Odds and Ends

The last couple of weeks, I have started with so many posts but haven't really found time to continue with any. What with all the shopping and preparing for the trip for India, which in turn made me work more hours to get stuff done. So I finally decided for the sake of the few loyal (sic) readers of these ramblings to get a gist of the ideas that I had in the pea sized brain of mine for the various posts that I started!

• The televangilist of love preaches assisination.
  
• Global warming or just natural disasters
• Gas prices skyrocketing! Is it time to burn the SUVs and other gas guzzlers?

Actually there were some more but I guess they will have to wait. I can't wait though to get to India after almost two years. Thats a really long time to be away from home. I am hoping to atleast make this a picture blog during my trip to India. If you need me give me a buzz at 98409 07530!

Till Laters

"Nullus est locus domestica sede jucundior"( There is no place more delightful than one's own fireside)
"To know after absence the familiar street and road and village and house is to know again the satisfaction of home"

My Idol

Believe it or not I do have one and he just turned 51. And you know that a man has become old, when he says he is proud of the kids that God has given him ;)

My Dad has always rocked my world and all that I am, I owe it to him!!! His use of the English language surprises me not only because it makes me (who has had better education than him) use the dictionary but also because he learnt the language after he turned 18.

I may never understand the struggles he went through but sure do appreciate them. He is a charmer, a fact that I hope I could get a little bit of. He always made me more cool than I was by dropping me off in school on the military Motorcycle in his trademark shorts. Also the fact that he could kick anybody's bottom (I have personally witnessed that) combined with the fact that he could preach the bible like a preacher makes him a deadly combination.

The heart he has for helping others to the point of repeatedly being hoodwinked by unscrupulous needy people has to be seen to be believed. I can only wish that I would be able to give as much as he gives away(50-70% of his earnings) someday if I am not greedy enough :).

We do have difference of opinion as people from two different generations would, but I if he hadn't let me be, I wouldn't have been my own man. I could probably go on for a day about all his qualities, but suffice to say that I love him and wish that I was half the man he is!

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."

P.S: I mustn't forget to mention the person who has kept him on the straight - my mom and his wife of 25 years

The birth of a Nation

I do need to apologize for not being more current with my posts. I have had ideas fade in and out, as life trudges along in a mechanical fashion ( the forthcoming trip to India maybe a saving grace). I have finally decided not to let this thought fade out. As India celebrates its 58th birth anniversary, the times surely have changed.

Its that day of the year again in India and the Indian diaspora abroad. Time to wear their patriotism on their sleeve (for a day of course). I remember wearing the paper flag on my shirt pocket and attending the flag hoisting either at school or the apartment complex. It was day to remember long forgotten hero's and their sacrifices only to forget them the next day. I may sound a little pessimistic but that's the ground reality.

The last couple of days I have received emails and read articles on independence day, most of which seem to run along on just two thought streams. One talks about how proud you have to be an Indian and why you should not leave the country ... blah blah ... a lot of idealistic stuff that everybody needs a shot of once in a while. The only thing is in all the idealistic and patriotic fervor they forget the ground realities. And are content with making sweeping statements about the rest of the people with a holier than though attitude. The other line of thought is the pessimistic one blaming "the man" or actually blaming the politicians on how wrong our freedom has been used. They have a ready target - the politician - for all of India's ills while taking no responsibility for their own actions.

I agree to both schools of thought, but think that they fall short of being pragmatic or making a difference. People in general are ready to be patriotic and do great things as long as it doesn't cause them any discomfiture. Everybody wants a change but nobody is willing to bear the cost.

Born as it was after the second world war and in the midst of strife, both internal and external. The large behemoth of a country like India was indeed a hard place to govern for novices. The strides that the country has taken so far alludes to the common man's determination to rise inspite of the system. It was born during a time when socialism was only way to go for a country that had been broken by the capitalistic nature of imperialistic western power. The fact that it has embarked on the path of capitalism speaks of progress. Though the path so far has been full of great and ambitious dreams, poor planning and worse execution.

Sometimes I wonder and I know a sizeable amount of people would agree that we have only exchanged a foreigner's yoke for a domestic one. The amount of corruption that has permeated the society is alarming for such a fledging young country. Some might take offense to the term young country, claiming the inheritance to a 5000 year old civilization. But the fact remains that as a nation state India is relatively young. Corruption is a scourge that most countries face specially the developing ones. It is also one of the evils that cannot be blamed on external forces. Some people are content with putting the blame on politicians, while at the same time gloating on the fact that India is the world's largest democracy, which if true puts the blame squarely on the people's shoulder for electing such politicians. If you want the vicious cycle of corruption to stop then you need to stop giving bribes. If there is nobody to take bribes then there wouldn't be anybody to take them.

The other major factor that keeps a lot of Indian's down apart from corruption is dwelling on the past. If you want to move forward then we need to stop resting on our laurels and being satisfied easily. I have received a lot of emails from time to time about how Indian's created the number system thousands of years back and all the other things that happened thousands of years back. Because none of those matter too much now. If Bill gates says India has potential then the media is full of that quote and everybody is happy. It doesn't matter that we have potential unless we realise that potential. We as a country need to be willing to take risks, instead of being content of going down the beaten path. Even now kids are only give three choices - doctor, Engineer or IAS. So who the heck is going to teach ? I am not even going to talk about dowry, caste or religious issues (I have spoken on those before and anyways this post would never end then). We also need to realise that men were not made for traditions but traditions were made for me.

And the most sensitive subject of all, Kashmir. The right wing needs to accept the ground realities and not expect a miracle in the form of a akhand bharat ( we are definitely not going to annex two ailing countries). Also the people need to see through the politicians using Pakistan as beating horse to cover their own pathetic economic and domestic decisions. Pakistani ISI is easily blamed for most of India's problems (they do cause some) while the domestic terrorist is let go or even better given a government post! I wish they would spend more money on revitilising the agriculture sector than they spend on nuclear weapons.

Now that I have vetted my anger on the system(or the man as some prefer), I can go on to the good parts. I am proud of the changes specially in the last couple of years that has taken place in India. A change that allowed a middle class person like me to go to a foreign country to study, which was previously only the prerogative of the filthy rich or well connected. India is an experience ... a lifetime experience. The diversity that is present in it is incomprehensible to somebody that has not been there. The fact that each state has its own language and culture makes it rich in culture. As I have written before I have done quite a bit of driving in the US and the thing that irks me the most is that I get the same burger King of McDonald everywhere I go. It wouldn't be the same in India, which adds to the spice of it all. Sometimes that makes me wonder how we survive as a country at all? Inspite of the various religious tensions caused by extremists, it is truly a secular country, not by removing religion out of its life but by integrating it(religion) into its fabric, a fact that the second largest democracy(US) finds hard to digest. Some people make fun of the honour system, of paying respect to elders, of following the family dikat (right or wrong), forgoing individual happiness for the greater common good ... I could go on ... that make life worth living. Those are the things that money can't buy that, and you would see a lot of those around here.

Here's to India hoping that

• more people will take risks,
• sports other than cricket will be patronised (First need to kill the bureaucrats in those associations),
• people will stop giving bribes and taking them too (dowry is bribe)
• people will not be satisfied with mediocrity or even good
• the young will not be disrespected for their idealism
• the old will be respected for their wisdom
• people will not allow just scoundrels to be politicians
• people will not be satisfied with election gimmicks
• caste would be rooted out
• dowry would be rooted out
• people will know who has the power
  
• people will not kill me for saying the things I do :)

in the coming years

Jai Hind

Vox populi, vox dei

3 years and counting ...

Its been three years since I landed on these shores (entered at 12:30AM August 7th 2002). Can't believe how fast time flies! "... lived through some good times, and some sad times ..." but I did live it up! Met a lot of people along the way, some moved on, some stayed. So I guess its that time of the year to reminisce on hits and misses ...

This is a good time to think of things I should have done or the things I could have lived without ...

• Should have gone for the swimming classes when I started out instead of when I was ready to graduate.
• Should have gone for the Football(American) games the first year I was there. I used to hate football because it was called football and football was soccer! (Confused? See what I mean!)
• Should have used the gym!
• Should have started line dancing in the first year, 'cause I was intimidated by it, instead of waiting till the second year of my studies.
• Should have got the speeding ticket going at 100 mph instead of 87 mph ... wait maybe not that.
• Should have made ... nope ... saved more money than I did
• Should not have quit ice skating
  

I guess I am out of 'should haves' and 'shouldn't haves'. But there were some many things that happened, I have decided to list just a few that come to the top of my mind ... in no particular order

• The power of my word at home, just because I was halfway across the world. This is true even of my cousins and uncles and aunts ...
• Getting a wonderful bunch of new friends at FSU through CCF and Chi Alpha.
• Getting to fight with my 'enemy' Swapna and getting a picture of her inside an Alcatraz cell.
• Being able to roam all over the US, in part because of having the right connections like Shelly acca in California and Srila & Sadhana acca in Detroit
• Being able to meet old long lost friends Rajesh, Nanda and Hussein
• Surrounded by a wonderful Christian family wherever I go, Specially Koshy annan and Aunty who also brovided me with a home, complete with food and transport
  
• Having a bunch of cookies and cards sent across the continental US so that I won't feel alone, by Angela and the wonderful crazy people at CCF.
• Getting to go horse riding and getting to handle various shot guns and hand guns at Perry, thanks to Whitney and her family.
• Having squirrel stir fry made by Buddy and cake for my birthday with Florida and India drawn on it.
• Getting a T Shirt from Romania by Mike who also is the first friend I made at FSU. Now that he is in the Air Force, he can probably beat me in running
  
• Having cookies by Katie and cake by Fallon for my birthday
• Having my shirt Ironed by Meagan and who also cleaned out my kitchen with Audra
• Going to Stetsons to line dance with Amy
  
• Getting to drive a Benz courtesy of Sri acca who also incidentally got me a job
• Driving with a broken leg to visit John and getting struck in a hurricane
• Setting the town on fire on a 750GS with Akhilesh as Wingman
• Getting to play co-rec Football(Soccer) and American Football with Jillian, Kathy, Brian, Eamon, Erin and the rest of the gang
• Driving to Washington DC with Rhea
• Crashing at Ravi's place and having him drive with me to St.Louis for no particular reason whatsoever
• Playing tennis in the rain and the sunshine with Adriaan
• Swimming in the pool during thunderstorms with Amit
• Taking a break in Atlanta at Katie's house
• Getting to see Eric's GI Joe collection and getting my first Star Trek figurine from him
• Getting birthday bums ... Chris Pink and Justin I don't forget easily
• Visiting the smoky mountains with Aarthi and Preeth and having Aarthi make a week's supply of food for me
• Visiting with Jeba's family and Mani in Minnesota and having Briyani there
• Having good clean fun with the house of fire youth led by Ron & Kelly
• Breaking seven cellphones and having Scott get me a 20% discount on my monthly charges
• Having Latha, Swapna and other friends visit me
  
• Having Thanksgiving dinner with Amber and Erin's family
• Going to Connect with the Feagans
• Swing dancing at the FSU Swing dance club with Jaquline, Sara and the rest of the gang
• Getting a car for free from Mark and then selling it for 200$s after some repairs
• Going Sailing with Lee
• Having Thanksgiving dinner with the waers
• Driving to Canada by myself
• Getting to throw a lot of people into the fountain for their birthdays even though it was less than zero outside
• Breaking my leg playing raquetball with Jason
• Tubing down the icknetukee and breaking my watch in the process
  

This is definetly not an exhaustive list. I name names because I can ... and am willing to take the fall for any omissions ;). Keep checking for updates to the bullet points and old memories come back :)

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

Proleterians of the world unite!

It was a red letter day last week at a Honda motorcycle plant in Gurgoan, India. The workers had formed a union and were protesting certain policies of their MNC employer, when all hell broke loose. The police charged and beat up the 1500 strong protestors. The lathicharge in itself would have been a non incident had it not been for the shear number of people that were grievously injured in the melee. There is no clear indication on who started the fight, but the fact was that both sides(protestors and cops) had indulged in excesses. Though at the end of the day the Police bore the brunt of the blame (which was true to an extent).

The incident speaks about the fundamental issues that are brought forth by globlisation. Had this not been an incident involving a MNC and the government going all out to attract FDI, the cops wouldn't have been so high handed. States like Kerla and West Bengal which are governed by the communist parties in India, are know for their labour unrest and militant trade unions. With India embracing free economy and a capitalistic society, trade unions were being thought off as a thing of the past and these states are actively shedding their image as a stronghold of trade unions. It would be folly to think that, 'cause without proper legislation to govern workers benefits the trade unions(which provide for collective bargaining) are the only way to check employee exploitation.

In this incident the workers were not striking to get a better pay but to get a better work environment. More than two thirds of the employees were apprentices and trainees (who of course get paid a pittance) for the last two years. And the company instead of making them employees after the two year period decided to hire new trainees instead of the existing ones. This sounds as though it is a leaf from the book of a small scale sweat shop. And to boot the Japanese Ambassador had to go shooting his mouth off. What he doesn't realise is this is India and not Japan.

I am not a big fan of the communist style of government, actually I hate it, but that does not give the right to big corporations to run our lives. The fact that these corporations exploit their employees and promote sweat shops with impunity speaks for the way governments take care of their citizenry. I believe that we need a balance in power between the big corporations and the small common man (whose only strength is in numbers). Given that in countries like the US and to a lesser extent India, the trade unions have been or had been taken over by the Mafia, but that is no excuse to give the power in the hands of the MNCs. India and the other developing nations should learn from their history with the British East India Company!

"Education is what most receive, many pass on, and few possess"