Newsmericks

Oh politics!

2008-07-24T10:08:00.004+05:30

Dear Left Front, pray tell me the tale,
In the trust voting, how did you fail?
"The Speaker's to blame,"
Said Karat, sounding lame,
"And the government bought MPs on sale!"

ET 23/0/08: CPM general secretary Prakash Karat charges government of bribing MPs in order to win the trust vote. Read the story here

Also, the Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has now been expelled from his party which he served for over 40years. Get the story here

Name Games

2008-07-18T12:16:00.003+05:30

In India
-------------
Renaming of Lucknow airport
At a time like this, is of import.
Will Ajit Singh,with his trine
MPs, now fall in line
And promise the government support?

The Hindu, 18/07/08: NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the renaming of Lucknow airport as Chaudhury Charan Singh Airport by way of paying tributes to the former Prime Minister. Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram denied that the decision was to woo Charan Singh’s son and Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh in view of the trust vote in Parliament. The RLD has three Lok Sabha members, including Mr. Singh and the party is now not aligned with any of the three groupings — the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance or the Left front. Get the story here

In the US
-------------
To keep alive George Bush's name,
(In keeping with his world-wide fame)
San Fransico votes,
Says recent reports,
For a sewage plant bearing his name!

Yahoo News 17/07/08: SAN FRANCISCO - A measure seeking to commemorate President Bush's years in office by slapping his name on a San Francisco sewage plant has qualified for the November ballot. Get the story here

Caging the numbers

2008-07-17T12:31:00.004+05:30

The minister prayed, amidst wails,
"Bless us Lord, that our government prevails;
Help our numbers increase."
Said the the Lord, "That's a breeze
All you need to do - visit some jails!"

DNA 17/07/08: Power from the prisons likely to decide what turn proceedings in parliament take on July 22. Get the story here

Another Blogiversary at Newsmericks!

2008-07-14T19:34:00.004+05:30

Well of late, we've been slack, I'll agree,
First the house, then the holidaying spree.
But nothing this day,
Could keep me away,
For today, my Newsmericks turns three!

Yes, we turn 3 today! A toast to all the readers - by asking for more, you have been an inspiration, truly! Cheers!

...And am back from my holidays, so regular posts to resume :D

I'm attending the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit in Budapest, Hungary

2008-06-28T18:21:00.004+05:30

One minute, was doing up my nest,
Very next, I was off to Budapest!
I am part of (and proud),
Of the Global Voices crowd,
And this Summit is surely the best!

We have been away for a long time, but believe me, doing up a new apartment and transforming it into a nice and comfortable home is time-consuming!

Now, here I am in Budapest, Hungary attending the Global Voices Summit and believe me it is wonderful to be a part of this vibrant global community. You can follow the sessions of the summit here

Regular blogging will start from 14th July. But am glad to be back online :)

On our prolonged absence

2008-05-23T13:13:00.003+05:30

Our Inkspot ain't finding the time
To serve you those verses sublime,
But dear reader, don't grouse,
For the Chief's moving house;
Don't despair, soon you'll get your rhyme!!

We promise to be back by early June, take care - see you soon!

:)

The Great Indian Middle Class and global food prices

2008-05-03T14:03:00.004+05:30

Prez George Bush, it has come to pass,
Has laid blame on our Middle Class.
It seems we have hurled,
The rest of the world,
Into crisis by not chewing grass!

ET 3/5/08: US President George Bush has joined his top diplomat in suggesting that the growing prosperity of India's large middle class is contributing to rising food prices around the world. Get the story here

A hair-splitting tale

2008-04-29T23:04:00.002+05:30

When in Saudi a young man was hauled
Up for flirting, the Gov. was appalled;
One glance at the guy
And I realized why -
The young flirt was entirely bald!

:D

Yahoo News 29/04/08: Saudi governor orders haircuts for men who hit on women. Get the story here

Move over cricket, the IPL is here!

2008-04-19T01:15:00.002+05:30

At the opening match of IPL,
I suddenly heard somebody yell:
"Oh King Khan, your team,
Is playing like a dream-
They're giving the Challengers hell!"

And in the end, what do we find?
The Challengers peeled off like rind.
The dashing Knight Riders,
Just squashed them like spiders-
It's a league that is one of its kind!

The Hindu, 19/04/08: Kolkata Knight Riders humble Bangalore Royal Challengers. Get the story here

For Charlton Heston (1923-2008)

2008-04-07T11:04:00.005+05:30

The Baptist and Moses was he,
Michaelangelo and El Cid too, see,
But for sure, down the ages,
In film history's pages,
As Ben Hur, remembered he'll be!

The New York Times 06/04/08: Charlton Heston, Epic Film Star and Voice of N.R.A., Dies at 84. Read about it here

For you, Scrabulous!

2008-04-07T09:43:00.003+05:30

This Facebook game is simply fabulous.
The players find it smooth and not sabulous.
And though bigwig Mattel,
Has entered the battle,
I don't think I'll give up playing Scrabulous!

Washingtonpost.com 06/04/08: RealNetworks , which has previously professed its supposedly neutral position in the copyright controversy over the popular Facebook application Scrabulous, is now sneaking itself into the mix: it is quietly introducing a version of Scrabble on Facebook, called " Scrabble by Mattel". Get the story here

Birthday greens

2008-04-06T11:06:00.003+05:30

His mummy asked, "My darling Jake,
It's your birthday dear, what shall I make?"
Poor Jake scratched his head
And then gloomily said -
"Make salad, mom, ain't allowed cake!"

Yahoo News 3/4/08: Children in a New Zealand school have been banned from bringing cakes to share on their birthdays, due to new government healthy eating guidelines. Get the story here

When the penny pinches

2008-04-01T11:36:00.004+05:30

"Now the biggest threat facing our Nation,"
Said the Minister, with slight hesitation,
Isn't border onslaughts,
Nor vile terror plots."
"Then what's it?" I asked, "It's inflation!"

Sify Business 31/03/08: Alarm bells are ringing loud for Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The inflation figures released last week have put the financial authority at the central bank in dilemma. For the week ending March 15, the inflation stood at 6.68%, a whooping 76 basis points increase over the previous week figure. Not only is the figure way above the target set by the RBI, but also at 13-month high. Read about it here

Excuse me your Honor, dead men tell no tales!

2008-03-31T09:28:00.005+05:30

In the court, when the statement was read,
"There's something amiss Sir," he said;
"The victim has claimed
That I am to be blamed?
How the hell could he do so, being dead?"

MSN News 30/03/08: Ever heard of a dead person's statement being recorded? Well, that's exactly what Delhi Police did to solve an accident case! Eager to show that they were on top of things, police cited in court a statement of Sheikh Azibul Khan that was curiously recorded a year after he died in the accident. Get the story here

Congratulations Sehwag!

2008-03-29T10:48:00.007+05:30

Sehwag played some of his best
Strokes with the bat in this test.
A sizzling triple-ton,
In the hot Chennai sun -
Now surely his critics will rest?

Mid-Day 29/03/08: Sehwag has managed to silence his critics after his herculean innings yesterday.

(Photo credit: ABC.net.au)

RIP Sir Arthur C. Clarke

2008-03-20T00:57:00.004+05:30

RIP dear Sir Arthur C. Clarke.
Writing sci-fi you had made your mark.
May you now find your place
In that great outer space,
As on new odyssey you embark.

AFP 19/03/08: Sci-fi guru Arthur C. Clarke dies in Sri Lanka aged 90. Read about him here

Congratulations to the boys in blue

2008-03-06T11:57:00.004+05:30

Our boys in blue vanquished the might
Of the Aussies, in the tri-series fight;
They clearly stole thunder,
From the Oz team down under -
What a memorable 'summer of spite'!

The Statesman 06/03/08: Bitter summer ends in triumph.

Inkspot speak

2008-03-04T11:21:00.003+05:30

My life has been hectic of late,
Just too many things on my plate.
It's forcing me to reign
In my Newsmericks train -
But I'll soon be back, just you wait!

This year has started on a very hectic note for Inkspot and the pace refuses to slow down. I anticipate that this is how it will be, till early April atleast. This is slowing down Newsmericks for the time being. However, as Inkspot would like to say, do bear with us dear reader, we promise to be back soon, full swing!

Word defined: akhara

2008-02-28T22:55:00.001+05:30

In Benaras, to keep fit and trim,

You could easily go for a swim.

Or, to exercise, there's

An akhara, downstairs,

What's an akhara? Sort of a gym!

In Northern India, a popular definition of an akhara is that it is a place for exercise and body-building. Traditionally, young men joined these akharas to practice wrestling . One can say that it is the traditional Indian version of a gym.

On sledging

2008-02-27T09:18:00.002+05:30

Ricky Ponting awoke with a start.
"What a nightmare," said his racing heart.
"They are planning to master
Our sledge trick - disaster!
Or else why would they call it an art?"

The Telegraph Calcutta 27/02/08: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, fresh from leading India into the tri-series finals, on Tuesday said sledging is an art and the Australians have perfected it but it won’t take long for his boys to learn the tricks of the trade. Get the story here

Home accidents

2008-02-24T18:50:00.004+05:30

In the morning he woke, feeling blue.
He had broken, not one glass, but two.
"In my dream," said the master,
"I had caused a disaster -
And I also spilled oil in the loo!"

Painted into a corner

2008-02-13T09:57:00.005+05:30

In Jakarta, when trav'ling by rail,
Buy your tickets, you must, without fail,
And don't be a goof -
Don't sit on the roof,
Or they'll paint you, set cops on your trail!

Yahoo News 11/02/08: Indonesian commuters riding on the roofs of trains will be sprayed with colored liquid so that security officers can identify and arrest them, a report said Saturday. Get the story here

A time to heel

2008-02-08T23:37:00.000+05:30

If your love life no longer appeals
And you're bored, a new study reveals,
My dear girls, don't despair,
Go on, change your footwear -
Get the spark back in life, with high heels!

TOI 07/02/08: The sight of stilettos may shoot up a man's libido. But, if a study is to be believed, wearing the high-heel shoes can boost a woman's sexual desire. Read more about it here

Holy Moly!

2008-02-01T11:22:00.000+05:30

The church warden looked quite forlorn;
"The chap was praying, I could have sworn!
Then on closer inspection,
Came to sight, his erection -
Guess the damned blighter was surfing porn!"

Yahoo News 01/02/08: Man views porn on nun's computer! Get the story here

The mother of all abuse

2008-01-30T17:40:00.001+05:30

In a match, when two players got irate,
The referee said, “Boys, get this straight.
You may well hurl abuse
At your moms, if you choose,
But you can’t call each other primate!”

Daily Telegraph 29/01/08: Indian defence for Harbhajan Singh. Get the story here. Cricinfo 30/01/08: Insufficient evidence against Harbhajan - Hansen. Get the story here

In the new age of sportsmanship, it appears that monkeying around with moms is considered the lesser evil!