MUSTARD BLOOMS
A sarson (mustard) flower and bean
(photograph taken during the trip from IITD to Jhajjar for opening of library there on 17-2-2019)
FACEBOOK ON 1 APR, 2019
GOOGLE FINED 50 million euros
If the amount of fine is a measure of the magnitude of the crime, are the corporate Honchos leaving the mafia Dons far behind?
eu/https://www.theverge.com/…/google-gdpr-fine-50-million-euro…
ELECTION JOKE
Acrimony abounds in election time. So does humour, luckily.
I remember and miss Khushwant Singh. We owe this joke to him:
Q: What is the choice before the voter in the Indian General Elections?
A: That’s like asking a man facing the electric chair to choose between AC and DC!
FACEBOOK ON 2 APR, 2019
DINING AT LEELA
Re 31st March
I liked the advice given by Subhash Bhutani to make the 31st of March a day of reconciliation, not just of accounts but of relationships also. Thought came- let charity begin at home. Just then, my telepathic wife walked in. Here is what transpired:
Rekha: What shall I ask the maid to make for dinner?
I: Skip it, Rekha. We will dine out today at a lovely place.
Rekha (suspicious): Why? What happened?
I: A face book friend has suggested business men should chill it out on the fiscal year closing.
Rekha: Ok, maid will be pleased. Where?
I: Well, How about The Leela?
She jumped & fell out of the chair (despite her pounds).
I: Oh, my God. Are you ok ? What happened?
Rekha: I am not going. You damn well go.
I: But why?
Rekha: You think I am stupid? SHASHI THAROOR TOOK HIS WIFE THERE!!
😊
(So that my outside India friends may understand, Shashi Tharoor-a high ranking Congress Minister in the Govt of India, once a contender for the post of the UN Secretary General, took residence in Leela Hotel, Delhi, while his huge house was said to be getting repaired. His wife was found murdered in the hotel. Fingers have been raised and investigations have so far been inconclusive.)
Poor Shashi Tharoor! Courts may one day acquit him, but the community of wives has already convicted him.
A lost name is never redeemed.
Epilogue- finally, we did dine out but not at the Leela, Delhi, where Shashi’s wife was murdered. Instead, we went to the Leela Gurgaon, presumably not haunted by the spirit of the murdered wife. See the pics, in case you want to try the place-Leela calls its Indian food restaurant ‘Diya’-it is good.
FACEBOOK ON 3 APR, 2019
SANGHI LIBRARY-PART 3
Here is Part 3 of the 10 Part serial on the Library we established at Jhajjar:
FACEBOOK ON 5 APR, 2019
ENVIRONMENT-AN ELECTION ISSUE ?
An editorial, copied above, suggests pollution should be an election issue. I agree. Friends, help me decide my vote, with pollution performance of the two main contending parties, as one of the points. (Later on other issues can also be taken up)
The record of the Congress is well known. They have controlled our country since we had that “tryst with destiny”, most of the time. They must be given the credit for the “clean” air we breathe and the jobs created by the filter industry.
As for BJP, Supreme Court has made observations, on March 1, 2019, copied below. I personally had to go to NGT and obtain an order to restrain a 30 ft wide, concrete road being constructed in Arravallis for a temple with a BJP MLA, Abhey Singh Yadav, Retd IAS, allegedly at the back of it.
Do I, as voter, have the choice between the Devil and the Deep Sea? Shall I decide by toss of a coin? Or is the dice decidedly loaded in favour of one?
The debate is open. Let us work it out dispassionately.
FACEBOOK ON 5 APR, 2019
ROADSIDE BEAUTY
If you have missed this beauty by your road side, you may come to IIT Delhi campus and you wont miss.
FACEBOOK ON 7 APR, 2019
RESPONSE TO A POST BY DEAN, IITAA, IITD
To Rishab, Glad to know the way you were braught up. That’s the way we were too-an atmosphere of genuine freedom-but the comforting feeling in the sub concious that if & when we trip, a hand is there to hold.
FACEBOOK ON 8 APR, 2019
Thats me.
This picture was taken just before putting winter clothing away for the year.
FACEBOOK ON 8 APR, 2019
OLD FASHIONED, GRACEFUL
FACEBOOK ON 8 APR, 2019
My textile friends might like this. And if one of them takes one of these things as a B Tech, M Tech, Ph D, project, he can depend on my assistance for the electronics-from logistics point of view-I live next door to IITD Buy Online for $2 Off
SIEZE THE MOMENT
Once upon a time, a drive from #Shooting_Range to #Suraj Kund and further on to #Badkhal, in April, was a drive through a forest on FIRE. Alas, only embers remain.
Do not delay, go today, you will cherish the day. A couple of more days the flowers would be gone. #arravali_conservation
FACEBOOK ON 9 APR, 2019
BLACK HOLE
BLACK HOLE–
————–IS WHERE “NIRVANA” TAKES YOU?
Infinity & Eternity merge here never to unmerge !
Predicted by Mathematics, technology has verified it now.
Scientists release 1st ever picture of a black hole!
Please visit:
https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/blackholes/
and Watch:
https://house-fastly-signed-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.co…
FACE BOOK ON 11 APR, 2019
FACEBOOK ON 12 APR, 2019
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/articles…/68814390.cms
FACEBOOK ON 12 APR, 2019
ABOUT JALIAN WALAH BAGH
WATCH:-JALLIANWALA BAGH-PUNJAB DA DIL
10-30 to 11-30 AM, SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019,
EPIC TV CHANNEL
There are many things we might not know about Jalianwala-the tragedy that occurred 100 years ago-read about it at:
https://bhushan.org/jallianwalla-bagh-13-4-1919-to-13-4-20…/
FACEBOOK ON 13 APR, 2019
Fears of a Diplomat and the views of a General
FACEBOOK ON 15 APR, 2019
Oops! That was not me nor my relative!
FACEBOOK ON 15 APR, 2019
Election funding & the Supreme Court:
The Supreme Court has led the way in electoral reforms all the way-declaration of assets, of education, of criminal record, nota etc. However, it ruled recently, that the info relating to electoral bonds be kept secret with the election commission. It was anyway a secret, kept by the State Bank of India, who issued the bonds. If the purchasers of the bonds are secret, the public cannot know who is scratching whose back & vice verse.
I wish the Honorable Court had made it transparent.
The outgoing team of winter flowers (#geranium, #begonia, #petunia)———-adieu
FACEBOOK ON 16 APR, 2019
The incoming team of summer flowers (#hibiscus & #amaryllis)…………….bienvenue
FACEBOOK ON 16 APR, 2019
GUL MOHR
Gul Mohr-often called April Flowers has begun to bloom. A profusion of buds reveals the nature of nature to reproduce
FACEBOOK ON 19 APR, 2019
A QUOTE FROM SHAW
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”………….
……………………………………………………………..and take heart
When you dont seem to be able to adjust to the world around you, remember what #Bernard Shaw said about the situation:-
THE WOMAN IN BED NO 10
Leave politics aside for a while, folks. Read this touching story of a lady, who walked again after 6 months on ventilator, I like to read it again & again:
FACEBOOK ON 21 APR, 2019
Listen & be at peace
HELP FOR STUDENTS
Help for students making projects:
In my years as a student at IIT Kharagpur, a problem we all faced in our project work, was sourcing quality components & practical guidance. For a simple transistor, we used to take a train to Calcutta–a 5 hour journey- and wade through the rain forest that was the local market. Even today, the college stores are often not well equipped.
To assist the students, I have made many components available on amazon.in. Here, a student/DIY enthusiast can find many components like resistance, capacitors, transistors, diodes, breadboards, sensors etc., order on line, and have the components delivered in the comfort of his home.
I am happy to guide the student and help him with circuit ideas,design and implementation.The guidance is free & part of my social outreach.
My seller name, on amazon, is romtekzone. Link to my store front is :
FACEBOOK ON 22 APR, 2019
ODE TO SODIUM VAPOR LAMPS
This old picture is an ode to the Sodium Vapour Lamps that used to be there—following the old tungsten filament lamps,they blended with the romance of the night, now a yellowing memory filtering through the leaves of a “Neem” and the haze of the past.
(Neem=Azadirachta indica/Indian lilac, leaf shown in 2nd picture for ease of recognition)
FACEBOOK ON 23 APR, 2019
A POEM TRANSLATED
Translating yesterday’s Hindi language post by Satish , IIT Roorkee, for the benefit of my english speaking friends,
English:
Ocean aspires to be carried away by the wind,
“I’ll rather carry the clouds”, says the wind
The clouds are in love with the mountains,
“come give me your waters” said the mountains
The waters aspire to join the river,
“I have to rush to the ocean,” said the river
Everything follows its own aspirations
This creation is a wonder of divergent emotions!
Hindi from Satish
समंदर की ये चाहत है हवा के संग उड़ जाए |
हवा की ये चाहत है कि बादल ले उड़ा जाए |
बादल की ये चाहत हैकि पर्वत से वो टकराए |
पर्वत चाहता बादल मिले,पिघले औ फिर बरस जाए |
पानी चाहता बरसे तो दरिया से वो मिल जाए|
दरिया चाहती,जल्दी चलें सागर से मिला जाए |
ये कैसा चक्र चाहत का सभी मिलने को हैं आतुर |
जिसे जिसकी चाहत हो, चलो, चलकर मिला जाए|
FACEBOOK ON 123 APR, 2019
Both for candidates & the electorate-a thought for the day:
FACEBOOK ON 25 APR, 2019
Did you know about it? -it is in India
FACEBOOK ON 25 APR, 2019
Sharing a picture from one of my visit to China-a beautiful country, once 100% Buddhist, now with atheism and development thrust down the throat of its people.
FACEBOOK ON 26 APR, 2019
“The seas call & the stars call,
And Oh! the call of the sky!”
FACEBOOK ON 25 APR, 2019
Re Partha Datta ‘s post today about Liquid Methane Lake on Titan, we have a Methane (not liquid) lake on earth also:–
Anjali Nayar (http://www.anjalinayar.com/home) , daughter of my friend Raman Nayar, IIT Kharagpur Alumnus, has written an article which can be read/downloaded from
https://www.nature.com/news/2009/090715/full/460321a.html
FACEBOOK ON 27 APR, 2019
A POET’s TRIBUTE TO TREES
Re post by Sanjeev Kanda,
To the plaintive cry “I was a tree”, comes an echo,
from, a century ago–
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Entitled TREE, this poem was penned in 1913 by Joyce Kilmer
(1886 to 1918)
About the Picture: The picture shows an Aspen in all its autumn glory.I stopped my car and got out to to photograph this, about a couple of years ago in the Rockies National Park,Co.
FACEBOOK ON 28 APR, 2019
A friend has posted the link below, showing great social work done by a Kerala lady with the comment that “Media will never publish this”
Is media at fault? Look at my time line.Look at your own. 90% of posts are of a political nature.The few posts devoted to Arts, Sciences,Professional work, etc. are swamped by the political posts. LET ALL OF US PLEDGE TO DEVOTE ONE DAY OF THE WEEK TO POLITICAL POSTS AND 6 DAYS TO NON POLITICAL POSTS AND SET AN EXAMPLE TO THE MEDIA.There is nothing in this world that can stop women from doing many many good things in life. They are bound to achieve at a very young age and also they are destined to get
FACEBOOK ON 28 APR, 2019
While rummaging through old issues of The Reader’s Digest, donated by a IIT Kanpur friend for our IIT-ian Library in Jhajjar district Haryana,I came across the cartoon below. It looked relevant even today.
FACEBOOK ON 29 APR, 2019
FACEBOOK ON 29 APR, 2019
A difference of 10 days, on April 29 & April 19, 2019
FACEBOOK ON 29, APR, 2019
SMILE A WHILE
A little old lady went into the headquarters of a large national bank one day, dragging a large bag behind her. She insisted that she must speak with the president of the bank to open a savings account because, “It’s a lot of money!”
After much hemming and hawing, the bank staff finally ushered her into the president’s office (the customer is always right!). The bank president then asked her how much she would like to deposit. She replied, “$165,000!” and dumped the cash out of her bag onto his desk.
The president was of course curious as to how she came by all this cash, so he asked her, “Ma’am, I’m surprised you’re carrying so much cash around. Where did you get this money?”
The old lady replied, “I make bets.”
The president then asked, “Bets? What kind of bets?”
The old woman said, “Well, for example, I’ll bet you $25,000 that your balls are square.”
“Ha!” laughed the president, “That’s a stupid bet. You can never win that kind of bet!”
The old lady challenged, “So, would you like to take my bet?”
“Sure,” said the president, “I’ll bet $25,000 that my balls are not square!”
The little old lady then said, “Okay, but since there is a lot of money involved, may I bring my lawyer with me tomorrow at 10:00 AM as a witness?”
“Sure!” replied the confident president.
That night, the president got very nervous about the bet and spent a long time in front of a mirror checking his balls, turning from side to side, again and again. He thoroughly checked them out until he was sure that there was absolutely no way his balls were square and that he would win the bet. The next morning, at precisely 10:00 am, the little old lady appeared with her lawyer at the president’s office. She introduced the lawyer to the president and repeated the bet: “$25,000 says the president’s balls are square!” The president agreed with the bet again and the old lady asked him to drop his pants so they could all see. The president complied. The little old lady peered closely at his balls and then asked if she could feel them.
“Well, Okay,” said the president, “$25,000 is a lot of money, so I guess you should be absolutely sure.” Just then, he noticed that the lawyer was quietly banging his head against the wall. The president asked the old lady, “What the heck’s the matter with your lawyer?”
“Nothing,” she answered, “Except I bet him $100,000 that at 10:00AM today, I’d have the president of this bank’s balls in my hand.”