Do check out the hacking and gadget news on my tech group blog: http://pyrocracker.blogspot.com
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Change!
I went to agartala city after long and was surprised to see new showrooms of some popular brands have come up
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Pragmatic and real change
Recently, the Anna Hazare protests drew a lot of publicity. Initially, people rejected him as fluke but they are now hailing him now that he's successful. This is human hypocrisy- all want to be on winning side.
However, few know that the last time he went on strike, 400 Maharashtra officials were suspended, 6 ministers had to resign and the Maharashtra and central RTI act came to the form we know them today. He's result oriented. Random actions are of no use. Even fewer know he's an ex-armyman who also has been to war for the country.
You cannot change the system being in the system! Had Anna Hazare been a politician or had political ambitions or motives, people wouldn't have taken him seriously.
Today's confused youth must understand this and refrain from all student politics, drunken brawls, ego wars etc.. the only way that they can bring change is by being above the system- the peope who make the system-civil servants, the people in executive and judiciary.
There's a nuance to the Lokpal bill. Earlier the ruling congress or any other party never feared laws. They made them and broke them. But once a lion like T N Seshan, a top-notch IAS with excelent record, revamped the Election Commissioner's(EC) office, all are wary of a civil servants power. Anna Hazare has only prevented a weak law to be made and helped bring a stronger set of laws. BUT the real implementation will be by the civil servants. If we have people like T N Seshan, slain IPS Mehta and people like Anna Hazare(who bring the public out of illusion of news channels) then only we'll rock!!
JAI HIND!!
P.S: Much of the thoughts are my friends' that came out from a discussion some time back..
However, few know that the last time he went on strike, 400 Maharashtra officials were suspended, 6 ministers had to resign and the Maharashtra and central RTI act came to the form we know them today. He's result oriented. Random actions are of no use. Even fewer know he's an ex-armyman who also has been to war for the country.
You cannot change the system being in the system! Had Anna Hazare been a politician or had political ambitions or motives, people wouldn't have taken him seriously.
Today's confused youth must understand this and refrain from all student politics, drunken brawls, ego wars etc.. the only way that they can bring change is by being above the system- the peope who make the system-civil servants, the people in executive and judiciary.
There's a nuance to the Lokpal bill. Earlier the ruling congress or any other party never feared laws. They made them and broke them. But once a lion like T N Seshan, a top-notch IAS with excelent record, revamped the Election Commissioner's(EC) office, all are wary of a civil servants power. Anna Hazare has only prevented a weak law to be made and helped bring a stronger set of laws. BUT the real implementation will be by the civil servants. If we have people like T N Seshan, slain IPS Mehta and people like Anna Hazare(who bring the public out of illusion of news channels) then only we'll rock!!
JAI HIND!!
P.S: Much of the thoughts are my friends' that came out from a discussion some time back..
Friday, April 8, 2011
The enemy of my enemy is my enemy
In the recent fast by Anna Hazare, the BJP which has always talked about bringing back black money from tax havens backed out. Even in West bengal, Mamata bannerjee has political reasons to displace the left. But i'm sure she'll only abuse power when she achieves it. the left came to power in bengal years ago due to an oppressive congress government...
the only conclusion is that the enemy of my enemy need not be my friend. he's actually my enemy!
i do hate the left but i'm a realist..
the only conclusion is that the enemy of my enemy need not be my friend. he's actually my enemy!
i do hate the left but i'm a realist..
Saturday, March 5, 2011
absinth
now absinth's yellow in color so is mountain dew!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinth
pic in wikipedia:
i remember i started sooft drinks bcuz in school i felt i was "drinking" bottoms up!
Hiow poultry industry robs us!!
In bird flu season, black-marketed(not officially sold) chicken in almost 10 times cheaper. pardon me if i'm wrong. let this cost be"x".
Now in non-bird flu times, let the cost be "y"
but y >>x, y is much greater than x
but even in bird flu season, if someopne buys black-marketed chicken, then he's addicted to it. so definitely the trader is having a profit, though little.. he'll atleast try to break even.. on top of that, much of his poultry was culled by government, so he'll try to recover that cost..
so in a sense, chicken has a profir margin of around= 10*100%=1,000%
Now in non-bird flu times, let the cost be "y"
but y >>x, y is much greater than x
but even in bird flu season, if someopne buys black-marketed chicken, then he's addicted to it. so definitely the trader is having a profit, though little.. he'll atleast try to break even.. on top of that, much of his poultry was culled by government, so he'll try to recover that cost..
so in a sense, chicken has a profir margin of around= 10*100%=1,000%
College microfinance/ Peer-to-peer microfinance
This is a short micro-finance proposal for a college start-up funded by its entrepreneurship cell:
I borrowed money from a freind for a few weeks. Something struck me then, what about the introverts?? we can have a pawn shop based/ mortgae based on legal doc on which a student will be granted money for few weeks. Like watch etc..
Whatv say??
pardon my speellings as i'm typing this before this idea goes out...
I borrowed money from a freind for a few weeks. Something struck me then, what about the introverts?? we can have a pawn shop based/ mortgae based on legal doc on which a student will be granted money for few weeks. Like watch etc..
Whatv say??
pardon my speellings as i'm typing this before this idea goes out...
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Ambition v/s passion
I've been longing to write about it as soon as it became clear to me. i can write a lot about it & detail the whole thing up. However, recently my posts have become too long & people asked me to write shorter notes.
So, what exactly is ambition? Its an impure emotion. In its daily use, its what we want to do but therein lies the problem. Because what we want to do & do eventually, is many a times, influenced by our family, girlfriend/boyfriend or peer groups. Sometime back, I had the feeling that I'll do something worthwhile to show off some of my classmates back at school, who used to think they were they only good ones around. This is the flaw of the notion of ambition, in daily use. If you are successful, its the Bollywood flick, else you are Devdas. If you are unsuccessful, your ambition devours you. PERIOD.
But what is passion? Its your hobby, your avocation(hobby). There was some famous poem by Robert Frost, where he talks about how beautiful life would be if avocation(hobby) & vocation(profession) become the same. You can take thousand, no infinite failures in your stride & try again with the same effort you put the 1st day.
Exactly what is said in 3 Idiots, success k piche mat bhago, kaamyabi k piche bhago! farq nahi padhta ki success piche aaye na aye!
And Farhan Qureshi's words in the same movie that he'll at least be happy even if he earns less. His neighbours may well go to hell. as they really don't have a role to play...
So, what exactly is ambition? Its an impure emotion. In its daily use, its what we want to do but therein lies the problem. Because what we want to do & do eventually, is many a times, influenced by our family, girlfriend/boyfriend or peer groups. Sometime back, I had the feeling that I'll do something worthwhile to show off some of my classmates back at school, who used to think they were they only good ones around. This is the flaw of the notion of ambition, in daily use. If you are successful, its the Bollywood flick, else you are Devdas. If you are unsuccessful, your ambition devours you. PERIOD.
But what is passion? Its your hobby, your avocation(hobby). There was some famous poem by Robert Frost, where he talks about how beautiful life would be if avocation(hobby) & vocation(profession) become the same. You can take thousand, no infinite failures in your stride & try again with the same effort you put the 1st day.
Exactly what is said in 3 Idiots, success k piche mat bhago, kaamyabi k piche bhago! farq nahi padhta ki success piche aaye na aye!
And Farhan Qureshi's words in the same movie that he'll at least be happy even if he earns less. His neighbours may well go to hell. as they really don't have a role to play...
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Islam's super concept of boycott
Islam has always been projected in bad light by western media. Jihad means "striving" & western media distorted its meaning & used it for US sponsored violence by bin Laden and others. When in Egypt, they dared the guns & Molotov cocktails(fuel bombs), they showed what jihad is!! Now I dare King Abdullah to "cut the head off" any "snake"!
Sometime back, I remember roaming with a Muslim friend of mine. We were hungry but he asked me not to enter Haldiram, as its "haram". Its owner had got the poor tea-stall owner murdered, as he gave him competition. This is the way forward.
This is the season of change. Wikileaks started it. US is on the reform path- not due to politicians but citizens. So did Egypt. Come on guys. Let it go viral. NO VIOLENCE. ONLY QUESTIONS. ASK ALL YOU WANT YOUR HEART OUT.
A country is its citizens',
not its rulers,
else there's no difference between democracy monarchy or dictatorship
Sometime back, I remember roaming with a Muslim friend of mine. We were hungry but he asked me not to enter Haldiram, as its "haram". Its owner had got the poor tea-stall owner murdered, as he gave him competition. This is the way forward.
This is the season of change. Wikileaks started it. US is on the reform path- not due to politicians but citizens. So did Egypt. Come on guys. Let it go viral. NO VIOLENCE. ONLY QUESTIONS. ASK ALL YOU WANT YOUR HEART OUT.
A country is its citizens',
not its rulers,
else there's no difference between democracy monarchy or dictatorship
Lesser evil?!
This post is about CHOOSING among two wrongs- in other words choosing thelesser evil !
Its about Gandhi. He always lectured people on non-violence. Its common knowledge. But when he agreed to the British proposal that he would have Indians fight for the British(Allied forces) in return for them leaving India after the war, he violated his own so-called principles. He could very well have asked the Indian masses, whose respect he commanded, to fight against the British with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj ! And who knows, we might not even have witnessed partition!
Another thing, though a bit unrelated, must be stated here. Sometime back, I read somewhere, probably some article in the Times of India, that some Naga tribe had held off the Azad Hind Fauj (aka Indian National Army) along with the British during some onslaught during those world war days. Don't you think the journalists must be sensible so as not to write such things post-independence. It seems like a piece of yellow journalism. You might ask how? Here's the answer. During this year's Hornbill festival, some US diplomat or ambassador was the chief guest. They might be playing their cards with these journalists! Go figure it out...
Its about Gandhi. He always lectured people on non-violence. Its common knowledge. But when he agreed to the British proposal that he would have Indians fight for the British(Allied forces) in return for them leaving India after the war, he violated his own so-called principles. He could very well have asked the Indian masses, whose respect he commanded, to fight against the British with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj ! And who knows, we might not even have witnessed partition!
Another thing, though a bit unrelated, must be stated here. Sometime back, I read somewhere, probably some article in the Times of India, that some Naga tribe had held off the Azad Hind Fauj (aka Indian National Army) along with the British during some onslaught during those world war days. Don't you think the journalists must be sensible so as not to write such things post-independence. It seems like a piece of yellow journalism. You might ask how? Here's the answer. During this year's Hornbill festival, some US diplomat or ambassador was the chief guest. They might be playing their cards with these journalists! Go figure it out...
Boycott
I want to discuss here how the concept of boycott can be both used & misused.
The concept of satyagraha or boycott is a great concept. But it can easily be misused. I wanted to refrain from writing about it for the very same reason as a solution in my note "Social Dictatorship/Moral police" (read here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=180570371983386 )
Personally I've always disliked Gandhi but his idea of non-violence was great. I hated that notion too, until sometime back. Then I realized that violence only begets violence. So if you're against a better equipped or stronger enemy, non-violence is obviously the best route, from a totally businesslike point of view, disregarding all high & lofty philosophies.
The obvious question will be: If Gandhi's technique was so good, how can it be misused?
The answer is the Chauri-Chaura incident! During the non-violent movement led by Gandhi, at one point of time a mob got berserk & went on an out-and-out violent rampage & gave the British Raj what it deserved! But that's the point, a crowd/ a mob CAN'T think. A person CAN! A herd CANNOT think, an individual CAN! For those who have read Shakespeare's Julius Caesar or even the famous speech scene by Mark Antony at Caesar's funeral (in the play). [Here's a link to that speech: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=182639215109835 . If you want to read the whole play you can visit:http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1120 . Its copyright has run out & has been put in public domain.] Politicians have been doing the same for years! If if want to catch a master criminal, think like him. Both Professor Moriarty(Napoleon of crime) & Sherlock Holmes [thought unconventionally and] in a similar manner. Sherlock Holmes also said in one of his stories that had he not been a detective, he might have been a burglar ! Similarly to catch the politician off guard, we have to think like him/her.
I'll be pasting in brackets a part of my note Social Dictatorship & then put forward its solution by satyagraha & the pros and cons of such an approach:
[ Another example is a scene from No one killed Jessica, the reporter (Rani Mukherjee) cares about society, justice & such high and lofty ideals & ill treats her domestic help, who might even be a minor(child labour)! In real life Barkha Dutt is similar(2g scam)! I feel the middle class acted in the Jessica case it felt threatened from the rich & powerful. But what about the Rizwanur Rehman case?! Fans of SRK should feel good that he cancelled the ads he was to do for those criminals'(Todis' Lux undergarments) products; but he did it under pressure from fans' response. ;)What about Ruchika Gehrotra? Nothing happened to Inspector General of Police Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore because the middle class feels threatened as they aspire to loot 7 abuse from posh civil services jobs. That's why IPS Mehta's killers got away. And this mentality starts from as simple a thing as “ragging”. Today you bully, tomorrow you arson, the next day you kill! Its the truth. Its the mentality.]
The solution is total boycott. Shopkeepers should stop selling them essential commodities, vegetable sellers should also stop selling them grocery. Make them go without food. Now there are 2 questions that might come up here.
2. Vegetable sellers are poor. How will they survive?
Answer: There are marwadi sabhas, Jain sabhas, Ulemas, etc. that help people in times of difficulty. During festivals people shell out tens to a few hundreds as "chanda"(subscription to puja functions). A locality has around some 10,000 people. Each person putting in just Re.1 monthly will do the trick. How many families go above Rs.10,000 per month on groceries?!
1. How can it be misused? (This is of greater interest)
Answer: What do the khap panchayats(in Haryana) or such mob justice/ mafia justice systems do?! MURDER AS PER PUBLIC OPINION.
Similar instances: SATI; WITCH HUNTING IN JHARKHAND;..........
So, in effect, I think that any such mass implementations don't work.
Reason?
Few people control the thinking(castrate the thinking) of other people in the crowd! That's why we're in such a mess today.
My only earnest request: THINK. THINK. THINK
The concept of satyagraha or boycott is a great concept. But it can easily be misused. I wanted to refrain from writing about it for the very same reason as a solution in my note "Social Dictatorship/Moral police" (read here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=180570371983386 )
Personally I've always disliked Gandhi but his idea of non-violence was great. I hated that notion too, until sometime back. Then I realized that violence only begets violence. So if you're against a better equipped or stronger enemy, non-violence is obviously the best route, from a totally businesslike point of view, disregarding all high & lofty philosophies.
The obvious question will be: If Gandhi's technique was so good, how can it be misused?
The answer is the Chauri-Chaura incident! During the non-violent movement led by Gandhi, at one point of time a mob got berserk & went on an out-and-out violent rampage & gave the British Raj what it deserved! But that's the point, a crowd/ a mob CAN'T think. A person CAN! A herd CANNOT think, an individual CAN! For those who have read Shakespeare's Julius Caesar or even the famous speech scene by Mark Antony at Caesar's funeral (in the play). [Here's a link to that speech: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=182639215109835 . If you want to read the whole play you can visit:http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1120 . Its copyright has run out & has been put in public domain.] Politicians have been doing the same for years! If if want to catch a master criminal, think like him. Both Professor Moriarty(Napoleon of crime) & Sherlock Holmes [thought unconventionally and] in a similar manner. Sherlock Holmes also said in one of his stories that had he not been a detective, he might have been a burglar ! Similarly to catch the politician off guard, we have to think like him/her.
I'll be pasting in brackets a part of my note Social Dictatorship & then put forward its solution by satyagraha & the pros and cons of such an approach:
[ Another example is a scene from No one killed Jessica, the reporter (Rani Mukherjee) cares about society, justice & such high and lofty ideals & ill treats her domestic help, who might even be a minor(child labour)! In real life Barkha Dutt is similar(2g scam)! I feel the middle class acted in the Jessica case it felt threatened from the rich & powerful. But what about the Rizwanur Rehman case?! Fans of SRK should feel good that he cancelled the ads he was to do for those criminals'(Todis' Lux undergarments) products; but he did it under pressure from fans' response. ;)What about Ruchika Gehrotra? Nothing happened to Inspector General of Police Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore because the middle class feels threatened as they aspire to loot 7 abuse from posh civil services jobs. That's why IPS Mehta's killers got away. And this mentality starts from as simple a thing as “ragging”. Today you bully, tomorrow you arson, the next day you kill! Its the truth. Its the mentality.]
The solution is total boycott. Shopkeepers should stop selling them essential commodities, vegetable sellers should also stop selling them grocery. Make them go without food. Now there are 2 questions that might come up here.
2. Vegetable sellers are poor. How will they survive?
Answer: There are marwadi sabhas, Jain sabhas, Ulemas, etc. that help people in times of difficulty. During festivals people shell out tens to a few hundreds as "chanda"(subscription to puja functions). A locality has around some 10,000 people. Each person putting in just Re.1 monthly will do the trick. How many families go above Rs.10,000 per month on groceries?!
1. How can it be misused? (This is of greater interest)
Answer: What do the khap panchayats(in Haryana) or such mob justice/ mafia justice systems do?! MURDER AS PER PUBLIC OPINION.
Similar instances: SATI; WITCH HUNTING IN JHARKHAND;..........
So, in effect, I think that any such mass implementations don't work.
Reason?
Few people control the thinking(castrate the thinking) of other people in the crowd! That's why we're in such a mess today.
My only earnest request: THINK. THINK. THINK
Friday, January 21, 2011
Social Dictatorship/Moral police
[In this post I'm detailing my thought process in analysing this topic. Feel free to skip the part in brackets, where I'm discussing digressing from the main flow of discussion.]
Recently I had a heated discussion with a friend on the present social system in India. For the next few days, after much deliberation, these points came to my mind & I present it to you. We were discussing on whether we need any “control systems” or moral police as such, if the actions are perfectly legal under the laws of the land. I was vehemently opposed to it but still couldn't reason out with him because it was not a “debate”. In a debate, the other party has to “listen” to his opponent's point of view. And it was not a competitive debate- it was a debate to find a solution or to explore available options. The moral police in this case happened to be institutionalised “ragging”(bullying) by seniors with college backing that happens in virtually every college, especially engineering college in India. And the worst ragging occurs in our “great” NDA where people are trained to be corrupt or to be one of Gandhi's monkeys. Those who realise, leave after their mandatory years of service in the army. Those who idolise the army, naxalites or any such other people, let me tell you “violence be gets violence”. The army of no country is just. If you have doubts read Arthashastra by Chanakya or The Art of War by Sun Tzu. (By the way, I've only read a bit of these or heard their quotations, some of which are very popular; in case you question my qualification to criticise the army, terrorists, etc. For example the quote: “Keep your friends and your enemies closer” is from The Art of War & had been used in Prakash Jha's recent hit movie Raajneeti: “raajneeti me....dushmano ko bhi kareeb rakhna padta hai.”)
[And its not just this, its the whole attitude of Indian society. I am not commenting here on non-Indian systems simply because I've not been there. From my readings, i do infer we are far better in political & social terms. We have the most open webspace around the world; we DID NOT BLOCK wikileaks. People who admire the west should read how FBI was tracking their naturalised citizen Oppenheimer, who was the father of the atom bomb project.]
This is not the only unofficial social institution. Such institutions include peer groups, the nasty clique/coteries of schools, college & workplaces; our institutionalised dogmatic religion; political systems & cults like Church of Scientology, communism, etc. The peer groups force people into trouble & make the “mentally weaker” ones follow them. “Oh! You have never smoked?! Never drunk? (Never this, that.......) You are a sissy/pussy! (Everyone would laugh to please the group.) ” I ask any abused to let me have a face to face discussion with one of the bullies once. They will literally piss in their pants! WHAT THE FUCK?! What I do is my sole discretion. Fuck off! As simple as that. “Mai aap ruchi khaunga bhi, Aur ehnunga, oodhunga bhi..Mai par ruchi kuch nahi karunga!” People who say its being unsocial or ant-social, tell them this: “Lord Krishna said only if you're happy, can you make others happy!(I'm not making this up)” Its this bloody herd mentality that's dragging us down. This is famously quoted as the 'middle class” mentality in newspapers. To substantiate I'll quote from 2 recent movies. In 3 idiots, Farhaan Qureshi's father says, “ So Rancho is still brainwashing you...”. I feel 3 idiots is a socially relevant movie. Remove the comic timings, its an art film. 5 point someone is actually quite gloomy & morale killing but kudos to Amir's team(though I feel that Chetan Bhagat deserved more credit for 3 idiots; story's same only styleof narration is different). Another example is a scene from No one killed Jessica, the reporter (Rani Mukherjee) cares about society, justice & such high and lofty ideals & ill treats her domestic help, who might even be a minor(child labour)! In real life Barkha Dutt is similar(2g scam)! I feel the middle class acted in the Jessica case it felt threatened from the rich & powerful. But what about the Rizwanur Rehman case?! Fans of SRK should feel good that he cancelled the ads he was to do for those criminals'(Todis' Lux undergarments) products; but he did it under pressure from fans' response. ;)What about Ruchika Gehrotra? Nothing happened to Inspector General of Police Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore because the middle class feels threatened as they aspire to loot 7 abuse from posh civil services jobs. That's why IPS Mehta's killers got away. And this mentality starts from as simple a thing as “ragging”. Today you bully, tomorrow you arson, the next day you kill! Its the truth. Its the mentality.
So the discussion I was having was about ragging. I am a vehement opponent. I was never “ragged” as such & i feel its abused by students and corrupt members of administration(E.g: NIT Durgapur, BHU case recently). Take the institution of army for example. But there aare people who stand up against it. I did; some of my friends did against ragging our juniors. I've seen many seniors of mine doing the same. The army corruption scandals are exposed my army men only. These are the few good men!
My point of view is that in your locality do people younger to you salute you, bow down or even wish you?! So why should your juniors at college! My friend said, if you are spared the rod, the child is spoiled! We need a patriarch to control us! There I felt the biggest threat to democracy & the seeds of dictatorship are in the smallest social unit- the family. In certain families, one is controlled by others. Similar happens in relationships & marriages as well! In India if someone divorces, then they are supposed to be be of improper character! WTF! Its legal; what the fuck do the moral police try to bring in their rules. If I start listing their personal lives, its a murky story altogether. They DO NOT practice what they preach. Charity begins at home, so does social structure. People now will say this is western culture & not ours. So here's my answer for those half-educated intellectuals: “The present notion of not questioning elders' intentions is plain hypocrisy! Its a dark hybrid of our true Vedic philosophy. [Hinduism & Buddhism (& Jainism) are not religions per se, but philosophies. One just has to have an open mind. Even otherwise, our “religion” doesn't instruct us what to do or what is right but leaves it to the proper judge- our conscience. Religion, political philosophy or anything else shouldn't control us. We know best. God doesn't do anything, we do- whether good or bad. He just gives us the same unbiased rules of Nature. Else would there be anything imperfect?! The Vedas, Quran or Bible don't law down rules & even they are penned by humans. If they are God's word, even then it doesn't have rules per se. We interpret it thus. Jihad means “striving” & the present meaning is distorted from its original Quran meaning by western media. And it was the west, especially USA, who funded the first jihadis! If you're obsessed with ideas, laws or philosophies people can easily exploit you.] Buddhism & Vedic religion ask people to debate, question and be active in shaping politics through these discussions. Ashoka frames rules for religious debating, in which only rule was you cannot insult others & their religions.(Read Amartya Sen's The Argumentative Indian if you don't believe me.) Monarchy tanashahi hi hoti hai. Ram rajya kuch nahi hota!Bas apna dimaag khula rakho, suno phir socho ki sahi hai ya galat. Par suno to sahi khule dimaag se, without any bias!”
Actually most are not bad, but get influenced by these false rhetorics of the peer groups. People think, why have you been endowed with a brain?! A friend of mine said that we don't want to bow to people in power but are forced to else will be at a loss. Its the exact truth. If people stand up en mass & just say NO, things change. Things are done non-violently. To stop ragging or for any other social change you don't beat them up or rusticate them. You try to change them & do stop them, not try to stop.! And on a ending note, I think our country needs qualified & open-minded counsellors & psychologists and psychiatrists with medical ethics whom people could consult to avoid falling prey to these peer groups.
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