Slope 45
9 years ago
Monday, December 25, 2006
GAME: The Santa Sling
Your task is to throw Santa as far as possible across the gorge. Click to set the catapult rolling towards the ravine. Click again and keep the button pressed to pull the lever, and release the button to release the lever. It's that simple!
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
The PJ Q&A
Q - In a pond there are 10 fish, one of them dies, and the water level of the pond increases. How?
A - The other 9 fish are crying.
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Q - A women goes in an Auto (rickshaw) and gets bald??? How???
A - Automatically ( Auto-Mein-Takli)
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Q - Once 5 Chhipkalis (house lizards) : Phulwa, RaamPyaari, RaamDulari,RaamPuri and RaamChuri were crawling on the wall when all of a sudden, Phulwa started to sing a song. The moment Phulwa stopped singing the song, RaamPyaari,RaamDulari, RaamPuri and RaamChuri fell down from the wall !!!... WHY ???
A - coz, they all started clapping !!!!
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Q - Gattu attends a lecture. After the lecture, he feels hungry, and goes to the canteen. In the canteen, he gets a pav. As soon as he picks it up to eat, he sees that his plate has "jannat" written on it. So, what's the name of the professor whose lecture Gattu just attended?
A - Ishq Ki Chhaon.
(Song - Jinke "Sir" ho "Ishq ki Chhaon", "Pav" ke neeche "Jannat" hogi....from the film "Dil Se")
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Q - What wud u call a Gal who never laughs?
A - HASINA !
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Q - Whatz a PJ ? Obviously "a poor joke". Whatz a (P + i J)?
A - "complex poor joke"
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Q - Why don't people laugh on a "complex poor joke" ?
A - Bcoz the joke part of it is imaginary.
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Q - You are in a boat in the middle of a river. You have 2 cigarettes and have to light any one cigarette. You don't have anything else with you in the boat? How will you do it?
A - Take one cigarette and throw it in the water. So the boat will become LIGHTER........using this LIGHTER you can light the other cigarette
Another deadly answer - You throw a cigarette up and catch it. Catches win Matches. Using the matches that you win, you can light the cigarette.
If that was not enough, one more deadly answer - Take water in your hand and drop it drop by drop...(TIP - TIP).
(Song - "TIP TIP barsa Pani. Pani ne aag lagayee. from the movie Mohra)
Light the cigarette with that fire.
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Q - A railway station beggar meets another beggar. A software engineer meets another software engineer. Both of them ask the same question to each other. What is the question?
A - "So, which platform are you working on?"
A - The other 9 fish are crying.
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Q - A women goes in an Auto (rickshaw) and gets bald??? How???
A - Automatically ( Auto-Mein-Takli)
-------------------------------------
Q - Once 5 Chhipkalis (house lizards) : Phulwa, RaamPyaari, RaamDulari,RaamPuri and RaamChuri were crawling on the wall when all of a sudden, Phulwa started to sing a song. The moment Phulwa stopped singing the song, RaamPyaari,RaamDulari, RaamPuri and RaamChuri fell down from the wall !!!... WHY ???
A - coz, they all started clapping !!!!
-------------------------------------
Q - Gattu attends a lecture. After the lecture, he feels hungry, and goes to the canteen. In the canteen, he gets a pav. As soon as he picks it up to eat, he sees that his plate has "jannat" written on it. So, what's the name of the professor whose lecture Gattu just attended?
A - Ishq Ki Chhaon.
(Song - Jinke "Sir" ho "Ishq ki Chhaon", "Pav" ke neeche "Jannat" hogi....from the film "Dil Se")
-------------------------------------
Q - What wud u call a Gal who never laughs?
A - HASINA !
-------------------------------------
Q - Whatz a PJ ? Obviously "a poor joke". Whatz a (P + i J)?
A - "complex poor joke"
-------------------------------------
Q - Why don't people laugh on a "complex poor joke" ?
A - Bcoz the joke part of it is imaginary.
-------------------------------------
Q - You are in a boat in the middle of a river. You have 2 cigarettes and have to light any one cigarette. You don't have anything else with you in the boat? How will you do it?
A - Take one cigarette and throw it in the water. So the boat will become LIGHTER........using this LIGHTER you can light the other cigarette
Another deadly answer - You throw a cigarette up and catch it. Catches win Matches. Using the matches that you win, you can light the cigarette.
If that was not enough, one more deadly answer - Take water in your hand and drop it drop by drop...(TIP - TIP).
(Song - "TIP TIP barsa Pani. Pani ne aag lagayee. from the movie Mohra)
Light the cigarette with that fire.
-------------------------------------
Q - A railway station beggar meets another beggar. A software engineer meets another software engineer. Both of them ask the same question to each other. What is the question?
A - "So, which platform are you working on?"
Friday, December 15, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Favorites from Americas Got Talent Season 1
Alexis Jordan, Singer, 14
3 mts 37 secs
All That, Cloggers
Their appearance in the finale
6 mts 13 secs
At Last, Singers
Their appearance in the finale
5 mts 44 secs
Bianca Ryan, Singer, 11
3 mts 29 secs
Elliot Zimet, Magician
2 mts 10 secs
Lilia Stepanova, Contortionist
2 mts 08 secs
Nathan Burton, Magician
1 mt 44 secs
His second appearance
3 mts 50 secs
The Passing Zone (John and Owen), Jugglers
3 mts 12 secs
Their second appearance
6 mts 23 secs
Their appearance in the finale
7 mts 53 secs
Quick Change (David and Dania), Illusionists
2 mts 38 secs
Rappin' Granny, Rapper
2 mts 35 secs
Syd the Kid, Stand-up Comic, 8
2 mts 55 secs
Taylor Ware, Yodler, 11
3 mts 07 secs
3 mts 37 secs
All That, Cloggers
Their appearance in the finale
6 mts 13 secs
At Last, Singers
Their appearance in the finale
5 mts 44 secs
Bianca Ryan, Singer, 11
3 mts 29 secs
Elliot Zimet, Magician
2 mts 10 secs
Lilia Stepanova, Contortionist
2 mts 08 secs
Nathan Burton, Magician
1 mt 44 secs
His second appearance
3 mts 50 secs
The Passing Zone (John and Owen), Jugglers
3 mts 12 secs
Their second appearance
6 mts 23 secs
Their appearance in the finale
7 mts 53 secs
Quick Change (David and Dania), Illusionists
2 mts 38 secs
Rappin' Granny, Rapper
2 mts 35 secs
Syd the Kid, Stand-up Comic, 8
2 mts 55 secs
Taylor Ware, Yodler, 11
3 mts 07 secs
Monday, December 04, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Non-violence
Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K.Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, in his June 9 lecture at the University of Puerto Rico, shared the following story:
I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugarplantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies.
One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced.
When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, "I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together." After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting for me, it was almost 6:00.
He anxiously asked me, "Why were you late?"
I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, "The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait," not realizing that he had already called the garage.
When he caught me in the lie, he said: "There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the truth. In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it." So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads.
I couldn't leave him, so for five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again.I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so powerful that it is still as if it happened yesterday. That is the power of non-violence.
I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugarplantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies.
One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced.
When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, "I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together." After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting for me, it was almost 6:00.
He anxiously asked me, "Why were you late?"
I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, "The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait," not realizing that he had already called the garage.
When he caught me in the lie, he said: "There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the truth. In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it." So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads.
I couldn't leave him, so for five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again.I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so powerful that it is still as if it happened yesterday. That is the power of non-violence.
Identity Theft
Jack decided to go skiing with his buddy, Bob. So they loaded up Jack's minivan and headed north. After driving for a few hours, they got caught in a terrible blizzard. So they pulled into a nearby farm and asked the attractive lady who answered the door if they could spend the night.
"I realize it's terrible weather out there and I have this huge house all to myself, but I'm recently widowed," she explained. "I'm afraid the neighbors will talk if I let you stay in my house"
"Do n't worry," Jack said. "We'll be happy to sleep in the barn. And if the weather breaks, we'll be gone at first light." The lady agreed, and the two men found their way to the barn and settled in for the night.
Come morning, the weather had cleared, and they got on their way. They enjoyed a great weekend of skiing.
But about nine months later, Jack got an unexpected letter from an attorney. It took him a few minutes to figure it out, but he finally determined that it was from the attorney of that attractive widow he had met on the ski weekend.
He dropped in on his friend Bob and asked, "Bob, do you remember that good-looking widow from the farm we stayed at on our ski holiday up north about 9 months ago?"
"Yes, I do." said Bob "Did you, err, happen to get up in the middle of the night, go up to the house and pay her a visit?"
"Well, um, yes," Bob said, a little embarrassed about being found out "I have to admit that I did."
"And did you happen to use my name instead of telling her your name?"
Bob's face turned beet red and he said, "Yeah, look, I'm sorry, buddy. I'm afraid I did. Why do you ask?"
"She just died and left me everything."
"I realize it's terrible weather out there and I have this huge house all to myself, but I'm recently widowed," she explained. "I'm afraid the neighbors will talk if I let you stay in my house"
"Do n't worry," Jack said. "We'll be happy to sleep in the barn. And if the weather breaks, we'll be gone at first light." The lady agreed, and the two men found their way to the barn and settled in for the night.
Come morning, the weather had cleared, and they got on their way. They enjoyed a great weekend of skiing.
But about nine months later, Jack got an unexpected letter from an attorney. It took him a few minutes to figure it out, but he finally determined that it was from the attorney of that attractive widow he had met on the ski weekend.
He dropped in on his friend Bob and asked, "Bob, do you remember that good-looking widow from the farm we stayed at on our ski holiday up north about 9 months ago?"
"Yes, I do." said Bob "Did you, err, happen to get up in the middle of the night, go up to the house and pay her a visit?"
"Well, um, yes," Bob said, a little embarrassed about being found out "I have to admit that I did."
"And did you happen to use my name instead of telling her your name?"
Bob's face turned beet red and he said, "Yeah, look, I'm sorry, buddy. I'm afraid I did. Why do you ask?"
"She just died and left me everything."
Only in America: The cigar lawsuit
A Charlotte, NC lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire, among other things. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer filed claim against the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires."The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
The lawyer sued.. and WON!
In delivering the ruling, the judge agreed withthe insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer "held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable fire and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires".
NOW FOR THE BEST PART...
After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.
This is a true story and was the First Place winner in the recent Criminal Lawyers Award Contest.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires."The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
The lawyer sued.. and WON!
In delivering the ruling, the judge agreed withthe insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer "held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable fire and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires".
NOW FOR THE BEST PART...
After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.
This is a true story and was the First Place winner in the recent Criminal Lawyers Award Contest.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
GAME: How Quick Is Your Reaction Time?
Quite an addictive game!
Objective: To stop the sheep from getting away as soon as possible.
How to play: Click on the dart button to hit the sheep as they emerge from left. Five sheep in all will try to escape.
Monday, November 13, 2006
The Betting Game
One day, an old lady went to the Bank of Canada with a large bag full of money. The old lady insisted on speaking to the president of the Bank in order to open a savings account because, she said, she had a lot of money.
After much discussion an employee took her to the office of the president. The president of the Bank asked her how much she wanted to deposit.
She said $165,000. Curious, he asked her how she had saved such a large sum of money.
The old lady said she made bets.
The president, quite surprised, asked: “Which kind of bets?”
The old lady said: “For example, I bet you $25,000 that your testicles are square”.
The president started to laugh and pointed out that this kind of bet was impossible to win!
The old lady replied: “Would you like to make a bet?”
“Certainly”, answered the president, “I can guarantee you that my testicles are not square”.
The old lady said to him: “Given the size of the bet, I’ll come back tomorrow at 10 AM with my lawyer as a witness, if it’s alright with you”.
“No problem” said the president.
That evening, the president became very nervous about the bet and spent a long time in front of his mirror examining his testicles, turning them in all directions, again and again, in order to make sure that his testicles could not be seen as square and therefore be sure to win this bet.
On the next day, 10 AM sharp, the old lady arrived with her lawyer at the office of the president. The president then dropped his trousers so that she and her lawyer could see everything.
The old lady came closer and asked him if she could touch them.
“Of course please do!”, said the president, given the fact that there was so much money involved, “you must be 100% sure.”
The president looked up to see the lawyer banging his head against the wall.
He asked the old lady “What is he doing?”
She answered: “It’s probably because I bet him $100,000 that around 10 AM today, I would be holding the testicles of the president of the Bank of Canada in my hands!”
After much discussion an employee took her to the office of the president. The president of the Bank asked her how much she wanted to deposit.
She said $165,000. Curious, he asked her how she had saved such a large sum of money.
The old lady said she made bets.
The president, quite surprised, asked: “Which kind of bets?”
The old lady said: “For example, I bet you $25,000 that your testicles are square”.
The president started to laugh and pointed out that this kind of bet was impossible to win!
The old lady replied: “Would you like to make a bet?”
“Certainly”, answered the president, “I can guarantee you that my testicles are not square”.
The old lady said to him: “Given the size of the bet, I’ll come back tomorrow at 10 AM with my lawyer as a witness, if it’s alright with you”.
“No problem” said the president.
That evening, the president became very nervous about the bet and spent a long time in front of his mirror examining his testicles, turning them in all directions, again and again, in order to make sure that his testicles could not be seen as square and therefore be sure to win this bet.
On the next day, 10 AM sharp, the old lady arrived with her lawyer at the office of the president. The president then dropped his trousers so that she and her lawyer could see everything.
The old lady came closer and asked him if she could touch them.
“Of course please do!”, said the president, given the fact that there was so much money involved, “you must be 100% sure.”
The president looked up to see the lawyer banging his head against the wall.
He asked the old lady “What is he doing?”
She answered: “It’s probably because I bet him $100,000 that around 10 AM today, I would be holding the testicles of the president of the Bank of Canada in my hands!”
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Alternative Meanings of Common Words
Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
The winners are:
1. Coffee (n.) the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.) appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.) to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.) to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.) impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.) describes a condition in which you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.) to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.) olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.) a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (n.) a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (n.) the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (n) a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (n.) a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.) (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.) an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
The Washington Post's Style Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:
1. Bozone (n.) The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
2. Cashtration (n.) The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period
3. Giraffiti (n) Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
4. Sarchasm (n) The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
5. Inoculatte (v) To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
6. Hipatitis (n) Terminal coolness.
7. Osteopornosis (n) A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
8. Karmageddon (n) It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
9. Decafalon (n.) The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
10. Glibido (v) All talk and no action.
11. Dopelar effect (n) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
12. Arachnoleptic fit (n.) The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
13. Beelzebug (n.) Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
14. Caterpallor (n.) The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
And the pick of the literature:
15. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole
The winners are:
1. Coffee (n.) the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.) appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.) to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.) to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.) impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.) describes a condition in which you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.) to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.) olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.) a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (n.) a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (n.) the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (n) a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (n.) a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.) (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.) an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
The Washington Post's Style Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:
1. Bozone (n.) The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
2. Cashtration (n.) The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period
3. Giraffiti (n) Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
4. Sarchasm (n) The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
5. Inoculatte (v) To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
6. Hipatitis (n) Terminal coolness.
7. Osteopornosis (n) A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
8. Karmageddon (n) It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
9. Decafalon (n.) The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
10. Glibido (v) All talk and no action.
11. Dopelar effect (n) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
12. Arachnoleptic fit (n.) The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
13. Beelzebug (n.) Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
14. Caterpallor (n.) The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
And the pick of the literature:
15. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole
Saturday, November 04, 2006
VIDEO: Olympic Gaffes
The Gym Class
0 mts 07 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
The Javelin Throw
0 mts 04 secs
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This gets the bronze medal
0 mts 04 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
This one gets the silver
0 mts 03 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
And the winner is...
0 mts 06 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
0 mts 07 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
The Javelin Throw
0 mts 04 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
This gets the bronze medal
0 mts 04 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
This one gets the silver
0 mts 03 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
And the winner is...
0 mts 06 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Entertaining flight announcements
All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
1. On a Southwest flight (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
2. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
3. Upon landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."
4. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
5. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
6. From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
7. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."
8. "Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
9. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
11. Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
12. An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
13. After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
14. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
15. A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled,
"That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"
1. On a Southwest flight (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
2. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
3. Upon landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."
4. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
5. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
6. From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
7. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."
8. "Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
9. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
11. Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
12. An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
13. After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
14. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
15. A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled,
"That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
Monday, August 07, 2006
VIDEO: My Cubicle
2 mts 02 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Here's the original by James Blunt:
3 mts 33 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Here's the original by James Blunt:
3 mts 33 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Indian Road Signs
Real road signs that you would encounter on Indian roads cutting through the Himalayas!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Establishment 22
The Special frontier force (SFF) unit of Tibetans – Establishment 22
An elite guerilla force (1962): Near the end of the Sino-Indian war and towards the end of 1962, the Nehru administration ordered the raising of an elite guerrilla force composed of Tibetan refugees. India's covert capabilities began to develop significantly in the wake of the 1962 war with China. Aided by the United States, the newly founded Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) developed sophisticated signals intelligence and photo-reconnaissance capabilities. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) instructors also trained Establishment 22, a covert organisation raised from among Tibetan refugees in India, to execute deep-penetration terror operations in China formation agreement was signed in 1962. The parties to this formation agreement were the Indian Intelligence Service (RAW), the CIA (for weaponry till 1972) and Chushi Gangdrug. An initial strength of 12,000 men, mostly Khampas, were recruited at Chakrata, Dehra-dun, UP.
Established under the direct supervision of the prime minister, the unit was named the Special Frontier Force. Its forces were trained and commanded by the Indian Army and the unit was meant to be air-dropped into Tibet in the event of another war in the Tibetan frontiers. The SFF became known by the code name "Establishment 22" because of its inspector general, who during World War II commanded the 22nd Mountain Regiment.
The Bangladesh War (1971): For a variety of reasons, the India-U.S. collaboration on China soured within just a few years, but the assets RAW had gained were put to good use during the 1971 Bangladesh war. While India's covert aid to the Mukti Bahini is well documented, few are aware that Establishment 22, operating under the command of Major-General Surjit Singh Uban, carried out deep-penetration strikes against Pakistani forces well under the RAW umbrella prior to the onset of the war. Using Bulgarian weapons to ensure that India could deny it was connected to their activities, General Uban's covert forces played a key role in drawing Pakistani troops forward, thus easing the conventional thrust towards Dhaka. The SFF never had a chance of being used in operations against its intended enemy, Red China, but it was used against East Pakistan with the consent of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1971. About one-third of its full strength was developed adjacent to the Chittagong Hill Tracts as Mukti Bahini. They captured many towns and garrisons in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in continuous fighting of about one month. When East Pakistan was liberated and the cease-fire was declared on December 17, 1971, casualties suffered by the SFF were 190 wounded and 56 killed, including political leader Gyato Dhondup, one of the two commanders, who was shot by snipers. The Indian government gave awards to 580 members of the force for their active involvement and bravery in the battles. The contribution made by Establishment 22 in liberating East Pakistan was great and the price paid by the force was also high, but it would have been of great value had it been used against communist China, the intended enemy. After their outstanding participation in the liberation of Bangladesh, Indira Gandhi became enamoured with the SFF. It was soon nicknamed as Indira Fauj.
The 'Chushi Gangdruk' (Four Rivers, Six Ranges): The story of these men started many years earlier. In 1950, Tibet was invaded by the Chinese People Liberation Army. During the following years, Beijing began what they called the process of 'liberation' of the Roof of the World. The eastern part of the Tibetan plateau, particularly the province of Kham that adjoins China, suffered most from the forced 'liberation.' But the local Khampas had the reputation of being the best and the most fearless soldiers in Asia since centuries. Alexandra David-Neel, the famous French explorer wrote in detail (and often with admiration) about the gentleman-brigands of Kham.
In the mid-50s, the Khampas organised themselves to fight the Chinese occupiers. Under the name of 'Chushi Gangdruk' (Four Rivers, Six Ranges) or 'National Volunteer Defence Army' the horsemen of Kham inflicted heavy casualties on the better- equipped Liberation Army. In March 1959, a few hundred of them secretly accompanied the Dalai Lama to safety in India.
A secret and a dilemma: Once the Tibetan leader was given asylum by Delhi, the Tibetan soldiers were in a dilemma: should they stop their activities against the Communist troops and follow their religious leader to exile or continue the struggle for the liberation of their motherland?
The decision was taken for them when, in late 1959, several hundreds of them were secretly offered a very special training. According to John Avedon, an American journalist who investigated the Tibetan secret war, selected Tibetan youth were first assembled in Darjeeling. Avedon explains that a senior official of the Chushi Gangdruk 'instructed the men either to leave or to sign the paper, which, as a recruitment form for the National Volunteer Defence Army, bound them to obey to the death any order given by a superior.' Forty-five years later, it still remains difficult to follow their journey as they were all under oath to not disclose their new activities (in fact, it is only years later that they would learn themselves their own itinerary).
From Darjeeling, they were smuggled through the East Pakistan border (now Bangladesh) with the connivance of Pakistani authorities. After a long journey in a sealed wagon and a car ride through East Pakistan, they were taken to an airport. Finally they boarded a small aircraft where, for the first time, they were addressed by white men who offered them a very strange blackish beverage. They would soon learn the name of this strange drink, Coca-Cola.
After a stop over in Okinawa (they believed they were in Taiwan), their journey continued. In the plane, they received their first briefing and were given strange sounding names such as Doug, Bob, Willy, Jack, Rocky, Martin or Lee. Their suspicions were confirmed: the United States of America had finally decided to help the Tibetan cause and provide the necessary training to help them free their country. After Okinawa, they landed in a second island (Hawaii) and then a city (San Francisco).
The next day they reached Camp Hale, a place located 100 km from Denver in Colorado that was used during World War II for high- altitude combat training. There, they received full commando training by the Central Intelligence Agency.
IB and RAW takes over the SFF: When the 1962 war with China broke out, India felt uncomfortable about the Tibetans being trained by the CIA. Delhi was particularly disturbed by the fact that it was organised with Pakistan knowledge. One week before Beijing declared a ceasefire, Delhi decided to act. On November 13, a clandestine Tibetan commando group was raised. The Special Frontier Forces were code- named 'Establishment 22' simply because their first inspector general had been the commander of 22 Mountain Regiment during World War II. Today, they still call themselves the '22s' (two- twos).
The force was put under the direct supervision of the Intelligence Bureau, and later, the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency. The first task of this entirely Tibetan force was to guard the Himalayan borders and eventually cross into Tibet to gather intelligence on the Chinese forces. Delhi had learned the hard way that China was not a 'bhai' (brother) and there was no short cut to reliable intelligence input on the Chinese in Tibet.
B N Mullick, Nehru's IB chief, was the main organiser of the new regiment and Major General S S Uban of the Indian Army, its first commander. Though aware of its existence, the Tibetan administration in exile dissociated itself from the venture. Violence was not acceptable to solve the Tibetan issue. But the commandos, trained by the CIA at Camp Yale, were the ideal human resource for the Indian purpose. As for the young Tibetans, they could finally dream of fighting 'officially' along with the Indian troops against the Communist forces and thus endeavor to regain one day their freedom.
Not their war: These Tibetans troops were used during Operation Bluestar. Why? Though it raises many other questions, the answer is simple: because the SFF were the best commandos available at that time, at least in Indira Gandhi's mind.
During the first years the Tibetans fulfilled their assigned mission. But one day in 1971, they received a message (conveyed through their Indian commander) from Indira Gandhi: "We cannot compel you to fight a war for us, but the fact is that General [A A K] Niazi [Pakistani army commander in East Pakistan] is treating the people of East Pakistan very badly. India has to do something about it. In a way, it is similar to the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans in Tibet, we are facing a similar situation. It would be appreciated if you could help us fight the war for liberating the people of Bangladesh.'
For the first time, the Tibetans agreed to get involved in a war that was not theirs: perhaps they saw this as the ideal preparation for their ultimate goal.
But their role and actions have continued to be shrouded in mystery. Whether they served on the Siachen glacier or in counter-terrorism operations, the Tibetan troops never spoke. It is rumoured that in 1977, an AN12 aircraft was on constant alert at a SFF paratrooper base with instructions to fly the prime minister to Mauritius if her life was threatened. Whether it is true or not, very few can say!
Primary Counter Terrorist Force: By the early 1980s, the SFF's Special Group had become the primary counter-terrorist force in India. It was therefore logical that Indira Gandhi was tempted to use the '22s' for flushing the militants out of the Golden Temple complex. Unfortunately, the military intelligence had very little clue to the extent of the fortifications in and around the Akal Takht. Once Operation Bluestar was decided, the SFF were flown from their base in Uttar Pradesh and assigned the impossible task to isolate Akal Takht and secure its western flank by 1 am on June 6 while the 1 Para-Commandos were to manage a foothold in the Akal Takht itself.
The Bharat Rakshak web site recounts that the SFF and 1 Para- Commandos were immediately bogged down by the heavy fire from the Akal Takht: the Tibetans 'started with 50 men, had already 17 casualties (three dead). With midnight approaching, casualties mounting and the objectives far from being achieved, the situation was desperate.'
What was in these young Tibetans' minds at that precise moment? Were they still dreaming of a free Tibet or visualising the holy Tsuglakhang Temple in Lhasa vandalised by a so-called Liberation Army?
At 2 am, as the situation had not improved, the army had no other alternative but to call for the tanks. It was done after the clearance was obtained from Delhi. The rest is history.
During the following days, the '22s' continued to participate in the mopping up operations and it is said that one SFF officer, serving as President Zail Singh's bodyguard when he visited the complex, was wounded in the arm by a sniper. The militant was immediately killed by other commandos.
When Indira Gandhi was gunned down by her own bodyguards, Rajiv Gandhi remembered his mother's army and for a couple of months, the SFF provided security to the new prime minister. A year later, the National Security Guard was created by an act of Parliament, and which replaced the Tibetan commandos. But the training and uniform of the NSG were modeled on the SFF.
Such a strange destiny: 'Establishment 22', created to defend the Indian border (and for the Tibetans to liberate their country) was ultimately engaged in some of the most traumatic assignments in the history modern India. Not only did this have nothing to do with Tibet but these men were unable to fulfill their own ultimate life mission: Tibet's freedom.
As consolation, they perhaps believed that they were repaying their debt to India who had given refuge to their leader. Who knows!
Note: A special cell known as Establishment 22 with its headquarters at Bachiya Bagh (Kalsi) near Dehradun has been imparting terrorist training since 1986 for subversive/terrorist activities inside Pakistan.
An elite guerilla force (1962): Near the end of the Sino-Indian war and towards the end of 1962, the Nehru administration ordered the raising of an elite guerrilla force composed of Tibetan refugees. India's covert capabilities began to develop significantly in the wake of the 1962 war with China. Aided by the United States, the newly founded Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) developed sophisticated signals intelligence and photo-reconnaissance capabilities. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) instructors also trained Establishment 22, a covert organisation raised from among Tibetan refugees in India, to execute deep-penetration terror operations in China formation agreement was signed in 1962. The parties to this formation agreement were the Indian Intelligence Service (RAW), the CIA (for weaponry till 1972) and Chushi Gangdrug. An initial strength of 12,000 men, mostly Khampas, were recruited at Chakrata, Dehra-dun, UP.
Established under the direct supervision of the prime minister, the unit was named the Special Frontier Force. Its forces were trained and commanded by the Indian Army and the unit was meant to be air-dropped into Tibet in the event of another war in the Tibetan frontiers. The SFF became known by the code name "Establishment 22" because of its inspector general, who during World War II commanded the 22nd Mountain Regiment.
The Bangladesh War (1971): For a variety of reasons, the India-U.S. collaboration on China soured within just a few years, but the assets RAW had gained were put to good use during the 1971 Bangladesh war. While India's covert aid to the Mukti Bahini is well documented, few are aware that Establishment 22, operating under the command of Major-General Surjit Singh Uban, carried out deep-penetration strikes against Pakistani forces well under the RAW umbrella prior to the onset of the war. Using Bulgarian weapons to ensure that India could deny it was connected to their activities, General Uban's covert forces played a key role in drawing Pakistani troops forward, thus easing the conventional thrust towards Dhaka. The SFF never had a chance of being used in operations against its intended enemy, Red China, but it was used against East Pakistan with the consent of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1971. About one-third of its full strength was developed adjacent to the Chittagong Hill Tracts as Mukti Bahini. They captured many towns and garrisons in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in continuous fighting of about one month. When East Pakistan was liberated and the cease-fire was declared on December 17, 1971, casualties suffered by the SFF were 190 wounded and 56 killed, including political leader Gyato Dhondup, one of the two commanders, who was shot by snipers. The Indian government gave awards to 580 members of the force for their active involvement and bravery in the battles. The contribution made by Establishment 22 in liberating East Pakistan was great and the price paid by the force was also high, but it would have been of great value had it been used against communist China, the intended enemy. After their outstanding participation in the liberation of Bangladesh, Indira Gandhi became enamoured with the SFF. It was soon nicknamed as Indira Fauj.
The 'Chushi Gangdruk' (Four Rivers, Six Ranges): The story of these men started many years earlier. In 1950, Tibet was invaded by the Chinese People Liberation Army. During the following years, Beijing began what they called the process of 'liberation' of the Roof of the World. The eastern part of the Tibetan plateau, particularly the province of Kham that adjoins China, suffered most from the forced 'liberation.' But the local Khampas had the reputation of being the best and the most fearless soldiers in Asia since centuries. Alexandra David-Neel, the famous French explorer wrote in detail (and often with admiration) about the gentleman-brigands of Kham.
In the mid-50s, the Khampas organised themselves to fight the Chinese occupiers. Under the name of 'Chushi Gangdruk' (Four Rivers, Six Ranges) or 'National Volunteer Defence Army' the horsemen of Kham inflicted heavy casualties on the better- equipped Liberation Army. In March 1959, a few hundred of them secretly accompanied the Dalai Lama to safety in India.
A secret and a dilemma: Once the Tibetan leader was given asylum by Delhi, the Tibetan soldiers were in a dilemma: should they stop their activities against the Communist troops and follow their religious leader to exile or continue the struggle for the liberation of their motherland?
The decision was taken for them when, in late 1959, several hundreds of them were secretly offered a very special training. According to John Avedon, an American journalist who investigated the Tibetan secret war, selected Tibetan youth were first assembled in Darjeeling. Avedon explains that a senior official of the Chushi Gangdruk 'instructed the men either to leave or to sign the paper, which, as a recruitment form for the National Volunteer Defence Army, bound them to obey to the death any order given by a superior.' Forty-five years later, it still remains difficult to follow their journey as they were all under oath to not disclose their new activities (in fact, it is only years later that they would learn themselves their own itinerary).
From Darjeeling, they were smuggled through the East Pakistan border (now Bangladesh) with the connivance of Pakistani authorities. After a long journey in a sealed wagon and a car ride through East Pakistan, they were taken to an airport. Finally they boarded a small aircraft where, for the first time, they were addressed by white men who offered them a very strange blackish beverage. They would soon learn the name of this strange drink, Coca-Cola.
After a stop over in Okinawa (they believed they were in Taiwan), their journey continued. In the plane, they received their first briefing and were given strange sounding names such as Doug, Bob, Willy, Jack, Rocky, Martin or Lee. Their suspicions were confirmed: the United States of America had finally decided to help the Tibetan cause and provide the necessary training to help them free their country. After Okinawa, they landed in a second island (Hawaii) and then a city (San Francisco).
The next day they reached Camp Hale, a place located 100 km from Denver in Colorado that was used during World War II for high- altitude combat training. There, they received full commando training by the Central Intelligence Agency.
IB and RAW takes over the SFF: When the 1962 war with China broke out, India felt uncomfortable about the Tibetans being trained by the CIA. Delhi was particularly disturbed by the fact that it was organised with Pakistan knowledge. One week before Beijing declared a ceasefire, Delhi decided to act. On November 13, a clandestine Tibetan commando group was raised. The Special Frontier Forces were code- named 'Establishment 22' simply because their first inspector general had been the commander of 22 Mountain Regiment during World War II. Today, they still call themselves the '22s' (two- twos).
The force was put under the direct supervision of the Intelligence Bureau, and later, the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency. The first task of this entirely Tibetan force was to guard the Himalayan borders and eventually cross into Tibet to gather intelligence on the Chinese forces. Delhi had learned the hard way that China was not a 'bhai' (brother) and there was no short cut to reliable intelligence input on the Chinese in Tibet.
B N Mullick, Nehru's IB chief, was the main organiser of the new regiment and Major General S S Uban of the Indian Army, its first commander. Though aware of its existence, the Tibetan administration in exile dissociated itself from the venture. Violence was not acceptable to solve the Tibetan issue. But the commandos, trained by the CIA at Camp Yale, were the ideal human resource for the Indian purpose. As for the young Tibetans, they could finally dream of fighting 'officially' along with the Indian troops against the Communist forces and thus endeavor to regain one day their freedom.
Not their war: These Tibetans troops were used during Operation Bluestar. Why? Though it raises many other questions, the answer is simple: because the SFF were the best commandos available at that time, at least in Indira Gandhi's mind.
During the first years the Tibetans fulfilled their assigned mission. But one day in 1971, they received a message (conveyed through their Indian commander) from Indira Gandhi: "We cannot compel you to fight a war for us, but the fact is that General [A A K] Niazi [Pakistani army commander in East Pakistan] is treating the people of East Pakistan very badly. India has to do something about it. In a way, it is similar to the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans in Tibet, we are facing a similar situation. It would be appreciated if you could help us fight the war for liberating the people of Bangladesh.'
For the first time, the Tibetans agreed to get involved in a war that was not theirs: perhaps they saw this as the ideal preparation for their ultimate goal.
But their role and actions have continued to be shrouded in mystery. Whether they served on the Siachen glacier or in counter-terrorism operations, the Tibetan troops never spoke. It is rumoured that in 1977, an AN12 aircraft was on constant alert at a SFF paratrooper base with instructions to fly the prime minister to Mauritius if her life was threatened. Whether it is true or not, very few can say!
Primary Counter Terrorist Force: By the early 1980s, the SFF's Special Group had become the primary counter-terrorist force in India. It was therefore logical that Indira Gandhi was tempted to use the '22s' for flushing the militants out of the Golden Temple complex. Unfortunately, the military intelligence had very little clue to the extent of the fortifications in and around the Akal Takht. Once Operation Bluestar was decided, the SFF were flown from their base in Uttar Pradesh and assigned the impossible task to isolate Akal Takht and secure its western flank by 1 am on June 6 while the 1 Para-Commandos were to manage a foothold in the Akal Takht itself.
The Bharat Rakshak web site recounts that the SFF and 1 Para- Commandos were immediately bogged down by the heavy fire from the Akal Takht: the Tibetans 'started with 50 men, had already 17 casualties (three dead). With midnight approaching, casualties mounting and the objectives far from being achieved, the situation was desperate.'
What was in these young Tibetans' minds at that precise moment? Were they still dreaming of a free Tibet or visualising the holy Tsuglakhang Temple in Lhasa vandalised by a so-called Liberation Army?
At 2 am, as the situation had not improved, the army had no other alternative but to call for the tanks. It was done after the clearance was obtained from Delhi. The rest is history.
During the following days, the '22s' continued to participate in the mopping up operations and it is said that one SFF officer, serving as President Zail Singh's bodyguard when he visited the complex, was wounded in the arm by a sniper. The militant was immediately killed by other commandos.
When Indira Gandhi was gunned down by her own bodyguards, Rajiv Gandhi remembered his mother's army and for a couple of months, the SFF provided security to the new prime minister. A year later, the National Security Guard was created by an act of Parliament, and which replaced the Tibetan commandos. But the training and uniform of the NSG were modeled on the SFF.
Such a strange destiny: 'Establishment 22', created to defend the Indian border (and for the Tibetans to liberate their country) was ultimately engaged in some of the most traumatic assignments in the history modern India. Not only did this have nothing to do with Tibet but these men were unable to fulfill their own ultimate life mission: Tibet's freedom.
As consolation, they perhaps believed that they were repaying their debt to India who had given refuge to their leader. Who knows!
Note: A special cell known as Establishment 22 with its headquarters at Bachiya Bagh (Kalsi) near Dehradun has been imparting terrorist training since 1986 for subversive/terrorist activities inside Pakistan.
VIDEO: Don't Look Into the Mirror
0 mts 15 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Monday, July 17, 2006
VIDEO: Ek Chidia, Aneik Chidia
7 mts 07 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Are You a Winner?
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Click on the image above to see whom we are talking about.
Oh, and when an aspiring author first met her agent, Christopher Little, over a lunch in London in 1995, he felt it only right to sound a cautionary note: "Now, you do realize, you will never make a fortune out of writing children's books?". That caution sounded right since it was only after a lot of struggle that they managed to convince a small publisher Bloomsbury's editor Barry Cunningham to publish her debut for an advance of £1500. Today, with the Harry Potter franchise, J.K.Rowling is richer than the Queen.
Monday, July 10, 2006
VIDEO: Russell Peters Show Me the Funny
46 mts 04 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Full 45 minutes video of Show Me the Funny.
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Full 45 minutes video of Show Me the Funny.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Sunday, July 02, 2006
VIDEO: Colombia is Passion
3 mts 26 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
I love this video. It comes like a whiff of fresh air in the middle of a stinky ocean of identical promotional videos for various countries. It takes a very different approach to narration and presentation, and talks about the right things. Bravo!
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
I love this video. It comes like a whiff of fresh air in the middle of a stinky ocean of identical promotional videos for various countries. It takes a very different approach to narration and presentation, and talks about the right things. Bravo!
Friday, June 30, 2006
The Meatrix II: Revolting
The Meatrix guys have come up with the sequel. Funny AND disturbing.
In case you haven't seen the original, click here.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
VIDEO: How to park Japanese style
0 mts 06 secs
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Click on the image above, and then click on play button once it becomes available.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Ads I love: Print commercials that get the point through
"Save trees. Trees save." Simple message, impactful execution. Visual of one poor guy taking refuge on a tree in a flooded region.
Cancer Society of Finland. Anti-smoking ad. The execution is amazing...look closely...the picture is composed entirely of cigarettes!
Scuola di karate. What could be a better ad for a karate school than a classroom with tables broken down the middle?
Milk power. See the depression made on the glass tumbler made by whoever held the it and drank the milk it contained?
N24. Oh, what to say....absolutely fantabulous. A picture does say a thousand words. And the impact is quadrupled if you add a couple of words to the picture. "We get to the point" is such a businesslike slogan, and the visual of a soldier with N24 focus-area showing a gas-pump nozzle (an obvious reference to the Iraq war being about oil) signifies that these guys don't mince any words, pull any punches, or talk about surface-level stuff...they really do get to the point AND they dig deep.
Daygum. Just brilliant - the message being "hands-free brushing", this ad shows a sadhu buried neck-down (it is not very uncommon for sadhus to perform a week-long or fortnight-long neck-down burial). Obviously he can't brush, but his teeth are sparkling.
Pioneer sound system. The power of the system...enough to tumble the adjacent cars.
Probably the best ad for a window-cleaner that I have ever seen. The bandaged bird (woodpecker?) obviously had crashed into a window pane.
Big Bazaar women's sale. The 3-part campaign shows various female deities - Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga respectively - conspicuously absent from the pictures, conveying the message that all women are at the store and even the Goddesses can't resist it.
Comfort Fabric Softener. The bent coin from a denim jeans's pocket shows that it even softened the coin.
Henk Glue. I love that...this glue sticks so fast that you could play darts with it...sticks on impact...
Chupa Chups lollypops. The ants are bypassing the lollypop as it is sugar-free. Excellent idea.
Samsonite luggage. The luggage is so tough that the 4x4 is using it as a front bumper/fender.
Docteur Nature breast enlargement solution. Isn't his visual something? No nudity involved, and still gets the point across. Perhaps even more forcefully. The lady in question has had to resort to using safety pins to keep her bra together.
Ephyorol foot deodorant. Many ads (especially TV ads) make the problem/need very funny/ interesting and then give out the solution in a not so interesting manner. This ad makes the solution very interesting. The spy is able to reach the sentry unnoticed as he used the foot deo; the foot-odor would have been a dead giveaway.
World Wildlife Fund. Shows MGM logo without the lion, with the tagline "Wildlife is disappearing"
Nugget shoepolish. The shoes will be so shiny that you will be able to see mirror image of that sheet of paper in them, and cheat in the exam!
Cancer Cures Smoking, instead of Smoking Causes Cancer. Simple, elegant, powerful. By Cancer Patients Aid Association.
The Hindu festival of Diwali has ALI in it, while the Muslim holy month of Ramzan has Ram built right in. Who are we to draw the lines? Think beyond religious lines...send in help for the victims.
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