The Blackberry mess.

A new security issue that has been boiling up. Which has different perpendiculars to it.

The Blackberry saga. That hi-fi business phone which has got all the savvy features.

The Indian leadership (along with that of several others - including UAE, Indonesia, Lebanon, etc) has a problem with its founders - Research In Motion (RIM).
The issue is this, quite simply: The government can't intercept data (ie emails and instant messages/chats) exchanged via blackberries. Which, rightly, poses a threat to the nation's security.

But, the rhetoric is here to stay - will terrorists/illegal elements stop functioning if the blackberry (worst come to worst) is banned? Is this a solution? Because we can't monitor XYZ, ban it?

Now, lets assume the Blackberry is banned. Great. So the government can have a record of all data being shuffled around in this system. Great (for the nation's security). But if you block me passage by an airline, won't I start using the train. If you block me passage by train, won't I use a car? Now you're not going to get cars off the roads!

They'll find new ways!
But why inconvenience the public because of this?

Or, this could open up another dimension, does the government want to keep all reins with itself (in the name of national security) but actually use it for espionage, or other benefits to elements of it? Yes, this is a highly fictional angle. But definitely worth pondering over.

So this should be an eye-opener. Tomorrow, if terrorists find out a way to not be traced/tracked on the internet; will the government put the gear to last-resort and press the ban-accelerator so quick? Yes, it will definitely contribute to the safety of the public. But what about general inconvenience?
Anyone listening to that?

The Poona Blind School

Its the hard truth - in India, without influence, its not easy to get things done. For a simple act, such as this, I was shown the door twice: once by the principal, and then by a social activist (who I'm sure had nothing to do with the administration of the school, but was just throwing his weight around.)

However, once serendipity was by my side - things just flowed like silk. And I was there. With these bunch of positive humans! Who have all the talent, humility, goodness and the flame to do something despite their limitations. Despite being visually impaired, they have the hunger to succeed. Which is a great lesson for anybody who has the luxury of basic necessities in life! It certainly was for me.

Our team of three - Ishan, Abhishek and me, arrived at the school at a little before noon with absolutely no plan in mind for the session that we would do with these students. It was a classic case of being consciously extempore. Which, I believe, worked out very well. 

A certain Mr. Mahajan took us to the dormitory. There he called, no - yelled, out to the kids as if he were their general taking them to war. "AYYYYE CHALA CHALA CHALA. PUDHE GHEYU. CHALAA". There was, however, a kindness in his yell. The group self-assembled themselves. And our threesome was guided by these lively guys to the recreational hall. 

Here, we thought we should begin with ice-breaking and we began talking to to each one of them. Asking their names. What IPL team they support (and those who didn't root for the Mumbai team, received some gentle leg-pulling from the Shiv Sainik in me! Ha ha)

This very sincere looking guy, Shankar, volunteered to sing for the group. And his voice had an emotion at least I hadn't heard live before. It was, unflatteringly, simply outlandish.

One dude Mahesh, was wearing stylish clothes that made him stand out (yeah, like a complete dude!). I complimented him (and everyone who I could) on that and, wow, what a beaming smile each one of them have! Like, its made their day. It felt so good. We took all of their hands to shake. And taught them to shake it firm, like men. Great ice-breaker session!

So the singer, Shankar, took us to the music room (as some of the rest wanted to go for a swimming session that a group of German volunteers had organized for them.)

They have a way to communicate with people. They stick to them. In the outside normal world, gestures like these will be considered atrociously indecent. However, with these guys, it didn't feel odd at all. Some of them were stuck on to me. Their hands were their eyes. The rest were with Abhishek and Ishan.

In all, it was the three of us and this group of boys - Sachin, Ankush, Madhav, Abhijeet, Harshad, Pravin, Rishikesh, Sandeep, with their Sir, BK (Bala Kamble). We had a good time listening to their soulful music. They used harmoniums, tablas and the bongo. After each music piece of theirs, the three of us showered them with chants of "Awesome, dude, Awesome!". It was warming to see, every instrument in the room had been donated by someone. A small act of kindness making a difference! 

It was also interesting to learn how they played the game of cricket. Conventionally, there is a bat and ball. The ball is chucked, and you have to smash it with the bat. For them, its a different ball game altogether? However, with their inherent spirit to fight, they play the sport by putting on these dangler like objects on the ball so that using their sense of sound, they can connect it to bat! Amazing, ain't it?

As the whole thing was approaching an end... I took over and we had a discussion on football. It was great to see the fanfare for the beautiful game! We ended up talking about Brazil. And I made them do a small Brazilian dance - O Yapo O YaYa ae ae ae. Which gave us all a real kick!
Their voice made me believe, our aim had been accomplished. Our team had given them reasons to feel good about life!

Some of their eyes made me scared, some made me think, some inspired me. It felt great to be hugged by so many of them.
I thought we'd take 30 minutes. But we ended up spending hours.

Here, I'd like to give a special mention to the group of German friends, as the boys called them. These are foreigners, in an unwelcoming environment, they have striven to make a difference. And they have done it! On a little tour of the premises, we were shown this tree-house that the German friends had designed and built. They have been regularly coming down every day of the week, for the past year, taking the blind kids for swims, talking to them, teaching them to speak fluent English and German, and so on! They are the real heroes. Salutes!

The IPL, politics, and a little bit of drama

All this noise around the IPL, its commissioner Lalit Modi, and Dr. Shashi Tharoor has caught everyone’s fancy off late. For the wrong reasons. But maybe it was meant to....?

There is another proceeding taking place, simultaneously, which has been suppressed by the sheer popularity of the controversy surrounding the Indian Premier League. That of price rise and inflation. Inflation has jumped up to 10% from sub-zero levels a few months back. A silent volcano waiting to erupt.

It might also be interesting to note, that the opposition parties in the Parliament have called for a cut motion. If this cut motion is passed. Quite simply, the government will fall – disastrous for Congress' reputation. In the light of such high stakes, a mere four billion dollar brand (the league) hogging up precious time not only in the media, but also on the floor of the Lok Sabha, could just be a detour to shift the focus off imminent issues and the approaching cut motion.

Analysing this nexus, I would like to begin with Mr. Sharad Pawar, Union minister for agriculture. He might have to face the loudest music for the rising food prices if the cut motion is passed next week. I have never read or come across a single article in the damned media raising questions over his suspicious (and massive) hold on real estate/businesses/properties/even some of the biggest media houses/etc all over the country that, actually, amount to greater worth than that of the Ambani brothers combined.

His over-zealous participation in cricket politics, off-late, than in his ministry portfolio (of agriculture), in front of the media calls for something very clever. In very subtle ways the light has been thrown off of what holds potentially disastrous consequences for him and his government.

Secondly, the income tax raids on the IPL offices and broadcasting companies. What is the I-T department at the end of the day? A part of the finance ministry, and therefore; a part of the government. (Of course it isn’t a part of the day-to-day politics that take place in Delhi, it is an integral part nonetheless.)

The government, as per its fancy, can “influence” the I-T department to conduct raids. Which explains the hullabaloo surrounding the raids on the IPL. And come on, like everyone was so dumb that they didn’t know about the hanky-panky transactions and violations of investment laws that obviously took place in a fast-growing, billionaire fueled, business such as the IPL!

Thirdly, Dr. Tharoor. With my interactions with certain senior Congress Party members in Delhi last November, I concluded that there is a stark resentment against the ways of Dr. Tharoor. Giving him the boot because his ways are transparent, and he uses a little too much of Twitter would have called for serious flak from the international community (in which Dr. Tharoor impeccably served for 27 years on the trot!)

He seemed the perfect bait for the entire IPL story. So that fits well too.

Lastly, Mr. Lalit Modi. It is a well-known fact, that saving Mr. Pawar, everyone staunchly hates Mr. Modi in the Cricketing politics of India. Surely, for Sharadji, Mr. Modi wouldn’t be much of a sacrifice to save an entire government at the end of the day. Meanwhile, many other powerful people will be happy too. It will be interesting to see how that unfolds on April 26^th. What advantage he does have, is the unrelenting support from franchisee owners; India’s respectful throb, SRK and liquor billionaire Mallaya. This will be a real interesting battle to see.

There is nothing novel in this move, if at all it is one. This is what politics is. What started as an innocent little contemptuous tweet, turned into a potential juggernaut, that the Congress seems to have fired in the hole!

Mahatma Gandhi..... did he make India what she is?

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The man who spread the message of honesty (satya) and peace (ahimsa). Yes, he is one of those rare gems that will keep shining brightly (for eternity perhaps) in India's history. But.... is he responsible for India's freedom? Has he rightfully been accredited as the Father of our nation?

It is a fallacy that Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent policies drove the British away. Far from it....

The British left our lands in 1947. Two years after the end of the IInd World War. The end of this war marked the re-alignment of world power from the British throne to the US and the USSR. Right... and of course it also marked the establishment of the United Nations. 

As per the United Nations charter signed in 1945, countries that previously held colonies had to begin decolonization. Which meant, a formerly dominating powerhouse like Britain had to let loose of all its colonized outfits. And therefore, not just India, but a string of thirty odd countries gained independence during the post-ww2 period. 

So, how come... we blasphemously accepted that it was Gandhiji's truthfulness that drove our colonizers out? Isn't that very docile? Yes, he must be remembered and his paths must be followed - but to the extent of blindfolded acceptance that he has made our country what she is, is.... well, thats not just very progressive now, is it?

Gandhiji, is an exemplary and a great teacher. But leader? I doubt there was any progress during the twenty-five odd years of his "moderate" freedom struggle. He was responsible for the execution of deserving brave-hearts; Bhagat Singh and co. His Dandi March, today, has been hailed for its good natured cause and peaceful effort. But back in 1930, its yield was poor. All that resulted was a dis-satisfactory and rhetorical truce between Gandhi and Irwin (rep. of the Britishers in India back then).. and that too a whole year later (in 1931).

To an extent, Gandhiji's humble persona and his soothing nexus with the poor made him the ideal face of a newly independent India. But you know what? It took crores of rupees (in those days!) to keep M.K.Gandhi in poverty! Hah :)

The principles of Gandhigiri, when followed, will definitely transform society into a more humble, humane abode. But... have our historians painted a colorful picture, as in a 256 million colors one, and have we, the independent India, blindly accepted it in the euphoria of being independent? 

Defaming Gandhiji of the honors bestowed is no solution. We have imminent problems to find solutions to, and will do much better to focus on them rather than revisit history that will have no possible effect on the progress of the country... That is not the point... However, as educated people, we can only try our best not to be victims of the blind-following the-blind system by letting the sound of our thoughts inspire some thinking....

News 2075

Bureaucracy... - Bring change Man(mohan!)

"Come at 5pm. At 5 pm, Go to counter no. 3, after that, Go to counter no. 6, and then, Go to the head office five-hundred miles away. Or come in the morning, Madame is not here, Sir has not come today, come day after tomorrow. Come on monday, Sorry we can't do it, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!" In short, the lovely experience in any government-run office.

Literally all government employees (except those in the top commanding positions) have this very lax air about themselves. They don't seem to be bothered if there were people in need of urgent (rightful) help. The common man, suffering by their disrespectful procrastination and 'sit-back-and-relax' attitude, is the joker of the game at the end of the day. He pays all his tax, this tax goes into these employees' (are they even fit to be given that term?) bank balances and, yet, they provide service as if they are doing the country a big favor. Be it the BSNL guys, Air India hostesses, airport staff, govt. college peons, sports authorities, traffic mamas, food distributors, etc etc etc etc etc (phew)

They trouble, irritate the human mind to such an extent, where you are either forced to abuse them, or resort to unfairly stuffing their pockets. So, if you don't believe in bribing, or don't have any influence, then God help you. Cause you are going to be tormented severely.

So, moving away from what is the current story, to what is the cause of this story? I mean, why the hell are these 'babus' such snoozes? I believe, the job security factor is at fault here. These lackadaisical tarts  have no reason to compete for excellence nor do they have any pressures of performing under pressure. They're simply chilled out folks who come to attend a more mature version of kindergarten. Isn't that it? You don't do your job competitively, you don't perform, you don't respect clients, you sip your tea as if you were chilling out at a lounge when there are a hundred sweaty people waiting in queue desperate to get their work done, you openly take bribes, and yet, you do not lose your job. You have a retirement pension plan. You have insurance, rail tickets, and so many other incentives. Isn't this a faulty policy? Well, Home Ministry -Mr. Chidambaram- time you re-worked your policies and strategies. Cause the common man is simply getting suffocated! I can imagine.

At the bigger picture, this has held back the country's progress in many ways. Our governmental infrastructure and service is so pathetically poor! There needs to be serious revision of such frameworks and emphasis needs to be put on professionalism. For even if the bills, acts and provisions passed in the parliament are visionary, poor unprofessional implementing bodies just nullify the vision our politicians very miraculously show!

Brevity

The sun rises; the sun sets once again,
You blink the eye, another day is at end,
Did you solve an equation today; or discover gravity?
That’s what this is my friend; Life’s brevity.

You did sit-ups today, you even ran the mile,
But when you think about it, was it really worthwhile?
Did what you did today deserve a second thought?
Life is too short, my friend, life is too short.

Hungry? You went to you favourite restaurant,
There you fed upon delicious croissant,
Then came satisfaction and subsequent felicity,
That’s what this is my friend, Life’s brevity.

You look out the window-more constructions and pejoration,
This puts you in quiet noticeable contemplation,
There’s quite a bit to change, in fact quite a lot!
Life is too short my friend, life is too short.

You try hard to remember, what happened when you were ten,
Wishing you could live that age, that time once again,
What you’re blaming on life’s longevity,
It isn’t that my friend, it’s Life’s brevity.

You wonder if the man you love will leave your side,
Then one after the other in other women confide,
It won’t happen-chill out- he’ll manage to get caught,
Life is too short my friend, life is too short!

You spend your days studying all about the world,
Everyday to you, another mystery it unfurls,
But all in vain- you’ll never know details of reality,
That’s what this is my friend, Life’s brevity.

Finally, you try to leave your footprint before you go,
In hope, that you can lead others forward tomorrow,
So try not to make a CARBON footprint; it’s worth a shot,
COZ
Life is too short my friend, life is too short. (:

India & Pakistan..... peace?

Two brothers; India and Pakistan were not separated because Muslims hated Hindus or vice versa, or Muslims really needed and wanted land for themselves. It is a well known fact that there are more Muslims in India (content with their lifestyles) than are in Pakistan. Well, what happened, happened. Its History now...   

On a completely different track, since the 26/11 siege on Mumbai, the already sour Indo-Pak relationship has turned sourer. India is sending dossier after dossier, of concrete proof, so that Pakistan does justice to the perpetrators of the 2-day terroristic drama in Mumbai (who were, as we know, some citizens of Pakistan). To no avail. This is frustrating our Ministry, and of course, us.
However, the Indian Ministry is patiently waiting for its counter-part in Pakistan to show action.... in hope for a peaceful South-East Asia. 


But is it worth the wait? Or are we heading into an infinitesimal abyss of rhetorics? The current democratic government in Pakistan, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), is nothing but a dummy ruling body. Not that I have any authenticity or credibility to comment, but as an observer observing facts, I see a deteriorating neighbor. And for me and my country's sake, it is not good -who likes war? 


We have seen the Taliban take over Swat Valley. We read of bomb attacks happening everywhere. We know Pakistan is home to all, Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Toiba, and the Taliban (among millions of such other fancy militant outfits). We know that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan is involved in border laws violations and infiltration. Yet.... we patiently wait. Salute to our patience! While the United States of America has free access to drone suspicious parts of the country with missiles (of course, it has maintained Pakistan's integrity by not invading it yet). 


So, as we all know, at the end of it all -is there any hope to see action? any hope -not only to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice but also -to control the exponential increase in the sprouting of militant-camps? While the common people of Pakistan are just as peace-loving as the ones in India, it is a certain group of these radical guys, who're stoned in their heads ... for life! They seem to be on a mission to make India, the Western World, and basically all infidels, fall. 


Coming back to the puppet, the PPP government; it is an unstable body, which visibly has no real powers over the land. It's just the leader on paper. Expecting a powerless body to do such powerful things (bring about effective positive change in militant and radicalism) is just a simple, wrong equation. Which is why, I appreciated India maintaining a positive diplomatic relationship with the Pervez-Musharraf-Army-Rule monarchy. At least, the dealings and relationship maintained had some credibility to it! 


I salute the Jang and Times Groups', from Pakistan and India respectively, for their "Aman-ki-aasha" peace project. But to me, it would seem to have only positive effects on the goodwill for these two groups (marketing strategy?). With the way things are shaping in the Pakistan, 'hum sirf aasha ki umeed leke baithe rahenge....'

The hypocrisy of debates...

We've all seen them in school, on news channels, in newspaper columns, and just about on every other intellectual property... but do debates actually yield action? Or are they puffs of twisted vocabulary and grammar that disappear into thin air? Exactly, what?

Debates happen when conflicting view-points prove obstacle to a consensus -a decisive deal-making consensus. But today, it is more a matter of pride than of making a deal. One side of the argument wins, the other accepts (or grudgingly so) defeat and everyone goes back to their cozy beds to enjoy a good night's sleep. The action part of the issue is lost.

We're living in an era of speeches. Everyone puts energies into drafting sophisticated multi-paged rants. Seldom are those spoken words converted into concrete, visible action. All the bling-blang spotlight shines on that very highly refined orator. Again, seldom does that orator show any signs of being an action-man. Which is why, I admire President Obama of the United States. He has been a man who has worked towards action rather than only deliver high sounding sentences. Although he may not have accomplished all what he has said, he has got things rolling significantly, and that itself is a rare spectacle.

26/11 happened. The whole of India debated. So many people were praised for their highly effective speeches and comments on the issue. What has happened at the end of it? More than a year later, Ajmal Kasab is still unpunished (forget about a capital punishment, there isn't any damned verdict yet), India is still sending dossiers to Pakistan, we are still porous to terrorist attacks, there isn't any significant infrastructural upgrade that has taken place as far as security is concerned, and the I could become another "all-words-no-action" guy if I went on to complete this seemingly endless list.

To quite an extent, our Indian mindset is at fault. All news channels highlight: "Today's big debate...", but never do they initiate any kind of action. Our focus is on words, words, and unfortunately,  more words. If someone's child goes debating on a high level, those parents beam with pride, make announcements amongst their friend circle, buy the kid a new laptop, or just keep harping about how proud they are of the kid. But when the same kid (of course, when he is eligible to do so in terms of age)  tries to bring change, tries to join and work the system, tries to challenge faulty policies, tries to initiate action -he is laughed at, called a stupid nut for going over-board and thinking too much for his little brain. Huh. This is what is wrong, and faulty...

We're happy and content with the saying: empty vessels (in this case, words) make the most noise.

Fine. Debates help develop personalities, generate awareness... but all that for what? Those personalities need to be agents of change. What is that awareness that is just mindless general knowledge. If our parents' don't even go out to vote, instead encourage the idea of an exotic holiday during voting day, what use is their education? what use is their personality development?

I am not saying that we all should become Obama. All I'm saying is, our society today has placed hollow-words ahead of solid-action. And that means an unfair, unjust and bleak future ahead for the general masses...

Ode to the HP Cylinder Man

Yep It was time now.
The month was almost up.
Mom said CIAO!
But I’ve just given up!

She had left she was gone,
Now I was alone.
I heard his bicycle trample the lawn,
GREAT! He can’t even phone?

There he was Oh there he was,
The HP cylinder man!
He comes on his cycle every month,
Twirling his moustache!
Ugly-OH SO UGLY! From his head to his foot!
You can chance one- but the 2nd time- YOU CAN’T EVEN LOOK!

He knocked on the door and Yelled GAS WALA! Continuously,
I-completely green now- ran down to attend the door.
I tried to close my eyes, but couldn’t do that assiduously,
It was too much to bear man! I was totally floored!

“Toh tum ghar pe akeli ho?” he said with a smirk.
The hair at my back stood on end, as I turned to face him.
“Haan toh?” I said with my best attempt to sound brave,
“Gas kaha hain maaloom hain?” was what he had managed in the interim.

“Vaise bhayya- ise gas nahi CYLINDER kehete hain!”
He stopped aghast-wondering what in the world had I said?
“Haan kya? Par ispar vaise GAS likha hota hain!”
“Haan-par who isliye kyunki usme gas BHARA HOTA HAIN!”

He reeled with shock at this sudden revelation,
I started with surprise as he almost dropped the full one!
“maine kabhi apni life mein bolne ki galti nahi ki!” he cried.
Then he looked at me- as if convinced I had LIED!

“Maine bhi,” said I with sudden calm,
& he smiled YES HE SMILED- thanked me- and went his way,
I wondered then- wondered almost in alarm what made his day?
Wondered what it was- Wondered what did I say?

There he is-OH there he is!
The HP cylinder man!
He comes on his cycle every month-
Twirling his moustache!
Not that ugly now- I’m still confused as to HOW?
But now he smiles at me as if to say- WE’RE REALLY FRIENDS NOW!

The second-last day of the COP15

Really, what the hell is happening?
There is a volatile tussle between hope and pessimism. At one point, everyone literally declares the negotiations staring at failure. Just now, Hillary Clinton opens the American purse, and we have everyone foxed. Confused about how to handle COP15 tomorrow, when 119 world leaders would be expected to convene.
Amidst all this political hullabaloo and drama, seriously, the humanitarian fight against climate change has been lost. 
Whilst China & India want the developed world to take greater, more fulfilling responsibility, the 100 billion dollar lollipop has surely brought about severe confusion. All this on the eve of the final day. However top climate-change economists welcome the move. Yet, the G-77 delegates spill blood when another of their delegates appreciates the American approach. A point though, if the Americans were so willing to bring about solution, why come up with this game-changing move on the last day? Had this been depicted a little earlier, the negotiations would have been sitting pretty! (also, there is no clear domestic framework on climate change in the US!)
Some reports suggest that President Obama will take the US-Russia nuclear deal up with his Russian counterpart on the last day. Jairam Ramesh, the minister leading the Indian delegation at COP15, says that one positive outcome from the COP15 has been the strengthening of Indo-Chinese ties. The G-77, on the other hand, is demanding a trillion dollars. Seriously, is this the work of our leaders? (We could go into another debate on this one. . .) And to top this all, observer organizations have been kicked out to another part of Copenhagen. Weird battles seem to be raging between protesters and the police. Yvo De Boer loses his cool while talking to the chosen people's committee at the Bella Center. 
This has long been predicted, that Copenhagen won't produce a legally binding treaty. But until recently, the mood with which the negotiations were carried out seemed to show that even reaching any sort of a political accord wouldn't be a possibility. That has, with the American move, changed. 
So essentially, as one of the reporters exclaimed on BBC, nothing is sure. 
Yet, if tomorrow goes well. All this criticism showered on negotiators will evaporate. All is well, that ends well. PS. the purpose of this note - to let out the pent up frustration on the confusion and shameful politicization of the whole issue!

The Ultimate Test of Sanity

Well here I am. My pre-boards are on- but I thought I must attend to this immediately. And IMMEDIATELY it is. Because THIS is one case in which I EXPECT people to see things the way I see them- but it just ain't happening!

The other day I came back home… all dejected and stuff (memory fails me- I think it had to do with my math marks…). When I entered it was to find Mom busy with her chapattis in the kitchen. She generally asks me "So what marks you got today?" so I braced myself. But evidently- that day- she had something more interesting chewing her grey cells. (And mind you- chewing STRAIGHT THROUGH in my opinion.)

She merely said- "I think a surprise awaits you. I don't know how you'll react- but go upstairs and look out your right window."

Well- naturally- as curiosity kills the cat- I was perplexed. I edged slowly upwards- as slow as possible. What would it be that got MOM so excited? Frightened at the thought that she's removed the vine outside my window I love so much- I opened my window.

At first- I didn't notice anything. Nothing had changed. I shrugged. There's got to be SOMETHING now that Mom's mentioned it! But nothing that I could actually see- so I decided to go down and consult her on what exactly she was talking about. As I turned to go- my eyes fell on my neighbour's backyard. (pretty normal see.) I noticed the normal swing they had put up… the huge palm tree in the side… many additions of new pot plants by Aunty next door… and then- I stopped. Stared. And I couldn't believe my eyes.

There were two white birds- the type with webbed feet and white plumes- frolicking about in their backyard. My eyes (I think) were the size of dinner plates.

I ran down. "Were you talking about-" Mom-"So you noticed our neighbour's new pets did you? I was thinking of coming up myself and pointing them out. I thought you wouldn't see them." "But… but…", I stammered," They can be seen from the MOON!" Well yeah technically. Who wouldn't notice two GEESE in someone's backyard?! "THAT'S NOT NORMAL!!! THEY'RE ABNORMAL!!" I said. "And why would that be? It's perfectly and simply their choice what they want as a pet- be it a goose or a mongoose." Said Mom.

Mom didn't see eye to eye with me on this topic hereafter.

They make quite a lot of noise. I've seen them shitting in the small inflateable pool that the neighbours have provided for them… they look like they're hungry all the time. And they kind of freak me out.

I asked my kindly neighbour- "why do you have geese in your backyard man?" And my kindly neighbour replied- "Because we bought them."

Now this case has become a test of my sanity… I think either I'm losing my marbles- OR (the more likely option) EVERYONE ELSE IS.

Isn't there ANYONE around who agrees with me and thinks it's abnormal to have geese in someone's backyard??

I rest my case.

:P

Climate Change: Progress vs Humanity?

Irregular ,sporadic and unseasonal rainfalls (thanks to our doing: Climate Change) destroyed nearly two lakh acres of crop land in Western Maharashtra. How does that affect us? Well sugar that used to, a week back, cost Rs 10/kilo is today, priced at Rs40 for the same. Pulses or Dal that were priced at (already exorbitant rates) Rs80/kilo have recently struck their maiden centuries. Isn't this good enough a highlight to show the practical problems rooted to Climate Change?


Devil's advocacy. The naysayers of the Climate-change saga hail the whole deal (of Climate change, Global warming) to be a myth. To be a hype. OK
Some people (for example the unpopular former prez., Mr. Bush) believe that the Earth has been warming since the beginning of the century. Its a natural development. OK
Economy is much more precious than something which isn't truly, fully understood (ie the entire climate-change dilemma) OK
And so on... (this is in fact the power of reasoning. There are logical counter-points to even the most simple truths.)


Angel's advocacy :). Firstly, the human race prides itself (more than anything) in its advances in science. And it is that same science that has observed irregularities in the occurrence of naturally occurring events. On one hand, we hail science to be a cult, we follow it as nothing less than a religion. On the other, we indirectly point a finger at it saying that it is a cook of myths and hypes?  (For those who would point: 'everything has flaws'. When many observations are made, and the same conclusions reached, over a period of time. Odds are, that the particular observations aren't flawed)
To people falling under the umbrella of Mr. Bush. Granted- scientifically -that the Earth has been warming by itself since centuries. Does that mean we should continue ravaging It? Continue depleting natural resources at alarming rates? Continue polluting our surroundings so as to cause sufferings to ourselves and our fellow earthlings? We, as a race, wouldn't be the root cause of the Global heating phenomena... but we're surely playing the role of a catalyst, an over-enthusiastic catalyst.
Addressing the economists who presume priority of the economy. Rising prices are like a cancer. Here, as mentioned in the intro., isn't inflation the most troublesome economic ill (to the majority, common-man, human population) a result of the poor use of our environment? Another point that deserves mention. Many industrial lobbyists argue that a transformation to green-lifestyles will have a drastic impact on society. People will lose jobs. People won't be able to accustom to the change. Basically, economic cataclysm. Its only the people on top (these industrialists) who will lose grip over power. Who will lose out on money-making opportunities. The non-conventional energy industry, if harnessed, will produce more jobs than are at present. Human nature is such that is highly adaptable to change. After all, why did America vote for Obama? :)


Lets put it this way. The many problems humanity faces are in many ways correlated. The population outburst resulted in spiked demands for food, housing that led to deforestation and urbanization which further led to industrialization that has become a prime contributor to the whole Climate-Change emergence. 


In fact, the latest blockbuster release 2012 is a splendid effort by the entertainment industry to raise awareness (of course, tagged along with a vested commercial interest) among people. Who need the kind of masala and unrealistic fiction portrayed, to wake them out of their stubborn sleep. As otherwise shown, the planet won't necessarily come to such an end.  But, who says the human race can't be wiped off by nature? Weren't we taught the 'Tit-for-tat' ideology during our very early years? If thats what the principles of our life are built on... Why wouldn't it be applicable for our disrespect to nature? Newton's third law would act as the scientific logic here. 


With droughts becoming common, sea-level rising, resources depleting (at the same time, the demand continuously rising), diseases spreading (as if it were the Happy-hour in the bacterium clans) ,floods increasing (in both frequency and magnitude). With the lack of clean water, clean air, to the so ons. We're in a mess. Perhaps, again as shown in the movie, only the rich and powerful would be able to hedge themselves out of catastrophe. 


On a more positive note... There still is hope. Provided we act in unison. There is tremendous potential in the green industry. Which is limitless and commercially, if utilized to that extent, much more beneficial. For those who think that only fossil-fuel obtained energy will drive economic growth, are either ignoring green-power or are too scared to lose their monopolies in the non-renewable energy markets. Yes, there is a great deal of research required before we can efficiently harness naturally abundant renewable energy. But with the way we have progressed in science, there is nothing that should deflate our hopes. Its a safe-bet. 


At this current hour. We, in many ways, are aware of the problems at hand. Be it Obama meeting Hu Jintao. Or Miliband tweeting. Or Manmohan meeting Obama. Or the APEC meeting conducted in Singapore. Climate-Change is a buzzword in the policy-makers' circles. But we as such, don't have a practical reason to be a part of the war against the blatant mismanagement of our precious Home. Unless driven by incentives (practical reasons), not many of us will come out of our cozy nests to fight against the menaces of Climate-Change.


If Copenhagen is to succeed where its predecessor, Kyoto, fell short – to become Hopenhagen, as some have said – then world leaders must walk away on December 18 with a signed plan in their back pockets that does more than tick a few token boxes. 


(This is perhaps a cliche of an addition to the pile of articles suggesting the problems we face, and that why the leaders should come up with concrete agreements. We forget, that we are as much as at fault as are our leaders. If the industry sells fossil-fuels fueled products, thereby polluting Mother Earth, who buys those products? After all, we too want the luxury of flats in high-rise buildings, of lavish cars, of enough water that could cater to entire villages, of air-conditioned rooms, of the so ons. We too need to make a difference, at the very grass-roots before we can point fingers at or expect leaders to work out resolutions.)