Sad

What does it say when, in a country of a billion people and almost a billion political views, the only mainstream politician(?) to come out openly and stridently against reservation is Navjot Singh Sidhu.

My 10 favourite sporting moments/stories of 2005

As its fashionable to make year-end lists, i thought i'd jump in too...here are my 10 favourite sporting moments/stories of 2005:
10. Kim Clijsters' win at the U.S Open.
9. Yelena Isinbayeva crossing 5 m. in the women's pole vault.
8. Sania vs. Kuznetsova at Wimbledon....the emergence of a true indian sporting star(even though she lost that match)
7. The Chicago White Sox winning the World Series after 88 years.
6. Lance Armstrong on top of the podium of the Tour de France for a seventh and final time.
5. Tie between Warne's 600th wicket, Sachin's 35th century and Lara becoming the highest scorer in test cricket.
4.Robert Horry(Big-shot Bob) left open with seconds to go in game 5 of the NBA finals and doing what he has done his entire career- nailing the game-winning shot.
3.Liverpool coming fom 3-0 down to win the UCL final on penalties against Milan.
2.Tiger's unbelievable chip shot for birdie at the 16th hole in the final round of the Masters on his way to the title...best golf shot i've ever seen.
1. The 2005 Ashes....need i say more.

Happy New Year!

Something to think about

In the age of POTA and the Patriot Act, Abu-Ghraib and secret wiretaps; something to think about:

'Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values. '
-Golda Meir in 'Munich'

Obssessed with corruption

'sau mein ninyanve be-imaan,
mera bharat mahaan'

Our nation is obssessed with corruption. Our press is obssessed with exposing it wherever it exists, our politicians are obssessed with using it as their only weapon against their opponents and the public is obssessed with blaming all the nation's woes on it. All of this might have been a good thing if it was not for the fact that india is one of the most corrupt nations in the world and the whole nation getting riled up when a new scam is unearthed just reminds you how the liar is the loudest to defend his integrity and the coward his bravery. Operation Duryodhan has just uncovered that MPs are 'selling the nation' by taking money to ask questions in Parliament and the whole nation is 'shocked'. Anyone who is shocked by this 'revelation' is either extremely naive or putting up an act.Come on, in india today everyone has a price and we all know it.

My problem with this obssession is that it has become so pervasive that the real issues are forgotten. The Delhi blasts were not two days old when the Volcker story broke. The government did not respond to the worst terrorist attack in this country in over a decade and they were allowed to get away with it because of some names mentioned in some appendix of a report with no legal standing. Its ironic, isn't it, that the report has names of politicians from all over the world but it creates a storm only in new delhi. Parliament could do with a proper discussion on India's vote against Iran in the IAEA but the BJP won't allow Parliament to function. They should have attacked the government on the unconstitutional and malafide dissolution of the bihar assembly but they are so busy with volcker that buta singh is still the governor. AIDS is probably the biggest hurdle this nation faces in becoming a great power in the years to come but i doubt if most of the media realized when world aids day slipped by. They were probably planning the next sting operation-maybe ministers fixing government tenders.

Good Riddance

How deliciously ironic and how fitting that the Lalu Prasad Yadav era and the Sourav Ganguly era ended on the same day. What a glorious day for india.

the wonder years

"Growing up happens in a heartbeat.One day you are in diapers, the next day you are gone.
But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul. I remember a place, a town, a house -like a lot of houses; a yard like a lot of other yards on a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is after all these years, i still look back....with wonder."
- The last words of 'The Wonder Years'

Today, got to see the final episode of the show again after many years.

Black Diwali

I have been seething with rage for the last couple of weeks.Something inside me has snapped big-time.
I feel angry and vengeful,bitter and frustrated.But most of all, i feel shocked and betrayed. Shocked and betrayed by the nonchalance and callousness of my government and the apathy of my fellow citizens.

On 29th october,2005 ,62 people were killed in the heart of the nation's capital in the worst terrorist attack in this country since Black Friday(12/3/1993).Since then, i have been waiting.I have been waiting for my leaders to shout from the rooftops that the victims won't be forgotten nor will the perpetrators be forgiven. I have been waiting for the PM to tell our neighbours that either they are with us or against us. I have been waiting for the opposition to pressure the govt. to bring our enemies to justice or justice to our enemies. I have been waiting for stricter anti-terrorism laws to be implemented and the police to be given more powers. I have been waiting for a response; a response like 9/11 or 7/7, goddammit. And all i have got is silence.The political debate,the news cycle and regular people have all moved on; to things like the volcker report, the bihar elections and the cricket team's good form.The blasts seem to be a distant memory.

They say that Indians are able to get on with their lives after such tragedies far quicker than people in other countries.It is said that is a sign of our courage and resilience. That's bullshit. it is a sign of our helplessness and the fact that we are resigned to our fate.Our thoughts are not 'i hope it never happens again' but 'i hope i am not in the bus the next time one of them blows up'.And when our own attitude is like that what more can we expect from our elected representatives.truly, our reputation as a soft state is well earned.