Friday, November 28, 2008
Saved by a whisker, nay a day and 1 hour!!
I had gone to Mumbai for a training program last week. The program was scheduled on 24th-25th November, and I left for home on 25th night itself, reaching home on 27th morning. It's chilling to think what would have been the case if the program had started one day later, meaning which I would have left Mumbai on 26th night. Yes 26th November 2008 night, when all hell broke loose in Mumbai!! I learnt about the blasts across Mumbai and the shooting in VT, when I was preparing to get down at Tatanagar while on my way back home. I was shell shocked by the daring shown in the attacks at first, although I had no way of getting to know the details as the time was 12 o'clock in the night. I considered myself lucky to have got out in the nick of time. If I had to get out the day after, there could have been all sorts of problems. The first incident of shooting started at around 9.20 pm, by which time I would have already boarded my train. But then a shooting at VT would have ensured that all the train services would have been thrown out of gear, and we could have been stuck somewhere without a way of getting out...Lucky me!! Even if we accept that the risk to my life was not very great on hindsight, there is no overlooking the fact that the return journey would have been one hell of a journey, I don't know when I would have reached home. As it was, I was home in good time and the first thing I did was take stock of the situation. The situation as I found out was much worse than I could have imagined. The terrorists as I found out have unleashed a reign of terror across Mumbai, and the endgames were being played out at two luxury hotels and one building which housed a Jewish center. But more about that later, right now I am just relieved to be back home without facing any problems, but at the same time concerned for all the people who are caught up in the shootouts.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
All good things come to an end....a tribute!!
This is a tribute to the best bowler that Indian cricket had. Today on the last day of the third test with Australia, at the Kotla, Anil Kumble decided to walk into the sunset. Purely going by statistics he is by far the best Indian bowler till date. At the outset itself I want to make one thing clear- I am no great fan of Anil Kumble the bowler. I am a bit traditional when it comes to cricket, and he was the antithesis of it. His bowling wasn't great to look at, he was a leg spinner who didn't spin the bowl!! But one thing that he wasn't was inconsistent, he ends with more than 600 wickets!! And he was a true fighter, always giving more than 100% for the country. It's ironic that the two images that I will always remember of him are when he overcame physical pain to get out there and perform for the country. One was in the West Indies, in spite of being hit while batting, he came out to bowl with a broken jaw, and the second was in his last test. He hurt his left hand while fielding, and required 11 stitches on it, but he came out the next day and bowled his heart out, and took wickets too. It's a sad truth that in spite of such achievements he never got his due. He was always criticized as I read some where, for what he didn't do rather than for what he did for the team.
I would be honest and put my hand up to confess that I have been among his distractor's too. But as I heard the news of his retirement from my Dad, who was watching the match while I was taking my lunch, I was shocked. I knew that his retirement was around the corner, but didn't expect it coming quite so soon, and hardly in this way. The news was out even while the Indian batsmen were out there trying to take the game out of the reach of the Australians. In all the years I have been watching cricket, never have I seen such a strange way of announcing retirement. I will miss him bowling in a test match for sure. I was all teary eyed as I read various articles being written about him and his decision to retire.
As he retires, we are face to face with the end of an era. Three more players are set to retire in the not too distant future,while one has already announced his retirement. For people like me who have grown up watching Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Kumble, it feels strange to think of a time in the very near future that an Indian test team will turn out without any of them. I have only one wish and one hope as we stand here. The wish is that we had won more matches with the strong team that we had, and the hope is that Indian cricket is ready with it's replacements for these legends. Failing the latter, the huge fan following that cricket enjoys in India will suffer- I have already had one friend telling me that he will stop watching cricket from the day Sachin Tendulkar retires!!
At the end I will only say- Mr Anil Kumble, thanks for helping the country win so many matches, and best of luck for whatever you do in your future....have a good life!!
I would be honest and put my hand up to confess that I have been among his distractor's too. But as I heard the news of his retirement from my Dad, who was watching the match while I was taking my lunch, I was shocked. I knew that his retirement was around the corner, but didn't expect it coming quite so soon, and hardly in this way. The news was out even while the Indian batsmen were out there trying to take the game out of the reach of the Australians. In all the years I have been watching cricket, never have I seen such a strange way of announcing retirement. I will miss him bowling in a test match for sure. I was all teary eyed as I read various articles being written about him and his decision to retire.
As he retires, we are face to face with the end of an era. Three more players are set to retire in the not too distant future,while one has already announced his retirement. For people like me who have grown up watching Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Kumble, it feels strange to think of a time in the very near future that an Indian test team will turn out without any of them. I have only one wish and one hope as we stand here. The wish is that we had won more matches with the strong team that we had, and the hope is that Indian cricket is ready with it's replacements for these legends. Failing the latter, the huge fan following that cricket enjoys in India will suffer- I have already had one friend telling me that he will stop watching cricket from the day Sachin Tendulkar retires!!
At the end I will only say- Mr Anil Kumble, thanks for helping the country win so many matches, and best of luck for whatever you do in your future....have a good life!!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A step forward...and a step back!!
Today is a special day for India, today we joined the select club of countries who have successfully launched lunar missions. Early in the morning the PSLV blasted off with Chandrayan-I, India's satellite which will map the Moon for the next two years. India has come a long way since the time I remember in my childhood, when the PSLV failed in it's missions to place satellites into orbit, due to technical shortcomings. As of today India's space agency ISRO has successfully placed many a satellite into orbits using the same PSLV, thereby earning name as well as money for the country.
But although the day started off on a happy note, it couldn't be sustained. For starters the stock market opened lower, and crashed by more than 500 points till the end of trading. But there was more in store. The last month or so has seen the secular credentials of the country take a beating- what with the attacks against the Christian community in different parts of the country, as well as one Mr.Raj Thackeray of MNS ranting continuously against "outsiders". Mr.Thackeray's goons have repeatedly attacked north Indians making a living in Mumbai (soon to be supposedly our own Shanghai), but the nadir was reached so to speak, when they attacked north Indian students last Sunday. The poor students had gone to appear in the recruitment exams for the railways. The way they were beaten up, made for harrowing reading!! At last the Maharashtra government woke up from its slumber to file cases against Mr.Raj Thackeray, and he was arrested yesterday early morning. As expected his goons went on rampage and damaged properties as well as hurt people. Mumbai was on siege, so much for the talk of making it Shanghai!! Anyhow Mr.Thackeray became the first from his notorious family to spend a night in the lock up. But that didn't amount to much as the court granted him bail, minutes after sending him to judicial custody for two weeks. So he is free again, to spread more fear and hatred. I wish someone will be able to think above petty politics, and take strong action against him and his goons.
Till that time lets at least cheer for the amazing scientists who made it possible for us to join the lunar mission club....at least we are moving forward in somethings!!
But although the day started off on a happy note, it couldn't be sustained. For starters the stock market opened lower, and crashed by more than 500 points till the end of trading. But there was more in store. The last month or so has seen the secular credentials of the country take a beating- what with the attacks against the Christian community in different parts of the country, as well as one Mr.Raj Thackeray of MNS ranting continuously against "outsiders". Mr.Thackeray's goons have repeatedly attacked north Indians making a living in Mumbai (soon to be supposedly our own Shanghai), but the nadir was reached so to speak, when they attacked north Indian students last Sunday. The poor students had gone to appear in the recruitment exams for the railways. The way they were beaten up, made for harrowing reading!! At last the Maharashtra government woke up from its slumber to file cases against Mr.Raj Thackeray, and he was arrested yesterday early morning. As expected his goons went on rampage and damaged properties as well as hurt people. Mumbai was on siege, so much for the talk of making it Shanghai!! Anyhow Mr.Thackeray became the first from his notorious family to spend a night in the lock up. But that didn't amount to much as the court granted him bail, minutes after sending him to judicial custody for two weeks. So he is free again, to spread more fear and hatred. I wish someone will be able to think above petty politics, and take strong action against him and his goons.
Till that time lets at least cheer for the amazing scientists who made it possible for us to join the lunar mission club....at least we are moving forward in somethings!!
Friday, October 3, 2008
03-10-2008.....Bittersweet!!
03-10-2008 is my birthday....I turned 28 years old today. But when I compare it with even last year, I have to admit I enjoyed it much less than last year. I was expecting my so called friends would remember my birthday, as such I was waiting for calls and messages to start coming from mid-night itself. But I guess I am a bad judge of people, because except for one message that arrived from a 2 year old friend, I got nothing else. I actually had a fit full sleep for the initial hour or so, waking up to check my phone!! Still when I woke up I was confident that many more calls and messages would be forthcoming during the course of the day. Till around 9.30 am, I had received two messages- one a cousin brother and one from a friend, and one call from my parents. Surprise surprise, my own colleague had forgotten completely and could only remember when two other colleagues came and wished me. Even my boss conveniently forgot to wish me when he called me in the morning for some official work. Anyhow during the day only a handful of wishes came my way. The day even plumbed the depth of my not being able to get a decent lunch, at the office( where I was for a meeting), as the food was finished before I could eat. My bosses tried to make up for this by arranging for chicken sandwiches to be delivered, which all of us ate to our hearts content. The saving grace was that I actually cut a cake on my birthday, and it's not very often that I have done that in the last 28 years. Inspite of all this one thing still rankles- the HR manager didn't deem it fit to wish me in the morning when we met, choosing to wait instead for the cake cutting ceremony. I so very much hate pretenders!!
A departure from last year was that one of my childhood friend who is bad at remembering birthdays remembered and cared enough to give me a call to wish me. I had given him a huge dressing down last year for forgetting my birthday!! Not that this year I was in a forgiving mood either. The list of people who missed is huge, but two people stick out like sore thumbs. One was the person to wish me first last year, and the other person has never forgotten to wish me in last many years, even when we were on barely talking terms. It hurt real bad, and am still nursing my wounds. Other significant oversighter's were my colleagues from my work place, I got a call from one of them who remembered at 9.30 pm in the night, and boy was I rude!!
After the meeting was over, our team had an impromptu beer party, sponsored by my boss. I took a drink one too many and was really sozzled, when I got that call from my colleague, but I am not sorry for lashing out at him!! I am hurt and angry....maybe time for some introspection and review.
But as the saying goes I may be down, but I am not out!!
A departure from last year was that one of my childhood friend who is bad at remembering birthdays remembered and cared enough to give me a call to wish me. I had given him a huge dressing down last year for forgetting my birthday!! Not that this year I was in a forgiving mood either. The list of people who missed is huge, but two people stick out like sore thumbs. One was the person to wish me first last year, and the other person has never forgotten to wish me in last many years, even when we were on barely talking terms. It hurt real bad, and am still nursing my wounds. Other significant oversighter's were my colleagues from my work place, I got a call from one of them who remembered at 9.30 pm in the night, and boy was I rude!!
After the meeting was over, our team had an impromptu beer party, sponsored by my boss. I took a drink one too many and was really sozzled, when I got that call from my colleague, but I am not sorry for lashing out at him!! I am hurt and angry....maybe time for some introspection and review.
But as the saying goes I may be down, but I am not out!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
The world will live...
For the last few days there's news that the world is going to end on Wednesday. And all this because of a supposed black hole formation in the world's largest particle accelerator. I hadn't given it much thought, but in the evening I heard someone at a friends place making comments about it. So for the past few hours i tried to read up on what are the chances that the world would not see another day after the coming Wednesday. Well as far as I could find out, there isn't anything to worry....I would like to go into details as to why not, but its getting late so suffice to say- the world will live to see another day, even after Wednesday!!....sleep tight...good night!!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Life in a godforsaken city!!
Just a little while ago I was reading an interesting article in today's Hindustan Times Brunch, in which we were told how the renowned doctors of our country keep themselves fit. Some are avid biker's, some prefer dancing while some prefer the more conventional exercises, but the was most interesting for me was was the doc who goes for scuba diving each year.
Reading the article I was inspired to do something too!
I have always wanted to learn lot of things, which given my poor middle class background I have never been able to in my childhood. But now that I earn I want to spend some amount on myself to fulfill my desires. So I have been thinking of joining a gym-again, I left the last one, learning French, learning dance, learning swimming.
After completing the article I suddenly got this urge of getting swimming classes. So I sat down and did a google search for swimming classes in and around Ranchi. And in a capital city eight years since the creation of the state, I couldn't find one swimming class listed on the net.Instead what I found was an article that appeared in The Telegraph, saying something to the effect that my wish for taking swimming lessons can't be fulfilled in this capital city. So much for living in a capital city!!
If at all I want to learn swimming then I will have to become the member of some or the other fancy club, so that I can use their facility. Saying which I neither have the resources nor the inclination for it, so effectively it means that I won't be taking a swimming lesson in this city of my birth, a capital city!!
Long live Jharkhand!!
Reading the article I was inspired to do something too!
I have always wanted to learn lot of things, which given my poor middle class background I have never been able to in my childhood. But now that I earn I want to spend some amount on myself to fulfill my desires. So I have been thinking of joining a gym-again, I left the last one, learning French, learning dance, learning swimming.
After completing the article I suddenly got this urge of getting swimming classes. So I sat down and did a google search for swimming classes in and around Ranchi. And in a capital city eight years since the creation of the state, I couldn't find one swimming class listed on the net.Instead what I found was an article that appeared in The Telegraph, saying something to the effect that my wish for taking swimming lessons can't be fulfilled in this capital city. So much for living in a capital city!!
If at all I want to learn swimming then I will have to become the member of some or the other fancy club, so that I can use their facility. Saying which I neither have the resources nor the inclination for it, so effectively it means that I won't be taking a swimming lesson in this city of my birth, a capital city!!
Long live Jharkhand!!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Debate on Gujarat, PM and Indian history...
This is a conversation I had recently with a friend of mine, it deals with a range of issues as mentioned above. I thought will post it, so here goes...
Me: So your Modi now wants to become the PM of India?
Friend: Where did u get that news?
Me: it was in the news as well as in the papers.
Me: not that he has said that in so many words
Me: but it was implied by his actions
Friend: k
Friend: every1 has right to his aspiration/ambition
Friend: y u r opposed to his ambition?
Me: I am opposed to him
Friend: so go n oppose him
Friend: don’t say it to me
Me: it would be a black day in the history of the country if he becomes the PM
Friend: that’s your thought
Me: and many mores I would say
Friend: but not all
Me: naturally there are right wing extremists out there who wont agree with me
Friend: and much more people
Friend: those who live in Gujarat will vouch for him
Me: I have my doubts
Friend: I aint extremist
Me: even if I had lived in Gujarat I would still vote against him
Friend: I have my doubts
Me: ur doubting that I would vote for him if I had lived there?
Friend: I m sure that u will vote if u had lived there
Me: then sadly my friend ur wrong
Friend: well u never know
Me: I know
Friend: unless u had lived there
Friend: I have seen Gujarat growing after he came to power
Me: I don’t have to live there to take this decision
Me: its not only about development
Friend: u cant take decision unless u experience it
Friend: u have only one perspective (outer one), u never had an inner one
Me: wont vote for some right wing extremist as the country's prime minister!!
Friend: so u r I wud say, biased
Friend: but u wud vote leftists, right?
Me: I won’t vote leftists
Friend: or some Sardar who is a puppet
Me: puppet?
Friend: puppet
Me: who just got u the nuke deal?
Me: sum joke?
Friend: well that’s bcoz of Madamji
Friend: not Sardarji
Me: BJP would have taken the deal with only half benefits being offered
Me: and now they are opposing it?
Friend: he is just a puppet without any real power
Me: u couldn't be more wrong
Friend: well that’s again ur perspective
Friend: nobody is saint in politics
Friend: everyone is a bloody damn cheat, an opportunist
Me: at least most are still not mass murderers
Friend: oho, u say that
Me: yes I say that
Friend: what did Mr. Gandhi do sending IPKF to Srilanka?
Friend: what did Mrs. Gandhi did sending those gun trotting ppl inside the golden temple?
Me: I guess he wasn't letting ppl die while he took no decisions?
Me: and how many innocent ppl got killed in those?
Friend: where?
Friend: what did Mrs. Gandhi did sending Indian troops to Bangladesh??
Me: in both the incidents u mentioned?
Friend: was it not internal interference in east Pakistan??
Friend: IPKF, Indian soldiers
Me: I would say no
Me: I am still in favor of hot pursuit
Friend: Golden temple, the repercussion killed hundreds of Sikhs & Hindus
Me: and as to IPKF I think Srilankan govt. wanted them?
Friend: Bangladesh, India still is being terrorized because of it
Me: the repercussions not the act itself?
Friend: never buddy, go back to history
Friend: if u do an action, u r equally responsible for its reaction too
Me: so ur meaning to say what happened in those riots are justified?
Friend: u can’t just start a fire n say I had started the fire and never intended to burn the house/forest
Friend: I never said I m justifying it
Me: u just did?
Friend: I m saying nobody is saint
Friend: I m saying everyone is selling India
Me: there is still no conclusive proof that the train was burnt by any person of any particular religion
Friend: so now everyone decides who is the lesser evil
Friend: oh, do u still think so??
Me: and the chief minister sat there and let his goons go on a killing spree
Me: as to IPKF u got ur facts wrong
Friend: n what abt the riots after Operation Blue Star??
Me: go and cross check them
Friend: u need to get ur facts right buddy
Me: u do it mate
Friend: u do it
Me: SL govt requested it
Me: there was an accord
Friend: ok u think so?? then y did they never tried to utilize IPKF??
Me: the forces were fighting the militants and not sum innocent civilians
Friend: instead it was IPKF who got under SL govt skins with its own agenda
Me: the basic premise wasn’t that, was it
Me: they had wanted it first
Friend: listen, under those Gandhi’s, India wanted to b the big brother
Friend: had a habit of interfering in other ppls business
Friend: n now bcoz of that, India is paying price in terms of terrorism
Me: oh yah?
Me: is that so?
Friend: y wud Pak not be angry at India’s misdeeds??
Me: I don’t think Afghanistan did anything remotely like that
Friend: what was happening at east pak, was its internal affair, if India had to meddle, it had to do with UN
Me: even Malaysia?
Me: y do they get bombed by terrorists trained by pak?
Friend: u just don’t meddle with internal affairs of a country without an international council
Friend:??
Me: terrorists are terrorists
Me: there isn’t any reason
Friend: just listen for a sec
Me: pak angry at us?
Me: that’s just bull shit
Friend: y do u think pak is after Kashmir after 1971?
Me: who did all those incursions?
Me: we or them?
Friend: was there no pak or Kashmir before 1971?
Me: no pak?
Me: pak is there since 1947
Friend: but Kashmir was never an agenda until 1971
Me: and in case u forgot we have fought wars with them even before 1971
Friend: if u got ur facts right, there was never a terrorist threat in Kashmir until 1985
Friend: y Kashmir became a hotspot after 1985??
Friend: answer me these simple questions
Friend: I will tell u
Me: Kashmir has been the flash point since the independence
Friend: no
Me: yes
Me: u go and check
Friend: it was just one issue, that was never a flashpoint
Friend: u go n check
Friend: it got into pak's head after 1971
Me: it was the reason for war
Me: what more of a flash point do u want?
Friend: pak had every reason to b angry at India’s bullishness
Friend: which war??
Friend: which war??
Friend: get ur facts right before talking
Friend: there was only a single war with pak
Me: the first war was also b coz of Kashmir
Friend: 1961 war was with China not Pak
Me: only a single war?
Me: u crazy?
Friend: check ur facts
Me: what bout the war just aft independence?
Friend: year please
Me: how many wars do u know between India and Pakistan?
Friend: 1
Friend: and if u count kargil, then 2
Me: ur history is pretty poor
Friend: better than urs
Me: there have been 4 wars between them
Friend: year plz
Me: 1947, 1965, 1971. 1999
Friend: hohohohohohohohoho
Me: better check them out
Friend: 1965 was with China
Me: too bad
Me: it was in 1962
Friend: 2 wars were with china
Friend: there is no war in 1947
Me: only 1 war with China mate
Me: in 1962
Me: I know u were not born then
Me: but stiil expected you to know.
Friend: the 1965 u r saying is not a war, it was infiltration
Me: well infiltration led to the war
Friend: anyways, it remains that Bangladesh was India’s misadventure
Friend: America always meddle with other ppls internal business
Me: the refugees were pouring into our country
Me: what should have been done?
Friend: stop them
Me: and let them die?
Friend: u can’t just wage a war bcoz refugees were pouring in
Friend: tomorrow u wage a war on Bhutan bcoz refugees were pouring in, what stupid reasoning
Me: if they were pouring in there must have been sum reason
Me: Bhutan?
Friend: just giving an example
Me: hw can u equate it with Pakistan?
Friend: I m saying that if ur neighbors wife comes n complains that her hubby is beating her, u don’t go n break his neck, do u??
Friend: u bring in the police/women’s right organization
Me: I guess we are talking about 1971?
Me: not 2008?
Friend: u don’t go n break him
Friend: do u??
Friend: ya
Friend: m giving u a similar scenario
Me: cant work in 1971 naa
Me: more than 2 and half decades ago
Friend: m talking about root cause
Me: Pakistan is a bloody idiot
Friend: India was a buffoon
Me: The administrators never learn from their mistakes
Me: I have my doubts
Friend: y u point finger at pak when India was the rowdy
Me: India rowdy?
Friend: yes during those phase
Friend: it tried to act as a big bro
Me: 1/3 of Kashmir is in the occupation of Pakistan
Me: and ur calling our country rowdy?
Me: and also there is a portion with China if I may add
Friend: that’s bcoz of 1971
Me: as to 1971 we were attacked first
Friend: u don’t go n attack ppl
Friend: n when they attack back, u cant complain
Me: not the other way around
Friend: no
Me: yes
Friend: get ur facts right
Me: u do it
Friend: we went to free Bangladesh
Me: we didn’t enter
Friend: yes we did
Me: there was troop buildup only
Me: not crossing of the border
Friend: it crossed
Me: but Pakistan attacked the mainland
Me: no they didn’t cross
Friend: they crossed
Me: they didn’t
Me: not till war was declared
Friend: no
Me: yes
Friend: nahi
Me: yes
Friend: naught
Me: yes
Me: they used air strikes
Friend: aur synonyms nahi aate mujhe
Me: then India declared war on Pakistan
Friend: dekh, I don’t want to fight on msgr
Me: we are not fighting
Me: we are debating history and politics
Friend: not on msgr plz
Me: and everything under the sun that can be debated
Friend: I m fed up with typing
Friend: day in n day out I do that
Me: I am not
Me: long time since I typed fast and furious
Friend: I don’t know abt fast, but furious – yes
Me: I have to make it fast also naa
Friend: don’t know if u have a speech to text convertor
Me: cant let u steal a march over me
Me: since we are going from one time frame to another
Friend: it will go on
Me: pretty fast
Friend: bcoz no one is relenting
Me: and admittedly ur speed is better than mine
Me: so I have to type fast so that I can complete my responses b4 we move onto the next time frame
Friend: obviously
Friend: yes
Friend: oh is that so?
Me: yes
Friend: hmm
Friend: m actually chatting with 2 different people on 2 different subjects
Friend: vastly different I may add
Me: well I can’t help it can I?
Me: I am always focused
Friend: nopes, u cant
Me: I am not in the habit of two-timing
Friend: well it holds a very different meaning
Friend: so watch ur mouth
Friend: rather fingers
Me: well u got what I meant
Me: that was just sum wit being written for u
Friend: I did not
Me: but I see that ur not much of a receiver
Me: ur antennae is not working
Me: not that I works much in these matters anyhow
Friend: I didn’t get u
Me: especially with me if I may add
Me: u cant catch the subtleties of a conversation I think
Me: at least not on chat or even on voice
Friend: hmm
Me: u see its not easy keeping up with a s/w developer in typing speed
Me: I am doing as best I can
Friend: its not abt s/w engg
Friend: its abt a typist
Friend: good
Friend: at least ur typing speed will increase
Me: well for that I will have to be constantly at it
Friend: m also trying to get used to this lappy keyboard
Me: I don’t get much practice nowadays as it is
Friend: ya, I understand what u r pointing at
Me: for a change u do
Me: I am relieved
Friend: hmm
Me: mostly u don’t even understand oblique references, leave alone subtleties
Friend: oh, give me an instance
Me: I already showed it to u
Friend: when?
Me: mostly u wouldn’t have understood the reference I just had made
Friend: I wud have definitely
Me: and u cant catch wit, humor, anger, frustration in words written or spoken if u cant see the person
Friend: well m not much of a fielder na
Me: u wouldn’t have
Me: well if u take it literally I cant help it
Me: the following link is F.Y.I.O. and not for further discussions http://www.subcontinent.com/1971war/origins.html
Friend: ok
Me: but one thing I did feel that is wrong with our education system
Friend: n what is that?
Me: we didn’t study our own war history too well
Friend: we r bigot
Me: there is scope for improvement
Me: no other country is so badly placed I guess
Friend: biased to the core
Friend: even u, sorry to say
Friend: u cant think India did anything wrong
Me: I am talking bout something else altogether
Friend: but I can think n know India did wrong during those times
Friend: those gandhians
Me: they did what they thought was best
Friend: but it reflects only one aspect
Friend: ther other aspect is hidden
Friend: just like the other side of the moon
Me: I wouldn’t compare them with ppl who sat in their offices while the city burned
Friend: moon was never flat, its always a sphere
Me: and they didn’t let the police take action
Friend: I cant compare ppl who never fought war but initiated it
Friend: I cant forgive people to push the innocent soldiers into war for their own game
Friend: so that they can garner votes
Friend: bloody politics
Me: I wouldn’t agree that the wars were India’s machinations at all
Friend: if India had not gone into war, do u know indira Gandhi wud have lost the elections??
Me: and I am sad to say u wouldn’t find many takers in the whole wide world for ur theories
Friend: hands down, I may add
Friend: well revolutionary ideas r never accepted immediately
Me: its not good to live in fool's paradise
Friend: its not good to go by what others perceive
Me: I don’t make my mind by any one person's perspective
Me: I make an informed choice
Me: u just got the link
Me: go through it
Friend: u might think u did, I think I did... so who is right here?
Me: and u can go through wiki too if u like
Me: any more info I would happy to search and find for u
Friend: I will see
Friend: but I will make my mind based on my intelligence
Friend: however small it may b
Me: its basically how to put it......
Me: yes
Friend: I just know one thing, u don’t boss around ppl even if u r strong
Me: very stubborn
Friend: n India used to do it
Friend: facts r mostly cruel, but facts r facts
Friend: India was bullish
Me: I know only one thing nothing comes before my self security
Friend: dadagiri
Me: bullish?
Me: china attacked us
Me: not the other way round
Friend: m not talking abt china
Me: even pak
Friend: china is bullish
Me: we were attacked time and again
Me: by them
Friend: it wants to capture Himalayan region
Friend: we made pak what it is today
Me: even after kargil they haven’t learnt
Me: they can see only as far as India
Friend: if I may give a rather similar example... its America who created Osama
Friend: who stuck back
Me: India on the other hand is beyond Pakistan
Friend: but who made pak like that?
Friend: India, it is
Me: they made themselves
Me: I wont agree to that on ur life
Me: killing is never a solution
Friend: we r not born to agree with each other, so that’s natural
Me: all I know is they are militants
Me: and if I got a free hand I would destroy all existing training camps
Me: even if I had to cross the border for that
Me: in spite of 4 defeats they still don’t learn
Friend: was reading ur blog today
Me: hmm
Friend: something was amiss
Me: ?
Friend: I forgot what it was
Me: now now
Me: what can that be?
Friend: don’t remember
Me: maybe I wasn’t too opinionated this time around
Friend: ya got it
Friend: we don’t need FBI, we need CIA
Me: federal agency man
Me: not CIA
Me: u got it wrong
Me: CIA dsnt deal internal security
Friend: federal agency cant infiltrate terrorist
Friend: n we need to do that to stop this
Me: CIA is like our RAW
Friend: yes
Me: only much more professional maybe
Friend: we need RAW in a very aggressive manner
Me: we need an agency for internal security with wide ranging powers
Friend: FBI is our CBI
Me: that would be FBI
Me: CBI cant do shit
Friend: that’s precisely the smiley was for
Me: its if may call it- defunct
Friend: we need RAW
Friend: full fledged
Me: RAW is intelligence
Me: they do maybe espionage
Friend: not only that
Me: this needs internal agency
Friend: they r killing machines
Me: states has got so many agencies
Friend: anyways
Friend: I will tell u one anecdote
Friend: it relates to a friends uncle.
Friend: he was nearby one blast site, n when he came to know he rushed to the VS hospital to donate blood.
Friend: when he came out of the hospital, the blast occurred
Friend: n right now he is with 92% burns and on ventilator
Me: ohh
Me: that’s sad
Friend: My friend was telling me his chance of survival is very distant
Friend: I hope he survives
Me: with 92% I would say that’s true
Me: u can only hope, and since ur a believer pray
Me: So your Modi now wants to become the PM of India?
Friend: Where did u get that news?
Me: it was in the news as well as in the papers.
Me: not that he has said that in so many words
Me: but it was implied by his actions
Friend: k
Friend: every1 has right to his aspiration/ambition
Friend: y u r opposed to his ambition?
Me: I am opposed to him
Friend: so go n oppose him
Friend: don’t say it to me
Me: it would be a black day in the history of the country if he becomes the PM
Friend: that’s your thought
Me: and many mores I would say
Friend: but not all
Me: naturally there are right wing extremists out there who wont agree with me
Friend: and much more people
Friend: those who live in Gujarat will vouch for him
Me: I have my doubts
Friend: I aint extremist
Me: even if I had lived in Gujarat I would still vote against him
Friend: I have my doubts
Me: ur doubting that I would vote for him if I had lived there?
Friend: I m sure that u will vote if u had lived there
Me: then sadly my friend ur wrong
Friend: well u never know
Me: I know
Friend: unless u had lived there
Friend: I have seen Gujarat growing after he came to power
Me: I don’t have to live there to take this decision
Me: its not only about development
Friend: u cant take decision unless u experience it
Friend: u have only one perspective (outer one), u never had an inner one
Me: wont vote for some right wing extremist as the country's prime minister!!
Friend: so u r I wud say, biased
Friend: but u wud vote leftists, right?
Me: I won’t vote leftists
Friend: or some Sardar who is a puppet
Me: puppet?
Friend: puppet
Me: who just got u the nuke deal?
Me: sum joke?
Friend: well that’s bcoz of Madamji
Friend: not Sardarji
Me: BJP would have taken the deal with only half benefits being offered
Me: and now they are opposing it?
Friend: he is just a puppet without any real power
Me: u couldn't be more wrong
Friend: well that’s again ur perspective
Friend: nobody is saint in politics
Friend: everyone is a bloody damn cheat, an opportunist
Me: at least most are still not mass murderers
Friend: oho, u say that
Me: yes I say that
Friend: what did Mr. Gandhi do sending IPKF to Srilanka?
Friend: what did Mrs. Gandhi did sending those gun trotting ppl inside the golden temple?
Me: I guess he wasn't letting ppl die while he took no decisions?
Me: and how many innocent ppl got killed in those?
Friend: where?
Friend: what did Mrs. Gandhi did sending Indian troops to Bangladesh??
Me: in both the incidents u mentioned?
Friend: was it not internal interference in east Pakistan??
Friend: IPKF, Indian soldiers
Me: I would say no
Me: I am still in favor of hot pursuit
Friend: Golden temple, the repercussion killed hundreds of Sikhs & Hindus
Me: and as to IPKF I think Srilankan govt. wanted them?
Friend: Bangladesh, India still is being terrorized because of it
Me: the repercussions not the act itself?
Friend: never buddy, go back to history
Friend: if u do an action, u r equally responsible for its reaction too
Me: so ur meaning to say what happened in those riots are justified?
Friend: u can’t just start a fire n say I had started the fire and never intended to burn the house/forest
Friend: I never said I m justifying it
Me: u just did?
Friend: I m saying nobody is saint
Friend: I m saying everyone is selling India
Me: there is still no conclusive proof that the train was burnt by any person of any particular religion
Friend: so now everyone decides who is the lesser evil
Friend: oh, do u still think so??
Me: and the chief minister sat there and let his goons go on a killing spree
Me: as to IPKF u got ur facts wrong
Friend: n what abt the riots after Operation Blue Star??
Me: go and cross check them
Friend: u need to get ur facts right buddy
Me: u do it mate
Friend: u do it
Me: SL govt requested it
Me: there was an accord
Friend: ok u think so?? then y did they never tried to utilize IPKF??
Me: the forces were fighting the militants and not sum innocent civilians
Friend: instead it was IPKF who got under SL govt skins with its own agenda
Me: the basic premise wasn’t that, was it
Me: they had wanted it first
Friend: listen, under those Gandhi’s, India wanted to b the big brother
Friend: had a habit of interfering in other ppls business
Friend: n now bcoz of that, India is paying price in terms of terrorism
Me: oh yah?
Me: is that so?
Friend: y wud Pak not be angry at India’s misdeeds??
Me: I don’t think Afghanistan did anything remotely like that
Friend: what was happening at east pak, was its internal affair, if India had to meddle, it had to do with UN
Me: even Malaysia?
Me: y do they get bombed by terrorists trained by pak?
Friend: u just don’t meddle with internal affairs of a country without an international council
Friend:??
Me: terrorists are terrorists
Me: there isn’t any reason
Friend: just listen for a sec
Me: pak angry at us?
Me: that’s just bull shit
Friend: y do u think pak is after Kashmir after 1971?
Me: who did all those incursions?
Me: we or them?
Friend: was there no pak or Kashmir before 1971?
Me: no pak?
Me: pak is there since 1947
Friend: but Kashmir was never an agenda until 1971
Me: and in case u forgot we have fought wars with them even before 1971
Friend: if u got ur facts right, there was never a terrorist threat in Kashmir until 1985
Friend: y Kashmir became a hotspot after 1985??
Friend: answer me these simple questions
Friend: I will tell u
Me: Kashmir has been the flash point since the independence
Friend: no
Me: yes
Me: u go and check
Friend: it was just one issue, that was never a flashpoint
Friend: u go n check
Friend: it got into pak's head after 1971
Me: it was the reason for war
Me: what more of a flash point do u want?
Friend: pak had every reason to b angry at India’s bullishness
Friend: which war??
Friend: which war??
Friend: get ur facts right before talking
Friend: there was only a single war with pak
Me: the first war was also b coz of Kashmir
Friend: 1961 war was with China not Pak
Me: only a single war?
Me: u crazy?
Friend: check ur facts
Me: what bout the war just aft independence?
Friend: year please
Me: how many wars do u know between India and Pakistan?
Friend: 1
Friend: and if u count kargil, then 2
Me: ur history is pretty poor
Friend: better than urs
Me: there have been 4 wars between them
Friend: year plz
Me: 1947, 1965, 1971. 1999
Friend: hohohohohohohohoho
Me: better check them out
Friend: 1965 was with China
Me: too bad
Me: it was in 1962
Friend: 2 wars were with china
Friend: there is no war in 1947
Me: only 1 war with China mate
Me: in 1962
Me: I know u were not born then
Me: but stiil expected you to know.
Friend: the 1965 u r saying is not a war, it was infiltration
Me: well infiltration led to the war
Friend: anyways, it remains that Bangladesh was India’s misadventure
Friend: America always meddle with other ppls internal business
Me: the refugees were pouring into our country
Me: what should have been done?
Friend: stop them
Me: and let them die?
Friend: u can’t just wage a war bcoz refugees were pouring in
Friend: tomorrow u wage a war on Bhutan bcoz refugees were pouring in, what stupid reasoning
Me: if they were pouring in there must have been sum reason
Me: Bhutan?
Friend: just giving an example
Me: hw can u equate it with Pakistan?
Friend: I m saying that if ur neighbors wife comes n complains that her hubby is beating her, u don’t go n break his neck, do u??
Friend: u bring in the police/women’s right organization
Me: I guess we are talking about 1971?
Me: not 2008?
Friend: u don’t go n break him
Friend: do u??
Friend: ya
Friend: m giving u a similar scenario
Me: cant work in 1971 naa
Me: more than 2 and half decades ago
Friend: m talking about root cause
Me: Pakistan is a bloody idiot
Friend: India was a buffoon
Me: The administrators never learn from their mistakes
Me: I have my doubts
Friend: y u point finger at pak when India was the rowdy
Me: India rowdy?
Friend: yes during those phase
Friend: it tried to act as a big bro
Me: 1/3 of Kashmir is in the occupation of Pakistan
Me: and ur calling our country rowdy?
Me: and also there is a portion with China if I may add
Friend: that’s bcoz of 1971
Me: as to 1971 we were attacked first
Friend: u don’t go n attack ppl
Friend: n when they attack back, u cant complain
Me: not the other way around
Friend: no
Me: yes
Friend: get ur facts right
Me: u do it
Friend: we went to free Bangladesh
Me: we didn’t enter
Friend: yes we did
Me: there was troop buildup only
Me: not crossing of the border
Friend: it crossed
Me: but Pakistan attacked the mainland
Me: no they didn’t cross
Friend: they crossed
Me: they didn’t
Me: not till war was declared
Friend: no
Me: yes
Friend: nahi
Me: yes
Friend: naught
Me: yes
Me: they used air strikes
Friend: aur synonyms nahi aate mujhe
Me: then India declared war on Pakistan
Friend: dekh, I don’t want to fight on msgr
Me: we are not fighting
Me: we are debating history and politics
Friend: not on msgr plz
Me: and everything under the sun that can be debated
Friend: I m fed up with typing
Friend: day in n day out I do that
Me: I am not
Me: long time since I typed fast and furious
Friend: I don’t know abt fast, but furious – yes
Me: I have to make it fast also naa
Friend: don’t know if u have a speech to text convertor
Me: cant let u steal a march over me
Me: since we are going from one time frame to another
Friend: it will go on
Me: pretty fast
Friend: bcoz no one is relenting
Me: and admittedly ur speed is better than mine
Me: so I have to type fast so that I can complete my responses b4 we move onto the next time frame
Friend: obviously
Friend: yes
Friend: oh is that so?
Me: yes
Friend: hmm
Friend: m actually chatting with 2 different people on 2 different subjects
Friend: vastly different I may add
Me: well I can’t help it can I?
Me: I am always focused
Friend: nopes, u cant
Me: I am not in the habit of two-timing
Friend: well it holds a very different meaning
Friend: so watch ur mouth
Friend: rather fingers
Me: well u got what I meant
Me: that was just sum wit being written for u
Friend: I did not
Me: but I see that ur not much of a receiver
Me: ur antennae is not working
Me: not that I works much in these matters anyhow
Friend: I didn’t get u
Me: especially with me if I may add
Me: u cant catch the subtleties of a conversation I think
Me: at least not on chat or even on voice
Friend: hmm
Me: u see its not easy keeping up with a s/w developer in typing speed
Me: I am doing as best I can
Friend: its not abt s/w engg
Friend: its abt a typist
Friend: good
Friend: at least ur typing speed will increase
Me: well for that I will have to be constantly at it
Friend: m also trying to get used to this lappy keyboard
Me: I don’t get much practice nowadays as it is
Friend: ya, I understand what u r pointing at
Me: for a change u do
Me: I am relieved
Friend: hmm
Me: mostly u don’t even understand oblique references, leave alone subtleties
Friend: oh, give me an instance
Me: I already showed it to u
Friend: when?
Me: mostly u wouldn’t have understood the reference I just had made
Friend: I wud have definitely
Me: and u cant catch wit, humor, anger, frustration in words written or spoken if u cant see the person
Friend: well m not much of a fielder na
Me: u wouldn’t have
Me: well if u take it literally I cant help it
Me: the following link is F.Y.I.O. and not for further discussions http://www.subcontinent.com/1971war/origins.html
Friend: ok
Me: but one thing I did feel that is wrong with our education system
Friend: n what is that?
Me: we didn’t study our own war history too well
Friend: we r bigot
Me: there is scope for improvement
Me: no other country is so badly placed I guess
Friend: biased to the core
Friend: even u, sorry to say
Friend: u cant think India did anything wrong
Me: I am talking bout something else altogether
Friend: but I can think n know India did wrong during those times
Friend: those gandhians
Me: they did what they thought was best
Friend: but it reflects only one aspect
Friend: ther other aspect is hidden
Friend: just like the other side of the moon
Me: I wouldn’t compare them with ppl who sat in their offices while the city burned
Friend: moon was never flat, its always a sphere
Me: and they didn’t let the police take action
Friend: I cant compare ppl who never fought war but initiated it
Friend: I cant forgive people to push the innocent soldiers into war for their own game
Friend: so that they can garner votes
Friend: bloody politics
Me: I wouldn’t agree that the wars were India’s machinations at all
Friend: if India had not gone into war, do u know indira Gandhi wud have lost the elections??
Me: and I am sad to say u wouldn’t find many takers in the whole wide world for ur theories
Friend: hands down, I may add
Friend: well revolutionary ideas r never accepted immediately
Me: its not good to live in fool's paradise
Friend: its not good to go by what others perceive
Me: I don’t make my mind by any one person's perspective
Me: I make an informed choice
Me: u just got the link
Me: go through it
Friend: u might think u did, I think I did... so who is right here?
Me: and u can go through wiki too if u like
Me: any more info I would happy to search and find for u
Friend: I will see
Friend: but I will make my mind based on my intelligence
Friend: however small it may b
Me: its basically how to put it......
Me: yes
Friend: I just know one thing, u don’t boss around ppl even if u r strong
Me: very stubborn
Friend: n India used to do it
Friend: facts r mostly cruel, but facts r facts
Friend: India was bullish
Me: I know only one thing nothing comes before my self security
Friend: dadagiri
Me: bullish?
Me: china attacked us
Me: not the other way round
Friend: m not talking abt china
Me: even pak
Friend: china is bullish
Me: we were attacked time and again
Me: by them
Friend: it wants to capture Himalayan region
Friend: we made pak what it is today
Me: even after kargil they haven’t learnt
Me: they can see only as far as India
Friend: if I may give a rather similar example... its America who created Osama
Friend: who stuck back
Me: India on the other hand is beyond Pakistan
Friend: but who made pak like that?
Friend: India, it is
Me: they made themselves
Me: I wont agree to that on ur life
Me: killing is never a solution
Friend: we r not born to agree with each other, so that’s natural
Me: all I know is they are militants
Me: and if I got a free hand I would destroy all existing training camps
Me: even if I had to cross the border for that
Me: in spite of 4 defeats they still don’t learn
Friend: was reading ur blog today
Me: hmm
Friend: something was amiss
Me: ?
Friend: I forgot what it was
Me: now now
Me: what can that be?
Friend: don’t remember
Me: maybe I wasn’t too opinionated this time around
Friend: ya got it
Friend: we don’t need FBI, we need CIA
Me: federal agency man
Me: not CIA
Me: u got it wrong
Me: CIA dsnt deal internal security
Friend: federal agency cant infiltrate terrorist
Friend: n we need to do that to stop this
Me: CIA is like our RAW
Friend: yes
Me: only much more professional maybe
Friend: we need RAW in a very aggressive manner
Me: we need an agency for internal security with wide ranging powers
Friend: FBI is our CBI
Me: that would be FBI
Me: CBI cant do shit
Friend: that’s precisely the smiley was for
Me: its if may call it- defunct
Friend: we need RAW
Friend: full fledged
Me: RAW is intelligence
Me: they do maybe espionage
Friend: not only that
Me: this needs internal agency
Friend: they r killing machines
Me: states has got so many agencies
Friend: anyways
Friend: I will tell u one anecdote
Friend: it relates to a friends uncle.
Friend: he was nearby one blast site, n when he came to know he rushed to the VS hospital to donate blood.
Friend: when he came out of the hospital, the blast occurred
Friend: n right now he is with 92% burns and on ventilator
Me: ohh
Me: that’s sad
Friend: My friend was telling me his chance of survival is very distant
Friend: I hope he survives
Me: with 92% I would say that’s true
Me: u can only hope, and since ur a believer pray
Monday, August 11, 2008
Gold at last!!
Today is a special day. Today India won an individual gold in Olympics for the first time in it's history. The gold was won by Abhinav Bindra in 10m shooting. The way the Indian contingent was performing I was heartbroken, I thought that this will be a worse Olympics than the last one also. But at least there is something to cheer about now!!
The events leading up to my becoming aware that we have won a gold were funny. I was on my laptop when one of my friend messaged me that we have won a gold after 28 years. At first I thought it was a joke and didn't reply immediately, but to be sure I switched on the T.V. And there it was as breaking news, a happy turn of events.
How I wish we can win more medals at the Olympics, but for that sports infrastructure has to be developed and the politics and gross mal-administration in our sports federations should end. And the win was ironic in the sense that on the same day in the most hyped sport of the country- cricket-India lost meekly to Sri-Lanka. Cricket infrastructure is possibly the best among all other sports in our country, but results are the most inconsistent by far, they always flatter to deceive.
We live in hope for that day when India will become a sports powerhouse too!!
The events leading up to my becoming aware that we have won a gold were funny. I was on my laptop when one of my friend messaged me that we have won a gold after 28 years. At first I thought it was a joke and didn't reply immediately, but to be sure I switched on the T.V. And there it was as breaking news, a happy turn of events.
How I wish we can win more medals at the Olympics, but for that sports infrastructure has to be developed and the politics and gross mal-administration in our sports federations should end. And the win was ironic in the sense that on the same day in the most hyped sport of the country- cricket-India lost meekly to Sri-Lanka. Cricket infrastructure is possibly the best among all other sports in our country, but results are the most inconsistent by far, they always flatter to deceive.
We live in hope for that day when India will become a sports powerhouse too!!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Forced into coming back!!
Not that I had gone away anywhere, but somehow I wasn't getting the urge to write anything since a long time now. A lot of things have happened since I last posted. I had taken a long overdue break, and went to visit a childhood friend in Pune. But it took the recent bomb blast's that has rocked two cities, to get me back to posting once again.
I was stunned to hear the news of serial blast's in Bangalore- here I would not say Bengalaru, as I am not a great fan of renaming cities just to show that we don't want any colonial hangovers- in the evening. It's one of the big cities of the country, and home to the cream of software industry . I called up one of my friend who is working there to ask about the situation. But much worse was in store, as the next day would show. Next day the terrorists struck Ahmedabad, and the devastation wrecked was much more than the last day. 17 serial blasts, and more than 45 persons dead till now!!
Today news has been coming through of live bombs as well as bomb making materials being found in Surat, another city of Gujrat.
Lot of sad stories will come out of these blast's but one that was on the news comes to mind. A doctor who had come with his pregnant wife for her check up, to the hospital he used to work in, died as soon as he got out of the hospital. The terrorists had planted bombs even in front of hospitals!! It felt so sad to hear this news.
In India it seems that terrorists can hit at will- there has been a spate of such attacks during the last few years. I just hope that India can give a strong response to such terrorists. But just hoping wont take us anywhere, there has to be political will. We very badly need an agency on the lines of FBI, with proper powers vested with them. The politicians should stop blaming each other and for a change get together to send a strong message to the terrorists.
I was stunned to hear the news of serial blast's in Bangalore- here I would not say Bengalaru, as I am not a great fan of renaming cities just to show that we don't want any colonial hangovers- in the evening. It's one of the big cities of the country, and home to the cream of software industry . I called up one of my friend who is working there to ask about the situation. But much worse was in store, as the next day would show. Next day the terrorists struck Ahmedabad, and the devastation wrecked was much more than the last day. 17 serial blasts, and more than 45 persons dead till now!!
Today news has been coming through of live bombs as well as bomb making materials being found in Surat, another city of Gujrat.
Lot of sad stories will come out of these blast's but one that was on the news comes to mind. A doctor who had come with his pregnant wife for her check up, to the hospital he used to work in, died as soon as he got out of the hospital. The terrorists had planted bombs even in front of hospitals!! It felt so sad to hear this news.
In India it seems that terrorists can hit at will- there has been a spate of such attacks during the last few years. I just hope that India can give a strong response to such terrorists. But just hoping wont take us anywhere, there has to be political will. We very badly need an agency on the lines of FBI, with proper powers vested with them. The politicians should stop blaming each other and for a change get together to send a strong message to the terrorists.
Monday, June 23, 2008
The morning starts with the news of a death.....
A little while ago while surfing through the news articles on Yahoo, I came across a news- the wife of Glenn McGrath has passed away after fighting for more than 10 years with breast cancer!!
The news was very saddening....and there is a reason more than just the fact I feel bad for him. It's because I can relate to the feeling of permanent loss. I have been through something similar.
The news was very saddening....and there is a reason more than just the fact I feel bad for him. It's because I can relate to the feeling of permanent loss. I have been through something similar.
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