Crap Trap (On Jews, Trump, Feminists, Modi and everything important)

You don’t know this about me but I’m actually a Lithuanian Jew. Actually I’m not. But it’s cool to pretend. I do have an accent though. On hearing me you’d think I ‘sound intellectual’. No, it’s just that I spent way too much time in front of the TV as a kid watching American sitcoms and imitating the characters. Now I’m an original.

You’re reading this either because you’re a misogynist, or you are not, or you’re just bored the hell with life and it is an interesting title for an article. After- all with all them YouTube videos and random articles what more could one do wrong right?

I support Donald Trump because my childhood hero- Dan Bilzerian supports Trump. Too bad I don’t get to vote on the American election. I’m ‘pro-choice’ though as long as it’s mine.

I know it’s a terrible thing to be rallying around Trump these days (especially in public). It can really affect your chances of getting laid with the intellegenita (female intelligentsia). I’ve tried hard to pretend like I’m a feminist because I love the intelligenita. But I’m terrible at it. Most guys are great at it (and consequently get a lot more action from the intelligenita). They say stuff like equality for the sexes and all that. They say it so well that everyone believes in it. And the genita love it! Sigh!

To be fair to Hillary, she is a role-model to all of us- not just women. She says sensible things all the time (in comparison to Trump- Hello!). She knows how to be diplomatic. She knows that saying the truth can get you in to a lot of trouble. She knows that she needs to be on the side of public opinion all the time. So she supported her husband-Bill in ‘those tough times’. That’s a true woman I tell you. Every guy wants to be Bill with a wife like Hillary.

I know I’m contradicting myself. But it’s the truth. And the truth is contradictory.

Donald is full of himself. There’s no question about it. If there ever had to be a painting titled- ‘Vainglory’, it would have DT in it. People hate him for it. But he’s just a mirror to most people you find in life. Don’t believe me? Just check out your Facebook wall. Yes, that friend of mine needed to wish his mother on her B’day (and post one of their childhood photos together where he looks cute) so that he could get 272 likes (235 with 37 loves or that heart symbol thingy) and it would prove to the world what a doting son he is and that the whole world is proof of this. Never mind that he’s actually a prick. He’s still cool. There’s absolutely no connection between DT and this guy but I just had to rant here. Damn you world!

The real problem for most people with DT is that he is ‘too honest’. He says what comes to his mouth. This is usually a problem for most people. God knows how much I’ve kept inside me for all these years. I’d be fired by now if I told my boss/clients/ friends/ women what exactly I felt like at any moment. But for DT he’s somehow managed to get away with it. And that really is an enigma.

There was a study done by the Harvard Business Review which said that the number one reason for success in any field was confidence. Not that it makes any sense. But I just wanted to put it in this piece confidently.      

I actually don’t know who the better candidate is- ‘Grandma’ or ‘Crazy Grandpa’ (with the uber hot wife). I’m just going with the judgement of my hero Dan. After-all, Dan knows what he is doing. Just look at his life.

Now, in the Indian context (although I’m a pretending Lithuanian Jew) – I support/do not support Modi depending on- a) how hot you are b) how available (or feminist*) you are and c) what will make me look cool with your hot friends (if you are not a & b). For the rest of you- go find another article to read, nonsense, don’t waste my time.

*Truth: Most men support feminism overtly because they equate it with promiscuity among women (inside they’re all MCPs). That coupled with birth-control means more opportunities. Now ‘that’ is a cause worthy of support (who doesn’t like fun ah? Yes, let’s go all watch ‘Pink’, and take home the message. And Amitabh Bachan really wanted to tell his grand-daughters about the whole feminist thing in that public letter. It was just coincidental that his movie released at the same time.) Most women support feminism because they think it’s cool to be like men (Like really? Puhleez!). Everyone is original.

Now, I know this whole piece can come across as very cynical. But it’s not true. I’m actually an optimist. I like to believe in the greater call of humanity, that people do things for others selflessly and that we must be more than just ourselves.  Yes, I believe very strongly in the cause of the English Premier League.

Now, I know most reviews/opinions here will be negative. That’s just because you’re all anti-Semitic. Beware the Zionist movement will come at you. Shalom.

PS: According to my friends I drink too little these days. 

On Freedom of Expression

India is no longer a democracy. We are a hypocrisy. Our stated values and actions are poles apart.

This country was founded on the fundamental basis of value of human rights. Our founding fathers had the wisdom to write a constitution that would enshrine these human rights for everyone lucky enough to be born “Indian”. But, where are we today?

Yes you have the right to justice. But, we never told you how long it would take na. Yes you have the right to equality. Which means all of you will be treated equally badly. And most importantly, you have the freedom of expression- which means that you can say whatever you want as long as no one else hears it!

Government structures have evolved over centuries. Today, most societies in the world have come to the common conclusion that representative democracy is the best way forward. The system is not perfect. That’s why there are many checks & balances in place to make sure that the system doesn’t become stale and abused. There are two fundamental flaws though with democracy. One is that it takes time. To get even 50% of the people to form a common consensus is no simple task especially in larger countries. The bigger flaw with democracy, and one that we must be aware of at all times, is that though the government is elected at the behest of the majority, it doesn’t have to be that the majority is always right!

This is why we have fundamental rights. It is to protect the individual from the state. It clearly defines what you are entitled to. And come what may- these rights cannot be denied to you. The most fundamental of rights would be the right to freedom of expression. The very essence of being human is the ability to express one’s self. This expression could go against the prevailing norm of the day. And, this will be the acid test of how “civilized” we as a society are willing to be.

 It is difficult to clearly define the limits on the freedom of expression. Yes, we need limits. We can’t have guys going around town “expressing their rage” by shooting everyone in sight. Fundamentally, this expression should not involve the physical abuse of another person. What about the non-physical abuse? Now, this becomes a little tricky.

Say a woman walks past me naked. She is in no way physically involving me in her “expression”. How would I react? A part of me would be aroused. But, if I were with my family, then I would also be upset. It is indecent to appear nude in public places. It puts everyone else at a discomfort. When we are in the public sphere we must acknowledge that we are only tenants and not land-lords. We must behave in ways that will respect others’ rights. So which right of mine was the nude-lady infringing on? I would say it would be the “right to be left alone”. The right to be left alone/ the right to choice/ the right to privacy, becomes important in order to clearly define what can actually be designated as free expression. If a nude lady came out in a public space then that clearly abuses my rights and should be stopped. Maybe she’s protesting against AFSPA or for PETA. But, that doesn’t give her the right to invade my space. Now, if PETA wants to draw attention to its cause and says come and watch models nude and show your support- there’s nothing wrong with it. I’m being given a choice and the ladies are being allowed to express themselves.  

So, when it comes to freedom of expression, there must be a choice for the people. Now, with media, it is clear that we have this choice. If you feel Arnab Goswami is speaking rot today, you have the freedom to switch channels. If a movie touches a raw nerve then you have the choice to not go for it. It’s that simple.

But, all this is well when it comes to third persons. What if I’m involved directly? What if I felt someone was perpetrating lies about me and hurting my character and public image? Well, then in this case, the simple rule should be- “the truth must prevail”. If someone has said something rotten about me then they better substantiate it with proof, or, they must tender a public apology and remove the incendiary material forthwith. But, here again we must be careful with how this rule is applied. It should be the responsibility of the litigant to clearly define that the intent of the accused was libel/slander. This is important because if someone says- “Ajai doesn’t like cheese burgers” and if I go to court demanding proof of the same, then we are going in circles.

It is important to allow people to express themselves in the widest of ways possible. Only when one expresses an opinion can another grasp it. History is replete with examples of people who went against public opinion and had to make the ultimate sacrifice. Our modern societies need to ensure that individuals are given the space to express themselves without fear. It might be that the speaker is pointing an important fault in us. But, because of various reasons we are unable to see/ understand his/her views. With time and maturity society slowly begins to understand and appreciate the problem and starts to act on it. Public opinion takes a long time to shape. Democracy isn’t that we will always do things right, but, that eventually we will all find the right way. Freedom of expression is essential to ensure that it is so.

But, today in India, this freedom of expression is being abused by the political class. There have been many instances in the recent past where a twitter/FB update has sent a person to jail. Even the recent controversy over ‘Vishwaroopam’ was a clear political ploy. It becomes important for the courts and society to step up and stop this kind of abuse of our fundamental rights. This sets a dangerous precedent and one that could affect the way our society develops over the years.

On Kudankulam

Protesters at the Kudankulam Nuclear site

The attempt of this post will be to move beyond the “Nuclear Power- Bad, Renewable Energy- Good” vitriol of the current debate.

While nuclear power does come with its risks the demand from protesters for a complete close-down of all nuclear plants is naïve.  The last 20 years have demonstrated the advantages of a booming economy on our society. Poverty has reduced, literacy levels have gone up, life-styles have improved and on most social indicators there are good improvements. But, a lot of work remains to be done and for that we will have to further improve the economy (besides other things which will be discussed). Generation of enough power will be a very important component in developing the economy and while renewable sources should be preferred there remain technical and feasibility barriers to the current technology.

The risks associated with nuclear power are well-known. Nuclear accidents and their fall-outs are well-documented. It is not easy to argue against the risks and no such attempt is being made. On the contrary every risk issue needs to be brought to the fore and a thorough understanding of the same should be mandated. But, there are 435 functioning nuclear power plants in the world today, 20 in our own country. The technology has been around for 60 years and in years to come it will only get better. The technology needs to be given a chance and should not be dismissed outright. What is needed is not risk avoidance but risk management.

Any leader in the protest movement is termed ‘a messiah’ by the media and the public. Nuclear power plants are not being built for the risks they create but for the power they will generate and the positive multiplier effects of that initiative on society. The protesters and their leaders need to come out with viable alternatives.

 If there are suitable alternatives with fewer risks then they should be pursued. If not, then we come to managing the risks associated with nuclear technology. Residents around the power plant will need to be re-located, safety and risk mitigating efforts will need to be tracked thoroughly, and continuous monitoring of radiation and other data will have to be initiated and very importantly in case of an accident- the process flow of the reaction will need to be properly prepared.

Civil society should be engaged in auditing and scrutinizing these parameters. The public needs to ensure that those being forced to move are properly compensated, that structures are in place to deal with any eventuality and most importantly that there is a functioning and prompt legal system to serve justice in case there is a need. By focusing on these civil society would be doing great service towards itself.  The social infrastructure that would be built around these initiatives will long out last any nuclear power plant and will bring about many positive consequences on society. 

The magic of Salman Khan

‘Ek tha Tiger’- was declared a hit even before it was released. How is that even possible? Possible- with Salman Khan it is possible.

I watched the movie on the day of its release and enjoyed it. Only after reading the reviews by movie critics could I find the flaws with the film. It was apparent while watching the movie- but it didn’t really matter and I hardly paid any attention.

I’m not that type usually and need my movies to be engaging. I need the script and the performances to be clever and true. But with some guys like Rajnikanth and Salman Khan these rules go for a toss.

Salman Khan could go dressed in a white sleevless vest and pink pant to a black-tie event and make everyone else look and feel ridiculous. He brings that force of personality on screen and that’s what makes him so entertaining.

Dabangg was the film that converted me. I couldn’t stand the guy before that. But Dabangg had me floored. I can’t imagine anyone else carrying the role of Chulbul Pandey with such élan and with such panache.

Whatever Salman does- he does extravagantly! There is a style and finish to everything that the man does. He understands his quirky mannerisms, and the success of the man has been in being able to make it his strength. However the most endearing part of Salman Khan has to be his confidence. He has super-human confidence in himself and that’s how he’s able to carry out the role of ‘Salman Khan’.

He is probably the only guy who could cavort with his sexy sister-in-law (Munni badnaam!), make us all enjoy it, and then very coolly at the end of the song he says- “Munni- tum jaao Munna ke pass”, in essence telling all of us- who is boss!

We all love the guy coz we all want to be the guy. He projects our alpha-male egos. That’s the aura that the man’s been able to create. That is the magic of Salman Khan. 

Where are the teachers?

A few days back I came across an article in the Hindu editorials on a similar topic. The article got me thinking and hence this post. (I post only after I think- I want you to note that!)

In a society that worships degrees and qualifications it is quite surprising that the quality of teachers is quite ordinary to say the least. And, to a certain extent, this lack of quality in teaching percolates in to the quality of students we are producing each year. So despite churning out the highest number of doctors and engineers year after year what we find is that there is hardly any ‘quality’ material that is coming out.

I’m going to describe ‘quality’ as I mean it in the sentence above. By ‘quality’ I mean kids with original ideas, passion, courage, emotional intelligence and capability. I’m sorry but in most places I go to I hardly see any of the above. And the situation is only getting worse by the day.

Much has been said and written about India’s population dividend. Today most analysts argue that population is our strength and not our weakness as it was once made out to be. While the stupendous economic growth of the last few years may lead us all to believe that, there is one assumption being made that might not necessarily hold fort. As in all things in life it is not always that ‘quantity’ matters as much as ‘quality’. Unless we train ourselves to be the best we are not going to get there- simple as that.

It is not just in our educational system- society in general doesn’t give much thought to training. We are trained to ‘pick-up’ things as we go along. While learning by experience is always the best way, one often finds that a lack of proper structured training inhibits growth and productivity. If one is given some sort of training then at least one knows what to look for and how to go about it. In the current system every newbie has to re-discover the wheel and drive really fast at the same time. Most are not able to cope and remain on the fringes. This is a loss of precious man-hours and a complete waste of time, resources and productivity.

Why this lack of patience to train the next gen? Most corporates believe that training is an unnecessary expense. Only recently have Indian companies (especially IT) been taking their training seriously and spending the required time and resources. But the norm still is to get the boys on the ground hard and fast. We need to fix this mentality. Human resource should not be treated as an unlimited one.

While the counter argument could be that spending too much on training when there is such a high-level of attrition is counter- productive. This is a point. But, as we are seeing already, salaries in India are growing and maybe within the next decade salaries are going to be standardized across the globe. India is then going to lose its charm of ‘cheap labor’. It will have to differentiate itself by the quality of its manpower. This is of course equally true of companies who are right now in business only by playing the meager wage payer game.

Companies/ Organizations/ Societies of the future will have to build standards and processes. They will have to nurture and cherish talent. And to retain talent they will have to get everyone to believe in the over-all vision of the group. Those that adapt will survive, and the others will perish. As in all things it is for us to decide.

India's 62nd Independence Day

Happy Independence day people!

Well it's time for the patriotic bandha in me to come out. It is after all Independence day. What better day to write a post about your country ah?

I have to be honest here. I feel a bit old. I remember India's 50th independence day celebrations. I remember at exactly 12 noon all the TV channels played Rahman's 'Vande Mataram'. And today I realize it's been 12 years since! That's almost half my life!

Many critics, most famously Winston Churchill,( and more recently some chinese joker named Zhong Guo Zhan Lue Gang) have predicted the end of our nation. We have defied the critics and we continue to march on.

India is not a nation in the conventional sense of the term. We are not one race, or people who speak one language, or follow one religion. We are not exactly a physical entity by ourselves(though this is arguable).

India is an idea. Or, to put it better... India is an ideal. India is not an easy country to understand. It forces man to put aside all his ideas of separation and classification and look at things differently. It forces you to answer difficult questions. It requires you to be tolerant, to be understanding, to be different, to seek the truth, to be lawful, to understand differences, and above all- to challenge convention.

Our founding fathers dreamt up an India that would be an ideal to all humanity. The idea lives on and contiues to inspire us. India to me is a passion. It is pure, it is magic, it is old, it is new, it is vibrant and most of all it is happening!

There are miles and miles to go. There is much to be done. But let's not forget that greatness is our destiny. Let's get together and make our 'tryst with destiny'.

Jai Hind.

India & Global Warming - 2

This is a continuation of my previous post. First time readers would do well to read the post just prior to this one to get the complete picture.

The challenges posed by Global Warming are enormous and are going to challenge the human race in every way possible. There are going to be technological challenges, infrastructural challenges, societal challenges, etc. It might not be too far fetched to say that it is going to be the most difficult challenge that we will face in this century.

We are going to have to be at our innovative best if we are to generate enough power to sustain life and civilization as it is today. In this scenario it is imperative that the Ministry of Power should develop a road map for power generation in the future. Sadly, nothing of the sort is forthcoming.

Below, I'd like to discuss some plans and ideas that I have in mind to overcome the power generation challenge. I've not really done a complete study on the viability of these projects but I have a hunch that some of them could work.

Central to my ideas is the belief that we have to try and make each house self-sufficient in power. Solar energy will of-course play a big part in this. There could also be other avenues like the construction of low-cost wind mills, or energy from bio-mass etc. Now what this means is that every house owner is responsible for generating energy for themselves. So if you want to put that additional AC in your house then you have to make sure that you are able to generate enough power for it.

Any excess power generated should be fed in to a grid. In times of distress where a particular household is not able to generate enough power for it's needs then it should be able to draw power from the grid. So for eg, if it's an overcast day in the place you are staying in and the solar panels on your roof are not generating enough electricity then you can draw power from the grid and run the appliances in your house.

Major solar-power plants and hydel power plants can be used to provide power to large industries. Additionally they should also supply power to the grid which can balance the supply and demand over the whole country.

I think we should take it on ourselves and try some of these ideas out. It might not be a bad idea to go in to the interior regions of our country, where there is still no access to electricity, and give it a shot.

There needs to be an urgency to tackle these challenges. We need to be more bold and welcome the challenges that the new economy is going to put on us rather than shy away from them.

I'll be happy to hear your thoughts on these ideas. Thanks. :)

India & Global Warming 1

Flashback to the 80's and 90's- The American Auto Industry Lobby in Washington successfully stalls all efforts by Congress and the Senate to introduce emission and mileage controls on automobiles. The Auto industry argues that consumers should have the freedom to choose their vehicles and the kind of performance it should give. The industry feared that, with tighter laws, the American public would not be able to buy the big gas guzzling Suburban trucks and 4-wheel-drives that they were so fond of.

Coming back to the present. General Motors(GM) is bankrupt. Ford has lost it's position as the second biggest car company in the world and had to sell Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata to stay afloat. Chrysler is considered so toxic that Diamler-Benz(with whom they were supposed to have merged!) removed all associations with them and the company is struggling to find a buyer who can bail them out. The American Auto Industry, once the pride of the American people and the poster-boys of American prowess, now lies in tatters.

On the other hand Euorpean and Japanese Auto makers had to comply with the strict laws that their Governments were putting in place. As a result the mileage efficiency and emission levels of their cars improved drastically. When the era of cheap-oil ended, these manufacturers offered vehicles that were more value for money than the American ones. As a result America lost while Europe, Japan and other countries(most notably South Korea) took over the market.

Now, where is the lesson in this for India???

The Indian Govt's line, in most international forums for climate change, has been that the so-called developed countries should do more to curb pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. On paper this looks like a good argument, coz if we compare the per-capita emissions of India and the so-called developed countries, our pollution levels are way below. But, having said that, because of our Jumbo size, India still manages to be the 3rd most polluting country on the planet!

Our Govt and members of our elite argue that, if India has to become a fully developed and fully industrialized country, then it needs to have more leeway in fulfilling it's emission and pollution control obligations. They argue that it is simply not acceptable that one standard be set for all because the developed countries have already developed, whereas India cannot afford to set tighter laws and regulations coz that would impede economic and industrial growth.

I think the Govt and others who have taken that line have a fair point. We need economic growth to remove poverty and for further societal development. But should we not accept global norms when it comes to pollution control? Should we leave it to other nations to try and bring down their emissions while we go on with the old way?

Clearly there is going to be a new way. Scientific studies have proved that the old way is simply not sustainable. Oil, Gas and Coal are not going to be replenished and when the world runs out of these sources we're going to have to look at others. This is where my eg of the American Auto Industry comes in. What will happen to India when the world runs out of these sources?

Other nations will have a head start when it comes to developing technology for renewable resources. Since they have tighter regulations in place today, manufacturers and researchers will look for the technologies that will be more Eco-friendly, and in time they will have these technologies with them.

It is bad enough that India is lagging behind today when it comes to industrialization. But if we follow the course that the Govt intends for us, then we are going to be laggards in the future also.
Most of the power plants that we are building today will simply be of no use tomorrow. What about all the money invested in them? We are still going to have to generate power. If we hold on to the line that we are holding on to, then we will soon find ourselves in the same place where the American Auto Industry is today. The rest of the world will be reaping the benefits of foresight, like the European and Japanese car makers are now, and we will be playing catch-up just like we are now. If there is no reason and no incentive for our researchers and manufacturers to develop alternate sources of energy then obviously there is going to be no development in the field.

Analysts estimate that the renewable energy market will be worth 2 trillion dollars by 2050. India's current GDP is a little over 1 trillion. Isn't there a big opportunity for India to try and capture that market? We have to awaken our people to the possibilities of renewable sources and their market potential.

I will continue this essay in my next post. :)

As a responsible citizen of India how will I take my country through this financial slowdown?

Hi people. There is an essay competition here in Chennai and this is my entry for it. Results are not out yet. So please cross your fingers for me. ;)
Also today was the day the budget was released so I think it is apt that I post this essay of mine here for all of you.

As a responsible citizen of India how will I take my country through this financial slowdown?

The sub-prime mortgage crisis that originated in the US, soon consumed every country of the world, and has now become a Global Crisis of epic proportions that is second only to the Great Depression of 1929.

Most of the major economies in the world are in recession and this is taking its toll on people everywhere in the world. With reduced demand leading to reduced productivity, this in turn forces more and more people out of jobs as companies try to cut-down costs and maintain bottom lines.

India has escaped the brunt of the crisis thanks to its strong domestic economy and good financial regulations. We have managed to register 5-6% growth in the last year. This is down from 9% in the previous few years, but is still impressive considering the global crisis we are in.

However, certain sectors of our economy that are export-driven have suffered with reduced demand from abroad. This has resulted in job-losses for millions. Most of the people who have lost their jobs are daily wage-earners and usually the sole bread winners in their families. So the problem scales up when we take in to account all the dependents.

The stock market also lost nearly half its value. Many investors lost all their life’s savings in a matter of months.

Many analysts and experts say the worst of the crisis is over and things can only go up from here. But there are others that say that the world will take a long time to recover from the excesses that led to the crisis.

It is important that we focus on recovery and maintain strong economic growth rates to realize the dream of a poverty-free India. President Kalam once said that if India were able to maintain a growth rate of 10%, then by 2020, we could eradicate the scourge of poverty from this country. It is therefore imperative that we all take steps to re-energize the economy.

So, as a responsible citizen of India, how will I take my country through this financial slowdown?

Many analysts and experts believe that a recession/slow-down is a good time to restructure the economy and give it a better direction. I’m a believer of this school of thought and would like to look at this tough situation in a positive way.

It is widely accepted that one of the ways for an economy to handle recessions/slow-downs is to invest heavily in infrastructure. The deflationary effects of the slow-down means prices come down and therefore more work can be done for the same price.

India needs to develop its roads and transportation network. We need better schools and colleges. We need better power supply, better telecommunications, better ports and airports. Thus there is a tremendous opportunity to develop our infrastructure and bring it to world-class levels. This large-scale investment in the economy will drive up demand and will bring dividends over the long- term. Now as an individual I’m not really in a position to invest on my own in projects of the scale mentioned above. However, in a democracy, I am enabled to vote for the candidate that promises to do as mentioned above. I did exercise this power in the recently concluded general elections and I will continue to do so in all elections in the future. I also plan to be more involved and write to my local MLA, MP and Councilor demanding the implementation of the election promises and also try and give my own ideas and initiatives when I can.

I would also like to develop a savings habit for myself and encourage others to also do the same. Like the old saying goes- One must save for a rainy day. India has the highest savings-rate in the world. But being born in a generation with easy access to credit in the form of credit cards and personal loans, I feel those good old-fashioned money values are being lost. This easy accessibility to credit was the reason for the crisis in the US and I believe it is the duty of every responsible citizen to try and avoid it so that we don’t suffer a similar crisis here.

I also plan to become a prudent investor. I won’t be dealing in the stock market until I have understood the market dynamic. I want to have a complete knowledge base and I don’t want to be playing the market on speculations and gossip. People should return to their books and become thorough before they enter and play the markets. Market speculation and hype was another big reason that drove the real-estate bubble in the US. We must try and avoid the same here.

I have a long-term goal of becoming an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is the key to harnessing innovation and creating jobs. Job creation will hopefully be a positive off-shoot of my entrepreneurial venture. I will also encourage others around me to get in to business and try out new ideas and processes. In this way we can all play our part in developing Brand India and in harnessing this country’s tremendous potential.

These are the steps I intend taking to help my country through this financial crisis. I know that I am only an individual and there is very little that I can do to influence society and policy from where I am today. I also know that there is very little one can do when a crisis of a global scale is on us. I might be only one drop in the ocean, but each drop makes the ocean. People should learn and understand that, individually and collectively, we all have our roles to play in our society, economy and country. I’m sure if we all work on it we can pull through this crisis and make the India of our dreams a reality.

Shingara Singh- the last known survivor of Jallianwala Bagh

Shingara Singh, the last known survivor of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, passed away this Monday. He was 113 years old.

On April 13th 1919, a crowd of almost 1500, had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, to protest the harsh measures the then British Govt were taking against the local people. General Dyer, an officer of the British Indian Army, ordered his men in to the compound and blockaded the only entry/exit. He then ordered his men to fire on the protesters and, in the indiscriminate firing, 379 people were killed and over a 1100 were wounded. Many of those who lost their lives were women and children. Many were crushed in the stampede that ensued in the Bagh when the firing began. Many jumped to their deaths in to a large well that was in the compound as it was their only defense against the guns.

When I first read about the incident I was a very small child. Nevertheless it made by blood boil. The incident is a big part of the award winning movie- Gandhi. It was an inspiration to many of our freedom fighters including the likes of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Chandrashekar Azad.
Till date, the British Govt has not apologized for the massacre. General Dyer received no punishment. Don't be surprised as there is nothing unusual about this. The Brits are known for their snobbishness and arrogance. Next time these people make a hue and cry about human rights and other issues, remember that these snobs have very different rules for themselves and for the others.

In many ways the passing away of Mr Shingara Singh is the passing away of an era- the era in which India won its independence.
There was a small article in the Hindu about Mr Singh. It saddened me to read that he felt he'd been ignored by the Govt. To quote the article- "he rued government apathy towards him and his family". He'd been honoured by President Kalam on a visit to pay homage at the Bagh. But clearly this was not enough for Mr Singh.

God Bless the man's soul, but I wish he'd looked at things a little differently. I wish he'd not cribbed about the Govt apathy towards him, coz well, that's what we are going to remember him for. I'm not saying what the Govt did was right. No, I don't intend to defend the Govt.

What I'm trying to say here is this... that we've got to stop blaming the Govt for everything. This problem is so endemic that many of us take it with us to our graves. Business is bad- blame the Govt, rains are bad- blame the govt, India doesn't win enough medals in the Olympics- blame the Govt, law & order- blame the Govt, caste and religion- blame the Govt, bad roads- blame the Govt, dirty cities- blame the Govt.

Where does it end? It doesn't. You see the problem with a democracy is that it depends very much on the people's initiative if something has to be done. Take any one of the problems I mentioned in the previous para and the fault for them lies with us as much as anyone else. The Govt does play an important part in formulating and implementing policy. But we play a bigger part in choosing which policy the Govt is going to follow. We also play a big role in forming/shaping national attitude. This is where the dejection that comes naturally to most people in this country hurts us most. This negative attitude permeates everywhere and everything.

I'd like to quote John.F.Kennedy here. He said-"ask not what your country does for you, ask what you can do for your country".

Right now most of my country men are fighting over who takes more of the pie. Everyone wants reservations for their communities, everyone wants subsidies, everyone wants and wants and wants. But no one is ready to give for their country!

Maybe the Govt was bad to us, maybe things didn't work out the way we wanted them to. But that doesn't mean we crib about things. We can't sit and complain as that demotivates others. We have a duty to try and be positive all the time, to try to make things better, to keep ourselves motivated. To keep hope. This is our duty.
My fellow readers and country men, I will conclude saying this. That when it is your time, please don't complain about your country. It might have done you wrong, but forgive it. Believe in your country and it's destiny. Let hope, not dejection, be the last message you leave on earth.

The King is dead!

The 'King of Pop'- Michael Jackson, passed away in LA yesterday. I write this post as a dedication to what the man meant to me.
Aow! - that was probably his biggest contribution to the world. I first started listening to him when I was around 7-8 years old. He was supposed to make a trip down to India and there was a show in DD promoting him.
The show brought me to the world of Michael Jackson. There were the phenomenal music videos and dance moves. There was the gyrating pelvis, the moon walk, the characteristic full throated yell that portrayed passion and energy, and I, like most guys that time, was floored.
I bought all his albums. I practised his dance moves and could even do the moon walk! (people who know me now will laugh, but I could at one time.) I even started to dress like him with the light blue denim shirt, buttons undone and a white vest underneath. I remember Dad saw me once like that, and he gave me an earful. He He!
That particular tour to India was cancelled, and he toured only much later. My fascination for the man though continued unabated.
My favourite song of his was 'Beat It'. There were others also. There was 'Billie Jean' also from Thriller, 'Smooth Criminal' from Dangerous, 'Bad' from the album Bad. There was also a video featuring Michael Jordan called 'Jam'. That was also brilliant. In Smooth Criminal there's a scene where from standing in the upright position he goes all the way down bending just his ankles. I was fascinated by that move and kept practising it. Unfortunately I'd always fall on my face! I later learnt that trick- photography was used in filming that particular move. :)
As I grew older, I moved on to other musicians and genres. After a certain point of time, it was no longer cool to be listening to Michael Jackson. I'd grown up. I got rid of all my MJ tapes and CD's.
Every once in a while though, there'd be an MJ song playing on TV. And I might have stayed on that channel for a second longer than usual, just to remember the old times. He was the first guy I'd ever confessed to being a fan of. And somewhere at the back of my mind, in my sub-conscious he was still there.
Yesterday's news brought back those wonderful feelings and emotions that were locked away in my mind/ sub-conscious. I remembered being fascinated by the guy and I still can't point out why. I didn't know what he stood for. I didn't understand the lyrics of his songs. His dance moves were maddening, his dressing sense was outrageous. And I still loved the guy. Gosh, what was wrong with me?
Well nothing was wrong with me or the millions of others he'd influenced in the same way. He had that magnetic pull, the charm and aura. Commentaries and tributes to him have gone on and on about how he was a force for good and how he broke down the barriers of race and so on and so forth. I don't know about all that. The truth is that there was a force around him that was/is simply inexplicable. He was and always will be a one of a kind entertainer. He truly was the King of POP!
Thank you MJ. May your soul rest in peace.

MCC- Makes History!

I joined MCC in 2003. It had topped the India Today ranking for best college in Sciences that year, and I was real proud that I'd been selected and that too on merit.
Like all kids at that time I'd been brought up to believe that my destiny was to do Engineering. And I'd really not thought of anything else. But my performance in the 12th exams and the entrance exams were not great and I couldn't make it to any decent Engineering college. When my MCC call letter came my choice was between a not so great Engg Coll and MCC. I chose MCC.
I'd got evening college. Not because of my marks, which were pretty good for B.Sc standards, but because I was not born the right caste/religion. I didn't mind. I'd accepted it as all guys do at that age. What can you do about the system ah?
We were the first evening college B.Sc Maths batch in MCC. Oh the best was yet to come. We had completely new faculty who had absolutely no experience prior to that in teaching! Wow. One moment these ladies were all nice and friendly and the other moment they were complaining about our lack of discipline. I didn't mind. Maybe we were a bit on the naughty side. But just in the adjacent class you had the B.Com guys, who were always hooting and up to all the scandalous things that make for a good college life. In my class there were just two folks( me included) out of a grand total of nine who could be labelled scandalous. But even we were discreet and kept most of it outside the classroom. We didn't want to get in to trouble after all the mischief in school. But lady fate had different ideas for us.
The games still went on. Initially when I'd sit in their classes, I'd be amazed at their grasp of the concepts, their examples, the language they used, the notes they made you take down. It didn't fit coz these ladies didn't look the type. Something was wrong and I couldn't figure it out. When they made you take notes their language was impeccable. They never looked into notes or books and they knew where exactly the commas, the semi colons, the hyphens etc would come. Initially I was truly amazed. Only later on as I was going through the reference books, did I discover the true con. Word to word rote from the reference books! Not one word coming from their mouths was original. Not one example that they gave was their own. It was as good as someone reading to you from a tape. Like one of those audio-books. I was truly amazed. Here are people respected for their academic credentials and they couldn't make one sentence or one example for themselves. One lady was the Gold Medalist in Maths from our college in both her UG and PG. The other lady was doing her PhD. They were often stumped when I asked them doubts. Change things a bit in your answer paper and you'd make them cringe! They want word to word rote. Simple!
I still didn't get why they harboured this strong antagonism towards me. They were constantly picking on me. They'd sent me to the coordinator(our equivalent of Dean) a couple of times. It was only later that I realized that the real reason for all this. Which was that these dames feared me. I could speak better than them. I understood the concepts better than them. I could complicate things for them by asking them doubts and they'd be found out for the mug pots that they really were/are. These things were building up and that's when they got bitchy. These dames' manipulations reached such heights that they even managed to get me suspended from college.
Looking at these dames I lost interest in my course. You can't seriously hope to study something when two stupid(really stupid) females are in your faculty. These were people who'd excelled in the system. Ya right... neat system! And to this illustrious list were added another two fine females in my final year. Things were only getting better.
I managed to clear my U.G. I couldn't make a decision as to what to do next. So I decided to study. With my marks I couldn't hope to get anywhere other than MCC itself. So I applied and I got through the ex-students quota. Some advantage of being MCCian.
Now I was in day college with the great faculty and better class mates(I hoped!). I expected to do some real learning. But was I about to be disappointed or what.
Most of my fellow class-mates couldn't construct one sentence in English properly. These were guys with 80-90% in their UG's! I didn't understand how these guys were writing Lagrange's Theorems and Group Theory and explaining vital concepts in Real and Complex Analysis in their answer sheets! I was soon about to find out.
Pointers to clearing tests in MCC. Mark 10 important questions from last years' papers. Leave your brains out of the whole thing. Mug them throughout. Go to the exam, vomit your shit and clear with minimum 80%. Not once in my 5-6 years in MCC did I have to apply my mind to a problem. Not one challenging problem. You could complete your Masters in Maths not having attempted a single problem! That's the beauty of our system.
Oh the faculty were all super stars with years and years of experience. But from them I got the impression that they'd given up. A few of them retired. Guess who came to replace them???? My Gold Medalist winning faculty from evening college! Promotion! She was now going to give her gyaan to 2nd year PG. Lucky lucky me!
So again I screwed up my PG. Most of my class mates have got out-standing marks. And what do most of them want to do??? They want to become teachers!!! They still can't do one sum properly... they still don't know how to frame a sentence in English. And they are so brain dead that you give them an easy sudoku and they could be there with it for hours and still not complete it. In all of my UG and PG life I was the only one in class who asked any doubts. I know it's unbelievable but it's true. These are tomorrow's teachers Ladies and gentlemen.... do I hear applause??
This is where and how my dear Gold Medalist bitch came in to the teaching line. This fine system of ours manages to produce many many such enlightened souls who will continue to enlighten our society further.
This was and is MCC. I have hence stopped my subscription for India Today. Thank you.

I Vote Tomorrow!

Ladies and Gentlemen, tomorrow is the day I cast my vote to decide the future of my country. Yes the big Mela that is the Indian elections is in it's final stage. And Chennai, where I stay, decides it's candidates for the Lok Sabha tomorrow.
Now these elections have brought technology to the forefront of political parties. I'll give you a few examples. The other day I got a call from Karunanidhi! It was a recorded message in Tamil and I didn't understand most of it. But no doubt a new tool for the politicians.
Then there have been the websites. I've been through the Congress & BJP websites. I must admit I've been quite impressed with both. Then there were sites like Jaago Re and Google helping out with details of the contestants. That was also welcome.
What surprises me most though is the pathetic state of the Election Commission web site. It's like all things to do with the Govt in this country. It's complex, horribly organized, and the voter's list is in Tamil and not in any other language. Wow!
Now I've made an effort to find out who the candidates are, what my parliamentary constituency is( strangely enough this is not mentioned in your Election ID Card), what the agendas are of the political parties etc. And I still feel I don't know enough. I mean here I am, an educated guy, with access to the Net, TV, Newspapers and other Media and I still don't have the relevant info. What could be more weird than that?
The Election Commission has been doing fantastic work in having free & fair elections in our country. But it clearly needs to do more.
It needs to be more pro-active about furnishing information and this information should be made available in all the official languages of the country.
The Election ID Card should have all required details in it. You shouldn't have to go about searching what your constituency is every time.
It should also play a leading role in getting the electorate to know it's candidates better. I know that there will be many of you arguing that this is the duty of the candidate and not the Commission. But in keeping with the spirit of public funding of elections and equal opportunity for all candidates it is imperative that the Commission steps in. As a start the Commission could come out with a pamphlet/newsletter containing the details and agendas of all the candidates contesting the election in the particular constituency. Then there should be a forum where the public should be able to see these people actually debate their manifestos. I think this would go a long way in informing the voter.
Let's hope things change soon. In the meanwhile I'm happy I can vote. Jai Hind.

Remedy!

Hi all,
This is a forward I received from an aunt. It's too good and I thought of sharing it with you all here.

QUICK REMEDY FOR CONSTIPATION...

This may be of help to you.

If you're bothered by occasional or frequent constipation, repeat the following, three times in quick succession, when symptoms occur:

"My future now lies in the hands of Mayawati, Mulayam Singh, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Jayalalitha, Prakash Karat, Varun Gandhi and Bal Thackeray."

If that doesn't scare the SHIT out of you, then you are probably destined to be full of it, for the rest of your life.

GO OUT & VOTE !!!

Cheers....!!!

A Toast to Mr Mallya

Just a day after I'd published my previous post the Indian Govt did a complete U-turn and started negotiations with Mr Otis. On the other side the Govt was trying to do everything in it's power to get the auction stalled. Both efforts failed miserably. And the Govt ended up looking real silly.
In the end it was up to a consortium of Indian Businessmen to save the day for India. Just how successful they were reflects in tha fact that the two highest bids were Indians. In the end it was Mr Mallya who collected the articles for a whopping $ 1.8 million.
Lots has been written and said about Mr Mallya's larger than life image. The high flying liquor baron and airline magnate is a regular in the gossip columns of most newspapers and magazines. He is an A-list celebrity in his own right.
There are bound to be controversies raised with a liquor baron possesing the sacred Mahatma's items. I don't wish to get in to that part in too much detail. Personally I have no problem with the liquor industry and people drinking in general, as long as it in moderation, and people know their limits.
Coming back to Mr Mallya- he's been raising the flag for India for a long time now. I wish to salute him for his patriotism. Today Sir you have won my heart with your actions. Thank you very much. Consider this post a toast to your(our) victory. Cheers!

Auction of Gandhi's items

The proposed auction of Gandhi's items in the US has generated quite a bit of media interest here in India. There's a feeling that the Indian Government should not allow the auction to take place. The Delhi High court has even issued orders for the Government to act on stating the same.
What came to my attention was the proposal from the current owner of the articles- 'Mr James Otis'. Mr Otis has said that he is willing to donate the items to India if India is willing to set aside 5% of our GDP to the development of our slums.
It is indeed a noble suggestion by Mr Otis. However, I would like to tell Mr Otis and others like him, that the budget prepared by the Government of India is for "all the people of India". Our government is a democratically elected one and it is we who will set our priorities. We don't need any noble and moral foreigner to tell us what to be doing with our budget and policies.
The Indian Government has rightly ignored Mr Otis. It is heartening to hear that some Indian Americans have got together and have decided that they are going to bid for the articles. I'm sure they will collect them and deliver them to the Indian Goverment as they have promised.
If Mr Otis is as noble as he seems let him donate the proceeds of the auction towards the slums in India. Let us see the true motives of Mr Otis.

Cricket's Black Day

The day's cricket activities have been sadly over shadowed by the terror strikes in Pakistan. It's fortunate that all the Sri Lankan players have escaped with their lives.
We live in tough times. No one is spared. No amount of vigil and precaution is enough.
The events are a sad reflection of the political scenario inside Pakistan. The signs coming out from Pakistan these past few months are of a nation that is slipping slowly and surely in to chaos. The authorities don't seem to be in control. More over they seem to be willing to cede control to radical figures in the hope of buying peace. That seems to me an exercise in futility.
These are not normal people we are dealing with. Most of them are psychotic cases. They have become blinded by faith and have lost the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. For these people it's always going to be 'them' and 'us'. And leaving them, or rather giving them power only delays the inevitable show down and does not really solve the problem.
It is time for Pakistan to wake up and realize that these are indeed precarious times for them. A stable and peaceful Pakistan is in the interest of the entire world.
Cricket in Pakistan is undoubtedly going to suffer. I don't see any international crciket happening in that country for atleast the next 5 years. The repercussions of today's attacks are bound to be felt through the rest of the sub-continent. If rumour is to be believed there is even talk of postponing the IPL. This season's IPL coincides with the recently announced general elections and there's a general understanding that it will be difficult for the security forces to police both the cricket and the elections.
One can only hope that events such as today's attacks are never repeated in the future. I hope and pray for a better tomorrow.

Freedom In Educational Institutions

Respected Judge/s and Fellow Contestants, I will support the motion that "Restrictions of Student's freedom in Educational Institutions is harmful for Innovative Learning".

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT IS EDUCATION'S HIGHEST GOAL Independent thought "is the most important lesson any educational institution can teach; the most important message any student can learn." Principals, teachers, parents and society in general must be actively committed to a curriculum that promotes free thinking and open questioning consistent with the ideals of a democratic society.
Expression is instrumental to the development of cognitive structures and higher-order cognitive skills. Learning to be innovative requires much more than thinking--it also entails extensive listening, speaking, reading, and writing in which ideas are advanced, exchanged, and evaluated. Schooling should provide students with such opportunities to be innovative and to engage in higher cognitive operations.
Freedom of speech necessarily includes the freedom to express one's ideas despite their unpopularity. Student thinking about any particular matter may be quite different from the official curricular viewpoint.
Education is the practise for adult life. While practising, students will often fall short of intended goals by misunderstanding, misapplying, inaccurately analyzing, poorly creating, and erroneously evaluating the subject matter on which they are working. If they are to derive benefit from this practise, students must be able to make errors without fear of punishment. Institutions must therefore have some tolerance for error--and for student speech.
Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the school or college gate. I would like to quote a statement about why it is so important for young people to be aware of, and concerned about, constitutional rights.
One of the great concerns of our time is that young people are disillusioned by our political processes and are disengaging from political participation. It is most important that our young become convinced that our Constitution is a living reality, and not just some document for lawyers and lawmakers to haggle over.
The values of free speech and privacy have been fundamental to Democracy. Privacy encourages participation and enhances its quality by allowing individuals the space within which to formulate their individual thoughts and opinions. Privacy allows people to question conventional wisdom and to seek their own answers. Invasion of privacy destroys dignity and personhood. My conception of the right to privacy is something that has a "spiritual value". This includes the"right to be left alone" and also asserts the individual's "independence, dignity, and integrity." In cases of intrusion into privacy, the core of the invasion is a "blow to the individual's dignity and an assault on his/her personality." Privacy therefore becomes a means of conferring and confirming personhood.
And with this I will end my case.