Mynamar

What is happening in Mynamar or old Burma is sad. International aid agencies have been stopped at the borders while the country desperately needs help. The present military junta is wary of any foreign intervention. I pray that this event changes the hardened heart of the authorities and there is a change for the better.

The following main site was last updated on May 2.




Reading about Mynamar brought to my mind its similarities to India. Burma was also under the British rule. On 4 January 1948, the nation became an independent republic, named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President and U Nu as its first Prime Minister. Democratic rule ended in 1962 when General Ne Win led a military coup d'état. He ruled for nearly 26 years and pursued policies under the rubric of the Burmese Way to Socialism. Fight for democracy is still being suppressed and has been very violent too.

I wonder how India withstood similar problems while most of her neighbours are yet to reach stability.

Sriram Savarkar getting a few facts right

I dont know who Sriram Savarkar is.. but I have been getting many forwarded emails and I have found them to be balanced and appropriate. Today I wanted to post this in reply to a comment on my blog. I believe Bush and Rice have not been fair in their judgements.

With thanks to Sriram Savarkar..

George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice are not exactly renowned for their understanding and knowledge of economics.

They do not also have a reputation of being overly sensitive to the needs and aspirations of the world's two most populous countries that together account for 40 per cent of the planet's population.

In terms of sheer crassness, however, the recent pronouncements of the two most powerful individuals in the economically most powerful nation on why food prices are rising all over the world, are difficult to beat. Bush has achieved what would seem impossible to many — he has united India's fractious political class that has, with one voice, condemned what he and his deputy have claimed.

Irrefutable facts from a wide range of sources convincingly contradict the argument that high demand for food in China and India is responsible for the recent surge in international prices of wheat, rice, corn and a range of other foods.

Data released by the Food and Agricultural Organization indicate that consumption of cereals in India and China has grown by an average of between 1.8 per cent and 2.2 per cent each year over the last two years whereas the corresponding proportion for the US is nearly 12 per cent.

There is no dearth of information to indicate that huge swathes of cultivable land in America that grows cereals — eaten by animals if not by human beings — have been diverted to produce bio-fuels.

The rise in demand for biofuels is a direct result of the rise in world prices of crude oil that are (at least, in part) a consequence of the US intervention in Iraq and before that, in Afghanistan.
Who remembers that the world price of crude oil was less than $ 25 a barrel in March 2003 when US troops entered Baghdad, against $ 115 a barrel today?

Never before in the history of mankind has the planet's energy security been so closely linked with its food security.

Inequalities in consumption levels are stark.

Pets in America receive more nutrition than a sixth of humankind.
Each cow in Europe receives more government subsidy than what at least a billion people each live on.
The difference between the US and India is that while in India one out of four people don't get enough to eat, in America, two out of three are overweight.

Bush's views could have been not just dismissed contemptuously but ignored altogether — if only he was not the President of the US.

Insolence or Indolence? but lessons to be learned.....

The comments of Bush or Rice on the increased food consumption of developing world deserves no further comments. It is not worth it. America still remains locked within its four walls but a little shocked though. It is only slowly emerging from its insolence.

When a country is progressing it is only natural that the food consumption increases and there is no way we can ask its citizens to stop or curb their craving for food so that developed nations can continue to indulge and find new means to tackle obesity. But if developed nations are using their precious grains to create fuel to maintain their SUV’s then it needs to be checked immediately. There is no use turning a blind eye to obvious facts. It is time the world leaders told their citizens in plain language to take care. Yet the fact is that developed nations still stand to gain from exports of their food grains.

As for India, it is time we took our bread more seriously. We are lacking in basic infrastructure, food being the main one. The farmers need to be treated more kindly.
Even India needs bio-fuels to meet the ever increasing price of oil but the government needs to bring strict measures so that no cultivable land meant for food grains are converted for bio-fuel needs.



In India we have the best candidate, the Jatropha tree. Goldman Sachs recently cited Jatropha curcas as one of the best candidates for future biodiesel production. I believe the best way would be to continue using the vast stretch of land by the side of our railway lines and also our national highways. I am sure this would be enough to meet a part of our energy demands. But the cultivation of such bio-fuel sources should be under the strict government supervision that will ensure that no agricultural land is converted.

If only.....

Man dies bleeding on road but busy city doesn't care

Yet again a precious life lost due to untimely help. His dear ones must be saying over and over.. “If only..”

I am not sure why we behave thus? Lack of sensitivity or is it fear of the law? The doctor who wanted to help the victim was faced with people who were more bothered with their car seats getting dirty. Have we become so high and mighty?

Here in Kuwait, the expatriates bring over the same attitude but more because of the fear of law and its complications. Not so the Kuwaitees. The police do reach the spot fast but if there are residents they do whatever they can. Maybe because they don’t have to fear the law but then once on the road they are the fastest and would love to go uninterrupted but yet stops to help victims.

I wish..

Let me believe in re-birth. Only this will comfort me at the moment. What else can I say after reading the headlines of today's newspapers..

Saudi woman strip-searched for having coffee with a man.. and she was stripped by men!

My only wish is that all those men are soon reborn as women. Let them enjoy the delights of being a woman.

What a mess!

I think I am close to the plan.. LOL.




The authorities have managed to transform a peaceful, smoothly running traffic to the worst traffic nightmares one can ever conjure.

It all started with the construction of a roundabout on the Airport road. There was never a need for one since there was never a problem, but then we thought they had conjured up something good! Little did we realize how it could affect our whole to and fro trip to our work place! Luckily there is a vast no man’s land which is now used by almost all the vehicles to avoid this wondrous creation. It is a ride through the sands but it is much better than the present chaos.

But I would like to see the Engineer who drew the plan for this motorway...(very close to what I did, I am sure!) I mean people have quietly accepted this road and he is getting away with it. But does anyone benefit from traffic jams? Beats me!

These are a few of my favourite things....

Rain drops and roses and whiskers and kittens.. thus she sang in the famous “Sound of Music”. A movie which millions repeatedly watch, yet wouldn’t mind watching it again. Well, we all have something which we like to see..so here I go...

1- On the top of my list is a smiling baby. All babies in the word are beautiful and innocent and when they smile.. they bring the heaven down to our earth! Look into their eyes and one cannot deny that they comprehend us. It is we who twist the heavenly wisdom that they are born with.

2- To hear a person laugh. Those guffaws of laughter that starts from the stomach. For that moment that person is the happiest on earth and it makes me happy too, to see someone laugh. I guess that is why I like all those comedians and humorists on earth. They make us laugh and maybe for silly stuffs but it make us happy.

3- An early morning drive anywhere on Earth. Everything is so fresh, even the faces. The roads are less crowded and you are on your own. Those moments can be very special and I don’t know why! The air itself is full of promises and assurances. Maybe it reminds me of the long trips made as a family when I was a child. Those carefree days with no care in the world except for teachers and examinations.

4- Opening an email from someone we care for. Those moments of expectations to read what he or she has written. To know that you were thought of and hence those few words maybe even across the globe.

5- Opening a gift. I guess this feeling is universal and I don’t need to elaborate, except for those who are gifted often and hence are bored with the whole process. Well.. they are unlucky I should say!

6- Shopping. This I am sure is only for the fairer sex and not for the rest. Don’t know why even why a window shopping can make one happy. I am sure I don’t have to go into details and scare my male readers.

7- Those quiet moments in a religious place. The peace that descends upon you is precious. I still remember the moments that I spent on Vivekananda Rocks at Kanyakumari inside the meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam). There was absolute tranquillity and you could feel the presence of the Almighty. (This rock was built in 1970 by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee in honour of the visit of the great spiritual teacher Swami Vivekananda to Shripada Parai during the month of December 1892 for deep meditation and enlightenment)

8- The smell of new clothes. Hey.. who doesn’t like that? Talking of smells: baby smell, the smell of earth after the first rain, the smell of fresh cement, some even like the smell of petrol like my Father.

9- To drink a glass of water when one is very thirsty. Haven’t you thought that was the tastiest item in world?

10- To see those faces from our childhood days other than our relatives. It is not easy to experience this since many could have moved around. But to see someone who has seen you growing up gives one a very happy feeling.

11- To see newly married couples. I love to see their hopeful faces. Their hands would normaly be linked and you can see the Husband caringly hold those hands. One can see the lingering smiles and remnants of laughter after having shared secret jokes. Now before I hear from hardcore bachelors/spinsters and frustrated couples, let me also add that I love to see even older couples who still enjoy each other.

12- To have a good book fall into your hands and settling down with it for a long read......nd now I am reading... I never thought Sawamiji could be so interesting.. I really hope my friend Maddy has more treasure to share on this one too...

Well.. this is all I could think of right now.. but I am sure there are many more and I would love to tag a few of my friends to see what they come up with. I know I still have some tags left which I myself have not completed.

Modi and Afzal

Will Modi come to power again? Yes.. this is what I think. Now shouldn’t each of us ask the question why? I am sure the election is fair and that he is the choice of the people although the number of votes may come down this time. But why is the question.

He cites many reasons for which he should be elected. One being the development that Gujarat is facing and another his fight against terrorism. Now BJP is not a secular party and hence Modi is not secular. Hence when Afzal Guru is not hanged, it goes in favour of Modi. Now I don’t know why Afzal Guru is not hanged. I searched the net and came up with this

Can the protectors of law tell us if Afzal guru is guilty or innocent? If he is guilty he should be punished since his crime cannot be forgiven. He killed those who were trying to protect our Parliament. Although those who were protected deserved this or not is another question in itself! But it was the Indian Parliament and every Indian would want to avenge this.As for Modi, he thinks only Hinduvata is the answer for terrorism. Can religion alone decide your patriotism? Every individual who believes in God thinks better of his own religion. This is natural since he is born into it. But this does not mean that it kills your patriotism. I believe religion is something personal and we should leave it there. Let us not try to measure our patriotism in terms of religion since this will create more Modi’s and Afzals.

No Barking blease!

“No Barking Please”

Don’t’ be surprised if you see this sign in front of the parking lots in the Arab world. Arabic as you may know does not have the letter “P” in their alphabet and hence most Arabs will not recognize this word in English. Hence for them, the letter “P” and “B” are the same. Anyway I am not going into Arabic today.

In Kuwait most of the residential areas meant for the expatriates are not planned well and hence a parking space is the most coveted object for a resident. One may try to get out from work early if possible to grab the same. This is understandable. But there are some who take it beyond that. They park their cars in the space meant for 2 cars and hence reserve the same for the next person. Love for your neighbour in action! Indians are the most law abiding once they get out of their own country and hence most keep quiet even if they have to park their cars in no man’s land far away. They think that fighting for their rights is not a part of their culture and hence tolerance and patience reach 100%.

There is one neighbour in our apartment who reserves his space for his loving son too. On Thursday this same person parked his Pajero in such a way that 2 cars could have easily parked on either side. Hubby lost his patience and asked this guy to move his Pajero and pat came the reply. “This is a public place and I shall park the way I want”. Of course the conversation did continue further. Then my hubby decided that the best public place would be behind his Pajero and there he parked his own car. Friday morning came, and our Bible thumping neighbour had to fulfill his Christian duties and attend Church. Instead of asking us, he had to wake up his loving neighbour and maneuver the Pajero out with great difficulty. I guess there are some who begs to be treated thus! It is pure selfishness and arrogance in action and I am sure his son has also learned these valuable lessons.

Rain

Ir rained for a while yesterday.. just enough to bring down the dust that never reached the ground so far.

Actually if it rains too long things will change drastically out here. It was in 1997 that we had the heaviest rain. I was working in the city at that time. It started around 3 PM and slowly we saw the water rising. And then it was utter chaos. I couldnt find our usual transport but luckily found a few friends. We hoppped into the car of a guy whom we met for the first time and started the journey around 6 PM. We could see water all around us and there were a few local boys helping us with directions. The most shocking site was a road with over head bridges.. it was completely submerged with a few cars stuck on the way down. And slowly we moved inch by inch.. Never have the residents seen such flooding in their entire lives.

We could reach home only after 11 PM. Luckily my maid was there to look after our daughter since even my Hubby could reach home only around that time.

We do wait for such occasions to come.. since there would be a holiday for sure.. but there was never a repition! There was another year where we had to return home after almost reaching the office.

Looking forward to see the monsoon and we have bought a fishing line this time. Since the river is right in front of our house we can try our luck. This will be the first time we will be fishing.

To execute or not to execute..

I am sure this topic is will be a highly debated one.

I am not so sure myself though. But I am sure if faced with the same situation myself, I would kill the person myself or have him executed immediately. Rape is a terrible crime be it on a minor or an adult. We have heard about the rape of 3 months old to even a corpse! It is said that the person himself would have been abused during his growing up years. I truly believe that the community in which he was born into should also take the blame along with those who brought him up. But by execution aren’t we taking the easy way out? And every executed criminal shows that the community or society has failed. But setting a rapist out into the community is dangerous. He should serve his sentence in a jail or in a similar place where he will not come across potential victims. I am not sure if a rapist can have a change in personality.

Ramblings..

Howdy!

I am addicted to my blog..

I guess for many there is one more addiction.. blogging!

The kids will finish their exams tomorrow and then we have to pack their bags. They will be travelling alone this time. From next year onwards daughter will be an adult as per Airlines Standards and she is showing all the signs of an adult. But then she was a very independant character even when she was a toddler. She selected her own clothes, buttoned it up if needed, feeded herself etc. While son was the exact opposite! Even now he needs prodding to finish any task.

But then I have always thought that bringing up a girl child is always different from bringing up boys. Girls learn quickly and are independant faster while boys prefer sticking to their mothers a little while longer.

Vacation

My leave is approved and now I can plan it officially. 36 days is a short time but still… As usual we have many plans, but will have to wait and see. If the rains are severe then it will be vacationing at home only, which is also not a problem. I would love getting up late, having breakfast at leisure, read the paper, chat, then slowly prepare for lunch etc. etc. Then there is the excitement of shopping too. The kids are leaving early to stay with their grand parents who are eagerly counting the days.

Oh! Now there goes my poor Coconut!

This is from Today's newspapers..

Residents of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea have found an ingenious and indigenous solution to high-energy prices: the ubiquitous tropical fruit - coconut.
The islanders are developing mini-refineries to produce a coconut oil that can eventually replace diesel.

Now my coconut will be too high and mighty for my palates. So maybe we should buy a plot with a few coconut trees!

My dear coconut, will i be missing u soon from my diet? Sob.. sob.. nd my poor hair too.... it will all soon protest and fall down!

School Carnival

Yesterday it was the kid's school carnival. They had a very nice time. They played all the games, won a few prizes but spent all the money on games and nothing on food!