Mr. Church

11-11-2016 is a day that i need to remember. I had to stand for 6 hours in a long queue to deposit the little money i have and withdraw it. Well for me this is the only day and for few others unfortunately it wont be just 1 day. They for sure will need thousands of days to see a return of their money, thanks to the plans laid by Indian Government to tap black money (Income not disclosed in declaration of income tax is black money). Black is the colour for EVIL and ones in possession of such money are classified as EVIL. EVIL men and women of India will have to pay a hefty fine if found with huge sums of money. I really don't know what to say and after a long time living in  this country i am left speechless for many reasons. Anyways life is like that. You get something in return when least expected. Life is you having controls over the wheels of the vehicle most of the time. You can go slow, fast do as you please. Only once when you run out of fuel is when life comes to a halt. In this case scenario money is fuel and few people have run out of their fuel. Life will and always take you off your feet, it can be the prime of your youth for many and at times rarely for silver haired  men (Cant predict life). In this case many young turks with their hoarded money will have to dance to the tune of Indian Governments music. Creators of the epic Indian movie Baahubali made a killing with its venture. Although unfortunately got their houses raided with new Indian policy. I guess Baahubali ka Baali chad gaya. I guess you have to embrace anything and everything that life has to offer. Crying with what is left is spilled milk. I guess that is why many have resorted to burning their money or throwing it off in dumps. Very few with huge sums of money can do little with what is left. I guess everything has a beginning and a end, this is the end in a way and a beginning for something new. New is something that people with money are now going to be thinking about. For now i am going to lock my heart and throw away the key.

The best part is as and when the the announcement was made i was busy watching the movie Mr. Church. The theme of the movie has a connection with the announcement made and that left me speechless. I paused for a while knowing that it is over for few out there. Nobody can predict this unless the news is leaked. Unlike the movie Mr. Church going to a church and confessing your sins is not of any use now. Church and the entity of god in it to forgive you for your sins is redundant. Church may work in your imaginary life(Black to white can happen in a church) but not in real world . After going through hell to exchange few bills i knew it will definitely not be easy for ones with huge sums of money. People have tried new schemes with defrauding the railways but it will not last for long. As per the news few have already resorted to burning their cash. For many the only thing wise is to come up with the money they have and disclose it unless they can find a ingenious way to avoid this stroke.

The theme of Mr Church was revolving around few lines of death. I guess this is the death of BLACK MONEY. The lines revolving around death are as follows.

1. There are people who talk about everything except the person who died.
2. There are those who only talk about the person who died.
3. There are those who will cheer you up.
4.  There are those who cant help it but make you cry.
5.  There are those who say nothing at all because they dont have to.

In this case scenario of death of black money i fall in category 5 for a reason that i share with many. But for the ones who have will have mixed feelings revolving around Points 1 to 4. Everything has a end and a beginning. Nothing is permanent for any one is the gist in a nut shell.

Doctor Strange

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So i venture out to watch Doctor Strange today wearing my Think outside the box T shirt. I wore that knowing that i can never know everything that exist in the world. I have to always be open to "BIZZARE" and "SUPERNATURAL." I know for sure that there are many things hidden. I cannot live with the assumptions knowing that i know everything which is how Benedict Cumberbatch in the movie and many others live their lives. I have to unfortunately believe in MAGIC in  the air that i breathe. The movie plot begins with a obsessed with work Dr Strange. His work feeds his ego and that is the only thing that mattters to him. He wants to believe that he is doing something good but unlike what he thinks his subconscious  has layers of reasons behind his conscious thoughts which he eventually comes to terms with,

The movie to me is a Stephen Hawking book revolving around the odyssey of space , time and universe. It talks about the Infinity unknown to Man. There is a touch of reality like  Vedas and the mystic that Sanskrit has in it "CHAKRAS". Spirit  in the body has been given utmost significance. In the movie he believes that all humans are matter which i can agree on. As sure as he is in the movie initially i am not sure about it and will never know  if there is anything more beyond the physical realm. I have to make my peace with not knowing where i can end up after physical death. As per the movie spirit lives and takes sanctuary. The movie is interesting and worth a watch again for me as a lot of space time dark dimension is a bit confusing.

Take home message for me

Chiwetel says that. We have to live by the rules of nature. If we defy it the bill will be due. At the end of the movie he walks out of it and does not want to be associated with bending the rules of nature.

 I think he may be right. I may have a scientific reason for it. I am a big fan of processed meat. Processed meat unlike fresh meat from the butcher is different. Processed meat has sodium nitrate that reacts with the HCL in the stomach and gives toxic effects to the body, WHO has labelled processed meat as dangerous too. They claim that single sausage a day can increase the risk of cancer to 20 %. Based on what Chiwetel says with reference to what WHO has to say may make sense. But still many of us live with risks and bend nature in our day to day lives, If the bill is due you will then have to pay for it and nothing can be done about it. I have to be open about the consequences of bending nature.

Apart from that few other things from the movie
It is not easy to forget your past
People look at life from their perspective
Everyone has their own belief
An outsider can see better than us
We are always involved in our own problems
Life is a bitter truth
Life gives many possibilities only thing is to explore them.
Life takes you through many unknown stages,
Everything takes time and effort. Life needs a lot of patience.



Interesting reads

How dare ? - Bombay Times

Rape has always and will attract reaction. People usually voice their opinion when it comes to rape. Times has come up with a interesting compilation of statements of what has been told so far by prominent people. All i get to know is that it is not necessary for everyone to share the same opinion in the most worst of crimes. Wavelengths of thinking differ in statements made.

List goes as follow. 

Most recent that grabbed the headlines - Insensitive interrogation - 32 year old female from Kerala takes the spotlight by her recent claims - Was interrogated by a policeman by asking which rapist gave you the most pleasure. 

My take is common sense dictates when a person reports rape, pleasure is automatically taken out from the equation. Unless it is a guy who got caught doing the act or wrong place wrong time for a guy that at times happens. Pleasure and rape is a new thing that has caught attention in media. On the other end Skeptical that it can be a rape makes the cops to force the question. Rape took place in 2014 and i guess the crime was reported in 2016, sarcasm attached to reporting the crime i guess. Either way it has attracted enough attention and has been deemed to be sexist and insensitive. 

Either way interesting Rape statistics of India 24,923 cases registered in 2012 which was the year of Nirbhaya case that grabbed all headlines. People reacted positively inorder to curb such menace. People took out peaceful and violent protests against the government inorder to give strict sentences in crimes dealing with rape. Expecting that crime statistics dealing with rape will spiral down has unfortunately seen a upward trend since 2012. There are 34 K cases reported last year. I guess man is a slave of his desires.. When you are a slave of your desires no matter how strict the punishment is you eventually end up doing it. Plain biology explained in a word that is "BIOFEEDBACK".  Man gets aroused easily and develops a impulse that he is not able to control. Impulse is so strong that he looses touch with his senses. Once initiated he tends forget the implications ands proceeds with it. By the time he starts it he realises that it would not make a difference stopping it. Biology in man will always have craving and impulses attached to it. Sometimes the impulse is so strong that it gets the best of you. 

Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of many physiological functions primarily using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will.


List of what prominent people think about it - can give a snapshot of the scenario. 

1. 2008, Sheila Dixit: One should not be adventurous being a woman -  Otherwise what she meant is Old cliche ‘a woman's place is in the home. Late at night i guess yes. I dont think venturing out at night in the forest all alone is a good idea. Night is the time for nocturnal animals to spread their wings and look for prey which is for both men and women. No one is safe.

2. 2012, Mamata Banerjee: Rising incidents of rape is due to men and women interacting freely with each other. I guess yes may be, not all can be trusted. Lady Gaga during Oscars sings a song on college campus rape. College Campus is where you have the highest interaction - One cohort has similar results based on her comments.

3.2014, Ramsevak Paikra, Home minister of Chattisgarh: Such incidents do not happen deliberately. He is talking about impulse, no one usually plans to rape, Man looses impulse and  things just happen most of the times i guess. 

4. 2014, Mulayam Singh Yadav former CM of UP: Boys make mistakes and should not be hanged for this. He is citing impulse again. Now the law is that you get hanged, still you dont see cases going down.

5. 2014, Akhilesh Singh Yadav CM of UP: Confronted on the rising incidents of rape in UP with a female reporter: Reply given You are safe why are you bothered. If you look into it no one is really bothered and they all know what is going on. He is talking of impulse again 

and indirectly may be criticizing her of not being good looking. 

6. Dharamvir Goyat, senior politician from Haryana: No hesitation in saying that 90 percent of girls consensually go with men. They end up meeting criminal minds and become target of the company. Makes absoulute sense only if you hang out with the wrong group. Just as in the movie Pink. I guess Pink got its theme from here. 

7. Asaram Bapu, Godman 2013: The victim is as guilty as her rapist. She should have called the culprits brother and begged them to stop. Makes no sense. 

8. Vibha Rao, chairperson of a Womens commision in India: Women display their bodies and indulge in various obscene activities. Women are unaware kind of message their actions generate:  I guess makes sense only if you encounter a sexual predator and then you are screwed for life. No one really plans for it to happen if it is done by some onw who you dont know. 

9. Dinesh Reddy, Andhra top cop: If women dress provocatively then rapes are not in the control of police. The same reasoning as 8.

10. Satyapal Singh, Former Mumbai Police Commisioner: We have to strike a balance. On the one hand  you want a promiscuos culture and a safe environment: This has a certain correlation to a statement made by Mohan Bhagwat, politician: When Bharat becomes India with the influence of Western culture these types of incidents happen. I guess may be he is right on Bharati men being sexually frustrated with influence of Western culture. Man looses impulse and is in a Identity crisis. Assumes scantily dressed women are in need, point made in the movie Pink.

11. Manish Sharma, Union Culture Minister, 2016: For their own safety women foreign tourist should not wear short dresses and skirts. He is making reference to the sexually frstrated Bharati men in identity crisis.

12, Sube Singh Samain, Khap Panchayat Haryana: If consensual sex with a 16 year old is not raoe then why cant girls be married at 16. Girls should be married at 16 so they have their husbands to fullfill their sexual needs. This way rapes will not occur. Thinks that only with this manoeuvre he can solve the rape crisis. Ambitious is all i have to say.  Same statement resonates with Haryana CM: Child marriage is a solution to rape and other atrocities against women.

13. Jitender Chattar, Haryana Khap Panchayat 2012:  Chowmein (Indian - Chinese food) leads to hormonal imbalance evoking an urge to indulge in acts such as rape and sex. Spicy food and rape, I guess he is trying to say things metaphorically. Avoid CHOWMEIN. 

I guess all in India have something to say. Many of the times we end up to AGREE TO DISAGREE. 

Interesting Reads

Delhi Today, Your City Tomorrow.  - Times of  India

I like the concept of air pollution. I guess a man is in today's society is based on what dominates the air waves . It is just airwaves radio, internet, digital tv, any form of media etc that defines me. Be it today's fashion or the fillers/urban slang that i pick up when people use it. The best i guess for me so far is Shawty. Shawty denotes young attractive women in urban slang. Shorty in  verbal english is one dressed in short clothes. Both sound similar and may have same meaning to a extent in both urban and verbal english. I picked up something interesting reading today, I have been reminded to choose my words wisely. No one ever told me to choose your words as per the time which we live in. Blockbuster Friday is a whole new meaning in today's world but it would not mean the same in 1940. Blockbuster was actually for real a bomb.The first one produced by Britain's Royal Air Force weighed 4000 pounds and was dropped on German city of Enden in March 1941. Most shocking of is perhaps the word girl. Girl originally meant child. The word boy did not appear until the late 15 th century.  Another word used is "BIMBO". BIMBO if used today would definitely ignite a reaction from the opposite sex. Bimbo is a dumb beautiful voluptuous woman in todays urban slang. It was recently used as sarcasm in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil towards Lisa Haydon. Bimbo really didnt mean that. Its roots are Italian in origin and means baby boy and when entered in the american slang at the beginning of the 20 th century was referred to as Bully. Words i guess have evolved as per time. One word which defines most of us since ages has been apathy. Apathy is something that every human civilization has in common since ages. Hence i guess why Nietzsche had come up with sarcasm against God creation.

Well coming to air pollution 10 Indian cities rank among the Top 20 in WHOs list of worst air quality, polluted cities. The whole article dealt on Apathy held by Indian Administration in terms of air pollution. On the contrast when India promotes Yoga, air pollution is something that puts Yoga on a backburner. Baba Ramdev wont be happy if he gets sick doing Yoga. Yoga is a deep breathing exercise in which you have suck air in. If the air is polluted i dont think that will be the right thing to do. I say screw yoga, it reminds me of English during the Industrial revolution inhaling asbestos and soot and eventually ending up with Cancer.

Important point from the whole article are

1. There are 94 cities in total that have not met air quality standards since 1990. Out of which there are 29 cities that have been monitored real time. There is only 1 or few air quality monitors at most locations.  Manual monitoring machines are ineffective and inaccurate. Air pollution has touched dangerous levels in Kanpur, Delhi, Lucknow and Varanasi over the past couple of years. Regulatory bodies did nothing to ensure standards laid by the guidelines. None of the guidelines were reinforced since lately a month ago. Statuatory powers were used by the regulatory bodies to direct municipalities in NCR to take steps to curb air pollution. Apart from that the governmennt has laid certain restriction on emission standards from vehicles.

2. Study by IIT Kanpur revelaed the sources of air pollution. Vehicles, waste burning, construction, dust changes with season are the main factors. In Mumbai it is road dust, power plants and open lnd fills fires. Mumbai is triple the state limit of air quality standards. Worst months reported are  November to February.  Doctor visits increase during this period with symptoms of respiratory infection.

3. Whats is actually in the air: PM 2.5 - Tiniest most unhealthy, high levels in winter.  PM10 - Another lead pollutants on winter days. Ozone forms when nitrogen oxide reacts with volatile organic compounds in brigh sunlight. Lead polluutants dominate it i guess.
Bikes give 2.3PM. Trucks, Diesel - 14,2 PM. CNG vehicles lowest particulate matter emmision.

4. Health effects:  National Cancer Institute findings 2003, Impact of air pollution on children over 15 years had serious physical and psychological impacts. Association with certain cancers, lower birth weight of babies, premature birth, strokes and respiratory diseases take the lead. Air pollution has been linked to 6.7 lakhs premature birth.

8.5 % of GDP - Welfare cost and lost labour income due to air pollution in 2013 as per World Bank Report.

As per all these points made by the report i guess  Apathy is the word that defines us all.

Interesting reads

Interesting reads

Misadventures of Dismal scientist ? - The origin, evolution and politics of the Economics Nobel Prize.  - Siddharth Singh

Book review of The Nobel Factor The Prize in Economics, Social Democracy, and the Market Turn- Avner Offer and Gabriel Soderberg

 The Nobel Factor: The Prize in Economics, Social Democracy, and the Market Turn, authors argue the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics has disproportionately been awarded to proponents of the neoclassical school. According to the book's thesis, the Nobel Prize provides a halo of scientific authority but its committee has underrepresented social democracy as a school of economical thought.

Points that i have gathered reading book reviews and few content.

1. There's an old saying  - Keep Economist on tap but never on top. More simply always keep them for counsel but never let them decide what you want.

My take - Economic theories are constantly being proven disproven and revised. The problem is that when these theories are wrong millions of lives can get affected.

I feel this line resonates with me - I will have to go back and forth in history to make sense of it.

Lets go to 1798 : In this era you had Thomas Malthus an English economist who proposed that population growth would outpace food production. In short Mankind will starve and die. Retrospectively at that point in time his theory was right and the odds would favour him. Culling of humans would be the only way to survive. This point he makes has made it way in Ron Howards Inferno movie which i liked. Inferno is revolving around overpopulation and mankind at stake. This point makes sense when the antagonist generates a logical explanation. He likens man as  bacteria and uses bacterial culture to make his point - my take. Man will find it difficult to live and the odds favour him just as Thomas Malthus. The one thing the antagonist in the movie and Thomas Malthus have in common that they haven't given prospective thoughts to take space in their brain. Science and technology has paved the way for mankind to reach up to 7 billion from over a billion in 1798. So true that no one can really predict the future. Hence counsel given by an Economist should be taken with a hint of salt.

Economics generally reflects different attitudes of human nature which will gradually change over time.  It was in 1776 that Adam Smith came  up with Wealth of Nations which involves distribution, production and market theory. The whole world i feel is currently revolving around points made by this Scottish economist. His take was following self interest is for the common good. Then comes David Ricardo with comparative advantage. Comparative advantage focuses on a individual to focus at in what they are best and then trade with others in which every one benefits. Field of economics grew which then later resulted in man having private property and participation in free markets. Market based economics contributed till the end of 19 th century and was called Classical economics. Alfred Marshall then comes up with his theory of supply and demand, margins which led to capitalism spreading its wings. It wasn't until the Great Depression in 1933 that shook the concept of Classical Economics. What exactly went wrong is something that i never looked into as i find it difficult to comprehend it. Ben Bernanke, former Federal Reserves  Chairman has spent a great deal of time understanding it. There are few out there who know what went wrong in Capitalistic free market society. But still what i infer is that economics as a science is not an exact science. It aims to draw conclusions without labs or control groups. Different attitudes of human nature change over time which is otherwise economics. Economics as a subject is evolving in nature. Theories provided by Smith and Marshall was not able to fix the financial crisis. Then comes in Keynes with a different attitude to solve the financial crisis . He knew that markets don't correct automatically. Prices and wages takes time to adjust. During recession it is necessary for the government to get involved using monetary and fiscal policy to increase output and decrease unemployment. United States largest economy on earth leans on the foundation of Keynesian economics. Keynes challenged the notion of Government intervention is harmful for the country unlike the true concept of pure capitalism. Government bailing out banks is commonly heard of in modern world. There is another school of thought that is austerity. Economics is a  fascinating science and has always baffled me. If i get my basics strong i know that i will definitely be able to make a head start but the matter of the fact is that this thing confuses me. Economics is not abstract science that involves data. It has been so far i guess trial and error. I would find it hard to imagine if  sodium vapour lamp when used gives different intensity of light each time i use it. Ideas shape the course of history is all that Keynes has come up  with as his defense on Economics.

Hence i understand the statement keep and economist for council but never let them decide what you want. The same goes with a Wealth advisor/Investment advisor who you hire to manage your money in order for it to grow. Economics and Economist has always made me sick. It makes me sick because i cannot understand economics enough to choose wisely and make wise financial decisions and otherwise the country in itself screwing my health with its economic policies. 1800  schools in New Delhi had to shut its doors because of thick pollution congesting the whole city. Pollution in the city is twelve times over the limit. This is certainly not natures wrath but the economic policies taken by economic advisors to keep the engines of Indian growth running. This is the same scenario in many developing countries. I guess it is just not me in the middle of not understanding real economics.

Other points :  Now i go on with other points made by the author that talks about few men who rule the world (Economists) with wise talk and their banal discussions which is being repeated over and over again.

Points the author makes are -   Economist have far too much voice in the policy making and decision for the good of the world. World has plenty of problems but too few of solutions. Solutions if wrong have made the situation worse from recurring economic and financial crisis to poverty and in equality. Economist advocate a hands off approach Their common refrain that government intervention in an  economy creates more problem has few takers these days. These statements are loosely passed of with credibility. If economist fail political and intellectual comeuppance is at our hands as well. Take for example the Global and financial crisis of 2008. There has been plenty of commentary and analysis how and why especially the elite of Nobel prize winners have gotten so many things wrong. Although after these assumptions economic theories are dubbed as partisan by well known voices Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz.  Authors have plugged this gap to understand the partisanship.

Avner Offer and Gabriel Soderbergh talks about the process of declaration of Nobel prize in Economics briefly. - Interesting to know how.

 1.Bank of Sweden declares the candidate who deserves the Nobel prize for Economics.

 2. Swedish Central Bank took independence from the government in 1957. Ones who   have           established the prize select the winners.

3.Winners themselves and the entire intellectual climate have moved in a steady  conservative         direction.

4. Drifts towards market instead of social democracy has accelerated since early 1990s .               Chairman Lindbeck had a pro market bent that accelerated the cause.

5. Nobel prize selection committee for economics is based on the Arrow index. Arrow index is      named after the Mr Arrow winner of the nobel prize of economics.

 6. Selection committee consist of mix of conservatives and liberal winners. Balance over time         favours the conservative economist.

7. Milton Friedman, George Becker - University of Chicago's Alma Mater - Highest ranked ones in   the deciding  process.

8.Those who blame much that is wrong with Economics rank pretty low at the Arrow Index for the selection committee. Thomas Schelling, John Nash Robert Aumann etc .....

9. At the bottom is Maurice Allais French economist who received the prize in 1988. Allais is             instrumental in puncturing many of the claim in microeconomics.

10. Careful collection of members, correlation of data of winners with broader political and                 intellectual trends decide the winner.

11. It is usually the conservative theoreticians that have called the shots. They are the ones who have   been to have gone wrong.

This explains the partisanship between the elite Nobel prize winners of economics. Author have tried to plug the gap and reason the concept of Partisanship between the winners. Apart from that authors have explained unlike exemplary disciplines such as physics. Theories laid in physics are laid to verification by data unlike theories without data such as in Economics. Economic theories do not find support in data.

Richard Rorty coined the term Socio-Biology - Biological basis for social behaviour. Biology as a discipline on the path of intellectual respectability. In a way ones who decide the Nobel Prize share the same intellectual frequency. Ones who don't it is unanimous vote to agree to disagree. I guess what the author is trying to convey is herd mentality that decides the outcome of a mans work.  I guess if you are a member of the club you are in it.

At the end this is what the author is trying to convey.

The wretched condition of the poor, growing inequality between the rich and poor and the perilous existence of Western middle class is there for every one to see. If only economist were to theorize keeping in mind these facts then may the world will be a better place. The trouble is that this kind of thinking will only replace intellectual backing for unsavoury developments alleges the Washington Consensus and the market turn for a certain kind of socialism.  At best it will push for an egalitarian political climate. What more likely is an exchange of intellectual resectability of Economic prize for political respectability.

Interesting Reads 

Interesting reads

The Day Before - Neena Gopal - Summarised view on her book
1. Assasination of Rajiv Gandhi - 1991, John F Kennedy - 1963
2. Difference in methods, Nature of conspiracy
3. Rajiv Gandhi case - Conspiracy against LTTE Prabhakaran established.
4. John F Kennedy - Oswalds motives remain unknown, theories and angles known to public.

Book elaborates on Rajiv Gandhis Death - One who bears the crown must take the weight and the fall.

Case Rajiv Gandhi - Indian adventure in Sri Lanka culminated in tragedy. Detailed account of Indian adventure in Sri Lanka remains unwritten - as archives enclosing information have not been assesed d made public as per the author.

What is known -  I never knew Indira Gandhi backed LTTE to keep Americans away from Sri Lanka. No wonder i guess Richard Nixon had some harsh words against her calling her a witch.
India backed LTTE in its campaign to secure a Tamil state in Sri Lanka. Well things then takes a turn comes in Rajiv Gandhi as a succesor to lead India

Rajiv Gandhi felt the need to reach out to the US -  Reasons unnknown, Indira Gandhi would not have liked it but at that time i guess she did not exist. Was taken out in a regional fiasco involving religion and politics.

In the next episode of dealing with people Gandhis hit another milestone is dealing with Ethnicity, Identity crisis. I dont how many reasons are out there for a crisis to take place.  Well regional, politics, ethnicity, religion will always top the chart in 21 st century.

Rajivs Idea - Indian policy sommersaulted backed the idea of of a United Sri Lanka rather than a seperate Tamil island state. With blessings from the US Rajiv accorded  a deal with JR Jayawerdene President of Sri Lanka.

Deal enclosed - Northern and Eastern province of the island would form a Tamil majority province. A Tamil state in Sri Lanka.

New Delhi compelled LTTE to surrender to Colombo. Political leader of LTTE Yogi handed over  his pistol to Sri Lanka defense secretary.  Indian action was then later considered a betrayal for reasons unknown which led to assasination of Rajiv Gandhi in Chennai. I have always passed by Sri Perumbudur and i know that this is the place where failed foreign affairs got a hit.  Spot of Indian foreign affairs failure - Chennai. Guess what i can learn from this is Knowing the right thing and how to do it are two different things.

Blame Game - Folllowing his assasination every one has some one to lean back to for ones failures. In this case it was VP Singh ex army chief, Amassasdor Dixit and RAW for their incompetence and failure in protecting Rajiv Gandhi.

After effects of killing the Vibrant Rajiv Gandhi with plans to transform India led to LTTE payiing a high price. India turned its back on LTTE cause which helped Sri Lanka forces to block LTTE. New Delhi remained unmoved till the end. Sri Lankan and Indian end of the whole investigation has remained a mystery. What is known today is that LTTE does not exit and is defeated by the Sri Lankan army.

What if LTTE should have bargained for less LTTE would exist. But then all have their priorities. Life is dealing with people who have priorities. Foreign affairs, Internal affairs will always lead to failure because of pre determined set priorities. One not willing to bargain often leads to war breaking out. And when war breaks out it is either you win or loose and there is no going back.  War best defined is the ultimate test of human strength. Its like Ram slaying Ravan and getting his way with him.  Just because of this story it is not necessary that good triumphs over evil. Every story has two sides. In this story as a Tamil or a Sri Lankan i would never know what he feels about it. Loosing end will say he is right so is the winning. I guess the only judge in such fights can be God. But what if God exist  ?.  How to be a God witten by Deb Roy deals with it well.

2. Interesrting reads  - How to be a God - Bibek Debroy - Points from the Gnostic Diary

People have a right to their belief. I wish to explain what they mean - Well i get what he is trying to say. Things when told have a difference in meaning at times. I have corrected myself many a times by saying I didnt mean it that way. From time to time people correct themselves. Words on its own have ambiguity attached to it when spoken. If it is a cuss word from some one you know wont get the same reaction compared to some one you dont.

Well in this article talks about being a believer in a Supreme force. This article revolves around identity. If you identify yourself as a agnostic or an atheist you have to negate for it.
What exactly do i need to negate is dealt very well. Gnosis means knowledge derived from the greek word. Gnosis is cognate with knowledge. By calling yourself a agnostic you have be aware that you are negating the fact you are ignorant or have no knowedge about a supreme force. One cant just simply spit rhymes and terms just because they are fancy.

It was Bertrand Russel who coined the term agnostic in 1953. An agnostic should be very aware that he is ignorant about knowing the truth in terms of God and future life with religions concerned compared to an Atheist . The  agnostic suspends judgement saying there are no sufficient grounds for affirmation or denial. An atheist is complete disbelief in a higher power. The word atheist was coined by Thomas Huxley in 1869. Quote from his essay on Atheism in 1869: When i reached an intellectual maturity and began to ask myself whether i was an atheist, a thiest, panthiest, materialist or an idealist; Christian or a free thinker; I found the more i learned and reflected the less ready was the answer until at last I came to the conclusion that i had neither art nor part with any of these denominations except the  last.

The writer puts peole who refute god in three categories  - (a) i wish to remain ignorant  (b) i dont know (c) i dont believe it.

Agnostic fall  into categoreis a and b whereas an atheist fall into only category c. You should be aware and negate the  facts when attached on identifying yourself as a non believer. Writer here can empathizes if you fall into categories a and b because they have doubts due to lack of proof but not with category c. How can you be so sure when you have no proof. You should be Mr Know it all unlike the rest of us.

Writer has his stance trying to provide some proof in existence of god as a lay man but nothing really concrete that can strike a nerve with emminent scientist who refuse god and accept science.

Writers proof:
In Sanskrit - Nastik is someone who refuses to accept the pracices of the Vedas. Astik is some one who believes in the existence of atman. and vice versa for a nastik
Nirishvaravadi is non existence of god which i never knew otherwise attheist. I have never come across people using the word Nirishvaravadi. If told and hearing it for the first time my brain will process it as a Baladkari (Rapist). Hindus have thie words for agnostic and atheist.
There are books that deal with non existence of god in Indian literature which are Charvaka/Ajivika and Lokayata which i never knew. Though they talk about the non existence of god how can one in their right mind deny day light. I guess day light is what is god for Hindus.

The etymological  meaning of the word Devta is shinig. Dichotomy of Devta gives to Diva and Div - Diva is day and sky is div. Look at the sky above and that is god unless you understand the stars above you.

Now the writer takes you to Christian text in connection to Hinduism. When the stars threw down their spears and watered heaven with their tears is a line taken from Paradise lost written by Milton Keyes. Lucifer the rebel angel is defeated and cast out from heavens. Lucifer is otherwise the morning star aka Satan. Now the writer has a connect to Hinduism with Avatar. Avatar is descent /coming down or incarnation. Shiva had the incarnaation of Vishnu. There are 24 incarnations of Vishnu in Hindu text. I guess what he is trying to say we all are god and rebel angles cast out from heavens on earth (hell). This is not strong enough evidence to talk on the existence of god. All we can say is God exist in each and every human being. Than looking for gods above is better we search our own soul for god in it.
 
He ends his article by saying The purpose of being born is to uplift oneself and become radiant like a god. There is divinity in all us. How can i be a agnostic or an atheist.

3. Interesting reads - Dharamashala Mandala and Monks.  Aditya Iyer.

I guess the monks got it right. Buddhist hymms and dangling chimes over the Himalyan horizon is what Dharamashala is all about. Dharmashala is otherwise nicknamed as little Lhasa. Lhasa is the capital of Tibet and there is a reason for the word to exist in India. The 14 th Dalai Lama arrived in 1960 wth a handful of monks and 5000 refugees to call Dharmashala their home. I guess India is a lot inviting and has a appeal for saints. Dharmashalas holy  presence made it a spiritual hotbed which ended up being a gain for many Indians.  Many come and seek refuge to get in touch with their spiritual realm. Few Western tourist who end up staying  for a while say that this place has healing and magical powers in it that nourishes the burnt soul. I guesss the spiritual realm truly exist once you find the tranquility in you.

From war to god and the Spiritual Realm is how i connect three articles which were well written higlighting the plight of modern day man trying to exist.




Marriage and Money

 

My post went into moderation in the forum. Well i need it to keep it for me.

Nothing good has come from any marriage that involves money. People often tend to get married keeping money in mind. Most of the times money is always kept as the denominator before getting married and it is well understood as the norm. Very few keep mental stability as the denominator. Knowing that one is getting married exchanging money future consequences of such actions are brought upon by the respective individual. I call it unprotected sex knowing that money corrupts everything it sees. You have to blame yourself if you end up getting its after effects.

Tougher laws have been in place after such incidents. For many it is nothing but a fertile ground to abuse the law in order to make things work. Many have been falsely accused and are rounding courts. Placing tougher laws makes no sense, i feel like you are punishing a individual after getting a STD.

Getting married for money or paying money and getting married has a degree of flesh trade attached unless it is legal transaction that needs to be settled. Marriage for getting laid (Fornication under the consent of the king) abbreviation of FUCK is not needed any more. There are plenty of options for both men and women if one just wants to get laid.

Marriage is a stable equation like two atoms of hydrogen coming in contact with water. It does not make sense if Hydrogen comes in contact with sulfide. If two mentally competent individuals want to get married it would be better for both to mutually come in terms for a binder/contract that should be honored before getting married. The contract should include the done things before marriage and the future risk areas which should be kept in mind in a legal contract that can be used in courts of dispute. If not one will find himself revolving in court clashes that involves things revolving around money alimony. Doing this is no remedy for the storm. Least you can do is try to avoid it knowing that such a thing exist. Prevention is better than cure. If one is not interested it is your best interest that matters and not others. You can never please all.