Image source: Rediff.com

Also, here is a (better) picture of Ajit Jain on Flickr

Speculations are rife that, Orissa born Ajit Jain (wiki) may succeed Warren Buffett, the second richest person in the world and often touted as the greatest investment guru ever. In Warren Buffett’s own words, while showering praise on Ajit Jain – he wrote thus:

“Ajit came to Berkshire in 1986. Very quickly, I realised that we had acquired an extraordinary talent. So I did the logical thing: I wrote his parents in New Delhi and asked if they had another one like him at home.

“Of course, I knew the answer before writing. There isn’t anyone like Ajit,” Buffett said.(Economictimes)

And also more fuel has been added to the rumors considering the facts that, Warren Buffett has consistently praised Ajit Jain meetings with shareholders and has declared that he talks to Jain daily, and that is how he “gains his knowledge”.

Ajit Jain – a graduate of IIT Kharagpur in Mechanical Engineering and later an MBA graduate from Harvard, moved back to India for a while, and them came back to US, upon his wife’s insistence. And truly, that turned to be a boon for Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the parent company of Ajit Jain’s re-insurance (who insure the insurers) group  of 30 people who generate $3.96 billion, compared to another insurance group under Berkshire Hathaway – Geico, which generates $6.69 billion with over 20,000 employees whilst being the fourth largest auto-insurer in the US market.

Ajit Jain’s classmates have been quoted as saying that, he seldom took his studies seriously (while in college) and participated in night-long discussions about “sociology, economics and the Vietnam war”.

“Ajit and Rono were like class clowns in our mechanical engineering class,” says classmate Vijay Trehan, 56, now a senior technical consultant in Nashua, New Hampshire, for Hewlett-Packard Co. “I was first in my class. However, looking at what we have all accomplished, the lesson has to be that `not taking life too seriously’ is definitely the way to go.” (Bloomberg)

Though, there has never been an official list of nominations, much less, that of a successor, according to the media, Ajit Jain stands in competition with other talented individuals at Berkshire Hathaway, who are possible nominations for a successor -

Investors also mention Joseph Brandon, 47, the chief executive of General Re Corp., another Berkshire reinsurance unit; Richard Santulli, 61, who runs NetJets Inc., an operator of private jets; and Tony Nicely, 63, CEO of the company’s Geico Corp. car-insurance unit.(Bloomberg)

And then, just as an example of how much importance Ajit Jain holds for Buffett and his company.

Downstairs, the guest of honor’s whereabouts is Topic A among Dassault’s distinguished guests. It might puzzle them to learn that Buffet is on a transatlantic call to one of his employees. The matter he is discussing with Ajit Jain this evening is not urgent. But it is Buffet’s custom to speak with Jain every evening. If that means keeping 200 of France’s richest people waiting, then c’est la vie (That is life). Businessweek.

Lord Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles, Eater of modaks, He of the milk miracle made his first appearance in the USA – in Queens!

A New York City man is convinced the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh appeared to him in his backyard as a 4-foot-tall purple flower. The amaranth plant in the backyard of Sam Lal’s Queens home began to resemble an elephant’s head and trunk in August after growing all summer (link)

For those as horticulturally -challenged as I am , here is a picture of the Amaranthus caudatus.(img: via wikipedia)

For those of you who are religiously -challenged, here is a picture of Lord Ganesha.

As further proof of divinity :

The Queens Botanical Garden spokesman Tim Heimerle says horticulturists there have never seen an amaranth take an elephant-like shape. He says the trunk-like formation is “not a natural thing.”

UberDesi is proud to report that rumors that Rajan Zed is requesting that the backyard be declared a permanent pilgrimage spot for Hindus are greatly exaggerated.

UPDATE: Reader Sam sent us this link to pictures of the actual amaranth plant and the resemblance is striking! http://bronxnews.wordpress.com…..-man-says/

Its a truth universally known that guys will say all kinds of things to impress gals. When I was a teenager , a favorite line ( usually after tossing down a couple of drinks ) was “Do you know that if you listen to a tape of “Stairway to Heaven” backwards you will hear ” I love thee Satan”. And I’ve heard it myself !” ( Those days, kids, we listened to tape not CDs!) To this day, I meet people who swear that there are Satanic messages backmasked into Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”.

The latest face of Evil (image from kjrh.com)

Similarly, the good people of Owasso , Oklahoma are convinced that the “Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coo” doll is spouting disagreeable messages.

Some people claim they can hear it mumble “Satan is king” in one track; then clearly speak “Islam is the light” in another.(link)

I am not making this stuff up!

Wal mart and Target at Owasso reportedly pulled the toy off the shelves, following complaints.

Of course the evil corporation behind this doll , Fisher -Price, denies it all. Their statement reads in part:

The Little Mommy Cuddle ‘n Coo dolls feature realistic baby sounds including cooing, giggling, and baby babble with no real sentence structure. The only scripted word the doll says is “mama.” There is a sound that may resemble something close to the word “night, right, or light.”

Can’t fool us! We know that this is part of a grand master plan to brainwash little kids into either Satan worship or converting to Islam. I’m not too clear which!

As if the tanking stock market, global warming and rising terrorism are not bad enough, now we have Evil Baby dolls to fear! Please , make it stop!

In news that seems more like a film plot gone awry, news spread in India via email of an 88-year-old man alleged to be a former high-level Nazi officer being arrested by German and Indian authorities. Johann Bach alleged to be a manager of a concentration camp during WWII , fled Germany after the War. He supposedly lived in Argentina ,Canada and Bulgaria before moving to Goa in India 2 years ago. The news was picked up by JTA which stated:

Johann Bach moved to the Indian state of Goa a couple of years ago and was trying to sell a stolen piano when authorities caught up with him, according to a report in the Telegraph of Calcutta.

The capture occured Friday after Bach tried to elude police by jumping out of a taxi and running into the forest on the Goa-Karnataka border. He was later tracked down wandering in the forest. Reports said deportation and trial are likely, as Germany and India have an extradition treaty.(link)

The story further read: Bach advertised the piano in question for sale on the Internet. This was recognized by German authorities as one that was stolen during the War. Bach was in a taxi trying to get into Karnataka. Realizing that he was being tracked, he attempted to leave the cab and flee into the forest.

We at UD are attempting to verify this information and will post any updates.

Further analysis unfortunately seems to indicate that this new release was a prank. Some versions of the release stated that the German Intelligence agency involved is named “Perus Narkp” . For the anagram fans amongst our readers , it will not be too difficult to figure that one out. (link)

UPDATE 2: A hat tip to the guys behind this feat! You can read it in their own words here (Tip: Anantha via email)

The economy being the way it is, our effigy making business has fallen upon tough times. So now, as much as I hate it, we’re moving on to posting rumors – desi media ishtyle. This one was too good and too cool (if true) to pass up anyway.

Word is that, Jennifer Aniston could star in a remake of a Bollywood classic from 1969 “Khamoshi” (not the dreadful one from the 90s starring Nana Patekar and Manisha Koirala) which featured Waheeda Rehman, Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna in a “tragic love triangle”. [ApunKaChoice]

This Hollywood remake of a Bollywood movie, if it happens, will be made by a desi (of course), Sanjay Patel. Logging off from National Inquirer mode. Thank you, come again.