tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63434067403882352772024-03-13T05:14:43.731+05:30Reckless Musings (?)THIS BLOG IS A SENSITIVE TAKE ON EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND US LARGELY CONCERNING SOCIAL ISSUES AND AN OCCASIONAL CURRENT EVENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-72925546502630928402023-07-27T05:52:00.011+05:302023-07-27T05:55:01.618+05:30Women's safety and Flying Camera phones!!!<p><u> A Wonderful post copied from Digital Messiah</u></p><p><b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;">Have you heard of Flying camera Phones? </span>Chances are that many of you did not!</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Smart phone cameras are really getting smarter with every passing model. Resolutions have been bumped up to 300 MP as on date with telescopic and digital zooms hovering around 10x and 100x respectively. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While the resolution is not much of a problem from the safety point of view, the ever increasing zoom levels are a definite cause of concern. You never really know who is watching you from far away and worse, you never know who is recording you with a high end camera phone. So many videos leaked online are a testament to this. How are they getting linked online? Well that is the subject of another post. The main issue right now is that women's safety is under serious threat from this high zoom level.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While that issue is still not even flagged as a threat, let alone be addressed, companies are planning to introduce flying cameras that will take off from your mobile phones!!! Just like a mini drone. Till now, the maximum innovation in the camera mechanism (not to be confused with the resolution or zoom level) was that we had cameras that pop up from the body and swivel 360 degrees. In comparison, this new tech of flying cameras is like from another planet!!!! The complete camera setup will take off much like a quadcopter and fly for as long as the battery permits. See pics below</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbv9OY-XGxTw4JLMVUnq1qPhzlEWl-xEnLItas3mmIYuX3ih7AUOBskHWzXR3cQVdiXh2j-d4ZWPjwKeC-ZzKFZDFyMhcwtOK4PI9wgPPdYeQbRK0syqGCZhxEmeGB50jh-EJlBdKXbSLb6s1Jhy_k6dczDsXMNi7etA7xG15zfOgdmuBqWRpU638NEk/s2316/jonathan-lampel-L9wrEGJjRdo-unsplash.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #37afc0; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5XoZx82GC4GjwygXZcqf0bwRonvoiW3VHrEf2UEERSdqVbLsbcLzmwYs5AxCi3MJYf39iODzamW41EWv1KUhZzFQer8V7CTiK6WUqt9FaOywGMn70iyF03PyCEdqiUHvppDzn9ZVfao8mD5AtbAML--69pMz6DM8gQL_hVRyrwdoUBEAiZ7ExqI1Kv8/s1125/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-07-23%20at%201.59.30%20PM.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #37afc0; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1080" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5XoZx82GC4GjwygXZcqf0bwRonvoiW3VHrEf2UEERSdqVbLsbcLzmwYs5AxCi3MJYf39iODzamW41EWv1KUhZzFQer8V7CTiK6WUqt9FaOywGMn70iyF03PyCEdqiUHvppDzn9ZVfao8mD5AtbAML--69pMz6DM8gQL_hVRyrwdoUBEAiZ7ExqI1Kv8/w143-h149/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-07-23%20at%201.59.30%20PM.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="143" /></a> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FrOPVO4LUSg2T5Jsynd5EyXa6xZ9vFzuPUWTSt_1ARBzsFaDBgenU1SLrDpz1lejN3_fdX0x2QHKaraIwfkibOFvf7LRxWn6nlpdakWg_L8sGRRP70kG5beP2lMqc2ezFpPoixGvu7sWj6AVfhJKzC9uInxYrT4qWREb08GeNJBttE9qEveGGNVrMj8/s1080/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-07-23%20at%201.58.49%20PM.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #37afc0; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1080" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FrOPVO4LUSg2T5Jsynd5EyXa6xZ9vFzuPUWTSt_1ARBzsFaDBgenU1SLrDpz1lejN3_fdX0x2QHKaraIwfkibOFvf7LRxWn6nlpdakWg_L8sGRRP70kG5beP2lMqc2ezFpPoixGvu7sWj6AVfhJKzC9uInxYrT4qWREb08GeNJBttE9qEveGGNVrMj8/w159-h120/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-07-23%20at%201.58.49%20PM.jpeg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="159" /></a><img alt="Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@jonlampel?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Jonathan Lampel</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/L9wrEGJjRdo?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>" border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="2316" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbv9OY-XGxTw4JLMVUnq1qPhzlEWl-xEnLItas3mmIYuX3ih7AUOBskHWzXR3cQVdiXh2j-d4ZWPjwKeC-ZzKFZDFyMhcwtOK4PI9wgPPdYeQbRK0syqGCZhxEmeGB50jh-EJlBdKXbSLb6s1Jhy_k6dczDsXMNi7etA7xG15zfOgdmuBqWRpU638NEk/w141-h141/jonathan-lampel-L9wrEGJjRdo-unsplash.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" title="Conventional Quadcopter drone" width="141" /></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> Flying Mobile cameras - </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Artist's impressions</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Conventional</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Quadcopter </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> (Single turbine) </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Quad turbine) </span><span style="font-family: arial;">(Photo by Jonathan Lampel) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So, for all practical purposes a mini drone will take off from your mobile which you can control from your mobile itself. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>See its wonderful pros</b>:-</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1. You don't have to carry a big drone with you,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2. There is no separate controller,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Expected to be vastly cheaper than a high end mobile + conventional drone (as user expected to buy a smart phone for his personal needs anyway),</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Users may become more creative with their videos with aerial shots.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>On the cons front:-</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Conventional drone is a costly equipment registered to a licensed operator which makes each drone traceable. This provides the security that may become absent in flying cameras from mobiles as tying a camera to a mobile may be practically impossible in present business model (though technologically possible). In addition, camera modules may be available as spares for these mobiles and there is no way, one can keep track of spares. The pre-owned segment where records are not kept is also a major problem here.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>2. These flying cams are extremely detrimental to women's security as these can keep flying anywhere from wash rooms ventilators to bed rooms windows to stair cases for up-skirt views etc without fear of persecution. The list is endless. Sometimes, we may be able to take a swipe at the flying camera and bring it down but it would have transmitted its images anyway. Men will risk losing a replaceable camera module for the footage of women they can get for fun/blackmail or to create a scandal. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. These flying cameras are primarily being made for users to get aerial shots and we can assume they will go minimum 20-30 metres into the air. If that is taken as the range, anyone can intrude into the private spaces of anyone within that range in an apartment block, hotel or school etc.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As this is a work in progress, Women must make a strong case for themselves against this needless invention, with emphasis on the following:-</span></p><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><b>Option 1</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1. These cameras must not be made available commercially as they are not for the good of anyone. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2. If required the R&D may be shelfed at this point itself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: red; font-family: arial;">Option 2 - In case market considerations overtake concerns on Women's safety</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">1. All the flying camera modules must be tied to the IMEI number of the phone. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Mobile phones to come with 3-4 spare camera modules - all tied to the IMEI number. No further spares to be provided.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Limit the maximum range of operation to 5 metres which is good enough for over head shots, which is the main stated purpose of these devices.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Pursue stringent legal safe guards to deter people from using them in apartment complexes, offices , malls etc.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">5. Make them prohibitively expensive so that only a few people have them, which makes identification also easier.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">6. These should be tagged in the pre-owned market also i.e from the birth to death of the phone, so that the exact ownership details of the flying camera are always available.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">7. And any other measure that will enhance the safety of Women.<br /></span><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">To all the Women out there - It's an uphill and no easy task but this is one battle that you need to fight because this technology will cause mayhem in your lives if left unchecked!!!</span></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://forms.gle/v2HJkhhpkgxVRENi8" style="background: transparent; color: #37afc0; text-decoration-line: none;">Please take this survey to garner support for the changes that you wish to see</a></span></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://forms.gle/v2HJkhhpkgxVRENi8" style="background: transparent; color: #37afc0; text-decoration-line: none;">CLICK HERE TO TAKE SURVEY</a></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: #f3fdfe; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div>common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-64557729860644509292019-12-20T08:25:00.001+05:302019-12-20T08:25:43.263+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE2X-MyDZGdApE50PsDxjNTgbhnOJCfWf2id9JVNivBHLQ0L0ofEmgmNySdmK8Hq9oZ9aVLj0sWhMP2cIP54GfGW9R7IrGCtaJQMIdmsf7T0JS7eZxBpXs-nTUvsCFugb8UzBAciu33V1/s1600/My+Post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE2X-MyDZGdApE50PsDxjNTgbhnOJCfWf2id9JVNivBHLQ0L0ofEmgmNySdmK8Hq9oZ9aVLj0sWhMP2cIP54GfGW9R7IrGCtaJQMIdmsf7T0JS7eZxBpXs-nTUvsCFugb8UzBAciu33V1/s640/My+Post.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-5397785734339736442019-02-03T22:15:00.002+05:302019-02-03T23:35:50.035+05:30mobile phones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I bought a Nokia windows phone for my wife three years back for valentine's day at rupees 12000($185). I wanted to change it for this valentines so went to the mobile shops for an exchange offer. Most of the shops refused to take it back. One shop offered me rupees 400($6) and another rupees 800($12) against purchase of a new phone costing rupees 19500 ($300).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then i have realised that a fully working phone bought for 12000rs has become next to worthless in 3 years.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn-Hkox6irkvFyuZw-NmBMY0GmfIDwbLjvRrZzvkFnl6tNoLDyPsjRuTymtbrMMIblMOX9Z7Zot-inyXV7BIL38WV9tM3JXIDV1mMoR5MuJLobXKRdM33I4YwjmNN2v_oKB8bJ9r62mw7/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2019-02-03+at+10.10.45+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Nokia" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="716" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn-Hkox6irkvFyuZw-NmBMY0GmfIDwbLjvRrZzvkFnl6tNoLDyPsjRuTymtbrMMIblMOX9Z7Zot-inyXV7BIL38WV9tM3JXIDV1mMoR5MuJLobXKRdM33I4YwjmNN2v_oKB8bJ9r62mw7/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2019-02-03+at+10.10.45+PM.jpeg" title="" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nokia 550</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It also struck me how these phones are silently eating into our budgets. In the last 5 years i changed 4 phones and my wife & teenaged daughter 2 each. That is 8 phones in all. Considering each costs about 13k rupees ($200) on the lower side that is more than a lakh rupees ($1600) in five years or about 20k per year. This sum multiplies 4-5 times if high end phones are used by the family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Imagine an Iphone which retailed for 35k 3-4 years back is worthless now as no one wants it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As per open source reports, our country had imports of more than twice our population in the last 6-8 years with majority of the sales going to chinese XIAOMI or HUAWEI or SAMSUNG or other foreign manufacturers. So we are not only denting our pockets but also filling the coffers of foreign telecom companies. We have far more phones than there are toilets in the country!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And - what is happening to all the e-waste we are generating?? Where is it getting dumped?? Also a lot of rare earth metals are being used up to manufacture these new smart phones, the excavation of which is reported to be causing significant ecological damage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is where the government can consider stepping in and introducing some regulation both to safe guard us from our own spending and the environmental damage this buying spree is doing. This is one regulation which needs to be implemented in current times than several other archaic ones in force.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But can it be done?? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#mobiles</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#china</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#xiaomi</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#huawei</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#india</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#imports</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#family</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#i-phone </span><br />
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-25523400420729903392019-01-31T21:01:00.002+05:302019-02-01T07:14:33.535+05:30Farmers Water drought and Government aid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">The central government has been kind enough to grant about 4700 crores to Maharashtra in India as drought relief. The state had asked for about 7200 crores. As aid given to farmers is presumed to cover bare neccessities only, the amount can be safely doubled if we have to ensure a reasonable dignity of living which may come to about 15k crores.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Maharashtra has about 11 million hectares under sugar cane cultivation which is extremely water intensive and has produced about 8 million tonnes of sugar per year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">How did we reach these high production figures. Sugar cane is a good crop for farmers as it is quite weather proof and the buyers(mill owners) are assured, that too at government controlled prices. This led to further improvements in agriculture and the seeds which led to bumper harvests which exceeded the demand and there were no takers for the surplus. Consequently farmers went unpaid and led to hardship!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">To put this in perspective we need to look at sugar statistics. A tonne of sugar fetches about 15k for a farmer so the 8 million produced would fetch about 12,000 crores for the farmer. As it seems that is less than what the farmer needs to be paid for just a reasonable level of dignity in living.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then what is the point in this high production figures. They are sucking up all our water resources and not even giving any ROI (return on investment) to our farmers. Won't it be saner to import sugar (like advanced nations) and let our farmers grow more sustainable agriculture like paddy, vegetables etc. This not only saves our water but also ensures that a farmer never starves as even in the worst condition he can live off his own produce. The importance of agriculture cannot be more emphasized. Of course, the people at the present sugar factories also need to be taken care of so that their lives are not affected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two of the largest importers in the world at No 1 and No 3 are China and United States respectively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why they are not growing their own??? Think of it!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Disclaimer - the Statistics quoted by me may not be accurate - but accurate statistics about sugar cane are not my point - My point is - How do we save water for ourselves and our future generations!! </i></span></div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-59406449945495161982019-01-29T21:50:00.000+05:302019-02-01T07:18:38.430+05:30Farmers and Water Drought<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Our neighbour hood sage predicted two things in 1950:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. India and China would be two new super powers in the next century and thereafter India will be the only super power.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Water will be costlier than petrol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Needless to say everyone laughed - Me too included, when I heard of it in 1980. India as a super power was unimaginable in 1980. All that changed with the introduction of the computers to India on a large scale by Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Though the first computer came to india in the 1950's, the scale at which Shri Rajiv Gandhi pushed computers on the common man revolutionised India to a point, where it is now on the cusp of being a super power. So the prophecy may come true after all!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But our post is not about this prophecy. It is about the worrying prospect of the second prophecy coming true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In some ways we have already reached there, with a litre of premium drinking water costing about $7 or Rs 420 in India. Even the cheapest drinking water costs about Rs 15 for one litre bottle. There are millions of households utilising water cans of 20 litres selling for about 40-100 rupees each. Apart from this, there is a huge marketing chain of water purifiers, replacement filters and their maintenance contracts etc. So water vertical is in itself a huge business driving the water shortage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In addition, there is the textile industry, leather industry and water intensive crops such as sugar cane etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">According to one study, 30 billion litres of water is used annually by the leather industry. Considering that an average person requires just 30 litres of water in a day, this is a huge huge requirement of the industry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the textile industry, every kilogram of textile produced uses about 100 litres of water. India consistently produced 1300 million tonnes of cloth every year in recent times. You can imagine the water requirement.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Apart from the problem of consuming drinking water, this water gets contaminated with pollutants and chemicals and if improperly disposed would lead to contamination of remaining water also.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In addition there are water intensive crops like sugar cane which bleed an area dry of its water. A farmer may get about 5 lakhs per acre from the sugar cane but this has to be seen against the millions of litres of ground water it consumes for the same. Indian exports alone are between 3-5 million tonnes and therefore the water utilised could be again huge.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And we are one of the top exporters of textiles, leather goods and sugar cane!!!! Does that ring a bell?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">THINK ABOUT IT </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#India</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#water </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#water shortage</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#leather</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#textiles</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#sugar cane</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#computers</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
#Rajiv Gandhi</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-43892850746025797152019-01-23T21:24:00.002+05:302019-01-23T21:30:14.857+05:30Tirumala Tirupati venkateswara swamy darshan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<title> Tirumala Tirupati venkateswara swamy darshan </title>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am reposting an old post of mine as a tribute to Lord venkateswara in the year 2019 and with a view to be of some assistance to his devotees</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">This was my third visit to Tirupati. The first was after my marriage where we hardly had any time to know what was happening around us. The second was for the 'mundan' ceremony (of giving the birth hair to the Lord) of my first child and that too passed away with little time to understand the setting. This third visit of mine for the 'mundan' ceremony of my second child was far more enlightening. To begin with, I was amazed by the scale and the grandeur of the entrance to the abode. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDStJSe_rzNARJ4HDIbztd9LnNUM_pcPdctD783mpjikJEKfcEGwPevJ2IAam448apWwuDOBvD1-ZpT2NwER3qbj_UnQo9hk6HST64Du8CVZti86RYsCrMoKlSjkl8HlbiKlpS48uTLIH5/s320/untitled.JPG" width="320" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It was one of the grandest entrances that I have seen and was truly spectacular. As we progressed our journey to Tirumala I was struck by the roads which were so neat and tidy and to top it there were no pot holes at all. The concerned department must be working very hard to ensure this. I also for the first time in my life saw the sign "No open Urination - Fine Rs/-25". It was mind boggling to see such a sign in our country where this practice is so prevalent - atleast the major cities could take a cue from this. On reaching our destination I was fascinated by the use of technology to root out corruption!!! Yes you read right - to root out corruption!!!. To understand better I will explain how our room was reserved. At the local TTD counter in our city I booked a room online. The clerk took my photo using a webcam and took my forefinger impression on a finger print scanner. When I reached Tirumala, my photo and finger print were already in the computer of the reception and the clerk there again took my photo using a web camera and my finger print using a finger print scanner. After verifying that both are same, my room was allotted. Such a wonderful system obviously leaves no scopes for middlemen, agents or touts in room allottment. But as all the rooms are not allotted online there is still some scope for the operations of these people in the rooms that are allotted on the spot. Well things cant be too perfect!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Then there was this ceremony of mundan where the waiting time in the free kalyankatta (the place where the mundan is performed) was upwards of six hours. The Temple administration had opened a few more kalyankattas which charge a small fee of Rs/-10. We managed our ceremony in about half an hour. Thereafter we went for darshan. It was very heartening to see that the administration have commenced a seperate darshan for children of less than one year old (along with father n mother) called Supadham darshan. Incidentally Supadham darshan is also for Defence, TTD employees, Newly weds and NRI's also. It was nice of TTD board to extend this facility to these categories especially the Defence as they are guarding our country's borders and therefore may have limited time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Inside the line there was a fair amount of pushing and pulling but once we entered the temple the rush was too much. The day I went I realised how stampedes take place during religious processions. It was totally mindless of the people because they waited in the queue for 7-10 hours but they could not wait another 5-10 minutes for the people in front to have a peaceful darshan and they themselves have the same. However, such common sense like someone said is not very common and therefore the stampede like situation continued right into the sanctum sanctorum from where the Temple ushers took over in moving crowds forward.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">The Sight of the Lord was divine and I was mesmerised for that few seconds I could manage to stand in front of him.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Thereafter I was unceremoniously pulled aside by a Temple usher and I moved out. I looked for the Hundi inside but could not find it. As I came out I saw huge signs reading 'SriVari Hundi' and went there to give my offerings. After the offerings I took the prasad and also went to collect my laddus from the laddu counters. I was quite impressed by the notice in front of every counter (about 40 of them) mentioning the weight of the Laddu and that each devotee is free to measure the weight if in doubt. And believe you me - they installed a digital weighing machine outside every counter. This is another use of technology to curb any malpractices in laddu making (this gains even more significance from the recent event which had come to light where the executive officer of a Temple provided underweight laddus to the devotes over a period of one year without being detected!!).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">The collection of the laddu technically marked the completion of our sojourn and we returned back to our room after having dinner. Peculiarly Meals are not available in most of the guest/rest houses of TTD and one has to perforce go to the nearest restaurant which would most of the time be too crowded though the rates are economical. The temple also serves meals to everyone (Anna Danam to reportedly about 40-50,000 people every day)at designated places. I also saw refreshments being given free of cost to people standing in the queue.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">All in all, I returned from this trip as a happy man. Whatever little misconceptions that I had about mal practices in Tirupati management were reasonably dispelled by what I observed this time, atleast in the events that concern a common man (as I am not enlightened enough to comment on bigger games played there). I sure look forward to my next trip...</span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-76057483025676104082019-01-21T23:24:00.002+05:302019-01-22T00:35:24.610+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My car has electrically adjustable outer rear view mirrors - or ORVM's as they call them. My car cleaner regularly tilts them anyway he wishes when he cleans the car mirrors. Today while at a traffic signal i realised that my mirrors were awry and adjusted my left one first and then my right. as soon as i adjusted my right a beam of white light hit my eys through the ORVM. On a second look i realised that it was a 2 wheeler fitted with a HiD light.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The light was so bright and 'so in my eyes' that i could not look at that side at all. Then i remembered my old post about HiD lights. Nothing has changed and they still continue to be a menace on the streets. It is high time the transport ministry did something about it!!!!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">my old post</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">-------------- </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
recently read that a high end car to be launched on the Indian roads is
going to have Laser assisted lighting. I immediately wondered about
the plight of the poor pedestrians on the road who may get fried by
these lasers!!!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some
people looked at me condescendingly and explained that its a new form
of technology - that the lasers by themselves dont light up the road -
they light up a gas and the illuminated gas lights up the road - its too
complex for laymen like me to understand etc etc.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well
I may not understand all that high end tech but even as a layman, i
know that most of our cars are equipped to be fitted only with the
ubiquitos yellow bulb. For some time even halogen bulbs were considered
illegal (I think they still are). Then came the fully illegal HID kits
and later OEM fitted HID lights on high end cars. As if all that was
not enough, someone designed these high tech laser lights.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lasers
when misalligned can cause dangers to people in front of them but as
Laser lights are still too far away to be available freely on the
streets, let us examine the immediate danger i.e HID lights.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTHuzj-fWTGVEmgeF5OyIt9d_s2e0pEJOuSY6g1kdKCeXIERSv_dkmU0aflP3NQC4z3C_KgE6RsRM9bGlr2OFCnqvkQSz8MtmiNJwnY_r5nt8acDZoN-jEPERS3I2-SssHU_TiIjgJixR/s1600/hid.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTHuzj-fWTGVEmgeF5OyIt9d_s2e0pEJOuSY6g1kdKCeXIERSv_dkmU0aflP3NQC4z3C_KgE6RsRM9bGlr2OFCnqvkQSz8MtmiNJwnY_r5nt8acDZoN-jEPERS3I2-SssHU_TiIjgJixR/s1600/hid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">HID
stands for High intensity discharge and these bulbs are now being
installed as a standard fit on some luxury cars and as an after market
fitment for many other cars. The advantages are as follows:-</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. They draw lower power</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. They last a longer time</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Higher illumination and resultant higher range</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Cool white glow with bluish tinge</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Better night time visibility - so more safer</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But look at the disadvantages:-</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Use inert gas so they place a strain on environment</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. May leak into sorrounding environment or into the car</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Misalligned HID after market kits may not illuminate roads properly and may cause accidents</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4.Blue light may cause problem in foggy/low visibility conditions </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Excessive heating up due to poor heat dissipation </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">but the more important ones are :-</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. HID LIGHTS GIVE OUT A BLINDING WHITE LIGHT THAT REFLECTS VERY BADLY IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU</b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. THEY TOTALLY BLIND THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF YOU ESPECIALLY IF THE BULBS ARE MISALLIGNED</b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. THEY SUBSTANTIALLY BLIND THE TRAFFIC FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION</b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">as
you can see, the disadvantages weigh far in excess of the advantages.
Its time companies rethink on OEM fitment of HID lamps & Laser
lamps. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They
could concentrate on LED lighting as they are more cost effective,
cooler (as all heat is used up to light up only) and safer!!!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lastly - if you still have a compulsive urge to install HID kit for your car then -</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1.
do not install bi-xenon kits where there is a HID lamp for both low and
high beams. HID on high beam can be very disconcerting and blinding for
traffic in opposite direction and may cause accidents which could
involve you also</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Install HID for low beam only</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. For high beam, use conventional yellow bulb (preferable) or halogen </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy driving to you and those in your opposite direction!!!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-83512117459656976802019-01-20T20:43:00.000+05:302019-02-01T07:17:55.401+05:30Tryst with an Air India staffer and need for National character building<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It was my transit flight from Vizag to Mumbai by Air India flight. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">'Air India' - you may be exclaiming😄😄
but all said and done I find that Air India flights have maximum leg room for the common people like me in
economy class (except the Neo's ofcourse which in my opinion are most
passenger unfriendly aircraft - but that is
another topic altogether).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The flight arrival was before time as was also indicated by the flightaware software on my phone and boarding was also announced before
time. As usual we were all in a queue to board and the person at the
boarding gate was checking our plane tickets & passes and curtly counting numbers to his
colleague with not even a faint acknowledgement of the passengers. There were
two foreigners in front of me - with quite unkempt hair baggy clothes et al
- after checking their boarding passes the Air India staffer gave them the sweetest of smiles
and also said a 'thank you'. Next was me and he got into his curt routine
again. After my turn i looked back to see if he wished anyone else amongst
us Indians. There were none that i could see.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So the sweet smiles and greetings were only for the
foreigners. But this post is not to bicker over the attitude of that Air India
staffer. That is for Air India to realise and brief their staff accordingly if
this post reaches them ever. But the bigger point is - do we as Indians
don't respect ourselves? Can you imagine any country where Indians are
greeted n treated better than their own country men? I am sure you would have rarely seen anything like that(if at all). But i have seen the
reverse where foreigners are feted and Indians looked down upon umpteen
number of times in India. Why does that happen? What could be a driving
force for such behaviour? Are we still in awe of the 'white foreigner?' </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I can still understand a hotel steward trying to please a
foreigner as </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">they generally are better tippers but in an airline or a bus or hotel
room etc, the preferential treatment is disgusting and unacceptable
like in this present case as all flyers pay equally depending on when they buy the ticket. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So is this hard wired into us that the staffer was extra nice to only foreigners? Someone may say "Athithi Devo Bhava' (roughly means guests are like Gods) but for Air India all of us are 'Athithis' only. So are we lesser Gods?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Respecting your own countrymen is part of Nation building and all great Nations respect their citizens first. Can you think of Staffers in US of A giving preferential treatment to Indians over Americans?? You can safely discount that to be impossible!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><img alt="Related image" class="irc_mi" height="400" src="https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/indian-flag-fist-picture-id174692658?k=6&m=174692658&s=612x612&w=0&h=6VljW1n7oj2NFWfNNnI0uSOxoIdgg0ogkmcJmrla5rs=" style="margin-top: 66px;" width="266" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So it is time to instill pride in out country men about our own country. How do we do it. It is easier said than done and is a long process. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A change is required in the mindset.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Soch badlo desh badlo (change the way you
think and you make you can change the progress of your country). Text
books are the best answer for this. There is a need to rewrite the
textbooks with stories of
valour pride riches and bravery of Indian men and women alike to instill a sense of pride.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">These
stories when taught at a young age would make an
indelible impression on their minds. This change would take some time
maybe a decade or two for these small children to grow up and arrive in
responsible positions. That's fine - what is a decade or two in the
progress of a Nation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Truly, we must start respecting
ourselves because if we don't respect ourselves, no one else will and
no one will ever consider us a super power(in the making or otherwise)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Look forward to a new future in a decade from now!!</span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-60280388987402658782018-04-25T20:29:00.002+05:302018-04-26T21:13:05.232+05:30ban lavish weddings to bachao betis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRs92M_vy2_wOXQXhSFGKNMq2866NcHytJABilGrMKzGEwWQnHp6s7Ob-OItARids1W_wEguA0jlMgkZv_t2AMgJ0ARTsvcuIqB_vNnV2_kGEnOo5vqpIoaFT95uYZXoTdlIqRVP-Bj8p/s1600/mistress+of+spices.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRs92M_vy2_wOXQXhSFGKNMq2866NcHytJABilGrMKzGEwWQnHp6s7Ob-OItARids1W_wEguA0jlMgkZv_t2AMgJ0ARTsvcuIqB_vNnV2_kGEnOo5vqpIoaFT95uYZXoTdlIqRVP-Bj8p/s400/mistress+of+spices.jpg" width="400" /></a></span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">i
saw the movie 'mistress of spices' yesterday. the spell binding heroine
i.e aishwarya rai laments that her parents were not happy (in the
movie) with the birth of a girl child as it means more 'dahej' or dowry.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">that
is the bottom line. people do not want girls - not because they dont
like girls - in fact girls are more loved and loving than boys - the
point is - with girls you are forever concerned about their safety and
well being - safety from all the social ills prevalent now, where even 4
months olds are also not being spared - and well being from their husband
& their family. All this after paying a hefty dowry and phenomenal
marriage expenses.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">No
amount of clamping down on sex determination centres, educating people
about gender equality or lip service about dowry bans etc is going to
help significantly increase the girl sex ratio. people dont want girls
becase of the costs and the mental worry involved. if we can accept
this fundamental fact of life then we can make things a lot better.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Therefore,
to improve the ratio of girls in the country we need to bring down the
costs of raising a girl child and marrying her off while also gauranteeing
her safety and security with a good degree of certainity.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">towards
this, there are three things that could be readily done (i am sending a
more detailed letter to ministry of women and child welfare for them to
study these issues). they are</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">1. subsidise education</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">2. ensure safety and security both before and after marriage</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">3. reduce marriage expenses</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">as
this post is about lavish weddings, i will restrict myself to the third
point. as we all know, marriage expenses comprise dowry, actual marriage expenses and
post marriage gifts including the delivery expenses.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the actual marriage expenses comprise venue charges, decoration, travel &accommodation for guests and food expenses. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIM5N0qsRRLirxP9NP6o7XFmMczT4qjcJDE-VI1nZibWdfr_p1cVjWBgvJMxBg_T-m33-3iQ6-emEjz-mHauHxGDNT0mvppcOPFv9FMMjpRID7se-Sd1YIHAXGyOByUqWNUp5pru8zG5ir/s1600/lavish+weddings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIM5N0qsRRLirxP9NP6o7XFmMczT4qjcJDE-VI1nZibWdfr_p1cVjWBgvJMxBg_T-m33-3iQ6-emEjz-mHauHxGDNT0mvppcOPFv9FMMjpRID7se-Sd1YIHAXGyOByUqWNUp5pru8zG5ir/s640/lavish+weddings.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">on
a very conservative estimate one dinner for 500 guests@1000 rupees
costs about 5 lakhs in the cities. with exorbitant venue and
accommodation charges typical marriage expenses in cities range between
15-20 lakhs. couple this with conservative dowry of 5 lakhs and 5 lakhs
travel expenses the total expenses may go upto 30-35 lakhs. How does a
common man cough out this kind of money? even if he does, it would be
from his life time savings or he would be in a life time of debt after
marriage. now picture a guy having two or three girl children. his
expenses can go upto a crore.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the
easiest way to avoid this is to avoid having a girl child. therefore
someone trying to avoid a girl child is only the symptom - the disease
is in the prevalent social norms.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">while
it may be very difficult to dictatorially clamp down on dowry as the
transactions are secretive (as dowry anyway is banned) lavish weddings
could be banned as the expenses are very clearly visual and their cost
can be assessed. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">in
this connection the diktat by the bohra muslim community elders in
mumbai is the way forward - where they gave a diktat that there cannot
be more than 4 dishes in a wedding and other rules to reduce the
expenditure. they also said that not only anyone who flouts these rules
but also those attend the weddings that flout rules will be socially
boycotted. at first look this step looks very regressive but is
actually a great step forward.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the govt may also </span><span style="font-size: large;">consider
binging a regualtion on the maximum expenditure on a wedding that can
be done. this will bring a lot of relief to millions of parents of girl
children and will also be a step towards increasing the girl child
ratio. this may face a lot of criticism but these are the real ways for
'beti bachao' !!!!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and
what you can do - if you are really progressive and concerned and a
parent of a boy - even if you can't avoid dowry (for some reasons)
atleast go for a simple marriage as that is one money which does not go either </span><span style="font-size: large;"> to </span><span style="font-size: large;">the bride or groom and significantly reduces the
burden on the girl's parents.</span></div>
</div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-498666985471462622017-11-20T07:10:00.003+05:302017-11-20T07:12:42.995+05:30Nirbhaya juvenile rapist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Lest you forget...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The juvenile rapist of Nirbhaya who was supposed to be the most brutal of all is still at large!!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">keep an eye out for the likes of him..</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">will ya!</span></div>
</div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-29544533911453034642017-11-20T06:58:00.002+05:302017-11-20T06:58:36.457+05:30Dangal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It may be a little late to write about the movie Dangal but i was so impressed watching it a few days back that i decided to write about it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">much has been written about the movie so i wont delve further on that.</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOGLz3l5_Y9sK4GmDP3sccc6bLUZpbbOAPguxFV5-94x9fSs2z3u2RaWTSJ_UQmXHQ9Hfy8PxraGuGQbElvw-KKnEsNpKDfgLn9a1gAc-_JbKDr963lRB73JVZ_rp0gLy4_01V3MuGtWa/s1600/dangal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="647" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOGLz3l5_Y9sK4GmDP3sccc6bLUZpbbOAPguxFV5-94x9fSs2z3u2RaWTSJ_UQmXHQ9Hfy8PxraGuGQbElvw-KKnEsNpKDfgLn9a1gAc-_JbKDr963lRB73JVZ_rp0gLy4_01V3MuGtWa/s320/dangal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">the real mr phogat and daughters</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am amazed by the one man's dedication to give a medal to India and how he trained his daughters for that. What is striking is - if one man can do that with meagre resources and only two girls to choose - why aren't our officials able to replicate that with crores of money, power, resources and plenty of girls to choose from.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is probably the devotion and dedication and sans any internal politics. The single point of focus should be a medal and nothing else - as in the case of Mr phogat.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">maybe it is time to link the promotions of the officials with the number of medals they produce. I am sure every official can be tasked with producing one medallist in his life time!!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">in the mean time my heartfelt salute to mr phogat for his unflinching belief in his dream and making it come true!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-91730110621946352302017-11-16T07:29:00.004+05:302019-01-22T00:04:10.851+05:30Rani Padmavathi row
<head>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"We have regressed as a Nation" thundered my favourite heroine. I cringed hearing this on national TV, coming from a well read and respected lady. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Everytime an issue is raised about our National identity or history, we are made to feel guilty with words like</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-fringe groups</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-intolerance</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-regressive mind set</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-they cannot subdue us</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-it is our right</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">-artistic freedom etc etc</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So Mr Bhansali can distort the history of Rani Padmavathi or Mr Sanal Kumar Sasidharan can name his movie as Sexy Durga (both in the name of artistic freedom or freedom of expression) but the common man supposedly has no right to protest. If he/she protests they will branded as fringe elements or regressive. but nobody wants to ask Mr Bhansali as to why he wants to distort the history of a popular hindu queen (whether real or mythical is irrelevant) whose story formed part of history textbooks in school(it was when we were in school, i dont know if it still is) or Mr Sanal Kumar Sasidharan as to why he named his movie Sexy Durga when the movie is supposedly about the bad experience of two hitchhikers, a man and a woman, at the hands of two other men at night. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In case you decide to ask - the whole media, bollywood fraternity etc etc will swoop on you, ridicule you and cleverly&incessantly insult you so badly that you start doubting your own leanings/intentions.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But why do they do it? Why did Mr Bhansali make the queen dance in less clothes or allegedly have a dream sequence with khilji (this is only alleged - but if there is one - then it is blasphemy) or Why did Mr Sanal Kumar Sasidharan name his movie Sexy Durga? I hope they are simple financial considerations to monetise the popularity of the characters or the controversies generated (with no other sinister motives)!!! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, should we continue to protest such movies? Yes we must. Because as time progresses, historical movies become the basis for history. A decade down the line children would watch this movie (like we read about rani padmavathi in text books) and mistake it for history (conspiracy theories may suggest that is the purpose of the movie). For example 'Passion of the Christ' made in 2004 is now in the list top 10 biblical reference movies of all time!!! There was a lot of controversy when the movie was released but with time people have forgotten about it and now the film is there in the reference list!!!! That is the danger of well made movies. Once the controversies die down, because of their A list actors and the lavish budgets they remain popular and over time become reference movies!!! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As one great man said - if you want to destroy a Nation, erase its history - if we have no great history to read - we would continue to think that we are a poor under developed Nation contrary to what we were - a Nation of warriors (may be divided into several kingdoms) but still a Nation of warriors!!! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Therefore, we as a Nation must not be cowed down by a bunch of educated celebrities who are just trying to make some quick money at the cost of our heritage and culture. The issue is not of artistic freedom or intolerance - the issue is about preserving our National heritage and history.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">These heroes & heroines who are in it just for the money should also not be lecturing us on National or Societal values as films are one of the primary causes for the decline in moral &ethical values in the society. Every single word of this statement can be proved but that is a different subject altogether.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So let us protest this attitude in the only way that every common man can do i.e don't watch these movies or any other movies of the actors in these movies. That is the only way to non-violently pinch these movie makers who think they can do anything/make anything and claim the cover of artistic freedom.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As regards my favourite heroine - she is off my list now!!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Jai Hind </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
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</head>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-28449896067157557502017-07-19T06:31:00.000+05:302017-07-19T06:31:04.814+05:30lowering age for sexual consent <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
lowering age for sexual consent
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">hi all</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">there are various reports in the media that the law for lowering the age to 16 was already passed. There is no clarity if it is indeed so. Its time to find out if that really is the case as this is a major shift in policy.... more on that once we get some confirmation</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">but what is the issue - my old article is reproduced below</span></span> </div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hope
this post finds you in the pink of health and wealth! I am returning
after a long hiatus as i had gone for the maha kumbh mela, the
highlights of which i will post shortly.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
i woke up from my bed today, I saw that the bill to lower the age for
sexual consent was almost passed. As i understand, this was part of the
recommendations of the honourable justice verma committee report. Being
a common man, i was confused. The honourable committee was setup to
prevent rape and other attrocities against women but i could not
understand how this reduction in age for consent fell in the ambit of
that charter. How can reduction in the age reduce the number of rapes or
the attrocities?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In my opinion the lowering of ageof sexual consent is not a good option for young girls for the following reasons:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmhHfLvjpaWRPewOx9SaVQl0-pP5YiOcl6dhJxzmFtnQis45dABJNFBvGdDIa-nJFV35IwNG7xqPkjMqTqgc8LCgXXDQkIYcuy4IkIQpp9OfaQeushTopbSw7VyhR9mHaRKIbE1afuNsm/s1600/Young_Girls_in_Sao_Bento_Metro_Station_-_Sao_Paulo_-_Brazil.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmhHfLvjpaWRPewOx9SaVQl0-pP5YiOcl6dhJxzmFtnQis45dABJNFBvGdDIa-nJFV35IwNG7xqPkjMqTqgc8LCgXXDQkIYcuy4IkIQpp9OfaQeushTopbSw7VyhR9mHaRKIbE1afuNsm/s320/Young_Girls_in_Sao_Bento_Metro_Station_-_Sao_Paulo_-_Brazil.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0iwe4dVj6q0W7CBdQXAqsg0z9WwUJkxfyGgt3OQjfeCjcXe5bagsbppA26p096rmhEUAmmtKC_u8WniXTlPZ_duLr3HsB74jL7EAoCquJ3zLAj9YbtSftyMIMDQm0p9yJyjAzKPZO3pi/s1600/Young_Girls_in_Sao_Bento_Metro_Station_-_Sao_Paulo_-_Brazil.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1.
Who benefits from this rule? it certainly cant be the little girls.
it would only legitimise the rich older men or the road side goons
forcing themselves for sex by way of offering money or threats. As a
father of a little girl myself i am not at all comfortable with the idea
of 16 year olds having sex.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2.
At 16 what is their understanding of sex? and why should they have
sex at 16? where is the tearing hurry? A girl at 16 would be in class x
or xi by then. Are we as a nation willing to accept that girls in class
x/xi can have sex? If we cannot, then why this new rule?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. This will lead to an increase in teen pregnancies which even the most developed of western nations are grappling to resolve</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Medical complications would rise earlier in life due to abortions.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5.
Loss of innocence of children as they would be viewed as sexual objects
much earlier especially at a age where they may not be able to handle
themselves. (below is a shocking pic of a teenager)</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin079HeBX4XaQxLdfezBfoS0_IV2TB3kOGNZMlSfRXEYutGm5a7lUYKqUDzEjAXjQZyRM3R1bjP0LYUUat8ZcYbC6reNyvorxaHYDoYy__bVac4xtorUcHYf7Xc3bqtKUZ0EyxQzpEBDkO/s1600/Familyneedhelp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin079HeBX4XaQxLdfezBfoS0_IV2TB3kOGNZMlSfRXEYutGm5a7lUYKqUDzEjAXjQZyRM3R1bjP0LYUUat8ZcYbC6reNyvorxaHYDoYy__bVac4xtorUcHYf7Xc3bqtKUZ0EyxQzpEBDkO/s320/Familyneedhelp.jpg" width="248" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6.
It may be much more difficult to prove the rape of the girls between 16
to 18 as the 'lack of consent' has to be first established.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7.
Will lead to trafficking of younger girls as it would be very difficult
to make out between a healthy 14 year old and normal 16 year old.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite
these obvious issues, there were several bogey's raised by several
learned people that lowering the age will reduce HIV/STD/other diseases,
harassment of young people etc. These learned people including some
women were actually batting for lowering the age.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
West had experimented with this free culture and they are feeling the
effects now. Unmarried mothers, many in teens, parents holed up in old
age homes etc are just a few of those effects. Many of the teen
unmarried mothers informed that they were never aware of what they were
getting into at that age and by the time they realised their folly, they
were too pregnant or with a child already. It must be understood that
at times it is difficult even to abort a baby which forces the girl to
deliver the child. Moreover how would an indian girl in class x or xi
inform her parents that she is pregnant? Are we really ready for that
sort of confrontation?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
West is in a turmoil today and they are looking at our sanatana dharma
for peace and salvation. At such a time we are trying to ape their
flawed system. A system so flawed that it is full of failed marriages
and broken relations. So, rather than aping the west it may be worth
while, to lay emphasis on our culture and rediscover its wonderful
teachings which form the foundations for rock solid indian families.
While we are doing that, we may educate our youth about 'respect for
women' and bring about a generational change in this decade.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4trLQ5vJheLaFoWFELDWcW3DlyQqiCL76d-j-20e9EEVd1FBoqs4LpDLjE_dvYTDFdWzh8g-LqTWQRqRO12FRCMtwyToEARWTT3IxgD5UayQf-a89JghhlL_Sbd9F9mCSEm4E9zlcXYH/s1600/rape_protests_generic_story.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4trLQ5vJheLaFoWFELDWcW3DlyQqiCL76d-j-20e9EEVd1FBoqs4LpDLjE_dvYTDFdWzh8g-LqTWQRqRO12FRCMtwyToEARWTT3IxgD5UayQf-a89JghhlL_Sbd9F9mCSEm4E9zlcXYH/s400/rape_protests_generic_story.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>In
the meantime, I can only pray that somebody puts a stop to this
lowering of age and stem further decline in our social practices.</b></span></span></span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-3232930370213952702017-07-10T20:34:00.000+05:302019-01-22T23:36:11.671+05:30Single Girl child<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A lot of Govts have offered some fantastic schemes for the single girl child.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"><br />1. Ladli Scheme of Delhi<br />2. Balri Rakshak Yojana in Punjab<br />3. Ladli Scheme of Haryana<br />4. Girl Child Protection Scheme in AP<br />5. Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah Yojana-Bihar.... and so on<br /><br />A list of popular schemes can be accessed here</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"><a href="https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/UNFPA_Publication-39772.pdf" target="_blank">SPECIAL FINANCIAL INCENTIVE SCHEMES FOR THE GIRL CHILD IN INDIA: A REVIEW OF SELECT SCHEMES</a></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytKhjHWa7rGRgd1zHHUPCFk78EIDjCDKyu9o7kfTp-arOdGxHkUoKs1ya_CI8auPJvOVk0GCQw039W0eDCQyglfqVHDq2McXfkvHCIdA4IYG4uojgkd51vYOwCqjC67xggbvTmzJd2oRB/s1600/twin-girl-names-popular-and-unique-ideas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytKhjHWa7rGRgd1zHHUPCFk78EIDjCDKyu9o7kfTp-arOdGxHkUoKs1ya_CI8auPJvOVk0GCQw039W0eDCQyglfqVHDq2McXfkvHCIdA4IYG4uojgkd51vYOwCqjC67xggbvTmzJd2oRB/s320/twin-girl-names-popular-and-unique-ideas.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>one or two</u></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">These schemes are truly commendable and offer a special incentive for bringing a girl child into this world and stopping with just that one. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">But, it is rather surprising that no such incentives exist for parents with two daughters </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">OK let me play the devil's advocate here and consider the reasons for someone to stop with a single girl child....</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">1. They are happy with one - be it boy or girl</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">2. Medical reasons do not permit them to have a second</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">3. They are not sure that they can get a boy in the second attempt</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">4. Financial condition does not permit having a second child after first girl child</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">5. Lastly - a slightly disturbing reason - they may have aborted a second child after coming to know that it is a girl (one can argue that it is not possible due to govt regulations on the subject but clandestinely it is happening which is why some clinics are caught once in a while) and so on...</span></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">So, if we look at these impassionately we would realise that single girl child option in a large number of cases is not the natural option but one that was forced upon them due to any of the reasons above.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">Now, consider the state of parents with two girl children - </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">1. they braved the decison to go in for a second despite not being sure if they would get a boy</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">2. many people go in for a second despite their medical condition </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"><span class="rendered_qtext">3. undergo tremendous financial strain in india due to marriage expenses, dowry etc for the girl child</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">4. did not go for a sex determination test/ or even if they did went ahead with the baby.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">The last option deserves applause as it would have been very easy to abort rather than go for a second girl child (I only mean financially for poor families). Despite this noble step taken by them, they are not rewarded for the same. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext">In reality, everyone would agree that a family with two girl children needs more financial incentives than the one with a single girl child.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">To conclude, Daughters are a blessing for the love they give to their parents and one can surely say that one who does not have a daughter is missing something in life, but Govt also may consider offering financial incentives even for people with twice the blessings because they are the ones who actually need them more than the ones with single girl child.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="rendered_qtext"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-55032962230816027792017-07-09T06:53:00.001+05:302017-07-11T08:00:00.150+05:30Media - peddling unimportant news?<html>
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<meta name="keywords" content=" media,tv, internet,cable, rape, murder.kidnap, blackmail, torture, positive, negative,police,army, badnews,good news ">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> As I read the story of wing commander MS Dhillon </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://recklessmusings.blogspot.in/2017/07/wing-commander-mandeep-singh-dhillon.html" target="_blank">read the stroy of wing cdr dhillon here</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">- it suddenly struck me that this young man passed away in the line of duty while I was sipping my drink in my living room and watching one of the discussions on 'Wani' or 'separatists' or 'hardik patel' or some other similar issue. For the next couple of days also there was no story of heroism of this young man who could have stayed back after rescuing 169 people which is a commendable feat by itself. He still went on another mission in the bad weather as more stranded people were there to be picked up. He put the service to others ahead of his self and was martyred in the process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">There are several such stories of courage, helpfulness and sincerity in our country of 1.2 billion. Why aren't the media houses picking up such positive news? Everyday we are bombarded with news of murder, rape, kidnap, molestation etc. Not that they are by any means small offences - but there is no positive news about our people or country!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Maybe time to have a channel reporting only the good things in our country!! Even the Govt can have it - or even turn DD into "Good News' channel!!</span></div>
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</html>common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-64571976569911715582017-07-09T06:36:00.001+05:302017-07-11T20:02:13.669+05:30Wing commander Mandeep Singh Dhillon
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWggEg3NETzE4VKPUEQDosUbRGkbL3a_kUrPnRX9jgPRyRd3d-sUyvwTddWlWZieCDB1xLNwUqfAQVitXtMlBkcUvbxiAkRLqhc1LMPJOggN0ce4nzdsKpCD_FuxltTLgu6u5gt-GK4e1G/s1600/ms+dhillon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="817" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWggEg3NETzE4VKPUEQDosUbRGkbL3a_kUrPnRX9jgPRyRd3d-sUyvwTddWlWZieCDB1xLNwUqfAQVitXtMlBkcUvbxiAkRLqhc1LMPJOggN0ce4nzdsKpCD_FuxltTLgu6u5gt-GK4e1G/s640/ms+dhillon.jpg" width="544" /></a> </u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Original post by Ms Bandita Bose in facebook</u></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The nation has the right to information too...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> On the 4th of July we lost a very dear friend in a tragic helicopter crash during a flood rescue operation in Arunac<span class="text_exposed_show">hal
Pradesh. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Wing Commander Mandeep Singh Dhillon. The reason I am posting
this here... is because the media will report loss of a machine in the
5th page of some newspaper, in a ticker in some news channel, but the
story of MS Dhillon must be told...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
He was commanding the Helicopter Unit at Tezpur, and had over 18 years
of flying experience in varied terrain, from icy mountains to the
jungles of North East India. With his death, not only has India
lost a brave son but his family and friends have lost a true friend,
gentleman and a buddy. Dhillon would always say things the way they
should be told. His lazy nasal voice was signature to him. His warm
smile would make you reflect it every-time you saw it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> Never
shying away from his core job, was always enthusiastic about his passion
and profession. On 04 July 2017 before he went down for the final time,
he had already made five sorties and had rescued 169 stranded people. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">During the return and the sixth sortie in
adverse weather and difficult flying conditions, the helicopter crashed.
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> All of us who have known him in person are devastated and in shock to say the least. More strength to his family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Today, with the prevalent scenario while we are forever ready to pounce
on our armed forces for the smallest thing, I just wanted to bring to
the forefront, our sons, brothers, friends are continuing to lay their
lives for the nation. Media will never tell us this... But the citizens
have a right to know.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">IAF adds - </span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mandeep belonged to Patiala and came
from a defence background. A role model to a generation of younger
officers and to the cadets of NDA, where he was once posted as an
instructor.
Wing Commander Mandeep Singh Dhillon was also a long distance runner who
won almost every long distance race in which he ever participated.
After completing his schooling from RIMC Dehradun, he was selected for
NDA as an Air Force cadet and joined Foxtrot Sqn. He never liked being
away from the flying duties and pursed his flying passion with
sincerity. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">With his death, India has lost a dare devil officer, a thorough
gentleman and a very kind soul. May his soul rest in peace and may the God give the loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss. Survived by wife , and a young daughter and a son.</span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-42309641267390724762017-07-08T09:25:00.001+05:302017-07-11T07:21:13.696+05:30Mumbai Airport parking fees
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mumbai airport is a great piece of art. one of my well travelled friend was truly amazed at the grandeur of the airport from the departure terminal. The designers and the GVK group deserve applause for this. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">While the departure terminal is truly world class and
can better many International airports, the arrival end is not very user
friendly and falls short of the high expectations set from
the departure end.</span> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mumbai is probably one of the few airports in india where the pickup is far away from the arrival gate and a new person arriving at mumbai would be thoroughly confused!!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Especially, the parking fee woes bewilder me. All domestic passengers (till recently) and international passengers are paying a user development fee. Should that not include provision of parking also? atleast free pickup?. It is amazing that even a pickup by private car is chargeable. This is even more so amazing as the same is free in the domestic terminal (santacruz) for 5 min duration. 5-10 min is free at many of the domestic airports not managed by corporates. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Even the passengers walking down the road to avoid paying the parking fee (out of sheer principle) were charged for using the elevated access road i.e somehow they were being charged the parking fee. Thanks to Shiv </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sena Member of Legislative Council Anil Parab who protested against this practice and it was stopped temporarily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And the taxi strike today again on parking woes - hope better sense prevails and all concerned resolve these issues in the best interests of air travellers. Ultimately Mumbai has one of the best airports in the world - why mar the reputation for petty parking issues</span></div>
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</html>common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-56007925191821165982017-06-27T21:36:00.002+05:302017-06-30T05:51:37.675+05:30Vladimir Putin standing in the rain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_4sSsSVWm8dpKSe4ei1bm11Vuqo6cKoVwcOJILQEg_adYXMfsByFPIL-jpzXQ8S3hNvKsvq8Pr1bLRHHIXmdxnphgwqxfQWGzBWqyVV0UUYIWXqNBvcUvIe76u31U9Qt-0L4HvlJyqg3/s1600/Vladimir+Putin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="962" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_4sSsSVWm8dpKSe4ei1bm11Vuqo6cKoVwcOJILQEg_adYXMfsByFPIL-jpzXQ8S3hNvKsvq8Pr1bLRHHIXmdxnphgwqxfQWGzBWqyVV0UUYIWXqNBvcUvIe76u31U9Qt-0L4HvlJyqg3/s640/Vladimir+Putin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Great respect shown to soldiers not only by Mr Vladimir Putin but also many others in the assembly. Well done!!</span></div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-8100753422822064562017-05-06T09:30:00.001+05:302017-07-11T06:25:17.010+05:30Nirbhaya judgement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Sc judgement on the Nirbhaya case is at last relief and closure for the bereaved family and the full nation. While this case became ill-famous for its barbaric nature, several more lesser incidents of rape were reported since the nirbhaya incident. So much so that societies in some cities have started community policing. it would be interesting to note that i suggested this as the way forward way back in janaury 2013. you can read that article here</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6343406740388235277#editor/target=post;postID=6569083789828707730;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=87;src=postname" target="_blank">https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6343406740388235277#editor/target=post;postID=6569083789828707730;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=87;src=postname</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This hanging does not take care of the juvenile though. He is somewhere there amongst us - working as a cook!!! What is chilling is - he is just one psycho who had been caught (and let off) but there may be many more such people quietly lurking in the alleys!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">We must be Aware and more importantly Arise to stop any such crimes happening in front of us. No amount of poilicing will work as there are just not enough police - only on ground vigilantes can help (cure the disease). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">How to avoid the disease is an altogether different subject and requires a fundamental change in our mindset - that is my next post </span></div>
common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-36523043640191945782016-08-15T09:41:00.001+05:302018-04-25T20:29:57.626+05:30ban lavish weddings <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">Village councils in rajasthan have banned lavish weddings. They resolved to impose fines and social ostracism of offenders.<br /><br />This is intended to reduce the burden of the girl's parents. This news brought great joy to me as these simple villagers have managed to do something that the highly educated and sophisticated haven't even thought of!!!<br />Expenses for a simple marriage in a city costs upwards of ten lakhs (considering venue cost of 2-3 lakhs, food @about 1000 per head for about 500-600 people and misc expenses). This does not even include all the other expenses like travel, accmdn, gifts and dowry etc. Even for a middle class family, the marriage expenses would not be less than 25-30 lakhs per girl child including post marriage rituals. This just doubles if one has two girl children. Where do people get this kind of money? They have to spend all their life long earnings and take further loans too to meet this requirement. <br />This is the fundamental reason for female infanticide. People are just scared of the expenses. We may try to educate the people as much as we want against female infanticide, but that would be just curing the symptom. The disease would not be cured. The primary disease is the expenditure involved in getting a girl married. This is the issue that needs to be addressed.<br />For starters, we may take a cue from these rajasthan villages and ban lavish marriages across the country. We can even think of centralised community marriages in each city/village and share the expenses amongst all concerned. <br />We need some truly radical solutions to make some progress in this direction and these rajasthan villages have taken a giant first step!!! <br />HATS OFF TO THEM</span><br /><html>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Village councils in rajasthan have banned lavish weddings. They resolved to impose fines and social ostracism of offenders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is intended to reduce the burden of the girl's parents. This news brought great joy to me as these simple villagers have managed to do something that the highly educated and sophisticated haven't even thought of!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Expenses for a simple marriage in a city costs upwards of ten lakhs (considering venue cost of 2-3 lakhs, food @about 1000 per head for about 500-600 people and misc expenses). This does not even include all the other expenses like travel, accmdn, gifts and dowry etc. Even for a middle class family, the marriage expenses would not be less than 25-30 lakhs per girl child including post marriage rituals. This just doubles if one has two girl children. Where do people get this kind of money? They have to spend all their life long earnings and take further loans too to meet this requirement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is the fundamental reason for female infanticide. People are just scared of the expenses. We may try to educate the people as much as we want against female infanticide, but that would be just curing the symptom. The disease would not be cured. The primary disease is the expenditure involved in getting a girl married. This is the issue that needs to be addressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">For starters, we may take a cue from these rajasthan villages and ban lavish marriages across the country. We can even think of centralised community marriages in each city/village and share the expenses amongst all concerned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">We need some truly radical solutions to make some progress in this direction and these rajasthan villages have taken a giant first step!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">HATS OFF TO THEM </span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-16475556019255642562016-06-14T20:54:00.002+05:302016-06-15T07:39:12.081+05:30udta punjab<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">the producers of the movie udta punjab must be elated after the high court verdict which passed the movie with just one cut as against 89 proposed by cbfc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the cbfc is a certification committee and not a censoring committee said the majority of people in the know with some even demanding the resignation of mr pahlaj nihalani!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">let us deconstruct these issues one by one:-</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. freedom of speech - whose? your freedom of speech does not mean that you mouth expletives in my ear!!! so mouthing expletives and profanities cannot be called freedom of speech and are aimed merely to generate some shock value for the film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. victory of democracy - seriously?!!! does showing things such as injecting drugs amount to any glorification of democracy? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. cbfc is only a certification commitee - yes that is true but if the cbfc does not ensure that unhealthy/violent images/words are not shown to the public then who else will. when you go with your children to a movie who will ensure that some bad/unpalatable scenes are not slipped past? what do you do then? close their eyes??</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. choice of audience - this is an absolute lie propagated by those industry people who make a living out of selling sleaze neatly packaged with a stylish tinge. the makers of such films are the most vociferous critics of cbfc and mr nihalani.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. majority want such films - this is the biggest lie - as we see in all the media, it is people connected with the industry who are batting for such films and such expressions in films. havent seen any common people asking for such content. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. cuss words - who introduced words like item, bomb, maal, chikni chameli, bose-dk, haramz@@de etc etc to main stream audiences? it is bollywood ofcourse. we cringe to hear such voices on the street now being used by the young but we must realise that these words are the needless blessings bollywood showered on the society. so what happens when cbfc bans some cuss words - there is a huge uproar!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mr nihalani is fighting a tough battle - a one man army of sorts - think of his opponents - complete bollywood, media, all anti bjp parties and some of his own i.e cbfc and ministry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that he stood firm and true to his job is a very valiant effort and for that mr nihalani - you are my hero. dont get ambushed by partisan media - mr nihalani pse keep up your efforts- you may not be winning right now but rest assured you are doing the right thing.</span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-15969138429787629952016-02-17T08:18:00.001+05:302016-02-17T08:19:04.280+05:30JNU protests<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is so much of politicking over the JNU protests!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it is shocking and worrying to see young women and men take part in these protests in such large numbers. what is even more shocking is their belief in their cause (which is anti-india).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Such strong thoughts or visions could not have developed overnight and JNU must be harbouring these ideas over a long period of time. The University must have been allowed to just simmer away quietly for years but now it has come to a boil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are people justifying it as "dissent" against government. Well you can dissent against the government but not against the country. That is basic common sense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As the character Eddie Valentine (Paul Sorvino) in the 1991 movie "Rocketeer" says "<b>I may not make an honest buck but I am 100% American</b>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is a lot for our political parties to learn from this one line. <b>It may be too much of us to expect all of you to be honest but definitely we expect you to be 100% Indian!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the simple botom line is - there is no place for anti-india protests in india. </span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-46726238972567971792016-02-09T07:46:00.001+05:302016-02-15T21:59:00.032+05:30Cafe Leopold - why do you feel so inferior?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It is reported that while 02 Indian families were made to wait for tables a group of foreigners were seated as soon as they came. On confronting the management & staff over the issue, they were asked this - "why do you feel so inferior?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hard to accept but the inferior treatment is true. Any one who visited places like Leopold can clearly see the discrimination between foreigners and indians unless they are half blind!!! I once waited for 20 minutes despite all tables being empty. "They are all reserved", was the reply. So, I did the only thing I could do - i.e leave the place. That was 15 years ago and never tried to go back again!!! But things are very different now in the age of social media. People may not meekly accept this kind of racism in our own country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We are a democratic country for 65 years but people such as these can make us feel inferior in our country!!! Often they forget that many of these foreigners are relatively lower paid people whose income may not even be half the income of many indians aspiring to visit such places. So what makes them a better draw then? fair skin? low cut dresses? possibility of making out? Well your guess is as good as mine!!! or even as one waiter at a 5 star hotel quietly told me - "they are better tippers sir".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This is one racism that media should take up. more than the vip racism in this country </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">(because vip is also indian),</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> color and country based racism in our own country needs to be taken up so urgently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">we heard that hotels used to have sign boards such as these during the british raj!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hope such things are not happening even now (without the sign boards of course)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">many of us do not have the will or commitment to take on such big establishments. like me - i felt bad about the way i was treated but walked away without doing anything about it. In such a scenario, Kudos to this lady for taking up her case valiantly. May there be more like her!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Lastly, it is not just about boycotting the restaurant. That may or may not work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What is more important is taking pride in being an "Indian". Nobody can make us feel "inferior" in our own country.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> We are a growing world super power (despite the colour of our skin) which the entire world is recognising slowly. When our PM Modi ji speaks the whole world listens with attention - which makes our hearts swell with pride - But if some establishments within our own country feel otherwise and want to puncture our pride - it is a sad state and the Government may also like to step in to ensure that such things do not happen.</span><br />
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-13854705572669116062016-02-05T07:47:00.001+05:302016-02-05T07:47:50.423+05:30Juvenile kills again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A juvenile apparently killed a elderly woman on monday in south delhi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The killer was the same guy who was released </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">(for good behaviour) </span>just two months after he killed a child in september last year - yes you read it right - just two months after he killed a child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">He was found guilty of having kidnapped a child and murdering him in september last year when the child's parents could not pay the ransom. Despite kidnapping and the gruesome act of killing a child he was remanded to a juvenile home as he was below 18 years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It is really quite inexplicable as to what good behaviour he would have shown the authorities in two months which made them overlook his act of kidnapping & murder and release him. Atleast a thought could have been spared for the killed child and his parents!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Now the child might have found the easy way out - kill and rob - and even if gets caught he would be tried as a juvenile!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">At this rate - even professional goons may hire children!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The authorities who apparently left him for good behaviour need to answer and such acts of largesse (if true) need to be made accountable so that they are not repeated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We must call for further changes in the juvenile law to keep it in tune with the current state of the society. </span><br />
<a href="http://recklessmusings.blogspot.in/2015/12/juvenile-rapists.html" target="_blank">http://recklessmusings.blogspot.in/2015/12/juvenile-rapists.html</a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://recklessmusings.blogspot.in/2015/12/juvenile-rapists.html" target="_blank">a related post</a> </span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6343406740388235277.post-62588960314898342172016-02-04T08:17:00.003+05:302016-02-05T07:48:43.560+05:3010 army soldiers killed in siachen avalanche<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">01 JCO and nine soldiers were reportedly killed in an avalanche in siachen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">HATS off to their courage in patrolling our borders despite the lurking danger of avalanches and snow trenches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">But the important point is - their tragic story is in the middle pages of National newspapers and what makes front page head lines in big n bold is this -</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Ex-Major Generals Son held in Goa for suspicious movement"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><i>The story of the 10 soldiers should have been the front page news </i></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This is rather strange news especially when the Goa DGP himself had said that nothing concrete had been found against the boy to link him with any terror organisation!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Then why this front page news?--just because his father is a retired Maj Gen?!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">We must stop slandering the Armed Forces like this. They are going through so many troubles in guarding our borders and keeping the Nation safe. Throwing muck at the Armed forces even without any concrete proof would severely demoralise the armed forces serving both at the border and peace areas and hope that Govt steps in to ensure that such articles do not appear in print media or even initiate legal action in cases of false reporting.</span></div>
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common manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07530186247705343052noreply@blogger.com0