Riding the storm of life

Here is a nice narration on how to deal with life by Janina Gomes that recently appeared in TOI Speaking Tree.


Riding the storm of life




Janina Gomes
Jun 15, 2011, 12.00am IST

We do not have to go to the foot of the Himalayas to attain inner peace. We

also do not need to renounce everything before attaining quietude.

Instead, we can live day to day in inner quietude. If we look at all of

life's experiences and their disturbing content with inner eyes, the

disturbances we undergo will remain at the periphery. Deep down there will

be an emotional quiet.

Inner peace is all about coping. If the unpleasant and painful memories

remain too long with us, we will not make the transition that we are called

to make from restless non-acceptance to quiet acceptance.

We are in a win-win situation when we accept the challenge of living,

discriminating how far we should go along a certain track, who we should

relate to in more intimate terms and those we need to distance because their

values are so disparate from our own.

If we are self-sacrificing and wise, we will remain calm and tranquil

despite the provocations we face. We do not avoid difficult people and

circumstances, but learn to deal with them by distancing ourselves from them

and building on relationships that bring happiness.

Withdrawal is an option but it would lead to disengagement and

non-involvement and that does not bring required results. The inner peace we

crave for comes after traversing a long passage. Learning with experience,

we begin to take things in our stride. It's not all that easy, though.

There are many ways to cultivate and build on inner peace. We could set some

time aside daily for prayer and meditation. Disproportionate understanding

can blow up the way we perceive things. We could spend quiet time in the

garden, in silent communication with plants and trees. We endure life's

storms and learn to absorb its shocks and we find that we are, in fact, in

the midst of all these circumstances, communing with God, a tangible

presence in our lives.

Coping is not just reactive, it's proactive, too. We pick up the mantle

thrown to us and practise patience, detachment, endurance, serenity and

acceptance of all that comes our way. To overcome obstacles and difficulties

we need to develop coping skills that encompass emotional, mental and

spiritual needs.

The only difference between the wise and the foolish is that the wise learn

to cope with reality and transform it and the foolish get swept away by the

ups and downs of life.

Life is uncertain; it is unpredictable. It is also unfair, it seems. But in

learning to cope with all the ups and down of life, we begin to live a full

life.

There is the parable of the wise man in the gospels who built his house on

rock. It withstood all the rains and storms. On the other hand, the man who

built his house on sand watched his house get destroyed in the rain and

storm. Hence, we need to cultivate rock-like resilience and welcome

attributes that will help us to cope. The reward of inner strength is inner

peace. Right here, in your living room, your workplace, in your family you

will find inner peace. We do not have to look too far.

Once we learn to cope, the going will be easier and there will be no need

for camouflage. There is no need to hide our real selves. We will be able to

stand up and meet life on our own terms. And experience the fulfilment of a

pilgrimage well weathered

Hindustan Unilever

18th March 2010 we discussed the none-too-good state of Unilever group under the caption "Unilever in crisis mode?" There are some happy tidings since then.

Harish Manwani who continues as Chairman of HUL will additionally be COO of the Unilever group. Gopal Vittal, one of the EDs of HUL recently remarked, "The question is , are we winning in the markets of tomorrow, with the consumers of tomorrow, in the segments and the channels of tomorrow, because in each of these there are tailwinds coming our way".

Nice to hear. Though focus on future is necessary, we need to realise that the long run is only a seres of short runs. If a company does not do well in a series of short runs, its long term strategy also gets stymied. Strong headwinds in the near term may not allow us to survive in the distant term.

Myopia is bad. Hypermetropia may be worse!

Court hearings in bail applications relating to 2G scam

Ms.Kanimozhi has failed to obtain bail despite her sequential applications in the CBI court, Delhi High Court and now the Supreme Court. Some of the exchanges between the Supreme Court judges and the advocates are partly interesting and partly intriguing. For example,

"A special bench of justices G. S. Singhvi and B. S. Chauhan ticked off counsel for Ms. Kanimozhi and co-accused Kalaignar TV managing Director Sharad Kumar when they claimed that they were innocent and were not hungry for money.


“Hungry people neither take bribe nor do they come to the courts. None of them (accused) is a hungry person,” the bench remarked when senior counsel Altaf Ahmed argued that the accused were “not hungry for money,” and the Rs. 200 crore transferred to Kalaignar TV was part of a loan amount."

Again,

"The bench was not impressed with the defence plea that the accused were willing to abide by any condition for bail and even the IMF Chief Dominique Strauss—Kahn was granted bail in the sexual molestation case.


“Let us keep the media discussions outside. It tends to blur our thinking"  the bench remarked. "

Are the alleged offences of Kahn and Kanimozhi comparable? Kahn was arrested as soon as the alleged offence was committed whereas the latter was taken into custody when it became unavoidable.

The Court championed the cause of equality when

The bench did not agree with the plea of senior counsel Sushil Kumar that Ms. Kanimozhi should be granted bail as she has a 10-year old child to look after and that she was being denied his company.

“That happens to all other women,” the bench remarked.

Misleading Charts in annual reports of companies

Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement -- Corporate Governance -- Annexure 1C requires companies to disclose in their annual reports, inter-alia, (a) Market Price data: High , Low during each month in last financial year and (b) Performance in comparison to broad-based indices such as BSE Sensex, CRISIL Index etc.

 An ingenious practice is adopted by  various listed companies to nullify the spirit behind the need for disclosing comparison between company's share price movement and sensex / nifty movement.


Whereas companies dutifully comply with the requirement of disclosure, most of them especially those companies whose share prices declined more sharply than sensex / nifty have chosen to depict the comparative movements in the form of a graph. In a combined graph which shows the movements of both share price and sensex / nifty, Y-axis is calibrated in such a way that the slopes of both curves look similar and thus give a mistaken impression that the share price has moved in tandem with the indices. This impression is created because the Y-axis does not begin at zero value at the origin and same lengths in the Y-axis are used to portray substantially different ranges in movement of share price and indices.

For example, the graph in page 45 of the 2008-09 annual report of Cholamandalam DBS Finance Limited gives a distorted appearance of "in-tandem" movement though the fall in Sensex was only about 35 % whereas the decline in share price was as high as 85 %

This matter was taken up with SEBI as early as July 2009. Response is still awaited.



 

Civil Society vs Politicians

It is only to be expected that politicians who have had exclusive jurisdiction over the terms of social contract in the country rise in revolt against the incipient civil society that threatens the former's venal ways. Even Pranab Mukherjee who is among the less aggressive and more reasonable among the politicians, has questioned the rights of civil society to decide what needs to be legislated. He is too intelligent to misunderstand the requirements of the so-called civil society. He ought to know that in a democracy citizens are sovereign and parliamentarians are expected only to satisfy the needs of citizens. To argue that legislation is the exclusive domain of the legislators and therefore the civil society should not interfere betrays a deliberate attempt to derail the snowballing people's crusade against political corruption.

We should not be surprised that ministers will leave no stone unturned to ensure that their cosy life is not disturbed by people daring to demand activation of democratic principles. 

Indians taken for a ride?

I came across the following outpourings of a concerned citizen. I thought these are  worth sharing with others. I do not know the veracity or otherwise of the incidents quoted. Since these allegations are frequently and publicly expressed, it is incumbent on the leaders of the Congress party to probe them. If these are found to be true, the Congress leaders should throw the Gandhis out of the party. If the allegations are wrong, the Congress party should explain to the nation so that the unfair abuse of the Gandhi family will cease.:

"Rahul gandhi Exposed by an IIT student...


THE CURIOUS CASE OF RAHUL GANDHI

Rahul Gandhi: "I feel ashamed to call myself an INDIAN after seeing what has

happened here in UP".

PLEASE DON'T BE ASHAMED OF U.P. YET

Please don't be ashamed of Uttar Pradesh yet. Congress ruled the State for

the Majority of the duration Pre Independence to Post Independence.. from

1939 to 1989 ( barring the Periods of Emergency.. Thanks to your Grand Mom

Indira G. and a couple of transitional Governments)

8 out of the total 14 Prime Ministers of India have been from UP, 6 out of

those 8 have been from Congress...

I think your party had more than half a century and half a Dozen PM's to

build a State...
The Reason Mulayam Singh, subsequently came to Power is because your party

wasn't exactly Gandhian in their dealings in the State.. So May be If you

look at in totality the present chaos in UP is the outcome of the glorious

leadership displayed by Congress in UP for about 50 years!

So Please don't feel ashamed as yet Dear Rahul.. For Mayawati is only using

the Land Acquisition Bill which your party had itself used to LOOT the

Farmers many times in the Past!


WHY DIDN'T YOUR PARTY CHANGE THE BILL WHEN IT WAS IN POWER FOR SO LONG?

Not that I Endorse what Mayawati is doing.. What Mayawati is doing is

Unacceptable..
But the past actions of your party and your recent comments, puts a question

mark on your INTENT and CONSISTENCY.

YOU REALLY WANT TO FEEL ASHAMED

But don't be disappointed, I would give you ample reasons to feel ashamed...

You really want to feel Ashamed..?

First Ask Pranav Mukherjee, Why isn't he giving the details of the account

holders in the Swiss Banks.

Ask your Mother, Who is impeding the Investigation against Hasan Ali?

Ask her, Who got 60% Kickbacks in the 2G Scam ?

Kalamdi is accused of a Few hundred Crores, Who Pocketed the Rest in the

Common Wealth Games?

Ask Praful Patel what he did to the Indian Airlines? Why did Air India let

go of the Profitable Routes ?

Why should the Tax Payer pay for the Air India losses, when you intend to

eventually DIVEST IT ANYWAY!!!

Also, You People can't run an Airline Properly. How can we expect you to run

the Nation?

Ask Manmohan Singh. Why/What kept him quiet for so long?

Are Kalmadi and A Raja are Scapegoats to save Big Names like Harshad Mehta

was in the 1992 Stock Market Scandal ?

Who let the BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY Accused go Scot Free? ( 20,000 People died in

that Tragedy)
Who ordered the State Sponsored Massacre of SIKHS in 84?

Please read more about, How Indira Gandhi pushed the Nation Under Emergency

in 76-77, after the HC declared her election to Lok Sabha Void!

(I bet She had utmost respect for DEMOCRACY and JUDICIARY and FREE PRESS)

I guess you know the answers already. So My question is, Why the Double

Standards in Judging Mayawati and members of your Family and Party?

I condemn Mayawati. But Is She the only one you feel Ashamed for?

What about the ones close to you? For their contribution to the Nation's

Misery is beyond comparison.

You talk about the Land being taken away from the Farmers. How many Suicides

have happened under your Parties Rule in Vidarbha ? Does that Not Ashame You

?
THE 72,000 CRORE LOAN WAIVER

Your Party gave those Farmers a 72,000 Crore Loan Waiver. Which didn't even

reach the Farmers by the way.

So, Why don't you focus on implementing the policies which your govt. has

undertaken, instead of earning brownie points by trying to manufacture

consent by bombarding us with pictures of having food with Poor

Villagers....

You want to feel ashamed. You can feel ashamed for your Party taking CREDIT

for DEBITING the Public Money (72,000 crores) from the Government Coffers

and literally Wasting it...

You want to feel ashamed.. Feel ashamed for that...

WHY ONLY HIGHLIGHT THIS ARREST?

Dear Rahul, to refresh your memory, you were arrested/detained by the FBI


the BOSTON Airport in September 2001.

You were carrying with you $ 1,60,000 in Cash. You couldn't explain why you

were carrying so much Cash.

Incidentally He was with his Columbian girlfriend Veronique Cartelli,

ALLEGEDLY, the Daughter of Drug Mafia.

9 HOURS he was kept at the Airport.

Later then freed on the intervention of the then Prime Minister

Mr.Vajpayee.. FBI filed an equivalent of an FIR in US and released him.

When FBI was asked to divulge the information, by Right/Freedom to

Information Activists about the reasons Rahul was arrested ... FBI asked for

a NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATE from Rahul Gandhi.

So Subramaniyam Swami wrote a Letter to Rahul Gandhi, " If you have NOTHING

to HIDE, Give us the Permission"



HE NEVER REPLIED!

Why did that arrest not make Headlines Rahul? You could have gone to the

Media and told, "I am ashamed to call myself an INDIAN?".
Or is it that, you only do like to highlight Symbolic Arrests (like in UP)

and not Actual Arrests ( In BOSTON)

Kindly Clarify.....

In any case, you want to feel ashamed, Read Along...

YOUR MOTHER'S SO CALLED SACRIFICE OF GIVING UP PRIME MINISTER SHIP in 2004.

According to a Provision in the Citizenship Act.

A Foreign National who becomes a Citizen of India, is bounded by the same

restrictions, which an Indian would face, If he/she were to become a Citizen

of Italy.

(Condition based on principle of reciprocity)

Now Since you can't become a PM in Italy, Unless you are born there.
Likewise an Italian Citizen can't become Indian PM, unless He/She is not

born here!

Dr. SUBRAMANIYAM SWAMI (The Man who Exposed the 2G Scam) sent a letter to

the PRESIDENT OF INDIA bringing the same to his Notice.

PRESIDENT OF INDIA sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi to this effect, 3:30 PM,

May 17th, 2004.
Swearing Ceremony was scheduled for 5 PM the same Day.
Manmohan Singh was brought in the Picture at the last moment to Save Face!!

Rest of the SACRIFICE DRAMA which she choreographed was an EYE WASH!!!

Infact Sonia Gandhi had sent, 340 letters, each signed by different MP to

the PRESIDENT KALAM, supporting her candidacy for PM.

One of those letters read, I Sonia Gandhi, elected Member from Rai Bareli,

hereby propose Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister.

So SHE was Pretty INTERESTED! Until She came to know the Facts!

So She didn't make any Sacrifice, It so happens that SONIA GANDHI couldn't

have become the PM of INDIA that time.

You could be Ashamed about that Dear Rahul!! One Credential Sonia G had,

Even that was a HOAX!

THINK ABOUT YOURSELF.

You go to Harvard on Donation Quota. ( Hindujas Gave HARVARD 11 million

dollars the same year, when Rajiv Gandhi was in Power)

Then you are expelled in 3 Months/ You Dropped out in 3 Months.... ( Sadly

Manmohan Singh wasn't the Dean of Harvard that time, else you might have had

a chance... Too Bad, there is only one Manmohan Singh!)

Some Accounts say, You had to Drop out because of Rajiv Gandhi's

Assassination.

May be, But Then Why did you go about lying about being Masters in Economics

from Harvard .. before finally taking it off your Resume upon questioning by

Dr. SUBRAMANIYAM SWAMI (The Gentlemen who exposed the 2G Scam)

At St. Stephens.. You Fail the Hindi Exam.

Hindi Exam!!!

And you are representing the Biggest Hindi Speaking State of the Country?

SONIA GANDHI's EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Sonia G gave a sworn affidavit as a Candidate that She Studied English at

University of Cambridge

According to Cambridge University, there is no such Student EVER!

Upon a Case by Dr. Subramaniyam Swami filed against her,

She subsequently dropped the CAMBRIDGE CREDENTIAL from her Affidavit.

Sonia Gandhi didn't even pass High School. She is just 5th class Pass!

In this sense, She shares a common Educational Background with her 2G

Partner in Crime, Karunanidhi.

You Fake your Educational Degree, Your Mother Fakes her Educational Degree.

And then you go out saying, " We want Educated Youth into Politics!"

Contrast that with Gandhi Ji , who went to South Africa, Became a Barrister,

on Merit, Left all that to work for South Africa, then for the Country....

WHY LIE ABOUT EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS?

Not that Education is a Prerequisite for being a great Leader, but then you

shouldn't have lied about your qualifications!

You could feel a little ashamed about Lying about your Educational

Qualifications. You had your reasons I know, Because in India, WE RESPECT

EDUCATION!
But who cares about Education, When you are a Youth Icon!!

YOUTH ICON

You traveled in the Local Train for the first time at the Age of 38.

You went to some Villages as a part of Election Campaign.

And You won a Youth Icon!! ... That's why You are my Youth Icon.

For 25 Million People travel by Train Everyday. You are the First Person to

win a Youth Icon for boarding a Train.

Thousands of Postmen go to remotest of Villages. None of them have yet

gotten a Youth Icon.

You were neither YOUNG Nor ICONIC!

Still You became a Youth Icon beating Iconic and Younger Contenders like

RAHUL DRAVID.

Shakespeare said, What's in a Name?

Little did he knew, It's all in the Name, Especially the Surname!

Speaking of Surname, Sir

DO YOU REALLY RESPECT GANDHI, OR IS IT JUST TO CASH IN ON THE GOODWILL OF

MAHATMA?

Because the Name on your Passport is RAUL VINCI.


Not RAHUL GANDHI..

May be if you wrote your Surname as Gandhi, you would have experienced, what

Gandhi feels like, LITERALLY ( Pun Intended)

You People don't seem to use Gandhi much, except when you are fighting

Elections. ( There it makes complete sense).

Imagine fighting elections by the Name Raul Vinci...

It feels sadly Ironic, Gandhi Ji, who inspired Icons like Nelson Mandela

,Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lennon, across the world, Couldn't inspire

members of his party/ Nehru's Family, who only seem to use his Surname for

the purposes of FIGHTING ELECTIONS and conveniently use a different name on

their PASSPORT.

You use the name GANDHI at will and then say, " Mujhe yeh YUVRAJ shabd

Insulting lagta hai! Kyonki aaj Hindustan mein Democracy hai, aur is shabd

ka koi matlab nahin hai!

YUVRAJ, Itna hi Insulting lagta hai, to lad lo RAUL VINCI ke Naam se!!! Jin

Kisano ke saath photo khinchate ho woh bhi isliye entertain karte hain ki

GANDHI ho.. RAUL VINCI bol ke Jao... Ghar mein nahin ghusaenge!!!

You could feel ashamed for your Double Standards.

YOUTH INTO POLITICS.

Now You want Youth to Join Politics.
I say First you Join Politics.
Because you haven't Joined Politics. You have Joined a Family Business.

First you Join Politics. Win an Election fighting as RAUL VINCI and Not

Rahul Gandhi, then come and ask the youth and the Educated Brass for more

involvement in Politics.

Also till then, Please don't give me examples of Sachin Pilot and Milin
Deora and Naveen Jindal as youth who have joined Politics..

They are not Politicians. They Just happen to be Politicians.

Much Like Abhishek Bachchan and other Star Sons are not Actors. They just

happen to be Actors (For Obvious Reasons)

So, We would appreciate if you stop requesting the Youth to Join Politics

till you establish your credentials...

WHY WE CAN'T JOIN POLITICS!

Rahul Baba, Please understand, Your Father had a lot of money in your Family

account ( in Swiss Bank) when he died.

Ordinary Youth has to WORK FOR A LIVING.

YOUR FAMILY just needs to NETWORK FOR A LIVING

If our Father had left thousands of Crores with us, We might consider doing

the same..

But we have to Work. Not just for ourselves. But also for you. So that we

can pay 30% of our Income to the Govt. which can then be channelized to the

Swiss Banks and your Personal Accounts under some Pseudo Names.

So Rahul, Please don't mind If the Youth doesn't Join Politics. We are doing

our best to fund your Election Campaigns and your Chopper Trips to the

Villages.

Somebody has to Earn the Money that Politicians Feed On.

NO WONDER YOU ARE NOT GANDHI'S. YOU ARE SO CALLED GANDHI'S!!

Air India, KG Gas Division, 2G, CWG, SWISS BANK Account Details... Hasan

Ali, KGB., FBI Arrest..

You want to feel ashamed..

Feel Ashamed for what the First Family of Politics has been reduced to...

A Money Laundering Enterprise.

NO WONDER YOU ARE NOT GANDHI'S BY BLOOD. GANDHI is an adopted Name. For

Indira didn't marry Mahatma Gandhi's Son.

For even if you had one GENE OF GANDHI JI in your DNA. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE

BEEN PLAGUED BY SUCH 'POVERTY OF AMBITION' ( Ambition of only EARNING MONEY)

You really want to feel Ashamed.

Feel Ashamed for what you ' SO CALLED GANDHI'S' have done to MAHATMA'S

Legacy..

I so wish GANDHI JI had Copyrighted his Name!

Meanwhile, I would request Sonia Gandhi to change her name to $ONIA GANDHI,

and you could replace the 'R' in RAHUL/RAUL by the New Rupee Symbol!!!

RAUL VINCI : I am ashamed to call myself an Indian.

Even we are ashamed to call you so!

P.S: Popular Media is either bought or blackmailed, controlled to

Manufacture Consent!

My Guess is Social Media is still a Democratic Platform. (Now they are

trying to put legislations to censor that too!!)

Meanwhile, Let's ask these questions, for we deserve some Answers.

For we are all Gandhi's. For Bapu is the Father of the Nation!

To know more, Try looking for Dr. SUBRAMANIYAM SWAMI. He is the reason today

2G SCAM is being Investigated!!!

YOURS SINCERELY

NITIN GUPTA ( RIVALDO)

B.Tech, IIT Bombay""



.

Kapil Sibal's baloney

Various comments have been made in this blog on Kapil Sibal's hubris, egregious outbursts and misplaced sarcasm (vide posts dated 23.09.09, 8.1.11 and 24.1.11.)  Now he has given us an opportunity to question his integrity also.

"Nobody was hurt in the police action against Baba Ramdev's followers !" Sibal's outrageous lie was repeatedly telecast (alongside the video clips of several persons being beaten by police)  the day after the police resorted to teargas shelling and lathi-charge. Does the honourable minister expect us to believe that the police were only lathi-charging the wind and teargassing the sand? In the near future, comparisons between Ramlila Grounds and Tiananmen Square are likely. It has now emerged that a lady, Rajbala, who suffered injuries in the police lathi-charge is paralysed for life below the neck.

 Mendacity may be a useful tool in courts to save scoundrels, but it is not expected of a minister. His shamelessly inconsistent behaviour of obsequiously pleading with Ramdev at the airport and subsequently heaping ridicule on him after unlawfully banishing him from Delhi speaks volumes about the minister's highhanded duplicity.

"We know how to reach out and also how to rein in" claims the minister. He could as well have said, "We know how to falsify the truth and how to legitimise the unlawful". Manmohan Singh's minions have upstaged him on many occasions. Poor Prime Minister ! Why is he putting up with all this arrant nonsense?

Theatre of the Absurd and the Bizarre

What is going on in our country makes even the most cynical Cassandra sound like an unrealistic optimist. The government claims helplessness in dealing with ill-gotten wealth stashed away abroad by Indian politicians, on account of various treaty commitments. Pranab Mukherjee cries himself hoarse that our "credibility" in the comity of nations will suffer an irreparable loss if we violate our "commitments" and even name the persons who maintain accounts abroad. How scrupulous !

Enters Baba Ramdev who demands that the corrupt who are hoarding their money abroad be hanged to death. A group of ministers dashes to the Baba, seeks his blessings and negotiates. The assurances already given by the government to Anna Hazare are swiftly consigned to the back burner. The government gives the impression that it will not act against the illegal foreign deposit accounts on its own and whenever there is a popular demand that the government should act, the government pretends to become serious only to laze away once the pressure subsides.

The schizophrenic Congress party makes a spectacle of itself frequently enough to ensure that people do not forget its devious clownishness. Even as some ministers belonging to the Congress party are reverentially pleading with Ramdev to give up his plan to fast, another Congress worthy questions the Baba's bonafides and discovers the latter's ulterior motives. When ochre-robed celebrities start sharing the dais with the Baba, the Congress party begins to breathe fire and brimstone.

We begin to wonder what kind of democracy we are having . Even ochlocracy would be more representative of the populace.

Non-executive Prime Minister

The more we come to know about Manmohan Singh's style of (non-)functioning, the more scared we become. Dr.Roddam Narasimha presented his report on the ISRO Antrix - Devas deal to the prime minister by mid-March. The report on what is called the "S-BAND SPECTRUM SCAM" is gathering dust in the prime minister's office. Manmohan Singh has deemed it fit not to share any information with the public.

Dayanidhi Maran is supposed to have misused telecom facilities resulting in loss to the exchequer to the extent of Rs.440 crore, according to a front-page report in the Indian Express today. This shenanigan occurred in 2007. The CBI submitted its report in December, 2007. Again the prime minister has neither time nor intention to act on this report. Don't we deserve a functioning prime minister ?