November 30, 2008 (ANI)
Does the Intelligence chief on one country go to another because the Prime Minister of that country summons him? He doesn't. And especially not if it is the ISI chief and the Prime Minister is an Indian. It was naïve to think that Dr Manmohan Singh would tell Mr. Asif Zardari, send your ISI chief and the chief would come marching on from Wagah border. An ISI chief has never come to India and a RAW chief has never been to Islamabad. But Zardari said 'yes '. Not just the ISI chief but he would send Army Chief Ashfaq Kiyani, who is himself and ex-director general of the ISI.
Washington, Nov.7, 2008 (ANI)
Imagine not inheriting a permanent bureaucracy. Freedom to bring in your own babus. It is every Indian politician’s dream. Here in "the land of the free", it is a privilege that the President enjoys. He is not encumbered with a permanent bureaucracy. So on January 20th, when President elect
Barack Obama becomes President Obama, he will bring with him a whole new team.
He will not have to inherit a bunch of babus looking down their noses at the inexperienced head of government, something that happens in India every five years!
Washington, Nov 7, 2008 (ANI)
President elect Barack Obama has a selected his chief of staff and his name is Rahm. Though the name has nothing to do with the Hindu mythological figure of Ram, Indian Americans who are loyal Obama supporters are sure to be happy with the name that sounds so like the Hindu God.
Representative Rahm Emanuel is a former Clinton Administration official and a fellow member of Congress from Illinois and the President elect says that he selected Rahm for the crucial job because he has "deep insights into the challenging economic issues that will be front and center for our administration."
October 21, 2008 (ANI)
What is your morning cuppa? Coffee or Tea? A simple enough question but just think about it, why is it not just a simple answer to a simple question. How fanatical are we about that morning cup of tea coffee or whatever it is that you drink first thing in the morning. I recollect my dad used to drink some vile concoction with ground wheat and what have you. It looked scary and I'm sure tasted awful. But he was fanatical about it for several years. Now he is content with his weak, oh so weak tea. My mother likes her tea really "well done"...seriously.... she boils it about as long as one has that kaali daal boiling on the burner.
New York, July 11, 2008 (ANI)
For the first time ever, an Indian school soccer team is taking part in a youth soccer tournament in the US.
Seventeen players, all under the age of 14 from New Delhi's elite Sanskriti School, were in New York State this week to take part in the Golden Goal Tournament Park.
This year's tournament has been bifurcated into a "Boys Weeks" and a 'Girls Weeks" The boys aged under 13, 14 and 15 are playing from July 5 to 11, while boys under age of 11 and 12 will play from July 12 to 18. After an interval of eight days, boys under the age of 13 and 14 will play matches from July 26 to August 1., while boys under the age of 12 and 14 will play between August 2 and 8. Boys under the age of 10, 11, 12 and 13 will play matches from August 16 to 22.
The matches for girls in similar age groups are being played from June 28 to August 29.
Washington, July 11, 2008 (ANI)
From early hours of the morning, Indian techies and Non Resident Indians have started lining up outside AT&T and Apple shops to buy the new 3G iPhone. This new generation phone, if one can call it that, promises faster Web browsing experience. At least faster than the original iPhone launched in June 2007.
Ramesh Kundapura came in at dawn to the AT&T store in Rockville Maryland to pick up his phone. He had already paid in advance last week a princely sum of 300 dollars because he is an existing AT&T customer. His friend Varun Narain had to pay 500 dollars as he isnt an AT&T customer. They will have to pay higher monthly fees for talking, checking e-mail, surfing the web and even for their text messages. The monthly subscription fee has also been hiked by $10
Washington, July 4, 2008 (ANI)
Crude oil skyrocketed to 145 dollars a barrel and Americans are feeling the pinch like never before.
With the Fourth of July weekend looming up, Americans are planning low-key Independence Day celebrations.
Grocery shopping has undergone a rethink with buying in bulk and buying sensibly topping the list.
So, if fruits have to be bought, then why buy 30 dollars a dozen Indian mangoes when one can get 10 dollars a dozen South American mangoes?
Sandeep Agarwal, the owner of an Indian grocery store in a Maryland suburb, says in every box of Indian mangoes, one or two are over ripe or rotten. So, buyers get very angry when they pay so much and get poor quality mangoes. I believe early rains in India are to blame. Indian mangoes can't compete with South American mangoes because the latter are cheaper, good quality and easily available.
Washington, July 4, 2008 (ANI)
As gas prices skyrocketed to new high this week, a 50-year-old Kentucky resident actually paid for sex with a 100-dollar card good for gas at Speedway gas station.
An undercover cop caught him having sex with a call girl last Friday at a Days Inn in Fort Wright.
Angela Eversole sold her body for just 25 gallons of petrol and has been charged with 'doing business without an occupational license!
Novak has been charged with promoting prostitution.
Washington, July 4, 2008 (ANI)
Indian grad students studying in the US are finding the summer hard. Those who chose not to go back to India for the summer break, hoping to get summer jobs are finding that for the first time there are no jobs...not even in grocery stores and fast food eateries. Employers cut 62,000 jobs in the month of June as soaring fuel prices and a slowing economy forced companies to reduce costs. The US Department of Labour reported that the economy has lost about 438,000 jobs since the beginning of the year. The unemployment rate was at 5.5%.
New Delhi, Apr.9, 2008 (ANI)
Ah double relief the Lakme fashion Week has ended and Miss India 2008 has been crowned. Glamour please take a back seat. But wait! Horror of horrors, did you notice, that awful fashion item, the kaftan is back? It was seen last week on the ramp, in all its 'awful glory' and fashion gurus gleefully gave sound bites to pyts on TV channels that it's time Indian women stocked up on this throwback to the seventies.
So all those who have busted their butts at the gym to fit into size zero jeans like Kareena Kapoor can fret and fume over their wasted effort because this voluminous, free flowing gown is back with a bang. Its not just Indian designers like Sonam Dubal or Ashima-Leena at the Lakme Fashion Week who showcased the Kaftan, this fashion faux pax has found its way into chic stores in the UK too.
