AHOY !! NEW YEAR GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF FAR FAR AND AWAY

Here's wishing all our fellow humanoids ( pun intended...) A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Let's try to be a little more human this coming year and if anyone out there is already getting tired of pretending to be one, please join us the Ogres, we just might be able to teach you a thing or two about sharing and caring........Afterall we are more human than humans can ever be.

HAVE A GREAT ONE !!

SHREK, FIONA, KIDS, DONKEY, PUSS IN BOOTS

GONE TOO SOON !..............TALE OF A GRIEVING MOTHER

The spark for this post came from a mothers fight to be buried with her only son, who died in the Iraq war, in a national veterans cemetery . This is the story of Denise Anderson and her son Corey Shea who died on Nov 12th, 2008 in Mosul. Though as per the law, the chance is only offered to the spouses or kids of dead veterans; Corey Shea was 21, single and childless, still Anderson is fighting tooth and nail and is challenging the burial policy. Let's hope a loving mother wins in the end.

LOST HER ONLY SON
TO THE CRUEL HANDS OF WAR, HER ONLY HOPE .
LOST HER DESIRE FOR THE MORNING SUN,
HER WILL TO SURVIVE , TO LIVE AND TO COPE.

NOW THAT HE IS GONE,
FAR AWAY, NEVER TO RETURN HOME
SHE FIGHTS A LONELY BATTLE
AWAY FROM THE BATTLE GROUND
ALL FOR A TINY PIECE OF GROUND.

A RIGHT TO BE BURIED
NEXT TO WHERE HER BRAVE SLEEPS,
THAT'S ALL SHE'S BEEN ASKING FOR.
AWAY FROM THE BATTLE GROUND
ALL FOR A TINY PIECE OF GROUND,
THAT 'S ALL SHE'S BEEN FIGHTING FOR.

SAD SONG!!.............SAY SO MUCH

TELL ME WHY, TELL ME WHY
AM I TOO WEAK, OR TOO UNHUMAN TO REALIZE
OR THERE'S ANOTHER REASON WHY
I'VE TRIED SO HARD TO FIGURE OUT
STILL UNABLE TO FIND MY ANSWERS,

AND I AM WONDERING WHY.


TELL ME WHY, TELL ME WHY
WHY I CAN'T SHUT MYSELF FROM THIS CHAOS
THAT'S EATING ME INSIDE, CHEWING ME ALIVE
TELL ME WHY, TELL ME WHY.

BREAKING NEWS !!............IT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT 26/12/09 AT FEROZSHAH KOTLA

"We want to apologize to all the fans, the cricketing teams - India & Sri Lanka, for playing spoil sport. We shouldn't have done it on a cold winter night, especially on the pitch"

Well ! now that the tale about the night of passion of our four legged friends is out............Delhi Cricket Association can breathe easy and blame the Department of Animal husbandry for not doing enough to keep the loving couple under check.

HEY ! THE BUCK SHOULD NEVER STOP MATE.....PLAY THE BLAME GAME . Sad, isn't it?? But look around, it happens all the time.

And guess what ? Commonwealth Games are up next. You can expect anything............IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA.

POST FROM THE LAND OF FAR FAR AND AWAY...........

You don't have to look back now

two hearts beating as one, we are complete now.

It's written in the stars, this is how it was meant to be

you and me together, now and forever, till eternity.

HA! HA! HO ! HO!!.....IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FELLOW EARTHLINGS.......HA! HA!HO! HO!!

NOTHING BUT STARS !!

I'll catch them for you, every single one of them

I'll bring them to you.

Not just tonight, every single night

I'll catch them for you, I'll bring them to you.

Look up my dear, they only shine for you

every single one of them, just shine for you.

Now and forever, I promise to you

I'll bring them to you, and only to you.

SOMEWHERE FAR FROM HOME.......

This is it Mr. Pundit.....this is where the road ends . It's time to go back to the observatory, and start shooting out those little postcards again.

LIFE'S LIKE THAT..............

LIFE'S LIKE THAT
YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME

ONE DAY IT 'S RAIN, DAY NEXT IT'S SHINE

SOME TIME HIGH, SOME TIME LOW

SOME TIME IT'S BED OF ROSES, SOME TIME BED OF NAILS.

LIFE'S LIKE THAT
SOME TAKE IT ALL, NEVER EVER FALL
SOME TRY IT ALL; STILL NEVER MAKE IT AT ALL
SOME GUYS NEVER GET STUCK, SOME JUST RUN OUT OF LUCK

O' YES! LIFE'S LIKE THAT.................

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE !!.............ZEBRA CROSSING

I Love those fabulous pictures on the home page of web search engine Bing.com from Microsoft. They keep posting a new one everyday and some of them are absolutely breathtaking.

KEEP IT UP BING!

http://www.bing.com/

26/11/08.... MUMBAI JAI HO.....26/11/09 !!

If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream. ( From The Trumpet of Conscience - Martin Luther King Jr ).

Mumbai never lost hope. Mumbai never gave up. Mumbai is still dreaming today.........Mumbaikar is a winner today.

One year on, no one can forget the black day, 26/11/08, when the rein of terror brought the mighty city of Mumbai to an abrupt halt. Innocent lives were lost to an act of cowardice. Sacred Observatory would like to pay homage to the brave soldiers, innocent civilians who succumbed to the brutal terrorist attack. May their soul rest in peace.

MUMBAI TUJE SALAAM !!

DARK KNIGHT RETURNS !!

Sun's playing hide n seek
bloody wind is blowin' this mind away
losing myself to this storm
that's brewing deep inside
that's pushing me away, far away .

trying ever so hard, still I am fallin' apart
unable to understand these twists n turns
of fate, of this lonely journey of give n take.
Just like a vagabond, I pull away
I disappear in the dark of the night
away, far away.

WHO AM I ??........THE ABYSS WITHIN

Am I a sea without a shore,
or a dream without a theme.
Am I a soldier without a mission,
or a priest without a lord.
Am I a song without a tune,
or a poet without words.
Am I a painter without an inspiration,
or an actor without a stage.

Am I a street without lights

or an abode without a roof

Am I a story without an end

or a journey without an aim.

TENDLYA !......THE NATIONAL TREASURE

Have you ever thought, what it takes to survive in today's demanding sports arena. Trust me even if you are a genius, it's a monumental task to keep the momentum going in the top flight in any sport for 20 years.

Sachin Tendulkar's exploits with the willow has already become part of cricketing folklore around the world. He had a rollicking start to his career and has never looked back. He has earned the respect of both, his admirers as well as his staunch critics, by his dogged determination and unending quest for big scores.

Sacred Observatory would like to congratulate the little master for making India Proud and providing us with umpteen joyous occasions over the last two decades.

THANKS SACHIN !............YOU ARE INDEED ONE OF THE GREATEST GENTLEMEN CRICKETER TO HAVE PLAYED THIS FABULOUS GAME. IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND HONOUR TO HAVE SEEN YOU BATTLE THE ODDS AND WIELD YOUR MAGIC , MATCH AFTER MATCH, YEAR AFTER YEAR.

RISE ABOVE THIS .........ME AND MYSELF !!

Where have they gone? Where have they disappeared?

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy said Martin Luther King Jr, undoubtedly one of the finest leaders of his times. Alas ! such leaders don't walk the earth anymore. Leadership is not just about the status, the position one holds, in fact it's about the awareness, the knowledge of one's own strengths and weaknesses and how best one can lead and motivate the team to achieve a common goal. It's so important to respect every individual, to shield his weakness and to harness all his positives, for achieving the desired results.

What we tend to forget, and it's rather unfortunate these days, is the larger, selfless role of a leader. What good is a leader, if he ends up leaving behind a trail of demotivated, unsuccessful, bruised and battered followers. I have closely watched many leaders making the same mistakes over and over again by putting their selfish motives ahead of the core objective and blaming the team for the debacle.

How would you explain , a leader imposing his or her whims and fancies on the team and not allowing them any room whatsoever to decide how they would like to operate or conduct themselves with other groups or teams. It's absolutely uncalled for, if a leader wants his team to demonstrate an attitude similar to his, especially towards the peers.

Sad ,isn't it? People are essaying the role of leaders, without even having understood the essence of leadership. And in the process, harming the interest of not just the people down below, but also the team as well as the organisation that has entrusted them with such a crucial role.

THINK ABOUT IT ! HAVE YOU UNDERSTOOD THE MEANING ? ARE YOU A LEADER??

STREET CORNER MUPPETS SYMPHONY.....40 YEARS AND COUNTING !!

Children's favorite Edutainment series Sesame Street has turned 40 and its popularity continues unabated around the world. We all love our Muppet friends, don't we ?? Credited with the longest running children's program on US Television, the show is a pioneer of the contemporary educational television standard, mixing both, education and entertainment.

I strongly recommend Sesame Street to every parent. Please try and give an experience of Muppet magic created by Jim Henson, to your kids, if you haven't already. I am sure they would love the cast..............the furry friends from Sesame.

HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY TO ELMO AND HIS FURRY MATES !!

2012 ??? WHAT IF IT'S TRUE !!

I have read about this much debated phenomenon, some time ago but never gave it a serious thought. But today, when I saw the trailer of the movie 2012, the lost piece came back to my mind. And I thought to myself watching the onscreen annihilation, what if it's true? What if it really happens? With the Mayan Calender ending in 2012 and Sony Pictures releasing this monster of a special-effects movie on Nov 13th 09, people will start talking again and the debate will only intensify . Though the scientific community doesn't think much of it...............BUT YOU NEVER KNOW?? Till then, it's not a bad idea to settle for the celluloid experience...........AMAZING USE OF TECHNOLOGY, I must say.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon

THIS IS IT !.....THANKS KENNY!!

How much possibly can you write about the King of Pop? Is there anything that hasn't already been written about his genius? I don't think so. I don't think there is any another celebrity who has received the kind of media attention that Michael Jackson has got, through out his career. Even in death, media can't resist talking about the legend of MJ. It's been over four months and finally the footage of his final days, which captures the build-up to his much hyped come back tour in London, has hit cinema theaters across the world this week.

THIS IS IT! The MJ Movie directed by Kenny Ortega, has taken fans everywhere, young and old alike, with a storm. On the first day of its release the movie grossed $20.1 million at worldwide box offices. Showing the world once again, that Michael was a special talent, who's popularity is colossal.

Today even Mr. Lazy bones( Who else but yours truly) got lucky. Saw the gloved one setting the silver screen ablaze with his musicianship. I think every music fan must go watch this movie. It's as close as you will ever get to the Moonwalker. The Man indeed was very very special. I am sure there would never ever be another one like him. Whether it was singing or performing on the stage, this man was simply in a class of his own, simply incomparable.And as one of his co-musician says in the movie, what makes MJ Special is the fact that despite his stardom and demigod status, the man is extremely humble. Now that's one quality that is hard to find these days. Isn't it ?? I can go on and on.............describing the man and his genius. But all I want to say in the end, as I sign off is, sometimes it's hard to fathom, why rare talent doesn't survive? why do we lose it so soon ? Tough one, isn't it ?

GO WATCH ! COZ THIS IS IT!!

DREAM THEATER !!

Nobody's hero, nobody's man
He is just a dreamer,
Dreaming dreams, singing songs,
of love, hope and peace.

Alas!they have stopped smiling now,
Into million pieces he can hear his own voice breaking now.
Sitting all alone in the night, he can see,

Those dreams shaking, his poor heart aching.

Inside the theater, standing in the ring of fire,
trying hard to ignite the lost fire, his desire.

Inside the theater, there is a lot of trouble now,

all his dreams could be reduced to a rubble now.

Nobody's hero, nobody's man

He is just a dreamer,

Dreaming dreams, singing songs

of love, hope and peace.

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT !............ HAPPY DIWALI FELLOW EARTHLINGS!!

Let every house be a lighthouse tonight, guiding each one of us. Let's turn the night into a day tonight. Sacred Observatory wishes everyone out there a VERY HAPPY DIWALI !!

And please make it a smoke-free one. We have already inflicted irreparable damage to our environment, let's light the candles and not the crackers tonight.

CLASS OF SERVILE FLATTERERS 2009

Is it important to have an attitude ? My answer would be an obvious " YES". It's so important to underline your presence, to speak your mind, to be that somebody who thinks differently, acts differently.

It doesn't matter if it doesn't always pays, to be a special one. Real men should always be , real men. Recently someone told me about the famous ancient biblical proverb , that people who live by the sword, die by the sword. I turned around and said to this bloke, so what, so be it. It's hard, isn't it? to change ones personality, which has been built over the years on certain values, upbringing, education.

But this post isn't about the real heroes and their heroics, this post is about the class of servile flatterers, who not only survive but thrive successfully all over the place. I have seen obsequious idiots basking in the glory of nothing, yet enjoying the fruits borne out of the sweat of someone else's brow. I despise this race. These rascals have snuffed life out and killed promising career of many deserving candidates.

My piece of advice................BEWARE!! Fight it out and don't let mediocrity take centre stage and hold the real class to ransom.

BUSY NOTWORKING !! JACK IS HAPPY....AND SO IS JILL

No fetching a pail of water and no tumbling after. Jack and Jill are busy networking these days. Plenty of options to choose from , Facebook, Twitter,Orkut etc. Nothing wrong with that, isn't it ? I am in complete agreement, it's perfectly alright. In fact networking sites are cool . After all we live in a wired world. Technology has made it possible for circle of friends to stay in touch, share thoughts, ideas, so on and so forth.

But the trouble is, this "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and Jill a dull girl " ( Apologies Mr. James Howell for tweaking the proverb) attitude, is costing the companies dearly across the corporate landscape. Companies precious productive time is being wasted by irresponsible, immature young executives who access these social networking sites from their office computers during office hours. I am sure, yours truly won't be able to stand for the presidentship of any of these cool sites after this post, but I am more than willing to take my chances, and raise my voice against this menace which is a major stumbling block in upping the performance bar in scores of companies all over the world.

I am all for blocking these sites during the office hours. A strict ban should be enforced and anyone caught logging on to these sites should be severely reprimanded.

Sorry Jack........Sorry Jill. I think it's time to do something constructive, something big. It's time to make one extra business call, send one extra mail soliciting new business, meet one more prospect before you call it a day at office.

O MAMA! IT'S TRUE, IT'S OBAMA

9 Months in the office and the most powerful leader has done enough for peace to stand along side the likes of Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and host of crusader's of peace since 1901. It doesn't matter what I think, if Nobel Fundation has chosen Barack Obama, I am sure they must have seen something which millions across the world haven't been able to see.

One thing is for sure, Mr. President will have to turn his great road map into reality within and outside of the United States of America to silence all his naysayers, who have criticized the decision of the Nobel Foundation in no uncertain terms. No one knows it better than the man himself that talking tough is one thing and walking the talk is another. The coming months and years would really test the character of this latest Nobel Laureate of peace . I HOPE HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING...........COZ EVERYBODY IS WATCHING CLOSELY and WITH LOT OF EXPECTATIONS.

IS THIS IT ??......I HOPE NOT

Nay! this isn't what you are thinking..... this post isn't about the 2001 debut album by the American Alternative Rock band The strokes . This is about the tough times in the Lifecyle of traditional media, especially print. This is about that big question, media experts all over the world have been talking about, for a while now. Can we survive this massive assault by this juggernaut called digital media ?? Are we ready to reinvent and adapt to the fast changing media landscape? Or are we fighting a lost cause?

Some time ago I had written how magazines in the throes of declining readership are finding it difficult to hold onto to their revenues. Despite that, I don't agree with lot of people, my esteemed friends in the advertising agencies included, who think magazines are on the brink of extinction. Trust me, don't carve your final verdict on that stone .......don't sound the death knell for print mediums future just yet. So what if Time Warner has decided to put TIME INC magazine portfolio up for sale, including the cult brand TIME and FORTUNE. I am sure, come the judgement day, in the boardrooms of print media behemoths around the world, some visionaries would definitely stand up and fight. And amidst the ruins we will still be able to hold, to see, to touch ........... to turn the pages of this fabulous thing called MAGAZINE.

HAPPY READING!!

CRASHING THRU' THE DOORS!.........TALK ABOUT MAKING A GRAND ENTRY !!

Today Tech has enabled creative minds to break new ground. With the help of cutting edge tech tools this gifted breed has ventured into the farthest corner of seamless cyber space in search of big ideas . Photo Manipulations Art is one of the most creative art forms to have mushroomed out of the digital age. Here's a sneak peek at a small sample. Thanks to Digg..................ABSOLUTELY MIND BLOWING !!

http://www.instantshift.com/2009/10/03/70-photo-manipulations-art-that-will-blow-you-away/

ABHI - AISH.............. COZ WHO HAS SEEN TOMORROW!!

GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY !!! 25 crores for pampering yourself with a tiny piece of soap? Now that's what I call soaping oneself all the way to the bank. I guess the bad market has forced the leading Bollywood couple, Abhishek and Aishwarya to look at alternate revenue streams to keep their cash register ringing. Genuine Hits far and few between, I don't blame the pair.

And as far as the savvy marketeers of the dream soap are concerned, all I can say is, guys I sincerely hope you get your monies worth and more of Indian couples spend extra time in their bathrooms enacting the story board of your fabulous commercial.

HAPPY LATHERING !!

AHIMSA PARAMO DHARMA??

Believe me, we need this today more than ever before, "non-violence is the topmost duty ". On this day, 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti , we need to introspect and ask ourselves, does this duty really supersedes all other? Do we really care??

Tempers tend to flare up at the slightest provocation. And I am sure this isn't news to people out there. We see it happening all the time, on the roads, in our neighbourhood, in our offices. We have become an impatient human race. The devil inside is tightening the screws and taking a hold on our sanity.

The morning papers echoes nothing but violent behaviour plenty. Trust me, the state today is beyond repair and it's rather ironical when President Obama says that US has its roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi. Where is that India?? Today's India is not what Bapu had dreamt off.

I am nobody. I am just a self proclaimed pundit. You may or may not agree with my opinions. In the end, if we really wish to get back the India which Gandhi ji had thought off, we will have to find the Mahatma within each one of us...............THE QUESTION IS, DO WE REALLY WANT TO ? Think about it !!

A SKIPPER AND A GENTLEMAN !!

Daniel Vettori's run-out recall decision of colly, Paul Collingwood was the defining moment at New Wanderers Stadium Johannesburg, 29th Sept 09, the champions trophy dual between New Zealand and England. Though I couldn't follow the match, but I saw the highlights.....saw the great ambassador Daniel, yet again showing that the spirit of cricket is very much alive during these days of extreme commercialization of this lovely game.

This was a crucial do-or-die tie for New Zealand and a decision like that , had England won, could have proved costly for Daniel and his team. But you know what? Vettori is one of the few true sportsmen who play the game in the right spirit..............THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED..........THE WAY ONLY A GENTLEMAN CAN PLAY.......FAIR -N -SQUARE !!

Hats off to you Daniel ! I wish there were couple of more like you.

LOVE THAT GOOGLE DOODLE !!

I love what these guys do at Google with their logo to commemorate milestones, special dates related to people, occasions etc . Just like millions out there, even I look forward to the google doodle every time I log on to google.

We all know a still frame isn't half as exciting as a moving one. Unfortunately people who can drive change perched at the top of the ladder, seem to believe otherwise and few who think it's time, are too slow out of the blocks. In today's changing business dynamics you have to constantly look for new ways for attracting and engaging your prospects. Online companies like Google, Yahoo, Amazon have understood this very well and they have gone ahead and broken the stereotype . Traditional brick-and-mortar organisations have lot of catching up to do in order to survive and prosper in the coming years.

BACK IN SYDNEY......

......With little Haidar ( Pronounced HAH-ee-dah in Swahili, Kenya East Africa). At last he is in safe hands.........though bag sounds more appropriate. Doesn't it ??

HAPPY DUSSEHRA 2009 !!

Sacred Observatory wishes everyone a very Happy Dussehra. COME LET'S ECLIPSE THE EVIL THAT SURROUNDS US TODAY WITH ALL THE GOOD WE HAVE GOT !!

HAPPY DAUGHTER'S DAY !!!

From the moms and dads of the world, to all the little darlings - A VERY HAPPY DAUGHTER'S DAY!!

On this special day, here's a a lovely little song - THE DAUGHTER SONG by TOM WILSON. ENJOY IT!!............And a word caution to the guys, fellas if you have some plans to charm the little darlings, you better be serious ...........or think twice.....Ha! Ha !!

THE DAUGHTER SONG LYRICS :

She’s got long blonde hair running down her back
Pretty blue eyes and that’s a fact
Her nose is just perfect and her smile just gleams
She looks like a model in a magazine!
She’s got her itty bitty body in a teeny tiny skirt
You can see her belly button ‘neath her purple skimpy shirt
She’s a California beauty who can stop the show
But there’s one thing that fellas you got to know,

She’s my daughter. That’s right, she’s my daughter
If you touch her, or hurt her or make her sad
I’m gonna hurt you twice as bad.

I’m the kind of guy that likes to have some fun
Drinkin’ lots of liquor and polishing my gun
You wanna mess around with my pussycat
I might just kill you with a baseball bat
I own a crowbar, steak knives, I got a hatchet man
But come one let’s face it, I could kill you with my bare hands
I catch you making moves on her I know just what to do
I’ll shove my foot so far up you I could wear you as a shoe

Yeah, yeah she’s my daughter
Oooo, ooooo, ooooo she's my daughter

I’ll sneak into your room where your mommy makes your bed
I’ll grab that stupid surfer necklace and beat your little head in
Come on over for dinner and meet us friendly folks
Just remember little fella, this song is not a joke
Steam roller baby, gonna roll all over you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELmJHrmtCcU

HEART OF THE MATTER...........LISTEN TO YOUR HEART !!

As the world celebrates "WORLD HEART DAY" today, 27th Sept 2009, the sacred observatory would like to ask everybody out there to take good care . Live a healthy life....take a pause.......laugh a little, dance a little . Cardiovascular diseases are the world's largest killers, claiming 17.1 millions lives a year according to WHO. That is quite a disturbing number, isn't it? This figure in all likelihood is going to go up manifold in the coming years, given the stressful lives we are leading these days.

It is time that all of us should wake-up and ask ourselves............ is it really worth it? Is this life only about amassing materialistic goodies? Or is it about finding little sparks of happiness in little moments that take our breath away? THINK ABOUT IT!

In the end the choice is with us.........BEATING HEART - a diamond OR A BLEEDING ONE - a rhinestone !!

DIGG IT !!...........AN ADVERTISING CLASSIC

Despite the fact that we live in a world of abundance, one thing which continues to be scarce even today, is the time on hand. So much more can be accomplished in life, if only we had the time.

Allan Gray Financial Services with the help of its agency King James in South Africa has come up with a brilliant campaign( for lack of a better word) and took a bold decision of using the legend of James Dean. How much more could have been achieved by the legend had James Dean had more time.

AWESOME !! Hats off to you guys at King James and Velocity Films and of course to Allan Gray, the client for buying the idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fbiO5N_NNc

SO LONG PATRICK!!..............RIP

Hollywood lost yet another fine actor in Patrick Swayze to the cruel hands of cancer on Sept 14th 09. A dogged fighter who fought till the very end, despite knowing that the odds are heavily stacked against him.

The song from his famous movie Dirty Dancing, which he co-wrote with Stacy Widelitz, " She's like the wind" is still so fresh in my mind even after all these years. This single climbed to # 3 on Billboard Hot 100 and received tremendous radio play in 1986. Wore many hats this affable bloke Patrick..... An Actor, A dancer, A singer-songwriter.

Dirty Dancing and Ghost two of his classics, will be remembered for a long long time to come.

So Long Patrick ! Will miss you !!

Rest in peace compadre !!!

http://www.emp3world.com/to_download.php?id=76105

HEY TEACHER!........THANK YOU !!

Alexander the Great once said "I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well ". Who doesn't remember the golden words, those pearls of wisdom echoing in the four walls of the classrooms, right across the school corridors every single day during the school days . What we are today, is largely due to the teachings and blessings of our teachers back then. There is a famous quote in Hindi which beautifully captures the power of the teacher " GURU GOVIND DOU KHADE, KAKE LAGU PAAY, BALHARI GURU AAP KI, GOVIND DIYO BATAY". The author says, God and the teacher are standing together, and I am little confused, whose feet should I touch first? O' teacher! he says, I shall pay my respect to you first because you are the one who showed me the way to God.

To all the teachers of the world................. A VERY HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY !

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LIGHT...........FOR BEING THERE !!!

TO SIR WITH LOVE.....DILEMMA OF AN ADMAN !!

It is often said there's no shortcut to success. You have to earn it at every step. " Work hard son! Keep your head down and someday the world will be at your feet". Well ! for some strange reason the wise man forgot to mention an important thing during his sermon of success. He didn't tell his fellow men that somewhere down the bumpy road to success , a day will come when one might have to sell one's soul in the quest to have it all.

I have a close friend, who despite having all the necessary qualities to make an indelible mark in his chosen profession, still finds himself at sea. He is a victim of the lethal "P", the root cause of many a lost battles at the workplace , the sole reason for the conflicts within the ranks which has marauded the careers of many bright and promising . Not the one to settle for mediocrity, through out his professional career he has strived for excellence to the best of his abilities. A firm believer of " talk your mind and walk your talk" , he simply doesn't seem to get his due and is penalised for his sparks of brilliance. A man of ethics, finds himself surrounded by insecure superiors, wanting him to give up all that he has believed in and has stood for, all these years.

If you are reading this, wherever you are, I would love to hear your views and suggestions. Please do leave a comment behind. What do you think my friend should do? Succumb to the pressures and become like one of them. Keep walking that talk without expecting too much in bargain and not to worry about the consequences.. Be the man he has always been?

LEGEND NEVER DIES !!

This post might be little late in the day, but it doesn't matter. Ever since announcing their comeback , two of my greatest sporting Idols, Lance Armstrong and Michael Schumacher have commanded lot of space in the leading dailies and magazines around the world . And why shouldn't they, after all they are giants of their respective sports. Everything that they do has tremendous news value.

Lot of people have told me that it isn't right, they shouldn't have. But if you ask me, there's nothing wrong in it. I am a firm believer that mind never grows old, as long as you think you've still got it, and you can get inspired, there's no reason why mind can't push the boundaries of physical capabilities.

The very fact that these two supermen left at the top of their sporting career, with nothing more to prove, shows that it isn't about winning one more race. With sheer power of their invincibility, they have immortalized their names in the annals of global sports .

Look what Lance Armstrong's come back has done to the viewership of Tour De France 09 in America. Everyone wanted to know how Lance is preparing, how is he going to motivate himself against far younger, supremely fit rivals in the most gruelling race in the sport of cycling. And boy! he didn't disappointment..... Did he ? Staying out for over three years and then coming and occupying 3rd place on the podium at Champs - Elysees..... Dream stuff !

What can I say about Michael and his racing, that hasn't already been said. Behind the wheels, inside that mean Scarlett car, he looks like a red devil, in a class of his own. Just like Lance, he is a demigod , one of the greatest driver of all time. Whether he wins one more race or not, it doesn't really matter. I am very sure, come race day, every other driver would be pumped up seeing him seated in that Ferrari on the starting grid.

LEGENDS NEVER DIE.......................THEY INSPIRE OTHERS. ONE HELPS IN CREATING ANOTHER. I QUOTE NEIL ARMSTRONG - FIRST MAN TO STEP ON THE MOON-" As a boy, because I was born and raised in Ohio, about 60 miles north of Dayton, the legends of the Wrights have been in my memories as long as I can remember". NEED I SAY MORE.

FREEDOM................. 2009 !!

FOR SOME THE TRICOLOR IS A PRICELESS SOURCE. THEIR ONLY TICKET TO MAKE BOTH ENDS MEET. ...................STILL LONG WAY TO GO. ISN'T IT ????

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !

JAI HIND !!

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE !!

Withering like a broken yellow leaf

lying on a dusty road, there I was

Waiting for the wind to blow me away

lying still , there I was

hope isn't for me,

breathing my last, there I was.

Could barely open my eye’s,

all I could see was grey skies.

Wanted to stand,

but couldn't even crawl

wanted to yell,

but all I could see was doors of hell.

Just when I thought all hope’s gone

And there's nothing left to lose

I heard a voice from above

Someone called my name

Bending over me I saw a slender frame

So beautiful, so divine

At last I could see princess of mine.

She lifted me up, slow and gentle

caressed me the way only she could

the worse is over, she said

I am never going to leave

there is so much more still left

a brand new world we have to weave .

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TIMELESS ODYSSEY !...........LIFE WELL SHARED !!

Life is a journey, that takes us through all kinds of places, all kinds of situations. Life tells us that more than the destination, the real excitement lies in the journey. Because that's where, we discover a whole new meaning with every little step that we take.

There's no better place than the pages of ICONIC READER'S DIGEST to learn about life's journey, about real people and their real stories. Stories about the triumph of great human spirit.... to never say die , to battle against all odds, to never give up hope. Stories which will tell you that Life isn't just about winning, it is also about being a good loser. It's not about me and myself alone, it's also about them.

In today's mad scramble, to win at all cost, to out do one another, sometimes we forget the essence of life. We forget to stop, think, care and share. We forget to cry, to laugh and to make others laugh .

Slow it down I say............stop chasing that mirage.It's a cruel desert out there, and oasis few and far between .

When mind's confused, body starts to give in, pick-up that copy of The Digest, and I promise you, you just might find your answers............you might find yourself standing in front of a new door....who knows.

LONG LIVE THE READER'S DIGEST !!

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PUNDIT, PENCIL N PAPER !!

We all have it my friends............all it takes is few sparks to ignite the fire . A little bit of time, little bit of inspiration. It surely is an uncharted territory and I am loving it.

STARS X ZILLION !!

Stars are shining bright tonight

Look up my dear, it's all up there

It’s all happening tonight.

They are singing our songs

Swaying to the beats of heaven

There’s something about tonight

Which makes me feel so right

Looks like we rule the sky

O yes! We do, you and me

We own the sky tonight

Stars are shining bright tonight

Look up my dear, it's all up there

It’s all happening tonight.

RAINBOW IN THE SKY!!!

Sky’s changing the color

Grey is turning into blue again

Sea ain’t tossing no more my princess

Serenity chooses to return again

Birds spreadin’ their wings

Ready to soar again

Seasons changing I think

Flowers blooming again

Listen to the radio

Playing our music again

Terrific buzz returns,

The party begins again.

Sky’s changing the color

Grey is turning into blue again

Sea ain’t tossing no more my princess

Serenity chooses to return again.