What do you mean you've run out of chloroform?
Saturday, August 25, 2007
... one of the entries into the "Caption competition" on BBC Magazine Monitor. The winning entry, however, was - "Weren't you wearing a watch before we started?" :P
Labels: Australia, BBC, Competition, Lion
Posted by Rajesh @ 2:23 PM; PERMALINK,
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See Both Sides Of The Story
Saturday, June 16, 2007
The timing couldn't have been better. My last post - "what a week" highlighted my displeasure towards news channels in US. All these years in the US I have been watching Fox News, CNN and some local news channels to get to know the news from different parts of the world. Here's how it looked -
- Their reach was limited to the War in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and Korea. Countries like Russia, India, Japan, Australia that existed when I was back in India were somehow off the charts the very moment I landed here.
- News channels aired scores and snippets not from International sports like Soccer, Cricket, Tennis but from Universal games like Football, Baseball and NBA - winners claiming themselves to be World Champions.
- Stories like Cat rescued by fire fighters, Tiger gives birth to a calf, Man sues laundromat for million bucks are prime time news and there's a panel discussing pros and cons of rescuing the cat.
- Biased opinions and the opaque curtains denied understanding what exactly occurs (occurred) after an incident.
- Witnessed accusations and verbal fights on evening news/interviews and most often the interviewee gave up while the interviewer made a fool out of himself in front of a million viewers.
- Someone who's a Smoker is a big big issue (in this country?) and if that person happens to be a Presidential Candidate - then FORGET ABOUT IT. They will rip him apart.
- Shows like O'Reilly Factor and The Situation Room try to add spice to a news that wouldn't appear even on Page 3 in other parts of the world.
Thanks to BBC World - they announced their entry to the States and that they would try to come up with the other side of the story. This would be great; at least one can get out of the monopoly prevalent out here.
I'm looking forward to it.
Labels: Asia, BBC, CNN, Fox, Media, News, US
Posted by Rajesh @ 2:32 PM; PERMALINK,
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Eat more Chocolates
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Eating Chocolates are good for health, if taken in an appropriate amount. But eating chocolate is much better, if you don't know already. Recent study shows that chocolate is better than a passionate kiss, causing a more intense and longer-lasting buzz, and doubling the heart rate. Oh My !!
According to a recent study conducted in UK by Dr. David Lewis, "There is no doubt that chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting body and brain buzz. A buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most passionate kiss."
The volunteers had electrodes attached to their scalps during the tests and the researchers compared their resting heart rates with those during the chocolate and kissing tests. Of course Dark Chocolate was the one savored and I bet you wont get the same results if it were just another candy. I love the ones from Hershey's - they're simply amazing.
Anyways hope you got another reason to eat more chocolates
According to a recent study conducted in UK by Dr. David Lewis, "There is no doubt that chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting body and brain buzz. A buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most passionate kiss."
The volunteers had electrodes attached to their scalps during the tests and the researchers compared their resting heart rates with those during the chocolate and kissing tests. Of course Dark Chocolate was the one savored and I bet you wont get the same results if it were just another candy. I love the ones from Hershey's - they're simply amazing.
Anyways hope you got another reason to eat more chocolates
Posted by Rajesh @ 9:16 PM; PERMALINK,
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Sleep deprivation
Monday, April 23, 2007
If you ask me, when was the last time I had 8 hours of uninterrupted, peaceful sleep, I'd say dunno; for I don't frankly remember. Like today - I woke up somewhere around 5:00, 5:30 because it was so bright outside. I had a look at my timepiece and realized that its not time to get up. Again at 6 then again at 6:30 - oh man. All because it was bright and sunny outside, I think that the sun showed up somewhere close to 4 am.
There was an article on BBC the other day that said - Do we really need eight hours of sleep? According to the article, researchers and scientists have found the answer to be - 'No'. They say that asking everyone to get 8 hours of sleep is "like saying everybody should have size eight shoes or be five foot eight inches" - gee thanks !!
There goes a golden opportunity, for everyone who wants to get an '8 hour sleep' need not necessarily need 8 hours. I mean, why cant these scientists keep quite. Who are they to decide how much sleep I need? I need atleast 8 hours of sleep and thats it. "In a nutshell, if you sleep for eight hours a night go to work and find yourself lolling and drooling on the keyboard, you aren't getting enough. If you're sleeping five hours and running the country, you probably are getting enough".
What really surprises me are statements like "Women may need more sleep than men due to the structure of their brains." and "sleep disorders are a 24-hour phenomenon with sufferers spending their days stressed and unable to clear their heads at night."
When it comes to thinks concerning sleep, I think its best to ignore the research. If after doing some tests they figure out that I need only 6 hours of sleep, I'm not going to agree to it. No way can I compromise on my sleep. They say that a classic demand of the 19th Century labour movement was "Eight hours labour, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest"- how true
There goes a golden opportunity, for everyone who wants to get an '8 hour sleep' need not necessarily need 8 hours. I mean, why cant these scientists keep quite. Who are they to decide how much sleep I need? I need atleast 8 hours of sleep and thats it. "In a nutshell, if you sleep for eight hours a night go to work and find yourself lolling and drooling on the keyboard, you aren't getting enough. If you're sleeping five hours and running the country, you probably are getting enough".
What really surprises me are statements like "Women may need more sleep than men due to the structure of their brains." and "sleep disorders are a 24-hour phenomenon with sufferers spending their days stressed and unable to clear their heads at night."
When it comes to thinks concerning sleep, I think its best to ignore the research. If after doing some tests they figure out that I need only 6 hours of sleep, I'm not going to agree to it. No way can I compromise on my sleep. They say that a classic demand of the 19th Century labour movement was "Eight hours labour, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest"- how true
Labels: BBC, Deprive, Sleep, Summer, Sun
Posted by Rajesh @ 8:22 PM; PERMALINK,
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Living in this modern era
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
I'm sure we all have our own perceptions on how the modern world is changing/adapting itself to the changes. Here's an example (got forwarded via email) -
OLD VERSION...
MODERN VERSION...
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house.
Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance).
Opposition MP's stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry. CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.
Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter.
Arjun Singh makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Insititutions & in Govt Services.
The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV.
Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice". Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'. CPM calls it the 'revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden' . Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.
MANY YEARS LATER...
The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi billion dollar company in silicon valley.100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India.
OLD VERSION...
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or
shelter so he dies out in the cold.MODERN VERSION...
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house.
Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance).
Opposition MP's stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry. CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.
Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter.
Arjun Singh makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Insititutions & in Govt Services.
The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV.
Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice". Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'. CPM calls it the 'revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden' . Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.
MANY YEARS LATER...
The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi billion dollar company in silicon valley.100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India.
Labels: Ant, BBC, Bengal, CNN, Funny, Grasshopper, India, Kerala, NDTV, UN, United Nations, US, West
Posted by Rajesh @ 8:39 PM; PERMALINK,
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Ten Things ...
Monday, January 08, 2007
Read this on BBC the other day. Thought of sharing it with you guys, if you haven't read already -
10 Things we didn't know last week -
- UK Traffic Lights emit about 50,000 tonnes of CO2 per year through energy use.
- Jobs in finance make up 4% of the UK's workforce - and account for 13% of the income tax paid.
- Coach (bus) travel is the safest form of road transport in the country (UK).
- More than 20 million people visit Little Chef roadside outlets each year.
- Saddam Hussein's codename while in US custody in 04/05 was "Victor".
- A Beefeater is more formally known as a Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary.
- Holders of the MBE can be stripped of the honor at the discretion of the Queen, "if evidence of wrongdoing comes to light".
- A shortage of volunteer leaders has led to a waiting list of 50,000 girls wanting to join the Girl Guides.
- Noel Edmonds' middle name is Ernest, although it’s not noted in his first Who's Who entry, in the newly published 2007 edition. He is listed as Noel E Edmonds.
- The US Senate has never had a "socialist" senator - until now. Bernard Sanders, an independent, calls himself a "democratic socialist".
Labels: 10, 2006, BBC, Hussein, London, Pollution, Saddam, Senate, Traffic, UK, US, Victor
Posted by Rajesh @ 10:08 PM; PERMALINK,
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