Happy Secy speaketh

Hello all.

Insight is a weapon of the mindful and it was well displayed with the kind of response we got for the previous theme. Those who missed out, missed an opportunity of being a part of a very stimulating discussion which put forth some rather radical views. It showed that the youth of the day dares to think differently and will not be pushed down by the run-of-the-mill argument.
But as much as we would like to continue this discussion further, the promise of having a vibrant multi-themed blog which caters to all kinds of writing genres has to be fulfilled.
We have come up with a new theme, courtesy some of our club mates and it is the sort that lends a lot of scope for interpretation and witty thought streams.
The theme for this week is obituaries, and if you care to think about this for just a few seconds, you'll realize the tremendous scope that this seemingly eccentric topic brings with it. So wield thy mighty pens again, lets get this on the road and rolling
Happy Blogging

I dont know how to think of an apt title

Why terrorists are waiting for New Year to explode a nuclear bomb?

It recently came to my knowledge through reliable sources that terrorists have acquired a nuclear device. Following are the reasons I think they are still waiting:

They are not ready:

They require additional infrastructure, mechanisms and manpower to explode the bomb. If they do it now, everybody would be after them and the movement would die down. But that would be assuming that terrorists are finite. The Mossad team tasked with eliminating perpetrators of Munich massacre killed the second-in-command of the organization, and then killed his replacement, and then again killed the replacements replacement. And we all know where the UN-led effort to track down Uncle Osama has fared. We haven’t till now even got the original guy.

And the War on terror about which Bush famously declared on an Ocean Liner “Mission Accomplished” is so not accomplished. I just wonder that if you have the capability of acquiring a warhead – you have to sneak into compounds which are under huge amount of security, grab the equipment undetected, come out alive, and then hope nobody notices that there is one cookie less in the jar – you definitely would have the capability to pull the switch.

The World chooses to believe otherwise:

The other day Osama gave a X-mas call to Obama and told him that he had a warhead lying around somewhere in his attic. Obama just chuckled and said “Nice one, Mate!” Since then Osama is shooting videos with his trophy so that the new guy at the white house takes him seriously.

They want to use the warhead as a negotiating leverage maybe to claim some continents as theirs. And for that they need the world to believe that they actually have it. And, what use is a nuclear bomb explosion if CNN doesn’t have prior knowledge of it. Imagine CNN anchors encouraging viewers to vote on the poll “Which city do you think terrorists would choose? You can SMS at ….”

They are distracted:

They are too distracted by the vocabulary wars on this blog that they are waiting for the next installment before starting a war of its own. Anyways, nice to see some activity here.

Getting-Real

Yes, I do agree that the Indian Middle Class has been angered, and yes, with all due respect to democracy and all that is defined in our constitution, you do own the right to funnel that anger and myopic rage at those who are s'posed to be running the nation. 

But I'd like to ask you to recollect the time when you were in school, or the time now, when you're in college, and under a system of governance or institutionalization (or the utter and destructing lack of it), something which you hate from its very definition. What do we really do about this system Do we try to revolt, rebel or even very slightly reform it We rather succumb to making our essential materialistic ends meeting (read earning a degree with a good character certificate). But yes, the one thing that we do, and very fiercely too, is that we blame the system, whether it is when we get bad grades, when we're put through pointless (or so we presume) extra-classes or when we've to submit hand-written assignments. We do it all the time, when high on alcohol, or low on morale. We just can't blame it enough. And yes, here I believe that I possibly cohere with Kaura's line of thought that 'politiciansheads-of-state are meant to be hated.'  

But, well, all I can do is comment on the way in which the average Indian functions, the way in which he reacts to that which transpires around him, that which happens to people he sees on TV and rarely, (as in this circumstance) to that which happens to him. Yes, although it always makes a good point and nice rebellious reading to smirk about how pathetically our politicians have handled the current crisis, what I rather like to bear in mind is the fact that, the same way I don't blame Rahul Dravid for having (as many people say) an extremely pathetic strike-rate, since I self do not know how to hold a bat, or throw a ball for that matter. Similarly, I do not consider myself to be in capacity of aiming mud-cannons at the likes of Mr. Modi, or Mr. Patil, for not only do I not know how to hold a bat in the game (of administering a whole nation), but neither do I know the frigging basics of it (of cricket, I do).  

We, as Indians need to make ourselves more aware, and I ask this not as to defend the mud-drenched political class and higher bureaucracy, but for our own well-being. Making ourselves more aware shall help us better understand the systems that actually run this country, or any other for that matter. They shall empower us, all of us, in a way we can possibly never imagine. 

Yes, writing, of course is a very powerful means of expressing and voicing concern. And yes, the constitution does give us the right to freedom (of expression). Although, sadly enough the constitution has no clause which states listening to/abiding by as a duty/responsibility. We need to rise beyond writing and talking about all that which is not correct, all that which is oh-so-wrong-and-unfair. We need to start doing something about it. Well, voicing concern is a much-required step, you might argue. But, precious, this first-step to liberation and enlightenment has been taken by thousands before you and I, its the second step we need to take.  

And yes, I would only be re-inventing the wheel (one which unfortunately hasn't yet been set into motion) if I don't end this by providing any useful answers.  

Answers.  

Well, you could start by enlightening the lesser fortunate masses with your wisdom, with basic essential knowledge about their rights, about their duties.  

"Magar yeh sab toh nGO wale log karte hain, main kyun karun!"

Well, if you believe that merely blogging is going to help you spur out a national revolution or reforms in our country then you seriously need a rain-check. I'm not sure of the statistics (stating which would seem very impressive) but I firmly believe that the proportion of the country's population that does actually have access to/makes 'use' of the internet is way less than 30 odd %.  

So, in the end I'd like to quote something that has always moved me and is from the movie 'nayak.'

"Yeh raajneeti keechad hai. Sabhi nau-jawaanon ko yehi lagta hai. Aur isiliye koi bhi isme jaana nahi chahta. Magar jab tak koi is naali main utar ke is keechad ko saaf nahi karega, tab tak yeh keechad, keechad hi rahega. Aur yeh naali, bas naali nahi yeh. Yeh hamara desh hai. Tumhara desh hai."  

Koff-Koff. 

I always get a wee bit sentimental regarding this stuff.

Apologies.

Information Splurge.....

I am not sure if all the written information pertains to a single topic but there are so many co-relations between things that I hope you’ll realize that it’s very easy to get swayed.

The english isn't all that classy but that's not what I intend to do with this article anyway.

As far as my historical knowledge goes, we started from large civilizations. Mayas and the Incas from the Americas, Mesopotamians from the Middle East, Egyptians, Greeks and the Romans in Europe, Harappans here in South Asia etc. Then we had a period of time in which the understanding of worldly phenomenon increased (Iron Age, bronze Age etc). People realized the need to capture each other’s lands and there began the era of conquests. We had the holy crusades, various invaders like Napoleon etc. America remained far from the known land. There was large trade between the Arab world and South Asia extending upto Singapore and other islands in South East Asia and the region we know as India seemed like a rich state to plunder. While the European nations advanced and built ships to further their trade routes via the sea, we were in the midst of major warfare throughout the various periods. Funded by kings and encouraged by human curiosity people found new lands discovering the Americas in the process and started to control them for their own trade benefits (The idea of using trade to benefit its own state was hence initiated). Till a long time, either we had plunderers or we had fair system of trade. But the Europeans primarily French, British and the Dutch sought more. The French had to deal with a civil revolution and their world stand weakened. Dutch did not have the same firepower on the seas when compared to the British. And soon the English controlled the major part of the world.

But the Americas soon tasted independence and they never received any resistance after that either. I guess it was sheer luck to be living in the undiscovered land. Then we had a huge immigration of European population to the Americas. They were good to go. They proceeded towards modernization with steadfast development with the driving force from Europeans who had seen the latest inventions and the ideas to build it bigger and better. Not to mention the blacks being used as cheap labor.

The British still had control over Asia and continued to as we all know. Even though it was part of the industrial advancement but it still had to face and spend on resistances in various commonwealth countries. Hereby it could not concentrate on developing over all stronghold as much as the USA did.
Hence it is vividly evident how USA could have easily managed to control all the major world policies that would have come into existence. How the creation of a unipolar world worked over. This is the primary reason for disparity in nations.

Now whatever differences we witness today arise from that very consequence of living in a unipolar world.

Since the major funding of United Nations (The United States gives $13.3 billion tax dollars in direct Foreign Aid annually), its organs basically act on furthering the USA’s interests.

We have had number of conferences of World Trade organization and they always end up creating two sides. The developed world vs. the developing world. In the recent developments, developing countries cannot manufacture the medicines without patent rights from the place where they were first created anymore. Brazil and India constantly push for countries like the US to decreases subsidies and open the markets for increased trade but they continue to budge.

http://www.worldsocialism.org/articles/globalisation_part_2_the.php#Whatmean

The article describes the development of World Trade policies like TRIPS and Anti-Dumping laws, formulated to protect US Transnational (also Very Capitalistic in nature) companies.

Although articles like (http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=41606 ) prove how India is certainly beginning to appear on the world map and the US would be foolish to ignore it.

-------------------

Now, I want to talk about something which people usually don’t think about. I’ll elaborate with the example of the Japanese automakers dominance of the US markets which saw the climax recently with the three giants of Detroit (Chrysler, GM and Ford) begging for money from the US government to avoid collapse(humorously they might as well be the Bankrupt Three far from being the Big Three)

Reasons being better efficiency in production by foreign owned plants in the US and lesser paying jobs by Toyota and Honda (as much as 40 percent less labor costs for non-Detroit plants). Coupled by the smart strategies of Japanese automakers and decades of hard work by penetrating into the US markets, today even on heavy discounts by Detroit car makers, they still could not increase sales.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Autos/story?id=1334996

http://www.bullishbankers.com/will-detroits-loss-be-japans-gain/

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fv20081214bh.html

I used this example to emphasize the point as to how arrogant America is losing ground and has been doing so for a long time. US is on the losing side of that invisible war. Smart countries like Japan are eating it inside out but they don’t blow the trumpet like the US does.

A lot of oil companies (primarily based in Texas) that make insane profits in the US have been funded by rich Saudis. The oil companies were primarily started by the Bush family and the idea of working with the enemy to make profits goes as early as Prescott Bush, grandfather of George bush, providing raw materials to Adolf Hitler and later getting caught under the trading with enemy act. If you want the whole account, refer to this article:

http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/bush_binladen.html

I heard this through Michael Moore’s documentary but apparently he said the Saudis own a large part of Texas. Even if they don’t, they have financially supported large oil deals.

America is killing its economy and losing the economic war. It remains in a state of oblivion, arrogance that can only lead to the downfall of the greenback.

http://www.discursivemonologue.com/2007/07/12/who-owns-america-how-is-foreign-ownership-of-us-treasuries-and-other-securities-trending

The graph shows how Japan and China have more than 1000 billion dollars of foreign holdings in US treasuries.

I quote the article, “The Twin Towers of East Asia, Japan and China own so many claims against Americans that we might as well put our children in chains as they are born. No one will ever be able to pay them off. Who owns America? Everyone except Americans.”

Get-real.

Something that never ceases to upset me, in a State thriving passive for a lifetime to an absolute no-choice and the most upsetting outlook is the capriciousness of an average Indian mind that’d never refuse playing ball games to and with a sad political column, of a much general disinterest. The Mumbai attack, much of a stun only because of a simple surrogating scheme, having replaced a mundane site with two affluent hotels and regular lives with an equal count of moneyed ones, could have as easily been another bombing incident, minus an angry State and faltering politicians. Only this time, it was not. It rounded up being something a lot more whimsical and quirky, on the lines of a despicable reality show, with a jokey chief minister complaining of news channels not being civil enough to mention most footages that aired being property of the Indian Government. So much for an immediate trial.,

The most noticeable howler committed by the political leaders as an immediate, was their apparent and most shocking surprise at the way the masses responded, which happily and obviously, was quite atypical of them. They stuttered, gaped, and fell right off the tight rope being winded at an upsetting rate by the average Indian. But that sadly, filtered as the only doable triumph from an aftermath of the most macabre day Mumbai has ever had to experience. The prime retardation that followed the day, in both an abrupt as well as what could have been an extremely pressing response, stemmed from the rapid deviation of attention from the severity of the present situation to frivolous blame-games of much public interest and amusement. The political structure in all its glory and brilliance continues to make hasty attempts to prevent the straightforward and a much deserved collapse, trying to illustrate “what-could-have-been” and was saved than what already has been. The present Government, however, persists on standing tall and smart, frowning hard at the Indian voters, spinning the most rhetoric question of all- “Where else do you go?”

So, where does that leave us? Stranded between an ocean and a rainforest, deliberating on a less grisly fate? Choosing between parties with leaders that either dismiss Indian women from questioning unless they’d choose to make an appearance sans make-up or would craft a bombed site as a potential filming put? But that’s just when the infamous Indian optimism and unyielding-spirit comes to the rescue. The hyper-angered,incensed Indians, with minds hard-bent never to allow similar happenings ever again, still choose a more soft-core translation of their outrage. They’re still not equipped enough to be countering the tumult and are apparently more interested indulging in debates on whether the first ever terrorist born on the planet was an Indian/Paki/Afghani/African-American/Hispanic/Asian/Martian, or in drawing parallel theories and analogies with previous attacks. What’s the point in penciling a storyline to an occurrence of such palpable reason?

Another interesting member to this raucous party would be Mr. America. He’s like this huge elephant in a small room they say, a step in any random direction and it hits a wall. Why try moving around then? It’s hard not to picture U.S as a headmaster and other nations as chided schoolboys tale-tattering each other to it. It was amusing having to watch the Indian media going frenzy over Ms. Rice arriving in India the first opportunity she got; disconcerted and all fractured in opinion having lost the lives of half a dozen American nationals. India , as I know it, can totally do without Mr. America playing the peace-maker and attempting to maintain the much volatile peace via lending/withdrawing monetary aid, or otherwise. Mr. America, as we all know it, should really learn to keep his hands to his own crotch.

To venture out conferring deterrent measures as an abrupt solution to a happening of such alarming requirement would be plain convenient than heroic. Alternate estimations to include a younger mass in the political arrangement or to redo the entire judiciary even in the most promising manner or to manage another blame shifting round onto a rather dormant fragment of the Indian voters count, are appreciable, not applaudable. Such schemes, as I see them, are and have been in effective perpetual implementation for the longest time now; even before the Mumbai attack, the Gujarat riots or similar records, only to have proposers recognize the ineffectiveness of such precautionary arrangements after every single fiasco. The loophole lazes not in the mode of an approach, but in the fragile scaffold of every such precautionary measure.

The saddest part is that there exists no further extension of an opinion henceforth or of potential corrective solutions that anyone may have to bid. India may as easily be the drag now, crooning and boogying to a club of a million homosexual complainants, an annoying international critic and a pseudo-nationalist political structure. And even if it does manage to engineer a little someone with the nerve to undertake anything corrective, and that’s obviously against a general discontent, it’d only conclude with another round of criticism for possible closed-door talks or something even more preposterous.

I, the Indian that I am, do have a tendency to quarrel against a reaction of such callousness and failing, to an episode of such gravity.,

I, as an erudite individual, have also learnt to put-shut lest someone may smirk or tickle his neighbor’s testicle on hearing the slightest degree of sense.,

I’m not too sure if I yet have an answer,

But I do give you the correct question to ask.,

Temporary Scars

In the dimness of my room.
I hear the shouts and the screams.
Roaring and Tearing, they move.
Scaling the walls and breaking the gates.
I cower in a corner and await the worst.
Demons prowl in our hearts and
Evil haunts from our past.
News and slogans carry the fear.
And I lie a victim in this maze.
The blood keeps pumping.
But for how long ?
Will it be in my eyes tomorrow ?
Or will it be on the floor ?
Barrels and triggers are under my skin.
Stones and bricks are on their way.
I might sit today and lie down tomorrow.
Will I live to die in this world of sorrow ?
Angry words and helpless cries.
Fly in the wind and up in the skies.
My hair stands on my back but,
Deaf are those ears of wisdom.
i sleep in a blanket and
it may just burn with my pyre.
A boy thinks this, so will a 90 year old.
Countries are lies and systems are flawed.
Perforated I am in this so called LAW.

Hellsmarch

Gibreel unsderstands that the Imam, fighting by proxy as usual, will sacrifice him as readily as he did the hill of corpses at the palace gate, that he is a suicide soldier in the service of the cleric’s cause.

The “Imam” orders Gibreel to kill Al-Lat:

Down she tumbles, Al-Lat queen of the night; crashes upside-down to earth, crushing her head to bits; and lies, a headless black angel, with her wings ripped off, by a little wicket gate in the palace gardens, all in a crumpled heap.—And Gibreel, looking away from her in horror, sees the Imam grown monstrous, lying in the palace forecourt with his mouth yawning open at the gates; as the people march through the gates he swallows them whole.

- Satanic Verses

The hearts of men, are thus easily poisoned, moulded and mislead.

 

Miss Arundhati Roy and devastating Leftism

http://pitafi.com/2008/12/14/arundhati-roy-voice-of-reason-finally-speaks-up/#more-810



Someone was asking me the other day what rhetorical writing could possibly mean. I can't find a better example than above. Arundhati Roy at her colourful best. My advice to readers would be to not get carried away by what has been said and try thinking logically and parallely..Tremendous unconventional article though.

And some work on the theme for the week has already been done by Aman and Himanshu with a couple of poems. Seniors some critique invited and rest can comment as well. These articles are just before the introduction to this theme.

Renaissance

I think I've managed to get the spellings right. First of all, thank you to the ones who fought hard to keep the blog alive. And thank you to the ones who all of sudden gave me a wave of inspiration to revive it once again.. Since all of us are in out cozy little nests, with internet connections which don't block blogger.com, we'll be making an earnest attempt at restoring coherence in our thought process and getting the creative juices flowing once again.

Welcome back to Dream Compass. The format remains the same, the platform remains the same, and the theme will keep changing
For this week, we focus our attention on the menace that has recently led to sufficient heart-bleed, generated enough emotion to affect even the most aloof. 26 November shall remain a blot forever, in the minds of those who suffered directly or indirectly, as well as those who still believe in that glorious concept called India.

We, as the supposed intellectual elite of the country, have the duty of doing the least we can by expressing our anguish not just at this incident, but the menace of terrorism as a whole. So the theme for the week is terrorism and its offshoots. Lets try and come up with ideas that don't just give facts, but also present an analysis of someone who cares enough to give this topic more than a passing thought. All interpretations, all related topics and all opinions in any form of lingual expression(poetry, essay, story, rhetoric) are invited..

Happy blogging..