I looked at them with a blank expression. I wondered if I knew them. I didn’t. They were not surprised to have me look at them like that. It seemed like they were expecting it. They quickly introduced themselves to me. They needed to earn some money as a part of their “secret” project, I was told. They said they would do anything from cleaning the utensils to sweeping the floor. I was zapped. I dint know what to tell them. They looked like kids from well to do families. I enquired more about their whereabouts and what exactly were they supposed to do. They told me they had to earn about $5 by 4pm. It was 1.15pm at that time. It sounded interesting and I thought of helping them out. The first idea that came to my mind was to ask them to cook my lunch for me, but as I enjoyed cooking, I did not feel like asking them to do that. The expressions on their faces did not allow me to turn them down. I asked them to come after an hour so that I could finish off with my lunch and some other chores. In the mean while, I advised them to look else where for some work.

They left and they left me thinking as to what I could do for them. I got a call on the intercom exactly after an hour. Those guys were back calling to find out if I could still help them. I invited them home and gave them four tasks out of which they could finish only two. They were asked to write a review on any recent English movie and the other one was to write this blog post. This is one of the works done by them.

Wish all of them best of luck for their future endeavors.

He said that American schools need to have strong measures of performance if they want the kids to compete with the kids in China or India. He was hinting that the Indian and Chinese kids are much smarter than the American kids of the same age. It seems that he wants his people to invest in their kids if they want to see a better America in future.

He also said that parents should not place all the responsibility on the teachers. They have the onus to take care of the child, to participate in their homework, to read to them often and so on so that the child gets the basic values and goes on to become a better citizen.

With recession set in majorly in the US, it is being debated whether humanities should continue to be a part of US university programmes. A recent survey has found that most of the universities are lacking funds and are eager to cut costs as much as possible. The pertinent question before them is whether the subjects such as history, political science, literature, cultural studies which come under the umbrella of liberal arts take a back seat?

The dilemma before universities is that studying these subjects does not land the student in the job market instantly as opposed to the core skill-based courses such as Medicine, Engineering or Management. So instead of investing funds in liberal arts, should the students be encouraged to pursue skill-based courses. It is for all of us to see how things turn out during this downturn. Whatever the universities decide, one thing is sure that the future of students depends a lot on this decision!

The 45 year old Dennis, Alfie’s father wants him to declare the results on a talk show and is openly looking for highest bidder for his son’s story. This attitude reflects that the parent is not at all serious about the 13 year old. He just wants to cash in on his story. A parent should be particular about instilling the right sort of values in the child but this father is setting a despicable example before others. It also shows how much UK’s culture has deteriorated over the years. A 13 year old is still a child and needs correct guidance to establish himself in the society. However, in Alfie’s case it seems that his father might have instigated him into all this so that he could earn millions from the scandal. It might have been a well thought plan, who knows! It is said that the parents should be more aware of how they behave rather than what they teach their children because children imbibe their behavior with utmost ease. But alas, some people just don’t get it right!!!

These days there is a new concept which has emerged of caller tunes and i personally don’t like it at all. IMHO, why should the caller be subjected to some unsolicited song which he or she might not like. But this caller tune concept can be called a baby of mobile ringtones. They have come a long way…remember the monotonic ringtones which i never liked and was so happy when i could get a polyphonic ringtone for personal mobile. Way to go mobile ringtones!!!

Another double murder, this time the place is different, the motive too was different!
Sanjay Mehta, an Indian national employed as an engineer, has been charged with the murder of his wife, 38-year-old Jyoti Mehta, and his nine-year-old stepdaugher Ujalla Dinesh.

Mehta allegedly murdered his wife and stepdaughter at home and then placed the two bodies in a vehicle and took two other family members for a drive to Echo Point lookout at Katoomba, a popular tourist spot in the Blue Mountains about an hour’s drive from Sydney. While his two children took a walk, Mehta threw the bodies off the cliff. Sanjay Mehta told police his wife and step daughter had left home, taking their passports, after an argument.

Jyoti had told her younger sister, who lives in the western suburb of North Parramatta, that her relationship with Mehta “was very strained and that he had recently been physically violent towards her”. It is sad that she knew that her life was in danger and yet could not save herself and her daughter. She could have left the home and taken refuge in some friends place also, but destiny had thought otherwise.

Mehta was arrested Sunday night at 10.15 p.m. from the family house after a walker sighted a female’s body at the bottom of Echo Point lookout at about 2 p.m. Sunday and informed the police.

The bodies were in “a state of decomposition when found”. The bodies have yet to be formally identified.

Mehta, 41, had met Jyoti on the Internet in July 2006 and they were married in May 2007 after she moved to Australia.

According to the police, the wife had approached the Jessie Street Domestic Violence Service in January this year after she was verbally abused by her husband, who had also threatened to kill her or have her deported.

Mehta will remain in custody until his next appearance in court July 21.