Rajnikant strikes again!!

One of the rare events that we mortals are fortunate to witness is ready to strike! I am bit apprehensive about Endiran since they are making hindi version and so on…that I believe might dilute the core that defines Rajnikant movies, hope there are no compromises and other unnecessary sophistication. Rajnikant don’t come to world, world enter Rajnikant. Jagrthe !!

These few quotes I got from the net...

You don’t Google search for Rajnikant, Rajnikant searches you.
His email: gmail@rajnikanth.com
If you want to know all the enemies of Rajnikant check the extinct species list.
Rajnikant can drown a fish
Rajnikant can strangle the villain with a cordless phone
Rajnikant made Mona Lisa smile.
Rajnkant house has no doors, only walls he walks through
Rajnikant doesn’t move at speed of light, light moves at the speed of Rajnikant.
Words like awesome, legend etc were added to dictionary when he was born


***

Watch Peepli (live): the other day I happen to see Peepli (live), what a wonderful movie. This is what we call a movie. Boosa na pani gand meh gayi kisani” sums it up!!. Somehow the impression given was that it is a satire but I thought it was thoughtful and hard hitting (I loved the take on dudes dealing with ‘sansani khulasa’ but I really thought a kick should also have been given on the ‘you are seeing this for the first time in our channel’ stampede when they unfold a tragedy, as an audience I really get horny ‘seeing it first time in your channel’ disgust). To know that it is made by a debutant director (Anusha Rizvi) is most pleasing. I came to know that it even got selected for Oscars, I sincerely hope it wins. It really is a good movie and a movie that should be seen, an Oscar would definitely help (but I really don’t know whether the American jury will get the incredibly done subtle social nuances that we Indians understand so well. Like for instance when the fellow reads the report on newspaper and says ‘sri natha…sri!!’ and the way the fellow giggles…there is so much to it). I think we do recognize these people in the media, the ‘wink n nudge go getters’ (dude that was about Stephenian camaraderie!. Talking about our-very-own-always-seen-on-TV-but-not–to-be-seen-now-after-resigning-stephenian this is what my favorite writer Basheer had to say- it is much biting in Malayalam- “somebody wrote that when you hear kerala your blood should boil with pride, I already have less blood in my body and don’t want to vapor it by boiling”. Basheer was a funny guy, I got this from the Malayalam book ‘basheer phalithingal’). Coming back to Peepli (live) not only was the Direction exceptional the performances of the actors too were brilliant. I particularly loved the screaming old woman (Farooq Zafar) on the bed, she got it absolutely right.

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Sometime back I happen to pick up this book “Reluctant Fundamentalist” (Mohsin Hamid), shorlisted for booker prize 2007. What I really found interesting about the book was the way it was structured. I really don’t think I have read a book in recent times that is a monologue. Not monologue as musings or thoughts but a person just speaking for 184 pages (beat that one!!). In some critical times-deftly handled- he covers for the ‘interlocutor’ by speaking his thoughts. It is a compelling reading (the problem is when I take up something I don’t keep it down unless I finish it…I read through the night and got up late next day still craggy, and lost some money at turf club…I blame the book!. One recall many books wherein you forget the concept of time…like I was reading God of Small Things more than a decade back, on cold winter night of Karol Bagh…I started hearing caws, ‘so whats with the crows tonight’ I thought and realized it was actually morning!!). These few insightful lines from the book...

“We were taught to recognize another person’s style of thought, harness their agenda, and redirect it to achieve our desired outcome”

“…creativity, was not excised- it was still present and valued- but it ceded its primacy to efficiency. Maximum return was the maxim to which we returned, time and again. We learned to prioritize-to determine the axis on which advancement would be most beneficial-and then to apply ourselves single-mindedly to the achievement of that objective”

“Our creed was one which valued above all else maximum productivity, and such a creed was for doubly reassuring because it was quantifiable-hence knowable-in a period of great uncertainty, and because it remained utterly convinced of the possibility of progress while others longed for a sort of classical period that had come and gone, if it had ever existed at all”

It is interesting how market and organized religion (also referred to as ‘institutionalized religion’ includes ritualized Brahmanism) share the same emphasis on fundamentals!. Also the misplaced understanding of ‘valor’- violence and domination, massacre and imposition- as proud glories, the pride, ego, justifying wrong as god’s will. The edifice seems standing on wrong foundation. I guess desperation of some societies has to do with this fear of waning or regaining the past in crumbling self. Till a century or two back violence and barbarianism were celebrated in many part of the world, and they spread their primitive worldview. These seem to have ingrained collective psyche, and have found channel through market which is a sophisticated version- ‘mental judo’ is a mild word considering the misery they spreading. Also the traces could be found in the construct of patriotism, especially gets obnoxious during sporting events between countries.

The challenges of modern world are much subtle and needs introspection and a perspective that is inclusive as also greater existential realities. That I think religion (or market) lacks- they can only make deals or status quo, threat and blackmail. Religion, organized religion in particular, works in regressive applecart situation. We end up tolerating all kinds of nonsense and exploitative norms in the name of religion, especially ‘respecting’ other religion and putting our future in serious peril.

Thoreau on Reading

Thoreau has been quite a significant influence, “Walden and Other Writings” is a must read book. I have taken these paragraphs from the chapter ‘Reading’ from the above mentioned book, I picked it from some pavement somewhere in the country, I am thinking hard where?...mostly likely Kolkata or Shimla. Quite thought provoking these lines…

With little more deliberation in the choice of their pursuits, all men would perhaps become essentially students and observers, for certainly their nature and destiny are interesting to all alike. In accumulating property for ourselves or our posterity, in founding a family or a state, or acquiring fame even, we are mortal; but in dealing with truth we are immortal, and need fear no change or accident.

……

To read well, that is to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written. It is not enough even to be able to speak the language of that nation by which they are written, for there is a memorable interval between the spoken and the written language, the language heard and the language written.

……

However much we may admire the orator’s occasional bursts of eloquence, the noblest written words are commonly as far behind or above the fleeting spoken language as the firmament with its stars is behind the clouds. There are stars, and they who can may read them. The astronomers forever comment on and observe them. They are not exhalations like our daily colloquies and vaporous breath. What is eloquence in the forum is commonly found to be rhetoric in the study. The orator yields to the inspiration of the transient occasion, and speaks to the mob before him, to those who can hear him; but the writer whose more equable life is his occasion, and who would be distracted by the event and the crowd which inspires the orator, speaks to the intellect and the heart of mankind, to all in any age who can understand him.

……

The works of the great poets have never yet been read by mankind, for only great poets can read them. They have only been read as the multitude read stars, at most astrologically not astronomically. Most men have learned to read to serve a paltry convenience, as they have learned to cipher in order to keep accounts and not be cheated in trade; but of reading as a noble intellectual exercise they know little or nothing; yet this only is reading, in a high sense, not that which lulls us a luxury and suffers the nobler faculties to sleep the while, but what we have to stand on tip toe to read and devote our most alert and wakeful hours to.

……

It is not all books that are dull as their readers. There are probably words addressed to our condition exactly, which, if we could really hear and understand, would be more salutary than the morning or spring to our lives, and possibly put a new aspect on face of things for us. How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book! The book exists for us, perchance, which will explain our miracles and reveal new ones. The at present unutterable things we may find somewhere uttered. These same questions that disturb and puzzle and confound us have in turn occurred to all the wise men; not one has been omitted; and each has answered them, according to his ability, by his words and his life. Moreover, with wisdom we shall learn liberality.

What kind of Government is this?

Millions of tonnes of food grains are shown rotting in open, it is a criminal negligence. It is shocking that they didn’t anticipate these. It is incompetence at the highest level of policy making. You don’t necessarily bring down prices by economic jargons and fiscal measures. After all people don’t eat numbers they eat food. Millions of children are undernourished and malnourished, it is worst than poorest of countries in the world. One in three of the world's malnourished children live in India, says the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), a number more than in sub-Saharan Africa. Consider that India also has steadily increasing millionaires and billionaires. It is astounding the negligence. When they could make such swanky malls, why is that food grain storage not in place? Building these infrastructures is I guess much more important and urgent than making, say big dams (a fraction of money is enough). And these don’t need high technology. Whooping $12 billion in losses of agricultural produce owing to the absence or shortage of post-harvesting infrastructure. Shame on the government. We haven’t even start to discuss food security (I feel sorry for people like Swaminathan, they have been suggesting the policy makers for decades now). Consider this statistics: an astonishingly low 2% of fruit and vegetable production is processed annually in India, compared with 30% in Thailand, 70% in Brazil, 78% in the Philippines and 80% in Malaysia.

When supreme court recently passed a stricture (an 'order' in fact) against the government regarding millions of tonnes of rotting grains and asked to “distribute food grain free to the poor, instead of letting millions of tonnes of it rot”. An usually reticent Manmohan Singh found it necessary to say "It is not possible in this country to give free food to all the poor people" and that “Supreme Court should not go into the realm of policy formulation”. Lack of sensitivity is astounding. It is shocking that he couldn’t get the drift of the matter.

The other aspect that affects common people is criminal justice system. It is one of the slowest and corrupt. This blogger wants to know what has been done by the government on these matters. Why is investigation still under political authority?. What has government to do with Central Bureau of Investigation and other investigating agencies? Why shouldn’t these be autonomous? What has Manmohan Singh government done on this matter?

Take the high profile case of riots that killed hundreds of people in Gujarat. Even after seven odd years we don’t even know who were behind all these (same with 84’ riots, and many more crimes that kill and maim people). It seems to be working on political exigencies and perception that need be created for the same. It is about fixers and lickers (the Delhi Superbugs!). Somewhere some sections of the media and others have passed a verdict against Modi. Why should we believe them? Who are they to decide? And we are goaded to take stand against these ‘communal’ people. Indeed I would like to ask for an apology from Mr.Modi for early utterings and accusations (so should many in media and otherwise…the rules against defamation should be made strong). We have the right to condemn someone only once the verdict is passed by the judiciary on the basis of investigation. As long as the investigation is tardy and lackadaisical we need to blame the system. Which means the Union Government, which means the head of council of ministers and that is the Prime Minister. If they can’t get these basic systemic issues rectified then THEY SHOULD QUIT. I guess we had enough of this. Being nice is good, being knowledgeable is great but it is time to be competent. It is high time for delivering to the basic expectations and rectifying flaws in the system, we expect sterner response (for the same reason I think MS Gill is amazingly incompetent. I am shocked by his statement in parliament taking the example of ‘marriage’. It is condoning the systemic lacunae. Means and ways of achieving is important indicator of competence. This blogger even question the basic criteria under which he was appointed as Union Minister of Sport. He seems to be the product of years of bureaucratic mediocrity and chaltha hai attitude at the expense of the common people).

It is likely that these issues are kept subjective (who committed the crimes…take your guess depending on what helps you, take sides, snarl at each other) as it seems to be helping wide range of political spectrum. It works in building perception, since these have more maneuverability and therefore political dividends. That is why they are delayed. Further, delaying and politicizing the investigation gives the perpetrators also the leverage, they can now accuse of being victimized and posture for immediate gains. It works in dividing the society, which helps politics but is very detrimental to people. If crimes are committed, in particular mass killings, then they should be investigated without any outside influence and conjecturing. Criminal investigations should be brought under autonomous body or judiciary at the earliest. Result of the investigation should be concluded within a year or two, if not reasons should be given.

Look at what happened with Bhopal…they delayed it so much that it was made subjective and so manipulated by powerful people. So much so that they can even claim that it never happened!. Manmohan Singh government should be able to take policy decision on these matters that seriously plague the society and cause misery to millions. It might give less political leverage to ruling party (and the fixers within) but is a step towards better and healthier society.

An attempted poem!

That is a good point*

Blame not the Government
for the rotting foodgrain
children going hungry
Malnourished they survive
It is in our fate dear
that rain falls on the grains and it rots
and price too rise.
That they couldn’t even build storage
for tonnes of produce that go waste
in the land of despairing millions
is only a matter of debate
that can be refuted, reflected, rechallenged
and retalked.

What kind of people are these
who run the government?
Oh I mean blame not the government,
it's in the stars, planetary positions
and feeding the black cat on a rainy night
under the banyan tree
and wait for it to add up next birth
om bheeem creeem

*title courtesy: TV channels

10/10/10: A day to celebrate Climate solution…

Have you registered for Global Work Party?? This letter from the Organizers of wonderful event 10/10/10

Dear Friends,

Well, no one said it was going to be easy.
Last year, thanks to many of you, we built up enormous momentum for climate solutions. The global day of rallies you pulled off on October 24th turned out to "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history," according to CNN, with 5200 actions in 181 countries.
And in Copenhagen that translated into 117 countries--most of the world's nations--supporting a tough 350 target.
But it didn't translate into political victory. The biggest polluters wouldn't go along. So we still have work to do.

In fact, our slogan for 2010 is "Get To Work." Get to work to start changing our communities, and get to work to make our leaders realize that they actually need to lead. We've sifted through thousands of your emails from all over the world, and come up with an action plan for this year that we think may break the logjam and get us moving. But only, of course, if we act together to make it happen.

The first date to mark on your calendar: October 10. Working with our friends at the 10:10 campaign, we're going to make the tenth day of the tenth month of the millennium's tenth year a real starting point for concrete action. We're calling it the 10/10 Global Work Party, and in every corner of the world we hope communities will put up solar panels, insulate homes, erect windmills, plant trees, paint bikepaths, launch or harvest local gardens. We'll make sure the world sees this huge day of effort--and we'll use it to send a simple message to our leaders: "We're working--what about you? If we can cover the roof of the school with solar panels, surely you can pass the legislation or sign the treaty that will spread our work everywhere, and confront the climate crisis in time." 10/10/10 will take a snapshot of a clean energy future -- the world of 350 ppm -- and show people why it's worth fighting for. It's not too early to sign up here: www.350.org/oct10

Every nation is not created equal in this climate crisis, of course. If we can't get the biggest polluters and the biggest economies to change, then we'll never win. So we're going to focus some particular attention on China, the United States, and India with a Great Power Race--college and university campuses will compete to see who can come up with the most, and the most creative, climate solutions. We hope friendly competition will help governments see that they have a lot to gain by diving into clean energy--and a lot to lose by missing this opportunity.

And we'll keep figuring out ways to apply political pressure where it counts--in the U.S. Senate, say, where we're joining a group of our best allies in backing the proposed Cap-and-Dividend approach that would stop letting big polluters pour carbon into the sky for free. In other parts of the world, we'll hold more of the climate leadership workshops that produced so many great leaders last year.

And as the next UN conference approaches in Mexico in December, we'll stage the largest piece of public art in the planet's history--a reminder that we have to bring passion to bear along with science and economics if we're going to move this process.

We know, from the calls and emails we've been getting, that people all over the world are ready to go to work. We think this plan can increase the odds of real action. We know that we have no choice. When, years down the road, the next generation asks what we did to save the planet, we want to be able to say: "We rolled up our sleeves and got to work." There's no guarantee we can beat the rich and powerful interests that we're up against--but thanks to you we've got enough momentum to have a real chance. Let's use it now.

About 350

350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts,and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO₂ in our atmosphere.

Accelerating arctic warming and other early climate impacts have led scientists to conclude that we are already above the safe zone at our current 392ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to below 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.