Ever Wonder ...

1. Why the Sun lightens our hair but darkens our skin?
2. Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
3. Why don't we ever see the headline: 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?
4. Why do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the
counters?
5. Why do supermarkets make the sick walk all the way to the back of the
store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes
at the front?
6. Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
7. Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
8. Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
9. Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
10. Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
11. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the "terminal"?

Are power brokers running Indian democracy?

Where The Mind is Without Scruples


Where the mind is without scruples and the head is dizzy with power
Where knowledge is traded for wealth
Where the world is being carved into private fiefdoms
By unscrupulous corporate czars
Where words come out from the depth of treachery
Where tireless brokers stretch their arms to work pliable systems
Where the clean stream of reason has completely lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead collective conscience
Where the mind is led forward by greed
Into insatiable lust for wealth and power
Into that morass of slavery, my Father, why has my country sunk?

Rajinikanth Jokes

1.Rajinikanth doesn’t wear a watch. He decides what time it is.
2.Rajinikanth has already been to Mars, that’s why there are no signs of life there.
3.Rajinikanth killed the dead sea.
4.If you spell ‘Rajanikant’ wrong on Google it doesn’t say, “Did you mean Rajinikanth?” It simply replies, “Run while you still have the chance.”
5.Rajinikanth can play the violin with a piano
6.Rajnikanth once wrote a cheque, the bank bounced!
7.Micheal Jordan to Rajini: I can spin a ball on my finger for over two hours. Can you?
Rajni: Rascala; how do you think the earth spins!?
8.Rajinikanth once ordered a plate of idli in McDonald’s, and got it.
9.If Rajnikant was born 100 years earlier, British would have fought to get independence from India.
10.When Rajnikant logs on to facebook.com, facebook updates its status message!
11.Rajni once killed 20 men just by saying "BANG"
12.Rajinikanth knows Victoria’s secret.
13.Rajinikanth can divide by zero.
14.Rajinikanth has counted to infinity, twice.
15.When Rajinikanth gives you the finger, he's telling you how many seconds you have left to live.

The Economy Is So Bad That ...

When the US economy went into a tail spin it spawned a whole lot of jokes, one liners and wisecracks on the state of things. Here is something I found on one of the sites today and thought I will share with you all.

1. That Brad and Agelina have fired their nannies and are trying to learn the names of their own children.

2. I got a "predeclined" credit card in the mail.

3. If the bank returns your check marked "insufficient funds", you call and ask if they meant you or them ...

4. I ordered a burger at McDonald's, and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"

5. Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.

6. A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.

7. The economy is so bad that Exxon-Mobil has laid off 25 Congressmen!!

8. That McDonald's is now selling the "quarter-ouncer".

9. The economy is so bad that CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

Also best of luck to the student of MBA IInd year who appear for their REIM paper today. All the best guys, do well

Mohandeep Sandhu

Musings on Travel

I found these quotes on travel on the book markers distributed by the travel magazine 'Lonely Planet' with this month's issue. They stimulate one's urge to travel and see the world, the thrill and the anticipation of journeys, new places and things:

• The important thing is to go - Versace
• Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do - Mark Twain
• The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see - G K Chesterton
• Tourists don't know where they have been, travellers don't know where they are going - Paul Theroux

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Desiderata

Desiderata by Max Ehrman is sublime and full of wisdom. I first came across it many years ago in the office of my then Managing Director, Mr. David Rose (Gujarat Guardian Limited-Modiguard) who kept a beautifully inscribed and framed print of it  on a side cabinet. Here is how it goes:

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth, quietly and clearly, and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements, as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble, it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But not let this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and every where life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imagining. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be Cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

I am sure it inspires everybody who reads it. There is a misconception that  'Desiderata' was found in St. Paul's Church in Baltimore, Maryland. Actually it is the work of Max Ehrmann, a poet and lawyer from Terre Haute, Indiana, who lived from 1872 to 1945. Desiderata is Latin for 'Things to be Desired'.

Love
Mohandeep Sandhu
http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 21 - The Questions That Matter

Did I do something constructive today?

Did I make someone's life easy today?

Is my health better than yesterday because of what I did?

Did I spare some thought or time for those around me?

Did I conduct myself as if this was the first day of the rest of my life? (Particularly for those of us who carry to much historical baggage)

If we conduct ourselves in such a way that the answers to all these questions are in the affirmative, I am sure we will have a more pleasant existence and a fulfilling life.

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 20 - Bumper Stickers

Some bumper stickers that I liked:

1. Be nice to America or we'll bring democracy to your country
2. The gene pool could use a little chlorine.
3. If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished.
4. When all else fails manipulate the data
5. I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.
6. If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
7. How is it possible to have a civil war?
8. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
9. Alcohol and calculus don't mix. Never drink and derive.
10. With my life I could be on all of Oprah's shows.
11. Is life a sexually transmitted disease?
12. Warning: Dates in Calendar are closer than they appear.
13. Contraceptives should be used on every conceivable occasion.
14. My wife's other car is a broom!
15. Avenge Yourself - Be a problem to your children

Love
Mohandeep Sandhu
http://www.crcindia.co.in/

 

Day 19 - Anger

Yesterday when I was sitting with my mother and we were reminiscing  about her late father and my grandfather, she recollected the advice which he gave her on one occasion when she was extremely angry at something even though her temper was completely justified. He said:

If you are in the right you need not lose your temper and if you are in the wrong you cannot afford to lose your temper.

Words of wisdom well spoken, wouldn't you agree? Here is what some others have said about anger:

• Speak when you are angry and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret - Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Amwerican educator, writer.
• Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one - Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, philosopher.
• Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind. Anger will disappear just as soon as thoughts of resentment are forgotten - Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 BC.
• In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move - Douglas Adams, British comic writer. 
• Anger blows out the lamp of the mind - Robert Green Ingersoll, American statesman.

Love

MohandeepSandhu

http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 18 - Fitness Corner

Is 'Fitness Corner' on Zee Cafe at 6.30 AM ( Channel 213 on Tatasky DTH) about fitness? Check out and let me know.

Why don't we have more such fitness programmes? They are supposed to be very good for the eyes and maybe for for the health as well.

Love
Mohandeep Sandhu
http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 17 - Withholding Information

An elderly Italian man went to his parish priest and asked if the priest would hear his confession.

"Of course, my son," said the priest.

"Well, Father, at the beginning of World War Two, a beautiful woman knocked on my door and asked me to hide her from the Germans; I hid her in my attic, and they never found her."

"That's a wonderful thing, my son, and nothing that you need to confess," said the priest.

"It's worse, Father; I was weak, and told her that she had to pay for rent of the attic with her bodily favors," continued the old man.

"Well, it was a very difficult time, and you took a large risk - you would have suffered terribly at their hands if the Germans had found you hiding her; I know that God, in his wisdom and mercy, will balance the good and the evil, and judge you kindly," said the priest.

"Thanks, Father," said the old man. "That's a load off of my mind. Can I ask another question?"

"Of course, my son," said the priest.

The old man asked, "Do I need to tell her that the war is over?"

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

Day 16 - Mid Term Exams

I was reading these humourous takes on teaching and exams something akin to the Murphy's Laws and am sharing some of the one's that I found interesting. I will begin with those related to exams as the classes I teach in the University sit for their Mid Term exams tomorrow. 

Laws of Applied Terror

1. When reviewing your notes before an exam, the most important ones will be illegible.

2. The more studying you did for the exam, the less sure you are as to which answer they want

3. Fifty percent of the exam will be based on the one lecture you missed about the one topic you didn't read.

First Law of Exams

The examination paper is always easier when you are not taking it.

Second Law of Exams

In your toughest exam, the most distractingly attractive student in class will sit next to you for the first time.

Class Schedules

Class Schedules are designed so that every student will waste maximum time between classes.

Library Laws

•All librarians will be happy to help when you don't need it, but will vanish when you have a question about the Dewey Decimal system.
•Dewey was drunk when he made the decimal system.

I hope you enjoyed reading them a much as I did compiling them.
Love
Mohandeep Sandhu
http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 15 - Leadership Through Work Life Balance

Too many people do not discover how to live until it is time to die. They spend the best years of their lives chasing that illusory pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, working long hours, neglecting their families and their health in the process only to find that, at the end of the day, their obsessive pursuit of a fat bank account and the coveted corner office did not bring the deep fulfillment that they craved.

Too many of us miss out on the simple gifts that every day brings like the glory of the sunrise or the laughter of a young child because we are so busy trying to make a living we have lost sight of the real meaning of life. Then one day, in our twilight years, we finally reflect on "what could have been" and our hearts flood with regret over school concerts missed, family vacations not taken and magical moments lost. Perhaps Henry David Thoreau said it best when he observed: "Most people dread finding out when they come to die that they have never really lived."

There is nothing wrong with great achievement. I believe that a life without career success and professional fulfillment is an incomplete life. We all have a deep human hunger to create something great through the work we do and shine in our chosen occupations.

The point of wisdom is simply this: do not sacrifice a joy-filled life for the sake of achievement. Instead, joyfully achieve. Balance your commitment to being the best you can be at work with a deep commitment to being a great family person and loving friend. Understand that without balance in every core area of your life, you will never find lasting happiness and a sense that you have lived well.

As Gandhi noted: "One can not do right in one area of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in another. Life is one indivisible whole."

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 14 - Facts of Life

• Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat drinking beer all day.
• As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in public schools.
• A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
• You can't have everything - where would you put it?
• Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens.
• It is hard to understand how a cemetery raised its burial cost and blamed it on the cost of living.
• Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.

Love
Mohandeep Sandhu
http://www.crcinida.co.in/

Day 13 - Three Cups of Tea

I was recently given the book - 'Three Cups of Tea' about Greg Ortenson and his pioneering work in the area of education in the remote and high altitude areas of Pakistan. The book is co-authored by David Oliver Relin.

It is an absorbing real life story of how Greg stumbled into the isolated, high altitude village of Korphe while returning from an unsuccessful attempt on K2 as part of a climbing expedition and how on his departure, he promised the villagers that he would come back and build a school in their village. Incredible though it may sound, Greg once he was back in the States, set about redeeming his pledge with missionary zeal. He not only came back to build the Korphe school but helped build at least 130 more as well as completed a slew of other development projects. The book takes you through his awe inspiring journey.

As you go through the book you become aware of the abysmal lack of development of any kind in large parts of Pakistan particularly in the mountainous regions. There are certain fascinating insights into how our neighbouring country became the nursery for militant jehad. A wonderful read, engrossing and inspiring. If you would like to know more about Greg Mortenson visit http://www.gregmortenson.com/ or http://www.gregmortenson.blogspot.com/

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

http://www.crcinida.co.in/

Day 12 - Official Language of the European Union

Have you come across this piece which does the rounds of the e-mail circuit once in a while. Reasonably interesting, I would say:

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5-year phase-in plan that would become known as 'Euro-English'.

In the first year, 's' will replace the soft 'c'. Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard 'c' will be dropped in favour of 'k'. This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter. There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome 'ph' will be replaced with 'f'. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where! more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent 'e' in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing 'th' with 'z' and 'w' with 'v'.

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary 'o' kan be dropd from vords kontaining 'ou' and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 11 - The New Emperor

This story always moves me and doubly reinforces in my mind that being righteous in action though sometimes exceptionally difficult will always stand a person in good stead in life.
An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called all the young people in the kingdom together one day.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.

After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by; still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace.

When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful-in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kids laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try." When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back.

"My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front.

Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"

Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.

If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.

If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.

If you plant hard work, you will reap success.

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.

If you plant faith, you will reap miracles

But

If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.

If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness

If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.

If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.

If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.

If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.

If you plant greed, you will reap loss.

If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.

If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.

If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will reap tomorrow.

The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better, for your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices' you plant today.

Love
Mohandeep Sandhu
Our website: http://www.crcindia.co.in/
Coming soon at http://www.sukhnalake.in/

Day 10 - Just Think About It

• A goal without a plan is just a wish.
• A status symbol is a symbol, not status.
• A rumor is as hard to unspread as butter.
• To truly hear you must quiet the mind.
• The heart has reasons which reason does not understand.

 Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

http://www.crcindia.co.in/

Day 9 - Sunday

Relaxing at home and enjoying the weather before it becomes too hot. The website of the new initiative 'The Corporate Resource Centre' is finally done, up and live. And importantly the final product has come in for praise from everybody who has seen it. Thanks guys for the support and the words of encouragement.

Love
Mohandeep Sandhu

Day 8 - When Mr. Bachchan Was Given A Lesson In Life

I followed Mr. Bachchan's blog quite regularly in the initial days when he had just started blogging. I still keep doing so though now my visits are somewhat infrequent. What draws me to his blog repeatedly is the diverseness of the things he talked about, his candidness and an exemplary command over the language. Also his respect for institutions and elders, his fine sense of protocol and his self discipline - themes which keep recurring in his narratives.

One interesting anecdote he related in his blog dates to his younger days. Around his graduation, not knowing what to do in life and with feelings bordering on frustration, he posed the question to his father the renowned Hindi poet Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan - “Why did you give birth to me ?” “Aapne hamme paida kyun kiya ?”

His father maintained his composure at that moment but next morning handed him the following poem which more than adequately answered his question. This is how it goes:

Nayi Leek

Zindagi aur zamane ki kashmakash se

Ghabrakar mere ladke mujhse poochte hain,

“Hamme paida kyun kiya tha ?”

Aur mere paas iske siwa

Koi jawab nahin hai

Ki mere baap ne bhi mujhse bina pooche

Mujhe paida kiya tha,

Aur mere baap se bina pooche unke baap ne , unhe,

Aur mere baba se bina pooche unke baap ne , unhe…

Zindagi aur zamane ki kashmakash

Pahle bhi thi

Ab bhi hai, shayad zyada,

Aage bhi hogi , shayad aur zyada.

Tumhi nayi leek dharana,

Apne baytoen se poochkar unhe paida karna !

Remarkable isn't it. Another of his narratives that is truly amazing from all aspects is his description of his visit to Sherwood Nainital (his alma mater) to attend the 50th reunion of his class of 1958 in 2008- but that on another day and maybe another blog.

Love

Mohandeep Sandhu

Website: http://www.crcindia.co.in/