The aftermath

I've seen two kinds of people reacting to whats happened. The ones who are touched, angered, moved and frustrated with politicians and the way things are being dealt with and the rest who seem so bloody nonchalant on whats happened. Ashamed to say some of the latter are people from our own country.  I can understand my flatmates who have never asked us how things were back home inspite of the half a dozen blasts in India in the past year, but someone who is not bothered about their own country, community and tribe, somewhat drives me crazy.

A friend of mine told someone: "Did you hear about the blasts ? Its so devastating, no ? "

His friend replied: "So what. This always happens. Lets just do our project." 

He was as perplexed as I am. Is he waiting for something to happen to his near and dear ones for him to change his attitude. 

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Its about time

{ The pic shows children in Ahmedabad holding candles during a vigil held in memory of the victims in the terror attacks. The second one: the Taj hotel, one of the places where hostages were taken }

to stand up and fight, not just show resilience and simply move on with life. I don't understand why the country's political might does have any teeth. I am bloody sure, if this had happened to US or Israel what the reaction would be.

Have been glued to online news channels for a couple of days inspite of my semesters exams. It is so disturbing that I really couldnt study. Now that I am done with the exams, have all the time to follow up with whats happening.

Until the politicians stop bickering about small selfish things, execute administrative and police reforms, NOTHING is going to work out. That makes it so important for the govt. to get up and get going.

Like the pics above, some more heart rendering visuals here to get the essence of what happened..

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Descent Into Chaos, by Ahmed Rashid gives a true, clear picture on why the US is losing its war against Islamist terrorists in Pak/Afghanistan. Picked this book a week ago. The author is a Pak journalist, a specialist in Pak, Afghan and other Central Asian countries. Obama's team has picked him as a consultant for foreign policies on all matters related to Pak/Afghan.

Quoting from the book, everyone knows that ISI is abetting terrorism and helping AQ, Taliban and Co. in training young motivated men in waging a war in the name of god. You ask anyone..CIA, MI6, KGB, RAW..all know what the issue is. The biggest problem is without Pak's co-operation no one, not even US can erase the camps. The book further claims that the foreign policies, defence budget are all controlled by the army ?

I dont know how much of it is true, what I am interested in is that, terrorists should meet their end soon.

Michael Crichton

He died yesterday. I've read a few books of his most notable (for me) was The Lost World. I had seen the movie before and when I picked the book by chance, I was almost sure that  I would drop it soon as I have already seen the movie before. This is one of the few books which I didnt drop till I read the last page. Its so amazing that you are so really involved in that fascinating world.

It doesn't end here...actually and I am NOT exagerrating, back in India when you drive amongst the herd of holy cows and (not so holy) bufalloes you do feel you are trying to dodge through dinosaurs..and you drive so carefully to avoid their shit flying right on your face..//remember those shots in the movie ???

This was the first time I realized how much of a difference there is between movies and novels they are made out of.  

If--

This ones from Rudyard Kipling...one of the best I poems I have ever come across..

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If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

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Isn't this thought-provoking ?  Wish I could read more of such poems..

F1 ends

Hamilton takes the title. Finally. This is not what I hoped for, being a Ferrari fan. Lewis was widely expected to win but since I like the underdogs, I had all the time hoped Massa would pull it off. 

If only Timo Glock could keep his 5th place. 

Am eagerly looking forward to the next season with some more new rules to be introduced, one of them being green-engines. And next time around, I will buy the cheapest tickets available in Singapore GP. Did a big BIG mistake this time by taking the ones on the stands..absolutely of no use. The real thrill is standing close to the circuit..right behind the barricades..thats where the noise and action is...I should probably put up more snaps of the singapore street circuit..hmmmm maybe when I find more time.

Choose a life

Its been a while. Everytime I have something interesting to write, I usually dont have a pen/pencil  and paper or my notebook. There is no use trying to bookmark these thoughts in your mind. By the time you have something to note it down, the thoughts would have gone stale, the charm is lost. 

Off-late I am back at my introspection-and-what-next-to-do mindset. What is it that I would want to do for the rest of my life ? I have no clear answer...as always. My horizon when it comes to such thoughts are only a few years away. What have I got to do with my life ? Does someone need a purpose to live, to make life more worthwhile ? Why even bother about such thoughts and burden your mind or just take life as it comes. These topics have been beaten up badly in our random coffee conversations at school or with rayben. But there is no convincing answer that I find. 

My newest fancy now is to somehow get involved in Airjaldi.

I hope to spend a summer working there. 

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Trainspotting is one movie which I thoroughly enjoyed. Its one of Danny Boyle's best(I haven't seen The Beach yet). Here is a quote from that movie:

" Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? "

Doesnt this get you thinking ?  :)

 

If you liked this, watch out for Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle's latest offering. Its a movie set in India and our very own Anil Kapoor and Irfan Khan are in the cast. Releasing Nov 12th.