Kanagabishekam

What is Kanagabishekam? 

 

The literal meaning of the word is “to be showered with gold”.   Kanagabishekam is a religious ceremony that is performed in South India.This religious ceremony happens rarely because there are very specific requirements that a person must meet in order for this ceremony to occur.

 

So who is eligible for Kanagabishekam?

 

First, only men can have this ceremony. (Sorry ladies)

Second, a man (Person A) must have a son as his first child (Person B).

Next, that first child (Person B) must also have a son as his first child (Person C).

Furthermore, that grandson (Person C) must also have a son as his first child (Person D).

 

Finally, all 4 men (Persons A, B, C, D) must be alive and then a Kanagabishekam can be performed for the original patriarch (Person A – who is now eligible)… and it will be performed by his great-grandson (Person D).

 

Once again, sorry about that ladies.  I know you REALLY wanted to have this ceremony more than anything else in the world but hey those are the breaks. Men are ineligible for baby showers (unless you are Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie “Junior”) and women are ineligible for this.

 

I am not trying to stir up controversy about males and females. I’m just writing about a rarely performed religious ceremony in South India. 

 

And now for the bottom line - Prince Philip is now eligible for Kanagabishekam.

PS: Nowadays, people tweak the custom and perform Kanagabishekam when someone live to see his/her great grandchild.

News Anchors

We all know many news anchors all over the world are just plain dumb.  All they do is just read what is placed in front of them or what they see in the teleprompter.

 

Remember the Asiana Airlines crash a few days ago here in San Francisco.  A local television station, KTVU, called the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) in Washington, D.C. and asked for the names of the 4 pilots who were in that plane.  A summer intern in that office wanted to play a prank with this television station.  So he gave fake funny names to KTVU.  If someone reads those names he/she will immediately realize those names are fake.  But the news anchor read those names with a serious face.  Here it is:

 

 

 

I was ROFL.

 

KTVU and NTSB later issued apologies.

 

This prank skipped the news writer, news director, news producer, and the news anchor.  No one read the names before airing?

 

A small minority thinks that this is a racial slur.  Surprisingly, this does not come from Asians.  They take this as a joke and enjoying.

 

I know we are all sad about this tragic accident.  We should not make fun of it. But these “obvious” prank names and the entire news department at KTVU did not catch it makes me laugh.  This was one of the most hilarious moments in live TV.

 

Captain Sum Ting Wong

Wi Tu Lo

Ho Lee Fuk

Bang Ding Ow

 

I am still laughing.  I feel bad.

PS: Breaking news from SGtv:  The summer intern, we just learned and confirmed by the NTSB, is from the Leipzig University in Germany.  His name is Lou Dei Kruss. Stay tuned for the 11 o’clock news.
 

Drop Your Vice

A month ago, I made a humorous (more like an attempt at being humorous) comment in Meera Sundarrajan’s post about “vice”.  I wrote something like Vice Admirals and Vice Captains must drop their “vice” before becoming Admirals and Captains.  A pun on the word “vice”, however I kept thinking more about that word.

 

What is the difference between Vice and Deputy and for that matter Assistant? How come some titles/designations have Vice preceding it whereas others have Deputy or even Assistant? Really, aren’t they all one and the same? 

 

The President has a Vice President. The Prime Minister has a Deputy Prime Minister. Why aren’t they called Deputy President or Vice Prime Minister? Maybe because those titles sound stupid to your ears and Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister sound more dignified.

 

Aren’t they all just Assistants to the Top Dog? Someone once said a “deputy” takes over for the boss, a “vice” takes care of the work of the boss, and an “assistant” only assists.  Not sure if I buy into that logic or even know what that logic means. 

 

When the President of a country dies, the Vice President automatically takes over his/her job.  When he/she is alive, does the Vice President take care of the work of his boss?  No way.  While waiting to become President, his only job is to attend funerals all over the world representing the country.

 

Getting away from politics, many corporations have a president, and many vice presidents, and even many assistant vice presidents.  What?  A VP is the assistant to the president and an AVP is the assistant’s assistant?

 

How about a principal’s second in charge?  I’ve seen it as Vice Principal and Assistant Principal and Deputy Principal. Thanks for that.  Now I’m very clearly confused.

 

Don’t even get me started on Secretary. A secretary in the corporate world is really an assistant right?  However secretaries in certain governments are the same as ministers in other governments?  And of course we have the dignified title of Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary but are missing the ugly sounding Vice Secretary.

 

If anyone can clear this up, I’ll be glad to hear your views.