When will all this mayhem end?? 2 nights and 1 full day... and its still going on... 125 lives lost and many more injured... when will it end and where will this lead us?? Whats the government going to do?? Will the government actually do something or just sit and issue statements like the previous attacks?? has this situation make Indian security situation look like a big joke?? should the internal affairs miniter saty on?? or should he resign?? he hasnt done anything and there are reports that he has goofed up by revealing sensitive information on TV... these are the questions racing in my mind.... i dont have answers to any of these and neither do i expect anyone to give me ... but what i do know is this... any government that has lifted a finger and not done anything to improve the security of its citizen, any government that is spineless to take tough decisions should not remain... the government is for its people.. not to rob the people of their tax money and do nothing in return... such a government should be removed.... I wonder who would win if elections were to happen in a week or so?? not hard to guess is it.. BJP would sweep the elections.... As to the Pakistani link, i think the officials and PM shouldnt have gone public blaming them without solid proof.. or atleast wait until its over and present some proof and then accuse... this is childishness... there was no diplomacy in it... it only makes us look like jokers... we always accuse and point finger across the border straight away w/o any solid prooof... has all these attacks been solved completely ?? I think theres a lot to ponder about that....
I ve just started to read this book by Bill Bryson - A short history of nearly everything and its just fabulous. Being a Science and Engineering student, this book is like going back to basics and also a revelation of many sorts.. things you didnt understand being presented to you in a basic layman's terms... He writes about everything... the title says it all... he talks about Cosmos, Universe, Big bang, life, evolution, civilization, how it all began... simply fascinating... safe to say its a book about Life, Universe and Everything... After reading this book, I ve got to revisit Douglas Adam's - Hitch Hiker's to get a new perspective on it... :) .. Maybe read it at sipping a coffee in the restaurant at the end of the universe... hehe... :) .. watch the end and then go back and watch the Big bang too... :) ... Bill Bryson also talks about the Scientists(Newton, Cavendish, Hooke et. al) of many eras, their works, and their eccentricities.. I would highly recommend this book as a text book for 1st year college student to really understand what they studied in High school physics and chemistry... this book will take you to a new level of understanding of all that you ve learnt so far... Because it is written by a non-scientist for a layman... so you can expect lot of simplicity and no scientific mumbo-jumbo and no complex equations... just illustrations..
Some of the interesting quotes I ve come across so far...
"The universe is not only queerer than we suppose, it is queerer than we can suppose" - JBS Haldane
"What would happen if you traveled to the edge of the universe and peek your head out of the curtains? what would you find beyond? where would your head be if it was not in the universe? "
I thought it takes a lot to wax the snow board... apparently it isnt if u have all the right tools.. and ofcourse with a little help from friends who know how to do it.. and its a great feeling to have maintained your own stuff rather paying someone else to do for you... :) .. Now the wait is for a good snow fall and I will be off to the nearest ski slope to practise my snow board skills or more like learn how to snow board :-D)...
Being a visitor to home once a year , one simply has to satisfy their taste buds at all costs.. esp. when you miss good food for a long period of time.. In Norway, only Indian food that is easily available is Punjabi tandoori cuisine.. and if you come from South India like I do, then you would miss good south Indian food a whole lot.. so my only chance is when I come home.. which is once a year.. so the days when i wasn't eating Mum's home made food... I went on a rampage in the city.. :).. Those idlis, dosas, vadas, appam, chaat and the list goes on...
some of the places that satisfied my appetite are... 1. Cream Corner @ RA Puram (just around the corner from my place) 2. Sin city @ Alwarpet (Choc and ice cream corner) 3. Sanjeevanam @ Adyar (Health food concept - Kerala Style) 4. South Indies @ Indire Nagar in Bangalore.. (Interesting mix of dishes from all 4 south Indian states) 5. Usuals like Saravanas, Sangeetha, Gangothri chat corner, Fruit shop...
Its always quite a thing to look forward to eating good food at home and in your favourite restaurants that you grew up with... and its always sad feeling when you have to go back and that you will miss it until the next trip.... umm.. this too shall pass.. ! Now I have to start thinking about how to get rid of all the calories gained... hehe... like thats going to happen :)
Lawlessness and Outrage - words that you have come to embrace and commonly associate with things happening in the World's largest Democracy i.e India... The recent incident at Chennai Law College - Clash of two student groups led to violence in the college campus where one group beat up 4 students to near death (still admitted in critical condition).. all the while Police were standing right outside the gates watching the whole incident without lifting a finger.. and mediamen taping the whole violence and showing it explicity on prime time news...
I dunno what else to call outrage... the fact that 2 student groups clashed, or fact that police actually arrived and stand neatly in front of the gates even before it escalated and yet didnt no anything about it, media taping the whole incident and flashing it all over the news w/o any restriction of footage what so ever, the college officials not acting quickly to intervene, common bystander just watching the whole incident unfolding...
One begins to feel... Does anyone beleive in Police these days?? Does one really bother to go to Police to give a complaint?? It has ccome to stage where you could see a murder in broad daylight and yet not intervene or even to go police, because common man does not want to even associate himself with the police or the harassment thereafter...
My own experience in Bangalore sugguests that if you lose your mobile phone and want to file a lost report, you will be harassed and asked bribe for losing your phone and and to file a complaint form for lost mobile.. this is reality.. welcome to India..
Makes you question the meaning of Democracy, when common man on street is even afraid to discuss the political situation , law and order situation or the lack of it, simply because he might harassed or attacked by a political fanatic "rowdies"...
Is this the end of meaningful Democracy ?? Is it Gunda'cracy' or Rowdy'cracy' ?? Just like how Chennai has a Ganesha temple in every street corner, political parties have sprung up in every street corner and each one has a big band of rowdy members and each one wants a pie of Common man's tax money... Nobody cares about the issues to common people or even think about service to people... Its like Democracy has lost its meaning.... How will the common man still beleive in Democracy or the Law and Order system, if this state of affairs prevail and continue to prevail??
Maybe this is the decline of Democracy in India?? Maybe we need another Indira Gandhi to bring about an Emergency in India and weed out all the corrupt politicians to officials of lower order and throw out the gazillion parties that have sprung up and build a 2 party system like the US or a few party system (not more than 5 or so) and set strict rules for contesting elections so Convicts and Murderers like Shibu Soren does not even walk anywhere near the Parliament.. Or worst yet.. bring about a Military rule.. until things get better... Only Force seems to work in India.. Too much divide, too many factions, too many religious clashes, lack of internal affairs, scores of recent bomb blasts, outrageous prices, high inflation rates... and the list goes on...
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY COUNTRY ?? We learnt "Mera Bharat Mahan", "Vande Mataram" in school?? Seems like it was only a dream of likes of Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, and the million freedom fighters who died for her ... I sincerely wonder if the common man even bothers to go to the polling booth and vote ... and even if u do.. your vote has probably been cast already and you are being questioned and challenged for the proof of Identity...
I weep for my country.. Hope I don't live to see the eventual demise of the dysfunctional democracy and hope it does not come to that...
I ve seen Dolphin show at an aquarium before (or i think so.. not sure now..:) .. but seeing them in their natural habitat is quite a different thing... Had been to Goa recently and did a Dolphin safari... they take you out on a small boat out into the sea far from the coast where Dolphins usually go for a swim... look for yourself.. Need I say more?? It was awesome... :) .. ofcourse Blog and photos of the trip to follow in due course of time :)
Adieu Kumble.. One of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced.. totally out of spotlight until recently, highly respected and talented cricketer Anil Kumble was one of the genius India has produced ... How can we forget your 10 wickets in one innings or courageous jaw strapped spell nad finger strapped spell... we will miss you... you will be the inspiration to the future generation of spinners (wait a min.. you werent really a spinner !!) Hope India still survives the loss of a great cricketer...
