After Rain!!!

Hi Guys,

There was an unexpected shower in the early hours today. The climate was cool when I woke up and then the sun came out as usual. I went around my garden and took some photos of the effect of rain. Here, I share some of the photos.

Water accumulated in the floor.

I noticed some ants sticking to the wall. They were not moving, but were carrying some white identical object. It must be the ant egg. Ants are said to predict rain and they carry their eggs before the rain.

Water sticking to the leaves!

A close up view!

Water sticking to the buds!

Drops about to fall

View the complete Picasa web album here.

Happy Viewing!!!

Suport Anna Hazare!!!

Hi Guys,

The past few days have been very eventful as 72 year old Anna Hazare started the fight against corruption in India. His demand was to setup a Lokpal (ombudsmen*) to deal with the corruption in Government offices. He started fasting on 5-4-11 and ended it on 9-4-11 after our Government promised to set a committee headed by our finance minister that will draft an effective Lokpal bill. But, in my point of view I doubt that it won’t be formed soon.

Looking back at last 60 years, the corruption levels has been reaching new highs. We are bribed everywhere. If you have to finish a work in any public department or office, then you have to give bribe. This has agitated the people so much. This was the main reason why many youngsters and even school children supported Mr Hazare. It’s heartening to see the support.

So, who is Mr Hazare? Fighting against corruption is not the only battle that Anna Hazare has taken part. He has been at the Indian army for 15 years, after the Indo-China war in 1962. He then retired from army at the age of 39 and returned back to his village, Ralegaon Siddhi a drought prone village in Maharashtra. There he grouped the people to from organizations for getting water.

He then wanted to remove alcoholism from his village, as he thought if there is no alcohol, then the economy would improve. He along with the youths forced the owners to shut down the liquor shops and then people who continued to drink were punished for the sake of their family. 

As years passed, Anna Hazare continued to improve the village by implementing watershed management, promoting milk production, enriching people by education and removing untouchability. As a result, Ralegaon Siddhi became a model village and Mr Hazare was awarded Padma shri in 1990 and Padma Bhusan in 1992.

His fight against corruption began in the initial 90’s and continues till now. His battle has been accepted widely by the public. Though government accuses him of false charges and arrests him sometimes, people are in his support. His battle has led to the resigning of some corrupt cabinet ministers in the past. He was also influential in forming the ‘Right to Information Act’ which was implemented at Mumbai in 2003.

He was awarded World Bank's 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service. World Bank’s award committee said, ‘Hazare created a thriving model village in Ralegan Siddhi, in the impoverished Ahmednagar region of Maharashtra state, and championed the right to information and the fight against corruption’.

It’s great that we are having a person like him in our country. The good thing is people have started supporting him and if this grows with time, we can believe India will become a better country in future.

Let us support the great man!!!

*Ombudsmen – It is a Swedish word. It refers to a intermediate person who acts a mediator between the person and the public servant. It is becoming famous in organizations worldwide.

Happy Reading!!!

Things that crossed my way!

Hi Guys,

It’s nearly 10 days since I wrote my last post. I was busy with my internal exams and also was engrossed in World cup cricket matches.

Cricket Celebrations

It was an unforgettable Saturday. A day that will be etched in all our minds. A day when the dream came true. The celebrations following the win were also memorable. There were crackers and fireworks all around. The newspapers celebrated the victory with so much of enthusiasm. It was then that all the state governments started to announce crores of prize money to the cricketers. The question that came to my mind was ‘Do the cricketers really need it?’ They are already earning crores in IPL and moreover the money they earn in ads is unbelievable. Comparing with them, the prize money is so small. But the money belongs to the people. Think, how much can be done with this money. So, what I feel the money is going to be wasted ultimately.

Elections – A week ahead

We are getting our state assembly elections in a week and I’m really delighted since it is going to be the first time, I’m going to take part in one of the country’s pride – Democracy. It is also really heartening to see that all my classmates are looking forward to cast their vote. So, people who say that young people don’t care about the elections, please change your mind.

Election Commission has been really strict in following the rules and as a result, we don’t even feel like we are nearing elections. There are no banners, no pamphlets, no flags, etc. It is really incredible.

The Shining – Stanley Kubrick (1980)

Two days ago, I watched this horrific thriller movie. Based on Stephen King’s novel named the same, this movie deals with a family who stays in a hotel at Denver during the winter season as caretaker. Everything goes fine, before Jack Nicholson turns crazy and starts to hunt his wife Shelley Duvall and little son Danny. Do they survive it?

The poster says it all

The background music is really scary and it is the biggest plus of the movie. Even you get scared for ordinary scenes. The acting of the trio is also remarkable. Particularly the little boy captures the viewer's heart. To be true, this was the first time I have been so haunted seeing a horror movie.

Manufacturing of Pencils

I came across this wonderful video in youtube. It is a video if Staedtler’s pencil manufacturing. A pencil is simple in its appearance. See this video to know the things behind the manufacturing of pencil.

That’s it for now!!!

Happy Reading!!!