The Aarushi Talwar case - The unasked questions!

Almost everyone would have heard about the recent gruesome murder of an innocent teenager,Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj, the servant of her house in her own house when her parents were supposedly sleeping in the adjacent bedroom. The entire case can be tracked in this website.There has been so many theories on the motives behind the murders and too many suspects.. But, this case made me think about the lifestyle issues associated with it...

All the servants involved in the murders are male. I have seen that in many North Indian families, the servants and cooks are male. But, take a South Indian family which is looking for a servant. The search, by default is for a maid-servant. Why do you want a male stranger entering your home to do household work?? and,that too when you have a teenaged daughter at home?!? When the parents' profession is very demanding which requires them to leave their kid in the hands of servants, won't you think twice to leave your daughter in the hands of a man?? I am not saying that maid-servants are totally harmless but, with male-servants around, can't you see a disaster waiting to happen??

In this age of Internet and Social Networking, kids grow up with an overdose of technology. And, that comes with its own set of problems. How much can parents monitor their kids' activities on the Net?? For all you know, your kid might be chatting with a stranger online, giving information about your household, knowingly or unknowingly. Technology, and gadgets & gizmos to bring it into your life is not a solution for your absence from your kid's everyday life. A teenager in this century has a cellphone, computer on his own, a PSP or a XBOX to keep themselves occupied when their parents are away..When the parents allow these indulgences for their kids,it is their responsibility to make their kids understand the perils lurking in every corner.

It is indeed a sad thing that happened to Aarushi and Hemraj.I dont seem to be able to forget the innocent smiling face of that lil girl.. May justice be served in this case. May their souls rest in peace!

Dasavaatharam - It unmasks the hypocrites!!

I am amazed at the hypocrisy of the Times news group. I read the review they had given for Dasavathaaram which was totally biased. They are saying that the "avtars" Kamal has taken in the movie are comical...They must be outta their mind!! C'mon!! Give credit to an actor who has taken the pains and risks to experiment on something he is good at!! Compare the Dasavaatharam review with the review for Om Shanti Om!! Such hypocrisy?!?! What has ShahRukh done great in his films?? He doesn't even have the guts to try new storyline, a gut-less loser who sticks to time-tested, cliched scripts.

Have you ever seen any South Indian filmstar in the prime of his career turn to Small Screen to make money?? NO!! Have you ever seen any South Indian Film Star so consumed with his ego like Shah Rukh Khan?? Bollywood heroes are so insecure that they have to do shows on small screen to keep reminding public of their existence!! Times of India will eat its own words!! May Shah Rukh keep making crappy movies!! May Kamal keep up the good work!!

My review of the movie:
Its an awesome movie!! The climax fight is spectacular. One wont realize that the fight is between 3 characters done by the same actor!! There is Kamal's achievement!! They could have happily done away with Asin's character, but for the need for a commercial element. All she says in the movie is "Perumale..!!" The musical score by Himesh Reshammiyya is bad except for one song.."kallai mattum kandal.." Back ground score by DeviSri Prasad is good!

The characters of Vincent Poovaragan, Balram Naidu and Krishnaveni Patti done by Kamal stand out!! The love scene in the last scene was totally unnecessary! One cant imagine such feelings when a disaster like Tsunami is happening in the background!! What was K.S.Ravikumar thinking?!? Its fast-paced but for the scenes involving Asin.

What was the need for Tamil Subtitles if they dont translate NaCl as salt?! Kamal explains George Bush dat NaCl is sodium chloride, but who will explain the masses that sodium chloride s jus plain salt?!I am sure many people wont understand the link between Tsunami and the movie if they dont know NaCl is nothing but "Uppu"!! Its definitely not a movie for the C-class and its worth a 'dehko'!! Applause to "Sagala kalaaa vallavan"!

To my husband, the strongest man in my life!!

The strength of a man isn’t seen in the width of his shoulders.
Its seen in the width of his arms that circle you.

The strength of a man isn’t in the deep tone of his voice.
It is in the gentle words he whispers.

The strength of a man isn’t how many buddies he has.
Its how good a buddy he is with his kids.

The strength of a man isn’t in how respected he is at work.
Its in how respected he is at home.

The strength of a man isn’t in how hard he Hits.
Its in how tender he touches.

The strength of a man isn’t in the hair on his chest.
Its in his Heart…that lies within his chest.

The strength of a man isn’t in the weight he can lift.
It is in the burdens he can carry.

The strength of a man isn’t how many women he’s Loved.
Its in can he be true to one woman.

- Came across this in PravsWorld and I dedicate it to my Husband.

What's with these foreign tummies?!?

Am sure the title of this post is weird!! What I am thinking of is this: There are a few foreigners, Canadians to be precise, in my office on a short visit. Every one of them got sick after coming to India.They have a case of acute diarrhea. We have been living in India all our lives. But we dont seem to be getting any of this often. Are third-world tummies stronger?!? or are these ppl living in such sterile environments dat they cant tolerate Indian atmosphere?!?Even when we go abroad and have their food, we dont get sick like this!!

This surprises me!! are all of them so fragile?!? poor them!!

My blog on motherly life..

hey ppl.. have started a journal as I journey on as a Mom..
Here is the link to my other blog..

My life as a mom..

Have a look and say hi to Alvin and his mom..

Children of tomorrow!!

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

- Excerpt from the book The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

I hate Insurance companies!

Every one knows that one day they will die and leave this world. But, it is one fact we conveniently forget when we pursue the worldly things in our only chance called life.

But, these insurance companies have a knack to remind us of this very fact. Check out this ad by one insurance company dat has been doing the rounds. Quite sick it is!! The lady in the ad is one darn pessimist I wud say.. its shown as if she is waiting for bad things to happen everyday.



This is one ad which spoils the viewer's mood when watching something on TV..!!

Taming the chicken!

I am down with chicken-pox!! It sucks to be sick wen you have a kid of your own.It sucks to be quarantined from your own baby for almost a month.I have no idea how I will survive this.. I am sure Alvin will forget who I am. Damn the insecurities!!

I think by far the chicken-pox is the worst infection I have ever got.It is just the first few days which is tough to get through.Once the fever-phase is over, you will be up and about. But with all this liquid diet, I must have lost a few pounds.. That must be the only good thing about this disease.

Ads: The good and the bad!!

I've been thinking of blogging about the advertisements that really irritate me and the ones that impress me..here are some samples of ones dat irritates me..These kind of ads should be banned along with the products!! ..and I hate any Ad dat Shahrukh khan comes in..Its guaranteed to have zero creativity!! Remember the infamous bath-tub ad for Lux??





All these ads will have a warning that these are done by professionals and shud not be imitated by anyone...in a print that will be so minuscule dat you have to use the Hubble telescope to read it!! Imagine the effect these ads can have on young kids.. At this impressionable age, do you think they will have the patience to read that excuse-for-a-warning in micro-print before attempting to imitate the stunt?! Who are these people sitting on the CBFC who allow these ads to be to be aired?!Crazy buggers!!

Then there are ads which really impress me with their creativity and the message. Of the ones I love watching, here are a few..
The MTR Gulab Jamun Ad(Cudnt find the video!).. where a mom makes Gulab Jamun for the kid cos he came 2nd in a running race and dad gets impressed.. When the dad asks how many ppl where in the race, the kids says.."Two!!" and runs.. Whatta sweet ad!! Reminds me how much fun childhood was... Sigh!

Then comes the Mentos Ad.. Dont know if anyone has really tried this idea in college?!



Recently, I saw this ad for Iodex which caught my attention..

Baby talk!!

I have a baby now.. I am a mother... phew!! Life will never be the same again. Parenting comes with one-the-job training..it freaks me out that someone's life is in my hands and I am responsible for them...it started the moment he was conceived.. somehow I feel that the nine months when my son was inside my womb was easier than this one month he has been out in the world. Sigh!! People keep telling me that the difficult years will just fly away like a dream..yet,somehow I am not able to look at my current plight as a dream when my son cries at my hands for apparently no reason and I have no idea why he is crying nor what I can do to help him..

I haven't had a whole night's sleep since the day he was born.I guess I will; once he flies away from my nest to make one of his own...and thats a long way to go... The only person keeping me sane in this mayhem is my husband..Thank you,Honey!! But, why is this thing so difficult?! difficult for me and the baby.. The only way my son articulates is by crying and that doesn't convey much to my birdbrain. The more he cries, the more helpless I get.. and it really pisses me off to see him pacified by someone else other than me... his crying only intensifies when he is in my arms and gets pacified the moment he is switched to someone else's arms.. how mean and rude of him?!

One thing this new way of life is making me realize is how great our parents are and how hair-raising the experience of bringing us up would have been for them...Trust me!! But still, I pick up fights with my mom on how wrongly she is doing things for my baby...and that I know the best for my baby. Then I have to tell myself that there is no one best way to bring up a kid.. there are only thousands of potentially best ones and it takes lots of patience, commitment and oodles of unconditional love to find the right one that works for you and your baby.

Who are these guys?!

I am really irritated about the hype created about this seven-wonders-election!! who are these people conducting this election?? What is the need for the election? why not preserve the ancient seven wonders of the world?! Who gave these people authority to elect the wonders of the world?

I remember leaning about seven wonders of the world in my history class in my childhood. To think that these will change every few years makes it less charming. In this age, everything is being made a joke. People cant let history be history.

How can they assume that every one has access to the net or phone?! In a developing nation like India, where there are millions who live without internet and telephone, how can this method of voting be made fair?! Does that mean people without access to internet and telephone will not enjoy these wonders?!

Its a sick method to vote for seven wonders of the world this way, let alone the sickness of thinking to elect one.The funny part is no one is protesting this craziness. All the news channels are only boosting the hype. Who is benefitting by all this revenue generated? There is nothing transparent in the process and every one is okay with it.

Nowadays, even beauty-contests are decided by public voting. Talent-show are no exceptions either. Nobody is realising that the business moguls are jus exploiting the regional/religious/ethnic/racial sentiments of the consumeristic population. Are you going to gain a single penny by voting for any of these events? NO!! Are the winners going to share their loot with you?! NO!! Then why vote for these events?!? Why make an already-stinking-rich person richer?!

Instead, this money can be donated to genuine social work groups who work for the betterment of the helpless and the needy. I really wish there is someone who feels the same way about this as I do.. sigh!!

My birthdate means...

Your Birthdate: June 20

You are a virtual roller coaster of emotions, and most people enjoy the ride. Your mood tends to set the tone of the room, and when you're happy, this is a good thing. When you get in a dark mood, watch out - it's very hard to get you out of it. It's sometimes hard for you to cheer up, and your gloom can be contagious. Your strength: Your warm heart Your weakness: Trouble controlling your emotions Your power color: Black Your power symbol: Musical note Your power month: February

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Zen Estilo - A car with an identity crisis!!

I pity this car.. every time I see it on de road, it reminds me of some other car of some other brand but, never a Zen Estilo.. From the side view, it reminds me of a shorter version of a Toyota Innova, a Daewoo Matiz from the front and a weird car from the behind... Even its name is borrowed from our very own old Zen. When the model was so radically different from Zen, why did Maruti chose to retain the name Zen for this model also??

Truly a car with an identity crisis!!

Why you shouldnt care about Celebrity Big Brother?

I dont understand why almost everyone in Indian politics and media are making a hue and cry over the Shilpa Shetty Episode in the reality show CelebrityBigBrother.Do they realise that there are worse incidents happening in the world in the name of race and caste?? why talk about the world when there are sick incidents happening in our own country?? There are still places in India where people are discriminated on the basis of cast,race and religion.

Why are the politicians talking for Shilpa Shetty? She is an actress who is getting paid for what she is going through. Why should the politicians and media cry racism when the lady in question herself is still going along with the charade?? Why doesnt she walk out of the show?? I will tell you why.. 'Cos there is fame and money involved in it. Who will walk out of a show where you have the chance of winning thousands of pounds, jus cos somebody called you a four-legged creature?!?

The politicians are behaving as though she is representing India. The world outside India thinks of the likes of Shilpa Shetty and Aishwarya Roy when they think of India. What a shame?!? What have these people achieved in their lives to bring India any good?? The real India is represented by the scientists it brings into this world, by the engineers it makes out of its citizens,the enonomists and the academicians, the philosophers, the artists , the sportspersons , the enterpreneurs who give back the society what they got from it...

Dont politicians have better things to do?? They are following this episode as if they have finished their duties for this country and this is the only thing thats happening around them. Why dont they do anything about the casteism rampant in Indian villages. Why dont they do something for this country?? I have still not seen a true patriot in any politician in our country. Why is our political scenario filled with oldies?? They dont have the strength to even walk around. All of them are spineless losers who go back on their words to suit their political careers..

The country's development starts from its citizens. Every one should have civic sense. Why will there be traffic-jams if every one follows the traffic rules?? Why dont the people fear the traffic police?? I will tell you why.. Cos every one knows that they can handle the traffic-police with some cash in hand... If the traffic police are strict in their duties, nobody will flout the traffic rules.

Why is India still a developing country even after 50 odd years of independence?? Look at Japan. Look at Singapore. These are countries which were more backwards than our country. Look at the development there.Discipline is instilled in every individual at the very basic level. They grow up to be citizens with civic sense. I guess it is difficult to change India overnight. That explains why we have hit movies like Indian and Anniyan where a common man has the happiness of seeing corrupt politicians and government officials brought to punishment, which he can never see in reality. I remember a story I heard a while ago...

"There was a 20 year old guy who wanted to change his country. He worked hard for decade but he couldn't do much. so, he decided that he will change his state at least. He tried hard to change his state and make it better. He fails. so, at 30 years of age, he decides to do something about his district. He works hard to make his district better. He realises that he has failed after years of hardship. So, at 40 years of age, he decides to do something about his city and make it a better place to live in. How much can a guy do with a city of irresponsible people?!? He realises that he cant do much to his city either. So, at 50 years of age he decides to give up working for his city and tries to change his street and the people living in it. At the ripe age of 60, He realises that he cannot change the people in his street. So, he decides to change the people in his family. At the old age of 70, he realises that he cannot change the people around him. The only person he can change is himself. But, its too late for him to do anything..."

The development of a nation lies in the hands of its individual citizens... and how can a country become a developed nation when its citizens dont care for the country?!?


Note: I started somewhere and ended up somewhere else. I guess I jus poured out all the pent up frustrations about our country.

Its that time of the year again...

For those who wonder what time of the year it is... let me explain... It is the end of the year when one looks back dismally at all the broken resolutions and think of new ones to break the coming year. The funny part is I dont even rememeber my resolution for the year 2006. :-(

What shall I take as a resolution for year 2007?!!?!? Oh..now I remember...I am going to decide never to go shopping to a super-market when I am hungry. I recently did so and I ended up buying a lotta junk food. I think this one resolution is enough for me lose lotta pounds...

I am looking forward to the new year.... let me see...what it brings me and my family....

Happy holidays to everyone and have a happy 2007!!!


Cheers,
Josie

Million dollar question!!

Almost every other guy I come across nowadays is a jerk...It disappoints me to know that the rare breed of fine gentlemen is dwindling...I hope it doesnt reach the point of extinction. Some guys aren't jus made for any relationships, I feel. People dont know what to do next in a relationship. They really dont know how to take a relationship into the next level.

But, the thing is, if the person is really planning his/her next move, then he/she ceases to be themselves and become a pretence of a nice person. In that case, I prefer a jerk.. atleast, I can find out wat they really are and stay away from them. They are natural... ;-)

Someone had asked me earlier as to why women are such complex beings?? Now, I have a question.. why men are such jerks?! I guess no one will know why... :-(

Reality shows...What a pain!!!

I have been getting enraged by the spate of reality shows. Everything has been commercialised in this age.From religion to people's emotions..jus every damn thing has been commercialised. If you want to make money out of people's emotions, start a reality show. Its a pain to come back home from a long day's work jus to see people crying over some crazy show or a "me-knows-it-all" judge criticizing a hapless contestant ruthlessly. C'mon!! I jus hate to see the haughty judges dissecting the bewildered contestants, shredding them into oblivion.

I happened to see the auditions for the Roadies reality show in MTv.Whatta pathetic show!! It jus manipulates the emotions of the young crowd who are going through a serious case of identity crisis. I saw three judges including the infamous Mika Singh yelling at the aspirants of this lousy show. Maybe they deserved it for wanting to be on the show!! Who gave the power for the judges to yell at anybody?!? I was outraged... Wats de necessity for the kids to come all they way to a lousy studio to get yelled by some third person?!? The foolishness of the people there was too much for me to take..

I remember another show called America's Next Top Model. Number One: I hate reality shows. Number Two: I hate the benchmark for models and super-models. So,this was my favourite show to hate. Why do the models have to look ugly all the time?? I cant remember one girl who looked lovely and divine in that show. For this they have 3 judges who talk as if they invented fashion.


All this reality shows only cultivate negative thoughts in people. It motivates the people to achieve their goals by hook or crook.Many a times, the end doesn't justify the means.People forget ethics and become manipulative. Every reality show will have a rule called vote-out wherein the contestants have to vote-out one among them.It is jus a way to play with the cruel feelings of the contestants.These shows force you to think negatively, force you to plot against the people around you. Almost every reality show will bring out the bad you.

I feel that the reality shows are a negative influence on people and its a gross waste of time and energy!!! I jus had to rant about these shows as they are hogging the show time of my favourite comedy sitcoms.Grrrrrr!!!!

Why do I want to do so many things at a time?!

Is it because I am a Gemini?! You have no idea how many things I have started but never finished... When I was a kid, I wanted to be a painter...I pestered my parents to get me water-colors, paint-brushes et al...only to see them lying in a dusty corner of my house a month after. Then I started learning Piano...for a lil more than 2 years...gave up piano classes to concentrate better on studies...

I was doing some embroidery on and off till I went to college I learnt it mostly from my mom and other DIY books...In college,I took up tatting from a friend of mine.I made some really cute edgings,book-marks and dat was all... I also did some tapestry...made frames of scenaries...Then there was a long break after which I started doing some glass-painting. I made some frames of abstract and non-abstract images..

Presently, I have shifted my attention to knitting. I am planning to join knitting classes and feed my fire.. ;-) I never wanted or want to be the best in any art form. But I have to learn all of them. The moment I get the urge to learn something, I move heaven and earth to get the materials, research about it and start off.And mostly, I learn things on my own and out of my own interest.

One thing I have noticed is..I rarely keep the things I make to myself. It has always been gifted to some friend of mine or other. Maybe it is my way of showing dat I love..maybe I want ppl to appreciate the thought and the effort that went into that small piece of art... Maybe I want my gifts to be a lil personal...maybe I am a lil old-fashioned...

My EQ!!

My EQ is 133

50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.

What's Your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

To my parents...

Jus a few days back I was thinking of my olden days...(not that I am very old)when I was in college...when my priorities were different...life was care-free then. I remember how lonely and petrified I felt when my parents left me at my college hostel and went away. Four years seemed like a millennium on dat day and yet I dont know how those four years flew away.

I learnt a lot in those four years. I learnt that you cannot trust everyone you see...that people come into and go out of your life and it is definitely your choice whether they will stay back in your life forever or not.

I also learnt that, even though parents seem like to be living in the previous century, it is good to listen to their words and obey them. It was those four years when I learnt to be independent...to take decisions of my own...realised that the world is filled with people, both good and bad.

I learnt not to regret the decisions I made for myself but to face its consequences head-on. I learnt to be true to myself..to follow my impulsive whims and desires with great zeal...to do justice to your role and responsibilities you have accepted...to enjoy life for the moment...which means to enjoy being a wife...to enjoy being a daughter...to enjoy being a daughter-in-law...to enjoy being a career-woman...to enjoy being a friend...a confidante..to enjoy life!

I learnt that God is there to help you through during tough times and His way of solving your problems are never your way of dealing with it and it is always better to leave troubles into His hands cos he is good at handling them for you. I learnt the valuable lesson that not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck...

My stay away from home made my visits to home precious. I am forever thankful to my parents for letting me stay away from home during those formative years of my life, for letting me learn life's lessons on my own...for letting me go... I still have a long way to go..but I do know that I have made a good start...

Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad...

I love you.