Obama's father was already married to a Kenyan woman named Kezia Obama. His mother was not aware of this relationship.

Obama's mother was a white American named Stanley Ann Dunham, who hailed from Wichita, Kansas. According to Obama, she was a non practicing Protestant Christian who called herself an atheist. Obama's grandparents from his mother's side were non practicing Methodist and Baptist Protestant Christians of English and Irish descent. During her later career, she worked as an anthropologist doing social welfare work.

Barack Obama's father was a black African named Barack Obama, Sr. who worked as a goatherd in Nyanza Province in Kenya. According to Barack Obama, his father was raised a Muslim who later became an atheist.

Barack Obama's parents married each other on February 2, 1961 and Barack Obama was born six months later on August 4th, 1961 at a medical center on the island of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Barack Obama's Religion
According to Obama, he was not taught much about religion when he was a child. Barack Obama's religious views began to develop only when he became an adult and were influenced by the views of his Christian grandparents who raised him. This is picture of Obama with his grandparents when he graduated from high school.

Today, Barack Obama's religion is Protestant Christianity. He was baptized at the Trinity United Church of Christ at the age of 27 in 1988. Since then, Obama has been an active member of that Church.

Barack Obama's Kenyan Family
Barack Obama's parents separated when Obama was two years old and divorced in 1964. His father went to Harward. There he met an American teacher called Ruth, whom he took to Kenya and married. Their marriage ended in divorce. Then Obama's father returned to his first wife in Kenya, a local Muslim woman called Kezia Obama. She has four children - one daughter called Auma and three sons. One of her sons, Roy studied in a Madrasa.

In total, Barack Obama's father had seven other children of which six are still alive. In Kenya, he worked as a government geologist. He met his son only once, before he died in a car accident in 1982, when Obama was 21 years old. In the picture, bottom row from left is half sister Auma, Kezia and step grandmother Sarah. Roy is the guy standing behind with the unknown woman in his arms. Obama's step mother Kezia currently lives in Britain.

Barack Obama's Indonesian Family
After divorcing Barack Obama's father, Obama's mother Ann Dunham married an Indonesian foreign student Lolo Soetoro, who was studying at a college in Hawaii. He was also a Muslim. In 1967, they moved to Indonesia.

They had a daughter named Maya Soetoro-Ng, who was Barack Obama's half sister. In Indonesia, Obama attended local schools in Jakarta such as Besuki Public School and St. Francis of Assisi School. Here he picked up the Indonesian language. His mother lived mostly in Indonesia, visiting Hawaii only for five years from 1971 - 1977. She divorced Soetoro in 1980. Later Soetoro married Erna Kustina, with whom he had two children - Yusuf and Ruhayu, who were both Muslim. Soetoro died in 1987 due to a liver ailment while Ann Dunham, Obama's mother died of ovarian cancer in 1995, when she returned to Hawaii.

Barack Obama's Grandparents
When Barack Obama was 10 years old, he returned to Honolulu and began to live with his white Christian maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Armour Dunham. They were non practicing Methodist and Baptist Protestant Christians of English and Irish descent.

His grandfather had joined the US Army during the Second World War while Obama's grandmother worked at the Boeing factory in thier hometown of Wichita, Kansas. After the war, Obama's grandfather worked as a furniture salesman while his grandmother was vice president of a bank.

Stanley died in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1992. His grandmother Madelyn passed away on November 2nd, 2008, just before Barack Obama won the presidential election.

Barack Obama's Education
The young Barack was known to use alcohol, marijuana and cocaine during his teenage years. During this time, he was known as Barry to his friends.

After finishing high school in 1979, Barack Obama studied at Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years. He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and International Relations) in 1983. He shifted to Chicago and began working as a Director in a church based NGO called Development Communities Project. In 1988, Obama joined the Harvard Law School. In the summer of 1989, he worked as a summer associate at the law firm of Sidley and Austin.

Barack Obama's Marriage
It was here, at the Sidley and Austin law firm that Obama met his future wife - Michelle Robinson. Michelle Obama was born on January 17th, 1964 and was brought up in Chicago, Illinois. She was a Christian who belonged to the same Church as Obama. Her father Frazer Robinson worked at the city water plant while her mother Marian Shields Robinson was a secretary at Spiegels Catalog Store. Michelle Obama lived in a normal two parent family with her younger brother Craig. Both siblings did well at school and completed college.

At the law firm, Michelle Robinson was assigned for three months as Barack Obama's advisor. After three months they began dating and finally got engaged in 1991. Michelle and Barack Obama were married on October 3, 1992 by Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. It was the first marriage for both of them.

Barack Obama's, first daughter, Malia Ann, was born seven years later in 1998. In 2001, a second daughter, Natasha also known as Sasha were born to the couple.

Barack Obama's Book
Barack Obama later got a fellowship and a publishing contract from the University of Chicago Law School to write a book about race relations. He travelled to Bali with his wife Michelle to complete writing this book. Obama's autobiography book was published in 1995 and was titled, 'Dreams From My Father'.

President Barack Obama
When he returned to Chicago, Barack Obama began working as a Professor at the University of Chicago Law School, teaching constitutional law for twelve years. He later got elected to the Senate in the State of Illnois before winning the Presidential Election in 2008.

How To Tackle Terrorism

Fighting Against Terrorism

Around two weeks ago, I was standing at the Krishi Bhavan Central Secretariat bus stop in the late evening, waiting for the bus to go home. The bus stop is always crowded with people waiting for buses, or waiting for their friends to accompany them in the metro. Usually, there is quite a lot of security but today, I saw none. Looking around, I saw an unnoticeable man wearing dark clothes, standing in the shadows near the flowerpots who was looking out of place in the picture. He was tall, well built, stood straight (like he had military training) and his features resembled Rahul Dev (that bollywood villain). He was looking about carefully, taking in the surroundings. I just got a feeling that he was a terrorist scouting the place...

I stared back at him. His reaction astounded me. As soon as he realized that he was being watched, he panicked and decided to leave. Looking back at me, he started walking towards the metro station. Noticing the tension from his side, I followed him a couple of steps just to see what he'd do. There was a crowd at the metro station entrance, blocking his way. I was really shocked when instead of weaving through the crowd and walking down the metro steps, like a normal person, he ran down the wrong way of the metro station escalator, which was moving upwards.

I told my family and friends about this incident. I tried to call a terror hotline number mentioned in the newspaper, but it did not work. Thinking that I had scared the 'terrorist' off anyway, I got busy with routine tasks and this incident slipped out of my mind. Two days ago, while I was standing at the bus stop again, I noticed strong police presence in the area. There was a Police Gypsy Jeep and at least three tall khaki policemen armed with automatic guns. That's when I decided to write this article. Police can't be at all places at all times and it is the responsibility of citizens who are at the scene to keep an eye out and work against terrorist attacks before they can happen. Here is my advice to citizens on how to fight terrorism -

1. Wherever you are, keep an eye out for people behaving in a bizarre manner. Terrorists are people with some sort of military training, so they will usually look like a physically fit military person in plainclothes. They are quite ordinary looking and usually stand about watching their surroundings keenly, instead of waiting for a bus, dreaming, eating, walking or talking. They will not be identifiable as a person of a certain community or religion.

2. If you see such a person, you should show some reaction towards him. Stare back at him or walk up to him and ask him some sort of inane question, just to see his reaction. If he reacts negatively in a strange suspicious way, then you know what you are up against. If you see a policeman nearby, inform him/her that the person is behaving suspiciously and should be questioned.

3. Don't be a bozo like me and just give up, hoping nature will fix it. Call up the police at 100 and complain about the incident. They will take the required action. Why waste precious time waiting for 'translation and decoding of intelligence reports' to filter down to the police level, for security to increase in the area ?? If you have first hand information, share it, before it is too late. You can save hundreds of lives.

4. All citizens must be vigilant and brave enough to stand up for the truth and report it. We cannot keep saying 'It is the police department's fault or the politicians fault'. They were never at the scene of the incident and were not informed by the few who saw something suspicious. If you are at a scene where you can prevent a terrorist incident before it can happen, take action !!

5. Like my school principal used to say, don't have that 'Sab Chalta Hain' attitude. Terrorists don't care a damn about bindaas people who participate in protests, light candles and send sms's to news channels after an attack saying that 'You will not break our spirit', 'We will not be terrorized', "We will bounce back' and all that other nonsense. They are more scared of the person who stares at them while they are surveying a place and walks over and asks them questions such as 'Which bus goes to Tihar Jail?' or 'Where is the police station located?'

This is a short term measure to tackle terrorism. I will soon be writing about long term measures to tackle terrorism.Until then, keep your eyes open for suspicious characters and react immediately. It is the only way you can do your bit to tackle and stop terrorism, as it happens.

9/13 Delhi Bomb Blasts - An Eyewitness Account

Children were laughing, birds were singing and one Bengali guy was giving a passionate outpouring of his views to a group of friends. Tired after roaming about since afternoon, we were looking for a comfortable place away from the crowds to sit, chat and rest a bit. We settled for a grassy slope in Central Park that faced E- Block, Connaught Place.

A crazy/high guy came near us. He started doing pushups and giving weird speeches in a very loud voice. I felt really eerie and asked KK if we should move from there. A foreign couple was sitting nearby smoking. The tall blonde lady stood up and walked to a green dustbin nearby to dispose of some trash. Looking at the empty chips packets and plastic bottles lying around, we made a joke about how outsiders were more interested in keeping Delhi clean than us Delhites. When I turned to look back, the crazy/high guy had disappeared. We continued our conversation.

Suddenly, at around 6.30 pm there was a loud explosion. It seemed to come from behind E Block. Living in Delhi for as many years as I have, I was sure it was a bomb and told KK so. No sooner had I finished speaking, did the second blast happen. We both saw it. A white flash that rose 20 feet in the air, lots of white smoke and a huge explosion. We were shit scared. People started running like crazy, jumping over the spikes of the park fencing. I was trembling like a leaf. I knew many people, couples just like us, must be suffering or dead. We expected another blast and had no idea which way to run.

Only 10 minutes earlier we had been standing in the same area that the bomb went off. We entered Central Park through the gate opposite Palika Bazar. Deciding we needed some drinking water which was unavailable in the park, KK crossed the road to buy a bottle of mineral water from a vendor outside Palika Bazaar. I waited near the gate at the Central Park entrance. After buying the water, together, we walked passed the Green Dustbin, in which the bomb had been planted.

Later, as we stood comforting each other, the cops came and yelled at us to leave the park. We walked along the inner perimeter of the garden. Many people were crying. Crowds of people were standing on the traffic islands, too afraid to go to the main Connaught Place area because of the fear of more blasts. Ambulances, police jeeps and media vans sped along the Inner Circle road. I called up my parents to inform them about the blasts and that I was safe. We walked into Cafe Coffee Day in the Inner Circle, a relatively empty restaurant, for something hot to alleviate the stress. After some time, a cop entered the restaurant and yelled at the restaurant staff to keep an eye out for terrorists.

We left the restaurant half an hour later and found it real difficult to get transport back home. Autos were already packed. Those that were'nt refused to stop for passengers. Buses were few and crowded. The metro train services had been halted. People were stranded everywhere looking for transport. My parents were worried. My dad drove to Connaught Place to pick me up. KK ended up taking the bus. Reaching home, I realised all phone lines were jammed. Only SMS's were getting through. The fact that I was unable to reach my friends added to the panic. Vodaphone started working only after 10.00 pm, after which I felt some relief.

Later on, I heard on the news that another bomb had been defused in Connaught Place, Central Park. I thanked God for making sure that nothing happened to us and for keeping us safe in this terrifying situation. All I can say is, God Tussi Great Ho!! May the souls of the dead rest in peace and may the injured gain strenght to live life better than before!!

Have any of you been in a terrorist attack or faced such a situation??

St. Columbas, Delhi - Absolute Power Corrupts

“We assure all the parents, students, ex-students and well wishers that we are committed to securing the future of our students, at all costs.” St.Columba’s Website.

Recently, St.Columba’s School was in the news for expelling 48 students from the 11th Grade for failing in one or more subjects at the annual examinations. Acting school Principal Brother Pinto in violation of the relevant Education Act and promotion rules was responsible for taking this decision. In defence, he had this harebrained excuse to offer, “It is the best thing for such a child. These students need a new environment to get away from present bad company, then there’s a chance they’ll do better in life “

48 students is a huge number – a full class section that comprises almost 20 percent of the 11th Standard. Failure of so many students only shows the failings of the school and its inability to provide even a decent minimal standard of education to the boys. About the ‘bad company’, the Principal should have first taken disciplinary action against those bad apples. Why are they being allowed to escape just cause they got a few higher marks??? St. Columba’s has Moral Science/ Value Education classes – what were the teachers doing? Why didn’t they haul up those ‘bad boys’ then and counsel them? If ‘bad company’ was really the issue, then what about the other boys who remain in the school - will they turn 'bad' and end up failing in the board year??

The rising pressure on children due to examination stress has taken its toll with around 6000 students committing suicide in 2006. This is only an official statistic, as a majority of such cases remain unreported. Boys, who face the additional pressure of having to find work and support their family, account for an overwhelming majority of such suicides. In such a scenario, it is highly irresponsible for Brother Pinto of St.Columba's School to take such a decision that totally ‘screws’ the life and future of these kids.

I am not aware what the situation is now, but when I was a student of the girls school next door, students who failed were given re-exams as many as three times to give them a chance to get through. Special tuition classes were arranged after school for weak students. Kids who still failed ended up repeating a class. No one was expelled though there were always threats from teachers and the principal.

The examinations in school were way difficult and harder to pass than the board examinations conducted by the CBSE. This was because teachers taught and framed questions from textbooks written by private authors rather than the NCERT textbooks prescribed for schools. Many questions in the final examination were complete gibberish and students scored real low. How else do I explain how I got 16 percent in my pre boards and 80 percent in the board exams? Plus, some teachers teach in a half hearted manner as they assume every student is taking tuitions.

Examination marks in school, whether 11th or Board Exams has little to do with your career and what you end up becoming in life. Most companies will never ask about your school marks in job interviews. I know many toppers who ended up doing nothing in life except dancing like a monkey (Shah Rukh Khan) and many flunkies (other ex Columbans) who are today Software Engineers. So boys, if you are reading this, please don’t lose hope!!! Best of Luck for a secure future!!

Cars and Bikes at Auto Expo 2008

Auto Expo 2008 – Vehicles I liked

This Saturday, I visited the 9th Auto Expo 2008 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. Held in the month of January, once every two years, this event is the earliest opportunity for Delhi’ites to view the latest models of cars and bikes before they are launched in the market. Here is a list of some cars and bikes, which caught my attention.

General Motors Cadillac CTS

General Motors Cadillac CTS – This dark red saloon is so ultracool. It was first seen in the Matrix Reloaded movie. The Cadillac CTS was launched in 2007 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, USA. It has GM’s new 3.6-litre direct-injection V-6 VVT engine. No idea about the price.

Volvo C70

Volvo C70 – I liked this red sports car a lot. This car has a three-piece retractable hardtop that transforms the automobile from coupe to convertible on the press of a button. It should be available in the market later on in the year and is expected to cost around Rs. 42 – 44 lakhs.

Hyundai QarmaQ

Hyundai QarmaQ – This concept car from Hyundai looked real sexy. The Hyundai QarmaQ has many new safety and environmentally friendly features like a pedestrian safety system. This system absorbs crash energy in the event of a collision with a person and is useful in India where jaywalking is a common occurrence. Part of the body of the QarmaQ is made out of recycled plastic bottles.

BMW M3 Coupe

BMW M3 – This white coupe comes at almost double the price of the Volvo convertible at Rs. 74 lakh. The convertible has a 4.0 litre V8 engine that propels the car to 100 kph in 4.8 seconds with a restricted top-speed of 250 kph. Wish I were filthy rich!!

Triumph Rocket III Classic from UK

Triumph Rocket III Classic from UK – This motorcycle was clearly the most handsome bike at the Auto Expo 2008. It was displayed in a relatively empty hall with engine parts and other accessories. Best of all, the hostesses were allowing people to get close to the motorbike and take photos. Wish I could take a ride on this bike with Salman Khan!! Ha Ha!!

Yamaha Super Sports 2008 YZF – R15

Yamaha Super Sports 2008 YZF – R15 – This bike had a huge crowd surrounding it. The Yamaha YZF R15 has a 150cc liquid cooled 4 stroke single 4 valve fuel injected engine which is environmentally friendly. It looked sexy but was not as grand as the Triumph.

Suzuki Motorcycles’ Hayabusa

Suzuki Motorcycles’ Hayabusa – First seen in the movie Dhoom, the 1,340-cc one seater Hayabusa will be imported in India towards the end of July. Though the bike is available in the international market for only Rs. 4 lakhs, in India, it will cost Rs.8 lakhs because of import duties. With a wide wheelbase of 1,485 mm, the Hayabusa motorcycle offers great speed along with good maneuverability over sharp turns.

There were many other foreign car manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes, Kawasaki, Honda and Skoda at the Auto Expo 2008, but I didn't like those cars or bikes as much as I liked the ones mentioned above. Hope you enjoyed the pictures and photos I put up!!

Did you visit the Auto Expo 2008? Which car or motorbike did you fancy?

Gurgaon School Shooting - – Kids Say The Meanest Things

Gurgaon School Shooting – Kids Say The Meanest Things

December 12 - Two eight graders of Euro International School located in Gurgaon, near Delhi shot dead a classmate with a licensed revolver belonging to the father of one of them. The reason given was payback for continuous bullying.

December 14 – A grade 10 student of Kala Vidyamandir School in Goregaon, Mumbai stabbed a classmate in the eye with a ballpoint pen seriously injuring him. The reason given was teasing.

Most people blame television, parents, video games and modernity in general for violence in schools. I beg to differ. Parents have absolutely no inkling of what is happening in school. This is not because they are too busy with their career but because kids simply won’t tell. Television, videogames are not the reason either. Many kids watch television and play games – all don’t kill. The problem and solution cannot be found outside the schools - it lies within.

Kindergarten was clearly the worst year of my life, which is why the images are still so clear. I’d either get beaten everyday or face ridicule of some kind from certain students in my class. The teacher would never notice my tears. I was too afraid and ashamed to tell my parents what was happening when they questioned me about why I did not want to go to school. Fortunately, one day my grandma (who had arrived from Mumbai on vacation) managed to get the truth out of me. That was the day my Dad stomped into the classroom and blasted the teacher.

This was a top school for girls in New Delhi. The fear of losing her job fresh in her mind, the teacher took care to prevent such incidents and I continued with school. From then on, things went fine until the seventh grade. In the eight standard, the name calling and bullying began once again. No one would speak to me in class. I never dared tell my parents thinking that they would think me weak and laugh. Many times I would fantasize about stabbing my tormentors with a compass/divider and setting the school on fire…if only an opportunity presented itself.

Until, one day, a teacher noticed the hate building up in my eyes. She sent me on an errand and lectured the class to stop their bullying behaviour. This happened many times till the teasing and intimidation finally stopped. At that time I was in the tenth grade.

The point I am trying to make here is that bullying in school has existed since time immemorial. Most children are born with no sense of diplomacy and go to school to learn manners and good behaviour. Teachers being the only grown ups in the vicinity are responsible in ensuring that kids learn appropriate decorum.

Today, teaching is seen as any other job. Parents and friends usually advise young women to take up a career in teaching, as it is a ‘cushy’ job. The pay is good, work hours are less and holidays are a plenty. Many teachers once employed, do nothing except walk into a class, give out homework and ask kids to tell their private tutors to help them out.

“Don't try to fix the students, fix ourselves first. The good teacher makes the poor student good and the good student superior. When our students fail, we, as teachers, too, have failed.” ~Marva Collins, Teacher.

A teacher is a second parent to every child he or she teaches. As a good human being, it is the responsibility of the teacher to notice and redress any wrongs or unfairness to a child regardless of the background of the child. This includes bullying and teasing. After all, only a person who is present at the scene of action can help prevent it. It is only when teachers ignore such happenings that students end up having to take things into their own hands.

What say you??

Strings at the SAARC Cultural Festival, New Delhi

Strings at the SAARC Cultural Festival, New Delhi

Every once in a really long while, New Delhi hosts a concert by an international rock band. Yesterday, I happened to catch Pakistani rock band 'Strings' perform at the SAARC Cultural Festival being held at Central Park above the Connaught Place Metro Station. This music festival being held from November 30th to December 2nd includes performances from musical groups from SAARC group countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives as well as a few bands from around India.

I reached the venue while 'Soulmate', a blues band from Shillong was playing. They were quite good but we were all waiting for Strings to come on. Idiot Mtv VJ Nikhil came on stage and blabbed some crap about having to go to the bathroom before introducing Strings.

Strings from Pakistan were simply fantastic. They were just as good as other international acts whom I have witnessed performing live such as Bryan Adams, No Doubt and Jon Bon Jovi . Plus, they were really singing... not lip syncing to avoid 'technical problems'. They sang all their hits such as Duur, Zinda (OST Zinda), Najane Kyon (OST Spiderman 2), Anjaane, Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar (from the 90's), Lori and Hamare Hindustan. Strings also sang other popular hits that truly got the crowd going like Mast Kalandar, Om Shanti Om, Yeh Dosti (OST Sholay), Saare Jahan Se Accha (tune only), Koi Kahe (OST Dil Chahta Hain) and Aa Dekhe Zara Kisme Kitna Hain Dum.

The best thing about Strings was the way they encouraged crowd participation. Since this was a free concert, many regular Delhites reared on Punjabi folk music with no idea about rock shows turned up. By the end of the two hour concert, everyone was grooving around with smiles on their faces.

Groups such as Indian Ocean and Shankar Ehsaan Loy will be performing on the other days. I have heard them before and they were nowhere as good. Plus, they usually stick to playing self compositions that no one has heard before.....boring. With the number of hits they have had in India, Strings will really be a tough act to follow!!

Anyone ever watched Pakistani rock group Strings perform live?

Blueline Buses vs Delhiites - Total Madness

Blueline Buses vs Delhiites - Total Madness

"To err is human, to blame it on someone else is politics."

In the past one year, Blueline buses in New Delhi (the local public transport system) have been involved in many accidents. The media all along has been blaming the bus drivers and conductors for the accidents and asking the government to implement stringent measures to curb the 'menace'. Blueline bus drivers and conductors, not being of the 'English' speaking variety have been unable to get their side of the story across. I have been traveling by Blueline buses for a long time now and here are details of some incidents I have witnessed -

- A senior passenger in a Blueline suddenly learns that he boarded the wrong bus. As the bus is maneuvering a roundabout outside Parliament house, he rushes to the back door of the bus and jumps off. His head smacks into the ground. The bus driver stops the bus and runs away. Police refuse to let the reserve driver start the bus. Angry passengers yell at the police saying it is not the drivers fault.

- Two youths are sitting on the pavement near Central Secretariat and arguing. The signal is red. A bus is approaching. One youth runs and lies down before the wheels of the bus as a threat to his friend. The signal turns green and the bus driver is unable to break in time. Headlines in the paper, 'The Blueline menace continues."

- Ring Road - There are plenty of underground crossings, however, two boys decide they want to dodge speeding cars. They carelessly run across the road and jump over the central barricade. They are fortunate to escape.

- Okhla - The buses are overcrowded during office hours - 9.00 am to 10.00 am. Police have impounded many buses, making the situation even worse. They are challaning (giving tickets) to every bus that has people hanging from the doors. The conductor keeps yelling to folks hanging from the doors, "andar khali padi hain, bhai, gate par khada mat hona, challan tum bharoge." (stand inside, don't hang from the door, brother, you will have to pay the challan.) People don't bother, they have to reach office on time at any cost. Suddenly, one guy gets smacked on the back as the bus passes another stationery bus.

- Lajpat Nagar Crossing - Even though there is a subway, people prefer to cross the road dangerously rather than walk the extra meter. They also get off at the signal from a moving bus to avoid the walk from the bus stop to the office. At the bus stop, people are standing right till the middle of the road so that they can spot the bus number as it arrives. A junior cop tells them to move back. They refuse and start arguing.

- Paharganj - Two middle aged men are having a blast hanging out the back door of the bus. They are chest banging each other and yelling. The conductor shouts at them to get in and behave. They refuse and continue. Suddenly, the branches of a passing tree smacks them from behind.

- Safdarjung Madarsa - A motorcyclist is driving alongside a bus. Suddenly, he decides to take a u turn. The driver swerves and brakes to avoid the biker. Lots of insults are exchanged.

- A beggar with a bottle runs and lies down under a stopped bus at a signal. The conductor gets off, drags him from under the bus and gives him two slaps.

- My real fat friend and I sprint across the road wearing high heels in front of a Blueline bus. Reaching the other side we start laughing and saying, 'Bach gaya, jaan hatheli pe rakh kar." (We escape, by the skin of our teeth)

The point I am making here is that not all accidents are the fault of the Blueline bus driver. Accidents are a statistic and they are bound to happen. In fact, road accidents are the single largest cause of deaths worldwide. People, whether drivers or pedestrians are bound to make errors in judgment once in a while. Luck also plays a major part in this.

A Blueline bus driver should be held guilty only in cases where he was clearly at fault such as -
- Drunken driving
- Hitting a stationary vehicle at the signal
- Hitting pedestrians who were on the pavement
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Speaking on the mobile phone while driving and other such cases.

Recently, there was an accident at Badarpur, where a Blueline bus ran over a group of village women. These women were crossing the road to catch another bus at an undesignated bus stop. The Bluelines faced widespread condemnation in the media. The government was forced to pay 1 lakh compensation to each of the accident victims after the outbreak of violence in the area and the resulting media outcry.

I listened to the comments of fellow commuters and realized that most people were not that sympathetic towards the accident victims. This is some of what I heard -

• "Yeh ladies jo bahar se aati hain, inko road cross karna nahin aata. Unka dimaag hi nahin hain" (These village ladies don't know how to cross the road. They have no brain)
• "Chalo ungli kaat lete hain, phir wahan jakar muavza claim karenge." (Let's cut a finger and later claim compensation.)
• "Sari musibaton ka jad, yeh media wale hain." (The media is the root of all problems.)

Two years ago, when I enrolled myself in a car driving school, the first thing that the instructor told me was, "Agar kabhi kisi ko thok diya, toh wahan rukna mat. Bhag jao. Logon ka gussa itna garam hota hai, ki woh aapko udhar hi peetkar maar denge. Inko pata hain, ki chod diya toh tumhara kuch nahin hoga. Baad mein police station jaakar surrender kar lena." (If you ever kill someone while driving, run away. The people at the accident site get so angry that they will beat you to death. They know that if they let you go, nothing will happen to you. Later on, you can surrender at the police station if you wish.)

As I practiced driving I realized that it was too risky to drive a vehicle on the roads of Delhi. Pedestrians just keep coming out of nowhere. I took to traveling by bus as the most safe and economical way of transport. Being a regular Delhiite, I have also been guilty of many of the offenses I listed above. Every time I escape, I plan to change my behavior, but still end up repeating the very same mistakes. (mostly road crossings, hanging from buses, getting off at signals, jumping off a running bus etc.)

Why do only Blueline buses get into trouble ? Why not DTC (government Delhi Transport Undertaking) buses?

There are fewer DTC buses than there are Bluelines. As Bluelines are private buses, many people either do not buy a ticket or buy a lower priced ticket for a longer distance. DTC buses are routinely checked by ticket checkers, so people are afraid to do the same here. If caught, a person has to pay a fine of Rs.100 or face a jail term.

The Solution To The Issue

Many media organizations have suggested better quality buses, more experienced drivers and new transport systems as a solution to this problem. However, this will never work if Delhiites continue to live dangerously by misbehaving on the roads.

The government has repeatedly been putting public service announcements in local dailies telling people to cross roads carefully and use buses properly. Messages on road etiquette are also being played though loud speakers at a few public intersections. However, much more needs to be done.

The only solution to this issue is that people in Delhi should be forced to behave by making jaywalking punishable with a fine and/or a jail term. Currently, pedestrians and bus passengers face no penalty for misbehavior. Most people have the 'Sab Chalta Hain' (Everything goes, who cares) attitude. The government should take a brave step and blame the people directly. We all know that we are at fault. The fear of losing cash is the best motivation towards sensible road behavior.

Impounding buses and canceling permits only makes the transport system in the city worse. People are forced to catch the remaining few crowded buses. This makes for an uncomfortable journey and an increase in accidents. Until then, the Blueline madness continues......

Mrs. Shiela Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi, are you listening ???