Blowing The Flame.

Human right violation is not new to mankind, and has occurred ever since man has ruled his fellow men. The society with power and an eager thirst to conquer beyond its occupied territory has always resulted in clash between societies with and without power always resulting in destruction of life and property. The aftermath of such conquest is of more importance as it always result in extreme human right violation, resulting from the revolt of sufferers.
Most of the occasion, the suffering of the oppressed is slipped below the carpet in name of planned violence. But the present scenario, where Chinese government unleashed terror in Tibet resulting in large scale death of local citizens needs appropriate solution. The western world views it as complete death of democracy in Tibet, where as the Tibetans voiced there protest against the Chinese government by disrupting the Olympic flame throughout the world Olympic relay beginning from Athens, London, Paris, San Francisco and Delhi.The question that got highlighted was whether Tibetans were right in their attempt to disrupt the Olympic flame, did it get the required attention by the world in large of the growing atrocities of the Chinese government towards the Tibetans.
A certain part of me accepted the way the Tibetans voiced their protest, as its well known that their peace loving master Dalai Lama is completely against any form of violence, and he ensured that in any kind of protest that were carried out were completely non-violent. Disrupting a rally without hurting, or breaking any law is clearly a matured form of voicing concern. The most important point to notice is none of the protest resulted in any damage of any life or property. They ensured that by targeting the Olympic torch run which ran news in every corner of the world, the Tibetans could reach out to the entire world showing the atrocities suffered by them under the illegitimate Chinese rule.
But how right were they in targeting an event which plans to unite mankind under a single umbrella. Sports and games represented in Olympic brings out the best of an individual, It's a proud moment for any individual to represent his/her country and win accolades by competing with the best in the world. Chinese Olympic event has become a political target for everyone to voice their concern about Chinese inability to provide humanitarian succor to people in Darfur and Tibet. Even Steven Spielberg quit the Olympic artist director after mentioning that he felt the Chinese government did nothing to resolve the crisis at Darfur despite having such strong hold in Sudan national politics. Even the event got out of proportion in India when many top notched sports person decided not to involve themselves in the torch run. Even decision by great leaders to boycott the opening and closing Olympic ceremony as a mean to drive home the message that the Chinese government is wrong in there approach to handle the humanitarian crisis in Tibetan and Darfur.
It looks absurd to choose an occasion like sports to voice their concern about political crisis around the world. Sports is an event that should try to unite mankind in spite of all the differences that exist amidst us, but by we are missing the opportunity that we get what sport and games has to offer. My views are not against the voicing of the concern, but against the occasion used to voice the concern.

Uniting the Nation

With Raj Thackeray politically trying to create divide amidst Maharashtrian by accusing north Indian migrant of swamping state financial situation, blaming them for lack of opportunity for the fellow Maharastrian. Along with which few big bollywood names lending support to his cause, it look surprising, instead of going ahead, we are creating plans and vision for the nation to lead it backward. There are contentious issues, sporadic event occurring throughout that scares the uniting fabric of the nation.
But what surprised me completely as I watched the second finals between young Indian blue and Oz down under, with the Team India defeated the world champ by 9 runs to claim there first tri-series series against Australia in Australia. It was a great cricketing achievement for the nation to be proud of its young sportstars. The nation goes frenzy and start to throw abuse on every possible cricketer, captain and coach when the team loses, but then praises lavishly on team members for there victory. Every news channel have at least a hour of news daily about cricket, though it might have no relation to any on-field event. Cricket news sell more hotter than the news regarding Darfur Crisis, US presidential election or may be even recently concluded Indian budget.
What really bind the nation amidst the geographical boundaries is the spirit of cricket, it unites the old and young, rich and poor, illiterate and literate. No wonder the game of cricket is aptly called the 'Religion of the developing India.' With Sachin, Yuvraj, Dhoni or even Dravid raised to the status of demigod. It's no doubt that they have become a sort of ideal personality for youngsters to cheer about. Every Indian has a variety of suggestion, comment and advice for the players, (God knows how many ever played on ground with full guard) but yet each have a comment to share on everyone of them.
Nation being cricket crazy brings upon itself an unique way of bringing it citizen dwell on some common interest they share among themselves. Cricket gives the citizen a platform to express themselves, which otherwise people have really nothing to share or comment with others. For many it looks the game has taken priority over many other relevant issues and other forms of game. But what is more important is it has brought under itself variety of people with all possible background to share a common agenda. If cricket can be used as a medium to impart some message to the nation, its bound to reach the corners of the boundary.
Rarely does an country can boast of some issue that can bring it entire clan to be proactive, but here in India, cricket has achieved the status which no other agenda, issue or event can bring the entire nation on the edge of it chair. If utilized properly as a right medium, cricket has the ability to unite the nation, beyond the realm of any social, religious or political framework.

For SALE, For SALE........

Well this is an article that is the outcome of a debate competition held back in my campus amidst PhD graduates, where we discussed the ensuring legality of human sale was beneficial. Well i did take stance for favoring the motion and what follow below is my perspective of the topic. It's for not creating any controversial stir as the topic is highly sensitive and has to be handled with utmost care and logical viewpoint.
The excerpt are as follow.....
Ladies and Gentleman of Elite Intellectual society
I'm not here to sensationalize, the issue but want every individual look at the matter from a pragmatic perspective. Over the last few weeks every newspaper has carried the news of immigrant workers being exploited of there body organs specially Kidney without there CONSENT. Such news are sufficient to stir human right activist, and in turn every news channel and in general entire public.
Well let me portray some statistics, people say numbers can be misleading, but most of the time they do are informative. Just in the state of Delhi and Harayana, there were 2000 patients who received kidney transplant, where is just 30 were from relatives, by the way its illegal to receive any sort of human organ apart from eyes from your relatives. This implies the remaining 1970 were illegal transplant!!!!. Apart from this there are 6700 still awaiting transplant and there are 6000 who die annually, just because there are no donors available. I ask of the audience have you heard of such issues ever making news or any human activist organization supporting this cause.
I want to highlight the fact that people die every year, not because there are no immediate relative donors available, thus you have no way to approach anyone else to donate human organs by any legal procedure, and as a result what thrive amidst is a huge illegal black market of organ sales running across the length and breadth of the world.
Organ sale is viewed as manifestation of poverty and desperation from the lower strata of the society. We view it as breach of human rights, but the life being saved is never scaled on the same MORAL BALANCE. Well what will legalizing organ sale result in, looking at in a humorous note
1)It will reduce the burden of maintaining criminal in the jail.
2)It will abolish, if not surely minimize the crime of illegal sale.
3)It will help to regulate and monitor such an event, which will help in long run to minimize risk, find novel route to help emergency patients and will avoid surely exploitation of poor people.
Organ Sale-Organ transplant can be viewed as win-win situation, rather than mere exploitation of poor people. If the donor is from the weaker section and the recipient from richer section, ensuring right legal law we can ensure right monetary benefit to the poor and right health benefit to the rich. The same can be said of even opposite situation. Every individual has right to healthy living.
By legalizing you are not only creating win-win situation in every transplant, but also ensure in the illegal trade, the poor will never be exploited. Legalizing ensure the whole process is scanned under right conditions, and it will help database where the knowledge will be useful in long run.
Finally its m firm belief, Legal framework is like a mesh, which collect dirt, when dirty water flows through it. Finer the mesh(i.e better the legal framework) the cleaner the water you get at the other end.
Man needs conscience to drive himself ahead, where else society requires law to progress.

It ain't over 'til it's over

The above tag line shouldn't come as surprise for Hollywood buffs, for the moment they read it,Rocky Balboa should manifest front of them. Sylvester Stallone has immortalized the machoist character Rocky Balboa to the entire world. The movie was inspired by Muhammad Ali- Chuck Wepner heavy weight boxing fight held in 1975. The 6 part movie revolves around the heavy weight boxing champion Rocky Balboa, whose challenged by different contenders during different phases of his life.
The movie apart from highlighting boxing has shed light on various aspect of human personality which is essential for survival. I enjoyed seeing the entire series in one go, just to not let go continuity and appreciate the nuances of story line in the movie. The spirit of 'never give up' despite enduring pain flows as the bottom line of the movie. Rigorous training and hard work are essential for any successful career, but when it applies to physical training, its so easy to quit, after all when body endures pain mind hesitates to accompany. Pain is a human quality that everyone tries to avoid, but not realizing its importance that without pain one cannot enjoy pleasure.
Pain has its own relevance in human life, it moves one's heart seeing other in pain.
It provokes your grey cells, for rarely do you bother when people are happy around you, but when they are in pain{sad} do you feel like knowing about them, thus get people closer. But Pain can do more magic than just hurt us around, the more you face pain, the more you can handle them later. Pain can widen our circle of exhaustions. Pain might wear your muscles and strengthens your mind. Enduring pain toughens the will power of man, after all the building subjected to harshest test survives along the annals of history.
Sports and Games are one place where man is ready to accept pain gleefully, after all its while playing man enjoys despite being pain, exercising his ability to his limits and beyond. Sportsman speaks of mental toughness that lead them to glory, the stepping stone to this glory is pain and pain alone. Pain that teaches not to quit when going get tough, but to become more tough. After all ITS NOT OVER TILL ITS ALL OVER.

Recipe for Disaster.

Imagine fertile land all around you is not used to feed the growing population of the world, rather for filling up the tanks of the motors driven around us. Biofuels can no way supplement the growing demand of automation and aviation industry for replaceable fuel, rather will stress the increasing demand for food for increasing population in the world.
Biofuels firstly need appropriate definition for itself, It's a fuel made from living part or waste they produce. The list include wood, straw, animal excreta, ethanol made from processing plant material. But of late, its derived mostly from crops like sugarcane and corn. Ethanol is used along with petrol as fuel in most of the advanced hybrid vehicle. The advantage of using biofuels is it will reduce greenhouse gas emission, and in turn reduce the catastrophe of global warming.This advantage has been highlighted extensively for increasing the production of biofuels around the world. In fact countries like Brazil, US have doubled there ethanol production in last 4-5 years. European Union also have set target that vehicle running should have around 5% of fuel coming from biological sources. Setting targets like this will put more pressure on government to put aside more land for devoting it for cultivation of biofuels, rather for food grains. The picture looks so clear from the fact that the moment the land for cultivating biofuels is diverted to fuel your vehicles, instantly there is more pressure to feed the growing population of the world. There are already civil unrest that has occurred in several developing nations such as Mexico over food versus fuel conflict.
Society seems to have disregarded the fact that there is population explosion, and half the population in most of the developing and underdeveloped nations still sleeps with empty stomach every night. The priority needs to be set right, is is to fuel the rich people vehicle in developed nations, or feed the malnourished people of the world. And as far as use of biofuels as greener technology for the future, the simple solution lies in reducing energy consumption, rather than trying to meet the increasing energy demands of growing population.

Breaching the WALL

It's just a fairy tale, and has no connection to the real world. It's an expression of feeling, which I hope will come out true someday................

This probably 1 of the very few occasion, where I have preceded heart
over logic. And what follows down is an expression of an individual
who now feel his wall has been breached for the first time in his
life. Well here it goes......................

you know what they say..."if god has brought you to this...he will
take you through it"

I have tried real hard to pick lessons by observing. And its been
my attempt to live by them...and may be improvise on...So , I build
virtual walls, barricades about me hoping that NOTHING/NOBODY can ever
penetrate them. I am being impervious to any emotion, feeling or fear.
I know I cant get hurt, and it will require stupendous amount of work
to really TOUCH me. Guess I am playing the stakes of life at a lower
risk. And why shouldn't I????? I am not in business here. I have a
life to be well lived , every moment to be cherished, every dream to
be realized....to laugh every laughter to its fullest...to give every
breath its due....to love myself.

I had always scoffed at romance/love. In my opinion love was dumb. I
would not entrust my heart to another. I refused to get myself
betrayed. I was just too tough for love. Who has the time for an
eluding love anyway???its just an abstract mystery....and i had no
inclination in solving it....much less think of it.

I have seen people walk out of each others live's. And most times
they are not walking away empty handed. They take away with them a
huge chunk of each other. resulting in a colossal hollow. This hollow
WILL surely be filled by time. Slow...but not necessarily
steady.History proves this to be predominant almost like an epidemic.
Why the hell then any sane person would ever want to get inflicted and
smitten??????? dosent it only seem wise and intelligent to stay out of
any relationship????? why get diseased???

I was immensely sane. Life got a little mathematical. Perfectly
fine...no hassles. I never swayed. I made sure every part of my heart
remained sealed inside. I was steady .I was happy.I was everything I
wanted to be.

But just as you think you have seen it all...there comes a new
surprise - trick or treat.I dont know what happened next, probably
anesthetized. There is some new virus in me. Someone breached my
security. Whatever happened to my barricades?????The wall???? How
could anyone possibly walk through it all...and touch me????? All my
dearest and most precious ideas/opinions started to fall apart. I
fought in vain to put it all back together. I started questioning my
own mores...i had held them so dear. I see them all slipping away.I
see myself falling.

I gladly gave away from the deepest parts of my heart. There i was
setting myself up to another. Deep down there was a mild resistance
trying to surface....but it waned. Someone had now settled down in my
forbidden territory. It seemingly defied all the rules and laws I had
ever known.

I got introduced to true caring, sharing and unselfishness( remember
the night you felt bad at my outright boldness, truth pained me hard
the entire night). YOU have entered my life and turned everything
upside down. Love IS still a mystery but then i started to
investigate...I'm STILL looking for well defined solutions.

Life is not mathematical anymore. And it seems a harder nut to crack
with such imposing feeling never encountered before.

Love just happens, it waits for unprepared MIND, to get there HEARTS CLOSER.

Well scientist speaks the language of logic and reasoning, but here
human is speaking the language of heart. Sometime you have no idea
which is right, though I still feel logic defy everything I believed
and stood for, hoping my wall were impregnable.

But now I stand amidst the ruins of my belief and ego, with the
thought MANU'S DOMAIN has been infiltrated by you.............................................

Is Law serving it's purpose.

Of late 2 incidents that occurred within a short span caught the attention of the entire nation. One being Munnabhai alias Sanju baba awarded rigorous imprisonment for 6 years for illegal purchase and possession of arms and bombs from the terrorist prior to Mumbai 1993 bomb blast. While other being Dr Haneef who returned at the weekend after the Australian government dropped a charge against him that he had recklessly provided support to a terrorist organization by having given his mobile phone SIM card to a relative linked to the foiled UK terror plot.
These 2 incidents have evoked strong emotions,rather sympathy towards the 2 individuals. Sanjay Dutt has conquered the hearts of bollywood fans by providing them with 2 fabulous hits enacting as Munnabhai. As a result over the years, the case pending against him has been postponed many a times and also been provided anticipatory bail on couple of occasion. But after 14 years the court has handed all the accused 100 people with rigorous punishment, though the master mind Dawood Ibrahim sill enjoy his freedom in Pakistan/Dubai. So is Tiger Memom whose personal revenge resulted in such a dastardly act.
On the other hand Dr Haneef was accused of supporting terrorism after his SIM card was found in the burning car that crashed at the glasgow airport. Though later it was proved that was innocent of any crime as it was his cousin who had taken his SIM and was responsible for the act. The Australian government was accused of laboring charge s against him for which he wasn't responsible. The government faced the wrath of legal and civil right group for there anti-terror laws. And the australian prime minister John Howard defended his government decision of detaining Dr Haneef, mentioning that "It's better to play safe, than being Sorry, when you are dealing with terrorism." Later as it was found that his SIM card was not found in the burning car near Glasgow airport rather at Liverpool.
Well both situation put the law under dark light. One where law decides to punish the criminal for his act, but after such a late period during which individual takes effort to come into the mainstream of life and try to improve himself. After all Law punishes the individual so that he can improve in his life, what if he has already shown conscious effort to improve himself. Where else in haneef situation if law detains somebody who isn't really a criminal the mental torture and defame he and his family go through is more offensive than the punishment that one might end up if he is found guilty of charges.
Law works like, punishing the individual as if, 'Revenge is sweet if served cold.'

One Laptop Per Child.

Imagine a world, where the classrooms are filled with under-nourished and undressed children's but yet attending the classrooms with personal laptop. The scene can create turmoil in your thoughts making you wonder whether such a huge investment on such project is worth, when the basic essentials are still a distant dreams for many.
The idea of One laptop per child 'OLPC' was conceived by Nicholas Negroponte who was co-founder and director of MIT media laboratory. The mission of the group being. "It's a educational project, not a laptop project." The idea was conceived even before computers had known to exist way back in 1967, when 'Logo' the first programming language was written for children's. And today after 4 decades even the project seems to be going strong though no strong results have achieved, but even major companies like Intel has joined hand into the project.
Looking into the fact that behold in front of us, we see that most of the underdeveloped countries and developing countries have plethora of problems confronting them. One among the many lies lack of child education or inadequate literacy. The greatest threat this problem poses to the society and individual at large can be devastating. Child labor, Child abuse, induction to terrorism, child slavery and list can be dug as required. This can lead to chronic global problems, unless the problems can be solved from the grass root level. The mission of this program is to realize and make aware each child who lives in desolation and poverty that light of learning can dissolve the dark forces that elude the society from progress. After all any nations most precious natural resource are there children's on whose shoulders the responsibility of running the country will slowly be passed down.
No doubt this program tries it level best to provide the best of technological gadgets to the children, so they can tap the innate potential latent in them. OLPC is a non profit organization providing a mean to an end. The end that hopes that each child sitting even in the remotest part of the world has the technical requirement to tap the inner potential and get exposed to the reality of the whole world of ideas, so as to grow and contribute themselves over a period of time.
The authenticity of the mission and vision is not worth questioning. But the group seem to be overriding the reality that they are trying to implement these ideas in African countries and other South-Asian developing countries where malnutrition is a major problem that need to be solved before trying to implement these programs. The priorities need to be set right, before trying to solve the problem. The blue-print of any development program needs to prioritize pressing problems before investing time and money, else it can lead to backlash resulting in wastage of huge investment as well as sprouting new problems.
As far as normal far sightedness is concerned any sane individual will see this mission being futile unless other major child related problems are not solved. No doubt this program can run hand in hand with other development programs run by many other non profit organization.
More details about this program can be viewed at this website:
http://laptop.org/en/index.shtml

Need for Speed.

The whooping sound that crashes through your ear as the formula one car zooms through the high speed corner, is enough to send adrenalin up your head. The thrill the sport has carried and awed the people all around the world is amazing.
Speed thrill and formula one racing championship is all about the thrill of watching the racers drive through the circuit through high speed corners at a whooping speed of 300 kmp/h and more, or maneuver the chicane to overtake their opponent. Watching the team decide upon pit stop strategy with either 2 or 3 stop strategy, starting with less or more fuel are part of team preparation of racing in the circuit. The dexterity of team mechanics as they changes the tyres from intermediate, compound or hard tyres or refuel the car or change front nose cone(if damaged during the race) during the pit stop is a crucial factor deciding the fate of the race.The cream of the race being the overtakes by the driver that is based on his skill to pick on braking points or cornering lines. A great overtake move represent the formula one at its very best, since it bring the best drivers close to each other on the track at high speed still avoiding contact with each other. Not to mention the physical endurance the driver go through during the race experiencing a g-force of 3-4 during deceleration's near the chicane and the weight loss of 3-4 kg through fluid loss after 60-70 laps of focussed driving.
Racing to get championship or constructor point occur only on the selected 17-18 circuits spread throughout the world by the 2 team driver and the team mechanics sitting in the pits. But the real analysis and homework is done by the team engineers in the wind tunnels optimizing the aerodynamics of the car affiliating to the norms set up by the FIA. The optimum design of car engine along with gear box remains the most intense battle fought by the team like Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, BWM, Toyota and Honda. Exuberant amount about 1 million dollar is spent on gaining 4 millisecond every lap and about 20 millisecond for optimizing on aerodynamics. Though large amount of technical effort in producing a car engine with optimum aerodynamic design, the fuel used is still similar in composition to the one used in normal cars. Large quantity up to 200,000 liters of fuel is used by every team for testing and racing during the championship year.
Well this amount to huge amount of money being invested on this sport trying to extract thrill of pushing the automotive technology to its very limit. No doubt the research, money and time invested on this sport is worth every penny, after all the today's formula one technology has opened up new doors for technological advances in the road car industry.

Sensuality for Sale.

Recently as I was strolling the potholes filled dreaded roads of Bangalore, my eyes caught attention of the one of the billboards that had been placed along the roadsides. Such a thin line separating obscenity and creativity this is what all I could figure out from staring and analysing the billboard.
The media barons will come heavily on my line of reasoning, thinking of me as fundamentalist who has no flexibility to appreciate creativity. But the point I would like to make, how much will we stretch our freedom of creativity into orbit of obscenity. Fair skin has great demand on screen, and no doubt that most of the companies try to sell their product anchoring them in their ads. Reality strikes hard when we compare so many of the ads coming on the idiot box, that even products related to electronic gadgets and vehicles rely heavily on skimpy dressed fair skin to sell them. It wouldn't be a great issue if sensuality could be used for products related to apparels, cosmetics or lingerie. After all it's here where sensuality in ads would make a huge difference in products sale. Classic example from Indian scenario would be the increase in Liril soaps after the famous ads involving karen lunel drenching in the waterfall splashing water singing 'la lala la'.
Off late as I was browsing through the kingfisher calendar website, which has literally borrowed its idea from the famous Italian company (unable to recollect the name) that uses the famous models for there desktop calendars. Wow nice product to be kept in your room even if you aren't interested in knowing whats the date and day today, still the calendar will probe you to have a look at it many a times daily.
Advertisement is a huge playground where every player want to excel with utmost creative design and concepts. And none hesitate to use the fair skin to outclass their opponents. Well I would like to end with famous quote from H.G.Wells "Advertisement is legalized lying".

Attacking Artistic Freedom.

Once again the state run by a communal party comes up with issues, that sends the entire nation into strife. This time its the arrest and attack of student and the dean of department of fine arts of M.S university Baroda. The communal wing campaigners have taken to vandalism in many places on many occasion, citing that effect of foreign influences on Indian culture.
Off late moral policing by such right wing members have been taken in bad taste by the citizens of the country. Many feel moral policing and taking to vandalism is intrusion into individual's right to freedom of expression. Vandalism is an expression of the group's inability to convince upon their's idea and belief and create fear in the society of their existence. The group member claims that their moral policing is to ensure that foreign influences don't malign Indian culture. My personal opinion is, no act can degrade a culture, be it INDIAN or Foreign. It's only practise that upholds a culture. And by resorting to violence, these right wing members are no way upholding the Indian culture, to which they pledge their alliance.
The moral policing by such right wing members seems to be reaching a crescendo, and long before their presence amidst us will only ensure that our existence will lead us to backward in times. The way the presence of Taliban had on the effect on the people of Afghanistan. Instead of leading the countrymen to a bright future, the leaders lead them to dark ages. These calamity befalls only when fail to inculate human values and implement them in daily lives. Adopting modernization into daily lives doesn't degrade ones culture and society.
It's high time we make our voices be heard to such people that, we don't need their existence amidst to tell us that whats right or wrong. Else we will enslaves ourselves to someone's mindless whims and fancies.

WARMING: watch out its a WARNING.

Off late every newspaper, research journals( Nature, Science), Websites are carrying news article about the growing concern of global warming. Never before the scientific community has shown greater concern on a issue that has/will matter human civilization. In fact the issue has been taken so seriously around the world that even UN Security council held a debate on global warming. As it considered the issue of global warming as a matter of global security concern {though it's against man's own mindless subjugation of nature}
Though I have already blogged on the subject of global warming in my earlier posts. But I couldn't resist writing on the article once again, as it caught the attention of even entire political society. Otherwise till yesteryear, global warming was just the consideration of environmental activist. Since global warming is going to cause a large scale devastation in terms of lives and economy. Politician are forced to reflect on the issue of global warming. Since last year already there has been 3 meets of Intergovernmental panel on climate change(IPCC), where majority of discussion and debate kick started on global warming and consensus have been reached on majority of news means and method of controlling the effect of global warming. It's a choice to be made by the developing countries to stick to large scale industrialization for it's growth or perish.
Industrialize AND Perish : Industrialize OR Perish seems to be the buzzword of every developing nation. In fact all nations seems to have caught up at the cross roads of effect of global warming. The developed nations though are the one responsible for the mankind standing on the brink of disaster. It will developing nations pursuit towards industrialization that might lead mankind to extinction tomorrow. Technology such a renewable energy seems to be promising future. But at an individual level entire human society has to look for changes in it consumption patterns.

Campus Carnage

Though the event has occur ed almost 2 weeks ago, I was tempted to express my concern for the students who lost there lives in one of the often occurring dastardly act in American universities.
Well this is not the first time such incident has occur ed in American universities, in term of damage(human life) this one will be remembered for the toll Cho had taken. People might argue that life's could be saved if after the initial shooting had occur ed at West Ambler Johnston Hall dormitory, then after 2 hours the second attack occur ed at Norris Hall engine ring building. If the authorities had warned the student after the initial incident. But the authorities replied they had no reason the believe another incident could occur and even guessed that incident to be isolated and the gunman would have left by then.
The previous incident that blotted American history with such killing in school have occur ed even way back in 1966 at University of TEXAS, then in 1999 at Columbine High School at Colorado. Though the background of the people involved in shoot outs had different background and suffered Psychological breakdown. But the key Point that is easily overlooked is the fact that it's easiest to purchase an arms in US for anyone who is above the legal age of 21. In fact the state of California has even more absurd law stating that any individual above the age of 21 can purchase to a maximum of 1 handgun per month only. Though the purchaser is subjected to background checks( recently included law). Here is the nation in the world that beliefs that owning an arm is matter of civil liberty. And there is on going debate in the country not on banning the rule to own a gun, but just to impose stricter restriction on arm posses ions. In a recently concluded survey by United Nations brought out shocking statistics that in US population of 300 million there were 200 million guns(Legalised) being circulated. And death by firearm per year stand to 0.3% per year.
What surprises me, is the fact that here are we a nation of 1 billion with more than 60% population in there prime age. Yet how many of us have seen a real gun forget owning them. Please don't include the government officials and Armed officers. Where else in US in fact more than half the population posses legalized arm. In fact there should be no doubt that such incident at universities do still keep occurring every once in a while. In fact until you have access to arms such incident can never be completely ruled from the society. No amount of metal detectors at School and University gates or stricter security can avoid such mishap occurring often.
I would like to end with small observation that its the Same country that has attacked other nations for posse sing WMD( Weapons of mass destruction), where else in there own backyard arms are being legally sold. US should realise the greatest threat they are incurring not from WMD present in Middle east countries or some Eurasian countries but from there own population by allowing them to arm themselves at their free will.

Digital Divide

Just as the state of Uttar Pradesh goes into voting to decide onto the fate of it future politics, the saffron oriented party has caused a turmoil in the state by bringing out a Compact Disk(CD) containing inflammatory and offensive remarks on the minority group.
In fact the Hindu edition carried out detail description of the content of the CD in its Thursday issue. The details were shocking and horrifying, well I just couldn't imagine the national party would stoop to such low mean of propaganding it's ideology by throwing the other community in such a bad light. It's well known that such religious oriented party are in power in some state where they have lured the society based on communal vote bank.
They seem to be trying the same policy of winning votes in UP by outclassing the other community, and nations seem to have realize the parties policy as a result the Election Commission is trying to take a tough stance against such a propaganda during the election rally. Though some other parties are requesting that since the BJP's top brass agreed that it was aware of the CD content, they should be banned from contesting the election.
Rather the best solution I view is that the people of the state should go for voting and shouldn't cast even a single vote to this party and causing a shame full defeat for
it.
Though not an implicit follower of Indian politics, I would like to learn about it's horrid way of working, after all they decide our future. Though the views I have expressed is so stale, this incident occur ed 2 weeks ago and literally rocked the nation. But our country with such large diversity throws up new sensational situation every new morning to ponder over. I would like to end with a note, with the world largest democracy, best known constitution( there are laws for every situation that one can think of: courtesy T N Seshan, in his autobiography). We still languish in development for the simple fact that nation is still ruled by people with short sightedness and interested in personal gain rather nation development.

Forbidden Knowledge.

Over the last few weeks, the state government of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi are having facing a stiff opposition from religious group of introducing sex education in the school syllabi.
In order to introduce such subjects in the school, the educational department had resorted to meeting religious peer head in the state. And after discussion with them, decide to implement the course in the school. Well pragmatically looking its fine to discuss such issues with religious head, but what would have been more appropriate would be discussion with parents on a large scale.
But on the contrary they faced stiff opposition from saffron and Islamic groups, voicing theirs concern that this will lead to deterioration of moral values in the society. The need of the day is to make just not adult, but also youth realize the implication of sex problems, that has resulted in India being second in the world having HIV positive patients.
Issue that has to be discussed is not that whet er this education should be implemented in the curriculum. May be people opposing think, this will be implemented in very early class. But when we are taught basic reproduction in mammals in our 9th class, there seems to be no opposition to this. So why not have the sex education implicit part of our biology textbook chapters.
It's important to be clear what exactly going to define sex education. This will surely have nothing to do with love making, but maybe safe methods to approach them. Reasons for spread of sexually transmitted diseases and misconception about there spread.
I personally against the view that use of contraceptives for safe sex is advisable, but we forget this is like giving passport doing all hanky-panky and still get away. Nevertheless sex is an integral part of human survival, and has to be handled carefully. Well this shouldn't be viewed with moral vision, but rational look that humans can be emotionally carried away and indulge in unhealthy sex, which can lead to disastrous consequence. Cons of such action should be made aware of in such curriculum.
All sexual information that all have gathered is usually from there peer, so there is always scope of wrong ideas being circulated. Only if we are taught from a authoritative sources, not only we get rid of shyness in knowing them, but also learning the right notes.
So finally I hope that that the fundamentalist quickly cool down their ire and think sensibly, that there is not going to be moral degradation when you are being taught about sexuality in life, under scientific light.
"Modesty is never hurt through scientific approach."

Two Hands or One Mouth.

Just a few days ago, I happened to see program on CNN where a debate was being held with elite members on it panel, though the discussion ran from Indian politics to dismal cricket performance. The program set up my mind into non-scientific motion. The members kept comparing Indian status and performance in economics, science, politics and sports. Statistics revealed a gloomy picture of present Indian scenario.
Are we nation with largest democracy, second largest population, high ratio of female infanticide, low literacy rate and mismatch between male and female literacy rate, high corruption among the developing nations {we are rated as developing nations:CLICHE}, poor medical and sanitation facilities. A detailed statistical overview of India's status can be found in the world bank website at www.worldbank.org.in
This picture by no mean is to make our self feel dejected at the state of affairs that we live in. We are used to hear that its almost 60 years since independence, and progress looks stagnant. What have the politicians done for the people other than just filling there pockets, We complain so much about the bureaucracy,the pain of official work being done. Bribery rampant in all walks of life. Even taking your time out to ponder over the fact and grim situation surrounding it sends a shiver down the spine. Is this a future we are being handed down by our predecessor. Aren't we entitled to a better future. Is this a nation been given to us to take care of.
But as the saying goes, every dark cloud has a silver lining. We can be proud of the fact of the of the 1 billion population that exist today, more than 35% constitute a youth group between 20-35 years of age. This can be considered as the biggest boon of population explosion that we usually speak. The grim situation of over population can be looked more pragmatically as, why consider shortage of food resources for each stomach,rather you have 2 hands for each mouth to be fed. It's no doubt a big challenge in the long run to find enough resources to handle growing population, but as a matter of fact, India is the most under-utilised nation in terms of its resources. So we will in reality never be shortage on the resources, but no doubt effort has to be put to ensure people are aware of family planning.
The present scenario is to utilise the 2 hands of each individual to build up the nation, which lies in the shattered state handed down by our elders, rather turn down the beautiful opportunity that lies ahead of us in resurrecting the nation. It's time to realize the power of the youth and take up the responsibility of nation building. Even if Utopia ever existed, it wouldn't have been a genesis, it would have been built from scratch. Similarly if we want a beautiful 'INDIA' with perfection in every domain. It's time to build such a one.
"You see, not whats there, but what you Build."

Truth alone Prevails.

Every PhD Graduates have their share of enjoyment and entertainment while being confined in there lab. And watching movies on your desktop, while experiments is running is one among them. So I took the pleasure of watching Lage raho munnabhai recently though I had already watched it in the theater( 1 day, Night show). All Indians will be aware this movie is about ruffian munna and circuit trying to retrieve the 2 inning house from the illegal occupation of Lucky Singh using Gandhigiri. The movie has its own share of funny and touching scenes.
Well what took me for a ride, after watching the movie was new definition given to what ought to be practice in daily life. Gandhigiri term was just used to lure interest of the people in the movie. But as a matter of fact what was correctly portrayed in the movie worth mentioning was the practice of truth and non-violence can achieve what might seem impossible for mere mortals. There is on going debate whet er what mahatma preached is still of any importance is this modern day, where violence and corruption has become colossal and moreover tool for daily sustenance. It seems that majority of people have accepted the fact that falsehood is the way of life, there is no harm in case we benefit from its practice. Truth seems to have been sidelined from our daily life.
But as a matter of fact truth is most noble virtue that should be practiced in our daily life. But how easy is it to put into daily practice, In fact it's the most easiest path to be followed. One never has to account for any misfortune for uttering the truth but uttering lies can bring unlimited grief. Though the effect may not seem obvious and quick, buts it's truth that alone prevails till the very end. I'm not here to preach values, but want to point out that history is full of incidents wherein individual siding with truth has always come out successful in his life. The hardship one faces is the only testimonial to the fact that siding with truth you get the inner strength to face the tribulation of life.
Non-violence doesn't mean physical violence alone, it has to do more even with thought process also. Thinking is an activity, and it non-violence in our thoughts is also as important as in our action. After all action are created twice once in our mind and then in reality. So its very important not to think to hurt anybody. Though its only we who are aware of what we can think. The liability increases even more for there is no one even to correct and point out our mistakes.
Nevertheless Gandhiji became Mahatma not because of his oratory skill, nor because he went to jail umpteen times, he leader ed countries independence struggle. But he practiced truth and non-violence till his very last breath. The problems of the world are the problems of the man. All the quick fix solution that we think of for solving today's crisis, will serve no long lasting solution. Rather self adherence to truth and non-violence alone will solve today's crisis.

The BLAME-GAME

Well its just even 36 hours since the extremist who set the Samjhauta express on fire, resulting in immediate death of 66 passenger. The media from from both the communities already have posted on there individual newspaper saying its the handiwork of Islamic jehadis, and there our Pakistani media members are quoting that its the hand of Hindu extremist naming Shivsena as the one among the group which always wanted to avoid the railway service between Atari and Delhi. Well it just wasn't only the editorial section that slinged blame on each other's extremist outfit that was responsible for the blast. But its also the minister people of position and power are blaming irresponsibly each other. The role of media is only to report the incident, rather than quote people who just use media for there own benefit so as to hog the limelight.
But what has been observed during this incident is unlike previous year mumbai railways blast, where the blame game was very high. There has been lot of restrain shown by both the party from across the border by not unnecessarily putting blame on each other. This in fact is a clear indication of the resolve of the two nations to go ahead with peace process. Its as easy as sleeping to sit and condemn the activity of the terrorist, and this is what the media does and tries to glorify rather abhor the terrorist. Always during such crisis situation the media should take extra care not to pour abuse as this will always instigate avalanche of blame from people across the borders. Well as the the two nation tries to forget it dreadful past and walk towards path of normalization. The Politicians presently have issued very mature statement not blaming each other and thereby showing greater resolve towards peace process. Because its very important to realize that such incidents and misappropriate statement made by politicians highlighted by media sour the existing peace process cause mistrust and suspicion between nations.
So I hope the media and Politicians across the borders avoid the usual blame-game and work for the betterment of cordial relationship between the 2 neighbours.

Change is Inevitable, But Which way ?

As years rolls, and the dates on the calendar approaches 14 feb, the moral policing by national political parties througout the countries reaches new zenith with every passing years.It seems that our few political acitivist become hyperactive only during the valentine day. By the way the effect of western culture in seeping into daily life needs no justification, which by large is the effect of globalization and communication. The cause of celebration of valentine day in India needs its own justification to those youth who are bitten by love-bugs and finds means to express there love on a day dedicated for the same.
As history suggest this day is celebrated so that lovers express there love to each other, the name arises after 2 christian martyrs named valentine. Well this information should suffice the critics that this not a frivolous event, rather has rich history associated with it. But as the critics points out that its not with the event, rather the way its celebrated in the country that they object to. Well I'm not intersted in highlighting the ways our youth sometime overshoot the normalcy limit. But Im trying to see the changes that gets into the society over a long period of time. It was not long before not many knew what valentine day was, the reason for its celebration. But slowly society became aware of it accepted in its fold. This exactly is the way the society runs, ideals and practice unknown to it before becomes easily accepted by the society. The Society is most vulnerable to any new idea and belief. And this being its strength, is also its weakest link. Well this poses a different threat altogether, because it doesn't judge the consequence of the action of accepting the new trend, which might be popular in some different society, due to its cultural and geographical status. Blindly accepting any thing that comes as offering is like wearing others spectacles, just because it looks good on him. Infact Change is the only thing that is constant, but the society should always weigh the good and bad effect it might bring with it, before accepting new ideals and practise.
Finally I would like to end on a note, that what I wrote had nothing to do with Valentine day celebration in India, I just used as a case study to highlight the how CHANGES creep into the society. But the change that brings lewdness openly is worth condemning and introspecting. Is this what we opt when we want to celebrate Valentine day in the country.

Mobocracy Rules.......

"Men are Cruel, but Man is KIND."--------Rabrindranath Tagore.

Over last few days there were few incidents that have caught the attention of the entire nation. Foremost was the Nithari incident, where the mob mostly consisting of lawyers(Justice provider) attacked mercilessly the main accused Mohinder singh and Satish Kohli. The nation argued over the point was it justifiable to take law into its hand when law takes into own sweet time to decide the fate of criminals. But what struck me more after analysing other situation that struck bangalore recently was the mini communal riot that triggered and shut the city virtually, luckily not much damaged was done, unlike the last riot that triggered during Rajkumar funeral, Cauvery dispute and many more which are bit vague in my mind.
Man behaves so differently when in a mob, compared to an indivdual indentity he is. Any sane person will always shun violence and advocate it to be parcel belonging to
the uncivilized clan. But it seems his phiolosophy takes a hammering the moment he becomes a part of a mob, where he loses his sanity and let forth his instinct that shames the entire mankind. The moment we are a part of a crowd, man loses his individual identity, and becomes a part of the mob phiolosophy, and every action that he does is decided by the environment around the mob and instinct running the crowd.
There are so many cases where most of the heinous crime have been not by an individual instinct but by the mob instinct. Gujrat riots had multiple such stories to tell, and let me not open the pandora's box. Have we ever asked ourselves, what happens to an individual when he becomes the part of the mob? It seem there is a coherent thought process that flows amidst the mob members which stimulates the animal instinct within us. Afterall its animals that lives in herd, not humans. This animal instinct which trigger ourself to act in most inhuman we can never imagine of.
Is there no ways can we resctrict the mob to act inhumanely, well im searching an answer for my self, and though the fact its the same sane individual man that makes up the mob. But the statement made by Tagore which I have quoted says it all, though as an individual identity we may be kind, but group of us turn cruel. Doesnt it look a bit controversial for the fact that even swelling up of good men in mob, leads to devilish consequence.