Quite alarming...

Melinda Gates' interview to N.Ram(Editor in Chief of The Hindu) was fascinating. What can one say about the exemplary corporate social responsibility of a couple who hope hope that 50 years after their death "all their money would have been given away" to the society from which it was earned?

Our Prime Minister claimed during his recent Riyadh visit that India will grow at 9 % in 2010-11. Yet we are in need of a foreigner to come here and pump in her millions just for "keeping all kids alive," not to mention addressing their all round development. This is not surprising because in 2010-11 Union budget, the share of childre(who make up 42% of our population) was just 4.6%. Not long ago, the UPA government promised in its Common Minimum Programme that it would raise its public expenditure on health and education to 9% of the GDP by 2009. Perhaps one reaso for this promise being not fulfilled is official ignorance or denial of the fact that 77% of our population is living below Rs. 20 a day...

power of " lying "...

There is a thin line between lying and diplomacy where diplomacy is driven by brain and lying by heart …I do lie when I feel that my lying would make the person happy and smiling…I do lie when I feel that it would make the person feel good even if for the shortest moment…I do lie when I think it would give hope to others…I do lie when I feel I am not answering the most fundamental question…I do lie even though I would be relinquishing my own self and making others happy…I do lie when my friends need sympathy more then strength…I do lie to unravel the truth from within…I do lie when people want short term happiness and not long term miseries…I do lie when I say I am human…I do lie not to earn money but surely a million dollar smile…I do lie to make others live…I honestly lie to bring an honest smile… …I do lie when the question involved is unethical and insignificant but would do whole lot of good to others…I do lie to a child bringing end to his tantrums and showering smiles…I do lie when I loose but makes me keep trying…I don’t lie when I look myself in the front of the mirror…

Never lie to survive but always speak truth to live…

Miracle called democracy

Aung sang suu kyi the democratic stalwart and Nobel laureate of Myanmar has been under house arrest since many years. Myanmar which has been under the reign of armed forces has once again prohibited the pro-democracy leader Suu kyi to contest the forthcoming elections. Myanmar is one of those countries where there is 20% reservation for armed forces in the parliament.

When you look at the world around you there is abundant civil strife, disparaging rule of law, masquerading the principles of democracy everywhere. Thailand frequently faces military coup, there is political instability in Bangladesh during the rule of sheikh hasina , Laos and Cambodia are continuously facing domestic rebellion. In the West Pakistan with powerful military rule and loose civil government is facing problem from every quarter.
Hamid karzai’s attempt at revamping Afghanistan future is unsure as is at Taliban’s helm.
African continent is worst hit as there is least administrative development, civil war, acute food crisis and pandemic disease except for few countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt. There are Central American countries like Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua where there umpteen cases of domestic armed rebellion taking democracy at back foot. Many of the Latin American countries like Bolivia, Peru, and Suriname are under severe economic debt. EU nations are prosperous enough but still peace is shattered very often in the name racial riots and other problems. Middle East and west Asian nations except the opulent few are under severe civil strife may it be Iraq, Palestine or Syria.
Over here Nepal after the over turn of monarchy is still struggling to achieve full fledged democracy. Every major country big or small is facing some sort of political instability, economic downturn or civil strife…

I really admire the way our democracy runs. I know there are worst problems then ever before but still am amazed at the survival of democracy despite of vociferous noises from every corner who wants their own India. I don’t know how this country is governed because it’s a miracle that amidst enormous adversities and diversities India stands united even if it is for namesake. I am simply amazed as how things work in India. An average Indian faces tremendous difficulties living in India but still what actually unites these divisive cultures is still a mystery to me. No wonder why people fly abroad and settle there for better life style, but still I would never leave my country not because of patriotic fervor but because this land simply amazes me. It makes me think, observe, write, change, revolutionize and enjoy. It simply gives me an inspiration to be human once again.

The Hurt Locker: (movie through my lens)

The Hurt Locker: (movie through my lens)
It’s actually too late to review this film and as such winner need not justify but just out of curiosity I happened to view this movie after the academy awards were declared at the lovely Kodak theatre.
It’s a movie about an elite bomb diffusing group which is stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. The movie revolves around how this elite group moves around the deserted streets of Baghdad diffusing bombs (IED-improvise explosive device) and the lives of the troops at such war places.

Applause:
It’s an eye opener in one sense because we all have been reading all kinds of stories about the NATO and the American troops staying there amidst all kinds of adversities. People get to watch a complete view of lives of people as well as the soldiers of a war stricken country and what human lives does cost? Reading in the newspaper or watching a clipping in any news channel does not give a true portrait about the people living in any war ravaged country may it be Iraq, Afghanistan or Palestine…Scenes from the movie surely thrill you as if you are watching it live on TV…The director has aptly shown the reality.

Yawn:
For any Oscar winning movie dialogues play a major part and more if it’s a war movie. The dialogues don’t stir you enough and do not back the screenplay and action part of the movie.
Background score of the movie is weak which would have created a profound impact on the scenes. The background score in any movie gives that killer punch to any scene alltogether with apt dialogues because it has the ability to create realistic intensity among the viewers. May be the director wanted to keep it very real but I don’t think so it has helped. (but surely she got an oscar for that)
Enemy at the gates, Saving Private Ryan or behind the enemy lines, all these are Great War movies. The best thing about any war movie is how aptly the emotions are shown not during the action scenes but behind those scenes where i think the director has failed.( butwho cares, she has got an oscar)

O-scar:
Sometimes throughout the movie you get a feel as if you are watching a documentary on Iraq war. Direction of the movie is intense. Screenplay is very apt. Characters have performed within their mould. But film not only includes direction but also the story. Just to commemorate international woman’s day and make history you can’t award a film which may not be the best. Making a low-budget film is also not an excuse because there is another film called The messenger which has been made with half the budget of the former.
I definitely would not give Oscar to The hurt locker. Though Oscar has this peculiarity of awarding films which may not be popular among the cinema goers and standing out in genre but still I found many things which could have been modified.

Cricket v/s Sports

Every year Laureas Sports awards are given to fellicitate the best happening in sports(its sports and not cricket). This year the ceremony was in Abu Dhabi. I was least amazed that none of the cricketing greats were even nominated among different categories. Roger federer has been consecutively awarded the best sports person for two years. Usain bolt took the honours this time around.
Sachin with his double century made news only in the subcontinent as we have cricket culture and not sports culture. Sports have never been our strength with poor infrastructure and politicization of sports personnel. Hockey being our so called national sports, we dont even have enough hockey astro turfs in our country. Netherlands a country of ths size of gujarat has more hockey turfs than we in India have...
Vancouver winter olympics were a sight to watch where our asian country like china,korea and japan brought honour and prestige to their own country. There is no doubt that we have plethora of such talents but not ready to bring it beyond cricket.

woo-man for reservation...

Whenever i feel like observing India and its people very closely then I prefer traveling by bus...on one hot summery monsoon day as we experience nowadays in India i boarded a bus. The bus was thronged by people of all ages...fortunately I found a seat in the first instance...but then i saw a lady coming behind me with a four year old kid in her lap. Being altruistic and being so much influence the manipulative media making people realize there duties and responsibilities. ..Just for there own business purpose I gave her my seat...Then the rest of the journey I preferred standing chewing gum which helped me observe and contemplate the state of women in our country...
Then at one end I saw a board saying that this seats are reserved for women and under it I saw 6 young students chatting humorously and inadvertently without knowing that besides them were few ladies standing with a gloomy face on...I actually don’t blame the guys for it but I blame the women of our country. despite of such efforts done by government for empowering women’s plight, the women themselves do not want pull themselves off the quagmire...man will always be like man symbolizing dominance but to be aware of one's right is significant. ..That is where I feel education matters the most...It’s a small issue but I actually felt helpless at such sight...
Neither I am a feminist nor trying to be one...But I don’t think we are too different from the Taliban is who consider women nothing but a sex object...We may revere them a bit more that’s it. They are more unabashed and we are more hypocrites. .As far as we try being humans....Its just the time to wake up...being educated we can certainly bring change in the society...And believe me its not boring as it looks...Everyone can do it in its own creative way...Lets bring some change in the society or else there will be men and women in this world but no humans..Lets try to be one..

Jealous Gods

Lord Indra: What the hell is going down on Earth? I heard sounds of celebration. Are they praying for me?
Narad muni: Lord, the celebration is going from our main Hindu bastion Hindustan…those people already have 33crore gods to worship and they have added one more…
Lord Indra(in rage) : New God!!! Who is he? Is he an avatar of Lord Vishnu, Krishna or Ram? Tell me…
Narad muni: No Lord. Don’t get angry. He just plays cricket…and he has become GOD…His name is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar…He is human, 37 yrs old, short, plump and girls love him…He is worshipped throughout the country like God…government and private companies all are endorsing him…
Lord Indra: Huh!! Narad please don’t give me that crap. Are you also following him?
Narad muni: No Sir. I am a big fan of Tiger woods…He is so human and never tries to be GOD
Lord Indra: But I read the times of India on internet and it said today they were going to have their Railway budget…
Narad muni: O lord. This is India .Who cares about the Railway budget. People want entertainment. Only if Katrina kaif(the hottest babe of Bollywood, Lord) would have presented the Railway budget then it would have made news. Lord , even Commonwealth shooting championship is going on where India has won more than 12 medals till now but it is hardly making news. People here are crazy after cricket and movies and nothing else they want.
Lord Indra: But I have updated myself through internet and I have heard that the country has several problems like over population, naxalism, India-Pakistan conflict, terrorism and many more like this…
Narad muni: Lord, I told you that they just want entertainment. There are few manipulative people who run the whole country and people follow them whole heartedly. People are good-natured but ignorant of the real things…Lord, I suggest you to curse the country with floods, tsunami or earthquakes so that people will start worshipping You again and not the man-made Gods…
Lord Indra: Narad, we are God and not humans…Never give me such false advise I warn you…Let sachin and people like him prosper…He is human and He is a blessed soul…I too was human once…So I will do one thing that when he makes any speech I will make him utter that, “whatever I am today is all because of Lord Indra” so people will start worshipping me again. HaHaHa