Yes I support Anna's movement but can I proudly say "I am Anna!"? No I cannot. For one to say "I am Anna" I believe that one needs to be a principled person who has not just supported but also fought against corruption. I unfortunately, am not that person.
I have had my share of facing corruption and have buckled in face of it - yes I got a driving license for motorcycle, car and truck at a time when I didn't know how to drive a car and even now don't know how to drive a truck. I had to pay Rs. 800/- to get my passport delivered. I had to pay Rs. 100/- to lodge a police report when my mobile phone was stolen. I advised S to pay Rs. 200/- to the thullah on the road when he pulled us up for driving on the wrong side etc. So yes I am not Anna but maybe the start of my redemption is to support him. Anyways, there can be only one Anna Hazare.
However, keeping the emotions out of the discussion I believe that a policy framework against corruption will be a big step in starting the march towards eradication of corruption in our country. I am not a romantic to believe that a Jan Lokpal Bill will kill this beast but I do believe that if properly instantiated and implemented this could act as a catalyst.
Everyone in the country is not corrupt and probably majority don't want to be corrupt but its the "system" which defeats everyone. Its the corrupt few who ensure that others have to conform to this "system". There are also arguments that what can we expect our government workers to do considering the fact that they are not paid sufficiently and with rising living costs they have no other option but to buckle to the lure of the easy but needed money. Yeah! I guess that argument applies to the babus in the municipal corporation or the transport office or the electricity office or the police station. How can on the other hand we justify the Bofors scandal, the Commenwealth Games fiasco, the 2G spectrum, the Fodder scam - the list just goes on....Corruption can be small and it can be big but that doesn't change the fact that in our country it really pays and anybody who is not corrupt is considered stupid or naive. This needs to change!
I cannot even try to analyze the problem or suggest solutions but maybe in addition to the Anna's effort it would be helpful if all of us do introspection and think what can we do from our side.
I do hope we get the Jan Lokpal Bill but even after that can we proudly say "I am Anna" in the future? If all of us can...then we probably would have achieved a real change.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Surreal...fairytale
On the 2nd of April the dream of 1.2 billion Indians came true. 11 men achieved the collective aspirations of a nation. Yes ... India won the Cricket World Cup. The wait of 28 years was over. Many still considered the victory of 1983 a flash in the pan but this victory has proved again that we belong at the top of the world cricket.
At the end of the excruciating day when MSD hit the famous six to win the tournament I just sat in shock for a few seconds and then burst out in crazy whoops...jumping up and down with S....before calling home....calling friends....and then celebrating in a quiet way in a country where they don't know the sport.
It was probably the first time that I literally cried over a match and even a couple of days later all the replays of the fabulous achievement are making my eyes moist. Just to see that Sachin has finally achieved what was his due gives me goose bumps. What a man...what a sportsman...and finally a set of team mates who did it for him.
1983 was a blur for me as I was a little kid when Kapil's Daredevils humbled the WIs but this victory will live on with me always.
At the end of the excruciating day when MSD hit the famous six to win the tournament I just sat in shock for a few seconds and then burst out in crazy whoops...jumping up and down with S....before calling home....calling friends....and then celebrating in a quiet way in a country where they don't know the sport.
It was probably the first time that I literally cried over a match and even a couple of days later all the replays of the fabulous achievement are making my eyes moist. Just to see that Sachin has finally achieved what was his due gives me goose bumps. What a man...what a sportsman...and finally a set of team mates who did it for him.
1983 was a blur for me as I was a little kid when Kapil's Daredevils humbled the WIs but this victory will live on with me always.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Guess who...
Want another hint?
I am sure you would have an idea - no he is not back from the dead. He is very much around. He has just decided to do some other things. He has stopped trying to analyze and understand what was going on those many years ago and just trying to enjoy himself now.
Yes, he is Robert Plant who played at the Palais des Sports de Paris in the summer this year with his Band of Joy.
Sure it was not the Madison Avenue, it was a small indoor arena seating ... yes seating around 5000 people but it just helped to make a more personal setting to see the God of Rock perform himself. What was remarkable was that Live he is so much different from all the stories we have heard about him and the Led Zepplin. So much humility, so much affection and so much of an attitude - "am i really that good? you all have come to hear me?" I am sure it had to do lot with age and having seen it all. If I had not read the books or seen the movies I could not visualize him as the hell raiser.
There was no hell raising in this show. He started off with the songs from the new album which all had a folksy and bluesy feel to them. The first note with that inimitable voice just brought back thoughts of what I missed - Led Zepp Live in the 70s. Yes he did perform some of the timeless classics - Tangerine, Gallow's Pole, Houses of the Holy, Rock and Roll, Tall Cool One, Misty Mountain Hop etc. and all of them gave me goosebumps. The songs brought the crowd to life but I could recognize that without Jimmy Page the spark was missing. Maybe it was my wishful thinking or just plain greed - now that I had got to see Plant I wanted to get to see the whole jingbang.One is never satisfied I guess. Plant sang most of the songs mid tempo in a relaxed atmosphere but considering the setting it was appropriate.
They played -
- Down to the sea,
- Angel dance
- House of cards
- Please read the letter
- Misty mountain hop
- Twelve gates to the city/Wade in the water
- Tangerine
- Somewhere trouble don't go
- Satisfied mind
- Move up
- Satan your kingdom must come down
- Central 2-o-9
- Monkey
- Houses of the holy
- You can't buy my love
- Tall cool one
- Gallow's pole
- Harm's swift way
- Rock n roll
- We bid you goodnight.
It was one magical night which I didn't want to end.
Monday, December 27, 2010
The theme was LIVE
Whatever 2010 was or wasn't it was definitely a sporty year for me. LIVE sports that is.
The year's first big event which I was fortunate enough to watch ( sure I did pay a ton for it :-) ) was the French Open final. Roland Garros on a nice summer evening with Rafa and Soderling playing for the title of the clay court season was an experience which I would love to repeat. The thing which stood out for me was the fact that the stadiums / arenas seem so much bigger on TV. I was concerned that I would not be able to see the players or the ball or the shots good enough but we had fabulous seats and I could catch each and every clinical stroke with which Rafa became the undisputed king of clay. Even as I write this I cannot believe that I was at the French Open final this year. Would have loved a 5 setter humdinger of a match but Rafa was just too good that day. Soderling didn't stand a chance. Hopefully next year Roger keeps the date. I am being greedy :-)
The next one which stands out was the F1 at Hockenheimring. WOW! that was an experience. Completely unsustainable sport but the adrenalin rush - one has to experience it to believe it. The first race where Schumacher drove in front of the German fans after his comeback and the double treat - Vettel in awesome form. Yeah in the end Alonso won but frankly I didn't care. To just be there was worth it. And yes I had goose bumps when I saw Force India keep up with the pace. Maybe next year they do win a race - the Delhi one. Icing on the cake, I say.
We did visit Wimbledon too. The hallowed center court, the temple of tennis - I was just in awe to see the court. Again it looked really small real time but the history is big enough. Sadly couldn't get tickets for the championship but it is on the list for 2011.
The second half of the year football took center stage. The World Cup excitement was palpable and with Germany doing well there was a definite buzz here. The fan arenas were throbbing and we were part of the fun all through.
We rounded the year off by watching Hoffenheim play Leverkusen in the Rhien Neckar Arena ( Bundesliga ). A "small" stadium of around 35000 capacity but the one where I experienced a Live football game for the first time. We were on the 1st row and almost could touch the players. It was a 2-2 draw - 4 goals in my 1st game..not bad :-).
However the best was kept for the last. I did manage to accomplish what I had always dreamed of doing. Watching ManU play a game at Old Trafford. And that to against Arsenal. We got the red carpet treatment courtesy the steep ticket price but man! was it worth it? or was it worth it? A stadium steeped in history, 75367 people in attendance and when as one they roared United! United! no team stood a chance. The only thing which could come closer to that was Eden Gardens chanting Sachin! Sachin! ManU won 1-0, the goal was scored right in front of where we were sitting. Just our luck that it was the day that the club officially sent off Ole Gunnar Solskjær. One of the 3-4 players I have really loved. That's a promise, I need to do this again.
One a side note in the middle of all this I did finish my 1st half marathon.
Let us see what 2011 has in store....
The year's first big event which I was fortunate enough to watch ( sure I did pay a ton for it :-) ) was the French Open final. Roland Garros on a nice summer evening with Rafa and Soderling playing for the title of the clay court season was an experience which I would love to repeat. The thing which stood out for me was the fact that the stadiums / arenas seem so much bigger on TV. I was concerned that I would not be able to see the players or the ball or the shots good enough but we had fabulous seats and I could catch each and every clinical stroke with which Rafa became the undisputed king of clay. Even as I write this I cannot believe that I was at the French Open final this year. Would have loved a 5 setter humdinger of a match but Rafa was just too good that day. Soderling didn't stand a chance. Hopefully next year Roger keeps the date. I am being greedy :-)
The next one which stands out was the F1 at Hockenheimring. WOW! that was an experience. Completely unsustainable sport but the adrenalin rush - one has to experience it to believe it. The first race where Schumacher drove in front of the German fans after his comeback and the double treat - Vettel in awesome form. Yeah in the end Alonso won but frankly I didn't care. To just be there was worth it. And yes I had goose bumps when I saw Force India keep up with the pace. Maybe next year they do win a race - the Delhi one. Icing on the cake, I say.
We did visit Wimbledon too. The hallowed center court, the temple of tennis - I was just in awe to see the court. Again it looked really small real time but the history is big enough. Sadly couldn't get tickets for the championship but it is on the list for 2011.
The second half of the year football took center stage. The World Cup excitement was palpable and with Germany doing well there was a definite buzz here. The fan arenas were throbbing and we were part of the fun all through.
We rounded the year off by watching Hoffenheim play Leverkusen in the Rhien Neckar Arena ( Bundesliga ). A "small" stadium of around 35000 capacity but the one where I experienced a Live football game for the first time. We were on the 1st row and almost could touch the players. It was a 2-2 draw - 4 goals in my 1st game..not bad :-).
However the best was kept for the last. I did manage to accomplish what I had always dreamed of doing. Watching ManU play a game at Old Trafford. And that to against Arsenal. We got the red carpet treatment courtesy the steep ticket price but man! was it worth it? or was it worth it? A stadium steeped in history, 75367 people in attendance and when as one they roared United! United! no team stood a chance. The only thing which could come closer to that was Eden Gardens chanting Sachin! Sachin! ManU won 1-0, the goal was scored right in front of where we were sitting. Just our luck that it was the day that the club officially sent off Ole Gunnar Solskjær. One of the 3-4 players I have really loved. That's a promise, I need to do this again.
One a side note in the middle of all this I did finish my 1st half marathon.
Let us see what 2011 has in store....
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Are we insensitive or just plain stupid?
Yesterday I saw this piece on a meeting organized which has participation from various countries which have come together to discuss the future of the Arctic Circle.
Well there is nothing spectacular about that as many such conferences happen however what made me pay attention to this News item was when I heard that the conference was organized to decide the claims of countries to the Arctics.
Claim on the Arctics??
Well then I heard even a more incredulous statement - this issue has become critical as the melting ice caps have made the Arctic more accessible and made it feasible to explore the icy wild for oil and natural gas.
I was aghast!
We ignore the melting ice caps, we actually welcome it, so that we can go and do more damage.
Disgusting!
Well there is nothing spectacular about that as many such conferences happen however what made me pay attention to this News item was when I heard that the conference was organized to decide the claims of countries to the Arctics.
Claim on the Arctics??
Well then I heard even a more incredulous statement - this issue has become critical as the melting ice caps have made the Arctic more accessible and made it feasible to explore the icy wild for oil and natural gas.
I was aghast!
We ignore the melting ice caps, we actually welcome it, so that we can go and do more damage.
Disgusting!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
How to bring an Arena down?
Ever wonder what would it take to bring a big city like Frankfurt to a halt? Ever wonder what could cause a "stau" (traffic jam)on the "autobahn" (freeway)? Ever wonder what could cause even a hospital parking to be used for all the out of the city cars? ... all this is possible ... just bring U2 to town.
Paul David Hewson aka Bono, back all fixed up in Germany, in his terms "Made In Germany" stamped on his ass, with David Evans aka The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen decided to pay Frankfurt a visit on the 10th of August 2010. When U2 come visiting these days they touch down in a spaceship. The spaceship touched down at the Commerzbank Arena and it was one heck of a sight. Pictures cannot do justice to the setup but still here goes -
To be fair, U2 has been on the periphery of the bands which I follow but getting a chance to see them live was something which I was not going to loose at any cost. What is remarkable is that this is one band which sounds so much more better live than on CDs. Maybe it was the acoustic of playing in a football stadium or the huge bank of speakers everywhere on the spaceship or whatever but the atmosphere was simply electric. The first notes of distortion guitar from Edge were just electric and all through the night there was this pulsating energy which came through. Bono, really looked fit and revived after the back surgery
I do need to get back to the spaceship because though the band's music would have been enough alone to blow us all away - they were in such flow that night - it was this piece of massive engineering which was fascinating. As I mentioned it was stacked with speakers plus the cockpit in the middle was a collection of screens which opened up to provide a massive projection medium. Maybe this picture helps you to get a perspective
True to form Bono did have a social message or two which he shared through the night. The 1st was a canned speech by Desmond Tutu propagating One Love which was appropriately played before "One" and then the prayer for Aung San Suu Kyi preceding "You'll never Walk Alone".
S said the other day "I have seen more than I can remember, I can remember more than I have seen" and I could relate to this statement when they played "Where the Streets Have No Name" or "I Still Haven't Found What I am Looking For" or "With or Without You". There were these flashes of memories associated with these songs which transported me to some other planes.
The set list for the night was -
1. Return Of The Stingray Guitar
2. Beautiful Day
3. New Year's Day
4. Get On Your Boots
5. Magnificent
6. Mysterious Ways / My Sweet Lord (snippet)
7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Movin' On Up (snippet)
8. Glastonbury
9. Elevation
10. In A Little While
11. Miss Sarajevo
12. Until The End Of The World
13. The Unforgettable Fire
14. City Of Blinding Lights
15. Vertigo / It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (snippet)
16. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight / Discothèque (snippet)
17. Sunday Bloody Sunday
18. MLK
19. Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)
encore(s):
20. One
21. Amazing Grace (snippet) / Where The Streets Have No Name
22. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
23. With Or Without You
24. Moment of Surrender
which kind of covered the Discography spectrum pretty well. It also allowed each member of the band to have their solo time under the spot light or the strobe light.
The show was so good that we seriously think of going again in a month's time to Munich to watch the concert again. Whether we do it or not is a different question but U2 truly brought the Commerzbank Arena down on the 10th night.
Paul David Hewson aka Bono, back all fixed up in Germany, in his terms "Made In Germany" stamped on his ass, with David Evans aka The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen decided to pay Frankfurt a visit on the 10th of August 2010. When U2 come visiting these days they touch down in a spaceship. The spaceship touched down at the Commerzbank Arena and it was one heck of a sight. Pictures cannot do justice to the setup but still here goes -
To be fair, U2 has been on the periphery of the bands which I follow but getting a chance to see them live was something which I was not going to loose at any cost. What is remarkable is that this is one band which sounds so much more better live than on CDs. Maybe it was the acoustic of playing in a football stadium or the huge bank of speakers everywhere on the spaceship or whatever but the atmosphere was simply electric. The first notes of distortion guitar from Edge were just electric and all through the night there was this pulsating energy which came through. Bono, really looked fit and revived after the back surgery
I do need to get back to the spaceship because though the band's music would have been enough alone to blow us all away - they were in such flow that night - it was this piece of massive engineering which was fascinating. As I mentioned it was stacked with speakers plus the cockpit in the middle was a collection of screens which opened up to provide a massive projection medium. Maybe this picture helps you to get a perspective
True to form Bono did have a social message or two which he shared through the night. The 1st was a canned speech by Desmond Tutu propagating One Love which was appropriately played before "One" and then the prayer for Aung San Suu Kyi preceding "You'll never Walk Alone".
S said the other day "I have seen more than I can remember, I can remember more than I have seen" and I could relate to this statement when they played "Where the Streets Have No Name" or "I Still Haven't Found What I am Looking For" or "With or Without You". There were these flashes of memories associated with these songs which transported me to some other planes.
The set list for the night was -
1. Return Of The Stingray Guitar
2. Beautiful Day
3. New Year's Day
4. Get On Your Boots
5. Magnificent
6. Mysterious Ways / My Sweet Lord (snippet)
7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Movin' On Up (snippet)
8. Glastonbury
9. Elevation
10. In A Little While
11. Miss Sarajevo
12. Until The End Of The World
13. The Unforgettable Fire
14. City Of Blinding Lights
15. Vertigo / It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (snippet)
16. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight / Discothèque (snippet)
17. Sunday Bloody Sunday
18. MLK
19. Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)
encore(s):
20. One
21. Amazing Grace (snippet) / Where The Streets Have No Name
22. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
23. With Or Without You
24. Moment of Surrender
which kind of covered the Discography spectrum pretty well. It also allowed each member of the band to have their solo time under the spot light or the strobe light.
The show was so good that we seriously think of going again in a month's time to Munich to watch the concert again. Whether we do it or not is a different question but U2 truly brought the Commerzbank Arena down on the 10th night.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Apathy
The last few days have forced me to wonder about the value of life in our country.
We lost 200 people to an air crash, we lost another 150 people to a train accident and another 50 people to a bus accident. I am not even counting the "normal" deaths which occur on a daily basis without making it to the national TV.
Why do we have such apathy towards the value of human life? The air crash probably could have been avoided, the train accident definitely could have been avoided and probably same is the case for the bus accident. However, why is it that these incidents do happen and happen on a regular basis?
It is amazing to see how an unnatural death in most of the other countries is seen really like that - unnatural while we don't even miss a beat and carry on our daily business as if nothing has happened. We are so used to disasters. I am sure it cannot be because we have too many people. I hope the logic of surplus is not being applied to people because each individual life is an irreparable loss.
Could it be because of our disregard for basic safety norms?
Could it be because of our dilapidated and archaic infrastructure?
Could it be because of our belief in the "chalta hai" attitude?
Could it be because of our disregard for rules?
Could it be because of lack of rules?
Could it be because we don't know how to protest decently in a country where nonviolence was unveiled as a powerful weapon?
What?
How many more need to perish for us to raise these questions and find some answers...
We lost 200 people to an air crash, we lost another 150 people to a train accident and another 50 people to a bus accident. I am not even counting the "normal" deaths which occur on a daily basis without making it to the national TV.
Why do we have such apathy towards the value of human life? The air crash probably could have been avoided, the train accident definitely could have been avoided and probably same is the case for the bus accident. However, why is it that these incidents do happen and happen on a regular basis?
It is amazing to see how an unnatural death in most of the other countries is seen really like that - unnatural while we don't even miss a beat and carry on our daily business as if nothing has happened. We are so used to disasters. I am sure it cannot be because we have too many people. I hope the logic of surplus is not being applied to people because each individual life is an irreparable loss.
Could it be because of our disregard for basic safety norms?
Could it be because of our dilapidated and archaic infrastructure?
Could it be because of our belief in the "chalta hai" attitude?
Could it be because of our disregard for rules?
Could it be because of lack of rules?
Could it be because we don't know how to protest decently in a country where nonviolence was unveiled as a powerful weapon?
What?
How many more need to perish for us to raise these questions and find some answers...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)