Friday, April 17, 2009

The Prerna Blog

Rock The Vote

It is too easy to forget what it really means to be the world's largest democracy, especially for those of us who remain relatively unaffected by the vagaries of Indian politics because we can buy our way out of most problems the government can't solve.

For the past few decades, India's educated elite have taken less interest in politics than the uneducated masses. And this has probably been the greatest reason why India's infrastructure, health and basic education have maintained 3rd world standards even while the educated elite have rocketed up to international levels of wealth. India's intellectuals have been too busy making money for themselves to bother with societal issues, and so some of the most challenging problems in India remain unsolved. But it is time that we educated elite realize how valuable our freedom is to our continued prosperity; the world's largest democracy will crumble if we do not begin to participate actively in its well being. We must understand that the plight of the uneducated masses is our own plight, and that it is our responsibility to raise all of India to greatness. If we - who can read and write, who understand why minority rights must be protected, why women should have equal standing as men, and why religious tolerance is essential - do not vote, then how do we expect our democracy to continue to function in a sensible manner? Uneducated voters are more likely to be swayed by manipulative politicians with corrupt agendas and are less likely to understand which government policies will benefit them in the long-run. If we hope to see any improvement in things like water quality, health, education, and sexual freedom, we must make our voices heard by ballot, not just on blogs. A successful democracy encourages voting by all its people, but it demands the active participation of its most educated.

So GO ROCK THE VOTE in the 2009 General Elections!!!

Oh and before you vote, do a quick search on your favorite politicians and make sure they're not criminals:

http://www.nocriminals.org/
http://www.google.co.in/intl/en/landing/loksabha2009/

A few of you have requested me to give my thoughts on the qualifications of the various candidates. I started to write a post along those lines but quickly realized that most of my judgments are not really based on outward qualifications or claims. All the candidates say they want to improve water quality, increase jobs, use technology, etc., so what's really different about them? Although we have always been taught that we should vote for candidates "on the issues", it's nearly impossible to do so when there are hundreds of people all saying basically the same thing. Of course there are some pretty significant differences (e.g., fundamentalist jackasses saying they will cut the throats of India's Muslims after they are elected), but most of the publicly-approved talking points all have a similar quality of sounding too good to be true. The truth is, all politicians say manipulative things and promise too much. Such is the nature of politics. So how do we wade through all the shit? Should we really vote "on the issues", or should we just cave into our temptation to vote for the guy (or gal) we'd most like to have chai with? When I choose a politician, I generally ask myself the following questions:

1. is he / she a good person (or, does he / she seem like a scummy, corrupt bastard)?
2. is he / she at least as intelligent as I am?
3. is he / she at least as educated as I am?
4. is he / she open to new perspectives?
5. is he / she tolerant towards opposing beliefs (or, is he / she a fundamentalist)?
6. does he / she understand economics?
7. does he / she genuinely view poor people as humans who deserve basic rights (or, is he / she just trying to win their votes)?
8. is he / she aware of the world, and the importance of our country's relationship to other countries?


I do not give my vote to anyone who does not pass with a "yes" answer to all of these questions. So I guess it's a bit of both - I choose on broad issues and on my own affinity towards the person, with a recognition that no politician is perfect and that it's okay to disagree on some things, as long as we can agree on the most important. Ultimately, I vote for the people I trust to make laws and spend money in ways that are consistent with my beliefs about what is right and wrong, what is important for my personal freedom and what is best for my fellow citizens now and in the future.

Jai Hind.

follow Prerna on twitter at twitter.com/prernagupta

...share your views at yaari.com/girltalk

Sincerely,
Prerna Gupta

சினிமாவும் பீட்சாவும்

எனக்கும் ஒரு திரைப்படத்திலாவது பனி செய்ய வேண்டும் என ஆசை.

இப்போது ஓய்வில் தான் இருக்கிறேன். வேலை வரும் வரை ஏதாவது உருப்படியாக செய்ய வேண்டும்.

*******

அமெரிக்காவில் இருந்து திரும்பி , மனைவியோடு முதன்முதலில் பெங்களூர் டாமினோசில் பீட்சா சாபிட்டோம். ஜூன் 1999 . கொடுமை! அரை வேக்காடு. பாதி வேஸ்டு. பீட்சா ஹட் தான் பெஸ்டு. ரெடிங் (பென்சில்வேனியாவில்) எனக்கு பிடித்து "பாப்பா ஜான்ஸ்". அப்புறம் ஒபாமாவிற்கு பிடித்த செயின்ட் லூயி "பை" பீட்சா.

அங்கு வாழ்ந்த போது பன்னிரண்டு மையில்கள் டிரைவ் செய்து, ஹாரிஸ்பர்க் சென்று வெள்ளி மதியம் பீட்சா ஹட் பப்பே ஒரு கட்டு கட்டுவோம்.
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Regards
Vijayashankar

பெங்களூரும் வெய்யிலும்

நான் பிறந்து (கோத்தகிரி) வளர்ந்த திருப்பூர் வெய்யிலை இப்போது பெங்களூரில் பார்க்கிறேன். பாட்டி வீட்டிற்க்கு பெங்களூர் வரும் சமயம் ( 70's - 80's) இவ்வளவு வெய்யில் இருந்தது இல்லை.

சென்னையில் இருந்த வரை ஏசி இருந்தது. பெங்களூரில் எதற்கு என்று இருந்து விட்டோம். இப்போது தெரிகிறது. ஏசி வாங்கலாம் என்றாலும், கம்பிகளை அறுத்து ஏசி பிட் செய்யணும். வீட்டு ஓனர் ஒத்துக்கொள்ளவில்லை.

இப்போது குழந்தைகளும் வீட்டில் விடுமுறையில் உள்ளனர். எப்போதும் டிவி தான். கொடுமை. வெய்யில் குறைந்தால் வெளியில் விளையாட செல்கிறார்கள்.

ட்ராயிங் க்ளாசுக்கு அனுப்பினோம். அங்கு பேன் காற்று குறைவு, உப்புசம் என்று போகவில்லை. ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் கட்டியது பனால்.

தினமும் மனைவி ஸ்நாக்ஸ் வாங்ககிறார், வாரும் ஒரு முறை வாங்கியது இப்படி ஆகிவிட்டது. ரிசசென் காலத்தில் இப்படி...

எல்லோரும் இப்படி தான் பெங்களூரில் இருக்கிறார்களா?

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

There is nothing called Free Lunch, Shani Dasa

I get hundreds of requests in a month to analyze horoscopes and give suggestions.

Shani (Sani) Dasa and its effects for 19 years

I try to help as much as I can, and for abled, I request them to donate to a charitable cause. For each chart I spend about an hour, along with spousal inputs.

As you would have read through my blog posts, about my philanthropy, I help kids for books etc costing about Rs 1000/- per kid for a year. Personally I help 5 kids minimum. There is no trust, and money is handed out to the poor.

I have also written about the philanthropic nature about my community in building schools and charitable activities etc.
So going by the principle, "There is nothing called Free Lunch ", you have to be able to give something to get something.

Lately I have been getting requests from abled folks, to get a free reading. This in spite of me telling about, my expectations in the mails they have read. How could I value the need of a person, who is sitting abroad and cannot donate $20 to a poor kid in India?

God Bless!

--
Regards
Vijayashankar

Interesting case on Shani Dasa

Recently I had a request to look at the chart of a person on the effects Shani is causing.   

I was told that from Jan 2001 he has Shani Dasa. ( It was actually Sani Sade Sati ) 7.5 years of trouble as traditional folks say.

Here are the facts. Note - I am keeping the name and place of birth confidential.

                       DOB         01-10-1980
                       TOB         13 hours 10 minutes
                       Co ordinates      9°10'11"N 76°43'48"E

I erected the chart using JHora 7.3 with KP Ayanamsa correction.

Looking at his chart, using KP principles, I can clearly tell that he is suitable for EDUCATION line only based on the presence of SUN and MOON in the 10th house. Also with presence of Mercury in the10th, it sort of un-helps a stable Computer Software career if desired. CONSULTANCY on short term basis would be the other possible job. SHARING knowledge and ANALYSIS work could be the key. (The other career I have seen with this combination is LAW with RAM JETHMALANI and HARISH SALVE). Suggestion - Let him try to learn on IP Protection and get some LAW course done with the specialization.

RAHU is the trouble maker for his career being the star lord of 10th cusp (PRAYATAK - Obstacles). While JUPITER being the Sublord, good results have come in the form of new jobs during its turn.

Current DBA is JUP-VEN-KET which could be a turning point in his career. A firm decision in a chosen line of career would be made. Also you might be in a surprise for an alliance (a good one) during April 17th to 26th and he has chances of traveling abroad with his wife. Probably his matchmaking is on the cards since April 2007 and many alliances have come from nearby foreign countries like Gulf and Singapore/Malaysia.

He lost his job in May 2008 due to his willful neglect, under the duress of SHANI. But things are looking better compared to previous state from May 2009. I foresee some kind of training during next 2 months before a job. Even that training could be the TEACHING / CONSULTING Job he might have for about 1 year. From April 2010 for next 16 months till June 2011 he would be in a stable job with good salary. Then he would enter a GOVERNMENT connected work for 1 year, before being shunted out and work for about 2 years in another concern. I dont see many location changes.

I foresee marriage during 2 periods around August 2010 or before Jan 2012. Wife might be connected with beauty profession / media. Love probably (prime time over next year). A loyal, happy wedded life on cards with the usual regular frictions.

The worst period of finances is over for him. April 2007 to Feb 2008. Next he would be selling of some properties during 2022/23 only on account of kids education and settlement. Otherwise from April 2010 onwards, he would have surplus money in his hand. He is also going to get a second income in the family.

My study of his Shani MD - He is destined to achieve a higher status of running a big organization in the later half. With long term stable career. He might have a share of that business and also inherit reasonable wealth during this time. Retirement seen in 2036 (not having full time job). Chances of staying ABROAD are high.

Sani MD Start 10/22/2014 10/22/2033 6940.00 Status
1 0.75 10/22/2014 7/22/2015 274 Good
2 2.5 7/22/2015 1/20/2018 913 Good
3 2.5 1/20/2018 7/20/2020 913 Bad
4 7.5 7/20/2020 1/18/2028 2738 Good
5 2.5 1/18/2028 7/18/2030 913 V.Good
6 2.5 7/18/2030 1/16/2033 913 V.Good
7 0.75 1/16/2033 10/17/2033 274 Good


--
Regards
Vijayashankar

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

தம்பி உடையான்

ஆமாம் தம்பி உடையான் படைக்கு அஞ்சான். இது ராமனுக்கும், ராவணனுக்கும் பொருந்தும். #RAMAYAN

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Regards
Vijayashankar

Vijay TV கம்பன் என் காதலன் (April 14th, 2009)

Wow Sivakumar the great Orator, in the lingo I grew with! On Vijay TV கம்பன் என் காதலன் Superb!

சூர்பணகை சீதாவை விட அழகில் பெரியவள் என்று எழுதினார் கம்பர். அவள் ராமனை அடைய திட்டம் போட்டு, அண்ணன் ராவணனை சீதை பக்கம் திருப்பினாள். #RAMAYAN

#RAMAYAN Anticlimax ராவணன் அணைத்து சக்திகளையும் இழந்து சாகிறான், எள்ளளவு இடத்தையும் அம்பு தேடி உயிரை எடுக்கிறது தம்பியால் தோற்றவன் ஆகிறான்.

#RAMAYAN ஏன் தம்பியால்? விபீசணன் யாகத்தை நிறுத்துவதால், அவனுக்கு சக்தி திரும்ப கிடைப்பதில்லை.

#RAMAYAN Anticlimax குரங்கு கூடத்திற்கும் மனித அளவு கட்டுப்பாடுகள் உண்டு என்றும் எழுதுறார். வாலி பிரதர்ஸ் ஸ்டோரி.

#RAMAYAN Climax கற்பை சோதிப்பது, காவலர்கள் கேள்வியால். She comes out like a Phoenix. Ladies cried in audience!

#RAMAYAN Climax சிவக்குமாரின் பன்ச், பத்து மாசம் மூணு வேலை இலங்கையிலே ராவணன் போட்ட பிரியாணி சாபிட்டிருப்பே, எதாவது கசமூசா ஆகியிருக்குமா? ;)

--
Regards
Vijayashankar

இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்

நீங்கள் என்ன சொல்கிறீர்கள் என்று எனக்கு புரியவில்லை. ஆனால் ஒன்று மட்டும் நிச்சயம் புரிகின்றது, இது ஒரு இனத்ரோகியின் ஏமாற்று வித்தை. தயவு செய்து திருந்துங்கள். உங்களுக்கும், உங்கள் நாட்டுக்கும் நல்லது.

அரசியல்வாதிகளுக்கு இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

இது விரோதி வருடம்.
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Regards
Vijayashankar