Scuttle

scut·tle 1 (sktl)

 To cut or open a hole or holes in (a ship's hull).
To sink (a ship) by this means.
 Informal To scrap; discard:
To run or move with short hurried movements; scurry.

Russia has accused the United States of scuttling a U.N. Security Council statement on the Gaza crisis. Morocco had proposed a statement by the 15 nation Council calling for a halt to the Israel-Hamas hostilities. Russia’s U.N. envoy Vitaly Churkin said Moscow is now considering a full Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate ceasefire, supports the Egyptian-Arab led mediation efforts and calls for resumed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

snarky

1. Rudely sarcastic or disrespectful; snide.
2. Irritable or short-tempered; irascible.

 

Every time I think I'm getting used the Brits they go do something that's so typical that I can't resist being snarky. This time, they've whipped up a ridiculous palaver over the Dassault-Eurofighter deal, with random MPs and right-wing press complaining about why Britain gives $280 million in aid to India if we're giving our multi-billion defence contracts to the French 

delineate

de·lin·e·ate
tr.v. de·lin·e·at·ed, de·lin·e·at·ing, de·lin·e·ates
1. To draw or trace the outline of; sketch out.
2. To represent pictorially; depict.
3. To depict in words or gestures; describe.

The government needs to clarify its position on the health rights of its people. It needs to clearly delineate its obligations and establish legal consequences for non-compliance.

embargo and simmer

em·bar·go  (m-bärg)

n. pl. em·bar·goes

1. A government order prohibiting the movement of merchant ships into or out of its ports.

2. A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation.

3. A prohibition; a ban: an embargo on criticism.

tr.v. em·bar·goed, em·bar·go·ing, em·bar·goes

To impose an embargo on.


sim·mer

v. sim·mered, sim·mer·ing, sim·mers

v.intr.

1. To be cooked gently or remain just at or below the boiling point.

2.

a. To be filled with pent-up emotion; seethe.

b. To be in a state of gentle ferment: thoughts simmering in the back of her mind.

v.tr.

1. To cook (food) gently in a liquid just at or below the boiling point.

2. To keep (a liquid) near or just below the boiling point.


Simmering tensions between Iran and the West hovering around the possible disruption of international oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz appeared to stall on Friday, with strong signals emerging from Europe that a proposed embargo of Iranian oil was not imminent.

virulence

vir·u·lent

adj.

1.

a. Extremely infectious, malignant, or poisonous. Used of a disease or toxin.

b. Capable of causing disease by breaking down protective mechanisms of the host. Used of a pathogen.

2. Bitterly hostile or antagonistic; hateful: virulent criticism.

3. Intensely irritating, obnoxious, or harsh.

virulence

n

1. the quality of being virulent

2. (Medicine / Pathology) the capacity of a microorganism for causing disease

But the oral vaccine has its drawbacks also. In rare cases, the live but attenuated viral strains in the vaccine can themselves cause polio.

Moreover, these viruses can revert to virulence, resulting in what are known as vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPV)

entrench

en·trench  (n-trnch) also in·trench (n-)

1. To provide with a trench, especially for the purpose of fortifying or defending.

2. To fix firmly or securely: "Today managed care plans are entrenched in the economy, enrolling 61 percent of the population" (Peter T. Kilborn).

v.intr.

1. To dig or occupy a trench.

2. To encroach, infringe, or trespass.

The key finding in a recent study that even top schools in major cities in India suffer from the entrenched tendency to impart rote learning may have some shock value to those who believe that private educational institutions place greater emphasis on quality and holistic education.

propitious

propitious  (pr-pshs)
adj.
1. Presenting favorable circumstances; auspicious. See Synonyms at favorable.
2. Kindly; gracious.

In 2009, the Congress got as propitious a mandate as any party could have expected.

profligate

prof·li·gate

adj.

1. Given over to dissipation; dissolute.

2. Recklessly wasteful; wildly extravagant.

This is perhaps why the debate whether motor racing is a sport or a meaningless exercise involving profligate spending still rages on in the country.

ubiquitous

u·biq·ui·tous
Present, appearing, or found everywhere

The software giant has described Windows 8 as the most significant
upgrade to its ubiquitous operating system since the company adopted
the desktop, mouse and the graphical user interface with Windows 95.

scurrilous

scur·ri·lous

adj.

1. Given to the use of vulgar, coarse, or abusive language; foul-mouthed.

2. Expressed in vulgar, coarse, and abusive language.

Making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation

Mayawati was clearly under the illusion that Julian Assange was an inventor of scurrilous gossip rather than merely a purveyor of it, and therefore erroneously deemed him fit to be an inmate of the asylum in Agra. 

vindictive

vin·dic·tive

adj.

1. Disposed to seek revenge; revengeful.

2. Marked by or resulting from a desire to hurt; spiteful.

Incidentally, officially, Kejriwal is still an IRS employee as the department has not accepted his resignation tendered in 2006.

The I-T department maintains that Kejriwal violated bond conditions and his resignation, will be accepted only once the dues are cleared.
Team Anna member Justice Santosh Hegde says the timing seems vindictive.

spunky

spunk·y
Courageous and determined
Rahul Dravid was the star yet again, getting to his 35th Test hundred. He is in the zone right now and is cashing in. His efforts were appreciated by the Englishmen too as they waited behind the ropes and allowed him to walk in first. Mishra was spunky and gave him good support and remained unbeaten till lunch

quiescent

quiescent

qui·es·cent

adj.

Being quiet, still, or at rest; inactive. See Synonyms at latent

he 'water issue' between India and Pakistan, which has been relatively quiescent for a while, is becoming prominent once again

herculean and colossal

herculean

adj

1. requiring tremendous effort, strength, etc. a herculean task

2. (sometimes capital) resembling Hercules in strength, courage, etc.

co·los·sal

adj.

Of a size, extent, or degree that elicits awe or taxes belief; immense. Synonyms -enormous.

Moreover, the problem will come in reduplication of the structure. A register of more than 100 million identities sounds a distant dream. It's a herculean task to build such a colossal database.

edifice

–noun

1.a building, especially one of large size or imposing appearance.
2.any large, complex system or organization.
3. An abstract structure; a school of thought.


Truth must be the foundation stone, the cement to solidify the entire social edifice.

Apart from that, there is exactly no strong edifice of biometrics on which this mega-structure is to be constructed. Patterns of iris change with age, disease and health; fingerprints can easily be tapped and copied.

punctilious

punc·til·i·ous
1. Strictly attentive to minute details of form in action or conduct. See Synonyms at meticulous.
2. Precise; scrupulous.

The elaborate institutions of Vigilance Commissions and their hoards of field officers called Central Vigilance Officers and the prescription of punctilious procedures and rule books have not obviously helped

obduracy

ob·du·ra·cy

The state or quality of being intractable or hardened

He seems untroubled by the resignation of several Ministers, provincial governors, and diplomats over the shootings. Even the backing given by many senior military officers to the people's uprising has made little difference to his obduracy

insidious

in·sid·i·ous

adj.

1. Working or spreading harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner: insidious rumors; an insidious disease.
2. Intended to entrap; treacherous: insidious misinformation.
3. Beguiling but harmful; alluring: insidious pleasures.

Two kinds of political corruption blight India: episodical and ongoing. Episodical corruption - from 2G spectrum to rice exports - has cost the public exchequer possibly over Rs 1,00,000 crore this year. The sum could have wiped out a quarter of India's 2010-11 fiscal deficit of Rs 4,12,000 crore. Ongoing corruption is more insidious and, therefore, more damaging.

proselytisation

pros·e·ly·tize
v.intr.
1. To induce someone to convert to one's own religious faith.
2. To induce someone to join one's own political party or to espouse one's doctrine.
v.tr.
To convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another

Moreover, your pal Steve Forbes has just brought out his new list which, taken together with our budget, lends powerful ammo to your proselytisation project. 

palliative

pal·li·a·tive

adj.

1. Tending or serving to palliate.

2. Relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease or disorder without effecting a cure.

It is contended that the sale of government assets cannot solve fiscal problems of a structural kind, it can only be a palliative