I did. I chose not to listen to myself. I chose to let others tell me what to do with my life. I chose to let the news fill me with hopelessness. I chose to let the cops screw my mind. I chose to let lesser mortals mess with me and let them get away with it. I chose to let stuff happen to me.
Now I decide to strike back. Beware you sob folks and get outta my way. I gotta do what I gotta do. I can't wait for you. I don't wanna wait for you. Read my lips you "Front Upper Cranial Kamikaze" chums. Get outta my way...
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
On Blogs
I never did believe that I would blog one day. Honestly, I thought I would never have the time. And then one day a friend suggests I blog and the first thought to come to my mind is, yeah right!
Yeah right, it is. In the past 3 days I have six posts. I must be one rabid writer :)
This post is to thank my friend who very bullishly (had to get "bull" in here) cajoled me into blogging.
Now that I have begun, I wonder if I can stop. God save the blogging world from my bull (there I go again) run. Come to think of it, if we have a bull run on the market, a lot of folks would be only too happy.
Keep your shirt on. The bull has been crippled and it may be a while before the bull can make a return. The bears may not be too lucky either...
And before I forget, thank you my friend.
Yeah right, it is. In the past 3 days I have six posts. I must be one rabid writer :)
This post is to thank my friend who very bullishly (had to get "bull" in here) cajoled me into blogging.
Now that I have begun, I wonder if I can stop. God save the blogging world from my bull (there I go again) run. Come to think of it, if we have a bull run on the market, a lot of folks would be only too happy.
Keep your shirt on. The bull has been crippled and it may be a while before the bull can make a return. The bears may not be too lucky either...
And before I forget, thank you my friend.
The "Book" Case
As a kid I loved stories. My dad used to read to me. Those days were heady yet predictable days. On Sundays, my dad and I would ride to church on our bicycles. After mass we would go to the market and have some breakfast at a restaurant, buy veggies, newspaper, and my weekly dose of comics. Indrajal gave me hours of fantasy and impressed on me the need to be super-whatever. I owe a debt of gratitude to my pa.
A few years later, my English teacher in school decided to give me a present on my birthday - a novel titled, "The Three Investigators - The Mummy Case" and I hated the darned book. You see, I had grown up until then on picture books. My dad had a simple solution. "Read a few pages everyday," he advised me. A few days later the book was still unread. Running out of comics to read and encouraged by my pop's advice, I picked up the book and only stopped reading when the book was finished.
Memory is a funny thing! I can't remember names to save my life. But some incidents are so vivid that it feels like it happened just yesterday. I remember the first book I ever read. And since then I must have devoured hundreds of books. My personal collection of books number over a thousand hand-picked books.
If you think books are inanimate objects you need to think again. Books have the power to transform life (even dyslexic ones) and bring out a new "flavour" which is totally indigenous to the reader.
I have made love to the fairest of the fair; braved the ravaging seas; battled the monster and terrors of the deep; hoarded treasures beyond belief; killed a thousand men; climbed the highest mountains; fought the fiercest of battles; died a thousand times; sailed the seven seas; been betrayed by loved ones; rescued by strangers; lived through wars; walked through hell; been enraptured to Heaven; seen God face-to-face; challenged the devil; saved nations; destroyed some; lived on Mars; barged through a black hole; walked alone...
Amazing how the imagination of a person would cause him to live so many lifetimes. I surely have.
A few years later, my English teacher in school decided to give me a present on my birthday - a novel titled, "The Three Investigators - The Mummy Case" and I hated the darned book. You see, I had grown up until then on picture books. My dad had a simple solution. "Read a few pages everyday," he advised me. A few days later the book was still unread. Running out of comics to read and encouraged by my pop's advice, I picked up the book and only stopped reading when the book was finished.
Memory is a funny thing! I can't remember names to save my life. But some incidents are so vivid that it feels like it happened just yesterday. I remember the first book I ever read. And since then I must have devoured hundreds of books. My personal collection of books number over a thousand hand-picked books.
If you think books are inanimate objects you need to think again. Books have the power to transform life (even dyslexic ones) and bring out a new "flavour" which is totally indigenous to the reader.
I have made love to the fairest of the fair; braved the ravaging seas; battled the monster and terrors of the deep; hoarded treasures beyond belief; killed a thousand men; climbed the highest mountains; fought the fiercest of battles; died a thousand times; sailed the seven seas; been betrayed by loved ones; rescued by strangers; lived through wars; walked through hell; been enraptured to Heaven; seen God face-to-face; challenged the devil; saved nations; destroyed some; lived on Mars; barged through a black hole; walked alone...
Amazing how the imagination of a person would cause him to live so many lifetimes. I surely have.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
I Had No Clothes On
I know of at least a few folks who would immediately think that they will be reading some steamy raunchy stuff. Too bad they are winking and sniggering at the wrong blog...
In Khed there is a mission known to few people. The Mission was started by a Brahmin lady who went through many tragedies in life. She was an outcast because of her belief, lost her husband a few year after marriage, and then lost her daughter too. In spite of her sufferings and perhaps because of the hardships she emerged as a very strong personality.
Intelligent and well educated she can be credited for emancipation of women over a hundred years ago. The Mission she founded helped save the lives of thousands of women and young girls. She studied medicine, was fluent in Latin and Hebrew, and is perhaps best known for her scathing attack on traditional practices of widowhood, sati, and child marriage in her book, "The High Caste Hindu Woman."
On a trip to visit the Mission some years ago, we thought of taking some old clothes for distribution to the needy. Arriving early we got a tour of the entire place. The Mission was built keeping self-sufficiency in mind. There was a huge kitchen that could cook food to feed over 2000 people, a large granary, a flour mill, bio-gas chamber, library, a small cottage industry, worship hall, and more.
With so many orphans and single women one would expect some noise and chaos but what struck me was the peaceful ambiance of the place. People spoke courteously and respected one another. It was very peaceful.
While visiting the various "houses" we came across one named bougainvillea - residence for blind women. As we entered we saw two women making "chappatis" for their afternoon meal. When we said hello they were very pleased to have visitors and would not let us leave until we shared their meager lunch. I have never tasted such food before, for the few morsel I ate not only nourished my body but my soul too.
I had come here to give something to the Mission and what really happened that day is that the two blind women gave me something I needed - humility. Life has its humbling moments and I am glad that I had my tryst with reality in such a manner.
As a kid, I remember reading the story about an Emperor who was conned into parting with a considerable amount of wealth by two tailors. The con men told the Emperor that only smart people could see the robes. When the Emperor finally emerged, supposedly attired in his new robes, his subjects waxed eloquent knowing if they didn't praise the Emperor's clothes it meant they were stupid. It took a little girl in the street to make the Emperor realize that he was parading in his underwear in front of his subjects. The blinkers came off. Truth is a marvelous thing. It sets people free.
I had my tryst with truth that day at the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission. I realized I had no clothes on and as fate would have it - it took two blind women to make me see.
In Khed there is a mission known to few people. The Mission was started by a Brahmin lady who went through many tragedies in life. She was an outcast because of her belief, lost her husband a few year after marriage, and then lost her daughter too. In spite of her sufferings and perhaps because of the hardships she emerged as a very strong personality.
Intelligent and well educated she can be credited for emancipation of women over a hundred years ago. The Mission she founded helped save the lives of thousands of women and young girls. She studied medicine, was fluent in Latin and Hebrew, and is perhaps best known for her scathing attack on traditional practices of widowhood, sati, and child marriage in her book, "The High Caste Hindu Woman."
On a trip to visit the Mission some years ago, we thought of taking some old clothes for distribution to the needy. Arriving early we got a tour of the entire place. The Mission was built keeping self-sufficiency in mind. There was a huge kitchen that could cook food to feed over 2000 people, a large granary, a flour mill, bio-gas chamber, library, a small cottage industry, worship hall, and more.
With so many orphans and single women one would expect some noise and chaos but what struck me was the peaceful ambiance of the place. People spoke courteously and respected one another. It was very peaceful.
While visiting the various "houses" we came across one named bougainvillea - residence for blind women. As we entered we saw two women making "chappatis" for their afternoon meal. When we said hello they were very pleased to have visitors and would not let us leave until we shared their meager lunch. I have never tasted such food before, for the few morsel I ate not only nourished my body but my soul too.
I had come here to give something to the Mission and what really happened that day is that the two blind women gave me something I needed - humility. Life has its humbling moments and I am glad that I had my tryst with reality in such a manner.
As a kid, I remember reading the story about an Emperor who was conned into parting with a considerable amount of wealth by two tailors. The con men told the Emperor that only smart people could see the robes. When the Emperor finally emerged, supposedly attired in his new robes, his subjects waxed eloquent knowing if they didn't praise the Emperor's clothes it meant they were stupid. It took a little girl in the street to make the Emperor realize that he was parading in his underwear in front of his subjects. The blinkers came off. Truth is a marvelous thing. It sets people free.
I had my tryst with truth that day at the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission. I realized I had no clothes on and as fate would have it - it took two blind women to make me see.
Shelter
I was hungry,
and you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.
I was imprisoned,
and you crept off to your chapel and prayed for my released.
I was naked,
and in your mind you debate the morality of my appearance.
I was sick,
and you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless,
and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely,
and you left me alone to pray for me.
You seem so holy, so close to God
But I am still very hungry - and lonely - and cold.
-Anonymous (Taken from Youth For Christ)
and you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.
I was imprisoned,
and you crept off to your chapel and prayed for my released.
I was naked,
and in your mind you debate the morality of my appearance.
I was sick,
and you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless,
and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely,
and you left me alone to pray for me.
You seem so holy, so close to God
But I am still very hungry - and lonely - and cold.
-Anonymous (Taken from Youth For Christ)
Horsehead
I wonder what comes to your mind when you read the title of this blog? Horsing around one might guess or a reference to someone who is as stubborn as the proverbial horse. But an ass would sound more appropriate, don't you think?
What I had in mind when I decided to slap this bull on you is a picture that is absolutely fantasmorgophic. It's a picture of Horsehead Nebula. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you take a look right away. And while you are at it look for Aurora Borealis, M31, NGC 6888, NGC 3576, Eta Carina Nebula, Rosette Nebula, Centaurus A, among others.
Isn't it absolutely amazing that when it comes to stars and the known universe, we need to have astronomical measurements to measure distances between objects. The universe is so huge that one needs to invent words like supergiganticinfinitesbig to even begin to comprehend the vastness of space. I grew up thinking space was just that empty and devoid of any matter but now scientists say that there is no such thing as empty (nothingness) space.
I like sci-fi and I have seen my fair share of such programs and I have always admired the creativity of the producers of such shows.
But I digress. What struck me while looking at the pictures of distant galaxies and constellations was the fact that we are so small. We are less than a speck of dust in our own solar system and when you move million light years away from Earth, which some would like to assume is the center of the galaxy, we become even more insignificant. I am not trying to make you feel small, I am saying you are small.
Looking at the composite created from the pictures that Voyager sent of our solar system I couldn't help but marvel at creation. The One who created the heavens and the earth and the "twinkling" stars and the magnificence of the universe must be so great that no words can do justice.
Yes I believe in creation. There are too many givens and I would need to really make an ass of myself if I were to believe otherwise. Darwin himself debunked his theory before he died and now a genius called "man" is deliberately trying to make less of himself.
The heavens declare the glory of God. Any night walk up to your terrace and look at the velvet blanket above your head. If ever you go camping overnight, do not forget to pack your binoculars. Far away from the haze of city lights you can not only see the stars better but if you hold still you will be with them. You do not need a space ship to travel to the stars. What you need is a little bit of imagination.
I am small but I am beautiful and wonderously made. As someone once asked, "What is man that you are so mindful of him?"
The answer is a story of love...
In the pursuit of truth one can understand even the secrets of the universe. Ask, and it shall be given. Seek, and you will find.
What I had in mind when I decided to slap this bull on you is a picture that is absolutely fantasmorgophic. It's a picture of Horsehead Nebula. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you take a look right away. And while you are at it look for Aurora Borealis, M31, NGC 6888, NGC 3576, Eta Carina Nebula, Rosette Nebula, Centaurus A, among others.
Isn't it absolutely amazing that when it comes to stars and the known universe, we need to have astronomical measurements to measure distances between objects. The universe is so huge that one needs to invent words like supergiganticinfinitesbig to even begin to comprehend the vastness of space. I grew up thinking space was just that empty and devoid of any matter but now scientists say that there is no such thing as empty (nothingness) space.
I like sci-fi and I have seen my fair share of such programs and I have always admired the creativity of the producers of such shows.
But I digress. What struck me while looking at the pictures of distant galaxies and constellations was the fact that we are so small. We are less than a speck of dust in our own solar system and when you move million light years away from Earth, which some would like to assume is the center of the galaxy, we become even more insignificant. I am not trying to make you feel small, I am saying you are small.
Looking at the composite created from the pictures that Voyager sent of our solar system I couldn't help but marvel at creation. The One who created the heavens and the earth and the "twinkling" stars and the magnificence of the universe must be so great that no words can do justice.
Yes I believe in creation. There are too many givens and I would need to really make an ass of myself if I were to believe otherwise. Darwin himself debunked his theory before he died and now a genius called "man" is deliberately trying to make less of himself.
The heavens declare the glory of God. Any night walk up to your terrace and look at the velvet blanket above your head. If ever you go camping overnight, do not forget to pack your binoculars. Far away from the haze of city lights you can not only see the stars better but if you hold still you will be with them. You do not need a space ship to travel to the stars. What you need is a little bit of imagination.
I am small but I am beautiful and wonderously made. As someone once asked, "What is man that you are so mindful of him?"
The answer is a story of love...
In the pursuit of truth one can understand even the secrets of the universe. Ask, and it shall be given. Seek, and you will find.
Monday, October 27, 2008
TO TV OR NOT TO TV
"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels."
A beautiful and skimpily clad woman comes in view. She has "seduce me" written all over her as she sashays to the tune of a rock score in the background. Coming close, she smiles seductively and reclines on the seat of a motorbike and gestures to you...
And you start wondering what does the girl have in common with an advertisement meant to promote the newly launched motorbike. Nothing of course, but then you have to understand the power of sex. Sex can sell anything ... Well, almost!
Everyday similar advertisements - to say nothing of the movie channels and serials - some of which would have been found objectionable and banned a few years ago are becoming very much part and parcel of our everyday life. And we are lapping it all up within the so called security of our own home.
If you choose to read this post, I run the risk of inviting you to... Aa bull mujhe mar! :)
For years now the television has become the single most familiar and accepted means of entertainment, news, and learning. This medium has been so widely accepted that a home has to have a television. Is it any wonder then that more and more money is being pumped into the small screen industry than in big budget Bollywood blockbuster movies? And the industry has only now started to impress its coming upon a generation that has grown up with it, albeit surreptitiously. The television has grown in terms too huge to comprehend. The Internet and television have become an interactive means of communication.
Parents beware! There is a conspiracy afoot to snatch young kids and make them global citizens nurtured on global theories and global agendas.
The problem in most cases is that parents fail to recognise the impact of television on the newer generation. Many adults feel that since they freely watched television when they were kids, they can allow their kids in this time to also grow up on a staple diet of 'education through television'. But the television of the 70's and 80's is so much different from the television that we are exposed to now. Many folks think that television cannot be too bad for kids; after all it is informative entertainment.
Now where have I heard that before!
Readers will only be too familiar about cases where jilted and misguided youths have tried to disfigure their alleged lovers because they could not take no for an answer; suicide rates among the youth is ever increasing and has become a big problem especially during result times; sexual promiscuity is on the rise; add to this list - profanity, coarse joking, occultism, violence, fetishism, self-indulgence, anti-family, and indoctrination to theories (evolution for example). Of course, the blame does not rest solely on television but it has played an important part weaving itself through the fabric of "general awareness."
I could go on and on but I believe you are beginning to see for yourself!
Where do you think these influences are coming from? With the advent of technology lives are being reshaped into accepting a new lifestyle and television plays a pivotal role in this. Consider these facts:
An average child between 2 and 11 years old watches approximately 27 hours of unsupervised television per week. A study carried out ascertained that fighting with peers, conflicts with parents and delinquincy were directly corelated with the number of hours of television watching. Dr Jay Martin summarises as such: "It is troubling to note, especially for child care operators and parents who let their children watch moderate to large amounts of 'only the good stuff', that the fundamental correlation is not between aggressive behavior and the viewing of violence on TV. Increases in aggression correlate with viewing television, not with viewing violent scenes. The process of viewing -- the number of hours actually viewed -- is the main factor correlated with negative behavior.
"It appears that the best way to guard against over-aggressiveness and interpersonal conflicts is a two-pronged approach. First and most importantly, cut down on the total number of hours viewed. Second, eliminate all violent programs from your TV-viewing diet so that a callousness to pain and suffering is not unnecessarily fostered in the hearts of your own children."
Another study revealed that a child is exposed to over 20,000 commercials per annum. While adults often ignore the commercials, the ads (most of them suggestive) have a profound effect on the psyche of a growing child.
And is television addictive? Ask any kid whether he would prefer to eat his dinner with the family in the dining room or sit in front of the television watching a thriller movie or highlights of the cricket match! More often than none the youngster would take to the television.
Communication between family members have reduces drastically since the television has taken center stage in our homes.
Adults are caught in this trap too. Soap operas promote a promiscous lifestyle and endorses incestual behaviour. The very same qualities that the ancient city of Babylon, built by Nimrod, was famous for[1]. The family's loss of quality time together[2] is one of the most perplexing problems being faced in homes today and values completely contrary to building good character is taking root. The media has been selling ideas and values in the many hours that we watch television and movies. We have to understand that there are countless hours of planning that goes into the programming to get you to think the way "they" want.
Often have I heard of parents who encourage their children to watch the so called learning channels. Having grown up on Darwin's theory of evolution (which is a theory that has still not been proven scientifically), we have failed to bring onjectivity to reasoning. There has been a deliberate dumbing down of the education system worldwide and there seems to be precious little that one can do to correct this.
Me? I would like to challenge everything I see or read or hear and decide for myself. And for my kids I have a small gift - a cable free home!
_________________________________________
References:
[1] 'The Two Babylons' by Alexander Hislop.
[2] Robert S. Welch, "Making Your Family #1..." Focus On The Family Magazine (January 1987).
A beautiful and skimpily clad woman comes in view. She has "seduce me" written all over her as she sashays to the tune of a rock score in the background. Coming close, she smiles seductively and reclines on the seat of a motorbike and gestures to you...
And you start wondering what does the girl have in common with an advertisement meant to promote the newly launched motorbike. Nothing of course, but then you have to understand the power of sex. Sex can sell anything ... Well, almost!
Everyday similar advertisements - to say nothing of the movie channels and serials - some of which would have been found objectionable and banned a few years ago are becoming very much part and parcel of our everyday life. And we are lapping it all up within the so called security of our own home.
If you choose to read this post, I run the risk of inviting you to... Aa bull mujhe mar! :)
For years now the television has become the single most familiar and accepted means of entertainment, news, and learning. This medium has been so widely accepted that a home has to have a television. Is it any wonder then that more and more money is being pumped into the small screen industry than in big budget Bollywood blockbuster movies? And the industry has only now started to impress its coming upon a generation that has grown up with it, albeit surreptitiously. The television has grown in terms too huge to comprehend. The Internet and television have become an interactive means of communication.
Parents beware! There is a conspiracy afoot to snatch young kids and make them global citizens nurtured on global theories and global agendas.
The problem in most cases is that parents fail to recognise the impact of television on the newer generation. Many adults feel that since they freely watched television when they were kids, they can allow their kids in this time to also grow up on a staple diet of 'education through television'. But the television of the 70's and 80's is so much different from the television that we are exposed to now. Many folks think that television cannot be too bad for kids; after all it is informative entertainment.
Now where have I heard that before!
Readers will only be too familiar about cases where jilted and misguided youths have tried to disfigure their alleged lovers because they could not take no for an answer; suicide rates among the youth is ever increasing and has become a big problem especially during result times; sexual promiscuity is on the rise; add to this list - profanity, coarse joking, occultism, violence, fetishism, self-indulgence, anti-family, and indoctrination to theories (evolution for example). Of course, the blame does not rest solely on television but it has played an important part weaving itself through the fabric of "general awareness."
I could go on and on but I believe you are beginning to see for yourself!
Where do you think these influences are coming from? With the advent of technology lives are being reshaped into accepting a new lifestyle and television plays a pivotal role in this. Consider these facts:
An average child between 2 and 11 years old watches approximately 27 hours of unsupervised television per week. A study carried out ascertained that fighting with peers, conflicts with parents and delinquincy were directly corelated with the number of hours of television watching. Dr Jay Martin summarises as such: "It is troubling to note, especially for child care operators and parents who let their children watch moderate to large amounts of 'only the good stuff', that the fundamental correlation is not between aggressive behavior and the viewing of violence on TV. Increases in aggression correlate with viewing television, not with viewing violent scenes. The process of viewing -- the number of hours actually viewed -- is the main factor correlated with negative behavior.
"It appears that the best way to guard against over-aggressiveness and interpersonal conflicts is a two-pronged approach. First and most importantly, cut down on the total number of hours viewed. Second, eliminate all violent programs from your TV-viewing diet so that a callousness to pain and suffering is not unnecessarily fostered in the hearts of your own children."
Another study revealed that a child is exposed to over 20,000 commercials per annum. While adults often ignore the commercials, the ads (most of them suggestive) have a profound effect on the psyche of a growing child.
And is television addictive? Ask any kid whether he would prefer to eat his dinner with the family in the dining room or sit in front of the television watching a thriller movie or highlights of the cricket match! More often than none the youngster would take to the television.
Communication between family members have reduces drastically since the television has taken center stage in our homes.
Adults are caught in this trap too. Soap operas promote a promiscous lifestyle and endorses incestual behaviour. The very same qualities that the ancient city of Babylon, built by Nimrod, was famous for[1]. The family's loss of quality time together[2] is one of the most perplexing problems being faced in homes today and values completely contrary to building good character is taking root. The media has been selling ideas and values in the many hours that we watch television and movies. We have to understand that there are countless hours of planning that goes into the programming to get you to think the way "they" want.
Often have I heard of parents who encourage their children to watch the so called learning channels. Having grown up on Darwin's theory of evolution (which is a theory that has still not been proven scientifically), we have failed to bring onjectivity to reasoning. There has been a deliberate dumbing down of the education system worldwide and there seems to be precious little that one can do to correct this.
Me? I would like to challenge everything I see or read or hear and decide for myself. And for my kids I have a small gift - a cable free home!
_________________________________________
References:
[1] 'The Two Babylons' by Alexander Hislop.
[2] Robert S. Welch, "Making Your Family #1..." Focus On The Family Magazine (January 1987).
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