As told by my friend.
So, this guy in US wanted to impress his girlfriend in Bangalore..It was their first Valentine and hence, he was taking special care not to screw things up..He thinks hard and finally decided to gift her flowers(well, that's the safest option).. calls up a florist and pays for the flowers. But wait !!! On one condition - The flowers shouldn't be delivered until 12 in the night. The florist agrees and he makes the payment
11.55 PM:
Two dark ,burly men armed with flowers, enter the apartment where the girl was staying, with her friends. Being devoid of any common sense, they start banging on the door and demand that it be opened. The girls look thru the peephole and get the fright of their lives. They started screaming and all the neighbors and folks arrive. someone dials the police .. In the meantime, the public decide its too boring to wait and start thrashing those two chaps. Police arrive and take over the "bashing" duties.
No one has asked a single question so far, on why those guys were here. Guess, their appearance was a far cry from that of a normal florist..
Questioning finally start and those half conscious guys confess that they were just delivering the flowers to the lady.. To verify this, the policeman takes the girl's mobile and calls her BF in US
Boyfriend - Who was expecting her call for like ages now
Sees the ring and expects an" Awwwwwww !!! That was so romantic/blah blahblah" and answers - " Mutheeee !!!" (Muthe means honey in malayalam)
From the other end: " Muthu alla, This is SI Muthuraman . And in Tamil - "Ayogya Naaye, Ini mel oru thundu kadalasu polum India vilekku nee aaykka koodathu" !!! ( Bloody fool - if you try to send as much as even a single piece of paper to India again, I shall break your bones"..
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sunday, August 22, 2010
My aversion to the best friend of every woman..
"Diamonds are forever" it is often said. But lives are not.
We must spare people the ordeal of war, mutilations and death for the sake of conflict diamonds."
- Martin Chungong Ayafor, Chairman of the Sierra Leone Panel of Experts
The other day, my friend who just got engaged, was inquiring about the price of a diamond ring at Macy's. He sure earned more than a few appreciative glances from the women around him. After all, the Diamond is the woman's best friend and here was a guy, who wanted nothing but the best that Macy's had to offer, to take home to his beloved. After an hour of shifting thru stones, one of them finally managed to catch his eye. He looked at my face for telltale signs of appreciation, which I duly showered on him, without any inhibition. Hell, my stomach didn't really care about stones and all it needed was some food(which btw, I could only dream of, until I got casanova out of the women's section and to the nearest taco).
Later on the way back home, he made a casual point that very soon, the tables would be turned and I would be the one doing the stone sifting at Kay's or Macy's. I laughed it off but was totally confused. Would I ever do it ?
I have this big aversion for a diamond beacause I feel that every buyer is indirectly contributing to destroying a life, far away on another part of the world.
Approx 49% of the world's diamonds ,originate from the African continent - notably Sierra Leone, Angola and Congo. These stones are then sent off to the international trading centers, notably Antwerp, where they are sold off. They then undergo a process of cutting and polishing in smaller centers in Asia - notably India(Gujarat), Thailand, China etc, before they hit the display shelf.
But what about the real story of a diamond ? Does a buyer ever care about the impoverished hands of the child slaves that first sifted and picked the diamond from a pile of dirt. Do they even know that the hands who transform the diamond from dirty uncut stones into a thing of beauty that melts a woman's heart, are those of a child, who has lost out on his right to education ? Does anyone ever realize that countless people have lost their lives, in another part of the world, because there is a booming market for a shiny stone ?
From the 1990's until the early 2000's, the extraction of two-third's of the diamonds in Africa were controlled by insurgents and rebel groups. Notably the RUF and the UNITA. It took more than a decade for the governments around the world to take action and come up with the conflict diamond campaign. The Kimberley certification scheme, which was signed subsequently, was made to stop the blood diamonds or the conflict diamonds from entering the market and to assure the buyers that the ones that they purchase don't have a bloody history to them.
Alls well ? Unfortunately NO. The Kimberley process still has got a number of loopholes. It still manages to list the Diamonds from Zimbabwe, as "conflict free" inspite of the fact that the Zimbabwean military under President Robert Mugabe is using forced labor, murder, and torture to keep production going. It also doesn't do anything to prevent the use of child labour in the third world countries, where the stones are cut and polished.
While sipping a coffee at Starbucks, I pictured myself in the shoes of a guy, trying to impress the woman of his dreams. Would I go ahead and get the stone or would I try to drill my thoughts into her ? Option 2 certainly seemed the more sensible one but I have heard gruesome stories of hubbies being tortured and subjected to military diets involving leafy vegetables by their spouses. Their crime being that they watched a certain Di Caprio movie and said no to buying a diamond.
My decision. This one is a no brainer. I hate leafy vegetables. PERIOD.
We must spare people the ordeal of war, mutilations and death for the sake of conflict diamonds."
- Martin Chungong Ayafor, Chairman of the Sierra Leone Panel of Experts
The other day, my friend who just got engaged, was inquiring about the price of a diamond ring at Macy's. He sure earned more than a few appreciative glances from the women around him. After all, the Diamond is the woman's best friend and here was a guy, who wanted nothing but the best that Macy's had to offer, to take home to his beloved. After an hour of shifting thru stones, one of them finally managed to catch his eye. He looked at my face for telltale signs of appreciation, which I duly showered on him, without any inhibition. Hell, my stomach didn't really care about stones and all it needed was some food(which btw, I could only dream of, until I got casanova out of the women's section and to the nearest taco).
Later on the way back home, he made a casual point that very soon, the tables would be turned and I would be the one doing the stone sifting at Kay's or Macy's. I laughed it off but was totally confused. Would I ever do it ?
I have this big aversion for a diamond beacause I feel that every buyer is indirectly contributing to destroying a life, far away on another part of the world.
Approx 49% of the world's diamonds ,originate from the African continent - notably Sierra Leone, Angola and Congo. These stones are then sent off to the international trading centers, notably Antwerp, where they are sold off. They then undergo a process of cutting and polishing in smaller centers in Asia - notably India(Gujarat), Thailand, China etc, before they hit the display shelf.
But what about the real story of a diamond ? Does a buyer ever care about the impoverished hands of the child slaves that first sifted and picked the diamond from a pile of dirt. Do they even know that the hands who transform the diamond from dirty uncut stones into a thing of beauty that melts a woman's heart, are those of a child, who has lost out on his right to education ? Does anyone ever realize that countless people have lost their lives, in another part of the world, because there is a booming market for a shiny stone ?
From the 1990's until the early 2000's, the extraction of two-third's of the diamonds in Africa were controlled by insurgents and rebel groups. Notably the RUF and the UNITA. It took more than a decade for the governments around the world to take action and come up with the conflict diamond campaign. The Kimberley certification scheme, which was signed subsequently, was made to stop the blood diamonds or the conflict diamonds from entering the market and to assure the buyers that the ones that they purchase don't have a bloody history to them.
Alls well ? Unfortunately NO. The Kimberley process still has got a number of loopholes. It still manages to list the Diamonds from Zimbabwe, as "conflict free" inspite of the fact that the Zimbabwean military under President Robert Mugabe is using forced labor, murder, and torture to keep production going. It also doesn't do anything to prevent the use of child labour in the third world countries, where the stones are cut and polished.
While sipping a coffee at Starbucks, I pictured myself in the shoes of a guy, trying to impress the woman of his dreams. Would I go ahead and get the stone or would I try to drill my thoughts into her ? Option 2 certainly seemed the more sensible one but I have heard gruesome stories of hubbies being tortured and subjected to military diets involving leafy vegetables by their spouses. Their crime being that they watched a certain Di Caprio movie and said no to buying a diamond.
My decision. This one is a no brainer. I hate leafy vegetables. PERIOD.
Friday, August 20, 2010
What not to do on a Friday
Characters:
Deep - Mr. Soccer is renowned for coming up with some crazy ideas, which are bound to keep changing every hour or so.
Raj - Mr. Chef prepares some of the best dishes, this side of the town and is one of the core reasons why I look nourished.
Sus - Mr. Rejector is the Man Friday for every purpose imaginable.
Ab - Smart, handsome, single , brilliant..I could go on, but you must, by now, have realized that it's me.
A typical Friday in the Hartford office
10.00 am(Breakfast time):
Ab(Helping himself to Raj's breakfast) - I am freaking bored..Lets go for a trip..
Sus & Raj: I am game
Ab: Kewl..Where to ?
Sus: Hmm, the nearest state where we have never set foot. That way, we can increase the "state count" in USA.
Ab(opening Gmaps on his laptop): The possible options are Michigan, Georgia, Iowa
Sus: Shall we goto Florida ? It's just 24 hours away
Ab: Not sure, if we can come back by Monday. We will be tired $hit
Raj: What bout the ticket prices ?
After 15 mins of checking the ticket prices @ all possible sites on the net
Ab(deep in dumps): It costs like a fortune..Those bastards have upped the prices
Sus: Yeah and I have like 200$ with me. Lets drop the FL plan or else, I will be broke next week.
Ab: What other options do we have ?Say a long drive ? say, 16 hours or so ?
Sus: Yeah baby, I am on. We could book an SUV from hertz. Deep is, after all, a Gold card member.
Ab: Let's check with Deep & Raj
Raj: I am game(for the 2nd time)
Deep: I am not in the mood for a drive
Ab: Why so ?
Deep: I want a break
Ab/Sus in unison: You dumbo, you were resting on your arse for like a week. From what invisible force, do you need a break from ?
Deep: I said I am not in the mood. End of discussion
2.50 PM( coffee break)
Ab(brings up the topic once again): So, what do we do tonight ?
Sus: What about a movie ?
Raj: I am game( for the 3rd time)
Ab: Any new ones @ Rave cinemas ?
Sus(opens his flixster app in iphone): hmmm... yeah, Movie X, Movie Y and Movie Z
Ab: X should be senti stuff. Y has a hot actress and Z is all action. Your votes
Sus: Y it is..
Raj: Y, Y, Y !!!
Deep: Y ..
Ab: That's so juvenile..I have some perverts for friends.. hmm, my vote for Y.
4.00 PM(on messenger)
Deep: Lets goto Mohegan Sun casino
Raj: I am game(for the 4th time)
Ab: Anything special out there ? I mean, like a show or something
Deep: Dunno, we could walk all over the place
Sus: Eh, so what about the movie ?
Deep: We can catch the movie after that ? Lets say, the 2.00 AM show
Raj: I need to sleep
Ab & Deep & Sus: Don't be a ninny. Losing a few hours of sleep will not kill anyone
Raj(reluctantly, starts of with his typical drawl): Edaaaaa, I got up @ 6.00 in the morning.
Sus(interrupts him): But you usually sleep from 4.00 to 7 in the evening. You will survive.
Raj(with a long face): OK, I shall try.
7.00 PM:
Raj on the phone to A: Wake up dude, I am just thinking of a new recipe
Ab(driveling and wiping the spit from his mouth): huh..Whats that ?
Raj: It's a pretty complex dish. Made from...blah blah blah..
Ab: Sounds interesting..But weren't we supposed to catch a movie or something like that ? or was it a trip to mohegan Sun ? I can't remember
Raj: I don't have a clue. D hasn't arrived from his football match. Sooo, what do you think about the dish.
Ab: Mate, you are just about the best cook I have seen in 26 years. Go ahead, it would be a hit.
Raj(elation evident in his voice): Thanks da.. So, come over soon.
Ab: Sure I will.
7.15 PM:
Ab calling Sus:
Sus: Yo buddy, whats up ?
Ab: Weren't we supposed to go somewhere ?
Sus: I guess so..However, I just can't recollect the last decision that we made.
Ab: lets conference D in
Deep comes on the line
Ab & Sus: Dude - Where are we going to, this evening ?
Deep: I have a great idea. Let's hit some kewl pub, where we can have a few drinks
Ab: What ?????????? What about the other plans ? Mohegan Sun/film etc ?
Deep: Not in the mood
Sus: ok.. When do we go ??
Deep: Come over to 635, will start immediately
8.30 PM:
Ab(after a 30 min harrowing drive) enters the apartment. Raj is in the kitchen, turning over the chicken. Deep is in his lungi, hunched over his laptop while S is lying on the couch.
Ab: Eda, I found this perfect Irish pub in Hartford. Looks to be great, as per the reviews. We can down a couple of beers and catch a late night soccer game.
All 3 stare @ Ab, without any response
Ab: Btw, why aren't you jerks dressed up ?
Sus(with a wide grin): Hey buddy, there is a slight change in the plan.
Ab(groaning): What now ?
Sus: D wants to sit at home and catch a movie on the tube, play some cards and have a couple of drinks and eat Raj's preparation.
Ab: WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ????????????? %^&*(*^&*()(*&^%$%^&*
Deep - Mr. Soccer is renowned for coming up with some crazy ideas, which are bound to keep changing every hour or so.
Raj - Mr. Chef prepares some of the best dishes, this side of the town and is one of the core reasons why I look nourished.
Sus - Mr. Rejector is the Man Friday for every purpose imaginable.
Ab - Smart, handsome, single , brilliant..I could go on, but you must, by now, have realized that it's me.
A typical Friday in the Hartford office
10.00 am(Breakfast time):
Ab(Helping himself to Raj's breakfast) - I am freaking bored..Lets go for a trip..
Sus & Raj: I am game
Ab: Kewl..Where to ?
Sus: Hmm, the nearest state where we have never set foot. That way, we can increase the "state count" in USA.
Ab(opening Gmaps on his laptop): The possible options are Michigan, Georgia, Iowa
Sus: Shall we goto Florida ? It's just 24 hours away
Ab: Not sure, if we can come back by Monday. We will be tired $hit
Raj: What bout the ticket prices ?
After 15 mins of checking the ticket prices @ all possible sites on the net
Ab(deep in dumps): It costs like a fortune..Those bastards have upped the prices
Sus: Yeah and I have like 200$ with me. Lets drop the FL plan or else, I will be broke next week.
Ab: What other options do we have ?Say a long drive ? say, 16 hours or so ?
Sus: Yeah baby, I am on. We could book an SUV from hertz. Deep is, after all, a Gold card member.
Ab: Let's check with Deep & Raj
Raj: I am game(for the 2nd time)
Deep: I am not in the mood for a drive
Ab: Why so ?
Deep: I want a break
Ab/Sus in unison: You dumbo, you were resting on your arse for like a week. From what invisible force, do you need a break from ?
Deep: I said I am not in the mood. End of discussion
2.50 PM( coffee break)
Ab(brings up the topic once again): So, what do we do tonight ?
Sus: What about a movie ?
Raj: I am game( for the 3rd time)
Ab: Any new ones @ Rave cinemas ?
Sus(opens his flixster app in iphone): hmmm... yeah, Movie X, Movie Y and Movie Z
Ab: X should be senti stuff. Y has a hot actress and Z is all action. Your votes
Sus: Y it is..
Raj: Y, Y, Y !!!
Deep: Y ..
Ab: That's so juvenile..I have some perverts for friends.. hmm, my vote for Y.
4.00 PM(on messenger)
Deep: Lets goto Mohegan Sun casino
Raj: I am game(for the 4th time)
Ab: Anything special out there ? I mean, like a show or something
Deep: Dunno, we could walk all over the place
Sus: Eh, so what about the movie ?
Deep: We can catch the movie after that ? Lets say, the 2.00 AM show
Raj: I need to sleep
Ab & Deep & Sus: Don't be a ninny. Losing a few hours of sleep will not kill anyone
Raj(reluctantly, starts of with his typical drawl): Edaaaaa, I got up @ 6.00 in the morning.
Sus(interrupts him): But you usually sleep from 4.00 to 7 in the evening. You will survive.
Raj(with a long face): OK, I shall try.
7.00 PM:
Raj on the phone to A: Wake up dude, I am just thinking of a new recipe
Ab(driveling and wiping the spit from his mouth): huh..Whats that ?
Raj: It's a pretty complex dish. Made from...blah blah blah..
Ab: Sounds interesting..But weren't we supposed to catch a movie or something like that ? or was it a trip to mohegan Sun ? I can't remember
Raj: I don't have a clue. D hasn't arrived from his football match. Sooo, what do you think about the dish.
Ab: Mate, you are just about the best cook I have seen in 26 years. Go ahead, it would be a hit.
Raj(elation evident in his voice): Thanks da.. So, come over soon.
Ab: Sure I will.
7.15 PM:
Ab calling Sus:
Sus: Yo buddy, whats up ?
Ab: Weren't we supposed to go somewhere ?
Sus: I guess so..However, I just can't recollect the last decision that we made.
Ab: lets conference D in
Deep comes on the line
Ab & Sus: Dude - Where are we going to, this evening ?
Deep: I have a great idea. Let's hit some kewl pub, where we can have a few drinks
Ab: What ?????????? What about the other plans ? Mohegan Sun/film etc ?
Deep: Not in the mood
Sus: ok.. When do we go ??
Deep: Come over to 635, will start immediately
8.30 PM:
Ab(after a 30 min harrowing drive) enters the apartment. Raj is in the kitchen, turning over the chicken. Deep is in his lungi, hunched over his laptop while S is lying on the couch.
Ab: Eda, I found this perfect Irish pub in Hartford. Looks to be great, as per the reviews. We can down a couple of beers and catch a late night soccer game.
All 3 stare @ Ab, without any response
Ab: Btw, why aren't you jerks dressed up ?
Sus(with a wide grin): Hey buddy, there is a slight change in the plan.
Ab(groaning): What now ?
Sus: D wants to sit at home and catch a movie on the tube, play some cards and have a couple of drinks and eat Raj's preparation.
Ab: WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ????????????? %^&*(*^&*()(*&^%$%^&*
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The messed up life of an engineer
Is it just me or is it the common consensus that the Sofware engineer is the most misunderstood living creature after the Lycosa Tarantulas ? After 6 years, I should probably be getting used to those sympathetic but insensitive glances, that one usually reserves for the sacrificial goat about to meet it's "divine" end on Eid. To be honest, I never felt awkward with them, but it's the lack of understanding that kills me.
I tried to put myself in the shoes of a layman and think from his perspective. To him, a sw engineer's life is all about staring at the dimly lit screen(which often carries on till unearthly hours), trying to come up with innovative thoughts to fix issues and to back stab others during appraisal time. Part of the blame should definitely goto films, where a completely insensitive version of an engineer is presented out to the public. He is always portrayed as the "America returned Maappilai' who is supposed to get married to the heroine. She of course, is deeply in love with the hero, who by the way, is that ragged, unshaven scumbag whose only job is to pick ticks from his hair. Minutes before the credits roll, the hero makes a clean shaven appearance and snatches the bride under the eyes of her relatives, mouths a couple of punch dialogues and earns the applause of the audience.
How could they be so insensitive to us ?
Have you spared a thought for that unlucky "Groom to be', who had
1. Fought with his manager for his 3 weeks of vacation, in order to get married
2. trained his backup for weeks to make sure that he is productive during those 3 weeks
3. created extensive documents to ensure that his backup will never have an issue
4. spent all his salary on procuring those gifts for the entire household, including that lovely diamond pendant for the heroine, who later elopes with the hero in front of his own eyes ??? The least said about the time spent in the women's section of Macy's, the better(Yech !!!!!)
The average SW engineer never earns the respect of the common man. He is always the soft target for those devious, hawk eyed auto drivers who easily hoodwink him on some or the other pretext. No sane girl(apart from those cursed to work along with him) would ever want to spend quality time with him. The bus conductors derive immense pleasures when the engineer mouths the name of an "incomprehensible" destination(We usually work in some god forsaken part of the country and have absolutely no clue about the dialect spoken by the locals). It is one of the greatest mysteries of modern times that how the well mannered, polite & responsible Engineer always ends up being the least liked in the society.
I tried to put myself in the shoes of a layman and think from his perspective. To him, a sw engineer's life is all about staring at the dimly lit screen(which often carries on till unearthly hours), trying to come up with innovative thoughts to fix issues and to back stab others during appraisal time. Part of the blame should definitely goto films, where a completely insensitive version of an engineer is presented out to the public. He is always portrayed as the "America returned Maappilai' who is supposed to get married to the heroine. She of course, is deeply in love with the hero, who by the way, is that ragged, unshaven scumbag whose only job is to pick ticks from his hair. Minutes before the credits roll, the hero makes a clean shaven appearance and snatches the bride under the eyes of her relatives, mouths a couple of punch dialogues and earns the applause of the audience.
How could they be so insensitive to us ?
Have you spared a thought for that unlucky "Groom to be', who had
1. Fought with his manager for his 3 weeks of vacation, in order to get married
2. trained his backup for weeks to make sure that he is productive during those 3 weeks
3. created extensive documents to ensure that his backup will never have an issue
4. spent all his salary on procuring those gifts for the entire household, including that lovely diamond pendant for the heroine, who later elopes with the hero in front of his own eyes ??? The least said about the time spent in the women's section of Macy's, the better(Yech !!!!!)
The average SW engineer never earns the respect of the common man. He is always the soft target for those devious, hawk eyed auto drivers who easily hoodwink him on some or the other pretext. No sane girl(apart from those cursed to work along with him) would ever want to spend quality time with him. The bus conductors derive immense pleasures when the engineer mouths the name of an "incomprehensible" destination(We usually work in some god forsaken part of the country and have absolutely no clue about the dialect spoken by the locals). It is one of the greatest mysteries of modern times that how the well mannered, polite & responsible Engineer always ends up being the least liked in the society.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Thunder, down under !!!
Compelled to write this blog, due to some unforeseen circumstances. We 4(A-Mat, B-Mat, Kris and I) decided to move to a townhouse some months before. Getting a townhouse in US is not just difficult, it threatens to blow your expenses for the month, sky high. However, the thought of getting some much needed privacy and spending some quality time with yourself, meant that this 3 storey beauty became ours in a short span of time. I guess, the thought of not having to stare at each other's dumb faces day in and day out, was a relishing prospect.
Recently, however, the privacy of my bedroom was invaded by the rootcause of this blog. My friend from college, moved over to hartford on a Friday and grace our place with his august presence. A unanimous decision was taken to shelter this 6 foot giant in the confines of my den. Being the only person to remain out late on a Friday night, meant that I lost my chance to vote, which made the election a farce in my eyes.
6 foot tall, a huge belly and 200 pounds of puppy fat is indeed bad news. Why ?? Because such a creature is sure to create a ruckus in his sleep, by snoring away to glory. One look at his innocent and smiling face and I got the picture. One where I would be tossing and turning on my bed, trying to catch some sleep amidst the ear shattering battle cries from his bed.
I have to admit something. Snoring is not something that is new to me coz I would be too modest if I say that I snore a bit. But the best thing about my snoring is that I don't have to hear it. :-), hehe
So here I am, sitting on my bed and willing myself to sleep amidst the thunder down under my bed, where a gentle giant is threatening to shake the very foundations with his roars. Have resorted to googling for tips to get sleep. My search criterias include - " How to snooze during an Air raid ?? ", "Sleeping amidst mortar shelling" etc..
Ps: I had to abandon the search after around 15 mins. Most of the search results culminated with suggestive remarks on wiping out the "rootcause of the issue" with a concoction of cyanide or rat poison, depending on whichever is nearest.
Recently, however, the privacy of my bedroom was invaded by the rootcause of this blog. My friend from college, moved over to hartford on a Friday and grace our place with his august presence. A unanimous decision was taken to shelter this 6 foot giant in the confines of my den. Being the only person to remain out late on a Friday night, meant that I lost my chance to vote, which made the election a farce in my eyes.
6 foot tall, a huge belly and 200 pounds of puppy fat is indeed bad news. Why ?? Because such a creature is sure to create a ruckus in his sleep, by snoring away to glory. One look at his innocent and smiling face and I got the picture. One where I would be tossing and turning on my bed, trying to catch some sleep amidst the ear shattering battle cries from his bed.
I have to admit something. Snoring is not something that is new to me coz I would be too modest if I say that I snore a bit. But the best thing about my snoring is that I don't have to hear it. :-), hehe
So here I am, sitting on my bed and willing myself to sleep amidst the thunder down under my bed, where a gentle giant is threatening to shake the very foundations with his roars. Have resorted to googling for tips to get sleep. My search criterias include - " How to snooze during an Air raid ?? ", "Sleeping amidst mortar shelling" etc..
Ps: I had to abandon the search after around 15 mins. Most of the search results culminated with suggestive remarks on wiping out the "rootcause of the issue" with a concoction of cyanide or rat poison, depending on whichever is nearest.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Why don't you ever learn ?
What hurts more than pain ? That sinking feeling in your heart, when you know you are going down, without slightest trace of a fight. The feeling that you are about to lose everything dear to you and yet, you just stand still, with that look of utter helplessness..
You never like to be brought down to your knees but when words knock you over like a sledgehammer, its like your mind almost willed yourself to crumble down and seek solace in pits of despair. You are ashamed to face yourself and even look in the mirror, lest you see the face of a loser.
Life loses it's meaning, nature loses it's splendour..seasons come and go, the sights and sounds change. Your mind, numb by the pain, just refuses to come out of the trance.
No, that's just not me..I got balls and would have poured myself a Jameson and would have moved on with my life...
You never like to be brought down to your knees but when words knock you over like a sledgehammer, its like your mind almost willed yourself to crumble down and seek solace in pits of despair. You are ashamed to face yourself and even look in the mirror, lest you see the face of a loser.
Life loses it's meaning, nature loses it's splendour..seasons come and go, the sights and sounds change. Your mind, numb by the pain, just refuses to come out of the trance.
No, that's just not me..I got balls and would have poured myself a Jameson and would have moved on with my life...
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Another mercenary bites the dust
At the outset, let me make this clear. I am not a Tamilian/LTTE sympathiser nor am I someone who feels that violence is the right way to find a solution. Just an ordinary techie, who prefers his scotch with a couple of ice cubes.
Finally, after 30 years of what has been Asia's biggest war, the Sri Lankan army managed to wipe out one of the most organised terrorist groups in the world.The Media has celebrated the defeat of the LTTE with all the exuberance of a 5 year old kid, flashing his latest toy in front of other toddlers. The crude pics of the bodies of the rebel leaders, were flashed across all major news channels and for a while, the biggest event in the Indian democracy was overshadowed.
Independence should be celebrated but showing disrespect to the dead leaves a bitter taste in you. We have moved on from the transylvanian era where impaling the heads of prisoners on stakes, was a part of the post victory celebrations. Post modern era and it seems that we do retain the same cold blooded streak within us. By publicly humiliating the dead and with media hellbent on satisfying the appetite of the common viewer, aren't we sowing the seeds for another Prabhakaran to rise again ?
Petty politics has played a major role throughout the years leading to the formation of this dreaded organisation. The roots of the differences between the tamils and the sinhalese could be traced back to the Donoughmore commissions divide and rule policy for elections into the Legislative council, back in 1930's. Strikes a bell, doesn't it..Lord Curzon's partition of Bengal, anyone ??
The roots had already been sown, in the British era. Post independence of the island nation and the Sinhalese leaders, inorder to satisfy their vote banks, brought about a number of policies that discriminated against the minority tamils. Years of injustice meted out to the tamils, humiliation, poverty and lack of education served as a perfect catalyst for the rise of an embittered leader amongst them. A ruthless mercenary surrounded by his ever faithful renegades, sought to put an end to years of oppression by taking the fight to the enemy. He brought about a defacto government within Jaffna, complete with a Judicial system, a police force and a highly trained army. After years of discrimination, it is natural that the tamils would have seen a saviour in Prabhakaran who stood up for their causes. Unlike leaders worldwide who changed ideologies like changing one's undergarments, here was a man who requested his fellow soldiers to shoot him dead, if he ever faltered from the cause for which the LTTE stood for - A separate tamil state.
What more could you ask ? Trust me, if I ever was a tamilian in Lanka who had suffered in silence for years, I would have been tempted to join the organisation.However, no amount of political ideology could glorify the misdeeds that LTTE would commit , over the years to come. Recruiting child soldiers, creating the Black tigers wing(suicide bombers) and the assassination of various political leaders.
It would be safe to say that India has been instrumental in the growth of LTTE. Pro LTTE sympathisers are abundant in India for decades. Vocal supporters of LTTE include Tamil leaders like Vaiko, (who was seen in a snap wearing LTTE uniform and target practising with Prabhakaran), Nedumaran, Karunanidhi have all played crucial roles over years in the growth of LTTE. Until just a few weeks ago, the same leaders were highlighting the cause of the tamils, as part of their election campaigns. After Vaiko's defeat, it is evident that the common tamilian has more issues in his daily life than caring for what happens to his brothers in a different country. Now that LTTE has been wiped out, I don't see any of these so called "sympathisers" opening their mouth in support. I just despise such two faced hypocrites, who steer their courses according to the direction of the wind.
Isn't it the greatest irony that the leaders who stood unwavering to their causes, have always been on the wrong side of the law ?
Now what ? I sincerely hope Rajapakse and his successors don't repeat the mistakes of their forefathers and sought to end the discriminatory policies and bring about peace in the island nation. Politics and politicians in India will not change and it is up to us to ...what the hell..You and I are still gonna stick to our "I don't care a crap" attitude, after minutes of reading this. forget it...
However, spare a thought for the homeless, the displaced, the hungry, the poor and the injured, who have fled from their homelands. If you don't make a monetary contribution, at least pray for a minute for their well being. I sincerely hope, that no child has to ever hold a gun in his/her hands..
Taking the liberty to pen a few lines from the lyrics of a beautiful song from a Rehman composition..
vidai kodu engal naade
kadal vaasal thelikkum veede
panai mara kaadae, paravaigal koode
marumurai oru murai paarpoma?
udhattil punnagai pudhaithom
uyirai udambukkuL pudhaithom
verum koodugaL mattum oorvalam pogindrom
vidai kodu...
Finally, after 30 years of what has been Asia's biggest war, the Sri Lankan army managed to wipe out one of the most organised terrorist groups in the world.The Media has celebrated the defeat of the LTTE with all the exuberance of a 5 year old kid, flashing his latest toy in front of other toddlers. The crude pics of the bodies of the rebel leaders, were flashed across all major news channels and for a while, the biggest event in the Indian democracy was overshadowed.
Independence should be celebrated but showing disrespect to the dead leaves a bitter taste in you. We have moved on from the transylvanian era where impaling the heads of prisoners on stakes, was a part of the post victory celebrations. Post modern era and it seems that we do retain the same cold blooded streak within us. By publicly humiliating the dead and with media hellbent on satisfying the appetite of the common viewer, aren't we sowing the seeds for another Prabhakaran to rise again ?
Petty politics has played a major role throughout the years leading to the formation of this dreaded organisation. The roots of the differences between the tamils and the sinhalese could be traced back to the Donoughmore commissions divide and rule policy for elections into the Legislative council, back in 1930's. Strikes a bell, doesn't it..Lord Curzon's partition of Bengal, anyone ??
The roots had already been sown, in the British era. Post independence of the island nation and the Sinhalese leaders, inorder to satisfy their vote banks, brought about a number of policies that discriminated against the minority tamils. Years of injustice meted out to the tamils, humiliation, poverty and lack of education served as a perfect catalyst for the rise of an embittered leader amongst them. A ruthless mercenary surrounded by his ever faithful renegades, sought to put an end to years of oppression by taking the fight to the enemy. He brought about a defacto government within Jaffna, complete with a Judicial system, a police force and a highly trained army. After years of discrimination, it is natural that the tamils would have seen a saviour in Prabhakaran who stood up for their causes. Unlike leaders worldwide who changed ideologies like changing one's undergarments, here was a man who requested his fellow soldiers to shoot him dead, if he ever faltered from the cause for which the LTTE stood for - A separate tamil state.
What more could you ask ? Trust me, if I ever was a tamilian in Lanka who had suffered in silence for years, I would have been tempted to join the organisation.However, no amount of political ideology could glorify the misdeeds that LTTE would commit , over the years to come. Recruiting child soldiers, creating the Black tigers wing(suicide bombers) and the assassination of various political leaders.
It would be safe to say that India has been instrumental in the growth of LTTE. Pro LTTE sympathisers are abundant in India for decades. Vocal supporters of LTTE include Tamil leaders like Vaiko, (who was seen in a snap wearing LTTE uniform and target practising with Prabhakaran), Nedumaran, Karunanidhi have all played crucial roles over years in the growth of LTTE. Until just a few weeks ago, the same leaders were highlighting the cause of the tamils, as part of their election campaigns. After Vaiko's defeat, it is evident that the common tamilian has more issues in his daily life than caring for what happens to his brothers in a different country. Now that LTTE has been wiped out, I don't see any of these so called "sympathisers" opening their mouth in support. I just despise such two faced hypocrites, who steer their courses according to the direction of the wind.
Isn't it the greatest irony that the leaders who stood unwavering to their causes, have always been on the wrong side of the law ?
Now what ? I sincerely hope Rajapakse and his successors don't repeat the mistakes of their forefathers and sought to end the discriminatory policies and bring about peace in the island nation. Politics and politicians in India will not change and it is up to us to ...what the hell..You and I are still gonna stick to our "I don't care a crap" attitude, after minutes of reading this. forget it...
However, spare a thought for the homeless, the displaced, the hungry, the poor and the injured, who have fled from their homelands. If you don't make a monetary contribution, at least pray for a minute for their well being. I sincerely hope, that no child has to ever hold a gun in his/her hands..
Taking the liberty to pen a few lines from the lyrics of a beautiful song from a Rehman composition..
vidai kodu engal naade
kadal vaasal thelikkum veede
panai mara kaadae, paravaigal koode
marumurai oru murai paarpoma?
udhattil punnagai pudhaithom
uyirai udambukkuL pudhaithom
verum koodugaL mattum oorvalam pogindrom
vidai kodu...
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