Lack of Planning or Foresight: I stay in Kothrud in Pune. This area was hinterland about 20 years back. There must have probably been farms or wastelands. Then somebody got an idea of developing this area to attract investors from Mumbai who wanted second homes in Pune. Now when you are developing a new area for urbanization wouldn’t it be a good idea to develop it in a planned way. Ensure that roads are of uniform width, mostly straight line and plots are allotted accordingly?
But no. There was haphazard development leading to narrow access roads in some places, and extremely broad roads in others, plots encroaching on roads leading to twisting and turning paths, no developmental guidelines for builders building complexes within their allotted plots leading to minimal space devoted to common areas like internal roads, gardens parking spots etc. Buildings and rowhouses built as close to each other as possible so as to maximize profits rather than provide a pleasant living experience to the residents.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Driving on Indian Roads
On the road this lack of respect manifest even more glaringly. People have absolutely no respect for other people sharing the road with them. Here I am not talking about following the traffic rules or lane markings. That’s difficult as it is given the overcrowded roads and myriad denizens occupying them.
But simple things like not blocking a lane because we want to join a main road from a side road, changing lanes only after letting the car behind you have sufficient warning, letting the car in front of you into your lane if he is giving a signal, honking relentlessly just because the car in front is stalled or slow in getting off the mark at the signal. Simple things like that would make the roads so much easier to traverse on.
There are two types of bad drivers in my opinion on Indian roads.
1. Big and Powerful: I have the big car fast car. I own the road. All slower smaller cars need to get out of the way. I know that if I hit somebody I will face minimum damage.
2. Small and Idiotic: I am a small two /three wheeler or 800. I can get in and out of very small places and corners. I will do that and the other cars can just watch out for me. I don’t care that if there is an accident I will suffer maximum injury.
As you can see above the bad driving behavior cuts across social, economic and educational strata. I have seen employees of Hi Tech companies, managers in big firms (based on the cars they drive) drive the same way as say an Indica, Sumo or Qualis taxi driver.
So what makes us behave this way on the road? What makes us behave this way in life?
This last weekend I made my regular trip from Pune to Mumbai via the expressway. It just glaringly brought out the difference between the two cultures once again. People in fast cars just feel that the expressway is their birthright to drive at manic speed and don’t care to share the road with others at all. They will zoom down the fast lane and if god forbid you are in that lane at a speed below 120 kmph will start flashing their headlights into your rearview mirror or start honking like crazy as if they have a fire to put out somewhere down the line.
This was particularly disturbing during the return trip which we made in the night as the flashing lights make it more difficult for you to drive.
The public servant is treated with respect. They may do their job at a slower pace than in a corporate environment but will not ask for anything under the table or make you run around endlessly. They will also talk to you civilly. Everything will be organized.
Here we treat govt workers with the scantest of respect and vice versa. This does not lead to a very good transaction and increases levels of frustration and inefficiency.
But simple things like not blocking a lane because we want to join a main road from a side road, changing lanes only after letting the car behind you have sufficient warning, letting the car in front of you into your lane if he is giving a signal, honking relentlessly just because the car in front is stalled or slow in getting off the mark at the signal. Simple things like that would make the roads so much easier to traverse on.
There are two types of bad drivers in my opinion on Indian roads.
1. Big and Powerful: I have the big car fast car. I own the road. All slower smaller cars need to get out of the way. I know that if I hit somebody I will face minimum damage.
2. Small and Idiotic: I am a small two /three wheeler or 800. I can get in and out of very small places and corners. I will do that and the other cars can just watch out for me. I don’t care that if there is an accident I will suffer maximum injury.
As you can see above the bad driving behavior cuts across social, economic and educational strata. I have seen employees of Hi Tech companies, managers in big firms (based on the cars they drive) drive the same way as say an Indica, Sumo or Qualis taxi driver.
So what makes us behave this way on the road? What makes us behave this way in life?
This last weekend I made my regular trip from Pune to Mumbai via the expressway. It just glaringly brought out the difference between the two cultures once again. People in fast cars just feel that the expressway is their birthright to drive at manic speed and don’t care to share the road with others at all. They will zoom down the fast lane and if god forbid you are in that lane at a speed below 120 kmph will start flashing their headlights into your rearview mirror or start honking like crazy as if they have a fire to put out somewhere down the line.
This was particularly disturbing during the return trip which we made in the night as the flashing lights make it more difficult for you to drive.
The public servant is treated with respect. They may do their job at a slower pace than in a corporate environment but will not ask for anything under the table or make you run around endlessly. They will also talk to you civilly. Everything will be organized.
Here we treat govt workers with the scantest of respect and vice versa. This does not lead to a very good transaction and increases levels of frustration and inefficiency.
Renewing my Indian ness
I have stayed for 4 years in North America and have just recently returned to India. Before going to Canada I had only read, heard or seen on TV about the Western world. It’s comforts, advanced society, technology, cars, roads etc were something we could only dream about. India was slowly catching up with the West they used to say. Especially in the metros. We are getting all the latest electronic items, consumer products like Coke, Nestle chocolates. The latest cars are being sold in India including Mercedes Maybach, BMW and even Rolls Royce.
There are so many flyovers being built in Mumbai, The roads are being concretised, the Mumbai Pune Expressway is like any US freeway…… and so on and so forth.
So it was a bit of optimism that I went to Canada thinking that (and I had expressed the same to a cousin of mine who had been there for almost 10 years) Bombay if not India would very soon be as modern and as efficient a place to stay in as say LA, New York or Toronto.
When I landed in Toronto the first thing that caught my eye was the impressive glass and steel airport, with moving walkways, escalators and efficient immigration and customs officials.
Once outside the airport in the taxi cab, the highways , the different cars and lane discipline on the road enamoured me. Everybody driving cars in the designated lanes, lane changing done after giving a signal and actually waiting for the driver in that lane to give you space and drivers actually giving space to incoming cars!!!
On coming back to India after 4 years, I realized that things haven’t really improved all that much. Its just got more crowded and the infrastructure (which I had seen starting to develop to take care of growth ) had really not kept up pace with the actual growth.
The roads were still inadequate to cope up with the traffic. This probably had led to more indiscipline on the road as now there were more people fighting for the same space on the road. As a result traffic in Mumbai which used to be reasonably disciplined was deteriorating to the levels of the rest of India where traffic lights were taken as an advisory and not as a rule to be obeyed. Traffic cops were treated with barely any respect. Pedestrians, two wheelers, rickshaws behaved as if it was the duty of the other residents of the road to look out for them and not their own.
While driving on the road one day (or rather while stuck in a traffic jam one day) a thought suddenly struck me.
All our life from childhood to adult hood we have been reinforced with one single idea about the Great Indian Culture. That is respect for others. I remember Raj Kapoor in one of his memorable films says to another character (who is conveniently Westernized) that the Indian Culture is so great and so respectful, humble and welcoming that even when we refuse to give alms to a beggar on the street we say ‘Maaf Karo’ or “Forgive me for I cannot give you any money”. That struck me as a very strong statement about India and made me feel good. Especially when this was juxtaposed against the callous Western attitudes where everybody was running behind money, there was no compassion etc.
However on staying in the West and after coming back I realized that this was not all true.
In the west there is definitely a value attached to every human being. This value does not depend upon the amount of money that person earns or his education. Its value because he is a human being. Everybody treats everybody with respect (except for US Border Security personnel!!!! They show respect for nobody and are as rude as you can possibly get.)
People say thank you to the Bus Driver while getting off a public transport bus. People say good morning or good evening to the Security Guard at the gate of the office or apartment complex. Some people even say Good Morning to perfect strangers if you are out on a morning walk and pass by their gardens.
This is something I have never seen happen in India. We generally tend to ignore all those below us in the social strata. When was the last time you remember saying Thank You to a rickshaw, taxi or bus driver? When did you last say Good Morning to the Security Guard at the gate of your building or office?
When was the last time we ever said THANK YOU????
There are so many flyovers being built in Mumbai, The roads are being concretised, the Mumbai Pune Expressway is like any US freeway…… and so on and so forth.
So it was a bit of optimism that I went to Canada thinking that (and I had expressed the same to a cousin of mine who had been there for almost 10 years) Bombay if not India would very soon be as modern and as efficient a place to stay in as say LA, New York or Toronto.
When I landed in Toronto the first thing that caught my eye was the impressive glass and steel airport, with moving walkways, escalators and efficient immigration and customs officials.
Once outside the airport in the taxi cab, the highways , the different cars and lane discipline on the road enamoured me. Everybody driving cars in the designated lanes, lane changing done after giving a signal and actually waiting for the driver in that lane to give you space and drivers actually giving space to incoming cars!!!
On coming back to India after 4 years, I realized that things haven’t really improved all that much. Its just got more crowded and the infrastructure (which I had seen starting to develop to take care of growth ) had really not kept up pace with the actual growth.
The roads were still inadequate to cope up with the traffic. This probably had led to more indiscipline on the road as now there were more people fighting for the same space on the road. As a result traffic in Mumbai which used to be reasonably disciplined was deteriorating to the levels of the rest of India where traffic lights were taken as an advisory and not as a rule to be obeyed. Traffic cops were treated with barely any respect. Pedestrians, two wheelers, rickshaws behaved as if it was the duty of the other residents of the road to look out for them and not their own.
While driving on the road one day (or rather while stuck in a traffic jam one day) a thought suddenly struck me.
All our life from childhood to adult hood we have been reinforced with one single idea about the Great Indian Culture. That is respect for others. I remember Raj Kapoor in one of his memorable films says to another character (who is conveniently Westernized) that the Indian Culture is so great and so respectful, humble and welcoming that even when we refuse to give alms to a beggar on the street we say ‘Maaf Karo’ or “Forgive me for I cannot give you any money”. That struck me as a very strong statement about India and made me feel good. Especially when this was juxtaposed against the callous Western attitudes where everybody was running behind money, there was no compassion etc.
However on staying in the West and after coming back I realized that this was not all true.
In the west there is definitely a value attached to every human being. This value does not depend upon the amount of money that person earns or his education. Its value because he is a human being. Everybody treats everybody with respect (except for US Border Security personnel!!!! They show respect for nobody and are as rude as you can possibly get.)
People say thank you to the Bus Driver while getting off a public transport bus. People say good morning or good evening to the Security Guard at the gate of the office or apartment complex. Some people even say Good Morning to perfect strangers if you are out on a morning walk and pass by their gardens.
This is something I have never seen happen in India. We generally tend to ignore all those below us in the social strata. When was the last time you remember saying Thank You to a rickshaw, taxi or bus driver? When did you last say Good Morning to the Security Guard at the gate of your building or office?
When was the last time we ever said THANK YOU????
Monday, February 23, 2009
Just some thoughts
Suppose we reported on atrocities commited by terrorists without attaching their religious moniker to them. Would that reduce the impact of these activities. Would that reduce the mileage (publicity) that these groups get for their respective causes or religions?
Just wondering…..
How much impact does “10 terrorist attack 5 star hotels in Mumbai, India” have as compared to “10 Islamic jihadist target foreigners in 5 start hotels in this Hindu country”
This is not to say that we are ignoring the fact that these are terrorist fighting purportedly for an Islamic cause. That needs to be tackled at a political and diplomatic level. However by not giving it significant air time we could be able to reduce the glorification and hence attractiveness of these causes to the young and disillusioned.
Just wondering…..
How much impact does “10 terrorist attack 5 star hotels in Mumbai, India” have as compared to “10 Islamic jihadist target foreigners in 5 start hotels in this Hindu country”
This is not to say that we are ignoring the fact that these are terrorist fighting purportedly for an Islamic cause. That needs to be tackled at a political and diplomatic level. However by not giving it significant air time we could be able to reduce the glorification and hence attractiveness of these causes to the young and disillusioned.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Mumbai Police admits local help for 26/11
Finally, the mumbai police have come out and acknowledged that there was local support for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. So what I had posted more than a month back has finally been validated. Makes you feel good to be a know it all!!!!
After a big lull looks like this is picking up once again.
Pakistan has also published a list of 8-10 countries which have been involved in the activities leading up to the attacks. What they are not saying is that most of the people who used these other countries to plan for and implement the attacks were from Pakistan!!!
And I never thought I would say this but for the first time I agree with Narendra Modi
"Modi had sought to place his remarks in context. "I meant to say that if Pakistan executed such a massive operation then it would not have been possible without a local recce. There must have been some networking. The Indian government should also probe that angle," Modi had clarified."
After a big lull looks like this is picking up once again.
Pakistan has also published a list of 8-10 countries which have been involved in the activities leading up to the attacks. What they are not saying is that most of the people who used these other countries to plan for and implement the attacks were from Pakistan!!!
And I never thought I would say this but for the first time I agree with Narendra Modi
"Modi had sought to place his remarks in context. "I meant to say that if Pakistan executed such a massive operation then it would not have been possible without a local recce. There must have been some networking. The Indian government should also probe that angle," Modi had clarified."
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Slumdog Euphoria
I saw the movie Slumdog Millionaire a few weeks back. Before all this Golden Globe and Oscar hoopla. It came highly recommended from a variety of sources.
When I entered the theater I was surprised to see that it was almost full. And this was six weeks into its run. Normally here in the US, viewership tapers off after the first month and you will barely get twenty people for any show. (I have in fact been to a show where me and a friend were the only people in the hall!!)
Anyway, a part of me felt some pride that there was this huge crowd who wanted to see a movie about India. As the movie unfolded on the screen I began to feel a bit awkward with the way India was being depicted. With all its cliches of poverty, crime, police brutality etc.
Also I started feeling that these foreigners were not getting their money's worth because some of the best dialogues or exchanges between the child actors were in Hindi and the subtitles did not have the same impact or punch.
At the end of the movie as I was moving out I again felt that it was a good movie and still feeling good that Hollywood had attempted to make a full scale film on India with Indian actors and locales.
Later on however as I thought about it more, I realized that all this movie had glorified was the squalor, lawlessness and poverty of India. And that, more than the actual storyline or acting was what was making it popular with the western world.
Thinking more about it I realized that most of the India centric movies which have become popular here and got the awards had this same theme. Extreme poverty, resilience of the poor, exploitation and or emancipation by some enlightened foreigner. Salaam Bombay, City of Joy, Lagaan jump up immediately.
A feel good movie about the middle class like say Taare Zameen Par which did not focus on India specific issues but on something more common or western like dyslexia does not interest the mass or the class here.
Well I don't have problems with that though. Its their choice as to what they like and what they don't. Who am I to pontificate to them.
The reactions in India have as usual been wildly extreme. Some falling over themselves to gush over the movie and the way its been made etc etc just because its a Hollywood production. Others taking the standard anti-colonial stance of "How can these people show my country in this way and propagate stereotypes".
When Amitabh Bachchan said very strongly that there is an underbelly in every western city, he was right. However he did not acknowledge that there are movies made about this too over here. Hollywood has never shied away from making movies about these seamy topics. For instance LA Confidential and Serpico were about corruption in the Police Force, On the Waterfront about dock mafia, The Color Purple about racism and segragation. So the point made is not really valid. Just a means of sensationalizing or an attempt to cash in on the popularity of a topic. (A week later he recanted saying that SM was a beautiful movie and the previous comments made on his blog were not written by him after all!!!!!!!)
We need to stop being so sensitive about criticism and external approval. Why do we look at affirmation from the west that we are a modern and progressive nation.
The day we stop this and start looking inward and show more maturity in these matters, I think will mark the time that we became a nation which is respected and considered as an equal.
When I entered the theater I was surprised to see that it was almost full. And this was six weeks into its run. Normally here in the US, viewership tapers off after the first month and you will barely get twenty people for any show. (I have in fact been to a show where me and a friend were the only people in the hall!!)
Anyway, a part of me felt some pride that there was this huge crowd who wanted to see a movie about India. As the movie unfolded on the screen I began to feel a bit awkward with the way India was being depicted. With all its cliches of poverty, crime, police brutality etc.
Also I started feeling that these foreigners were not getting their money's worth because some of the best dialogues or exchanges between the child actors were in Hindi and the subtitles did not have the same impact or punch.
At the end of the movie as I was moving out I again felt that it was a good movie and still feeling good that Hollywood had attempted to make a full scale film on India with Indian actors and locales.
Later on however as I thought about it more, I realized that all this movie had glorified was the squalor, lawlessness and poverty of India. And that, more than the actual storyline or acting was what was making it popular with the western world.
Thinking more about it I realized that most of the India centric movies which have become popular here and got the awards had this same theme. Extreme poverty, resilience of the poor, exploitation and or emancipation by some enlightened foreigner. Salaam Bombay, City of Joy, Lagaan jump up immediately.
A feel good movie about the middle class like say Taare Zameen Par which did not focus on India specific issues but on something more common or western like dyslexia does not interest the mass or the class here.
Well I don't have problems with that though. Its their choice as to what they like and what they don't. Who am I to pontificate to them.
The reactions in India have as usual been wildly extreme. Some falling over themselves to gush over the movie and the way its been made etc etc just because its a Hollywood production. Others taking the standard anti-colonial stance of "How can these people show my country in this way and propagate stereotypes".
When Amitabh Bachchan said very strongly that there is an underbelly in every western city, he was right. However he did not acknowledge that there are movies made about this too over here. Hollywood has never shied away from making movies about these seamy topics. For instance LA Confidential and Serpico were about corruption in the Police Force, On the Waterfront about dock mafia, The Color Purple about racism and segragation. So the point made is not really valid. Just a means of sensationalizing or an attempt to cash in on the popularity of a topic. (A week later he recanted saying that SM was a beautiful movie and the previous comments made on his blog were not written by him after all!!!!!!!)
We need to stop being so sensitive about criticism and external approval. Why do we look at affirmation from the west that we are a modern and progressive nation.
The day we stop this and start looking inward and show more maturity in these matters, I think will mark the time that we became a nation which is respected and considered as an equal.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Back to the Mumbai Attacks
I had some interesting comments on my earlier blog regarding the involvement of locals in the Mumbai attacks.
"how many americans were involved in 9/11" !!! I have never thought of that.
But then looking back this is different. If there were local supporters for thoose, they would also have been immigrants and not people born and brought up here.
In india we do not have any such immigration (other than bangladeshi). Any local support would have to be Indians who are just out to cause harm to the nation.
Also the hijackers had been in the country for quite some time and even enrolled in flying classes so there was sufficient time for them to get acclimatised.
The Pak terrorists just walked in on to the Gateway and started shooting.
"how many americans were involved in 9/11" !!! I have never thought of that.
But then looking back this is different. If there were local supporters for thoose, they would also have been immigrants and not people born and brought up here.
In india we do not have any such immigration (other than bangladeshi). Any local support would have to be Indians who are just out to cause harm to the nation.
Also the hijackers had been in the country for quite some time and even enrolled in flying classes so there was sufficient time for them to get acclimatised.
The Pak terrorists just walked in on to the Gateway and started shooting.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Obama is sworn in-The Speech below
History is made, Barack Obama [Images] became the 44th President of the United States of America.
Here is his historic speech:
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the
People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Here is his historic speech:
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the
People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Lady Returns
The lady who had seen the terrorists land at Cuffe Parade has returned!!
Initial reports say that she had been to Satara to meet her family.
Now she is saying that she had been taken to the US by US officials for questionning!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAAAATTTTTTT.
WHAAAATTTTTTT.
Do we have any self respect or not? Why couldn't we say anything against this. Why couldn't US interrogate her if they wanted to right here in India along with Indian officials.
Did Indian authorities even know that US was taking her away. What is so important that this lady knows.
Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? My God this gets more sinister by the moment.
Once again, there is still not a peep from the media about involvement of local elements. Not one question asked.
Like its some holy cow. Even in the US they had started asking questions about the 9/11 attacks. And that in my opinion was a thousand times bigger than 26/11 no matter how much media wants to posture it as so.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Mumbai Terror Attacks- My thoughts
Some thoughts on the Mumbai terror attack of last year.
India is currently exclusively focussed on the Pakistani involvement in these attacks. This seems to have deflected the attention completely away from introspection into our own internal security.
Nobody is even asking as to what support these people got from local elements. I find it impossible to believe that 10 foreign kids could come into our country by boat and then navigate our streets expertly get into and barricade themselves into 5 star hotels for over 4 days without any support from locals.
Is there any investigation happening into that. Is our media looking into this. All the news that I read on indian websites is about "No action being taken by pakistan".
What about action being taken by India on our internal security. What about looking into sleeper cells and finding out what are the next steps. What about improving our police forces and eliminating political control over them.
I believe the Supreme Court had come up with a suggestion some years back that Police reforms are required to make our country more secure and more democratic.
But that has been conveniently ignored.
Just yesterday I read on rediff.com that the lady who saw the terrorists land at the Fishermen's Colony has gone missing !!!!!!!!!!!
How could that happen. And then someone says that this is not important as she is not a material witness!!!!!!!!!!!! So it doesn't matter if she DISAPPEARS??
My theory: She has probably seen more than 10 people land and now these guys don't want that information coming out during investigation.
Again I find it very difficult to believe that this was done by just 10 people.
More on Conspiracy Theories later
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