Recycle! Recycle!

I am soaking in the Greens..."Recycle, Reuse, Reduce" is the Mantra.
So let me give in to the need of the hour and Recycle my posts.

Let me force feed you "ArTickles" addicts to my interview on WebNeetech.com website by posting the text here. Now stop howling for more... i am likely to be tied up with my office work for a fortnight and cant think up any funnies because my head is cluttered with only one word - Deadlines! And Dead Lines, i know wont interest you guys... so just read this crap below:


Interview with blogger Gopinath Mavinkurve
19 November 2009 3 Comments
“Humor is the rubber sword with which I can make my point without drawing blood”
- Gopinath Mavinkurve

The Text begins here:
So here is our one of the most experienced blogger on webneetech.com, Gopinath Mavinkurve, 52, a Management Professional runs Gopinath’s “ArTicKles“. The blog is filled with his thought, observation and many good opinions too.He posts humorous write ups on his blog and makes his point in his own funny way.
The blog was started in 2008 and receives around 1500 views a month.
Read the exclusive interview with Mr. Gopinath, to know more about him and his experience as a blogger.

Blogger’s Details:
Blogger’s Name: Gopinath Mavinkurve
Age: 52
Occupation / Profession: Management Professional in the field of Foreign Trade especially EOU/SEZ, export facilitation, Government liaisoning and logistics working for an MNC in Mumbai
Blog name and URL: http://whatnonsanz.blogspot.com/
Blog Focus Area, domain: humorous observations, insights, comments about incidents, issues, current happenings, lifestyle and language trends, word origins, anecdotes, interesting trivia, personal experiences
Blog launched on: 10th April 2008
Monthly visits on website: About 1500
Do you have team of bloggers? No.
Interest / Activities: Reading newspaper columns, books magazines and blogs; writing; tourism and photography; music and movies are my hobbies
Located at: Mumbai India
Contact Details:
Twitter Id: @gopinathmm
Facebook Id: Gopinath_Mavinkurve
Email ID: g_mavinkurve@hotmail.com

THE Interview (Q&A Round) :

Q. What motivated you to start blogging?
Well I never wanted to blog nor did I really know what it was to be blogging. I just wanted to revive my writing habit and began posting my write-ups in websites like MSN Contribute, when I found many other contributors’ links to their blogs. I thought it was a good idea to back up my pieces on blogspot (in case MSN vanished one fine morning or deleted their archives). Soon I found other bloggers coming over and leaving some encouraging comments on my blog! Soon enough I bluffed myself that the entire universe loves my ‘whatnonsanz’, so go ahead and post more of it and it worked!

Q. Tell us in detail about your blog, your idea and how it can benefit others?
Though I began my blog without any particular theme or subject, soon enough I made up my mind to post humorous write-ups. “Humor is the rubber sword with which I can make my point without drawing blood”, I declared on my blog. That was when I had made my choice – no ranting or complaining – just making my point in my own funny way. We had our own Chintan Baithak with the editorial team, which comprises of my mouse, keyboard, monitor and my right index finger which clicks on the Publish button (or doesn’t depending on its mood). The editorial team decided (which is unusual, though) that if one wanted to make fun of the world around you, one would rather begin with making fun of oneself. It’s a lot easier and buys some acceptability before I turn on my rubber sword on others (mostly our dear politicians and our social quirks). That’s when we decided to call my posts “ArTicKles”.
The effort is to at least put some smiles on the reader’s face. That some of the readers tell us they ROFL at our posts, is simply because it’s their personal exercise routine, I guess. I also share some real life experiences, lifestyle trends, inspiring incidents, anecdotes, language trends, neologisms and word origins which may interest readers. I avoid posting any email forwards in my blog.

Q. What area or topic you generally cover in your blog, any special reason behind it?
Anything above the sun – because everything under the sun has been blogged about anyway. Well, I try to avoid subjects that others have already blogged about, unless I feel very strongly about or have something different to say about it. I don’t want to be predictable – surprises can work on my readers too!

Q. Which blogging platform you are using (wordpress, blogspot, bloggers etc), any reason about it?
Blogger or Blogspot. I never knew other platforms existed. Some bloggers did move to Wordpress and sounded thrilled and excited about their change and wanted us to “convert”, but some how, I felt that Blogspot served my basic needs

Q. How frequent you update your blog? How many post your blog is carrying at present?
I try to post one per week, usually over the weekend, but then if the idea I am working on is not good enough, I would prefer not to post it rather than posting it just for the sake of regularity. Besides, reading, writing and blogging are my hobbies that are to be pursued in one’s spare time. I have 80 posts on my ArTickles blog till date.

Q. What tools you use to increase your blog readership and bring people on your blog? Do you use social networking sites?
I have listed my blog with Indiblogger, BlogCatalog, Blogadda and Labnol’s (Amit Agarwal’s blog) ‘List of Indian Bloggers’. Labnol brings in a lot of traffic to my blog, *Hey, Thanks Amit* and of late, Blogadda’s Tuesday Tangy Picks and Saturday Spicy Picks have featured my posts and have brought in some new readers *Thanks, Blogadda!*. I am also on Twitter (follow me @gopinathmm) and Facebook, where my tweets get automatically updated. My comments on other websites/blogs bring in some new readership. My occasional contribution by way of guest posts to Tickledbylife.com, Trak.in and India Tweets also help me reach to more interested folks across the globe. Interestingly, when I write about current events, more people land on my blog through Google search. “Google Maharaj ki jai!” (and thanks Feedjit for letting me know).

Q. Any specific tips you have for new bloggers who want to make it in the blogsphere?
Well, now that I know several bloggers, each one is out there for different reasons. But certainly one thing runs through all of them – they want readers to come and read their work and get hooked to their stuff. One’s got to be original – give your own perspective of the subjects and say it in your own unique style. Readers are sure to get addicted! Its content, content and quality content all the way.

Q. Do you earn revenue through your blog? If yes then how a blogger should monetize his / her blog? If no, then any plans in future?
No. I am not in this for earning money and am unlikely to try to monetize my blog in the near future.

Q. What are your other favorite blogs which you follow, can you list the top 5 such blogs?

Now you’re being cruel with me! I love several blogs and listing only five of them would mean leaving so many good ones out in the lurch. I have listed my faves in my Blogroll – just click on them and check them out.
And for being so mean with your parting shot, I will not let you get away without me getting back at you in equal measure – Read all my 80 posts and tell me the top 5 posts in my blog!

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity to feature in WebNeeTech! Wishing your team all success in all your endeavours!

LINK TO THE ORIGINAL POST HERE IN CASE YOU NEED IT

Playing God!

“Scientists have created the world's first synthetic life form in a landmark experiment that paves the way for designer organisms that are built rather than evolved”
Read the complete news item here.

When US Geneticists researching in Craig Venter’s team announced their success in producing “life” in a laboratory from chemicals, mankind has seemingly “progressed” in its capabilities to develop the rudimentary forms of life in a test tube. Media was quick to observe how the human race had crossed the threshold of divinity by developing the ability to create life forms, albeit just micro-organisms at this point in time, thereby describing the development as “playing God” by creating “life”. Some writers have been quick to imagine the consequences of such scientific advancement to lead to some disastrous results. Such life forms, some religious groups argued, are capable of forming variants and mutants, which can develop into other life forms and spread on our planet and cause environmental and ecological havoc! Besides, they would not be in our control – at least not in control of those who created them!

Skeptics would wonder whether we need these micro-organisms or their variants or mutants or whatever to cause environmental havoc on this wonderful planet when we have been doing a perfectly good job ourselves? Or do we really think we can create life in our laboratories and then have complete control over these synthetic creations? Must we not first try and control our teenage sons and daughters before even contemplating control over other life forms? Come to think of it, one wonders whether creators even seek control over their creation.

Man may not have yet understood how the human body works – but one cannot take away the credit for the success for having developed some kind of life form to the 20 scientists who toiled for 10 years , spent Millions of US$s and achieved just that! And although skeptical, religious, social opposition of the kind that had previously opposed the scientific advancement into cloning, takes effect and announces some kind of ban for the creation of such life forms in laboratories on this planet, let us salute this great achievement! I would also like to thank the scientists for naming the first synthetically created life form with a name that is more difficult to remember than mine:
1.08-Mbp Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1.0 genome!

That said, I continue to wonder about the “playing god” by “creating life” part of the news item. What exactly is playing God, btw? To approach this question, one must face the sorting hat of the Harry Potter kind that one sees in society today. We have, I learn the following kinds of people on our planet:

Theists – who believe in the existence of God – Monotheists believe in one God. Polytheists believe in multiple Gods.

Atheists – who don’t believe in the existence of God. How boring!

Pantheists – those who believe that all existing living forms are one entity – God!

Agnostic – those who find it difficult to decide whether god exists or not. Coined by Thomas Huxley, he originally meant it to mean those who would not believe anything until proven or disproven.

But for the purpose of simplicity, let us restrict the discussion to Theists of any kind (btw I belong to the Polytheist category and am comfortable with 330 million Gods and my pranaams to each one of them).

So “Playing God” to us, Theists, is creating this universe to which this wonderful planet belongs, all the lovely life forms on earth (except of course 1.08 MBP-whatever-whatever genome) and – hold your breath – controlling all that’s going on here! Now that’s a long way from creating a microorganism called 1.08 whatever….. Nevertheless, we Theists cannot stop marveling about the several life forms – the several thousand species of birds, animals, insects, fish, trees - their beautiful manifestations in nature, their role in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth. Theists would be eternally amazed and grateful to the Creator for the world in which we live.

One cannot but admire how thoughtfully, God has given the camel its hump to store water in the desert or the giraffe the long neck to reach higher leaves on which it lives or the pouch in the Pelican’s beak to store food for more than a week; and a pouch for the Kangaroo to hold its offspring… ! One could go on and on. How could HE have done it all by HIMself, one would wonder? For Theists, it is a matter of whether to believe in one god or 330 million? But for a Monotheist, One God is enough - HE is God, after all!

But after spending some time appreciating the thousands of species of animals and birds, let us turn to the latest creation from God – Mankind! Now this animal is capable of intelligent thinking, analyzing, talking, discussing, debating, socializing, - finally of making scientific inventions! Inventions to make life easier and inventions that could blow up this planet with the nuclear arms build-up by superpowers. Mankind had already acquired capability to destroy all God’s creations on earth – before beginning on the path and taking this first step – of creating life in its micro-organismic form!

Like CERN, who believes that if matter exists, so would anti-matter, theists too believe that if God exists, so does anti-God, the Satan or Shaitan (wonder Shaitan came from Satan or otherwise). So we have plenty of scientific advancements that are depleting our resources, polluting our rivers, polluting the very air we breathe, posing a threat to the ecological balance of our planet.
One can only hope that we are closer to playing God and saving this planet than playing Satan and destroying it! Just had to post my thoughts that came to my mind on this World Environment Day 2010! Wishes for the World Environment Day to all!

Blogger's Postscript: My apologies to my readers if this post didn’t make enough whatnonsanz. You'd rather be polite and say it makes a lot of sense! My apologies too if it was too long – but then I did not even touch upon the subject of destiny – who decides about my next post btw…

Cut Diamond with Diamond

“Cut diamond with diamond”, he used to say often. “If you have a bad cold, eat deep frozen icecreams! If you’ve a nagging back pain, pinch your hand hard until it pains you more than the pain that’s constantly nagging you. Don’t you know how they treat snake-bite? They inject small doses of the poisonous venom – and soon you’re on your way to recovery! Again, the vaccines – what do you think they contain? A mild form of the same micro-organism, which helps you build its antibodies…” he could go on, my old friend, who later grew up, one learnt, to be a professional in the financial field!

After a couple of stints in reputed finance companies, he took to consultancy. I don’t really remember his name….nor did I ever heed his advice, but I am sure he has prospered and become an advisor to the likes of Ben Bernanke and his counterparts in several European countries. How else could one explain the rising belief in worldly monetary policies, that debilitating debt that threatens to engulf countries all over the world, ought to be treated with ……., you guessed it - more debt?

I am sure, his wisdom, which may have been otherwise lost its significance, if it was continued to be spent on fools like me. One would have partaken of large dollops of icecream, perhaps only to have the common cold transform to pneumonia, while my doctor, jubilantly declare, “Congratulations – you don’t have common cold, which has no known cure yet, but pneumonia, which does!”

Fortunately for the world, such great thinkers usually succeed and their popularity grows exponentially. Financial wizards are made of such stuff and one may not be surprised if they would want us to believe that the only way to remove poverty is to inject more poverty in our masses! Maybe suck out whatever little money that’s been meant to be going to them by way of NREGA or any of those obscure-sounding schemes, that you hear of only on the budget day – that too only if you hear our Hon. FM speak at the annual parliamentary ritual.

So kind-hearted government folks, toiling in our rural areas, ensure that the money doesn’t reach them and continue to enrich those afflicted by money-related diseases, albeit, of the excesses kind. After all, we’ve got to get rid of poverty, don’t we?

So we find everyone out to heal the world – NGOs, GOs (government offices), industrialists, entrepreneurs, politicians, judicial bodies, extra-judicial bodies… all of them! But the method remains the same – the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink all day!

So how do we handle insurgency? Create more insurgency! If Naxals are a problem, let’s create Salwa Judums! Create new small Frankensteins to handle the old BIG Frankensteins, that our previous governments created! Until the small ones grow BIG and join the BIG Frankenstein they were meant to destroy!

The members of the public, of course, should not sympathise with any of them – they’re waging a war against us! So we shall have extra-judicial panchayats to deal with problems that the judicial bodies cant deal with (or have been the cause of having created them in the first place). Call them Khap, Baap or whatever! We need urgent solutions to our ever growing ailments.

And I am sure we will have them as long as my old friend (cant remember his name...) or his types thrive on this eager planet, willing to offer their advice to anyone like me, who is languishing in my miseries and is willing to lend his ear!

As for me, I just thought I must offer readers some anti-dote for my humour! And if this proves to be too strong dose for an anti-dote, you may want to read my article published in “The Indian Weekender”, a weekly newspaper for Indians settled in New Zealand.

Go to page 44 of this link!
To read my article, click on this link

An artiste's touch to Seashells!

Thank you, Blogadda, for selecting this post as a Saturday Spicy Picks!

“You’ve got to meet her!”, my cousin’s wife urged us some time ago. So off we went to meet Smt. Leela Puthli at her residence at Mumbai, to see the wonders her dexterous fingers had painstakingly created from god’s creation that could be found aplenty in nature – in the oceans across the world. Seashells!

It was indeed a pleasure to meet a 74-year old artist, who had laboriously created lovely objects by lending her magic touch - transforming seashells into lovely flower arrangements like beautiful dahlias, exquisite jewelry boxes, breathtaking jewelry pieces that could be worn as bridal décor or by models featuring on fashion magazine covers. Those who adore the beauty of seashells and consider the numerous forms that one finds in the deep, blue sea or by the sandy beach side or rocky promenades, may wonder what can one do with such things as seashells, except display them in one’s show-case?


A flower arrangement made from seashells

“Lots!” would be Ms. Leela Puthli’s prompt reply. Having taken up the fascinating hobby in the mid 60s and a keen interest in Conchology (study of shells), she ought to know! Cultivating a hobby of collecting a wide variety of shells, she had royal company in Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Emperor Hirohito, King George III and Queen Victoria, who were all shell enthusiasts! But Leela Puthli went the extra mile by painting and transforming them into life-like flowers and plants! Soon enough, her family and friends began to appreciate her rare art form, by which she produced some rare masterpieces. There weren’t many who had made a mark in the field of shellcraft in those days. With her nimble fingers and hours of hard work, oodles of patience and a strong urge to be creative in her work, she would weave the shells into exquisite patterns, paint them and then paste them onto such mundane articles such as broken kitchen cabinet doors or throw-away cake bases!


A unique floral bridal-wear - a special creation for a special occasion

In this passionate indulgence, she had her husband, Ganesh Puthli, strongly by her side. He encouraged her to cultivate her hobby and also studied shells to their core – the myths behind shells, the scientific, historic, economic and ecological importance of these mere hard covers for soft, vulnerable creatures of the sea called molluscs, to protect themselves from bigger fish by hiding within these hard calcified beautiful forms, known to us as sea shells.


Another exquisite flower arrangement

Soon word went around her extended family and friends circles and people would pour in to see these lovely creations – plaques, vases, necklaces made of seashells - and, soon enough, would long to possess them! Having observed some displays in an aquarium, she decided to make some exquisite articles which she would want to be displayed alongside the ones at the aquarium. It was not long before her dreams were fulfilled. Soon orders began to pour in and even the Khadi Bhandar was impressed with her creations and wanted thousands of them! Her masterpieces, though, changed hands for “throwaway prices”, or shall we say one did not have to shell out too much? At times, she even gifted away some to her near and dear ones, because she valued relationships more than anything else in the world. And guess what they brought back in return? Various shells, fish scales (which she would use for the green leaves), broken doors, discarded boxes to help her with her next artwork!

But not all the shells the couple used to make flower arrangements were from well-wishers. Trips to beaches were often at odd times – in the mornings, to look for some fresh catch. Bivalves and univalves - Clam shells, cowries, scallop shells, tusk shells, chambered nautilus, gastropods – they would look for them high and low on several beaches along the coasts of India. The couple would also give talks and presentations at society events, she recalls, where her husband Ganesh, who is unfortunately no more, would, in a professor-like manner, explain all about this fascinating world to astounded audiences. Both Ganesh and Leela have written articles, which have been published in magazines like the Eve’s Weekly, The Illustrated Weekly of India, the Kanara Saraswat, Dharmayug (Hindi) in the mid ‘70s. Some prominent models and actresses have been featured in those pages displaying necklaces, bracelets, designer dresses using shell-work. Their work and passion have also been extensively covered by journalists in the Financial Express, Sunday Standard, etc.

Sadly, her hard work and the natural process of ageing have taken their toll on her fingers - with painful swollen finger joints, she is unable to pursue her hobby that brought her great satisfaction and a fair amount of popularity in her prime years. Considerate friends and concerned extended family members now call up to tell her not to exert herself and hurt herself any further! She talks about her large family and friends and often expresses her gratitude for their support, without which, she would not have been able to pursue her dreams. One cannot miss noticing the humility she has carefully preserved over the years. We seek her permission to capture the beauty of her works, which are on display at her residence, with the help of my digital camera to post on my blog for my readers and thank her for the time and kind courtesies extended to us.


Ms. Leela Puthli - the artist

While reading all the articles written by the couple and published by reputed magazines and the features carried by publications, I come across some great facts about wonderful world of seashells – anecdotes and snippets, being interesting tidbits, that I would like to share with you all along with some pictures taken by me of her amazing creations.

I do hope you enjoyed reading this post - as much as I enjoyed doing it!

Interesting Tidbits about Seashells from articles by the Puthlis:

1. The Hindu mythological tale about how seashells came into existence tells about how the Goddess Kanya Kumari, who plans to marry Lord Shiva and waits for the Lord bedecked in bridal floral grandiose, but by a quirk of destiny, this is not to be and so heartbroken, she throws away all the floral decorum by the coastline.
2. The molluscs live life safely in their shells, as we know. But perhaps it was the wish to have more space and just as we humans want to live in 2/3 BHK homes in cities, one variety of molluscs is blessed with chambers in its shells – something like rooms in our flats – that’s the “Chambered Nautilus”. It's design is an engineering and architectural marvel. A US submarine by the same name has been built based on the design of the chambered nautilus shell.
3. Cowries (kavadis) have been used as monetary units in the 17th to 19th Century AD. in parts of Africa and India. The cost of a cow was 2500 cowries and the Indian Rupee was worth 2400 cowries. An Englishman is said to have bought a mansion for 16 million cowries! Now we know why we say “shelling out money” for a big purchase!
Also explains the oft-repeated Hindi filmi dialogue “Ek phooti kavdi nahin doonga”!
4. Cowries have also been used in games like shatranj (in place of dice) in the olden days. After money – gambling! Now some folks gamble on cricket scores! Times may have changed – but we haven’t!
5. Shells have been used as tools and bowls in kitchens for serving (perhaps soup?) before the invention of modern utensils.
6. Broken shells have been used in horticulture being a source of calcium carbonate even today.
7. The scallop shell has been of significant importance in Christianity.
8. The Shell Company has a scallop shell as its logo to remind us of its humble beginnings - shells being their first business interest.
9. Indian conch shells (turbinella pyrum, shankha as we call it) enjoy prime importance in Hindu religion. A rare, left-handed variety (called sinistral) is believed to have mystical powers. The epic Mahabharata cites the “Panchajanya” conch that Lord Krishna blew before the Pandavas waged the war against the Kauravas. Each of the Pandavas had a separate conch, together blown was a clarion call for the opponents.
10. Some interesting web-links to explore the world of seashells (without really diving into the deep blue sea)
Some lovely pics here
Loads of information here
Explore the Wikipedia’s ocean of information here

Some of her plaques and articles made from shells

More of my PerkyTweets

Twitter has been one microblogging platform where one can post one's thoughts and views about various incidents taking place as they happen – in just 140 characters that make a tweet!

Since many of my blog followers have not yet come on to Twitter,
I would like to share some of my Perky Tweets here. I am sure this will prompt readers to follow me on Twitter! My Twitter Id is @gopinathmm

Most of my PerkyTweets have been featured by Blogadda.com

My #perkytweets

Pak Govt tells Shoaib his marriage was an act of Stupidity! Havent we all been told this by someone or the other if not d govt? #perkytweets

Hope they haven't counted folks like Balasaheb Thakrey in the 1411 we are all talking about thanks to Aircel ad! #perkytweets

Facebook seems to be desperate in trying to improve its own face - it seems to be having a new look everytime one logs in! #perkytweets

If you have some torn rags, do send them to Australia - our folks there have been advised to wear them to avoid being bashed up #perkytweets

My 500th Tweet! But who cares? Everyone just wants to know if My Name is Khandekar has been released! Kucch Paisedekar? #perkytweets

Amazing how folks in the Indian Govt think it is important to keep talking to Pak for peace but dont think so when it comes to Naxalites!

Direct Tax Code to be implemented wef 1.4.2011. So we have one more year to DE-CODE it! #perkytweets

A budget never stopped rich from being richer or poor from being poorer. Both unmindful of its contents.Middle class watch it helplessly!

This budget was no different - what the higher Tax slabs giveth, the increased fuel prices and excise duty rates taketh away! #perkytweets

Tiger population could get a boost - only if all the wild cats followed in the path of Tiger Woods - 1411, 1412...1499.. #perkytweets

I find believing in the existence of good cholesterol as difficult as believing in the existence of good Taliban! #perkytweets

Bees have this way of appearing at unusual places and causing anxiety to the hosts. Big Bee, apparently, is no different! #perkytweets

I can foresee a day when those having white money will become so rare that he will be prosecuted by law for hoarding it! #perkytweets

Lalit Modi was doing what every Indian wanted - to bring the black money stashed away back to India - and we want to fix him! #perkytweets

When the mind blanks out, you notice your blog has registered 25k hits, you retweet everyone, have perk hoping folks call this a #perkytweet

SRK strikes a deal with Balasaheb - offers to change name of the flick to "My name is Khandekar" #fakenews #perkytweets

International Lunar Geographic Society names lunar crater after SRK. So we now have evidence why crazy guys are called lunatics #perkytweets

One can now Tweet from Space! With workplaces blocking Twitter and FB, are folks hoping they'd rather be in space than at work? #perkytweets

Activists cry hoarse when they hear about children and women being sold. Why nobody minds cricketers being sold? #justasking #perkytweets

Some deemed Universities are now doomed universities #perkytweets

Tilgul Ghya god god tweeta, Tilgul sandoo naka, Twitter/FB var bhandoo naka! Requesting all tweenoos - tweeple in #marathi #perkytweets

Tiger Woods thanks NDTiwari, who in turn is thanks SPS Rathore, who is waiting 2 thank someone 2 take it forwrd - media pl help #perkytweets

From now on, will NDTV mean ND Tiwari Videos? #perkytweets

Tiger Woods voted Associated Press best athlete - for running from one girl to another, i guess? #perkytweets

Puneris are Winners - in verse - Guest Post

This is a Guest Post by Ms. Jyothi Divgi.

Healthy n Happy on Pune Roads......

Why is a Puneri happy n healthy?
You got to come and see.....
Just being on the roads of Pune
Keeps one as FIT as can be!

A Puneri gets his neck exercises
And boy! he gets it in style....
When as he drives his two-wheeler
He balances his mobile!

Placed precariously is the instrument
Between his neck and the shoulder blade
He gets his Neck Exercises alright
Just the perfect grade!

Our roads are dotted with potholes
Which routinely exercises our spine...
It is this permanent road condition
That keeps it super fine!

Watch OUT!!!! For the two wheelers
They surprise you indeed!
They whoooosh in from all the sides
They come in with great speed....

And by doing so, the Good Samaritans....
Let you toss n turn n warp
But in the process, gentle reader,
They keep your reflexes sharp!

We Puneris are a blessed lot
We get an excellent eye exercise, you know,
You have to rotate them all the while
While you are on the go!

Many a times we communicate
Strictly with our EYES alone
“I am turning, by heck! YOU will wait...”
Our communication skills we hone!

When school kids cycle in a row
NOPE! You will not honk in vain
Your deep breathing exercises you start
If you want to remain sane!

While traffic snarls keep you engaged
And precious fuel you burn
Patience and endurance skills
Are added bonus - you earn!

If you are a pedestrian....
Only the fittest - welcome aboard
Not meant for the weak n meek
No- Not one Pune Road!

Because you got to be the fittest
And perform near impossible feats
You beat the best of nimble goats
To cross the Pune Streets!

So fit n healthy, deliriously happy
That’s how we merrily stay.....
If , dear reader, you are on the roads of Pune
You are a winner all the way!


Limericks Time!
When i have to wait at a Traffic signal...... what do i do????
If a pencil and a paper is available - i pen down limericks...
Sample these!

Said Mrs. Mosquito to Mr. Mosquito
Arre! Mee kaay saangte, zarra Aika ho
This jyothi you see
So yummy n juicy.....
We have food for six months n mo’ !

There was a young man from Camp,
Who was injured by a boxing champ,
He had to fly to Sydney
But they replaced with a dog kidney
Now he raises his leg when he sees a street lamp!

Once there was a woman from Hubbalee
Who was as hep as hep can be
But her mother-in-law
In her- found no flaw
Kyun ki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi!

About the Guest Blogger:
I consider myself as GFB - God's Favourite Baby.
And immensely in love with Ma Nature - from the earthworm to the whales, from sunny summers to the magical monsoons -i love her every shade.
And i love kids - i have five adorable kids n a dog! And yes- an adorable Polar Bear - bharat!

Modi-fied Cricket

This post has been featured by Blogadda as a Saturday Spicy Pick on 10.04.10

My daughter’s final exams may prevent her from enjoying the DLF IPL3 on right now, but that does not mean she does not (read: we do not) have our share of sneak-peak into the fast-paced action on live TV once in a while. Come on, everyone needs a Strategic Time Out! The humble ‘break’, we learn, is now Modi-fied to a ‘Maxx Mobile Strategic Timeout’. I don’t know if the break, which we take when my daughter finds the accounting stuff too taxing or the tax muddle too much to balance, can be called a DLF IPL Strategic Timeout or Maxx Timeout – without attracting a demand from the mighty sponsors or the innovative genius who walks this planet by the name of Lalit Kumar Modi. He has transformed the gentleman’s game into an opportunity for commerce for every action, be it a deed or mis-deed, a hap or mis-hap, an event or a non-event, a moment or a non-moment!
He has indeed crunched the game in hours and packed it with action and adverts, without yelling out "Honey, I shrunk the game!" So though I am quite sure one may learn more about real life commerce watching how the genius does it with ads appearing between deliveries than from academic journals, one has to hide one’s beliefs so that one’s child focuses on her exams!

So quickly I shut off the television set so that she can get back to her study schedule and I can muse about what other ideas the genius can come up with next? If he has come up with a Karbonn Kamal Catch, how about a Talcum powder brand or some hair oil brand that would fall for a catch that slips through one’s fingers on to terra firma? If he has already thought about the DLF maximum to replace what used to be a mere ‘sixer’, how about roping in a 2-minute noodle brand for a cheeky single? Or a mobile service provider with a per-half-second billing plan to vie for the same event – a cheeky single? How about featuring a fly-by-night financing company, who promises to double your money in 4 hours (which incidentally is the duration of the 20-20 match), to sponsor the event when a certain single gets converted into 2 runs by the sheer genius of the batsman, who make it in the nick of time by diving into the crease? We could call it “Get-Rich Double”!

After exhausting every part of the T-shirt, bat, stumps, ground – and did they miss the pads? Soon one will see some logo on the pads and hand-guards, I guess, unless I have missed it by some oversight. I guess the right palm of the captain which keeps appearing while moving the field back and forth, left and right is another area yet to be explored. But then IPL3 is more about moments! We could call a stumping a “WalkMan” event or term a caught behind the wicket now as a “Rear-Guard” action. Well, frankly this throws up chances of products being named after cricketing moments! The coveted milestone of 100 runs by a batsman, erstwhile called a ‘century’ can be coined as a “Fevistick Innings” Again, why should every “successful” moment be called a "Citi Moment of Success", when there are several successes that one experiences on the field?

Stressful moments are yet to have takers at the time of going to press. Several possibilities present themselves on the cricketing ground, which can itself be called by whatever-it-is that an eager sponsor wants to call it! Even injuries can be renamed as “Iodex” or “Tiger Balm” moments or even Health Insurance products and hospitalization plans or any other abstract product that can imagination can find a connection to reach out to the millions watching the 20-20 moments on television. One cannot rule out advertising agencies to recommend this spot to adventure sports academies or bank recovery agents to jump into the advertising bandwagon, since opportunity poses itself in the form of some writhing youngster in the middle of the cricket pitch. A batsman suffering from cramps could be an “ORS rehydration” moment.

Uncertain moments like the “upstairs” referrals of run outs could be much sought after by Equity Investment advisors for their Portfolio Management (PMS) products or Mutual funds – or wait a minute – by cricket betting syndicates, albeit only as surrogate moments of expectancy! The ushering in of a new era of 20-20 has brought with it a plethora of opportunities. An idea can change your life, as one telecom adline goes, but this idea can change the lifestyle of all those who associate themselves and are prepared to be Modi-fied!

Before Geoffrey Boycott can say “It’s not cricket”, Lalit Modi could call it by some other name. I cant tell what though. Until such time, let’s call it ‘Modi-fied Cricket’.

Encashing on opportunities, thy name is Lalit Kumar Modi!

The Genius named Lalit Kumar Modi

Whatnonsanz!

Disclaimer: The brand names used in this post are real and have used only for making an effective point about the reality of the biggest reality show on Indian TV (or is it TV anywhere in the world?). Competitors are advised not to waste their time trying to haggle with me why i did not pick their brands, and instead rush to Lalit Modi for making their Lalit-moment a dream come true!