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Showing posts from October, 2025

Laser Strikes on Aircraft: A Few Seconds of Fun Can Put Hundreds of Lives at Risk

There are some things that look harmless from the ground but can become extremely dangerous when viewed from the cockpit of an aircraft. A laser pointer is one of them. For someone standing on the ground, pointing a laser at an aircraft flying overhead may appear to be a harmless prank, an experiment, a way of attracting attention or simply an act of curiosity. But inside the cockpit, particularly during takeoff, approach or landing, that apparently tiny beam can suddenly become a serious aviation-safety threat. The latest figures released by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) show that the problem is declining, but it remains far too common. On September 17, 2026, the FAA reported that pilots had reported 4,470 laser strikes in the United States during 2026, representing a 24 percent decrease from the same period the previous year. This is the third consecutive year in which reported laser strikes have declined. However, the FAA says the numbers remain too high...

When Words Lose Their Weight: Reflections on Changing Language and Values

madar chod, maki chut, randi ki aulad, teri maa ka bhosda.. no, this is not some fighting scene, this is two college students playing, and more amazingly, one of them is the girl from whom these beautiful words are coming out. It is not the first time that I have experienced this thing while working at a famous private university near Chandigarh; however, this time the repetition of these words was so prominent, loud and clear that it forced me to think and, more so, write on it. Occurrence, or I should say the utterance of these words from the mouths of female students, means that these words should be taken out of the list of abusive words and should be considered as normal speaking words. Well, if this is the case, then there is no point in writing on this topic further. I am no one or nothing to be discussing or, least of all, complaining of what is happening, but just wondering if being able to use these words confidently anywhere and anytime is the new sign of showing that you a...

Life Around the Mandis of Chandigarh

One of the unique things about living in the Chandigarh tri-city area is the vegetable market — or what we lovingly call the mandi . It’s been 15 years since I became a regular at these mandis, and I still remember my first visit vividly. Back then, coming from the Delhi side, it was quite an unusual experience for me. For those unfamiliar with the Chandigarh tri-city area, a mandi can be described as a vegetable market that operates on different days of the week in different sectors. These mandis are set up by groups of vegetable vendors — most of whom are farmers themselves — selling their produce directly to customers. The fruits and vegetables here are fresher and cost less compared to shops or supermarkets. At least, that’s what I’ve come to understand over the years. Coming from Meerut, I had never seen such an organized system for something as simple as buying vegetables. In Chandigarh, even this everyday activity has been given a structure — very much in line with the city’s ...