Random Expressions

A novel by Khalid Hosseini
Book Review

My readings in the recent past have been erratic. But I try to catch anything new and happening that might rock the literary world, other than keeping update of Jeffrey Archer’s releases (which, I admit with a heavy heart, have not been really great in the past two cases Cat O Nine Tales and False Impression). Most times I am left sorely disappointed. And I end up going back to tried and tested P G Wodehouse or Agatha Christie to satiate the reading urge.

But The Kite Runner deserves all the accolades and praises it receives. It’s been quite sometime since a novel touched, moved, stimulated and inspired me the latter is a huge criterion, since I write my own stories as well. Dan Brown was one, but that was over two years ago.

Khalid Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is to put it in one word scintillating! With his words he weaves a riveting yarn about guilt and redemption, about growing and maturing and about life and living. The story is in first person, about Amir, his yearning to get his father’s approval, his inner fears and of course, his guilt. In the winter of 1975 (after a successful kite-flying tournament)he witnesses an act against his faithful servant-cum-friend-cum confidante Hassan, which Amir could have prevented but doesn’t do so because of his own fear and cowardice. That one cold evening will shape his entire life, leading to more wrongs, revealing other secrets in his mature years and finally taking the story to its logical conclusion.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of Afghanistan, The Kite Runner charts its course keeping in mind the unrest that unleashes on the country post-seventies.


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My experience with a diet program!

Plagiarism is not restricted to our films and music. It extends to our web world too. I found this diet program here, only to later discover that it was a word-to-word lift from the famous General Motors (GM) diet program, only that the beef was replaced by bean sprouts - and this, without any acknowledgement or byline! (There is a contention that this diet might not have anything to do with the car manufacture).

Anyways, let’s start from the beginning. One fine morning I got this cosmic enlightenment that I had to reduce weight, somehow, someway. As I searched options, all got crossed off: exercise, I read on the net - suddenly, the entire body formed a union and went off on strike, hassled and agitated. Reduce carbs - this time the taste buds protested vehemently, “you can’t leave that kachori, can you?” they screamed at the top of their lungs, while simultaneously coaxing the eyes to land on that sumptuous new Pizza Hut offer card. Err, umm, ok - not that. But somehow there has to be a beginning. Eat less - and the stomach groaned like an over-stuffed but always supposedly under-fed giant. Ok, OK, keep silent. Lemme think of something else.

The poor brain, like the poor management of public sector banks in India, was left pretty alone and deprived and tried to find a middle-solution. It’s then that this site came into the picture. It’s only for a week. And it allows you to stuff yourself. Plus, it mentions only a mild exercise. So, it should be ok. The body relented. Agreement reached. And General Motors (GM) diet begun! Be it GM diet or Santro diet or Volkswagen - what’s in a name anyways, as the Bard said!


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[Starting from today I have added a new category - on financial advices, reviews and reports, largely limited to banking, financial services and insurance sectors. Hope this will help the readers of RE. The first article in this series is by a friend Kislay Verma, and he reviews a new product in the insurance market. Regards, DJ]

First Care
An Insurance Product Review by Kislay Verma

In India ‘Health Insurance’ is always a subject matter of General (Non Life) Insurance and mediclaim policies have traditionally been sold by general insurance companies like New India Assurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company etc.

Health Insurance market has not shown encouraging trends in these past years and its contribution to the growth of post-liberalized insurance industry has been fairly low. Not many known players have courted this market with more than just a cursory interest - sure, there are a regional health insurance players in South India which have cropped up in the recent past (Star Health Insurance being one of them which I can recall, Apollo is coming in a big way) but overall the scenario is pretty uncluttered.

The reason for this slow pace of growth in Health Insurance was the tariff regulations norms (Sec 64 of The Insurance Act 1938) wherein general insurance had limitations on the premium charged. The adverse claims ratio also contributed to it, apart from Morale Hazard (not to be confused with Moral Hazard).

Now that the general insurance business has been de-tariffed post January 2007 I expect some positive trends in this sector. Do not be surprised if you find a quantum leap in the premium of your Mediclaim policy or even your car’s Third Party Liability Insurance.

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If you remember this post, (and even if you don’t that’s why I am providing the link), you will recall my paranoia in shaving off my moustaches. Finally, one Sunday evening, while getting a shave at my friendly neighborhood barber, I told him to yank off the hair from above my upper lip - a rare on-the-spot decision, and it had to be that way only if it ever had to be accomplished. The reason for not updating this earlier ranged from I-might-not-like-it-and-will-return-to-the-original-look to the I-am-damn-lazy-and-writing-on-a-petty-mouche-doesn’t-serve-this-blog-good! Anyways, the point is that I haven’t grown them back, and am quite liking myself sans the extra hair. So, all ye who have seen me, be prepared to welcome the ‘new improved(?)’ DJ!

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