You can hear Aahaa FM online!

Apparently through a website called www.loka.fm.

Someone just mailed me and she happened to mention that she liked my show and heard the show yesterday from Malaysia. I was curious to know how she did so. And voila, lo and behold! :D

And as I type this out I can hear the show station on my laptop. Which is a first. :)

"You cannot have the cake and eat it too". I can understand what it conveys. Now who came up with line especially with a cake in it? Why would anyone go through the process of baking a cake and just have it and watch it rot? I love pastries and when I am around, if there is cake at my place, it will be like now you see it and then you won't.

Isn't a cake meant to be eaten? Ah well. I wish I can go to Taj Cake shop now. Any suggestions for where one can get the best pastries?

Loved this....!

Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right and the other is the husband!

Don't marry the person you want to live with, marry the one you cannot live without, but whatever you do, you'll regret it later.

You can't buy love, but you pay heavily for it.

(Especially this one!!) Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.

Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

Woman: Is there any way for long life?
Doctor: Get married..
Woman: Will it help?
Doctor: No, but then the thought of long life will never come.
It's funny when people discuss Love Marriage vs Arranged. It's like asking someone, if suicide is better or being murdered.

Happened to notice

Quite a number of spelling mistakes on the scrolls at the bottom of the screen in a couple of prominent channels in recent times.

They can't even check the spelling of doesn't before making it live now?

Headline scroll or whatever they call it, not sure of the right jargon. It read something on the lines of "X DOSEN'T KNOW"

Newspapers also. They don't run spell check or what? And yesterday morning callers on my show said, to speak and know better English one must read the newspapers and watch news channels. 

Hmm. 

4 years of Blogging

What started off as baby steps into something that I was not quite sure I would be good at and had to be suggested quite a few times from Kribs has lasted four years. One of the regular visitors to my blog and now a friend happened to note and send me a mail that the 7th May 2009 clocks 4 years of blogging. Strange how time goes by.

Its been great indulging in this and its nice to step apart from myself and observe the changes in thought process over 4 years. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one, every well-wisher, every critic and the passive reader.

I also have to thank the Cyber Crime cell as I have had to seek their assistance in a couple of cases. 

Thanks for the support people. Thanks for the statistics that read 687,000+ hits in 4 years. 

I have loved this space and it has been nice being here.

What I would like to see in my country

In no particular order

Roads - Well laid and as per promise. In all my driving within villages even near Chennai, the claim is to have laid 40 feet road, but only 25 feet road exists and expenditure is shown for the 40 and the remaining money pocketed by those who were part of the exercise.

Clean roads, no garbage, no spitting, no defecating/urinating. Enforce existant laws.

A singular power/decree that cannot be disobeyed. I guess the Supreme court is supposed to be that. But looks like, as far as I know the Chennai corporation and so many other Govt organizations could not care less.

Excellent Public transport. So good that people should prefer to travel by PT. More Eco friendly vehicles. Wish the clean vehicles come soon. People say that the oil countries will not allow the production of such automobiles as that will reduce the dependency on them. Fuel as promised. Lack of adulteration. I hear that Kathmandu in Nepal is extremely polluted because of the adulteration in the fuel that is also Govt. aided (before you jump to frame that comment to say that Nepal is not part of India - I know, but I had to mention it here. I love Nepal for the cultural richness as well)

Absence of Goondagardi and bribery in my state. I do not know how it works in other states, but if all that they show in Tamil movies is true, I want that gone.

No slums. And don't allow them to form as well. If there are people who are coming in from villages to live/work in the city, give them proper, clean settlements. On these lines, I want North Madras cleaned up. In every sense.

Public toilets.

Super education. Wonderful Corporation schools. It will be nice if English and Hindi is made compulsory in schools at least for the sake of national communication. People in almost every other state understand Hindi except in Tamilnadu. Why? I guess it has some political history. I heard of some anti-Hindi campaign for whatever the reason. I think the only place this anti-Hindi campaign can find place or existence is only in history books or better still newspapers dating to that time. Its time such hate politics are part of history. No language or caste or creed or community should be hated.

Absence of reservation on the basis of caste, community and religion in every sector. Actually I know that Government forms in several countries don't want to know your religion. I want that here. I want equal rights for everyone. Selection in educational institutions on the basis of talent and performance alone. Allowances should be made only to those who are economically backward. That's the only backward-forward community that should exist, and only for a short while until poverty is a thing of the past in this country.

Farming. Everything and whatever it takes to improve this sector.

More power to the defense sector. Absence of political influence in the Police force and no bribing there as well.

Super road rules. Fit policemen. Enforce traffic laws. Make laws known to the public.

A Singular ID system for the residents of the country which can be used for voting as well. Allowing NRI's to vote. Even though a lot of them think India can go nowhere or maybe couldn't care less.

Super services in the Government Hospitals. I hear (from listeners) in Aahaa Kaapi Klub that the facilities and medicines are of the best quality. Especially in Tamilnadu and Chennai plus neighbouring areas in particular, whip those who do not offer medical/life-saving services to the man that needs it because he did not pay bribe. In this case, I wish the guys who don't offer medical assistance can be publicly flogged like in the Arab countries.
Make the working hours, facilities and infrastructure good for doctors as well. I would not like to be treated by a doctor who has not slept in 48 hours and neither should anyone else.

Uninterrupted clean water supply, electricity. Is asking for unification of rivers too much?

Track those who release effluents and hazardous waste into the environment. Fine them heavily, get them to install machinery or better still supply it that will prevent the same. I know Japan has some sort of a system in place.

Solid Waste management. Ban burning garbage and cancel contracts of garbage companies that do so.

Clean the Ganga and every holy river. Keep every pilgrimage center squeaky clean. Every Temple, Church, Mosque and every other place of worship super clean. (I wish I could do this. Have a personal attachment to this. I really wish I could. Or rather its magic wand time)
I have heard that the Gurdwaras are brilliant that way. I love the concept of Langars.

Ban plastic covers, plastic cups in every tourist hotspot. Actually avoidance and if possible total ban of plastic wherever possible - Read Stores.

Builders being conscientious and come up with structures that are earthquake proof. If Japan could do it so can we. Even after Bhuj, I wonder how many Indians ask if their apartment is proof a lot of things. Informing people of areas that are seismically faulty. I do not think that something like that is in place.

Planned infrastructure development. At least now!

Conscientious media.

Clean politics. Educated politicians that really want to take this country forward. No politics of hate. No politics of religion. No politics of caste.

No more negative statements that India will never see light by the people of India who live here, breathe this air and eat the food that comes from the Indian soil. More so by the well meaning NRIs. Enough said. The others of course are too awe struck.

P.S.: A real wish that perhaps needs only a miracle is this. I read so many articles reporting crimes on women and children. Sometimes, its crazily based on caste. A lower caste woman is assaulted and killed, a lot of this happens in rural India. Crimes of battery and sexual assault on children goes unpunished in this country. This is when I realized that sometimes it looks like the law makers buried their conscience and joined the force. And in this case, I wish for an Anniyan who would make sure justice is served. If such crimes have to stop, the only thing would be the fear of an unstoppable force. And I sincerely wish that can come to pass and delete crime on women and children, not only in India but all over the world.

I am sure I am missing quite a few important things. Any omissions are not on purpose and I apologize if any sentiments are hurt. Please leave a comment and I shall definitely add those that I have missed.

Democracy or whatever

Three days of listening to so many stories of money bags being exchanged for votes. I hear that this time they targeted the Women self help groups and they went about to several villages, distributed money, got them to swear in God's name that will vote for a particular party and then it happened. And the trusting, promise-keeping people went about doing that. Loyal to the hands that gave them the money.
I wonder how the election commission keeps quiet watching all this and perhaps helping the whole thing to happen, by, perhaps turning a blind eye. I know of people in Velachery who contacted Naresh Gupta and complained that money is being distributed. Apparently he is reported to have said "I cannot do anything" in Tamilnadu.
Interesting. Is there one singular power in India that can is unchallenged? I dont know if there is an answer to that question. I guess even a Supreme Court order is not followed by the Chennai Corporation and openly indulge in contempt of court and the common man, at the same time lives in fear or authority which perhaps really does not exist. Or rather authority that is exercised by the goonda raj. I think this way, every man in this city might turn into an Anniyan. On that Anniyan note, I wonder killed those people randomly sleeping on the roads last year. Was that case solved?
Also I wonder why nothing has been done yet to bring in a biometric system of identity and voting in India. Time they started bringing that in. Yeah, you ll think whats the point. Mayhap, A lot of our tax money will be spent on this, built in a manner that voting can be rigged, which of course is already alleged with the EVM's with people saying that it is all programmed. And then that vote from each man will be bought. Now the Election commission laid down a hundred thousand rules on how much a party can spend on campaigns. At last count, it stands at 56000 crores in the days leading to the elections. Of course, the only good thing is maybe the money that was originally taken from the people have been given back to the them by means of temp employment and all the envelope handouts.
I read this article somewhere that foreigners watch the election process in our country with awe. It perhaps requires more than awe.
How the land I adore, the land I thrive in survives despite all this is pure magic. Sooner or later if the people of my country do not do anything, nature will step in and begin the culling process.
Every night as I go to sleep, I pray that my land and my people be taken care of, be protected. So many people right now are predicting dire consequences especially in this state. I wish and pray that every such prediction comes to naught. God save my country. And in some cases, from its own people.

Samsung

If you are thinking of buying a Samsung product, especially a refrigerator or an air conditioner - Please do not.

The after sales service is beyond abysmal. Wish I can be more eloquent there, but words fail me.

Realize the importance of service backup only now. 

There are

things you learn and there are things you learn.
Ever since I have been a presenter on radio (Aahaa FM), I must say the most important hours of my day have been invested on this show. Reading up papers compulsively and lately I see that I know some news articles by heart. Also noticed that Newspapers recycle news. Again and again sometimes over several months. Yes, I guess some things need to be reminded but nevertheless...
The 13th of May 2009, I wonder whether I was this interested or followed happenings as much as I have this time. Or rather I did because it was part of my schedule and I had to do it. And if given a choice, I realize I would still read 6 newspapers a day. I read the English papers myself and simultaneously anything that is exclusive in the Tamil papers is read out to me. Obviously most information is common. Its perhaps the approach and insight, if I daresay, that is different.

In all these days of hosting the show, 2 years + of talking to a minimum of 50 people in the one hour between 8 and 9 AM every weekday, listening to their opinions, getting irate at people who still want to drive the communal caste divides deep, biting back a retort in such cases, tales of corruption, statements of hopelessness, its interesting how India has survived in spite of its people. People that complain, people that will bribe and still complain about corruption, people who are unaware of the basics of cleanliness, people who would rather be known as downtrodden because the country makes it easy for them to be that way. If you rise from the level of "downtrodden", read slums, here, and reach the middle class, there perhaps cannot be a worse treatment. Everything is difficult there. Of course it is a different matter that there are several people who choose to live in the slums do so as a matter of choice, its easy and I have heard that a lot of them own a couple of apartments, and rent it out. Some own quite a bit of property, love to live with garbage and germs and pan stains everywhere because someone has told them not to rise from there. Despite that survival happens.

I came to know of North Madras and how it is maintained that way, though that is a major vote bank, promises are made, tenure after tenure and none kept. Most callers had one question - Why? Why this? Why that? Why can it not happen? And some actually said North Madras has a lot of settlers from out of Tamilnadu and since it is not their land, they have no such attachment and maintain the area in a crappy manner. Good buses do not ply there as MTC employees tend to mention that the North Madras bus users will damage the vehicles. One man actually said that North Madras is not meant to be a residential area and permits to live there have been given illegally by the corporation and now they are facing the music. Infrastructure will always be in shambles. But despite that North Madras is still a hub.

Despite laziness, despite mediocrity, despite Indians that scream hoarse saying a hundred thousand times that India will never improve, whether the Indians are living here or abroad, despite the red tape and despite all the negativity India survives. More than anything else, I think the most magical thing is the way we survive with all the people around drumming so much negative statements, you ll never be this, you ll never improve, to the worst statements handed out to this land.

Perhaps because of the hope that every young Indian garners in his heart that beats with all its might. A heart that hopes for change. The heart that believes that change is possible and that it can contribute to it, until of course well-meaning people and uncles and aunts and sons and daughters who live abroad, especially amaeeericaaa, advice and drill it into their minds that India will never survive as reported by the callers :)

I have heard enough of that too. And I believe a lot more people do. I know for a fact that a lot of the callers on my show are hoping against hope and I know that in the heart of hearts every Indian believes we live in a magic land. A land of infinite possibilities. Perhaps someone just has to wave a wand. Or maybe we can wave the wand ourselves. At least project it from the depths of our subconscious and everyday I dream of a country that is going to prove every Indian who is contributing to the 'system' that is in my country now, wrong. And that day - I know I ll see that when I am alive and kicking and perhaps skydiving somewhere - that day I shall look forward to smiling. A smile that a country will revel in. That which will come from every Indian who is true to his heart. And on that day, no matter how much anyone tries, there will be no caste creed community thing. Sooner or later India is going to be a land which shall not have any divisions based on caste/community/creed/religion.

Hoping for that, if you are supposed to be voting tomorrow, no matter where you are, paid leave or not, turn up and vote. After all there are people who vote scores of times, subject their index fingers and its nail bed to super harsh chemicals, all for the love of voting several times in one day, travels from one booth to another, for his favorite party, in exchange for whatever or as a result for brain washing.

And All you need to do is just get out and vote once. Ain't it easy? So go out and vote.

July 22?

Earthquake and Tsunami apparently is "predicted" to happen in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Philippines, New Zealand, Japan and a couple of other countries.
And the thing is I was told I am supposed to speak about this on radio.
Now I cannot do that unless it is verified by officials.

Are there Tsunami / Earthquake warning offices/departments?

Let me know

There has been one thing I have been unable to understand.
There are enough organizations and people holding placards, shouting, investing that which is of essence - time, slamming down politicians who do not care for animal or bird rights And how come the same energy or effort is not given when human beings are killed in thousands just a few hundred kilometers away??

I just do not understand the apathy towards the people in Sri Lanka. Be it the politicians or even normal citizens. I think if it had not been for several individuals who got together to form huge groups that have become mammoth organizations of global presence fighting for against animal testing and for animal rights , I guess major cosmetic companies would not be spending that extra buck to specify "Not Tested on Animals" on their labels.

Those that are given asylum in refugee camps, reportedly being in such a camp is worse than facing bombs in Sri Lanka on a per minute-basis.

I wonder if divisions have been laid down so much that one human being has deadened feelings when it comes to another human being if they do not belong to a certain community or speak a certain language. I wish those who sowed the seeds of such ideas of dividing people on the basis of caste community creed and language or anything else - that which has become a way of belief in most people are rotting in hell right now.

Wonder how we don't care when people die for the sake of a few people's wretched designs on power and super money. Be it anywhere in the world. Why is it that we do not care for someone who is separated from us by a mere line called a border drawn by another man or a group of people who sat down and said , hey lets draw this line here. The lines of division and separation, lines that we cannot actually see on the soil unless it is drawn on paper or is symbolized by whatever else demarcates borders of countries. And worse still the situation in Sri Lanka is being used by a lot of people here to create fresh caste divisions in a land that already had enough. Sowing seeds for fresh hatred. Brilliant tactics. When will people learn???

Wonder why it is important for people to place politics above basic human need for peace, safety and security. Wonder how these lines have gone to the extent of blinding the whole lot of us from the light of justice and love.

There are those who have the guts to step up and fight for the rights of people dying there and all that most of us can do is criticize them or attempt to silence them as well.

P.S.: Amongst a lot of links sent to me, here is one

WRT RJ Hunt

I have received all the comments/mails and did not think it is necessary to publish them as most of you have typed down cell phone numbers and EMail IDs. One there might be unsolicited calls and two there will be unsolicited mail.
I have let my office know and there will be a follow up on this one pretty soon.
If there is anyone who has just mentioned their mail ID, I request you to send in your phone numbers as well.

With regard to AahaaFM.com I understand that lots of people loved listening in but I am afraid some of the queries cannot be answered by me. I should be able to post the podcasts of my show soon. But, if you are registered users of Kumudam.com, please direct your queries pertaining to AahaaFm.com there.

Thanks.


P.S. The auditions were on 9 May. If you still would like to give a try,kindly send a voice sample by EMail.