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Showing posts from July 9, 2017

Wax in the stomach....??

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Wax in the stomach....?? Sharad, a mechanical engineer, found himself with an upset stomach every night. While normal medical checks revealed nothing wrong in him, deeper probes revealed the reason – his stomach was collecting significant amounts of wax. The doctors identified the villian – the ordinary disposable paper cups he used for drinking his tea at his office pantry. A disposable paper cup is quite popular in office pantries due to the convenience it offers. What manyoverlook is the fact, that these paper cups are coated with a tiny layer of wax, which is essential to prevent water from seeping into the paper. When very hot liquids are poured into this cup, the wax on the paper cups disintegrates & a little comes off & is promptly sent along with the drink, into the stomach. While the body can discard minor amounts, over a long-term, it can become a problem. So what can be done about it? You can try to bring your own glass cups. Glass is one of the least reactive

For those who loved Roger Moore

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For those who loved Roger Moore, here is a lovely story from Twitter. (Thanks to my dear friend, Madhu Mansingh for this). "As a seven year old, circa 1983, in the days before First Class Lounges at airports, I was with my Granddad at Nice Airport & saw Roger Moore sitting at the departure gate, reading a newspaper. I told my Granddad I'd just seen 'James Bond' & asked if we could go over, so I could get his autograph. My Grandad had no idea who James Bond or Roger Moore were, so we walked over & he popped me in front of Roger Moore, with the words, "My grandson says you're famous. Can you sign this?" As charming as you'd expect, Roger asked my name & duly signed the back of my plane ticket, a fulsome note full of best wishes. I was ecstatic, but as we headed back to our seats, I glanced down at the signature. It was hard to decipher it, but it definitely didn't say 'James Bond'. My Grandad looked at it, half figured out

A Working Women

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She Waltzes Through Life.. Shadow lengthens not; yes, walking on a tight rope she waltzes through life She waltzes through life; sun, moon, stars, trees and flowers fail to catch her rhythm Fail to catch her rhythm; a wife and a mother too, she waltzes through life.. Dedicated to my wife and all the respectable ladies out there

Are you with the right partner?

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Are you with the right partner? During a seminar, a woman asked, "How do I know if I am with the right person?" The author then noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her, so he said, "It depends. Is that your partner?" In all seriousness, she answered, "How do you know?" "Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind," replied the author. "Here's the answer. Every relationship has a cycle. In the beginning; you fall in love with your partner. You anticipate their calls, want their touch, like their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural & spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love. People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Picture the expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing & then somet

I do not help my wife.......

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I do not help my wife....... A friend came to my house for coffee. We sat & talked about life. At some point in the conversation, I said, "I'm going to wash the dishes & will be right back." He looked at me as if I had told him I was going to build a space rocket. Then he said to me with admiration, but seemed a little perplexed: "I'm glad you 'help' your wife. I do not 'help' because when I do, my wife does not praise me. Last week I washed the floor & there were no thanks." I went back to sit with him & explained that I did not "help" my wife. Actually, my wife did not need 'help'; she needed a partner. I am a partner at home & through that 'society', the functions are divided, but it is not a "help", like household chores. * I do not 'help' my wife clean the house, because I live here too & I need to clean it too. * I do not 'help' my wife to cook, because I also

The educated middle-class families

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For at least a generation now – especially in urban India & the educated middle-class families – we have raised our girls to be confident & fight for their rights. But we seem to have ignored an entire generation of boys who were not told anything about how their sisters were changing. While we gave our daughters new ideals & role models, no one bothered to tell their brothers that they ought to change too! Girls ride two-wheelers & drive cars. It is considered an essential life skill. You can often hear Dad's proudly proclaiming that their daughters can drive very well indeed & they don’t need a father/husband/brother to take them anywhere. However, boys were never taught that cooking is an essential life skill. You don’t see parents proudly saying that their son can cook & doesn’t need a mother/wife/sister to feed him (& keep him alive!). We don’t tell our sons that it is okay for them to be paid less than their wives, or stay at home to take care of

That's love.....(of a different kind, maybe, but it's love)

That's love.....(of a different kind, maybe, but it's love) A wealthy man & his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together & admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous & died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified & grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day & he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart & he died instantly. He often talked about you & your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think y

Why young people don’t buy cars & apartments anymore?

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Why young people don’t buy cars & apartments anymore? Nowadays, the traditional measure of success — owning an apartment &/or a car — is out of date. An increasing number of young people around the world don’t want to buy them. Research shows that the so-called millennial generation, who are now 30-35 years old, rarely buy houses & even more rarely — cars. In fact, they don’t buy super expensive things at all. In the USA, people under the age of 35 are called ’the generation of renters.’ Why does this happen? Some sociologists say the current generation of young people differs from their parents’ generation. They have other values. The youth today has reconsidered the concept of success, which means: * "Successful people don’t buy property — they rent". If you want to be considered successful, invest in experiences: travel, do extreme sports, build startups. The point is, that people now don’t want prosperity & stability — all they want is flexible schedules

Ponder on these imponderables......

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Ponder on these imponderables...... 1). If you take an Oriental person & spin him around several times, does he become disoriented? 2). If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes? 3. Do infants enjoy infancy, as much as adults enjoy adultery? 4. If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled? 5. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? 6. Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? 7. When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say? 8. Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a racing car, not called a racist? 9. Why are a wise man & a wise guy opposites? 10. Why do 'overlook' & 'oversee' mean opposite things? 11. Why isn't the number '11' pronounced 'onety one'? 12. 'I am' is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that 'I do', is the longest? 13. If lawyers are disbarred & clergymen d

Something surprising...bet you hadn't heard this.

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Something surprising...bet you hadn't heard this. 'His Masters Voice' (HMV) had once published a pamphlet giving the history of the gramophone record. The Gramophone was invented by Thomas Alva Edison in the 19th century. Edison, who had invented many other gadgets like electric light & the motion picture camera, had become a legend even in his own time. When he invented the gramophone record, which could record human voice for posterity, he wanted to record the voice of an eminent scholar on his first piece. For that he chose Prof. Max Muller of England (a German by ethnicity), another great personality of the 19th century. He wrote to Max Muller saying, "I want to meet you & record your voice. When should I come?” Max Muller who had great respect for Edison asked him to come on a suitable time when most of the scholars of Europe would be gathering in England. Accordingly, Edison sailed to England & participated in a symposium of scholars. He was introduc

Meaningless goals....

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Meaningless goals.... A farmer had a dog who used to sit by the roadside waiting for vehicles to come around. As soon as one came, he would run down the road, barking & trying to overtake it. One day a neighbour asked the farmer, "Do you think your dog is ever going to catch a car?" The farmer replied, "That is not what bothers me. What bothers me, is what he would do, if he ever caught one." Many people in life behave like that dog who is pursuing meaningless goals. Think about it... Cheers... :)

Wedded to the Olive Greens....The Army Wife...

Wedded to the Olive Greens....The Army Wife... "A girl walking down the civilian street, A Fauji comes storming & sweeps her of her feet. A new life, a new style, a new world altogether, She was the happiest, because they were together! His postings, his boys, his duties; she was holding them firmly, After all she was married into the most elite family. Days gone by, months become years, She was standing tall, fighting all her fears. Babina, Wellington, Mhow & places she never knew existed, Those were the ones she often visited. Parties, meets, outings, life was on the groove; Give her a few boxes with the new address & she was ready to move. Moving to new places, making new friends, Hard times are those to leave behind, some loose ends. It can be a shelter, a flat or a lavish place, Whatever she gets, it becomes her address. Always on the move, managing kids, families & bank accounts, The little time she gets with her Fauji, is all that really counts. He depends

"Yes men" are dangerous & shallow.... Don't become a "Yes man"....

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"Yes men" are dangerous & shallow.... Don't become a "Yes man".... (Sam Manekshaw, who a ruling party, side-lined for speaking the truth, once told Indira Gandhi, "It is my job to win a war; not to lose".) Here is Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, as quoted from his own speech to the Officers of DSSC, Wellington, on 11 Nov '98, regarding the real meaning of 'Moral Courage'... "Ladies & Gentlemen, I do not know which of these is more important. When I am talking to young officers & young soldiers, I should place emphasis on physical courage, but since I am talking to this gathering, I will lay emphasis on "Moral Courage". What is moral courage? Moral courage is the ability to distinguish right from wrong & having done so, say so when asked, irrespective of what your superiors might think or what your colleagues or your subordinates might want. A ‘Yes man’ is a dangerous man. He may rise very high, he might even bec

Let's talk - Depression

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Let's talk - Depression......(a nice piece by Ninad Vengurlekar...) "I was pained to read about the suicide of the depressed kid who killed himself by jumping off a hotel building. In the world of social media, he assumed that everyone except him, was doing exceedingly well for themselves & he was the only loser on earth. He probably posted about his suicide on social media, hoping to taste some success & become famous. He longed for success, but had to kill himself for it. Sadly, he did not live to see how famous he has become. I was moved by the news. In a life connected to smartphones, I believe youngsters need a reality check about what real life is, what success is, & how it can be achieved. What happens on social media is virtual, but what you do with your life is real. Moving your fingers is far easier than rolling up your sleeves & getting to work. This difference needs to be understood. When youngsters are depressed & feel suicidal, they are thi