Posts Tagged ‘attack’
Nice Guy gets Bullied
With the horrific pictures of Nice attack coming in, world has once again been left in disbelief. France has been the quintessential Romantic destination for the whole world, and thus this attack has impacted a lot of people across the world.
Please forgive my insensitivity but I recall a seen from a TV Series Southpark where a character bulldozes the crowd in a similar manner. If was funny when I watched it. It is funny no more. I feel the horror. Imagine walking down the street in celebration and next moment someone comes from behind and crushes you. What will it all achieve, I ask? Other than global destruction!
The misguided and brain washed youth carrying out such lone wolf attacks. What can be more defeating to the society? First Bangladesh and Now this; the well bred, well fed people showing such hatred against society is beyond understanding. How can the world move ahead from here? Such lone wolf attacks are devoid of any intelligence input. There are no terror camps, no formal training. All that is there is TV and internet. It’s like self radicalization. The challenge is unprecedented. One fine day, anyone can pick up a knife and kill me on the street. Even authorities can’t do anything.
Though abhorrent, I can at least understand some rationale (or ir-rationale) behind, if someone from Iraq or Afganistan fights to avenge some loss. But what have these misguided youth in Bangladesh and now Nice have lost to avenge? It’s like a chip which is being implanted in their brain. Inception of the worst kind. Today they kill as they feel one with the terrorists in name of religion, tomorrow they can feel the same in the name of caste, creed, color. Where and How will this stop?
Top political, military and diplomatic minds are burning the midnight oil to solve this very riddle. Hope they get some solution sooner than later. I am afraid to think otherwise.
Animal Eating society agitated on Dog Attack. I mean really?
A couple of days back, a video went viral where a dog was flung off the building by a sick mind. To harm an innocent animal is not a good thing. But what I saw after, made me question my own sanity.
There was a hue and cry and call for the culprits to be arrested and put behind bars. Like always, media gave it airtime and discussed at length with experts. What amazed me was, the very same reporters who wanted the animal (Cow) be allowed to be killed and people be allowed to eat it, were the same people who were disgusted by dog brutality.
Maybe I am real dumb as I fail to understand how a society which kills and eats animals can raise such a hue and cry. Killing and eating is ok, but beating up is not? If this is not hypocrisy what is. I am not justifying the attack on the dog, it was wrong. But what I am against is the animal eating society talking high moral ground and singling out the culprits.
It is these dual standards that confound me and question my own sanity. How can the society as a whole be such hypocrite, maybe it’s just me who is insane. So if I throw a goat off the building, will it be criminal too? Or Hen for that matter? Or cat or mouse? And if I kill them and eat them, will the criminality go away. Is there some restricted list or while list?
I feel society of killers and animal eaters is trying to quench the morality by singling out few people. And I fail to understand this.
How to win a losing argument
Just for the sake of argument. A lot of times we feel that we are losing an argument. That the other side is winning. It can happen due to number of reasons. The other party may have better points to put forward. We might be lacking the depth on the issue and not able to give supporting literature. What to do in such a situation?
Some people would concede and back off, lose the argument. What if we don’t want to? Well, if it does not seem possible to win, best is not let the other side win. This may not be an outright win for you, but if you puncture holes in opposite argument, you have pretty much nailed it.
I remember a scene from movie, where a lobbyist father (whose whole livelihood depend on gift of the gab), explains to his son. He said, it’s not important that you are right, to win an argument. You just have to prove the other person wrong. He went ahead giving an example. If you say Chocolate ice-cream is better and your friend says Vanilla is better. There is no clear way to win the argument. You can attack the other side of being a racist for not liking dark colored chocolate. By proving him bad, you become right.
I agree it might not look an honorable approach. But since not being politically correct is in vogue these days, this might just pass through. Attack the person if not the argument. And believe me you will win every single time. If such a win satisfies you, that is.
The IPL Team that wasn’t
IPL auctions, held recently grabbed everyone’s attention. With millions of dollars floating around, it turned out to be a landmark event. Not everyone seemed happy though. Some politicians were enraged by the amount of wealth at display. “It’s pathetic”, said one. Its gross” said another. “Why were we left out from earning the moolah. It’s wrong”. “Let’s form a team and enter the IPL. Let’s rename it the Indian Political League”, came one suggestion. “Yes, let’s do it”, they gave a Spartan cry. We will show who the real boss is when it comes to earning monies.
“From next time on Mr. A. Raja will be the auctioneer given his huge experience with 2G auctions”, they passed a resolution. “All those who want to bid for someone at a cheaper cost, pay me 20%, I will bring down the hammer. I am the 1st, 2nd and the third umpire”, Raja promised. Point well taken!
The team was called, “Indian Commoners”, given the “aam aadmi” thing is in vogue. The team is as below.
1. Suresh Kalmadi: The way he accumulates money, he can accumulate lots of runs. His tendency to generate money out of nowhere is seen as his ability to get wickets out of nowhere. He is a genuine all rounder. He can even keep the umpires happy, if you know what I mean. He never hogs the limelight. Always owes it to teamwork.
2. Sharad Pawar: The Maratha pride. He is a bit lethargic in field. Takes time to move; needs a little push sometimes. But with him on the side, the team can make records, given his habit to make records of prices of onion and sugar. He does not care much about win or a loss. Cool as a cucumber. After all he is not a jyotishi.
3. RR Patil: A master planner. Sometimes caught off guard, when the opposite team strikes. To him even a huge loss does not matter. After all such small things happen. He is like a phoenix, rise from the ashes. The only thing that goes against him is his evident dislike for cheer leaders.
4. Mamata Banerjee: Bound to appeal a lot on the ground. Ei No Cholbe, Ei no Cholbe. Will sit on hunger strike if umpire does no give favorable decisions. Batting and Bowling will be on track with her in the team, well almost.
5. Sheila Dixit: Hell of a worker. Can make 200 in just 2 over’s when time comes. Though old age affects her memory a bit and she keeps forgetting things, considered a long innings player. Is well regarded for her mystic youth.
6. B. S. Yeddyurappa: With him, we will have our grounds to practice and play on. Whatever pitch/land/conditions we want to practice on, he will grab it and will make it available for us. Also he will cry when caught, so umpire will not give him out. He likes to keep himself in shape too. He respects the coach a lot.
7. M. K Alagiri (Karunanidhi’s son): He will hardly be present during the match but during the pre and post ceremonies, he will be there to complain that he is never given a chance to perform. Such spirit!
8. Nitin Gadkari: Will sit on the opposition and kill them. He is dealer and so is easy to deal with. Will keep asking for a wicket from the umpire. He will not let the match go on and may do a walkout, till his request is acceded to. His motto is “Eat and let Eat”, and eats up the wickets of the opposite team.
9. Narendra Modi: Tried his hand at umpiring. Took no decision and the two teams came to blows. Want to enter this time round as the player. The team is bound to win, err…only the home matches perhaps.
10. Rahul Gandhi: Likes to play test matches, slow and in whites. So that might be show-stopper. But has a fan following among elite youths (where the money is), so might be able to bring in sponsors. Also is young. Invest in future.
11. Manish Tiwari: His team is the reigning champion and he never misses a chance to be smug about it. He will murder anyone who says anything against his team. Such is his loyalty. Don’t need to know the context. All he knows is defense. He is the Wall. He can take on one, two or even three bowlers at the same time.
12. Jagan Reddy (12th man): He is a good fielder and practices a lot. Be it ‘Odarpu Yatra’. He has a lot of female fan following too. Charming! The flip side is that he will not play unless made the Captain. He will make a new team from the breakaway players if he is refused the Captain cap.
13. Sourav Ganguly: Pissed at his exclusion in the IPL, he gave his name for Indian Commoners. Unsold here too. Left has told they will find a role for him and no team in India is possible without him.
Same Same but Different
Last night I had this amazing dream. I woke up at night with lights flashing all over. A man with big mustache and vintage golden dress was standing tall, over me, and laughing loud. “Wake up, you lazy bugger, Wake up”. Sleepy and startled, my first reaction was to blame it on the overdose of Vodka that night. But soon the gravity of the situation or can I say the lack of it dawned on me. Aaj toh lag gayi Mamu!
He told me I was dead. Died of a certain Gastropathic attack. Gas! Couldn’t it have been something legendary? Like being attacked by flying dragons while jumping of a plane which collided with a UFO. Leave it. I died of Gas alright.
Here I was, one moment trying to realize my dreams, my future and the very next facing the shock of my demise. My whole life flashed before my eyes. Family, Friends, Future. What now? I begged, pleaded with my soul transporter. Let me live to make things work, make things right.
It’s hard to say that it was my lucky day, given that I just died. But he took pity to me which clearly didn’t seem to match his M.O. “There’s one condition though”, said he. “Here it comes” “Give me a reason to let You live. Hey it’s easy, “I have so much left to do in my life. Get married. Make a career. Have kids”. He gave me a smile. “You don’t seem to get my question. Why should I let You and not some other person, live”
I was just an answer away. Given that I have been writing exams all my life, it shouldn’t have been that difficult. But believe you me, however hard I tried, I couldn’t get an answer.
Have you ever thought? Trying to make a mark in life, a place for ourselves, we have ended up being clones of each other. Lost that very individuality that we have been craving for, fighting for. When I look outside my apartment all I see is blinking stars. Only they are not stars, they are other apartments. We are all boxed up. All flats look same. All work looks same. All roads look same. All blokes look same. How is my life any different to my fellow men?
Well, it only seems logical that we all be same. The funda of evolution revolves around learning and surviving. We learn from others, grab the best of all and apply to our lives. Thereby becoming a hybrid.
With the advent of cut throat competition, this cloning process has only hastened. Don’t you remember your mother/wife saying, “Pados waale Sharma ji jo TV laaye hain humein bhi wohi chaiye” Or a kid crying that he wants the new Play station which his friends have. You covet other mans wife, car, house, life.
If we look at it the other way round, “What’s the problem in being clones” After all we are all born humans. Same at birth. Same creator. Same creation. Why is the need to be different? Just that it doesn’t seem all that right to be part of a monotonous system. It just seem what can I say, unnatural.
The similarity doesn’t end with the lives we tread; it follows us to our grave. However hard we have tried to make our post-death ceremonies different, the truth is, after a certain point, nothing but dust remains.
Anyhow, I was not able to answer the question of the big mustached guy. Good that it was just a dream. Am not sure what I had done for real. Not even sure I really do care to be all that distinctive. I might try now and then, something out of the blue to be different. Might also be successful at that for a while. Till someone decides to catch up and steal my thunder of course.
EMI: Behind the Spirit of Mumbai
In midst of the recent Terror attack on Mumbai, there has been a phrase which is circulating around, “The Spirit of Mumbai”. It drives in a sudden rush of blood. Doesn’t it? It sounds real might and courage. Ultimate fighting spirit and respect to the nation. Whatever happens, life goes on in Mumbai. Such is the spirit of Mumbai. We saw it at the time of local train blasts, when the very next day, local was running full load. However resounding it may seem, it rides on a highly depressing fact, which really no one wants to touch. It’s the compulsion or mazboori as we call it that keeps Mumbai running. If we call the same “the spirit” then so be it.
What’s the compulsion on Mumbaikars that don’t/won’t let them stop? Is it the “never say die attitude” or “I can’t afford to die, helplessness”. What is it? Let’s enquire.
Recently there was a movie EMI which came with a tagline, “liya hai to chukana hi padega” i.e. you have to pay back anyhow. It’s real sad to hear but yes, it’s true. Most of us have EMI compulsions. These EMI are not always of a bank per say. The monthly bill of the grocer, the milkman, the electricity, the water, the children’s school fees, the doctors’ bill for ailing mother, the tension of marriage of the unmarried sister, the landlords’ constant calls for rent, the innocent face of the family that wants to go the new movie, the bare wrists of the wife in need of golden bangles…The list is endless. All these are the EMIs that keep us, Mumbaikars, going. What would we do, if not travel via local? The office is open. We need to work to get paid. The drive of the monthly pay check never let us cease. People call it the spirit.
Authorities take shelter behind this Spirit and we tend to forget the tragedy. Let’s not mistake our helplessness and compulsions to perform, as our Spirit. Each and every Mumbaikar dread for the safety and security of his/her family. It’s an expected behavior. The problem is that we tend to forget and never learn from these attacks. We just say that Mumbai is standing unshaken. We are shaken, we are scared but there’s no other way round for us but to keep going. The EMI is too strong a force to let us stop.
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