Spiritual Guru Blames Rupee Symbol For Currency Woes

"

Rajkumar Jhanjhari, an expert in the ancient Hindu doctrine of vastu shastra, has called for a new design, arguing that a line on the symbol has "slit the throat" of the rupee and sparked the country's financial gloom.

Link

Wonder when India will get independence from its "Spiritual Gurus" and their nonsense.

Sigh…

Tu Mere Saath Chal Na Paayegi

Shamim Shahabadi…

Tu mere saath chal na paayegi

Jab meri raah teri raah se milti hi nahin
Phir mera saath nibhaane ki zarurat kya hai

Apni maasoom tamannaaon ko rahabar na banaa
Khvaab phir khvaab hain labon ki haqeeqat kya hai

Ye nayi raah tujhe raas nahin aayegi

Main ne maanaa ki tujhe mujh se muhabbat hai magar
Meri gurbat teri chaahat ka silaa kya degi

Apni mahrumi-e-qismat se pareshaan hoon main
Bebasi ashk-e-nadaamat ke sivaa kya degi

Vaqt ki dhuup mein har cheez jhulas jaayegi

Pointless Apps In AppWorld

 

At least these are free.

I have seen 'Desktop Clock' Apps for USD 800 and above!!

Highway Rider – Battery Acid Games

 

View in iTunes

A good 'app' to waste the time (and battery) on your iPhone.

The game play is simple and fun. Except that after every crash, the damn thing is going to list every broken bone. Redundant and gets annoying really quick. Barring that - the 'app' would be a good addition to your I have nothing to do for the time being collection.

UPDATE:

Downloaded the update and now the broken bones listing can be skipped. Also comes with Boost Tanks for instant turbo.

…

Alcohol is a very necessary article ... It makes life bearable to millions of people who could not endure their existence if they were quite sober. It enables Parliament to do things at eleven at night that no sane person would do at eleven in the morning.

- George Bernard Shaw

Norway NRI Nautanki… Continues

Links to the previous posts on the same issue – just to refresh your memory:

• That Issue About The Kids In Norway
• Update On The Norway Nautanki

And now for the latest from the pathetic parents and the eccentric extended family:

"

Kolkata: Within a month of their return to India, two NRI children, who were earlier taken into foster-care by the Norwegian Childcare Services, find themselves in a new controversy -- their families have filed police complaints against each other alleging threats to kill. Sagarika Bhattacharya, mother of Abhigyan (3) and Aishwarya (1), has complained to Kulti police station in Burdwan (West Bengal), alleging that her father-in-law, Ajay Bhattacharya, had sent some goons to threaten to kill her if she came near the children. Mr Bhattacharya, on the other hand, on Friday filed a complaint in the same police station counter-alleging that Sagarika and her father Manotosh Chakrabarty had been threatening them with dire consequences if they did not return the children to their mother. … Amid all the allegations and counter-allegations, the children remain silent sufferers, literally, as little Abhigyan has been diagnosed with "attachment disorder" which has robbed him of his ability to speak.

Link

I did mention (in my previous post on the subject) that these kids would be better off with the Norwegian CWS. The kids must be kept away from this crazy family.

Honestly, feels great to be right. At times though, I wish I wasn't right every single time.

Tumhi Ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi - Cocktail

Mamata Banerjee says Marxists and Maoists plotting to kill her with ISI

"

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says that Marxists and Maoists are plotting to kill her in league with the Pakistani intelligence, North Korea, Venezuela and Hungary. Banerjee told the Washington Post how her "Marxist political opponents were plotting with Maoist rebels to discredit and kill her". They were in league with the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) agency of Pakistan and that this alleged plot was financed by North Korea, Venezuela and Hungary. "They have given me the death sentence," she said.

Link

Ignoring that the loud-mouth bitch Mamata Banerjee believes the world revolves around her and is too full of herself, let us - for a while, assume that there is some validity to her outrageous claims.

Mamata ji – if all these people want you dead and there are agencies from all over the globe willing to finance the plot, don't you feel that it is proof enough that there is something seriously wrong with you and your politics?? You must have done something extremely terrible to piss off all these people/agencies/countries.

It is a bit difficult to believe that people would want you dead solely because of your ugly face and extremely irritating/annoying voice. These might be adding to the extreme HATE they feel for you, but it can't be the primary reason.

Do the world a favour and go kill yourself. Save everyone some money. There is no reason why the economies of the world should subsidise your death. Have you seen the state of the world economy?! No reason to burden them with this as well.

According To The UPA – Tejas Has Been Inducted

• In 2011, I had questioned the Made In India tag given to the Tejas [Link].
• TOI had put up articles stating that Tejas is going to cost shit loads and not going to be ready for induction till 2013. Two fully operational squadrons would be available only by 2015 [Link].
• And now, we have the UPA yapping that Tejas induction is one of the major milestones achieved under its leadership [Link]!

If anyone were to actually read up about the Tejas project – it would be extremely difficult to consider this as an achievement (by any stretch of one's imagination).

It is rather embarrassing to think that even after 30 years and spending about INR 17,269 Crores (initial budget was 526 Crores and it is likely that the project will end up costing 25,000 Crores) – Tejas is not completely Indian. Even after putting in a more powerful engine (also imported), the damn thing at best would just be a medium to low-end fighter.

"

That's not all. The first test-flight of the Tejas Mark-II version, with more powerful American GE F-414 engines, will be possible only by December 2014, with its production beginning in June 2016. And even then, the Tejas will just be a medium to low-end fighter, not a high-end air dominance one [Link] .

Claiming that this damn thing has been already inducted (when obviously it has not been) is bad. But I honestly can't understand why would ANYONE want to take 'credit' for this pathetic project which only highlights the incompetence of the Aeronautical Development Agency, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Chutiye saale.

Keep Me In Your Heart For A While – Warren Zevon

Warren Zevon (1947 –2003)

New iPad Offers From Wataniya

Honestly, I still haven't been able to figure out what purpose is served by the iPad / Galaxy Tab / similar contraptions. It basically mimics the functionality of a touchscreen smart-phone, just with a bigger (at times brighter) screen. I could go on about the redundant nature of these gadgets…

But hey, what the hell do I know. So many of these gadgets being sold – perhaps there are people who find it useful for something (other than a digital photo-frame).

Ronald Reagan's Blood Up For Auction

"

The 5” glass vial with a half inch diameter has a green rubber stopper. Dried blood residue from President Reagan (1911-2004) can be seen clearly in the vial with a quarter-inch ring of blood residue at the end of the inserted rubber stopper.

Link

Authentic or fake is another matter. The point is - why would anyone be bidding for this? Even if some idiots are bidding for this 'piece of history' (rolls eyes) - why would the foundation of former US President Ronald Reagan (err.. ???) have a problem with this auction? [Link]

Unless… they are worried about some nutcase attempting to clone this nutcase. Although, I am pretty sure such an attempt would require more than just dried blood residue. Not to mention – an extremely sad set of brains.

Dekh tere sansaar ki haalat kya hogayi bhagwaan – kitna badal gayaa insaan.
Paise hain par akal nahin hai, bewakoofi ki koi hadh nahin hai – kitnaa badal gayaa insaan.

Tu Kahin Bhi Rahe Sar Pe Tere Ilzaam To Hai

Sabir Jalalabadi…

Tu kahin bhi rahe sar pe tere ilzaam to hai 
Tere haathon ki lakeeron mein mera naam to hai

Mujh ko tu apna banaa yaa na banaa teri khushi 
Tu zamaane mein mere naam se badnaam to hai

Mere hisse mein koi jaam na aayaa na sahi 
Teri mahafil mein mere naam koi shaam to hai

Dekh kar log mujhe naam tera lete hain 
Iss pe main khush hoon muhabbat ka ye anjaam to hai

Vo sitamgar hi sahi dekh ke usko "sabir" 
Shukr iss dil-e-bimaar ko aaraam to hai

Bharat Maata Ki …

"

We are writing to inform you of important changes on Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) on the interest you earn on your Citibank Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) deposits. Under the taxation laws in India, we are required to withhold tax on the interest paid to you on your NRO deposits. This TDS is deducted at a rate of 30.9% (Tax + CESS) -  however until March 31, 2012, for customers who provided a declaration to avail of the benefits under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), this rate was lower based on the country of residence. As per the provisions of the Finance Bill, 2012, DTAA benefits can now only be extended to individuals submitting a valid 'Tax Residency Certificate' (TRC) in a format specified by the Indian Revenue authorities and authorised by the Tax Authority in the country of your Tax Residency. The bill is scheduled to be tabled in May 2012 and will be enforced retrospectively from the 1st of April, 2012. The Indian Revenue Authorities have not specified the new TRC format as yet. Consequently, tax will be withheld at 30.9% (Tax + CESS) on interest paid on your NRO deposits until such time the Indian Revenue Authorities provide us with the revised TRC format and you provide us copies of the new format, authorized by the appropriate Tax Authorities in the country of your Tax Residency. Please note that once you provide the revised TRC, the lower tax deduction will only be effective for future interest payments. We will share the specified TRC format with you once Indian Revenue Authorities release the same. We also wish to inform you that in case you have provided a DTAA Declaration recently for the Financial Year - April 2012 - March 2013 (Tax Assessment Year - April 2013-March 2014), we will not be able to process the instructions. Thank you for your understanding. If you need any clarifications, please call CitiPhone or your Relationship Manager. Warm regards Citibank NRI Business

Basically what they are saying is:

• If you were eligible for lower TDS (as per DTAA), you are no longer eligible (effective April 1st) because of a Finance Bill which will be tabled in May 2012.
• Your TDS will be deducted at 30.9% regardless of DTAA or your NRI Status declaration.
• You will continue to pay a higher TDS (as opposed to what you ought to) until the TRC format has been finalised by the Indian Tax Authorities (which is obviously not under the customer's control).
• Once the idiots in the Indian Administration agree on the TRC format, you will then have to complete the new paperwork / formalities and submit them again to your respective banks.
• Until this is done, TDS will continue to be deducted at the higher rate.
• Once you have submitted the documentation, the higher TDS that they have been deducting will NOT BE REVERSED and lower TDS will be applicable only for FUTURE INTEREST PAYMENTS (Gali gali mein shor hai… Bharat Maata chor hai).

I don't blame Citibank for this. At least Citibank bothered to inform the customers. I am yet to receive any such notification from the other banks that I (unfortunately) maintain Rupee Deposits with.

I do blame the Indian Revenue Authorities (rolls eyes). The customer will have to pay a higher tax – for no fault on his/her part. What nonsense!?

I have sent emails to the other banks inquiring about this and how they propose to handle the issue. No reply, yet.

To be completely honest – I would gladly settle for a significantly lower interest rate than pay these bastards a single paisa more than I absolutely have to. Call me unpatriotic if you want to – I don't think much about the concept of patriotism anyway.

I would happily pay a penalty at pre-mature liquidation of my NRO deposits AND pay the CA's their ridiculous fee to get an affidavit - enabling me to convert my NRO cash to NRE. I will place it at lower interest rates, but I will NOT pay a higher tax because some dumb fuck wants to use a new format!

The Mentalist – Season 4

Done with Season 4. Barring Episode 8, the rest of the season was definitely watchable.

I will admit, I was disappointed by the season finale. Involving the CBI team at the last minute and all of them agreeing to it – seemed a bit idiotic to me.

Red John has been able to access secure databases and his 'disciples' have managed to infiltrate the FBI and CBI offices. Not to mention - be part of case investigations. This has happened a number of times in the series. In light of the above, it is a bit too ambitious on Patrick Jane's part to believe that he can get his former team to assist him in this 'undercover' operation and Red John not suspecting a double cross.

What I would have preferred:

The bloody smiley face. Two or more victims (from Jane's former team) and a voice note delivered to Jane's mobile - "How dare you insult my intellect?"

…

I know three things will never be believed - the true, the probable, and the logical.

- John Steinbeck

More On The UPPLEVA

Remember UPPLEVA – IKEA's Clutter Free TV? Well here is some more info:

• Uppleva users will be able to access videos from YouTube,  Vimeo, Dailymotion and elsewhere, according to an Ikea spokesperson. All in all, it will feature around 20 apps per country.
• Some of the other services available on the device will include QTom, a German Vevo competitor and TuneIn radio.
• Apps will also be available to facilitate music playback, games, VOD and catch-up video playback.
• Uppleva TVs will also come with an open Web browser, which reportedly is Opera for TV.
• Uppleva will come with an integrated Blu-ray player.
• The TV is being built by China’s TLC.
• It will come with a wireless subwoofer.
• Uppleva will be available with screen sizes ranging from 24 inches to 46 inches, and will start selling for around $960.
• Ikea will sell Uppleva in a few select stores in Italy, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden next month, then target additional stores and territories in Europe come fall, and bring Uppleva to the U.S. in 2013.

Link

The Sopranos – Characters I Despise

Given that there is hardly anything worth watching these days, I usually pull out one of the old series and watch those again. Recently, I started off with The Sopranos – probably for the 20th time. It is a wonderful show and I can probably watch it another 20 times without getting bored.

However, there are some characters that I just can't tolerate. They make me grind my teeth every time they are in the frame.

Livia Soprano – Played by Nancy Marchand. This character doesn't even have to open her mouth to tick me off. Just the sight of her makes me want to strangle her.

Janice Soprano – Played by Aida Turturro. Die! Worthless, good for nothing, irritating, annoying cunt.

Carmela Soprano – Played by Edie Falco. It is all about Money Money Money with this bitch. Mostly that is what ticks me off. The rest of the times, it seems like she WANTS to pick a fight. Really want to watch her getting slapped around and being kicked out of the house and into the street.

Charmaine Bucco – Played by Katherine Narducci. Looks ok but her Holier Than Thou attitude makes me want to choke her to death.

Adriana La Cerva – Played by Drea de Matteo. Talks too much. Add to that, just hate the hair – colour and style.

Tattoo Artist Gets Magnetic Piercings To Hold His iPod Nano

 

 

"

Hurban, 21, who works in a tattoo parlor in Newfield, New Jersey, implanted four metal studs in the skin of his wrist and secured his iPod to them magnetically. "I just invented the strapless watch," he said on Monday of his Apple Inc device, set to display a clock. Hurban cheerfully recounted how he mapped out the four corners of the iPod on his arm and then inserted four titanium studs into his skin. Once the incisions healed, he popped on his iPod, which is held in place magnetically.

Link

Idiot.

Romney And The Auto Industry

There's A Hole In The World Like A Great Black Pit And It's Filled With People Who Are Filled With Shit

I have probably posted this earlier. Just felt like doing it again:

I had him!
His throat was bare beneath my hand.
No, I had him!
His throat was there and now he'll never come again.

Easy now, hush love hush
I keep telling you, What's your rush?

When? Why did I wait?
You told me to wait -
Now he'll never come again.

There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
And it's filled with people who are filled with shit
And the vermin of the world inhabit it.
But not for long...
They all deserve to die.

Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why.
Because in all of the whole human race
Mrs. Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two

There's the one staying put in his proper place
And the one with his foot in the other one's face
Look at me, Mrs Lovett, look at you.
No, we all deserve to die
Even you, Mrs. Lovett, Even I.

Because the lives of the wicked should be made brief
For the rest of us - death will be a relief. We all deserve to die.

And I'll never see Johanna
No I'll never hug my girl to me - finished!

Alright! You sir, you sir, how about a shave?
Come and visit your good friend Sweeney.
You sir, too sir? Welcome to the grave.

I will have vengeance.
I will have salvation.

Who sir, you sir?
No ones in the chair, Come on! Come on!
Sweeney's. waiting. I want you bleeders.
You sir! Anybody!
Gentlemen now don't be shy!

Not one man, no, nor ten men.
Nor a hundred can assuage me.
I will have you!
And I will get him back even as he gloats
In the meantime I'll practice on less honourable throats.

And my Lucy lies in ashes
And I'll never see my girl again.

But the work waits!
I'm alive at last!
And I'm full of joy!

There Is A Club Sandwich Index!

"

WASHINGTON: Relish club sandwiches? You should head for New Delhi which offers them at the cheapest rates in the world while Paris has the most expensive ones, according to a global survey by an online travel service. Paris, often thought of as the world's most romantic city, has just been deemed the most expensive city in the world to order a club sandwich at $33 by Hotels.com. The least expensive cities for a club sandwich from all 30 global cities surveyed are New Delhi, India and Mexico City, Mexico, with the average price coming in at just $10. A standard lunch available in hotels worldwide, was used as a universal measure of affordability in the Hotels.com Club Sandwich Index (CSI). The CSI average price has been calculated by taking the real prices paid by guests for a club sandwich within 1,000 five, four and three-star hotels located in popular travel destinations across 26 countries, with 10 US cities measured.

Link

I honestly can't decide what is more pathetic:

• Some sad online travel service surveys 26 countries, analysing the price of a club sandwich. OR
• Giving this idiotic exercise a fancy term – Club Sandwich Index. OR
• TOI thinking this is 'news worthy' and reporting it. OR
• People commenting on the 'news' article:
• Ishan (Mumbai)
  25 mins ago (10:41 PM)
  Mumbai club sandwich is the cheapest and best at 40 Rs

Cyberotic Head Explode… Information Overload… And I … Just Can't Take It … Anymore (Crtsy: Aerosmith – Does The Noise In My Head Bother You).

Saying that I am looking forward to the end of the world, would be an understatement. Is there any way I could help speed up the countdown to The End? Seriously!

All these nuclear weapons all over the fucking globe, will someone please fire a few? Come on! I said PLEASE!

Fucking retards.

Not Sure If This Is Funny Or Pathetic

"

The couple married in April 1999 and had a daughter in May 2000. Ajay was posted to Port Blair on April 17, 2006. But Anjali refused to join him and in May filed a petition for maintenance and told the family court that Ajay was ill-treating her. Ajay subsequently filed for divorce. Hearing an appeal by the husband against the family court's dismissal of his divorce plea, a division bench of Justices P B Majmudar and Anoop Mohta asked the wife why she could not join her husband. "You should go to him. When Sita could join Ram in vanvas, then why can't you go?" asked Justice Majmudar.

Link

Anjali doesn't want to live with Ajay and claims she is being ill-treated. Ajay claims the wife has abandoned him and wants a divorce. I don't see why the Justices are insisting that the two should be kept together when clearly the parties involved don't want to stay together!? Where is the logic?

Giving references from the Ramayan for a divorce case? Seriously!?

So the next time someone is charged with (for example) burning his wife - the defence attorney can quote the Ramayan and demand dismissal of the case claiming that the accused was merely following the Ramayan and insisted his wife go through the Agni-Pariksha (trial by fire)!?!?

Justice Majmudar should get his head examined before he is allowed to preside over any hearing. I suggest, he should be kept in isolation until he can demonstrate his ability to think logically.

Jahaalat ki bhi hadh hoti hai!

THIS Is A Painting

That is a Monet, and THAT is painting. Happens to be one of my favourites (In my view - Edvard Much's Scream is just blaaa).

Was reminded of this when Surya put up new posts on her blog. Do check it out. BTW, the 'Dynamic Theme' layout – well done!

NDTV's Obsession With Menus… Continues

• On 26-03-12 - What Manmohan Singh, Obama will eat in Seoul
• On 08-04-12 - Goshtaba, dosas to be on Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's menu
• On 07-05-12 - All-South Indian breakfast for Hillary in Delhi

Who the hell is approving such idiotic "news" items to be posted?!

 

…

Idiots!

So many of them. All around. No matter what you do, where you go – there are just so many of them!

An App For That – Submitting Formal Complaints To TSA

Link

I don't see this making any difference, given that formal complaints have been submitted (mode/method of submission is irrelevant. A formal complaint IS a formal complaint regardless of the mode of submission) and the situation hasn't improved. The issues have been highlighted in the media as well. If the frequency of reports is to be considered, the situation has only gotten worse in spite of formal complaints.

But, if tapping out a complaint on your smartphone makes you feel better while being humiliated at a TSA checkpoint – now you have an App For That.

Edvard Munch's Scream Auctioned For USD 119 Million

Link

Err… I don't see it.

It is at times like this that I question my taste in art. I am definitely not qualified to be an art critic or an elite art collector, but I don't need to be either of those to tell you that the above pictured painting can't be worth USD 119 Million.

How much would I pay for this? Nothing. I could get a 10 year old to paint this.

Top Secret USB Flash Drive – Seal Included

 

 

"

The TopSecret USB can be fully customized according to your wishes. Change the color of the stamp and change the letter on the stamp. Your USB will be hand-customized by Studio her-berg. This porcelain usb stick with classic wax seal is a combination of forgone times and the present. Porcelain is an honorable commodity but is delicate at the same time and should therefore be carefully used. This is why the material of the product is connected to the concept; “Personal information is fragile! So handle with care.”.

Link

Ex Takes Revenge

"

Anna Mackowiak, 34, is facing jail after taking her revenge on 45-year-old Marek Olszewski when he turned up at her surgery with toothache just days after breaking up with her. The dentist, who works in Wroclaw, Poland, said: ‘I tried to be professional and detach myself from my emotions. But when I saw him lying there I just thought, "What a b******".' … 'I didn’t have any reason to doubt her, I mean I thought she was a professional. But when I got home I looked in the mirror and couldn’t f****** believe it. The b**** had emptied my mouth. The new girlfriend has now left me saying she can’t be with a man without teeth. And I’m going to have to pay a fortune on getting indents or something.’

Link

In addition to getting a new girlfriend and a denture, in my view - the guy should also consider getting himself a new brain. This time, one that works.

Seriously, who the hell in their right mind would go to an ex (for dental work or anything along those lines) just days after breaking up with her?! It is a little difficult to believe that Ms. Anna is the only dentist in Wroclaw, Poland.

New In Gmail

Automatic Message Translation

"

Over the next few days, everyone who uses Gmail will be getting the convenience of translation added to their email. The next time you receive a message in a language other than your own, just click on Translate message in the header at the top of the message.

Smart Mute

"

By selecting a conversation and clicking Mute in the 'More actions' drop-down menu, or by using the 'm' shortcut key, new messages added to the conversation bypass your inbox so that the conversation stays archived. Muted conversations will only pop back into your inbox ready for your attention if a new message in the conversation is addressed to you and no one else, or if you're added to the "To" or "Cc" line in a new message.

Title Tweaks

"

we've changed the text in the browser tab so that you can more easily see if you have new messages. The tab now reads "Inbox (20) - user@example.com - Gmail" instead of "Gmail - Inbox (20) - user@example.com.”

Link