Business of Spirituality

Last updated on: April 23, 2008 at 4:02 pm By Desh Kapoor

Was talking to a friend on Spiritual issues last night and the phenomenon of religions. There was a part of discussion where he remarked that the need of the general public to "know" which forces the Enlightened Masters to give them the knowledge in shape of religious instructions. Now, maybe the Masters or the Saints dont "need" to give the instructions, but the "need" of the public forces them. My thought is - is this a "need" of the public or a "want/desire"? How are these desires (or need if you want it that way) any different from that for, say money? A poor guy needs money and food first - and most of these people who throng the Religious gatherings are fairly poor - so money is definitely what they want as well. Why doesnt a Saint who GIVES IN to the request for religious instruction need also give in to the need to give money?! Sure these two needs/wants only differ in terms of objects of desire.. the mechanism is exactly the same. The misery that comes with desire and its apparent fulfillment is ditto! So, WHY satisfy ONE need (and call it holy) while frown upon the other one? Read more

Hiring Increases in Indian IT business

Last updated on: April 23, 2008 at 3:47 pm By Desh Kapoor

Is the slowdown going to help or hamper the Indian businesses? Specially the IT firms? The indications are that these companies are already gearing up for an uptick in work already. Read more

Elvis in Punjabi

Last updated on: April 22, 2008 at 4:16 pm By Desh Kapoor

Suppose Elvis sang in Punjabi.. how would that sound? Here is an example. The original singer is Ravinder Grewal perhaps.. but the matching is just brilliant! (Sent by Sheela) Read more

China now copies the Russian Fighter Jet Su-27SK

Last updated on: April 22, 2008 at 3:35 pm By Desh Kapoor

You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time. But you cannot fool all of the people all of the time! China has been copying everything in the world - brand name clothes, technology, cars etc. The original owners of patents keep mum because of the "huge" market in China that they want to target. Its a big price that the world is paying for it.. but still it keeps going on. Now, China has taken the Art of Copying to a new level! They have copied a complete FIGHTER PLANE! China's J11 is a copy of Russia's Su-27SK! Russia has vowed to sue China for protection of its IP. Under the 1996 agreement, China had the right to assemble 200 Su-27SK fighters under the local brand J11. However, after receiving 95 kits and 180 AL31F engines Beijing in November 2004 notified Moscow that it no more needs Russian kits for the assembly of Su-27 fighters Read more

The "N'er-do-well son"

Last updated on: April 22, 2008 at 2:41 pm By Desh Kapoor

Got this link and picture from a facebook contact. Thought it was interesting enough to share. Beneath the photo from the REAGAN DIARIES is an actual quote that Reagan wrote about George "W" in his diaries, recently edited by author Doug Brinkley and published by Harper Collins "A moment I've been dreading. George brought his n'er-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida; the one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work." From the REAGAN DIARIES------entry dated May 17, 1986. Read more

I am not important, but I shall be

Last updated on: April 22, 2008 at 2:31 pm By Desh Kapoor

So, how is the mind to free itself from time? Read more

Cracker of a Punjabi dance by this Pakistani belle

Last updated on: April 22, 2008 at 6:42 am By Desh Kapoor

Today for some glamor on Drishtikone. I am so tired and my brain is not working. Was browsing through Syed Adeeb's site through Rubab's site and came across this cracker of a performance! I have never seen any performance which was so outstanding and done in ONE go! This female without being overtly raunchy looked stunning and sexy. If she ever entered Bollywood, she would beat the current crop of heroines to pulp! Read more

Blasphemy, Impotent Prophets and Gods, and Living Apostates!

Last updated on: April 20, 2008 at 8:48 am By Desh Kapoor

Khuda ke bandon ko dekhkar hi khuda se munkir huyi hai duniya; ki aise bande hai jis khuda ke, wo koi achha khuda to nahin hoga! (poet unknown) I was in the backseat of the car taking me to the airport and the driver (and owner of that limo company) is an Iranian - a Shia. Those were the days of Muharram. I asked him if he was observing the day of Ashurah? He said he dislikes all the hue and cry around the beating and crying that takes place on that day. People say, he lamented, that they are trying to mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the battle of Karbala. He said why should WE be crying for him if he was "prophet-like" or important in the religious hierachy! HE is supposed to take care of us not the other way around! Thats a good question. If someone is indeed a God or a Prophet or a Son of God, and some one tries to speak ill of him/her, then why are WE expected to fight in His/Her "honor"? If He/She is indeed so powerful, then let Him save himself! And if he cannot, then he isnt worth worshipping! Blasphemy is a terrible crime in most Islamic societies. It leads to death. And often the odds are stacked heavily against the accused in a blasphemy case to begin with. It is a very neat and clean way for Religious Cleansing! Who will be accused of disrespecting? The person from other religion. Whose witness-power is depleted? The guy from the other religion. So, who stands to die DEFINITELY? The guy from the other religion. No matter what its proponents and those who haven't been on the other side say.. its the most potent way of Religious Cleansing.. available! Read more

Third largest Oil Field discovered in Brazil

Last updated on: April 20, 2008 at 7:46 am By Desh Kapoor

This is a great injustice of nature. Here is a country which is a leader in using Ethanol. 80% of its fuel needs are met through Ethanol and only 20% through Carbon fuel. And what do you think they come up with? The THIRD LARGEST oil field discovery! Read more

Nandigram nightmare continues: two raped and 8 injured

Last updated on: April 20, 2008 at 2:42 am By Desh Kapoor

So much happened at Nandigram.. and a lot of news did not come out or was not let out. Its not as if the night mare of those people has ended.. it still continues. Two women were raped ahead of the panchayati elections in Nandigram by the CPI-M goons during a clash between supporters of Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee and Marxists at Adhikaripara in Nandigram in which eight BUPC men were injured. After bankrupting the state for over 25 years, when nothing was left in those coffers, now the same spineless commies are "opening" up the economy and embracing China stype capitalism but old habits die hard. Fascism and swagger of power that the concentration of power brings is hard to get off.. so now that same monster which systematically eliminated each and every political opponent and made a mockery of Tagore, Vivekananda and Subhash Bose is now set upon its own constituency! It is not the first time it has happened here and it is not the last time it will happen. The monster needs its feed - the cannon fodder can come in any shape... gold plated or dust laden is a small detail. Read more