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Showing posts from 2008

The Value of Blood

The dreadful terrorist attacks on the city of Mumbai has left everybody stunned and outraged. Immediately after the successful conclusion of the three-day operations against the terrorists, one could see waves of public anger against the political establishment and sympathy for those killed sweeping across the city. News channels made hay as they flashed pictures of the gun battles between the terrorists and the commandos and images of the Taj hotel burning continuously over days. Notwithstanding all the outrage both on the street and on TV, one could sense a certain apathy for human life coming through rather conspicuously as the debates and the public protests rage on. If this tragedy is a test of character for our politicians, our citizens and our journalistic media, they have all failed the test insofar that human life has not been treated with the respect that it deserves. The terror attacks on 26/11 has once again brought one fact to the fore - there is a definite disregard towar

Doves to The Slaughter

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Over seven years have passed since those catastrophic attacks on the WTC towers. The paranoia that the holocaust had created in its immediate aftermath has long faded from the minds and hearts of Americans as the seven subsequent terror-free years have instilled renewed confidence in the security systems of that country. Contrastingly though, in India, attack after attack on the land and the people has managed to keep the fear of insecurity alive and has reinforced the notion that human life in India is more dispensable than ever before. The impunity with which a handful of gun-toting and grenade-hurling radicals wreaked havoc on some of the prime landmarks of Mumbai, the Taj Mahal hotel, the CST railway station and the Oberoi hotel has exposed India’s security preparedness in a very poor light before the world. It is a humiliation for the entire nation. How can a citizen of a small city or town feel safe when a few young men with perverted minds come ashore unhindered on a fishing tra

A Bankruptcy of Faith?

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It is said that whenever the going gets tough, the tough get going. However, the adage seems to be struggling to retain its validity at the present moment with the juggernaut of the economic meltdown threatening to leave no tough ones standing. The financial crisis has slowly morphed into a crisis of faith. The big financial institutions of the world, the providers of solace and security in times of monetary distress, seem to be fighting a stiff battle to keep faith in their own selves. People are running scared of the very institutions that they had banked on to secure their future. So far, people have relied on rating agencies and audit reports to gauge the health of any particular banking company. However, the implosions of banks and finance companies boasting of sky high ratings and infallible track records have left the common man in a tizzy. Today, he just doesn’t know who to believe. Sudden collapse of mega finance companies have become almost the order of the day. Panic has set

Assam - The Enemy Within

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The series of bomb blasts in Assam on the black day of 30th October only reinforces one emotion in the heart of the man on the streets of Assam – fear. Innocent civilians have fallen prey to yet another wave of carnage and death perpetrated by the merchants of death. Terrorism seems to have become an inextricable part of our daily life. The most disconcerting part of the whole affair is that even the government machinery looks helpless in the matter. The Police appear to have resigned themselves to terror as a part of destiny that cannot be changed. The press conferences and expressions of condemnation by the various political leaders have done little to enhance the confidence of the people. The statements emanating out of the government chambers are beginning to sound more and more like perfunctory monotones rather than expressions of any real intent or determination. Does this then imply that we can do nothing but be sitting ducks as a bunch of perverted minds continue to plot and in

The Coronation of Hope

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Change has come to America in a big way this winter. Barack Obama has finally scaled the pedestal of power that is perhaps the most coveted in the world – the Presidency of the USA. He brings with him the hopes of the people of America, hopes of restoration of the golden times that existed in America prior to the onset of the threat of the economic Armageddon that is staring the country in the face today. Obama’s historic accession to the country’s highest office perhaps heralds the beginning of a new era in America – an era of true equality and opportunity for all, the very prescripts upon which this great nation was born 232 years ago. Americans have shown tremendous character in rising above petty racial prejudices in following their hearts to choose what is right for their country. Barack Obama has achieved what many would have thought unthinkable, in fact impossible just a few months ago. A man shorn of parental care at an early age and brought up in a society where blacks have a

Mumbai's Trial By Fire

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In India, as perhaps in any other country, the inhabitants of any town, city or village are usually very proud of the culture and characteristics of the particular place of habitation. When viewed by a neutral observer, however, the same values that are loftily vaunted by the local residents may not appear that attractive, and rightly so. In this context, the super large cities (or metropolises) of India have unique characteristics of their own. Residents of each city proudly boast about the distinct cultures of their cities. Again, a dispassionate examination of these cultures may leave a lot to be desired and may also be mildly repulsive in certain cases. For example, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Bangalore have grown into great centres of cosmopolitan culture. Yet, most of these cities have some peculiar and inextricable characteristics that may put a new visitor in a state of unease on certain occasions. New Delhi is infamous for its notorious cabs and treacherous streets. Kolka

Cartelization of Cricket

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Cricket is no longer a game of bat and ball that is played for the sake of enjoyment and entertainment. Today, it is being transformed more and more into a game of money and politics. The game itself and the players are being relegated to the background. The controllers of the game, the ICC (International Cricket Council) has attained the status of not just a manager of cricketing affairs around the world but the very owners of the game itself. The players have been reduced to slaves of the governing bodies. They are not allowed to play in any other match or tournament which does not have the blessings of the ICC or the domestic cricket boards. Any player who dares to defy the ICC risks losing his right to play cricket for his country. The right of the game to spread and flourish is thus being held to ransom by the greed of a few individuals who may well have difficulty in spelling the name of the game, let alone play it. The bureoning parallel cricket body in India, the Indian Cricket

An Invigorating Debate

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I must say I have been pretty exhilarated by the response and the debate that has been generated in the William Gibson Forum on the questions I had raised in my piece In Search of God . Some members have labeled my opinions as anti-science statements while one or two have acknowledged the validity of my perspective. However, the ‘anti-science’ allegation has set me thinking. It is indeed intriguing that man is always so devoted to whatever ideology he subscribes to, be it Science or God. It will not be too wrong to say that there are fanatics in both classes of humanity, insofar that a person belonging to one ideological cult is sure to react sharply at any mention of the other. However much a devout follower of science may harp about rationality and reason, he is equally fastidious in his stance of apostasy as is a religious extremist in his posture of theism. Fact is, neither has been able to prove the other completely wrong. Human science still hasn’t got to the bottom of human exi

Sequel To The Meltdown

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The pitfalls of living in a centralized global economic system cannot be overstated. America has been the pillar of world economy too much and for too long. Now that this pillar is about to crumble, it threatens to take the world along with it. Since the fall of Hitler and the creation of the UN, America has been the undisputed guardian of the world, both politically and economically. It has been continuously and stealthily tightening that grip over the years, not too much to the dismay or mortification of any particular nation except, maybe, the Soviet Union. Americans have been known to possess a tremendous propensity to consume, a trait that has been to the advantage of every country having a trade relationship with the US. However, that relationship may have been carried a bit too far, from the looks of the situation today. America’s mindless policies are now threatening to gobble it up, and the rest of the world is precariously close to the edge of the whirlpool that has been crea

High Time Americans Came To Terms With Reality

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I was watching the Suze Orman Show on CNBC last Sunday. It was just a chance viewing as I was browsing through the channels hoping to spend my time a bit more fruitfully. The show interested me a lot. Suze Orman is an American dial-in show where the host advises callers on the management of their financial resources. As the show progressed, there was one aspect in the contents of all the incoming calls that bewildered me. All the callers who seemed to be quite smug about their financial status had in fact very little to show in terms of savings. Almost every caller wanted advice on spending amounts on something or the other that cost more than they are capable of paying or are precariously close to the limits. One caller was especially interesting. She (the caller) wanted to buy dog food for her pet doggie at a cost of $600 per month when she was actually spending less towards monthly payout for her car loan. On top of that, she had hardly any savings to justify that kind of expenditur

Osama the Economist?

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Even as the US economy appears to be tumbling towards the dreadful precipice of recession, a most unlikely personality comes into the context. Osama bin Laden. Yes, the very man who had vowed to terrorise America to its very end. Let us go back in time by about three years. The junior Bush was vying for a second term in the White House. The war in Iraq and his prodigal policies at home seemed to have eroded his popularity irreparably at that time. Just when all seemed lost, George W Bush found an unexpected benefactor in none other than his greatest adversary, Osama. Osama released another of his famous videos threatening to disrupt the peace in America once again. The video release worked like magic for Bush. Somehow, the American people believed that George W Bush was the best possible leader to have when it came to confronting the malevolence of Osama and his armies. The tables turned. Bush's popularity ratings soared once again. Americans showed an obvious preference for secur

In Search of God?

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Almost surreptitiously, in one corner of the world, deep underneath the ground, a massive idea has been taking shape. Today, everybody knows about it. The Large Hadron Collider, the ultimate particle accelerator, will be the instrument in Man's attempt to unravel the mystery of this universe. On the 27 kilometer long accelerator, buried a hundred meters under the ground, rests the hopes of hundreds of scientists to achieve the unimaginable - to find the origin of all creations in this universe. The search ends in a particle that forms the core of all matter, a particle hitherto unseen and undetected by Man but one that has shown all indications of its existence. This particle, the Higgs Boson, named after 79 year old physicist Peter Higgs, also called the "God Particle" much to the chagrin of Higgs, who is a staunch atheist, promises to unravel the mystery of the birth of the cosmos. Detecting this particle as soon as it is born is the prime objective of the biggest expe

Is India Impotent or Waiting for D-day

Time and again, terrorists have targeted innocent civilians in India by blasting bombs at public places. The blasts in Delhi have made one thing very clear. Terrorists can bomb any place in India whenever they choose to. In spite of continued inhuman acts of destruction and death, the Indian government can do little but stand, watch and release press statements condemning the acts. These events are now turning out to be nothing more than opportunities for opposition political parties to lambast the government and fodder for television channels. The need of the hour is to formulate and develop a consensus on an effective terrorism policy to prevent further loss of innocent lives. However, it seems that human life in India comes too cheap. A few days of sensational news and debates on TV and a few statements of condolence and condemnation from the political fraternity are all that result from these heinous attacks on human life and property. A similar threat to lives of citizens in th

Chinese Chicanery

Finally, after a real roller coaster of a journey, India has managed to squeeze the Nuclear deal through the ensemble of NSG member countries. However, the passage of the waiver bid would have been much smoother than the stumbling finish that was achieved had China not played major spoilsport in the whole process. China had indeed played out its role of a surreptitious and pernicious party crasher to the hilt, with a devious intent to derail India's foray into the Nuclear community. Unfortunately for China (and fortunately for India), all of its backdoor politics came to nought in the face of an overwhelming support from the rest of the NSG members, and especially due to counter diplomacy by the United States. That China has proven to be the most untrustworthy friend as far as India is concerned, has been established beyond an iota of doubt. Untrustworthy and dangerous. Behind their friendly exteriors, the Chinese leadership was most definitely seething at the prospect of India em

is the ULFA in Slumber or Just Plain Scared??

Even as the people of Assam are gearing up to have another go at the menacing problem of illegal infiltration across the border from Bangladesh, there is one group that has been very conspicuous by its absence in the whole build up that is happening in the state. The group in question is none other than the ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam). The self styled "protectors" of the Assamese people are nowhere to be seen or heard at a time when the Assamese citizens are unanimous in their demand for an Assam free from the burden of illegal foreign migrants. It is indeed a big surprise. Where has all the patriotism in the ULFA gone? Where are our "brave soldiers" in our hour of need? Where are the guys who rant about Assam being only for the Assamese? Are they in a deep, convenient slumber? or are they infuriated that the Assamese people are up in arms against their brethren, the Bangladeshis? Are they too ashamed to speak now that their lie has been exposed? These

Assam - The Second Coming

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There is something very interesting brewing in far flung Assam, in the North-East region of India. The perrenial issue of illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals across the long, porous and thinly guarded Indo-Bangladesh border or more appropriately, the Assam-Bangladesh border into Assam is raising its head again. This looks to be the second coming of the AASU (All Assam Students Union) under whose leadership the first edition of the anti-Bangladeshi agitation took place. Although, this time too the AASU is in the forefront of the agitation, the nature of the movement that is silently simmering within the state is significantly different from the revolution that took place between 1979 to 1985. This time there is a distinct method to the whole process of protest as against the fractious and hyper-emotional surge in the 80's. This time, there has been a conscious effort to garner support from all sections of society living within the state, including even Bangladeshis who hav

A Burning Valley

"A spark is enough to start a huge fire". Nothing perhaps has been more closer to this adage than the recent train of events in Indian side of Kashmir. What started off as a dispute over an ancient piece of land has snowballed into a major controversy; a controversy that is threatening to shake the very roots of India's integrity. Kashmir is surely afire, and how. To an observer from outside, any instability in Kashmir has always been viewed as the handiwork of Pakistan sponsored militants. This conception has been very true in most cases. This time round, however, the situation seems to be of a vastly different nature. The fast accelerating wave of protest around the state has seen the involvement of the common man like never before. People are out on the streets in their hundreds and are unfazed by the presence of gun toting security forces who have been authorised to use force if deemed necessary. Now, this is something that even the government may not ave been prepare

The Fall of a Dictator - Boon to Mankind

The exit of Pervez Musharraf from Pakistan politics is not only a relief for the people of Pakistan but it is an equal blessing for the world as a whole. It is no secret that Pakistan is the haven for all the terrorists of this planet. Musharraf has been the godfather of all these home bred as well as fugitive criminals who think of nothing but perpetrating violence and bloodshed in the world. Musharraf has finally got his due. He has been unceremoniously booted out of his seat of power. But I feel that he has been given far less than he deserved. He is the man behind terrorist activities in Pakistan (including the assasination of Benazir Bhutto) and India. He is one dictator who will continue to be dangerous as long as he is alive. Even the US, who has been his cautious friend, have shirked him now. I just hope he doesn't get an opportunity to carry on with his evil agenda from his next abode (wherever that is).

This Airline Suckksss!!!!

I have had a terrible experience flying aboard a JetLite aircraft from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai.I just cannot imagine the mindsets of these airline fellows. The aircraft is so stuufy that anybody can develop claustrophobia in it. The leg room between the seats is no more than than 7 inches. Within that space you will have to adjust yourself whenever the person sitting in front of you decides to recline his seat. I can assure you, you can smell the hair oil on his head if he does so. The quality of the food is next to horrible. There is nothing to read except the safety manuals and an advertisement magazine published by the airline company. The air stewards are fully aware of the shoddy conditions inside the aircraft. That is the reason that there are no feedback forms on board. At the end of the three hour long flight, I was glad to get out in fresh air. 13:21 - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos

A Bolt From The Blue and The King of The Blue

I feel very privileged to be alive in an era when the 29th Olympiad is taking place in Beijing. I feel honoured to be witness to the feats of two of the greatest sporting icons, not only in the modern era but maybe for years to come. The feats of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps in the month of August 2008 will forever be entrenched in my mind. Usain Bolt was simply a bolt from the blue for all the viewers and competitors alike. The way he streaked away from the rest of the pack was truly superhuman. And unbelievably unselfish. He wasn't thinking of the world record while he was running. All he wanted to enure was that he was in front. The moment he realised that he was way, way in front, he started celebrating even before he reached the finish line. Unbelievable. Had he not relaxed at that moment and had maintained the same speed upto the finish line, he would have clocked something like 9.60 secs. My hat off to a superb athlete. What Usain Bolt has achieved has been matched equally,

USA up to dirty tricks again

It seems like George Bush (the junior version, of course) cannot get enough of poking into other countries' affairs. The disturbing state of affairs in Georgia mut certainly be the result of the US using that country as a shoulder to point a gun at Russia. This explains the deafening silence maintained by the US for so long after Russia invaded Georgia. Meanwhile, the Georgian president, who dared to take on Russia expecting to have the political and military support of US, was in for a rude shock when the US looked the other way until the war had done most of the destruction. What the naive Georgian president had not realised is that he had fallen prey to another of US' unscrupulous ploys. Certainly US does not want Russia to dominate Eastern Europe but since its mischievious plans to undermine Russia's military capabilities lie exposed, it felt that not interfering in the Georgia-Russia conflict would serve two purposes - one, the US will be able to justify its missile de

DD Sports is the SHAME of India

I feel like personally visiting the top boss of our very own Doordarshan and congratulate him for somehow managing to make the great Olympic games look like some kind of local village games. Every day, I turn on the TV expecting to see some kind of standard in the coverage by DD Sports but I am thoroughly disappointed every time. The hosts on the show are completely lack-lustre and do not seem to care a damn what viewers think. Today, the male host (Mr. whatsissname) was continuously referring to Novak Djokovic as "Yankovic". What's more, he looked very pleased with his "performance". I felt like kicking the TV screen. Then, every time the telecast is transferred from the TV studio to the stadium, there is no commentary for about 10 minutes, leaving me wondering what the hell is going on. Suddenly, a voice comes on. No, it is not the commentator. It is somebody talking on the phone to someone. He was completely oblivious (or just didn't care) that his conver