Today’s education is when a man teaches something he does not know, to someone who has no aptitude for it and receives a certificate for the exercise.
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Our body has 2 fundamental sensations – Pleasure or Pain ;
two fundamental emotions – joy and suffering.. . … . .. . .
Choose what you need.
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Have you ever asked yourself how many independent conclusions you have reached in the course of your life?
Why is it that wherever you look there are unanswerable questions?
Or why is your life torn by impossible conflicts?
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Its is a wonderful thing to love one’s country. I think it is called patriotism. But the problem of patriotism is that it stops at the border of the country. How do you then describe brotherhood? Does it go along with patriotism?
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Nothing is so repulsive, infuriating, nauseating & exasperating to me than a meddling government, which tells me what to see, read, say, think, eat, drink and wear.
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Man is only a collection of conditioned chemicals. A man dying does not make him more different than an animal.
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Man exist for the ‘attainment of his desire’
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Man has been called a rational animal but rationality is a matter of choice. The alternative that his nature offers him is : suicidal animal.
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A desire to live does not give you the knowledge required to live. Man’s desire to live is not automatic. Your apprehension of death is not your affection for life.
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Man has the power to act as his own destroyer.
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Every man fabricates his world with his own imagination. He has the power to choose – but no power to escape the necessity & inevitability of choice.
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The root of all troubles and problems is man.
So ? _ what is man?
A collection or fragment of chemicals. A miserable bit of protoplasm. Full of ugly little concepts and mean little emotions – and it imagines itself important – and that is the root of all troubles and problems in this world.
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The purpose, & rationale behind philosophy is not to help man find a meaning to life – but to prove to them, that there isn’t any.
The raison d'être of philosophy is not to seek knowledge but to prove that knowledge is impossible to man
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Do not look for common sense. To seek and demand ‘sense’ is the hallmark of nonsense. Nature does not make sense. Nothing makes sense.
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People make an error of under estimating each other
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Is it true that one’s life depends on one’s mind and one’s effort?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The 3 Phases of Life
Slowing down is a concept, not everyone will appreciate and comprehend. Slowing down, reflecting and permitting things to happen in their own time is an option. Some live the concept while others look deep down inside them and long to be a part of it. They keep longing till they conk off. A time comes when one needs to spend some time with one’s own self.
I saw The Straight Story by David Lynch today. It reminded me and substantiated my view and outlook, that one should learn to slow down. Life can best be compared to driving. Speeding, changing lanes and jumping into the fast track is necessary in the 2nd phase of one’s life after learning how to drive in the 1st phase. Then one needs to slow down and enjoy life. This is the 3rd [& perhaps the final] phase of one’s life.
Some real memorable scenes were :
- Alvin the protagonist goes to the Doc
- Alvin enjoying a plain thunder and lightening, sitting inside his house with his daughter Rose, and later under the barn shed by the highway, sitting on top of his small tractor.
- The determination exhibited by Alvin to visit his brother when he heard that the latter had a stroke.
- The American way of lifting the hand and waving to total strangers and getting a response
- Driving the lawn mover across the US highway.
- When a cyclist asked Alvin during a night camp on what was the worst part being old – Alvin’s reply was that the worst part of being old was remembering the time when one was young. The cyclist was throwing a ball - he stopped.
- The woman getting hyper after hitting a deer with her car.
- Alvin negotiating with the twin mechanics and expressing himself as far as his relationship with his brother was concerned. The twins were flabbergasted.
- Alvin’s narration to the priest about the time he and his brothers spent during their youth and in the years growing up and how anger and vanity mixed with liquour throws up relationships.
- And finally when the brothers meet.
Note :
1st Phase of Life : You enter this earth-grow-study-enjoy childhood and youth-get some degrees and certificates-prepare for the 2nd phase of life
2nd Phase of life : You look for a job-marry-build up a career-have children-build up a house-make money-strive for fame and power-fulfill your responsibilities.
3rd Phase of Life : Do nothing - You come out of the rat race-mature-throw away your mobile-lead a life that you want to life and not what others expect you to live-spend all your time with your family-get rid of that watch-catch up on all the readings, the serious music and movies that you wanted to read, hear and see-write-travel at leisure-learn to cook, paint and/or play an instrument-patch up and hope that you don’t have to see the 4th phase of life !
cheers_
I saw The Straight Story by David Lynch today. It reminded me and substantiated my view and outlook, that one should learn to slow down. Life can best be compared to driving. Speeding, changing lanes and jumping into the fast track is necessary in the 2nd phase of one’s life after learning how to drive in the 1st phase. Then one needs to slow down and enjoy life. This is the 3rd [& perhaps the final] phase of one’s life.
Some real memorable scenes were :
- Alvin the protagonist goes to the Doc
- Alvin enjoying a plain thunder and lightening, sitting inside his house with his daughter Rose, and later under the barn shed by the highway, sitting on top of his small tractor.
- The determination exhibited by Alvin to visit his brother when he heard that the latter had a stroke.
- The American way of lifting the hand and waving to total strangers and getting a response
- Driving the lawn mover across the US highway.
- When a cyclist asked Alvin during a night camp on what was the worst part being old – Alvin’s reply was that the worst part of being old was remembering the time when one was young. The cyclist was throwing a ball - he stopped.
- The woman getting hyper after hitting a deer with her car.
- Alvin negotiating with the twin mechanics and expressing himself as far as his relationship with his brother was concerned. The twins were flabbergasted.
- Alvin’s narration to the priest about the time he and his brothers spent during their youth and in the years growing up and how anger and vanity mixed with liquour throws up relationships.
- And finally when the brothers meet.
Note :
1st Phase of Life : You enter this earth-grow-study-enjoy childhood and youth-get some degrees and certificates-prepare for the 2nd phase of life
2nd Phase of life : You look for a job-marry-build up a career-have children-build up a house-make money-strive for fame and power-fulfill your responsibilities.
3rd Phase of Life : Do nothing - You come out of the rat race-mature-throw away your mobile-lead a life that you want to life and not what others expect you to live-spend all your time with your family-get rid of that watch-catch up on all the readings, the serious music and movies that you wanted to read, hear and see-write-travel at leisure-learn to cook, paint and/or play an instrument-patch up and hope that you don’t have to see the 4th phase of life !
cheers_
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Hero worshipping Vishnuvardhan
The savages used to bow down to idols made of stones and wood. The pack bows down to idols of flesh and blood.
Seeing the police lathi charge the mob in Bangalore, to have a last glimpse of Vishnuvardhan, a Kannada movie star, was not an astounding sight.
We are indeed a nation of hero worship.
Lack of proper education, poverty leading to an overawed feeling of someone with fame, power and money, a sense of helplessness, vulnerability and insecurity leads a horde of jackass, with no work at all, to assemble on a weekly working day, neglecting their schools, colleges, offices and their other daily chores, creating a general public nuisance and danger to law and order
Seeing the police lathi charge the mob in Bangalore, to have a last glimpse of Vishnuvardhan, a Kannada movie star, was not an astounding sight.
We are indeed a nation of hero worship.
Lack of proper education, poverty leading to an overawed feeling of someone with fame, power and money, a sense of helplessness, vulnerability and insecurity leads a horde of jackass, with no work at all, to assemble on a weekly working day, neglecting their schools, colleges, offices and their other daily chores, creating a general public nuisance and danger to law and order
Another one bites the dust
Here is another guy who conked off. R Ravimohan, a qualified chemical engineer and Harvard Business School alumni, the Crisil man, while taking an evening walk yesterday, down the famed Marine Drive, buckled and sucked in air for the last time.
After Ranjan Das, another corporate personality after swimming in the corporate drain, goes down the drain.
Ravimohan, who joined RIL on Aug O9 at their ED of RIL, did not have any history of cardiac problems and this was his first heart attack. He was 52 and is survived by his wife, daughter and son. He was only 52 years old.
So?
So, at the end, you end up in the obituary column or get mentioned in some obscure blog and become a number for statisticians
After Ranjan Das, another corporate personality after swimming in the corporate drain, goes down the drain.
Ravimohan, who joined RIL on Aug O9 at their ED of RIL, did not have any history of cardiac problems and this was his first heart attack. He was 52 and is survived by his wife, daughter and son. He was only 52 years old.
So?
So, at the end, you end up in the obituary column or get mentioned in some obscure blog and become a number for statisticians
Lets Progress______!
People specially those existing in Europe still assume that we are a country of Snakes, Fakirs and Maharajas. If you chatter with some European critics on India you will discover that we are still a land of mystic and sadhus. The British were really good in their propaganda. But the general idea that ours is a country fighting amongst ourselves is not quite unsubstantiated, speculative or baseless. We are indeed a bickering lot.
We in India are quite proud and pompous in our belief that our civilization is not dead unlike that of Egypt, Babylon, Phoenicia or Greece. It still lives in the present – though we live in the past. We claim that we have the same thoughts, the same feelings, the same ideals of life as our forefathers who lived 2000 or 3000 years ago. We feel that our nation is a nation of continuity – historically, religiously, and culturally.
Time has passed by, alongwith a lot of water. If we continue to think that we hold those 2000 – 3000 years old feeling and thought, then look at China. China has one of the world's oldest civilizations and has the oldest continuous civilization. It has archaeological evidence dating back over 5,000 years. China had the largest economy for most of the last two millenia; until the 1850s when it missed the industrial revolution. Subsequently, imperialism, wars and civil wars damaged the country and its economy for most of the twentieth century. They had their own feudal dynastic rules for years. Then the last of the Qing Dynasty was overthrown by the revolutionary ideas of Sun Yat-sen en. They had their share of civil wars, Famines Japanese attack during WWII, Opium War, Cultural Revolution.
Today they are a UN permanent member, they have Hongkong and Macau (one should know what powerhouse this two locations are!!), 20+ great cities, the largest army in the world, 48,000 Km road, growing at 9%+, it is now the 2nd largest economy in the world after the US with a GDP of US$7.8 trillion when measured on a Purchasing Power Parity, is the largest producer of steel in the world, is the world’s 3rd largest automotive industry, is the 5th largest producer of gold, is well endowed with mineral resources, 720 million mobile phones in active use, the number of electronic information industry-related companies in China jumped from 7,500 in 2001, to 17,600 in 2003 and 67,000 in 2005, with approximately 56,000 of these being manufacturing companies, Internet in China has grown to host the largest base of net users in the world, The number of container units handled by mainland Chinese ports in November 2007 reached 100 million, the country also manufactures 90% of the world's containers, the throughput of cargo and containers at China's ports has been the largest in the world for the past five years, with an annual growth rate of 35%., in the list of 50 top world’s busiest container seaport – Shanghai, HKG, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Ghangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin, Xiamen, Dalian combined to handle 124,227K of 20 Ft equivalent unit of containers while India’s Jawarlal Nehru India Port handled 3,953K units which turned out to be only 3.18% of China. The list is long. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Last 50 years, China was working hard to develop. Last 50 years we were sleeping. Suddenly now we wake up and look at China and wonder how they could have leaped forward to 50 years ahead of us. Then we start to question…. We sleep and we wonder. Most of the time we day dream, while they worked hard and prospered.
Whatever it is, the notion is not to compare and evaluate ourselves with China or worry, that the Chinese economy will overtake that of US in around 20 years from now, and that we will be where China is now.
Let us not get into that rat race and number game. Lets us instead concentrate and contemplate internally on how to resolve the poverty in India, improve the health system , remove gender analysis, improve the judiciary system, guard our children from child abuses, provide basic fundamental education for all, remove working women’s problems, solve Female foetcide problems, look at the inhuman condition that the sex workers live in; address the day to day corruption in our lives, alcoholism, problems of untouchability, Infant mortality, water problems, Child malnutrition, problem of growing old and old age, growing population, Polio issues, prostitution, Beggary, crime against women, HIV issues, Hunger, corruption in the education system, Female infanticides, Class struggles, Drug abuse, dowry issues, child labour, employment issues, Girl and women trafficking, domestic violence against women.
If we are able to do these - then we would have achieved a lot and would create a better world for our children. There is no need to follow China and become a world power.
We in India are quite proud and pompous in our belief that our civilization is not dead unlike that of Egypt, Babylon, Phoenicia or Greece. It still lives in the present – though we live in the past. We claim that we have the same thoughts, the same feelings, the same ideals of life as our forefathers who lived 2000 or 3000 years ago. We feel that our nation is a nation of continuity – historically, religiously, and culturally.
Time has passed by, alongwith a lot of water. If we continue to think that we hold those 2000 – 3000 years old feeling and thought, then look at China. China has one of the world's oldest civilizations and has the oldest continuous civilization. It has archaeological evidence dating back over 5,000 years. China had the largest economy for most of the last two millenia; until the 1850s when it missed the industrial revolution. Subsequently, imperialism, wars and civil wars damaged the country and its economy for most of the twentieth century. They had their own feudal dynastic rules for years. Then the last of the Qing Dynasty was overthrown by the revolutionary ideas of Sun Yat-sen en. They had their share of civil wars, Famines Japanese attack during WWII, Opium War, Cultural Revolution.
Today they are a UN permanent member, they have Hongkong and Macau (one should know what powerhouse this two locations are!!), 20+ great cities, the largest army in the world, 48,000 Km road, growing at 9%+, it is now the 2nd largest economy in the world after the US with a GDP of US$7.8 trillion when measured on a Purchasing Power Parity, is the largest producer of steel in the world, is the world’s 3rd largest automotive industry, is the 5th largest producer of gold, is well endowed with mineral resources, 720 million mobile phones in active use, the number of electronic information industry-related companies in China jumped from 7,500 in 2001, to 17,600 in 2003 and 67,000 in 2005, with approximately 56,000 of these being manufacturing companies, Internet in China has grown to host the largest base of net users in the world, The number of container units handled by mainland Chinese ports in November 2007 reached 100 million, the country also manufactures 90% of the world's containers, the throughput of cargo and containers at China's ports has been the largest in the world for the past five years, with an annual growth rate of 35%., in the list of 50 top world’s busiest container seaport – Shanghai, HKG, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Ghangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin, Xiamen, Dalian combined to handle 124,227K of 20 Ft equivalent unit of containers while India’s Jawarlal Nehru India Port handled 3,953K units which turned out to be only 3.18% of China. The list is long. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Last 50 years, China was working hard to develop. Last 50 years we were sleeping. Suddenly now we wake up and look at China and wonder how they could have leaped forward to 50 years ahead of us. Then we start to question…. We sleep and we wonder. Most of the time we day dream, while they worked hard and prospered.
Whatever it is, the notion is not to compare and evaluate ourselves with China or worry, that the Chinese economy will overtake that of US in around 20 years from now, and that we will be where China is now.
Let us not get into that rat race and number game. Lets us instead concentrate and contemplate internally on how to resolve the poverty in India, improve the health system , remove gender analysis, improve the judiciary system, guard our children from child abuses, provide basic fundamental education for all, remove working women’s problems, solve Female foetcide problems, look at the inhuman condition that the sex workers live in; address the day to day corruption in our lives, alcoholism, problems of untouchability, Infant mortality, water problems, Child malnutrition, problem of growing old and old age, growing population, Polio issues, prostitution, Beggary, crime against women, HIV issues, Hunger, corruption in the education system, Female infanticides, Class struggles, Drug abuse, dowry issues, child labour, employment issues, Girl and women trafficking, domestic violence against women.
If we are able to do these - then we would have achieved a lot and would create a better world for our children. There is no need to follow China and become a world power.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Words (Les Mots)
Positive/ Physical and nervous energy/sense of purpose and direction/ enthusiasm, friendliness and affection/integrity/ decisiveness/ enterprising/ intelligence/ skill/ faith/ honour/ eagerness/ perception/ endurance/ passion/ courage/ persistence/ determination/ proficiency/ knowledge/ zeal/ physique and mentality/ philosophical insight/ knowledge of human behaviour/ accountability/ social adaptability/ rational/ daring/ judgment/ ability to understand and to get along well with people/ aptitude/ zest/ social purpose and direction/ emotional stability/ knowledge of human relation/ personal motivation/ competence/ communicative skills/ sacrifice and readiness for it/ / seriousness/ astuteness/ affability/ education/ thought/ motives/ inspiration/ ingenious and ingenuous / self identification/ discipline/ control/ planning/ reliable/ diligent/ motivation/industrious/ meticulous/ wit/ trust/ experience/ strategy/ responsibility/ alert/ confident/ creative/ morality/ justice/ prudence/ ideas and imaginations/ capacity/ self respect/ dignity/ sincerity/ efficiency/ memory/ dependability/ discretion/
Whew……….That’s a long list of grandiloquent verbs, adverbs and adjectives. Now what do we do with these words? Eh ?
Whew……….That’s a long list of grandiloquent verbs, adverbs and adjectives. Now what do we do with these words? Eh ?
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Nature & The Colour [La nature et la couleur]
Casteism can be eradicated. It is man made. Racialism can never be eradicated. It is nature made. It will continue to exist, as long as nature exist. Blacks, Browns and Yellows can never change the colour of their skin.
We have had great many miseries to suffer. Every miserable man is in search of some remedy, that would end his sufferings. But even the most desperate remedies, fail to end, all miseries. Philosophers have claimed to discover remedies, that would end man made suffering. If you go through them you learn and know more. But by that time, you may have discovered, that these philosophers, have actually enhanced the aches, anguish, agony, suffering, woe, despair and misery.
So if the Blacks Browns and Yellows become Whites, will the problems disappear? What about the problems of the individuality? Is it in his hands? Perhaps, that, what is not within your power, is real suffering.
Racialism will exist as long as there are Browns, Blacks, Yellows and Whites. Men change – Minds change. But the intensity of the dilemma becomes bigger.
Recall -
During WWII, the Germans were the real enemies of the Allies. But the BOMB was dropped on the Japanese. They did not drop IT on the Germans. The Germans were white. They dropped the bomb on those yellow coloured wretched, miserable Japanese.
We have had great many miseries to suffer. Every miserable man is in search of some remedy, that would end his sufferings. But even the most desperate remedies, fail to end, all miseries. Philosophers have claimed to discover remedies, that would end man made suffering. If you go through them you learn and know more. But by that time, you may have discovered, that these philosophers, have actually enhanced the aches, anguish, agony, suffering, woe, despair and misery.
So if the Blacks Browns and Yellows become Whites, will the problems disappear? What about the problems of the individuality? Is it in his hands? Perhaps, that, what is not within your power, is real suffering.
Racialism will exist as long as there are Browns, Blacks, Yellows and Whites. Men change – Minds change. But the intensity of the dilemma becomes bigger.
Recall -
During WWII, the Germans were the real enemies of the Allies. But the BOMB was dropped on the Japanese. They did not drop IT on the Germans. The Germans were white. They dropped the bomb on those yellow coloured wretched, miserable Japanese.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
THINK _ MEDITATE _ READ [pense_méditer_lire]
Do not ask for the sun and the moon. Do no ask for the sky. Do no ask for lands, flats or bungalows. Do not ask for gods and the many prevalent rituals. Do not ask for your religion, caste or sect. Ask a basic question – ask for your rights as a man.
_____________<><><><><>_______________
Its is essential that man reads the works of Sartre, Camus, Chekov, Aristotle, Schopenhaeur, Russel, Darwin, Hume, Dostoevsky, Maupassant, Balzac, Dickens, Kant, Rousseau, Tolstoy, Nietzche, Kierkegaard, Voltaire to name a few. They have boldly taken part in the affairs of human existence and has given leadership and guidance to people’s movement.
THINK _ MEDITATE _ READ
_____________<><><><><>_______________
Most teachings are self centered. Teaching prophesizes that suffering is a result of one’s action in a previous birth. This thought is still prevalent in our country. In fact this philosophy is described as a great inheritance from our ancestors. In this environment and circumstances talking about intellectual freedom is as inhuman and anti-social as playing the fiddle while Rome was burning.
Man lived alone and was primitive. But when he began to live in groups and developed a society, certain restrictions were placed on him for the welfare of the group. Freedom was bridled. In any case walking in the middle of a street is not a freedom to walk anywhere one likes. There are inevitable limits to an individual’s freedom. There are exploiters who have used freedom as a duty or right to pursue their own selfish purposes.
_____________<><><><><>_______________
It is a perennial struggle to provide expression to experience, life, suffering, to use the medium of words, to give some shape to the experience in the form of writing.
Writing sometimes act as an antenna of the society. One needs to understand and evaluate the events of life. Writing is like a weapon. It should give some stimulus, guidance and leadership to the aimless middle class.
Adios.
_____________<><><><><>_______________
Its is essential that man reads the works of Sartre, Camus, Chekov, Aristotle, Schopenhaeur, Russel, Darwin, Hume, Dostoevsky, Maupassant, Balzac, Dickens, Kant, Rousseau, Tolstoy, Nietzche, Kierkegaard, Voltaire to name a few. They have boldly taken part in the affairs of human existence and has given leadership and guidance to people’s movement.
THINK _ MEDITATE _ READ
_____________<><><><><>_______________
Most teachings are self centered. Teaching prophesizes that suffering is a result of one’s action in a previous birth. This thought is still prevalent in our country. In fact this philosophy is described as a great inheritance from our ancestors. In this environment and circumstances talking about intellectual freedom is as inhuman and anti-social as playing the fiddle while Rome was burning.
Man lived alone and was primitive. But when he began to live in groups and developed a society, certain restrictions were placed on him for the welfare of the group. Freedom was bridled. In any case walking in the middle of a street is not a freedom to walk anywhere one likes. There are inevitable limits to an individual’s freedom. There are exploiters who have used freedom as a duty or right to pursue their own selfish purposes.
_____________<><><><><>_______________
It is a perennial struggle to provide expression to experience, life, suffering, to use the medium of words, to give some shape to the experience in the form of writing.
Writing sometimes act as an antenna of the society. One needs to understand and evaluate the events of life. Writing is like a weapon. It should give some stimulus, guidance and leadership to the aimless middle class.
Adios.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Urge
It is a very dominant, primitive and inherent impelling force, motive or pressure in all living beings, (including man), to remain alive. Perhaps this will to remain alive further triggers a will to conquer and triumph over the will to dominate and administer those powers which make life more difficult and sometimes impossible to live.
Though credit is given to some god, all the will and the will to govern those powers are essentially man made and very inconsistent and conflicting. The condition of human existence get adapted and modified to newer environments.
The human as a race keeps making efforts to master the environment. It is destined then that the gap which separates them from the lower race of animals will further expand.
Gods and religions have never been able provide a well being environment for the human race. Look at the time spent before some god and the time and effort spend in working in the office all because of trying to live a better and healthy life. Ideas of gods and religion are basic enemies of life and binds man. It is a primitive and archaic thought and instinct to cling on to gods and religions. Man is capable enough to differentiate between things which benefit him and things which are harmful.
Instead of concentrating in these areas man should with the help of science pay more attention to his immediate surroundings. Gods and religions have never been able to provide the basic needs and the dignity of existence to mankind. Tens and hundreds of years have passed us by but we still live in the same agonized environment, clinging to thoughts which may have been applicable thousands of years back.
If man needs a religion to cling on to, to survive, then lets frame and adopt a new religion which would eradicate poverty and hunger and concentrate more on providing housing, education, better health system, clean water, electricity, efficient public transport......
Though credit is given to some god, all the will and the will to govern those powers are essentially man made and very inconsistent and conflicting. The condition of human existence get adapted and modified to newer environments.
The human as a race keeps making efforts to master the environment. It is destined then that the gap which separates them from the lower race of animals will further expand.
Gods and religions have never been able provide a well being environment for the human race. Look at the time spent before some god and the time and effort spend in working in the office all because of trying to live a better and healthy life. Ideas of gods and religion are basic enemies of life and binds man. It is a primitive and archaic thought and instinct to cling on to gods and religions. Man is capable enough to differentiate between things which benefit him and things which are harmful.
Instead of concentrating in these areas man should with the help of science pay more attention to his immediate surroundings. Gods and religions have never been able to provide the basic needs and the dignity of existence to mankind. Tens and hundreds of years have passed us by but we still live in the same agonized environment, clinging to thoughts which may have been applicable thousands of years back.
If man needs a religion to cling on to, to survive, then lets frame and adopt a new religion which would eradicate poverty and hunger and concentrate more on providing housing, education, better health system, clean water, electricity, efficient public transport......
Friday, December 25, 2009
3 Notes
Religion possessed and controlled centuries of beings. And in the epicenter of it stands god.
Note 1 : That all existing god[s] are concerned with the faults and fates of human beings.
Note 2 : God is involved in each and every human activities. He personally answers to everyone’s prayers, forgives or punishes sins, interferes in the structural world by performing miracles, fusses about good and bad deeds, knows when we do them or even when we think of them and has specific interest in human affairs
Note 3 : There is this god, who created the universe and in addition, still hovers around to supervise, administer and influence the fate of the universe and its beings
Note 1 : That all existing god[s] are concerned with the faults and fates of human beings.
Note 2 : God is involved in each and every human activities. He personally answers to everyone’s prayers, forgives or punishes sins, interferes in the structural world by performing miracles, fusses about good and bad deeds, knows when we do them or even when we think of them and has specific interest in human affairs
Note 3 : There is this god, who created the universe and in addition, still hovers around to supervise, administer and influence the fate of the universe and its beings
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Poverty [la pauvreté]
Do the poor ever think that they really wanted to ever come to this world? Did they ever wanted to be born at all? They have gone through the generation of utter poverty, without any hope or expectaton of ever coming out of this disease. They struggle for even a bucket of water. I wonder do they ever think that we are a great civilization or do they spit on it? Do they ever call this land theirs and sing its glory? Do they think that living in poverty is living a bastard life? Around 1947 our leaders announced that they would weed out the weeds, they announced that man will be free from poverty, they announced that man will not go to bed hungry. So many years just passed by – the condition of poverty now is accepted as part of the society – just like AIDs and H1N1.
Does education leads to money and does money solve problems? What have we achieved as a country if till today we are not able to solve this riddle called poverty? Are we too busy with our ancestor worshipping thoughts that we don’t look around and see the disease?
Where is the so called quality of life? Why are we not living in dignity and self-esteem? Why are we living the lives of cats and dogs? The sunset does not bury their conditions, neither the sunrise gives them the opportunity to come out of their stupor. Everything continues, relentlessly. The country continues to keep a tight grip on the ancient system. La vie continue. . . .
Does education leads to money and does money solve problems? What have we achieved as a country if till today we are not able to solve this riddle called poverty? Are we too busy with our ancestor worshipping thoughts that we don’t look around and see the disease?
Where is the so called quality of life? Why are we not living in dignity and self-esteem? Why are we living the lives of cats and dogs? The sunset does not bury their conditions, neither the sunrise gives them the opportunity to come out of their stupor. Everything continues, relentlessly. The country continues to keep a tight grip on the ancient system. La vie continue. . . .
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Creator, The Cricketer and The Cop
There is earthquake there, famine here, tsunami there, flood here. Economic recession, jobless youths, depression, hunger, child pornography, suicide, rape and what not !. But god, the remover of obstacles, the creator, hangs on the wall. God is in his heaven – All’s right with the world.
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Hitting a ball with a bat will necessarily fetch a lot of runs and will shower a lot of money, ad contracts, fame and popularity. But woe to the stupid journalist and the world at large for asking the hitter of a ball, his opinions and view of & on the issues and concerns of the world. Ditto for films stars. By far there are more intelligent people and achievers in the corporate and govt. sectors whose views we never seek because they live in a different world.
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As a child likes and loves the way the world at large gushes a lot of attention, man in general are attention seekers and loves to be recognized, fawned over, to be adored. Man in all its essence, has not essentially grown up.
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La loi est comme ça
Today it was all over the news that a Haryana cop called Rathore molested a 14 year old kid called Ruchika some 19 years back and was awarded a 6 months jail (and immediate bail) with a Rs.1000/- fine.
This is not monstrous, atrocious, dreadful or appalling act as that of drinking and driving, which seems to be a more heinous and serious crime, for if when one is caught, one is jailed for 6 months, a fine for Rs 2,000/- is imposed and his license to drive, revoked for a certain period of time as per the discretion of the law enforcing agency.
If you have a criminally bended mind, it is better to molest a minor rather than be caught for drinking and driving !
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Hitting a ball with a bat will necessarily fetch a lot of runs and will shower a lot of money, ad contracts, fame and popularity. But woe to the stupid journalist and the world at large for asking the hitter of a ball, his opinions and view of & on the issues and concerns of the world. Ditto for films stars. By far there are more intelligent people and achievers in the corporate and govt. sectors whose views we never seek because they live in a different world.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
As a child likes and loves the way the world at large gushes a lot of attention, man in general are attention seekers and loves to be recognized, fawned over, to be adored. Man in all its essence, has not essentially grown up.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
La loi est comme ça
Today it was all over the news that a Haryana cop called Rathore molested a 14 year old kid called Ruchika some 19 years back and was awarded a 6 months jail (and immediate bail) with a Rs.1000/- fine.
This is not monstrous, atrocious, dreadful or appalling act as that of drinking and driving, which seems to be a more heinous and serious crime, for if when one is caught, one is jailed for 6 months, a fine for Rs 2,000/- is imposed and his license to drive, revoked for a certain period of time as per the discretion of the law enforcing agency.
If you have a criminally bended mind, it is better to molest a minor rather than be caught for drinking and driving !
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Of Salmon and good wine (du saumon et du bon vin)
Opinion should be backed by expertise and experience.
_______________X_______________
There is no such thing as “after all is said and done”. All is not said and all is not done.
There is also no such think as a final NO. After the final no – there is a YES. And we pin all our hopes and aspirations on that YES
_______________X_______________
Had there been no human existence there would not have been any wonders of the world. The wonders of the world depends heavily on the sight of those who are conscious and have the basic intelligence to acknowledge their existence.
_______________X_______________
Men who take pride in their action do not seem to realize that they are nothing but representatives of people who think and plan what needs to be done by these action-men, quite well in advance.
_______________X_______________
Wonder why do you need to keep on doing? What are we trying to prove? To whom are we trying to prove?
_______________X_______________
To go through the sets of Woody Allen's movies, it would help if one is somewhat familiar with classical (Schubert/Bach); Jazz (Dave Brubeck/Art Tatum/Ben Webster/Benny Goodman/Bill Evans}; The Marx Brother; Federico Fellini; Ingmar Bergman and existentialism. One then would really enjoy a Woody Allen movie.
_______________X_______________
Apparently the two extremes of human existence have the crave. Hitler was crazy for power and Gandhi was crazy for peace. Everyone seems to be crazy for something !!!
_______________X_______________
The joy of having a fine piece of middle cut cold saumon, mon vieux, with the skin removed and the fish thickly spread with Montpellier butter and accompanied by Mont-Rachet or Bordeaux wine. Ooofff.
_______________X_______________
_______________X_______________
There is no such thing as “after all is said and done”. All is not said and all is not done.
There is also no such think as a final NO. After the final no – there is a YES. And we pin all our hopes and aspirations on that YES
_______________X_______________
Had there been no human existence there would not have been any wonders of the world. The wonders of the world depends heavily on the sight of those who are conscious and have the basic intelligence to acknowledge their existence.
_______________X_______________
Men who take pride in their action do not seem to realize that they are nothing but representatives of people who think and plan what needs to be done by these action-men, quite well in advance.
_______________X_______________
Wonder why do you need to keep on doing? What are we trying to prove? To whom are we trying to prove?
_______________X_______________
To go through the sets of Woody Allen's movies, it would help if one is somewhat familiar with classical (Schubert/Bach); Jazz (Dave Brubeck/Art Tatum/Ben Webster/Benny Goodman/Bill Evans}; The Marx Brother; Federico Fellini; Ingmar Bergman and existentialism. One then would really enjoy a Woody Allen movie.
_______________X_______________
Apparently the two extremes of human existence have the crave. Hitler was crazy for power and Gandhi was crazy for peace. Everyone seems to be crazy for something !!!
_______________X_______________
The joy of having a fine piece of middle cut cold saumon, mon vieux, with the skin removed and the fish thickly spread with Montpellier butter and accompanied by Mont-Rachet or Bordeaux wine. Ooofff.
_______________X_______________
Monday, December 21, 2009
Woody Guthrie & Huntington's Disease
Years back, I gather it was around the early eighties, we became a Bob Dylan idolist and followed his discography along with Eric Clapton, religiously. Then as one grows out of things and situations, I grew out of Bob Da and got interested on his main influencer and mentor - Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie was also introduced to a new audience by Pete Seeger, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Arlo Guthrie. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his guitar. Guthrie traveled with migrant workers from Oklahoma to California and learned traditional folk and blues songs. Many of his songs are about his experiences in the Dirty Thirties era during the Great Depression. He was also one of the best known Hobos. Digging more I found out that Woody Guthrie suffered from Huntington's disease. So I decided to divert my digging.
HD is an incurable neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and some cognitive functions, typically becoming noticeable in middle age. It is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea. It is much more common in people of Western Europe descent than in those from Asia or Africa. The disease is caused by a dominant mutation on either of the two copies of a specific gene, located on chromosome 4. Any child of an affected parent has a 50% risk of inheriting the disease. In rare situations where both parents have an affected gene, or either parent has two affected copies, this risk is greatly increased. Physical symptoms of Huntington's disease can begin at any age from infancy to old age, but usually begin between 35 and 44 years of age.
The exact way HD affects an individual varies and can differ even between members of the same family, but the symptoms progress predictably for most individuals. The earliest symptoms are a general lack of coordination and an unsteady gait. As the disease advances, uncoordinated, jerky body movements become more apparent, along with a decline in mental abilities and behavioral and psychiatric problems. Physical abilities are gradually impeded until coordinated movement becomes very difficult, and mental abilities generally decline into dementia. Although the disorder itself is not fatal, complications such as pneumonia, heart disease, and physical injury from falls reduce life expectancy to around twenty years after symptoms begin. Full-time care is often required in the later stages of the disease, but there are emerging treatments to relieve some of its symptoms.
There is no cure for HD.
HD is an incurable neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and some cognitive functions, typically becoming noticeable in middle age. It is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea. It is much more common in people of Western Europe descent than in those from Asia or Africa. The disease is caused by a dominant mutation on either of the two copies of a specific gene, located on chromosome 4. Any child of an affected parent has a 50% risk of inheriting the disease. In rare situations where both parents have an affected gene, or either parent has two affected copies, this risk is greatly increased. Physical symptoms of Huntington's disease can begin at any age from infancy to old age, but usually begin between 35 and 44 years of age.
The exact way HD affects an individual varies and can differ even between members of the same family, but the symptoms progress predictably for most individuals. The earliest symptoms are a general lack of coordination and an unsteady gait. As the disease advances, uncoordinated, jerky body movements become more apparent, along with a decline in mental abilities and behavioral and psychiatric problems. Physical abilities are gradually impeded until coordinated movement becomes very difficult, and mental abilities generally decline into dementia. Although the disorder itself is not fatal, complications such as pneumonia, heart disease, and physical injury from falls reduce life expectancy to around twenty years after symptoms begin. Full-time care is often required in the later stages of the disease, but there are emerging treatments to relieve some of its symptoms.
There is no cure for HD.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Compulsory Voting (vote obligatoire)
Today a law was passed by the Modi govt in Gujurat that voting has been made compulsory. Modi’s argument was that this law will force people to come out and vote and if they are not in a position to decide, can give negative votes. Modi was also very vocal about Italy with an obvious dig at Sonia Gandhi that the country has compulsory voting. Italy practiced compulsory voting from 1945 to 1993. (Mark the year 1945 which was the end of world war 2 with a crushing defeat for Italy). There are no formal sanctions in Italy but possible arbitrary or social sanctions. This is called the "innocuous sanction" in Italy, where it might for example be difficult to get a daycare place for your child or similar but this is not formalised in any way at all. Somebody forgot to whisper in Mr. Modi’s ears!
Freedom is associated with democracy. Free Speech, Marriage etc are rights, not duties. Likewise to vote or not to vote is a right, not a duty. People should not be compelled to vote. Understand this - that compelling a person to vote is infringing and contradicting his basic freedom. With compulsory voting the act of punishing those citizens with fines or imprisonment will also come into existence and with it the oppressive nature of the idea will be established.
Individuals have no interest or ideas of the candidates and some may resent compulsory voting. Others may be well informed but may not have any preference for any particular candidate or may have no wish to support the political system or thought. The idea of negative voting or donkey vote does not give much emphasis for compulsory voting. It has been proved that forcing the population to vote results in an increased number of invalid and blank votes compared to countries that have no compulsory voting laws. Voting is a voluntary act and bringing in a law to vote compulsory itself is a failure of democracy. Why are the political masters so hell bent in forcing the people to vote? Let the man decide whether he wants to vote or note. Man has not expressed any thoughts of anti democracy or anti voting. He does not criticizes the democratic systems or the voting system. He has the right though for free speech and thought.
What he wants is to be left alone__________.
Freedom is associated with democracy. Free Speech, Marriage etc are rights, not duties. Likewise to vote or not to vote is a right, not a duty. People should not be compelled to vote. Understand this - that compelling a person to vote is infringing and contradicting his basic freedom. With compulsory voting the act of punishing those citizens with fines or imprisonment will also come into existence and with it the oppressive nature of the idea will be established.
Individuals have no interest or ideas of the candidates and some may resent compulsory voting. Others may be well informed but may not have any preference for any particular candidate or may have no wish to support the political system or thought. The idea of negative voting or donkey vote does not give much emphasis for compulsory voting. It has been proved that forcing the population to vote results in an increased number of invalid and blank votes compared to countries that have no compulsory voting laws. Voting is a voluntary act and bringing in a law to vote compulsory itself is a failure of democracy. Why are the political masters so hell bent in forcing the people to vote? Let the man decide whether he wants to vote or note. Man has not expressed any thoughts of anti democracy or anti voting. He does not criticizes the democratic systems or the voting system. He has the right though for free speech and thought.
What he wants is to be left alone__________.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Emphysema
Watching Harry Brown, a British vigilante crime thriller starring the ubiquitous Michael Caine, I came across a word called Emphysema. It is a disease and the protagonist suffers from it. I decided to dig. To start with, it took quite a while to get the spelling of Emphysema correct.
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the lung tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lung are destroyed. As a result, the airflow is impeded and air becomes trapped in the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath on exertion, and an expanded chest. However, the constriction of air passages isn't always immediately deadly, and treatment is available.
Emphysema is an irreversible degenerative condition. The most important measure to slow its progression is for the patient to stop smoking and avoid all exposure to cigarette smoke and lung irritants.
Emphysema is also treated by supporting the breathing with anticholinergics, bronchodilators, steroid medication (inhaled or oral), and supplemental oxygen as required. Treating the patient's other conditions including gastric reflux and allergies may improve lung function. Supplemental oxygen used as prescribed (usually more than 20 hours per day) is the only non-surgical treatment which has been shown to prolong life in emphysema patients. There are lightweight portable oxygen systems which allow patients increased mobility. Patients can fly, cruise, and work while using supplemental oxygen. Other medications are being researched, and herbal organic remedies are being offered by companies.
Fascinating - Just watching a simple movie can provide so much information!
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the lung tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lung are destroyed. As a result, the airflow is impeded and air becomes trapped in the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath on exertion, and an expanded chest. However, the constriction of air passages isn't always immediately deadly, and treatment is available.
Emphysema is an irreversible degenerative condition. The most important measure to slow its progression is for the patient to stop smoking and avoid all exposure to cigarette smoke and lung irritants.
Emphysema is also treated by supporting the breathing with anticholinergics, bronchodilators, steroid medication (inhaled or oral), and supplemental oxygen as required. Treating the patient's other conditions including gastric reflux and allergies may improve lung function. Supplemental oxygen used as prescribed (usually more than 20 hours per day) is the only non-surgical treatment which has been shown to prolong life in emphysema patients. There are lightweight portable oxygen systems which allow patients increased mobility. Patients can fly, cruise, and work while using supplemental oxygen. Other medications are being researched, and herbal organic remedies are being offered by companies.
Fascinating - Just watching a simple movie can provide so much information!
Friday, December 18, 2009
H1N1, Impression and Whiskey
H1NI. Wow ! What a formulae. This is what they call the swine fever originating from pork consumption.. So far the flu has affected more than a dozen countries. People in India do not seem to be losing much sleep though its spreading quite rapidly. Perhaps we Indians are immune to swine fever? How can it affect we pigs anyway? Corruption, terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and hunger has not affected us, so why should our own fever affect us?
________________<>_______________
People have more than often commented that I do not seem to remember faces or names. Most blame this on account of my alleged failing memory. But I know that my poor memory has seldom played an initiative or active part in contributing to my forgetfulness. I know that the faces and names that I encounter lacks impression and are so lackluster that it is worth forgetting it.
________________<>_______________
How do I see whiskey
If you think whiskey is a devilish drink, its poison, it’s a monstrous drink, takes away innocence, throws away logic and reasoning, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty , takes away the bread from the mouth of the child, degrades humanity and leads him into despair, shame, helplessness and hopelessness – then I an against it
But – if you say that whiskey breaks ice and you start to converse, get into a philosophic mood, brings all the joys and laughter and twinkling in the eyes, stimulates you, enhances joy and happiness and lets you forget the tragedies, the miseries, the heartaches, the sorrows and the pains in life, if you think that it pours millions as taxes in the Government coffers which are used to provide care to our children, to our blind, deaf and dumb, looks after our aged, builds infrastructure – Then I am for it.
________________<>_______________
People have more than often commented that I do not seem to remember faces or names. Most blame this on account of my alleged failing memory. But I know that my poor memory has seldom played an initiative or active part in contributing to my forgetfulness. I know that the faces and names that I encounter lacks impression and are so lackluster that it is worth forgetting it.
________________<>_______________
How do I see whiskey
If you think whiskey is a devilish drink, its poison, it’s a monstrous drink, takes away innocence, throws away logic and reasoning, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty , takes away the bread from the mouth of the child, degrades humanity and leads him into despair, shame, helplessness and hopelessness – then I an against it
But – if you say that whiskey breaks ice and you start to converse, get into a philosophic mood, brings all the joys and laughter and twinkling in the eyes, stimulates you, enhances joy and happiness and lets you forget the tragedies, the miseries, the heartaches, the sorrows and the pains in life, if you think that it pours millions as taxes in the Government coffers which are used to provide care to our children, to our blind, deaf and dumb, looks after our aged, builds infrastructure – Then I am for it.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Revolutionary__(Révolutionnaire)
Revolution is a stereotyped concept. The revolutionary is a guy who is young, bearded, wears a jacket, sports a round hat or cap, carries a side bag and arm, idolizes Ernesto "Che" Guevara and clinches his fist like Fidel Castro. He also utters ‘beeping’ words on TV. He smokes pot, sleeps with rebel groups and promises peace, bread and land. The younger ones are Maoists and Fidelists and the older ones are more historically inclined. All have read Karl Marx, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, Lev Davidovich Bronstein (Leon Trotsky), Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Friedrich Engels, and Mao Zedong among others.
They talk about democracy and letting the people decide. They all cry “Give the power back to the people”. They drag people to their meetings creating a lot of excitement. Power falls into the hands of a few rebels. Then the glamour fades away. A new generation of bureaucratic hackers are born. People are still dragged to meetings. People still refuse to participate, not wanting to get involved. So after some years the reform movement is crippled, by the same disease democracy suffers…..
By bullet or by ballot. They are determined to seize power. At times they succeed and the left intellectuals move in to end racism and exploitation, to give the power back to the people, to control the corporate enterprises. Then suddenly it dawns that modern technology has no place for armed revolutions. Slogans don’t run computers, Steel mills, power plants, mines, transports, science labs. It needs experts and army of workers to get things done. 787-8 & A380 don’t operate on people power. The sick turns to skilled physicians, not to the people. Modern society is complex. Revolution is exposed and the crowd is beginning to understand the lust some men have for power.
Take any country and you will see what the revolutionary really is : just another demagogue, a political leader who gains power by appealing to people's emotions, instincts, and prejudices in a way that is considered manipulative and dangerous, a self styled dictator, just another money mad capitalist in different clothes, using different words – to do the same old thing !
They talk about democracy and letting the people decide. They all cry “Give the power back to the people”. They drag people to their meetings creating a lot of excitement. Power falls into the hands of a few rebels. Then the glamour fades away. A new generation of bureaucratic hackers are born. People are still dragged to meetings. People still refuse to participate, not wanting to get involved. So after some years the reform movement is crippled, by the same disease democracy suffers…..
By bullet or by ballot. They are determined to seize power. At times they succeed and the left intellectuals move in to end racism and exploitation, to give the power back to the people, to control the corporate enterprises. Then suddenly it dawns that modern technology has no place for armed revolutions. Slogans don’t run computers, Steel mills, power plants, mines, transports, science labs. It needs experts and army of workers to get things done. 787-8 & A380 don’t operate on people power. The sick turns to skilled physicians, not to the people. Modern society is complex. Revolution is exposed and the crowd is beginning to understand the lust some men have for power.
Take any country and you will see what the revolutionary really is : just another demagogue, a political leader who gains power by appealing to people's emotions, instincts, and prejudices in a way that is considered manipulative and dangerous, a self styled dictator, just another money mad capitalist in different clothes, using different words – to do the same old thing !
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Life’s Like That _la vie est comme ça
What you put in that mind of yours, is what it shows. It makes choices, based of what you choose. That every atom of yours, inherit what you observe, perceive, distinguish, notice, glimpse, feel or sense.
The universe too is quite weird. The mind grows, because of the contribution of nature’s law. And then the mind, ultimately transcends all areas of understanding, knowledge, intelligence, and conception. The distinction, between mind and god then blurs. God becomes, what mind is.
_________________X__________________
We are in Eternity, except there is a small break in between___The Time, between Life and Death, interrupts our eternity.
_________________X__________________
The Sun always goes away everyday and somebody goes away with it
Yesterday it was him. Today it is me. Tomorrow it will be you.
_________________X__________________
Man can’t live as he pleases – Man can’t even die as he pleases
_________________X__________________
The universe too is quite weird. The mind grows, because of the contribution of nature’s law. And then the mind, ultimately transcends all areas of understanding, knowledge, intelligence, and conception. The distinction, between mind and god then blurs. God becomes, what mind is.
_________________X__________________
We are in Eternity, except there is a small break in between___The Time, between Life and Death, interrupts our eternity.
_________________X__________________
The Sun always goes away everyday and somebody goes away with it
Yesterday it was him. Today it is me. Tomorrow it will be you.
_________________X__________________
Man can’t live as he pleases – Man can’t even die as he pleases
_________________X__________________
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Scumdog with Million hair
Oscar fever.
It continued to rage like some forest fire in Australia or California. Like all forest fire, it nevertheless burned out. Oscar nights are usually spent out in glittery. Its is in all probability a scheming promotion whereby the year’s best movie that you may have seen would not have been even nominated. Hollywood loves glitters. But too much of glitters gets into the skin. It sometimes takes a break and awards works on poverty, savage assaults on street children, filth, acceptance of brutality in a third world country.
Welcome to the magic world of Bollywood, where a protagonist from the slum who would probably become a bonded laborer, contract either TB or Aids and end his life in a miserable existence, goes on to become what else but a millionaire.
A scum dog lives a life in false pride, runs dead on imagination and limits his ambition and when he comes out of his hole he is but a manifesting psychologically crippled being.
A billion people in India grow up watching Bollywood masala films. What is a daily affair for Indians are extraordinary for the western world.
Spending money to escape from the harsh reality of poverty, filth, corruption, prostitution, malnutrition, child exploitations, diseases, brutalism, etc and end up paying to see the same is in itself a depressing exercise.
Lets make a movie about an American who because of the recession has gone down in life, who once had a good future in Wall street, but lost his head and went on a shooting spree killing a dozen odd innocents, ultimately getting shot by the cops, whose father has been jailed for trafficking children, whose mother is a drug addict, whose brother has got himself mixed up with the terrorist and whose sister is discovered to be running a bordello house.
Prostitutes and Politicians have had their rags to riches stories. From a few hundreds or thousands of Rupees they have either become a lakh patti or a crore patti. Theirs are also stories which can be successfully showcased.
Now bollywood must be gearing up with a formulae which would look somewhat like :
Box Office Hit {BOH} = Western world Director + poverty + child exploitation + slums + NRI Actor + dances every 10 minutes by scantily dressed females + love story + underworld activities + {of course} A R Rehman = {maybe} an Oscar?
The present scenes would consists of Indian producers starting to look out for Hollywood Directors so that better chances emerge to clinch an Oscar or two.
Post colonial weather has still not cleared and we are yet to come out and bask in the sun. Maybe the global warming might help to free us from our masters?
It continued to rage like some forest fire in Australia or California. Like all forest fire, it nevertheless burned out. Oscar nights are usually spent out in glittery. Its is in all probability a scheming promotion whereby the year’s best movie that you may have seen would not have been even nominated. Hollywood loves glitters. But too much of glitters gets into the skin. It sometimes takes a break and awards works on poverty, savage assaults on street children, filth, acceptance of brutality in a third world country.
Welcome to the magic world of Bollywood, where a protagonist from the slum who would probably become a bonded laborer, contract either TB or Aids and end his life in a miserable existence, goes on to become what else but a millionaire.
A scum dog lives a life in false pride, runs dead on imagination and limits his ambition and when he comes out of his hole he is but a manifesting psychologically crippled being.
A billion people in India grow up watching Bollywood masala films. What is a daily affair for Indians are extraordinary for the western world.
Spending money to escape from the harsh reality of poverty, filth, corruption, prostitution, malnutrition, child exploitations, diseases, brutalism, etc and end up paying to see the same is in itself a depressing exercise.
Lets make a movie about an American who because of the recession has gone down in life, who once had a good future in Wall street, but lost his head and went on a shooting spree killing a dozen odd innocents, ultimately getting shot by the cops, whose father has been jailed for trafficking children, whose mother is a drug addict, whose brother has got himself mixed up with the terrorist and whose sister is discovered to be running a bordello house.
Prostitutes and Politicians have had their rags to riches stories. From a few hundreds or thousands of Rupees they have either become a lakh patti or a crore patti. Theirs are also stories which can be successfully showcased.
Now bollywood must be gearing up with a formulae which would look somewhat like :
Box Office Hit {BOH} = Western world Director + poverty + child exploitation + slums + NRI Actor + dances every 10 minutes by scantily dressed females + love story + underworld activities + {of course} A R Rehman = {maybe} an Oscar?
The present scenes would consists of Indian producers starting to look out for Hollywood Directors so that better chances emerge to clinch an Oscar or two.
Post colonial weather has still not cleared and we are yet to come out and bask in the sun. Maybe the global warming might help to free us from our masters?
Monday, December 14, 2009
pensées, idées et opinions
Thoughts, Ideas and opinions are influenced, hereditary and heretic.
Sit down with a plate full of food in front of you.
Think :
- where did this food come from
- you deserve this food
- it was fated that you would be sitting in front of the food
- your karma gave you this food
- your god gave you this food
- someone more hungrier deserves this food
- you worked hard for this food.
Whatever you may choose to believe, imagine or assume, but right at that moment the food is in front of you. You may express thanks, show gratitude or appreciation to your god, your karma, your fate, mother nature, and everyone concerned, but be assured that none of the above actually gives a damn about your miserable and wretched life (except you yourself). Whether you exist or you don’t makes no difference to any of the above. By and large, the world at large is apathetic to your existence.
Sit down with a plate full of food in front of you.
Think :
- where did this food come from
- you deserve this food
- it was fated that you would be sitting in front of the food
- your karma gave you this food
- your god gave you this food
- someone more hungrier deserves this food
- you worked hard for this food.
Whatever you may choose to believe, imagine or assume, but right at that moment the food is in front of you. You may express thanks, show gratitude or appreciation to your god, your karma, your fate, mother nature, and everyone concerned, but be assured that none of the above actually gives a damn about your miserable and wretched life (except you yourself). Whether you exist or you don’t makes no difference to any of the above. By and large, the world at large is apathetic to your existence.
Friday, December 11, 2009
“Idiopathic”.
One of the possible excitement of life probably could be the discovery of words hitherto unknown to most of us.
One such word recently discovered on my adventurous trip to the word-world was “Idiopathic”. Its is an adjective word used primarily in the medicine-world. It means arising spontaneously or from obscure or unknown cause. It comes from the Greek word, ‘idios’, meaning [one’s own] + ‘pathos’, meaning [suffering]. Approximately it means “a disease of its own kind”
When the medical community cannot establish a cause for certain cases, it is said to be idiopathic. Idiopathic may shrink with the advancement of medicine and science. But it may remain outside the medical world. In our day to day life we envisage an overwhelming idiopathic situation. It tends to push us towards God[s] or makes us resign to our fate. There are ofcourse others who do neither of the above and keeps exloring all other angles of their life.
Perhaps idiopathic may be a high flying word to suppress or camouflage ignorance. At face value it looks like the word can also be broken up into two parts. ‘Idiot’ and ‘pathetic’. We are idiots because we don’t know what is causing it and its pathetic that we are useless and wretched in our ignorance.
One such word recently discovered on my adventurous trip to the word-world was “Idiopathic”. Its is an adjective word used primarily in the medicine-world. It means arising spontaneously or from obscure or unknown cause. It comes from the Greek word, ‘idios’, meaning [one’s own] + ‘pathos’, meaning [suffering]. Approximately it means “a disease of its own kind”
When the medical community cannot establish a cause for certain cases, it is said to be idiopathic. Idiopathic may shrink with the advancement of medicine and science. But it may remain outside the medical world. In our day to day life we envisage an overwhelming idiopathic situation. It tends to push us towards God[s] or makes us resign to our fate. There are ofcourse others who do neither of the above and keeps exloring all other angles of their life.
Perhaps idiopathic may be a high flying word to suppress or camouflage ignorance. At face value it looks like the word can also be broken up into two parts. ‘Idiot’ and ‘pathetic’. We are idiots because we don’t know what is causing it and its pathetic that we are useless and wretched in our ignorance.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Big Country
Around 500+ Western movies have been seen so far. . . . some of my all time greats are : Red River, Last Train from GunHill, Lawman, The Shootist, Hour of the Gun, Blood on the Moon, 3:10 to Yuma(1957), The Undefeated, High Noon, Gunfight at the OK Corral, The Spoilers, My Darling Clementine, Nevada Smith, Pat Garret & Billy the Kid, Once Upon a time in the West, How the West was Won, Shane, The Alamo, The Far country, Stagecoach, The Bravados, The Culpepper Co. Wichita, The Gunfighter, The Wild Bunch, The Law and Jake Wade, Warlock, The Man who shot Liberty Valance, The man from Laramie, The Naked Spur, The Tin Star, Western Union, The Unforgiven (1960), The Searchers etc etc etc.
Each of these westerns hold its forte on its own : for their production, actors, directors, music, theme, choreography, photography, side kicks, writers, landscape, costumes, locations, screenplay, cinematography, editing et all.
The latest one that I saw was The Big Country [1958] starring Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors and others. It was one of the greatest Western. The film is about land, water rights and power and the influence and power it has over people... It is one of those very few Westerms where the protagonist sees violence as a very unnecessary way to resolve differences.
The last scene sees Gregory Peck and Chuck Connors settling it out the “gentleman style” with a formal duel. After walking off ten paces, both men turn and aim. Chuck Connors fires before the signal, grazing Greg Peck. Greg then slowly and deliberately takes aim. Defenseless, Chuck drops to the ground in terror. Gregory Peck then fires into the dirt. Humiliated, Burl Ives the father spits on his son. As Gregory Peck and the Heroine start to leave, Chuck Connors grabs a gun from a ranch hand, forcing Burl Ives the father to kill his own son.
Another such incident was in Season 9 Episode 1 of Gunsmoke [28 Sept 1963] starring James Arness in Kate Heller. Here a woman shoots her grandson dead over issues concerning crimes committed by the latter.
While no parallels are or should be drawn with Mother India (1957), which itself was a great film, I was but reminded of the last scene where Nargis the mother shoots and kills her own son.]
Each of these westerns hold its forte on its own : for their production, actors, directors, music, theme, choreography, photography, side kicks, writers, landscape, costumes, locations, screenplay, cinematography, editing et all.
The latest one that I saw was The Big Country [1958] starring Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Chuck Connors and others. It was one of the greatest Western. The film is about land, water rights and power and the influence and power it has over people... It is one of those very few Westerms where the protagonist sees violence as a very unnecessary way to resolve differences.
The last scene sees Gregory Peck and Chuck Connors settling it out the “gentleman style” with a formal duel. After walking off ten paces, both men turn and aim. Chuck Connors fires before the signal, grazing Greg Peck. Greg then slowly and deliberately takes aim. Defenseless, Chuck drops to the ground in terror. Gregory Peck then fires into the dirt. Humiliated, Burl Ives the father spits on his son. As Gregory Peck and the Heroine start to leave, Chuck Connors grabs a gun from a ranch hand, forcing Burl Ives the father to kill his own son.
Another such incident was in Season 9 Episode 1 of Gunsmoke [28 Sept 1963] starring James Arness in Kate Heller. Here a woman shoots her grandson dead over issues concerning crimes committed by the latter.
While no parallels are or should be drawn with Mother India (1957), which itself was a great film, I was but reminded of the last scene where Nargis the mother shoots and kills her own son.]
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Do & Learn (Do - Learn)
I heard innumerable times that apart from others things- Life is a process of learning. Learning, it may be, but learning what? Well there is a lot of learning to do.
The first half of our life we learning to coordinate, walk, talk, eat, learn to relieve ourselves, interact with our family members and mates, learn about our surroundings, read, write, learning maths, geography, history, science, music, play sports, learn to master the remotes of TVs, PS2s, cell phones,computers etc.
Then for the rest of our lives we learn to come out of schools and colleges, in and out of various jobs, learn more about people, who our friends and enemies are, who are our rivals and allies - and our supporters and detractors.
Some of what we learnt turned out to be true and some turned out to be false.
Then we learn to unlearn a whole lot of things and relearn them. We continue to learn about disappointment. We learn that our dreams get shattered. We learn to get successful. We learn to manage and manipulative {our and other peoples’ life}. We learn to grow up.
Then suddenly the realization comes that learning has slowed down. We feel that our learning days are over. We feel that there is not much left to learn.
Few people put in efforts to continue the process of learning. The more we learn – the more we do (Man is a doing animal after all). The reverse is also true. The more we do – the more we learn.
Learn to learn.
_____"A ship in port is safe; but that is not what ships are built for. Sail out to sea and do new things".
{Rear Admiral and Computer Scientist - Grace Hopper}
The first half of our life we learning to coordinate, walk, talk, eat, learn to relieve ourselves, interact with our family members and mates, learn about our surroundings, read, write, learning maths, geography, history, science, music, play sports, learn to master the remotes of TVs, PS2s, cell phones,computers etc.
Then for the rest of our lives we learn to come out of schools and colleges, in and out of various jobs, learn more about people, who our friends and enemies are, who are our rivals and allies - and our supporters and detractors.
Some of what we learnt turned out to be true and some turned out to be false.
Then we learn to unlearn a whole lot of things and relearn them. We continue to learn about disappointment. We learn that our dreams get shattered. We learn to get successful. We learn to manage and manipulative {our and other peoples’ life}. We learn to grow up.
Then suddenly the realization comes that learning has slowed down. We feel that our learning days are over. We feel that there is not much left to learn.
Few people put in efforts to continue the process of learning. The more we learn – the more we do (Man is a doing animal after all). The reverse is also true. The more we do – the more we learn.
Learn to learn.
_____"A ship in port is safe; but that is not what ships are built for. Sail out to sea and do new things".
{Rear Admiral and Computer Scientist - Grace Hopper}
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Man - A doing animal....
Man is a rational animal. Oui. Heard that.
Lets take a different take : “Man is a doing animal.”
Man did. Man does. Man will do. We are all doing animal. Show me somebody who is not doing anything. If you see someone not doing something then be assured that he is THINKING about doing something. Thinking is also doing. Major Doing. . . . We wake up. We bath, brush, wear our clothes, eat our breakfast, lunch, work, exercise, have our dinner, go to sleep and dream.
So are we ants? What is the purpose of all these doings. Maybe we do to satisfy our bodily needs - we do to satisfy our ego, our hearts. We do because the brain tells us to do. We have the ability and the will to do. But even after all our needs are met – we keep on doing. Why?
Maybe Man is a doing animal?
Lets take a different take : “Man is a doing animal.”
Man did. Man does. Man will do. We are all doing animal. Show me somebody who is not doing anything. If you see someone not doing something then be assured that he is THINKING about doing something. Thinking is also doing. Major Doing. . . . We wake up. We bath, brush, wear our clothes, eat our breakfast, lunch, work, exercise, have our dinner, go to sleep and dream.
So are we ants? What is the purpose of all these doings. Maybe we do to satisfy our bodily needs - we do to satisfy our ego, our hearts. We do because the brain tells us to do. We have the ability and the will to do. But even after all our needs are met – we keep on doing. Why?
Maybe Man is a doing animal?
Monday, December 07, 2009
Deed and Death
Deeds of men are remembered and cherished after death. Whether men of deeds pass away in the present age or hundreds of years back, rarely have men conferred honour to the living. Its seems like all recognition comes after death.
The other day I was reading about Cicero (3rd January, 106 BC – 7th December, 43 BC) who was a Roman philosopher, lawyer, political theorist and statesman. He was able to do many different things at the same time. He introduced the Romans to the many schools of Greek philosophy. He created a Latin philosophical vocabulary. He was recognized as the best linguist, translator, and philosopher of his time. He was an extraordinary orator and a very successful lawyer.
He lived under the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. But he was opposed to the tyrannical rule of Caesar and after the latter's assassination was also opposed to his successor, Octavian. He was never in friendly terms with Mark Antony. Later he was hunted, slewed, beheaded and his hands were cut off for writing against Mark Antony. It was also said that Antony's wife Fulvia took Cicero's head, pulled out his tongue, and jabbed it repeatedly with her hairpin in final revenge against Cicero's power of speech.
Octavian many years later would come upon one of his grandsons reading a book by Cicero. The boy tried to hide the book, fearing the wrath of his grandfather. Octavian, now called Augustus, took the book from his grandson, read a part of it, and then handed the volume back, saying: "He was a learned man, dear child, a learned man who loved his country".
C'est la vie....
Cheers_______
The other day I was reading about Cicero (3rd January, 106 BC – 7th December, 43 BC) who was a Roman philosopher, lawyer, political theorist and statesman. He was able to do many different things at the same time. He introduced the Romans to the many schools of Greek philosophy. He created a Latin philosophical vocabulary. He was recognized as the best linguist, translator, and philosopher of his time. He was an extraordinary orator and a very successful lawyer.
He lived under the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. But he was opposed to the tyrannical rule of Caesar and after the latter's assassination was also opposed to his successor, Octavian. He was never in friendly terms with Mark Antony. Later he was hunted, slewed, beheaded and his hands were cut off for writing against Mark Antony. It was also said that Antony's wife Fulvia took Cicero's head, pulled out his tongue, and jabbed it repeatedly with her hairpin in final revenge against Cicero's power of speech.
Octavian many years later would come upon one of his grandsons reading a book by Cicero. The boy tried to hide the book, fearing the wrath of his grandfather. Octavian, now called Augustus, took the book from his grandson, read a part of it, and then handed the volume back, saying: "He was a learned man, dear child, a learned man who loved his country".
C'est la vie....
Cheers_______
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Reminiscence
Good Ol’ days – They never return. You will have nostalgia when you have put in a lot of years to your life or you have been doing some sincere, serious drinking. The sprit either lifts or slumps and the eyes get misty. Those good ol’ days will never return. You know that but you cannot help, but get nostalgic.
Sometimes I think of Calcutta. I shall continue to call Calcutta, Calcutta. . . except when I speak Bengali.
Those were the days of the boxwalla Companies. British influence was waning. But still there was the ITC, The ICI, The Dunlop, The Metal Box. We use to follow ardently Minoo Masani, Nani Palkhiwala and Piloo Mody for their ability to dig at our Govt. We use to listen to Kishore Bhimani’s ball by ball commentaries.
We dreamt of rising above the squalor and the filth. We had good times even when our wallets were near empty. We used to visit the Racket Club and hang around looking at those guys playing squash. We used to creep in the CC& FC Ground to watch that alien game called Rugby and Cycle Polo. The Golf Club and the Tennis Club where the elite used to hang around. The Swimming Club and the Tolly Club et all. Membership was near impossible until you were well connected. That was the best class distinction that I ever saw.
Then there was the Anglo India community and their DI and Rangers Club
Then we had brown sahibs in the Bengal and Calcutta Club.
Saturday nights brought Louis Banks, Pam Crain, Usha Iyer, Braz Gonsalves at the Trincas and The Blue Fox. There was of course the Free School Street with the lungiwalla pimps and Isaiah's Bar
Sundays at Firpos for the jam sessions where those cute cocktail sausages were served complimentary with the Beer. Shit, now they don’t even serve peanuts.
Very soon Christmas would hang over our head and Park Street became a different joint altogether. Those were the days of Pat Boone, Engelbert, Beatles, Paul Anka, Jim Reeves and Tom Jones. We swayed and hummed along.
Watching night shows at the Globe, the Elite, The Minerva, The Lighthouse and at the Tiger after having a couple of drinks at Cathy’s and those beef rolls and kathi kebabs at the Nizam, were a real treat.
Things have changed now. Those years of commie rules have eradicated all the small few pleasures of Calcutta. The body is there but the spirit is gone. How I wish I could get my hands on Hugo Well’s Time Machine
Sometimes I think of Calcutta. I shall continue to call Calcutta, Calcutta. . . except when I speak Bengali.
Those were the days of the boxwalla Companies. British influence was waning. But still there was the ITC, The ICI, The Dunlop, The Metal Box. We use to follow ardently Minoo Masani, Nani Palkhiwala and Piloo Mody for their ability to dig at our Govt. We use to listen to Kishore Bhimani’s ball by ball commentaries.
We dreamt of rising above the squalor and the filth. We had good times even when our wallets were near empty. We used to visit the Racket Club and hang around looking at those guys playing squash. We used to creep in the CC& FC Ground to watch that alien game called Rugby and Cycle Polo. The Golf Club and the Tennis Club where the elite used to hang around. The Swimming Club and the Tolly Club et all. Membership was near impossible until you were well connected. That was the best class distinction that I ever saw.
Then there was the Anglo India community and their DI and Rangers Club
Then we had brown sahibs in the Bengal and Calcutta Club.
Saturday nights brought Louis Banks, Pam Crain, Usha Iyer, Braz Gonsalves at the Trincas and The Blue Fox. There was of course the Free School Street with the lungiwalla pimps and Isaiah's Bar
Sundays at Firpos for the jam sessions where those cute cocktail sausages were served complimentary with the Beer. Shit, now they don’t even serve peanuts.
Very soon Christmas would hang over our head and Park Street became a different joint altogether. Those were the days of Pat Boone, Engelbert, Beatles, Paul Anka, Jim Reeves and Tom Jones. We swayed and hummed along.
Watching night shows at the Globe, the Elite, The Minerva, The Lighthouse and at the Tiger after having a couple of drinks at Cathy’s and those beef rolls and kathi kebabs at the Nizam, were a real treat.
Things have changed now. Those years of commie rules have eradicated all the small few pleasures of Calcutta. The body is there but the spirit is gone. How I wish I could get my hands on Hugo Well’s Time Machine
Of Square Root & Pi
Of Sq Root and Pi
There are many things I wish I knew and learned when I was in school. But I could not – I did not.
After spending so many of those years in school we may have learnt to figure out the square root of an isosceles triangle – but did we learn to forgive others ?
We know the direction of those migrating birds – but we don’t know which way or where we want to go.
We have cut into pieces those cockroaches in the lab – but we have never tried hard to understand human relationship.
We know that Mr. Shakespeare wrote “ to be or not to be”. That maybe the question – but we don’t know the answer.
We know what Pi is but are we sure who the hell are we? (refreshing pi : π is a mathematical constant whose value is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter in Euclidean space; this is the same value as the ratio of a circle's area to the square of its radius. It is approximately equal to 3.14159 in the usual decimal notation. π is an irrational number, which means that its value cannot be expressed exactly as a fraction m/n, where m and n are integers.)
I sometimes really wonder what did I really do in school? Those guys taught us everything – except how the hell to live !
At one point or the other we may have asked all those questions - What is life all about?
What the hell are we doing here.
What is the point of all this universe?
Is there at all a point?
What is the meaning of life ?
Is there at all a meaning to life?
Why the heck should we bother? etc etc/....
Somewhere you may have come up with an answer. But did that answer stood the test of TIME?
There are many things I wish I knew and learned when I was in school. But I could not – I did not.
After spending so many of those years in school we may have learnt to figure out the square root of an isosceles triangle – but did we learn to forgive others ?
We know the direction of those migrating birds – but we don’t know which way or where we want to go.
We have cut into pieces those cockroaches in the lab – but we have never tried hard to understand human relationship.
We know that Mr. Shakespeare wrote “ to be or not to be”. That maybe the question – but we don’t know the answer.
We know what Pi is but are we sure who the hell are we? (refreshing pi : π is a mathematical constant whose value is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter in Euclidean space; this is the same value as the ratio of a circle's area to the square of its radius. It is approximately equal to 3.14159 in the usual decimal notation. π is an irrational number, which means that its value cannot be expressed exactly as a fraction m/n, where m and n are integers.)
I sometimes really wonder what did I really do in school? Those guys taught us everything – except how the hell to live !
At one point or the other we may have asked all those questions - What is life all about?
What the hell are we doing here.
What is the point of all this universe?
Is there at all a point?
What is the meaning of life ?
Is there at all a meaning to life?
Why the heck should we bother? etc etc/....
Somewhere you may have come up with an answer. But did that answer stood the test of TIME?
Saturday, December 05, 2009
5 Dec O9_Thoughts of the week
un autre jour.
Actions should be matched with words. There are too many of those high soundings and unheard of words, but there are very few actions that go along with them
The most and greater parts of the information that I seek is obtained by looking up in areas for something and finding something else on the way
There is this old maxim - Early to bed and early to rise : it’s a bad idea.. You will never be able to meet the well known, important and powerful people of our society.
Everyone has a principle. Everyone fights hard to establish their principles. But I find it difficult to see people living up to them.
The older you get, the more worried you become about what’s going to happen to your next generation. My father used to worry about my generation. Well, I grew up and became old. Now I worry about the next generation. I am sure my son would too grow up and start worrying about the next generation.
Have you ever wondered what do you do with those great problem solvers after the problem is solved? Do they create further problems for themselves to solve?
I have often heard the maxim : Health is wealth. Right and agreed. But before health comes wealth. When you are young and romanticize life you need money to move on with your life. After you acquire your wealth it becomes more appropriate to believe that health is really wealth. For what use would your wealth be if you don’t have the health to enjoy it? Wealth is not what you have – but what and how you enjoy.
Its good to talk to a person eye to eye. But how the hell do you talk to a person eye to eye when you are looking up at him? Or for that matter you are looking down on him?
How do you judge a man? Do you really need to judge a man? Why do you judge a man? Someone the other day was saying that one should judge a man by the company he keeps. Judge him by the friends he has. Well - you can also judge a man by the reputation of his enemies. Nevertheless its very inappropriate and dangerous to judge a man. He is very unpredictable and impulsive. And by what right do you judge a man?
The rich are never racist. It is the turf of the poor. Racism to the poor is but another form of snobbery. The rich have different ways to showcase their poverty.
Whenever you can – get away from the mass. Keep yourself to yourself.
The majority of mankind spends most parts of their lives working hard to make the remaining parts of their life unhappy. Man’s life can be divided into three events. His birth, his life and his death. Everything happens during these event. No more – no less. When he is born, he is not even conscious of his birth. When he dies, he dies in pain, misery, despair and anguish. But his birth and death are of short duration. In between he exists and he forgets to live.
à bientôt!
Actions should be matched with words. There are too many of those high soundings and unheard of words, but there are very few actions that go along with them
The most and greater parts of the information that I seek is obtained by looking up in areas for something and finding something else on the way
There is this old maxim - Early to bed and early to rise : it’s a bad idea.. You will never be able to meet the well known, important and powerful people of our society.
Everyone has a principle. Everyone fights hard to establish their principles. But I find it difficult to see people living up to them.
The older you get, the more worried you become about what’s going to happen to your next generation. My father used to worry about my generation. Well, I grew up and became old. Now I worry about the next generation. I am sure my son would too grow up and start worrying about the next generation.
Have you ever wondered what do you do with those great problem solvers after the problem is solved? Do they create further problems for themselves to solve?
I have often heard the maxim : Health is wealth. Right and agreed. But before health comes wealth. When you are young and romanticize life you need money to move on with your life. After you acquire your wealth it becomes more appropriate to believe that health is really wealth. For what use would your wealth be if you don’t have the health to enjoy it? Wealth is not what you have – but what and how you enjoy.
Its good to talk to a person eye to eye. But how the hell do you talk to a person eye to eye when you are looking up at him? Or for that matter you are looking down on him?
How do you judge a man? Do you really need to judge a man? Why do you judge a man? Someone the other day was saying that one should judge a man by the company he keeps. Judge him by the friends he has. Well - you can also judge a man by the reputation of his enemies. Nevertheless its very inappropriate and dangerous to judge a man. He is very unpredictable and impulsive. And by what right do you judge a man?
The rich are never racist. It is the turf of the poor. Racism to the poor is but another form of snobbery. The rich have different ways to showcase their poverty.
Whenever you can – get away from the mass. Keep yourself to yourself.
The majority of mankind spends most parts of their lives working hard to make the remaining parts of their life unhappy. Man’s life can be divided into three events. His birth, his life and his death. Everything happens during these event. No more – no less. When he is born, he is not even conscious of his birth. When he dies, he dies in pain, misery, despair and anguish. But his birth and death are of short duration. In between he exists and he forgets to live.
à bientôt!
Friday, December 04, 2009
The Culpepper Cattle Co.
aujourd'hui est de 4 decembre 2009
Watched this movie late last night - Its A Nihilistic Violent Western
What a title ! The Culpepper Cattle Co.
Looks like a corporate Organization. But once you get over the name and settle down to see this 1972 movie produced by 20th Century Fox,it may turn out to be one of your favourite westerns.
Its tells the story of a young Ben Mockridge's dream of becoming a cowboy and how that dreams turns into disillussions. Going through such hardship, humiliations, violence and at the end standing up for the Mormons against a greedy land owner and not being able to take the Mormon philosophy at face value, leaves Ben angry, confused and bitter.He rides off alone to the horizon.
It also tells us how Frank Culpepper swallows his pride and avoids violence for the sake of business. A very matured character played out by Billy Green Bush.
Not your average western. Watch out for the violent scenes.
à la vôtre__
Watched this movie late last night - Its A Nihilistic Violent Western
What a title ! The Culpepper Cattle Co.
Looks like a corporate Organization. But once you get over the name and settle down to see this 1972 movie produced by 20th Century Fox,it may turn out to be one of your favourite westerns.
Its tells the story of a young Ben Mockridge's dream of becoming a cowboy and how that dreams turns into disillussions. Going through such hardship, humiliations, violence and at the end standing up for the Mormons against a greedy land owner and not being able to take the Mormon philosophy at face value, leaves Ben angry, confused and bitter.He rides off alone to the horizon.
It also tells us how Frank Culpepper swallows his pride and avoids violence for the sake of business. A very matured character played out by Billy Green Bush.
Not your average western. Watch out for the violent scenes.
à la vôtre__
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Sholay
Strongly recommend to somehow see these movies mentioned below to get an idea on how ‘cult classics’ are formed. Men in general have not and cannot reach that stage where they can absorb originals. So all ‘greatly influenced’, ‘local and hackneyed version’ are lapped up vociferously. Today it is neither a matter of shame or shock. The plagiarist has a rising career. With the dearth of knowledge and talent, the inability to churn out originals makes the Plagiarist an indispensable and demanding species.
But First – Watch Sholay. Then see all these movies. Last – watch Sholay again. Get a general idea on the greatness and originality of Sholay.
Let me give you some idea of the following movies
Once Upon a Time in the West : Release Year 1968. It’s a spaghetti western and is so called because the productions are mainly by Italian Studios. Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson are the main stars. Notice the harmonica carried around by Charles Bronson
How the West Was Worn
The Magnificent Seven
The Good The Bad and the Ugly
For a Few dollars More
A Fistful of Dollars
The Searchers
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
The Wild Bunch
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
One Eyed Jack
The Texas Rangers
Sholay – Release date - 15th Aug 1975
Sholay has been copied from so many movies that the mass will never be able to find out the source. Stories taken up from Once upon at time in the West, and the magnificent seven. Train scenes have been cut and pasted from How the West was Won. Sorry but there goes one of your best movies up in flames. The Searchers contributed to the panoramic view. Camera work from Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The Same sided coin idea was taken up from One Eyed Jack. Yes, and last but not the least - listen to Mehbooba O Mehbooba by R D Burman and then listen to the original by Demis Roussos - Say You Love Me.....
excusez-moi!
à la vôtre!
But First – Watch Sholay. Then see all these movies. Last – watch Sholay again. Get a general idea on the greatness and originality of Sholay.
Let me give you some idea of the following movies
Once Upon a Time in the West : Release Year 1968. It’s a spaghetti western and is so called because the productions are mainly by Italian Studios. Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson are the main stars. Notice the harmonica carried around by Charles Bronson
How the West Was Worn
The Magnificent Seven
The Good The Bad and the Ugly
For a Few dollars More
A Fistful of Dollars
The Searchers
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
The Wild Bunch
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
One Eyed Jack
The Texas Rangers
Sholay – Release date - 15th Aug 1975
Sholay has been copied from so many movies that the mass will never be able to find out the source. Stories taken up from Once upon at time in the West, and the magnificent seven. Train scenes have been cut and pasted from How the West was Won. Sorry but there goes one of your best movies up in flames. The Searchers contributed to the panoramic view. Camera work from Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The Same sided coin idea was taken up from One Eyed Jack. Yes, and last but not the least - listen to Mehbooba O Mehbooba by R D Burman and then listen to the original by Demis Roussos - Say You Love Me.....
excusez-moi!
à la vôtre!
Narrow Minds & Broad Base
The world has become smaller, the minds narrower and the base broader. Now why am I making this comment? No particular reason. The world is devoid of any reasons. We do things which we think are meaningful. This thought in itself is so meaningless. How can things be meaningful when we don’t even have any idea of our source of existence, why we are here on this earth, why we need oxygen to breathe and not any other gases so that life even though meaningless would thrive on other planets.
__________X__________
“To be or not to be”. What was Shakespeare thinking? Till the time we are not conscious of our consciousness, everything looks quite perfect, at least on the surface. With time this gnawing thought like a worm just born inside our heart and mind begins to manifest in different forms. Ambition, Greed, Desire, Knowledge, Anxiety, Depression, Agony, Apprehension, Dream, Will. The List is long. We are gripped. And there is no escape except wait for Death to arrive and conclude the futility of life.
___________X___________
Freedom is a myth. Even though you free yourself as a slave or from time, how do you free yourself from the mundane desires of life? How do you get liberated from concerns with Good Health or Happiness . Or from hunger.? Or the will to carry on living. ? How do you reject , wealth power, or fame? How do you free yourself from all possession? How do you free yourself from the worthless customs and conventions of the society?
____________X____________
With consciousness arrives a question. Is life worth living OR not? Most of us look for a reason to live. Rather it would be appropriate to state that we choose a reason to live. Whether to live or to end life is a fundamental point. The rest – Education, Knowledge, Ethics, Money, Power, Fame, Love, War, whether we will fly or the mind is capable enough to tele-transport comes afterwards. The herd decides to continue with life and multiply. Some of us reason that in any case life would end after a certain number of years, so why take it upon ourselves to take this step of ending life. The rest of the life then becomes a game.
But there is a problem and this needs to be confronted. I have my doubts about any one attempting to end one’s life just because he suddenly or gradually realized that it is meaningless to carry on living and not worth the pain. Most of us who end life abruptly do so to send out a message as if to teach a lesson to the living, as if to punish the living. Little do they realize with the living, that with time the act weakens if not erased. Personal sorrow, incurable illness, attracting attention, extreme anger drives people to end life and not whether life is worth living or not. We don’t contemplate and take this decision - “To be or not to be”. To the living, ending life translates to failure and the inability to cope up with life.
____________X____________
Every person must discover the truth by which he would live and eventually die. The problem is that the human mind is so complex that he is interested in infinite things and thus loses the focus to concentrate on that single thing. The mind is never clear and so he never realizes what he ought to do. The focus may be to understand himself and find out what he really wishes to do
There are different levels in which an individual lives out his life. A person might live for the moment. He lives a life satisfying his emotional, physical or intellectual lifestyle. He is only concerned about his own happiness. He lives a life depending on who he knows, what he does, the roles he plays, what he possess, where he lives etc. He searches for enjoyment. He is an observer and a spectator. He does not participate. He goes into different directions and awaits for fate to bring him something better.
A different level is when the person recognizes that he has to make a choice. He has to accept a sense of duty. He discards his desires and wild impulses, listening to his conscience, taking responsibilities and obligations, He believes in justice, freedom, peace and love. Life is also lived on the religious level where everything is governed by a mysterious supernatural hand and where no logical questions are asked submitting an unbounded and absolute resignation, engulfed in suffering and guilt. He does that daily, perhaps many times a day.
To discover the truth, to focus, to live a certain level of life, a person must make a choice. He has to make a decision. After all he cannot sleep like a drunkard on a wagon driven by horses and leave it to the horse to decide. Or is it that he may decide to get drunk, decide to choose a wagon driven by horses, decide to sleep on the wagon and decide to leave it to the horses? This is where a terrible fight may by fought. The choice or decision may not be the ultimate one.
_______________X_______________
Tremendous pressure has been put on the human race. To love or to hate. Hate to love or love to hate? Because of this two, a lot of blood has been split on this earth since time recorded. Going by the way the world revolves, little hope lies in not witnessing future bloodshed.
_______________X_______________
The Only way to fulfill desire is to consume. Desire produces production. Production produces the desire to consume. The more the desire – the more the consumption. Desire also produces more desire which puts pressure on production
The world is no longer a theatre. It has become a factory
Everyone is measured. Everyone is judged
There is nothing magical to existence
_______________X_______________
Imagined personality.
_______________X_______________
Gulped down the wine like milk and chocked
_______________X_______________
I’m not a poet, I don’t die for love. I am a brick from Wall Street
_______________X_______________
Can there be sex without love? Or can there be love without sex? Or maybe sex alleviates tension and love causes it? Or is sex a meaningless lovemaking?
000000000000000
Time flies. Some hair falls down. Noise becomes bothersome. We become changed people.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Success breeds complacency and recklessness and this is true in all walks of life.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
- People out there are moving around with matches to burn ideas.
- Nothing is constant. The Orbit keeps moving. Friends are not
permanent. Neither are enemies. Once you realize that, You will
be much more comfortable on this earth.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
__________X__________
“To be or not to be”. What was Shakespeare thinking? Till the time we are not conscious of our consciousness, everything looks quite perfect, at least on the surface. With time this gnawing thought like a worm just born inside our heart and mind begins to manifest in different forms. Ambition, Greed, Desire, Knowledge, Anxiety, Depression, Agony, Apprehension, Dream, Will. The List is long. We are gripped. And there is no escape except wait for Death to arrive and conclude the futility of life.
___________X___________
Freedom is a myth. Even though you free yourself as a slave or from time, how do you free yourself from the mundane desires of life? How do you get liberated from concerns with Good Health or Happiness . Or from hunger.? Or the will to carry on living. ? How do you reject , wealth power, or fame? How do you free yourself from all possession? How do you free yourself from the worthless customs and conventions of the society?
____________X____________
With consciousness arrives a question. Is life worth living OR not? Most of us look for a reason to live. Rather it would be appropriate to state that we choose a reason to live. Whether to live or to end life is a fundamental point. The rest – Education, Knowledge, Ethics, Money, Power, Fame, Love, War, whether we will fly or the mind is capable enough to tele-transport comes afterwards. The herd decides to continue with life and multiply. Some of us reason that in any case life would end after a certain number of years, so why take it upon ourselves to take this step of ending life. The rest of the life then becomes a game.
But there is a problem and this needs to be confronted. I have my doubts about any one attempting to end one’s life just because he suddenly or gradually realized that it is meaningless to carry on living and not worth the pain. Most of us who end life abruptly do so to send out a message as if to teach a lesson to the living, as if to punish the living. Little do they realize with the living, that with time the act weakens if not erased. Personal sorrow, incurable illness, attracting attention, extreme anger drives people to end life and not whether life is worth living or not. We don’t contemplate and take this decision - “To be or not to be”. To the living, ending life translates to failure and the inability to cope up with life.
____________X____________
Every person must discover the truth by which he would live and eventually die. The problem is that the human mind is so complex that he is interested in infinite things and thus loses the focus to concentrate on that single thing. The mind is never clear and so he never realizes what he ought to do. The focus may be to understand himself and find out what he really wishes to do
There are different levels in which an individual lives out his life. A person might live for the moment. He lives a life satisfying his emotional, physical or intellectual lifestyle. He is only concerned about his own happiness. He lives a life depending on who he knows, what he does, the roles he plays, what he possess, where he lives etc. He searches for enjoyment. He is an observer and a spectator. He does not participate. He goes into different directions and awaits for fate to bring him something better.
A different level is when the person recognizes that he has to make a choice. He has to accept a sense of duty. He discards his desires and wild impulses, listening to his conscience, taking responsibilities and obligations, He believes in justice, freedom, peace and love. Life is also lived on the religious level where everything is governed by a mysterious supernatural hand and where no logical questions are asked submitting an unbounded and absolute resignation, engulfed in suffering and guilt. He does that daily, perhaps many times a day.
To discover the truth, to focus, to live a certain level of life, a person must make a choice. He has to make a decision. After all he cannot sleep like a drunkard on a wagon driven by horses and leave it to the horse to decide. Or is it that he may decide to get drunk, decide to choose a wagon driven by horses, decide to sleep on the wagon and decide to leave it to the horses? This is where a terrible fight may by fought. The choice or decision may not be the ultimate one.
_______________X_______________
Tremendous pressure has been put on the human race. To love or to hate. Hate to love or love to hate? Because of this two, a lot of blood has been split on this earth since time recorded. Going by the way the world revolves, little hope lies in not witnessing future bloodshed.
_______________X_______________
The Only way to fulfill desire is to consume. Desire produces production. Production produces the desire to consume. The more the desire – the more the consumption. Desire also produces more desire which puts pressure on production
The world is no longer a theatre. It has become a factory
Everyone is measured. Everyone is judged
There is nothing magical to existence
_______________X_______________
Imagined personality.
_______________X_______________
Gulped down the wine like milk and chocked
_______________X_______________
I’m not a poet, I don’t die for love. I am a brick from Wall Street
_______________X_______________
Can there be sex without love? Or can there be love without sex? Or maybe sex alleviates tension and love causes it? Or is sex a meaningless lovemaking?
000000000000000
Time flies. Some hair falls down. Noise becomes bothersome. We become changed people.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Success breeds complacency and recklessness and this is true in all walks of life.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
- People out there are moving around with matches to burn ideas.
- Nothing is constant. The Orbit keeps moving. Friends are not
permanent. Neither are enemies. Once you realize that, You will
be much more comfortable on this earth.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I throw myself in the well___
I throw myself in the well
For Consolation
The well of philosophy
Destination – Existentialism
Inclining towards ontological argument
Thinking
Thought about relationship
Relationship that surround Human
Human with Human
Human with God
Human with Environment
Human with Non Being
Struggling to find a way to live
To be aware of our existence
To survive with a challenge
To look for the quality of Life
Did we have a past?
Do we have a future?
The future with Nuclear weapon
Dangling like a sword hung by a single hair
The pollution of the planet
The resources running scarce
Famines and over population
Flood, Earthquakes, Malnutrition
Racialism, Xenophobia and disintegration
Loss of Identity, AIDS and violence
Is this real?
Is this a nightmare?
Are we suffering from ignorance
Or is it just plain illusion
Cheers_____
For Consolation
The well of philosophy
Destination – Existentialism
Inclining towards ontological argument
Thinking
Thought about relationship
Relationship that surround Human
Human with Human
Human with God
Human with Environment
Human with Non Being
Struggling to find a way to live
To be aware of our existence
To survive with a challenge
To look for the quality of Life
Did we have a past?
Do we have a future?
The future with Nuclear weapon
Dangling like a sword hung by a single hair
The pollution of the planet
The resources running scarce
Famines and over population
Flood, Earthquakes, Malnutrition
Racialism, Xenophobia and disintegration
Loss of Identity, AIDS and violence
Is this real?
Is this a nightmare?
Are we suffering from ignorance
Or is it just plain illusion
Cheers_____
son quatrième decembre, 2009 :
pensées :
thoughts :
1. Knowledge arises from experiences.
Findings or evidence are dependable on observation
2. The mind is blank in the beginning. It is gradually filled up with
education, training, observation and experience - Knowledge is thus
attained. Each individual develops seperate levels of the mind {as life
proceeds - knowledge increases}
3. Ideas are generally sensed/perceived or reflected. Ideas are either simple
or complex.
4. Ideas & Facts are 2 different things
5. There are 2 kinds of feelings. One is genuine and the other is narcissistic.
When things are done to bring happiness to others – its genuine. When
things are done to showcase one’s talent or genius - that is a narcissistic
feeling. Take Music – When a musician plays to bring happiness to
others – it’s a good feeling (its genuine). When a musician is preoccupied
in displaying his skills and genius and has cheated the audience with this
thought – that’s a narcissistic feeling
6. Some are from NATURE - Some you NURTURE.....
7. There is no supernatural power. The good and the evil emerges out of the
extraordinary contribution and capabilities of human being
Cheers______
pensées :
thoughts :
1. Knowledge arises from experiences.
Findings or evidence are dependable on observation
2. The mind is blank in the beginning. It is gradually filled up with
education, training, observation and experience - Knowledge is thus
attained. Each individual develops seperate levels of the mind {as life
proceeds - knowledge increases}
3. Ideas are generally sensed/perceived or reflected. Ideas are either simple
or complex.
4. Ideas & Facts are 2 different things
5. There are 2 kinds of feelings. One is genuine and the other is narcissistic.
When things are done to bring happiness to others – its genuine. When
things are done to showcase one’s talent or genius - that is a narcissistic
feeling. Take Music – When a musician plays to bring happiness to
others – it’s a good feeling (its genuine). When a musician is preoccupied
in displaying his skills and genius and has cheated the audience with this
thought – that’s a narcissistic feeling
6. Some are from NATURE - Some you NURTURE.....
7. There is no supernatural power. The good and the evil emerges out of the
extraordinary contribution and capabilities of human being
Cheers______
The conking of Ranjan Das
Aujourd'hui est le troisième Décembre 2009
Thanks Ravi for pushing me to get rolling with a blog. So here you are :
I wanted to start with Ranjan :
Serials, seasons and episodes like Ranjan Das has a constant occurrence and substantiates my analysis, perceptions and observations. What Ranjan accomplished was through sheer hard work and determination - to make it happen. All of us dream but few can attain what Ranjan could. After all accomplishment is just like being pregnant - everybody congratulates you but nobody knows how many times you were screwed or raped ______________
We all want to have a dream and achieve it. We all want to become big. We all want to live our dream. Nothing wrong with that thought. After working hard for a X no of years and achieving what one dreamt _The time then comes to jump off the fast track.
The dilemma with us humans is that we don’t know when to stop. How much does a man require to lead a good life? [ a place of your own, a car, your house comfortably designed, your family, good friends, pursuing your dreams which is apart from your corporate dreams….and fulfilling them, a sense of achievement and above all a debt free life....} But then again we need to go on – even if our inner voice tells us to drop out of this race – probable because we ourselves become so in secured (even after all that achievements) or perhaps our surrounding eggs us on. Maybe we men think that our identity is established only when we work (the chair and the position becomes that person and somewhere the person himself is lost) and that we become a nobody the very day we stop going to office……
One can also dream of hanging one’s boot and telling the world ‘ I do nothing!’
And perhaps live a life devoted to family, see your kids wake up and go to sleep, see your kids grow, look after and give time to your and your wife’s parents, see also those great movies that one never had the time, go to a theatre, read those books lying in the shelves, learn to play the guitar, learn to cook, work for the benefit of human__ have a ball !
A part of our life goes away in our education, a part goes away in making our career, in building our infrastructure, in achieving our dreams and aspirations, in building our family, etc., a part should also be there to enjoy the 1st two parts that we worked hard for and achieved - and lastly a part should be left to die in peace.
Are we living our life or are we living for those 30 or 40 odd and weird contacts that we carry in our cell phone?
At the end ...and I have always wondered...is it really (really) worth it? For what use is it, if you have it all - and not be there to enjoy it?
Sorry you had to read all that rubbish - but one always has an option -
Cheers
DNN
Thanks Ravi for pushing me to get rolling with a blog. So here you are :
I wanted to start with Ranjan :
Serials, seasons and episodes like Ranjan Das has a constant occurrence and substantiates my analysis, perceptions and observations. What Ranjan accomplished was through sheer hard work and determination - to make it happen. All of us dream but few can attain what Ranjan could. After all accomplishment is just like being pregnant - everybody congratulates you but nobody knows how many times you were screwed or raped ______________
We all want to have a dream and achieve it. We all want to become big. We all want to live our dream. Nothing wrong with that thought. After working hard for a X no of years and achieving what one dreamt _The time then comes to jump off the fast track.
The dilemma with us humans is that we don’t know when to stop. How much does a man require to lead a good life? [ a place of your own, a car, your house comfortably designed, your family, good friends, pursuing your dreams which is apart from your corporate dreams….and fulfilling them, a sense of achievement and above all a debt free life....} But then again we need to go on – even if our inner voice tells us to drop out of this race – probable because we ourselves become so in secured (even after all that achievements) or perhaps our surrounding eggs us on. Maybe we men think that our identity is established only when we work (the chair and the position becomes that person and somewhere the person himself is lost) and that we become a nobody the very day we stop going to office……
One can also dream of hanging one’s boot and telling the world ‘ I do nothing!’
And perhaps live a life devoted to family, see your kids wake up and go to sleep, see your kids grow, look after and give time to your and your wife’s parents, see also those great movies that one never had the time, go to a theatre, read those books lying in the shelves, learn to play the guitar, learn to cook, work for the benefit of human__ have a ball !
A part of our life goes away in our education, a part goes away in making our career, in building our infrastructure, in achieving our dreams and aspirations, in building our family, etc., a part should also be there to enjoy the 1st two parts that we worked hard for and achieved - and lastly a part should be left to die in peace.
Are we living our life or are we living for those 30 or 40 odd and weird contacts that we carry in our cell phone?
At the end ...and I have always wondered...is it really (really) worth it? For what use is it, if you have it all - and not be there to enjoy it?
Sorry you had to read all that rubbish - but one always has an option -
Cheers
DNN
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