MERRY CHRISTMAS

MAY YOU ALWAYS FEEL LOVED

May you find serenity and tranquility in a world
You may not always understand.

May the pain you have known and conflict you have experienced
Give you the strength to walk through life
Facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those whose love and understanding
Will always be there, even when you feel most alone.

May you discover enough goodness in others
To believe in a world of peace.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile be yours
Every day of your life,
And may you give these gifts as well as receive them.

Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.

Teach love to those who know hate,
And let that love embrace you as you go into the world.

May the teaching of those you admire become part of you,
So that you may call upon them.
Remember, those whose lives you have touched
And who have touched yours are always a part of you,
Even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter that is more important than it's form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
But instead place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.

Find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you.

Realize that each person has limitless abilities,
But each of us is different in our own way.
What you may feel you lack in one regard
May be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
May become one of your strengths in the future.

May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself,
And not be dependent on another's judgement of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

Copyright 1987 Sandra Sturtz Hauss

UNRETURNED FAVOURS

A Connecticut farmer was asked to assist at the funeral of his neighbor's third wife and, as he had attended the funerals of the two others, his wife was surprised when he declined the invitation.

On being pressed to give his reason he said, with some hesitation:

"You see, Mary, it makes a chap feel a bit awkward to be always accepting other folks's civilities when he never has anything of the same sort of his own to ask them back to."

WASN'T CALLING HER DEAR

Desirous of buying a camera, a certain fair young woman inspected the stock of a local shopkeeper.
Is this a good one?" she asked, as she picked up a dainty little machine. "What is it called?"
That's the Belvedere," said the handsome young shopman politely.
There was a chilly silence. Then the young woman drew herself coldly erect, fixed him with an icy stare, and asked again:
Er−−and can you recommend the Belva?"
- courtesy ' best short stories"

ek lau is tarah

I Somehow cant still move away from the terror attacks. Not sure if it is a good thing or otherwise. I however cannot forget. It is not just about the people who have left us. I was watching shashannk shinde and chitte's story on NDTV.
Each of them leaves behind two and three daughters respectively. The emotion i feel watching a young one amongst them tell the camera how proud she is of her father is beyond words.
There surely shall be a story attached to all of them who departed. One that should never be forgotten.
A clip from NDTV india paying homage to the brave heroes.

And just as disappointing is the fact today is the 7th anniversary and only a handful of MP's found time to pay their respect to the ones who laid down their life protecting the parliament. Breaks my heart if the same thing happens again and this too goes forgotten.

REAL MADRID and the manager saga

Its official now .. Bernd Schuster has been sacked. Not without a reason this time. Disastrous run of results culminated in him receiving the sack. Juande Ramos hopefully is an able replacement. His time at the White Hart Lane notwithstanding.

There are few things that give as much pleasure as following one team through its highs and lows. I have been at football for the past 10 years now. I officially am a Manchester United fan. However if there is any team I love after United its Real Madrid. When I started following football they were the team in their prime and caught my fancy.I however evolved into a United fan but love Madrid no less. An absolute pain when United clashes against Real.

However the coaching policy at the Bernabeau leaves me astounded. The first incident I remember is Vincent del Bosque getting sacked. The del Bosque phase was the most successful phase I happened to see Madrid in. They boasted the best of the players. Shockingly they axed him immediately afte he won them the la liga again.

Then came the lean period for Madrid before 'Don Fabio' took them back to the dizzying heights of the la liga title in an incredible season last year. Anyone who followed the 2007-2008 season would have simply loved how Madrid came back to claw the title from Barca. And then.. Capello gets the sack. I simply could not fathom how the guy who brought them back from the pits suddenly was not good enough.

They brought in Schuster who's claim to fame in the managerial world was managing Getafe. Incredibly Madrid still dont have a settled coach yet. With Schuster getting the sack, i hope Ramos is able to deliver.

Add to this probably the greatest clash in the football world looms large. Real Madrid take on Barcelona this weekend. The 'El Clasico'. One of the finest rivalries that has lived up to its expectations always. The previous year Madrid got better both times.

This weekend however Madrid season is in turmoil while Barca has pulled away at the top by 9 points.The 'El Clasico' looks a bit daunting for us Real fans with current managerial crisis. Add to that several missing key players for Madrid.I admit not the best time to be Real fan.I stil howvever would be pining for the whites to win at the Nou Camp. What kind of a fan one is if one does stick with his team through its higs and as well as it lows

Section 49 -O and the Protest Vote

One word that has been thrown up a lot in recent times has been " protest vote". What exactly is it??? A certain mail has again come into precedence considering the current political situation...I am sure most have at times received the following mail...sadly it is a hoax..

"Did you know that there is a system in our Constitution, as per the
1969 act, in section "49 O" that a person can go to the polling booth,
confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding
election officer that he doesn't want to vote anyone!

Yes such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly
notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called Section"49
O".

Why should you go and say "I VOTE NOBODY"... because, in a ward, if a
candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has
received 49 "O" votes more than 123, then that polling will be
cancelled and will have to be re polled. Not only that, but the
candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest
the re polling, since people had already expressed their decision on
them. This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine
candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way
of our whole political system..."
The TRUTH

There is no section 49-O in the constitution or the 1969 act..it is a rule
in the The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.

"...if a
candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has
received 49 "O" votes more than 123, then that polling will be
cancelled and will have to be re polled. Not only that, but the
candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest
the re polling, since people had already expressed their decision on
them...." FALSE.

The actual text of section 49-O is

"Elector deciding not to vote.-If an elector, after his electoral roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer and the signature or thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark."

The result of the polls stand inspite of the no. of protest votes, no repolling nothing of that sort. and
Can we still register protest votes???. Yes we can. However with the emergence of EVM's protest votes violate a voter's right.

Earlier voting with ballot papers the ballot paper could simply be dropped in without voting...or voting for multiple candidates to ensure the vote is inavlid. Sadly the EVM's have no such facility. As such informing the presiding officer about the decision to not vote, violates the secrecy of voting.

The last i knew there was a petition in the supreme court about modification of the EVM's to have "none of the above" button. Till then protest vote means disclosing identity.

Merits of a protest vote are debatable.. If the results are gonna stand inspite of protest votes. The whole affair would be just a record in some babu's file in some dusty cupboard. We have shameless politicians who wuld not worry ab8 protest votes...kursi ka prem more than any moral conscience

So then is the protest vote the right way to go????

A TEST OF FRIENDSHIP

Andy Foster, a well−known character in his native city, had recently shuffled off this mortal soil in destitute circumstances, although in his earlier days he enjoyed financial prosperity.

A prominent merchant, an old friend of the family, attended the funeral and was visibly affected as he gazed for the last time on his old friend and associate.

The mourners were conspicuously few in number and some attention was attracted by the sorrowing merchant. "The old gentleman was very dear to you?" ventured one of the bearers after the funeral was over.

"Indeed, he was," answered the mourner. "Andy was one true friend. He never asked me to lend him a cent, though I knew that he was practically starving to death."

The Movie Star

The rally held at gateway had an outpuring of public sentiment. some expressed it through words. The others by way of placards. My favorite amongst the placards

V.S. Achuthanandan and the Dog

As the shock over the attacks set in heads have begun to roll. In the aftermath of the attacks I had assumed not one politician would have lost his post. I have been plesantly surprised at the Home Minister's exit. It was long overdue. However both the Maharashtra Chief Minister and his deputy must be cursing bollywood for their own downfall. I thought both would escape the aftermath however both have been done in by their own foolishness.

Vilasrao looked like he was bloody taking a picnic in Taj with his entourage. I mean what the heck was he doing with his son and Ram Gopal Varma in tow.It was a place of carnage... not a freakin tourist spot that he carries his band of happy revellers. No wonder SMS's are doing rounds
"Ram Gopal Varma yahi kamaai ..do sarkar banai... ek giraai"

R.R. Patil's press conferences are a pain honestly.He is incoherent and difficult to comprehend. God only knows what he implied when he said, " aise hadse to Mumbai jaise bade shehron me to hote hi rahte hai"( these incidents happen in big cities like mumbai)..The less talked about it the better. He dug his own grave and has gone for good

The latest is the Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan throwing his hat in the ring. If anything V.S. was the farthest away from Mumbai. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan laid down his life. The least VS could do was be sensitive to the family. I thought it was a mistake on his part to have none representing his government at the Major's funeral. Only the media pressure made him go to Bangalore.

Kudos to Sandeep's father for showing VS the door. Apparently VS had messaged sandeep's father a text offering his condolences. When asked about it when he reached B'lore by the martyr's father VS apparently could not even remember how the SMS started. Rightly turned out of his place by the father.

And then the masterstroke by VS.I dont know if it was his ego that could not bear it or was it plain stupidity that prompted him saying,"If it had not been (Major) Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have gone there". WTF..I am at a loss of words to describe what that means. A nation mourns the death of a braveheart and then we have absolutely ridiculous statements going about. For God's sake the family lost their only son. Spare a thought for the trauma they r undergoing and are yet to endure.

Not that i had too much respect for an 83 year old sticking to his chair still. Whatever little I had I am glad is not there anymore. His continual refusal to apologize is ridiculous. He apparently has done no wrong. I mean c'mon. have some shame.Look deep inside yourself. U ought to be ashamed. You are the face of kerala and are presenting such an awful front. Atleast Ifor sure am ashamed of you...period. I am sure the dogs around the country if they could express themselves will agree.

I dont what legacy VS will leave behind, if it can be called a legacy. In my eyes this is what u leave behind for me. I will always remember you as the guy who slighted a martyr's family at the worst possible time with scant respect for a nation pained by the loss.I am pained and outraged... and all you could was incense me further.

You may never be able to emulate the feats of Major Sandeep. Neither can i . The least one can do is acknowledge his supreme sacrifice and carry what he did in our heart and hope one day we can come in handy for our motherland in whatever way possible. Hope you do realize that you were indeed wrong opening your mouth. And may you be payed in the same coin.
Amen

MUMBAI

why?? why is the only question that i can think of. why us. what did we do wrong.why do we have to endure attacks on our land.
why?? why is having a quiet simple evening with loved ones in a place of one's own choice so difficult.
why?? why did commoners on the street have to endure this trauma. why does my land have to endure this again and again.
why?? why do bravehearts of the land have to pay for inept politicians with their lives. why does lack of political will translate down to my kith and kin making sacrifices.
why?? why cant i do anything about the situation to help it in anyways. why does a feeling of helplessness engulf me that it numbs me thruout.
why?? why is mumbai still bleeding inspite of repeated assaults. why was nothing done to prevent.
i am sick. i am sick and tired. i am sick tired and angry. i am sick tired angry and despondent.
i am surrounded with why's that i have no answers to.
who is responsible for this. where did the failure occur. who is accountable for this. who do i ask for all these answers to my questions.
are we governed by wimps who get Z+ security by the crack commando units while the lives on the roads are so bloody cheap that we lose them dime a dozen.
add our genius of home minister, who gave away NSG plans on national television. will he ever own up that he simply failed.miserably

whom do i ask my questions..what am i supposed to do

is this a turning point in our history. this better be. i cannot take one more attack. enough. no more. i am numb with with a multitude of emotions.

peace be to those who lost their lives. their family members. the security people who made the sacrifices. my heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones

plz gimme some answers somebody. plz assure me that this wont happen again. plz tell me i wont have to go thru this again. plz..

Nathuram Godse

Continuing from where i left off about the recent terror attacks, the fact that he people who indulged in it were truly convinced about the method they used is intriguing. Similarly in the 'jihad' against infidels, to give up one's life for a cause, imagine the degree of motivation these people must have.

I post excerpts of a speech made by Nathuram Godse in his defence of his act of murdering Mahatma Gandhi. The rights and wrongs of the act are for debate. Even the points he makes in the following speech can be argued upon. What amazes me tho is his conviction to what he did knowing what fate awaited him..

"Born in a devotional Brahmin family, I instinctively came to revere Hindu religion, Hindu history and Hindu culture. I had, therefore, been intensely proud of Hinduism as a whole. As I grew up I developed a tendency to free thinking unfettered by any superstitious allegiance to any isms, political or religious. That is why I worked actively for the eradication of untouchability and the caste system based on birth alone. I openly joined anti-caste movements and maintained that all Hindus were of equal status …

…All this reading and thinking led me to believe it was my first duty to serve Hindudom and Hindus both as a patriot and as a world citizen…... This conviction led me naturally to devote myself to the Hindu Sanghtanist ideology and programme, which alone, I came to believe, could win and preserve the national independence of Hindustan, my Motherland, and enable her to render true service to humanity as well.

Since the year 1920, that is, after the demise of Lokamanya Tilak, Gandhiji’s influence in the Congress first increased and then became supreme. His activities for public awakening were phenomenal in their intensity…... But it is nothing but a mere dream if you imagine that the bulk of mankind is, or can ever become, capable of scrupulous adherence to these lofty principles in its normal life from day to day. In fact, honour, duty and love of one’s own kith and kin and country might often compel us to disregard non-violence and to use force. I could never conceive that an armed resistance to an aggression is unjust. I would consider it a religious and moral duty to resist and, if possible, to overpower such an enemy by use of force. [In the Ramayana] Rama killed Ravana in a tumultuous fight and relieved Sita. [In the Mahabharata], Krishna killed Kansa to end his wickedness; and Arjuna had to fight and slay quite a number of his friends ….

…The accumulating provocation of thirty-two years, culminating in his last pro-Muslim fast, at last goaded me to the conclusion that the existence of Gandhi should be brought to an end immediately. …. If the country wanted his leadership, it had to accept his infallibility; if it did not, he would stand aloof from the Congress and carry on his own way. Against such an attitude there can be no halfway house. Either Congress had to surrender its will to his and had to be content with playing second fiddle to all his eccentricity, whimsicality, metaphysics and primitive vision, or it had to carry on without him. He alone was the Judge of everyone and everything; he was the master brain guiding the civil disobedience movement; no other could know the technique of that movement. He alone knew when to begin and when to withdraw it.…. ‘A Satyagrahi can never fail’ was his formula for declaring his own infallibility and nobody except himself knew what a Satyagrahi is.

Thus, the Mahatma became the judge and jury in his own cause. These childish insanities and obstinacies, coupled with a most severe austerity of life, ceaseless work and lofty character made Gandhi formidable and irresistible. ... In a position of such absolute irresponsibility Gandhi was guilty of blunder after blunder, failure after failure, disaster after disaster..…

…..From August 1946 onwards the private armies of the Muslim League began a massacre of the Hindus. The then Viceroy, Lord Wavell, though distressed at what was happening, would not use his powers under the Government of India Act of 1935 to prevent the rape, murder and arson. The Hindu blood began to flow from Bengal to Karachi with some retaliation by the Hindus….Lord Wavell had to resign as he could not bring about a settlement and he was succeeded by Lord Mountbatten. King Log was followed by King Stork.

The Congress, which had boasted of its nationalism and socialism, secretly accepted Pakistan literally at the point of the bayonet and abjectly surrendered to Jinnah. India was vivisected and one-third of the Indian territory became foreign land to us from August 15, 1947. … When top leaders of Congress, with the consent of Gandhi, divided and tore the country - which we consider a deity of worship - my mind was filled with direful anger.

One of the conditions imposed by Gandhi for his breaking of the fast unto death related to the mosques in Delhi occupied by the Hindu refugees. But when Hindus in Pakistan were subjected to violent attacks he did not so much as utter a single word to protest and censure the Pakistan Government or the Muslims concerned. Gandhi was shrewd enough to know that while undertaking a fast unto death, had he imposed for its break some condition on the Muslims in Pakistan, there would have been found hardly any Muslims who could have shown some grief if the fast had ended in his death….

….Briefly speaking, I thought to myself and foresaw I shall be totally ruined, and the only thing I could expect from the people would be nothing but hatred and that I shall have lost all my honour, even more valuable than my life, if I were to kill Gandhiji. But at the same time I felt that the Indian politics in the absence of Gandhiji would surely be proved practical, able to retaliate, and would be powerful with armed forces. No doubt, my own future would be totally ruined, but the nation would be saved from the inroads of Pakistan. People may even call me and dub me as devoid of any sense or foolish, but the nation would be free to follow the course founded on the reason which I consider to be necessary for sound nation-building. After having fully considered the question, I took the final decision in the matter, but I did not speak about it to anyone whatsoever. I took courage in both my hands and I did fire the shots at Gandhiji on 30th January 1948, on the prayer-grounds of Birla House.

I now stand before the court to accept the full share of my responsibility for what I have done and the judge would, of course, pass against me such orders of sentence as may be considered proper. But I would like to add that I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me, nor do I wish that anyone else should beg for mercy on my behalf. My confidence about the moral side of my action has not been shaken even by the criticism levelled against it on all sides. I have no doubt that honest writers of history will weigh my act and find the true value thereof some day in future. "
-NATHURAM GODSE

I dont agree with what he did though neither do I agree to M.K. Gandhi's policies. Murder is heinous no doubt, but what if the cause was just. I personally dont know if it was. Atleast Nathuram Godse was convinced of the justness of his cause...

Rahul Gandhi - 'bachcha'

Rahul gandhi is 38. Rajnath Singh has been in politics for 35 years. matter-speak Rahul Gandhi is indeed a 'bachcha' to Rajnath Singh politically and otherwise.

"Compared to the likes of Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders, I am a 'bachcha'. It is a fact. I am a much younger person," said Rahul in response to media persons. Then took a step forward and made a sarcastic dig at the BJP president,"fortunately or unfortunately, 70 per cent of this country is 'bachcha'. "I think in a completely different way."

"He (Rajnath) would not have the desired impact as the country looks at things in a different manner. It is the way of looking things differently," Rahul said.

Maybe does mark rahul increasing his repertoire of words and ability to respond to his critics.

I happened to see the Rajnath Singh interview where the 'bachcha' comment was made. responding to shekar gupta's question, about the impact of rahul gandhi Rajnath responded,

" I would not like to comment on Rahul. I consider him a child and would not like to say anything about him" when probed further he said , " ... but as far as I am concerned he is like my child."

I aint no big fan of Rajnath Sing but to be fair to him he made the comment in a different context and the response maybe was in another.
Maybe there was no veiled attack leveled this time that Rahul responded.Wish he defended himself with the same fervour against Mayawati.

Hindu terror

Oft in the frenzy of attracting viewers to their channels media goes overboard painting a news item in a certain hue. They decided to paint the blasts in Malegaon saffron and thus evolved Hindu terror. The painful fact today is that the media conducts its own trial pronounces the guilty and goes as far as to punish the accused. The Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) does its bit by systematic leaks occurring from its coterie to fuel these reports further.

Personally I find it absurd on their part to use the terminology. As also do I find the term Islamic terror equally absurd. A terrorist is a terrorist. The buck stops there. Giving terror religious hues makes it seem as if it is condoned by the particular relegion. If anything that hardly is the case.

The involvement of army in this particular case is another point that has been raised. I mean there were a select few involved, pointing fingers at the armed forces is hardly the way to go. These were a few misguided people who in the name for fighting their religion took a wrong recourse. Fuelling passions at this stage will further the divide already present with disastrous consequences. The way to go would be to educate the youth, not let them be blinded by rhetoric.

Sweeping statements like a Hindu can never be a terrorist are ridiculous. These people have killed ( subject to being proven), for Gods sakes just open your eyes and see it. A Hindu can never be a terrorist maybe in a utopian world. The BJP is back to its far right self by statements as such. It is akin to saying a Hindu might never steal, never commit a crime, the mere fact that he is a Hindu gives him impunity to every act he commits that might go against the prevailing land.

Every Hindu religious leaders finds refuge in the words of Gita and twist them to his own interpretation. To quote a small bit of it.

“svadharmam api cāvekṣya na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyād dhi yuddhāc chreyonyat kṣatriyasya na
vidyate”
(Considering also your duty as a warrior you should not waver like this. Because there is nothing more auspicious for a warrior than a righteous war.)

Notice the Lord says the righteous war. What leaves the door open is the definition of righteousness. To each I guess it means his own and hence most people do get away with what they say.
However the Lord also mentions ‘svadharmam’. Swadharma is One’s own dharma.
“Swadharma is one’s own prescribed duty in life according to the eternal law”
–Acharya Vinoba Bhave.
To quote Lord’s words further “Sreyaan svadharmo vigunah” One’s own dharma regardless of what it is the best for one.

Hence giving examples of Lord Krishna asking Arjuna to take up arms to justify reprehensible acts is lame. Then again I interpret the Gita in my own way, and I could be wrong.

The far right should maybe give things a ‘dekko’ and maybe come up with statements that don’t blind us to the wrong being committed. As for what I feel about Hindu terror. The term is wrong for me because in my eyes anybody who maims innocents for the Hindu cause ain’t a Hindu at all.


As and afterthought i'd hate to be in the ATS, pick up Muslims and they get whipped, pick Hindus up and dont get spared either. Poor guys.

U2- window in the sky

just love the video

The Painless Dentist

This is one picture that has remained with me from my books that i studied in my course. Anyone who has read Ingle has hopefully come across this picture before the acknowledgement part of it.

I find it difficult to talk about my work because looking at it objectively is difficult. Today was one of those days where sometimes i wonder if things could have been done differently. Where probably extractions could have been done painlessly. It is not the best feelings in the whole world when one knows beforehand that some amount of pain is involved.

It is quite a bummer when the first patient in the day turns out that ways. The day eventually did end on a brighter note considering the rest of the things happened very well.

Most journeys to dentists generally are marred with painful episodes along the way and the general majority do have horror stories to relate.What i realize now being on the other side is that more often it is unavoidable.The doctors might seem non-plussed about the events.. maybe seem a bit too cold about it. The patients never forget the episode but if at all neither do the doctors...they too never forget the episode. We may go on as if nothing out of normal has occurred ..the episode however remains forever.. Thats what i did learn from my short journey yet.


"Experience is never limited, and it is never complete; it is an immense sensibility, a kind of huge spider web of the finest silken threads suspended in the chamber of consciousness, and catching every airborne particle in its tissue." - Henry James

Happy B'day Shreya

Somehow i have always missed the kiddo on her b'day parties..three years in a row now. Shreya btw is Rajish's niece and he does not miss a chance to remind me how i never have been around during her b'day.
She has come a long way from the smallie in the incubator the first i saw her. Wishing you a very happy birthday dear.

tho i did miss her party i am sure her 'uncle' will take care of it..

IS MAYAWATI THE INDIAN BARACK OBAMA??

There are recent reports suggesting the fact that madam Mayawati could be the new Indian Obama. Something that maybe her PR guys are pursuing aggressively to fulfill her dreams of being the Indian prime minister.

Mayawati and Obama do share similar origins. Both of them do come from minorities which have a history of being significantly oppressed. They made it to the top inspite of various obstacles along the way is indeed commendable.

However the similarities if anything end there. For starters both of them have a completely different persona. I find it really difficult to see Mayawati in any way close to the style espoused by Obama. They r just too different in the way they carry themselves. Her autocratic functioning in a democratic setup bugs me. She runs her party as her own personal fiefdom.

The question of integrity too looms large. Barack Obama yet has a clean image about himself and to my knowledge has nothing against him which questions his integrity. Mayawati on the other hand has a string of corruption cases leveled against her for every term she has been in the office.

Another significant difference is the style of the campaigns pursued by both camps. The Obama campaign for the entirety of it was brilliantly managed. Where personal issues and smear campaign were kept out. The Uttar Pradesh campaigns are fraught with the politics of vendetta. With Mayawati indulging in the worst of it. The recent episode of her coming in the ways of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi trying to ruin their rallies was in utter bad taste. So have been her run-ins with Mulayam Singh Yadav, so intent at cutting each other’s stock that the state suffers at every step one decides to act against another.

The most important difference in my eyes however is the fact that Obama on his course to presidency has talked all the while about transcending race. He has never shied away from being a black, but it has always been going beyond it and presenting a united front. Mayawati however never has come down her high “dalit ki beti” horse ever. Till the day she wisens up to know that only that singular quality wont be enough to prop her up for the top dog’s job she will remain constricted to U.P. fortunately.

Yes circumstances did catapult her to national fame sometime back, yes she maybe a maverick of sorts in her own state coming for behind to lead her party to a huge win recently, but when it comes to the national stage she is at best a wannabe who I hope will always remain so.

Maybe I am looking through my narrow prism at the occurrence of events, but I don’t see India being led my Mayawati and I might go a step further and say I don’t want to see Mayawati lead India with her style of leading which divides people on the basis of caste to serve her ends.

DIVIDED WE STAND

Painting a pessimistic picture is easy. But after the incidents that have occurred in the past two days it is difficult not to do so. Blasts ripped across Assam. A migrant labourer got lynched in a Mumbai train. Anyone who saw visuals of his one year old kid would have to be moved by the plight that surrounds that family

It is strange that in a span of two days two incidents that highlight the threats we face, have occurred. The fact that we r increasingly under attack from the outside is known. The blasts that took place in Assam is another feather in the cap of our central government’s fight against terror. I don’t see any fault with scores of people coming out and indulging in violence to protest the inability of the government to provide them with safety. The government for all its gains made sorely loses out when it comes to providing security for life

It is times like this when we all should be covering each other back and present a united front. What is even more worrying is that the terror now seems coming more from the inside than from the inside.

It is disgusting to see politicians try and play one up-manship such a situation. The statements coming from both sides make it virtually a battle pitting Maharashtra against Bihar. Erstwhile foes Lalu and Nitish come forward to take up the Bihari cause. I see no harm in them doing it but not at the risk of causing a conflict that divides the nation. Every statement that comes out of their camp further alienates the Bihari /’bhaiyya’ population living here.

I don’t see Raj Thackeray any different; he is majorly responsible for the current mess. The fact is that the local population does connect with what he says. It is not mindless rhetoric that he espouses. He has tapped into the Marathi sentiment very wisely, causing an intelligent divide to serve his own needs. What furthers his cause is the irresponsible statement that the politicians on the other side of the divide. Don’t they see that they r just playing into his hands, making him stronger furthering the divide.

These politicians don’t lose anything. It the one year old who lost. Who is responsible for her having to lead her life the way she will. The 50 dead in Assam lost. Their families are the ones who lost. How many lives shattered. More importantly, it is I who lost in the bargain. And everyday this continues I continue to lose. The idea of my India being divided this way disgusts me. We were not meant to go further like this were we? Was this that what we the freedom fighters laid their lives for. For their own kind to be oppressed again.

Then again maybe this is the time we stand up again and be counted. As I said to paint a pessimistic picture maybe easy but rising above to change what is happening maybe the real deal. Difficult it might be, not impossible; if all of us make sure our voices are heard again. Hopefully things will change and change for better. I can’t see my country being taken apart this way.

HAPPY DIWALI

The phone rings.. 6 am already..I must be dreaming.. A voice screams.

“R u ready?”

No am not dreaming, it’s Rajish screaming his lungs out. I ready…not a chance…

“ I just woke up”

He seems frustrated. ” I told you to get ready.”

He did.. My head swarms “When?”

That lit him up “When I woke u up at 5 am, you idiot”

Then why don’t I remember a thing..

“ Stop fooling around” I tell him…

That sets him up nicely..And when Rajish trash talks…there is no way one can interject. I mumble my ok's and get up to get ready.

The phone rings again.. Its 6.15

“ R u ready” Maddy laughs into the phone…

Uh-oh I am supposed to get ready.. What happened…I somehow am still in bed… he laughs back

” I will drop by in 15 mins, get ready”

So eventually I do make out of my place by 6.30...we were supposed to reach the Lord’s abode by 6.00. Rajish is a fair bit ahead. He still is cross about both me and Maddy getting to sleep an hour longer.

The temple at Shrimant Dagdusheth Ganpati is bang in the centre of the city. I hardly expected people early morning, but then we exactly ain’t early in the morning anymore. It is fairly crowded. Maddy has parked his bike fairly away.. I wait... Some guards have picked up a fight outside the temple. Maddy comes along and we move into the temple, my darshan happens without an incident. The guards are still at it outside. Seems the morning conflicts ain’t gonna go away so soon.

We move away. Market yard is choc-a-bloc. I stick my hand out and catch someone below the chin. Both of them need flowers and some for stuff for the pooja. I wander with them. Rajish argues with the sugarcane fellow. They had fixed a deal and now he wants more. Rajish picks up his cane and walks away. The fellow follows. A scuffle ensues. Some Diwali cheer. Maddy steps in and separates the two. I give the fellow what he wants.. and a piece of my mind for his efforts. We walk away smelling of roses that somehow got scattered during the duel. Silence reigns heavy.

And then God-sent a pretty face. That’s enough to light Rajish up. The world is still fine with her maladies. What’s more Rajish coaxes a smile out of her. For all his tough bargaining skills... I lost my money..and to make it worse the chic dazzles him with her smile. Justice. That’s what I get for sleeping an hour more.

The morning ends at shivshambho upahaar gruha. There is poha and the spicy misal paav.. My eyebrows make the question mark.

Rajish smiles.. ”dono khayenge”

Over food Maddy regales us about his misfortunes of working with a Telugu crew. The poor chap understands none of it. I laugh my gut out when Rajish reveals his gal wants to go out shopping. She shops, he pays. She is cute I tell him.

Somehow amidst the laughter we keep running out of paavs. The boy taking our order is overjoyed by our appetites early morning. Eventually we run out of misal. Maddy has had his full, he backs out of poha. Rajish wants me to split a plate of poha with him... I smile... he realises what i mean and we order two plates. I might share his poha but not mine.
None of them however want ‘chai’. I do. I somehow always think cuttings are a bad deal. I get my whole glass. Off to wash my hands I come back to my chai to find that it does look like a cutting now. To their credit my friends have not finished it off.

As I gulp down my cuppa tea. Life seems just perfect at that moment. No worries no cares. My parents still asleep. My buddies laughing away to glory making fun of my appetite. I with my ‘chai’ fortunate to be in the midst. Don’t have a clue if it will happen the next Diwali. For now the picture is just perfect. Won’t change a thing. I whisper my happy Diwali to the kid who cleans up after us and walk off… wonder what memories he’d carry this Diwali… I have mine to treasure.. Forever

" The Wonder Years"

I ain't one for much of television unless one of my teams is playing( then i turn into a television fanatic wishing and willing things from where i am). However i did catch a part of the "The Wonder Years" today, like how they explore issues, it was about choices today.

Every choice eventually comes with a risk of its own. It was interesting to observe a mutual fund manager for Reliance Capital observe “no disproportionate gains without disproportionate pains.” ( The markets tanked another 1000 points today) He used his common wisdom to the situation and put it very matter of factly the more you want the more you risk.

There however are no guarantees in life. Lord plays a funny guessing game with all, keeps us starving for the whole day, and to tickle his funny bone brings us vivid dreams of a sumptuous feast by night. Eventually I have realized that it’s all about waking up and realize that the whole day was just a bad dream.

Is it so easy? Frankly all of us are looking for a shining star to wish upon. For all the lofty talk it’s quite a bummer not to get what u want. Getting up everytime one falls, maybe necessary but not easy. The hurt lingers for ever and lasts a lifetime.

No point risking all for a mirage and then to reach it accidentally and realize that the desert was much better….and as for Kevin Arnold …he took his SAT's. And to quote the narration in the background....."We talked life. We made plans. And the next morning, at 8:00 AM, seventy-eight students gathered in the McKinley cafeteria to take what was supposed to be the most important test of their lives. Everyone had a different way of coping that day. Some were more effective than others. But for all the risks and choices, I was one step ahead of them. After all, I knew that this was just one test in thousands I'd be taking in my life. None of them final, none of them irrevocable. And the way I saw it, maybe life was a risk. But this time, I was ready."

Maybe life is indeed a risk and we do have to take our share of tests along the way and to twist it a little… maybe life we lead too is just one of the tests that we take.

Am I ready… I don’t know... will I get what I want…depends on the choices I make…

A Psalm of Life

actually a part of it...

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;--

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
- Henry Longfellow

walking against the wind...

...this evening. a day fractionated into little tasks and endless whirring of mind wheels. a forgotten phone-call remembered with a start. an invitation to come collect those fired pieces of earth. city lights lay a-twinkle below and afar. the fountain in the park trickled down to its final few goodbyes, steps retreating with the fading sun. feet to the pavement and a frosty wind greets me. the pull of what awaits me is stronger than that wall of wind. walking edge-ways and look ! the road divider has transformed itself into a marsh full of reed swaying in the mad wind! i hear the reed-fields sing, feel my knees push against the resistant marsh and cross over to hold the warm, just-out-of-kiln earth in my hands. returning along the same path, i feel a stillness within me that no howling wind can run the tiniest ripple through.

A Thank You

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.” – William Shakespeare

Not getting into the nitty-gritty’s of what the bard meant to qualify u for the candle category, anything done without an end to achieve I guess makes you a candle.
I remember having a lesson in 10th grade about a man wanting to change the world by doing his small bit. Kind words were his weapon, gratitude was what he was propagated. His ways a were a bit extreme and would boil down to plain sucking up in today’s world.

It however did set me up on my way of saying a simple thank you to everyone who did a small turn for me. The best part of the whole deal is the reaction I get.
We live in a funny world where every deed is looked up with suspicion and frankly that’s the reaction I have copped most of the times. At times it is pure indifference which has invariably made me feel like a fool, smiling saying a thank you. However what makes it worth it is the smiles I get along, some stunned not knowing how to react and then they positively beam. The one particular incident to my was the lady at the post office, she was stunned for a total of ten seconds minimum, and the smile later was a smile to behold.

I have neither forgotten the face nor the smile and that’s what makes me stick to what I do inspite of the odd Mr. dumb moments that I do have and on the way. And today things came to head when one of my patients turned around and in the sweetest possible way thanked me. I am sure I must have beamed too… I'd end with something very beautiful i read a while back...
"I have seen you stalk the shops, walking the aisles, searching for that extra-special gift. Stashing away a few dollars a month to buy him a lizard-skin book, staring at a thousand rings to find her the best diamond; staying up all night the Christmas Eve assembling the new bicycle.
Why do you do it? so the eyes will pop, the jaws drop. To hear those words of disbelief.."You did it for me?"
And that's why God does it. Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers," DO you like it? I did it just for you."

SACHIN TENDULKAR

Sachin Tendulkar today became the all the time leading run scorer when he overtook Brian Lara's 11953 runs and further went on to tread into uncharted territories when he was the first to reach 12000 runs capping off a fantastic career which has brought joy to innumerable people in a country where a cricket match can pretty much disrupt normal life.

RESPECT: To the guy who stood tall amidst ruins in the Indian batting line up before the trinity or the Fab Four middle order came into existence. I remember it being so bad that as soon as Sachin got out we used to put the TV off and take it for granted that India would lose.. 90% of the times they did lose.

It speaks volumes of the man that he is not just adored in our country but held in the highest esteem everywhere cricket is played, amply demonstrated by his innings in the controversial Sydney test or commendable words from Sir Don Bradman and Sir Viv Richards. It came as no surprise to me atleast when his one-time nemesis Shane Warne regarded Sachin as the greatest in his list.

Records are meant to be broken, someday someone might indeed break Sachin's record( infamy in my eyes..) but i don't think there will ever be anybody worthier than him for this one. Tendulkar maybe in the sunset of his career..but what a fantastic career it has been. In a country where cricket borders on religious frenzy a placard i saw somewhere has stayed with me forever....it read, " I have seen God.... he bats at no.4 for India"

JET AIRWAYS TAKES BACK SACKED EMPLOYEES

Apparently tears of the sacked employees gave the Jet Airways chairman sleepless nights which is why he decided to scrap the layoffs and get all the employees on board. It seems his conscience also had a part to play in the whole act that took place.

On the other hand the Civil Aviation Minister came out with a statement that he pretty much ordered the airways to find a fix in 24 hours. This is the same minister who had washed-off his hands when the crisis came about. I wonder if he too did find his conscience somwhere along the 48 hours. Not to mention of our poor Labour Minister, who seemed lost in the whole deal. In keeping with the political theme of our country he came out with the most perfect statement...he needed to study the files.

Somehow I feel that the discovery of their individual consciences of these very eminent men has something to do with one Mr. Raj Thackeray. A little prodding from him might on account of not letting any flights out of Mumbai migth have just done the trick.

Now I am not sure nor knowledgable if the 'fire and hire' policy is gonna stand it in good stead, all I know is it turned out into quite a 'JE(s)T' fiasco with the head honchos appearing to take a tough stand ( which i assume maybe more common with the impending financial situation), then buckling down under some kind of pressure, conveniently bringing their conscience in to tide over most questions. For now atleast the employees have their jobs back. Nobody knows how the next laying-off crisis will pan out, cos the way things are there sure shall be some. Till then hope these eminent people do keep running into their consciences.

IRONY

IRONY
One must appreciate life's little ironies, even at one's own expense.
Sol Luckman
i just happened to experience mine....tried paying my electricity bill at the state electricity bill counter...and could not do so...guess why....because they had no 'electricity'...

On Almost Any Sunday Morning - Counting Crows

You were so stupid
To believe in things you couldn't see
Then make them all you want
If you haven't got the reasons
Just make up any reasons
Then pick them 'til they're torn
Take it all away
You took your coat today
But they all go back in the morning
Make a time to find your way
I got a little further today

Parijatham

simply love this song...

Manmohan Singh Wins- way to go MR. Prime minister

The UPA wins the trust vote and with thats I simply love the way the Prime Minister has come to his own ...i kind of wanted the government to win and inspite of the petty political drama played inside the house...good sense prevailed.. i saw the whole drama enacted by the BJP as a frace played by the party about to lose and trying to distract the major issue by trying to hijack the house with an issue prodded on by them...at the end i'd post a few lines from the PM's speech that he was not allowed to make

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reply to trust vote motion. Its copy was submitted to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee( excerpts from the same)

The Leader of Opposition, Shri L.K. Advani has chosen to use all manner of abusive objectives to describe my performance. He has described me as the weakest Prime Minister, a nikamma PM, and of having devalued the office of PM. To fulfill his ambitions, he has made at least three attempts to topple our government. But on each occasion his astrologers have misled him. This pattern, I am sure, will be repeated today. At his ripe old age, I do not expect Shri Advani to change his thinking. But for his sake and India’s sake, I urge him at least to change his astrologers so that he gets more accurate predictions of things to come ( the best line)

Can our nation forgive a Home Minister who slept when the terrorists were knocking at the doors of our Parliament? Can our nation forgive a person who single handedly provided the inspiration for the destruction of the Babri Masjid with all the terrible consequences that followed? To atone for his sins, he suddenly decided to visit Pakistan and there he discovered new virtues in Mr. Jinnah. Alas, his own party and his mentors in the RSS disowned him on this issue. Can our nation approve the conduct of a Home Minister who was sleeping while Gujarat was burning leading to the loss of thousands of innocent lives? Our friends in the Left Front should ponder over the company they are forced to keep because of miscalculations by their General Secretary.

All I had asked our Left colleagues was : please allow us to go through the negotiating process and I will come to Parliament before operationalising the nuclear agreement. This simple courtesy which is essential for orderly functioning of any Government worth the name, particularly with regard to the conduct of foreign policy, they were not willing to grant me. They wanted a veto over every single step of negotiations which is not acceptable. They wanted me to behave as their bonded slave.

I have often said that I am a politician by accident. I have held many diverse responsibilities. I have been a teacher, I have been an official of the Government of India, I have been a member of this greatest of Parliaments, but I have never forgotten my life as a young boy in a distant village.


Every day that I have been Prime Minister of India I have tried to remember that the first ten years of my life were spent in a village with no drinking water supply, no electricity, no hospital, no roads and nothing that we today associate with modern living. I had to walk miles to school, I had to study in the dim light of a kerosene oil lamp. This nation gave me the opportunity to ensure that such would not be the life of our children in the foreseeable future.

friends

Somehow simply love this picture...:P

The Wild Geese- Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I'll tell you mine.
But meanwhile the world goes on...
Meanwhile the sun and the soft pebbles of rain
are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies,
and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile, the wild geese high in the
clean blue air are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh
and exciting over and over again,
announcing your place in the family of things.

Four Things to Know

Hatim al-Asamm said, "I have chosen four things to know
and discarded all other things of knowledge.
"The first is this: I know that my daily bread is apportioned
to me and will neither be increased or decreased, so I have stopped
trying to add to it.
"Secondly, I know I owe to God a debt which no one else can
pay for me, so I am busy about paying it.
"Thirdly, I know that there is someone pursuing me ---
Death --- whom I cannot escape from, so I have prepared myself
to meet him.
"Fourth, I know that God is observing me, so I am ashamed
to do what I should not."


Farid ud Din Attar, translation by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut - 'Perfume of the Desert'

aarushi murder case

The murder case in itself is shocking and the way the investigation was conducted is appalling to start with. Tragic in itself the way the police conducted itself just adds to the misery.

To add to it the father being arrested for the murder of his daughter is something one cannot dream of. I in particular have been disappointed with the coverage of the news by a section of the news channels.

I for one don't have a clue as to who committed the murders and am as sure that neither does the media.Yes the police have arrested her father and maybe he might have indeed committed the crime but he has not been proved guilty. I do not support her father nor have anything against him.

I am just horrified at the way the case has been sensationalised by a section of media with going as far calling the father " dongi papa" and shedding crocodile tears over his daughters death. The least u can expect of the media is responsible journalism with painting a fair picture give both sides of the story.

To be fair there are many loopholes to the version the police has given out. This also is the same police force that failed to discover servants body lying on the terrace and somebody from outside had to do it for them. The whole version is littered with fallacies and i for my life cant seem to comprehend the motive behind the murder.

I am just disappointed that a few news channels for the sake of trp's took the police version, painted a story around it and proclaimed the father guilty party even b4 he was afforded a trial.

And on top of it aarushi would have been 14 in an hour from now.. sad end to a future that was never to be...

R.I.P. aarushi

Character Of A Happy Life

How happy is he born and taught
That serveth not another's will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill!
Whose passions not his masters are;
Whose soul is still prepared for death,
Untied unto the world by care
Of public fame or private breath;

Who envies none that chance doth raise,
Nor vice; who never understood
How deepest wounds are giv'n by praise;
Nor rules of state, but rules of good;

Who hath his life from rumours freed;
Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatterers feed,
Nor ruin make oppressors great.

Who God doth late and early pray
More of His grace than gifts to lend;
And entertains the harmless day
With a religious book or friend.

This man is freed from servile bands
Of hope to rise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands;
And having nothing, yet hath all.

by: Sir Henry Wotton(1568 - 1639)

Pictorial warnings on tobacco products

The proposal to introduce pictorial warnings on tobacco products finally seems to be underway albeit in a modified way. The health ministry has decided to let go of their earlier concept of showing gory pictures and instead settle in for milder picture that would be more acceptable to the wider public. I wonder how much the pressure from the tobacco lobby had to do with the change in the proposal.

The ministry has approached the court to implement the proposal as early as possible. The effectivity of the pictorial warnings is something that I doubt. Most of consumers I believe indeed are aware of the harmful effects and consume tobacco inspite of it. Maybe the warnings might have some effect, where awareness might be a bit low, I still would be doubtful about the effectiveness of this measure.

The pictorial warnings are to occupy 40% of the packaging area is to be occupied by the warnings. The manufacturers would find some other way to lure the consumers to their products. I am of the opinion that the warnings wont have the amount of effect of the magnitude necessary to bring about a change.

The Fool Errant

The Fool Errant sat by the highway of life
And his gaze wandered up and his gaze wandered down,
A vigorous youth, but with no wish to walk,
Yet his longing was great for the distant town.

He whistled a little frivolous tune
Which he felt to be pulsing with ecstasy,
For he thought that success always followed desire,
Such a very superlative fool was he

Then they clattered away in the dust and the wind,
And the fool slunk back to his lonely stone;
He began to see that the man who asks
Must likewise give and not ask alone.

Purple tree-shadows crept over the road,
The level sun flung an orange light,
And the fool laid his head on the hard, gray stone
And wept as he realized advancing night.

A great, round moon rose over a hill
And the steady wind blew yet more cool;
And crouched on a stone a wayfarer sobbed,
For at last he knew he was only a fool.
- Amy Lowell

Frost

When the spent sun throws up its rays on cloud
And goes down burning into the gulf below,
No voice in nature is heard to cry aloud
At what has happened. Birds, at least must know
It is the change to darkness in the sky.
Murmuring something quiet in her breast,
One bird begins to close a faded eye;
Or overtaken too far from his nest,
Hurrying low above the grove, some waif
Swoops just in time to his remembered tree.
At most he thinks or twitters softly, 'Safe!
Now let the night be dark for all of me.
Let the night bee too dark for me to see
Into the future. Let what will be, be.

The Road goes ever on and on

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then?
I cannot say.
--- J.R.R. Tolkien

happy vishu

It couldn't be done

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one we know has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That cannot be done, and you'll do it

-edgar guest

Character of the Happy Warrior

It is the generous Spirit, who, when brought
Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought
Upon the plan that pleased his boyish thought:
Whose high endeavours are an inward light
That makes the path before him always bright:
Who, with a natural instinct to discern
What knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn;
Abides by this resolve, and stops not there,
But makes his moral being his prime care;
Who, doomed to go in company with Pain,
And Fear, and Bloodshed, miserable train!
Turns his necessity to glorious gain;
In face of these doth exercise a power
Which is our human nature's highest dower;
Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves
Of their bad influence, and their good receives:
By objects, which might force the soul to abate
Her feeling, rendered more compassionate;
Is placable--because occasions rise
So often that demand such sacrifice;
More skilful in self-knowledge, even more pure,
As tempted more; more able to endure,
As more exposed to suffering and distress;
Thence, also, more alive to tenderness.
- William Wordsworth

hamlet's soliloquy

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?—To die,—to sleep,—
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to,—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die,—to sleep;—
To sleep: perchance to dream:—ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despis’d love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would these fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,—
The undiscover’d country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns,—puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought;
And enterprises of great pith and moment,
With this regard, their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action

ITHACA

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

CONSTANTINE CAVAFY (1863–1933)
translated by Rae Dalven

Joy & Sorrow - khalil gibran

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

Mee Mumbaikar

With the news channels predicting the "imminent" arrest of Raj Thackeray, the whole of Maharasthra remains on tenterhooks, trouble sure to erupt if the imminent does occur.

At the heart of the situation the debate over who exactly a Mumbaikar is still rages. As a south Indian residin in pune i aint sure how qualified i am to comment on a sensitive as this so i wont.

I kinda like the younger Thackeray. He is young, capable of stirring his followers and is very intelligent as the current situation shows. He definitely is the brightest star for the future.
What more, he does have the support of majaority of the native state population for raking up this issue. Mr.Patil-a colleague in dad's office- going as far as wanting his arrest so that trouble does erupt. ...cant imagine how perverse can one get. It is common knowledge that Mumbai will burn if Raj is indeed docked.

The major grouse of his party has been the migrant population eating up into the jobs sector leaving none for the native population.
I feel the cheatin off jobs comment is kinda funny. Under this garb MNS has been attackin poor taxi drivers and migrant labourers. Is that the kind of jobs that they feel cheated off !!!!!. Why exactly did all the north indians or the bhaiyyas to be more specific land up with these jobs. The owners hire people depending on their ability. If the native population is indeed capable then why not compete in the same sector instead of driving the competition away. These jobs were there for the takin b4 the influx occured. Why is MNS creatin a ruckus about it now. Are they implyin that after drivin the north indians off they want maharashtrians to be the labourers and taxi drivers. I fail to understand.

The issue about the development of mumbai being adversely affected by the influx of migrants is definitely serious. I completely agree that the coming up of slums the way they are in mumbai does nothing in the city's quest to become the next shanghai. It is a probelm and needs lookin into. The solution suggested by Raj Thackeray sounds lame though. Banning the entry of people into the city would hardly solve the issue.If he is so concerned about the issue he might as well have taken up the issue with the state government, his being a cadre based party it would have worked wonders for the city. I was watching his press conference and loved the way he responded to the questions. He does have the charisma to lead maharshtra to a glorious path.Pity he resorted to these means. To add to the confusion we have Abu Azmi who responded with distribtuion of sticks to his workers, when he wuld have been wise to try and defuse the situation amicably. Finally he seems to have toned down his rhetoric...good sense prevailin at last.

Somewhere along the the majority who took the brunt of the attacks were people who struggle for their livelihood... thrashing defenceless taxidrivers serves no point...How many big or powerful north indians has the MNS taken on...apart from the occasional Amitabh Bachchan.. and what happened to bachchan, he still lives off his crores comfortably...while the poor suffer as his party activists wreak havoc.
Everybody has the right to live...in his chosen place...atleast in our country, that is what makes India so great.

Thackeray may have the best intentions for his city, unfortunately the method chosen to realize his intentions is not something that i agree with ( not that it matters to him). In an attempt to galvanize his party from political obscurity, he has raked up an issue which would only lead to further disquiet and chaos in the mumbai. In the midst of all this people who struggle day in- day out for their basic needs....suffer.

I like Raj Thackeray....he would definitely get my vote had he been contestin from where i am...i just hope good sense prevails...

WORDS-Ryan Adams

If everything you want is something you couldn't have
Go outside a while, look up and count the clouds
Can you draw a picture of the backyard of the house
You grew up in, can you remember how it smelled?

Don't worry up your mind
People are sick and mean sometimes
They're only words
They're only words

If everybody is grateful, how come nobody's satisfied
If a tree falls in the woods and there ain't no one around
If you heard it you could go over and whittle out a wishing box
You could write her name on something and put it inside

Don't worry up your mind
People are sick and mean sometimes
Don't worry up your mind
They're only words
Its only words
Its only words

Hard Times - Eastmountainsouth

simply love the lyrics of this song....

As we pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
Let us all taste the hungers of the poor.
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears:
Hard times, come again no more.

It's a song and a sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door.
Hard times, come again no more.

As we seek mirth, and beauty, and music light and gay
There are frail forms fainting at the door.
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say:
Hard times, come again no more.

It's a song and a sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door.
Hard times, come again no more.

It's a song that the wind blows across the troubled wave.
It's a cry that is heard along the shore.
It's the words that are whispered beside the lowly grave
When hard times will come again no more.

It's a song and a sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door.
Hard times, come again no more.