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O J’s Corner
Conflicts all the way
Conflicts confront the world at all times. The root-cause of conflicts is the desire to grab power. Theologians would still restrict it to desire. Desires of all sorts engineer minds to undertake acts of cruelty, at least wily selfish steps, to grab things, positions and facilities which are often others’ dues. They would quote even the Bible. Love thy neighbour as thyself. Do unto others what you would want others to do unto you. The argument of the protagonist would be like this. No word of God restricts individuals from undertaking acts that would help oneself. Flourish oneself first and then help others. This is the attitude of even Godmen, who are supposed to uphold the principle of renunciation first. Is not this cavil that did the undoing for Thanku Brother, K P Yohannan and their ilk the world over? I am not quite sure. But there is a grain of truth in it. Acquiring fabulous flab of wealth for oneself in the name of God is ungodly. This is akin to materialistic individuals grabbing wealth by foul means. In this case, the alibi rests with serving God.
Coming to conflicts, the propensity for clinging on to power of all sorts, religious, ideological, sociological and so on leads to conflicts. In Orissa, tribesmen are being cajoled by many pursuits. Everyone wants a cake in that belt. Murder and mayhem will not help anyone. Now even Naxalites are talking of taking care of minorities and that too Christians. What a perverse idea?
Be it Kashmir, Palestine or elsewhere, faiths, religion and persuasions militate against each other, resulting in conflicsts and even skirmishes, battles and ultimately battles. We speak about the present conflicts. The gigantic nature of cruelty was perpetrated in Nazi concentration camps. And some powerful entities looked askance at the happenings there.
People should learn to live in society in harmony. Vested interests would always like to foment trouble. But whatever the provocations, hatred should not be the influencing paradigm.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
O J’s Corner
Paradoxes in nature and actions
I jokingly told a friend of mine the other day that God ordered the rains to pour, but did not ask them to fall where. That is why we have rains, an overdose of them, in unanticipated places. Bihar is inundated. Thousands of people are displaced. UP suffers very much on account of the cats and dogs of raining. Deserts in Rajasthan and the Gulf countries have the bounty of the rain Gods.
God is merciful, but sometimes jealous, the Word speaks. Moses was asked to climb Mount Nebo and have a panoramic view of Palestine, the land of milk and honey promised to the Israelites. Moses would not step into that land. He breathed his last there in Moab. God Almighty himself buried Moses. To this day, no one knows the burial place of Moses. Otherwise, people, particularly the Jews, would have made a beeline to the sepulchre of the liberator of Jews from the Egyptians. They would have disregarded God Almighty. But one thousand years later, God sent Moses and Elijah to the land of the Jews, known as the Mount of Transfiguration, to hold discussions with Jesus Christ. The disciples wanted to build a tabernacle each for Jesus Christ, Moses and Elijah. Here we could perceive the propensity of human beings to build shrines.
We call the fall of unruly rains as the consequence of climate change, global warming and the like. But paradoxes remain.
Tamil Nadu is supplying rice at Re one a kilo on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Anna Durai. In normal times, TN supplies rice at Rs two a kilo for cardholders. People of Kerala have to buy rice at around Rs 20 per kilo. How do TN, Andhra Pradesh and so on take actions like this ? Don’t they have fiscal squeeze?
Paradoxes in nature and actions
I jokingly told a friend of mine the other day that God ordered the rains to pour, but did not ask them to fall where. That is why we have rains, an overdose of them, in unanticipated places. Bihar is inundated. Thousands of people are displaced. UP suffers very much on account of the cats and dogs of raining. Deserts in Rajasthan and the Gulf countries have the bounty of the rain Gods.
God is merciful, but sometimes jealous, the Word speaks. Moses was asked to climb Mount Nebo and have a panoramic view of Palestine, the land of milk and honey promised to the Israelites. Moses would not step into that land. He breathed his last there in Moab. God Almighty himself buried Moses. To this day, no one knows the burial place of Moses. Otherwise, people, particularly the Jews, would have made a beeline to the sepulchre of the liberator of Jews from the Egyptians. They would have disregarded God Almighty. But one thousand years later, God sent Moses and Elijah to the land of the Jews, known as the Mount of Transfiguration, to hold discussions with Jesus Christ. The disciples wanted to build a tabernacle each for Jesus Christ, Moses and Elijah. Here we could perceive the propensity of human beings to build shrines.
We call the fall of unruly rains as the consequence of climate change, global warming and the like. But paradoxes remain.
Tamil Nadu is supplying rice at Re one a kilo on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Anna Durai. In normal times, TN supplies rice at Rs two a kilo for cardholders. People of Kerala have to buy rice at around Rs 20 per kilo. How do TN, Andhra Pradesh and so on take actions like this ? Don’t they have fiscal squeeze?
Friday, August 29, 2008
O J’s Corner
Building castles in the air
The US Presidential elections are becoming curiouser on the one hand and pretty interesting on the other. Republican John McCain has squeezed out the tactics of Barrack Obama by fielding a surprise candidate, a feisty woman, as McCain’s Vice-Presidential nominee. In the outside world, she was not much talked about. Rather she was hardly heard of. As far as McCain is concerned, her womanish credentials would fetch rich dividends. Choosing her as his running mate, McCain would be able to bridge the substantial gap in the TRP ratings between him and Obama. These days loquaciousness pays. On that count Obama stands a good chance. But if he wins, it would be a “terribly” topys turvy posture of the Americans having a taken a U-turn in their mindset. I personally believe, Obama would have fetched a landslide, if he chose Hillary Clinton as his running mate. But then cynics would say, if something happens to Obama after his victory, Hillary would automatically become the President. The world is changing fast. People should not unnecessarily forecast doom.
But then, media minds in India were speculating that Bobby Jindal would be chosen as McCain’s running mate. Bobby Jindal has been born and brought up in the US. But his parents were from India. The American mindset would not allow such a person to come up to the top post. If something happens to McCain after his win, Jindal should rule from the Oval Office. This would be something unthinkable for the Americans. Therefore, the thoughtful McCain chose Sarah Palin, the first woman Governor of Alaska and the mother of five children- sign of a family orientation much sought after in the leadership credentials.
Indian media analysts building castles in the air got their due as McCain struck a different chord.
Building castles in the air
The US Presidential elections are becoming curiouser on the one hand and pretty interesting on the other. Republican John McCain has squeezed out the tactics of Barrack Obama by fielding a surprise candidate, a feisty woman, as McCain’s Vice-Presidential nominee. In the outside world, she was not much talked about. Rather she was hardly heard of. As far as McCain is concerned, her womanish credentials would fetch rich dividends. Choosing her as his running mate, McCain would be able to bridge the substantial gap in the TRP ratings between him and Obama. These days loquaciousness pays. On that count Obama stands a good chance. But if he wins, it would be a “terribly” topys turvy posture of the Americans having a taken a U-turn in their mindset. I personally believe, Obama would have fetched a landslide, if he chose Hillary Clinton as his running mate. But then cynics would say, if something happens to Obama after his victory, Hillary would automatically become the President. The world is changing fast. People should not unnecessarily forecast doom.
But then, media minds in India were speculating that Bobby Jindal would be chosen as McCain’s running mate. Bobby Jindal has been born and brought up in the US. But his parents were from India. The American mindset would not allow such a person to come up to the top post. If something happens to McCain after his win, Jindal should rule from the Oval Office. This would be something unthinkable for the Americans. Therefore, the thoughtful McCain chose Sarah Palin, the first woman Governor of Alaska and the mother of five children- sign of a family orientation much sought after in the leadership credentials.
Indian media analysts building castles in the air got their due as McCain struck a different chord.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
O J’s Corner
The system remains the same,
Only players change
History of nations espouses despots, tyrants, totalitarians, monarchs, king-emperors leaving place to democratic entities of different hues, even as the system intrinsically remained almost the same vis-à-vis people’s lot. The players would be loquacious about their intent to serve the people, but they serve themselves first before even paying lip service to the common people.
Cash, land, movable and immovable assets make one the powerful force in the society. Don’t think that these alone are the ones being counted. Connections are more important than physical assets. True physical assets offer a lot for acquiring high-falutin connections. Sometimes Godfathers would be able to bestow all the blessings in one form or the other.
Take the case in point about K R Narayanan. He was introduced to Jawaharlal Nehru by Harold Laski. That introduction letter did the trick. Nehru had arranged a special test, conducted by the entity which later became the Union Public Service Commission. Lo, Narayanan found his place in the Foreign Service. Think about a hypothetical situation where Manmohan Singh does something like this now. All hell would break lose.
Now many people have risen to top positions in television channels owing to their connection with people in high places. Some of them can get positions offering large sums as equity or otherwise. Even some newspaper barons are drafting people who can offer huge investments. At least their father or in-laws should be able to cough up money for the management. Then they can call the shots.
Mediocre people at the helm of affairs would not like people of depth to work under them. For, the “omniscient” top-brass would expose themselves as sub-standard stuff. Who wants excellence? In the eyes of mediocrity, no one else should excel.
Coming to stardom and politics, Chiranjeevi, the super-star who saves damsels in distress in the tinsel world, wants to serve the people of Andhra Pradesh a la N T Rama Rao style. NTR was not the natural creation. Media baron Ramoji Rao had declared, “Let there be NTR”. Instantly, NTR became an icon, to be left like an ass in his last days. Now someone wants Chandrababu Naidu out of Andhra Pradesh. He would be offered some place at the Centre. Here comes Chiranjeevi who would flap his wings around for a while. People remain where they are, almost. Telengana issue, Naxal menace, income less than a dollar a day for the common man even as windfall billionaires are not roaming the streets but flying around the world in their own private jets. The majority are beating their breasts for buying their ration.
True, no leader can do the magic trick and offer everything to the people on a platter. But the pity is that there is not even sincerity of purpose in their pronouncements.
The system remains the same,
Only players change
History of nations espouses despots, tyrants, totalitarians, monarchs, king-emperors leaving place to democratic entities of different hues, even as the system intrinsically remained almost the same vis-à-vis people’s lot. The players would be loquacious about their intent to serve the people, but they serve themselves first before even paying lip service to the common people.
Cash, land, movable and immovable assets make one the powerful force in the society. Don’t think that these alone are the ones being counted. Connections are more important than physical assets. True physical assets offer a lot for acquiring high-falutin connections. Sometimes Godfathers would be able to bestow all the blessings in one form or the other.
Take the case in point about K R Narayanan. He was introduced to Jawaharlal Nehru by Harold Laski. That introduction letter did the trick. Nehru had arranged a special test, conducted by the entity which later became the Union Public Service Commission. Lo, Narayanan found his place in the Foreign Service. Think about a hypothetical situation where Manmohan Singh does something like this now. All hell would break lose.
Now many people have risen to top positions in television channels owing to their connection with people in high places. Some of them can get positions offering large sums as equity or otherwise. Even some newspaper barons are drafting people who can offer huge investments. At least their father or in-laws should be able to cough up money for the management. Then they can call the shots.
Mediocre people at the helm of affairs would not like people of depth to work under them. For, the “omniscient” top-brass would expose themselves as sub-standard stuff. Who wants excellence? In the eyes of mediocrity, no one else should excel.
Coming to stardom and politics, Chiranjeevi, the super-star who saves damsels in distress in the tinsel world, wants to serve the people of Andhra Pradesh a la N T Rama Rao style. NTR was not the natural creation. Media baron Ramoji Rao had declared, “Let there be NTR”. Instantly, NTR became an icon, to be left like an ass in his last days. Now someone wants Chandrababu Naidu out of Andhra Pradesh. He would be offered some place at the Centre. Here comes Chiranjeevi who would flap his wings around for a while. People remain where they are, almost. Telengana issue, Naxal menace, income less than a dollar a day for the common man even as windfall billionaires are not roaming the streets but flying around the world in their own private jets. The majority are beating their breasts for buying their ration.
True, no leader can do the magic trick and offer everything to the people on a platter. But the pity is that there is not even sincerity of purpose in their pronouncements.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
O J’s Corner
Strike will only disable the common people
All-India strike on August 20 would only disable the common people who cannot move around freely. Particularly the situation would be sharp in States where the left forces are strong. Anyway in Kerala and West Bengal, it would be a bandh-like situation. Who will benefit out of the mess? The common man would not be advantageous. Those who want to go out and do cooly work would lose their income. Times are proving to be difficult with skyrocketing prices. Then, if the workers are denied opportunities to work, for whom is the strike organised? Inflation would not come down on account of the strike.
Let us see whether the government can be pressurized to undertake miracle works.
No country would be so impaled with strikes and hartals in such a manner that the very existence of life would be in jeopardy. When the phenomenon becomes frequent, the core of existence would difficult.
Strike will only disable the common people
All-India strike on August 20 would only disable the common people who cannot move around freely. Particularly the situation would be sharp in States where the left forces are strong. Anyway in Kerala and West Bengal, it would be a bandh-like situation. Who will benefit out of the mess? The common man would not be advantageous. Those who want to go out and do cooly work would lose their income. Times are proving to be difficult with skyrocketing prices. Then, if the workers are denied opportunities to work, for whom is the strike organised? Inflation would not come down on account of the strike.
Let us see whether the government can be pressurized to undertake miracle works.
No country would be so impaled with strikes and hartals in such a manner that the very existence of life would be in jeopardy. When the phenomenon becomes frequent, the core of existence would difficult.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
O J’s Corner
Plus-one conundrum
The other day I was non-plussed seeing on television channel a woman crying bitterly for her son being denied admission to the plus-one course. I was wondering whether admission to the plus-one course is such a hard-nut-to-crack. Apparently, local wisdom is better than orchestrated methods. The people at the helm of affairs of schools would have done a far better job than the single-window apparition.
Reports about thousands of seats lying vacant and yet thousands of students not getting admission are fearsome. Don’t we want our lads to study in institutions nurtured and developed in the State itself?
It would be better for the government to prescribe a cut-off date for candidates who have applied on-line and afterwards allow the school authorities to give admission as in the previous year. Schools would then be full of students. There would not be a single vacancy thereafter.
Students and parents should not be troubled any more.
Plus-one conundrum
The other day I was non-plussed seeing on television channel a woman crying bitterly for her son being denied admission to the plus-one course. I was wondering whether admission to the plus-one course is such a hard-nut-to-crack. Apparently, local wisdom is better than orchestrated methods. The people at the helm of affairs of schools would have done a far better job than the single-window apparition.
Reports about thousands of seats lying vacant and yet thousands of students not getting admission are fearsome. Don’t we want our lads to study in institutions nurtured and developed in the State itself?
It would be better for the government to prescribe a cut-off date for candidates who have applied on-line and afterwards allow the school authorities to give admission as in the previous year. Schools would then be full of students. There would not be a single vacancy thereafter.
Students and parents should not be troubled any more.
Monday, August 11, 2008
O J’s Corner
Hard times for the CPM
The CPM would have to face hard times after the Lok Sabha elections be they held this November or early next year. The Kerala State Committee of the party has found fault with the prevailing regime’s rigidity in matters of liberalisation. A sort of West Bengal line should have been adopted in various spheres, particularly agriculture and industry. Education is in the doldrums. A lot of ideas have been pressed into service. Not a single one worked wonders. Many steps ensured only distrust among various echelons of society. The church has been alienated totally.
Does this mean Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan can be replaced after the Lok Sabha elections that easily? He has his own followers. Not everyone in the party can toe his line. But a lot of people, many of them unaware of the intricacies of policies, blindly believe him. He has done nothing of consequence in matters of administration beneficial to the people. Some of his own party leaders would not support him lock, stock and barrel.
Which means, the next three years would pass by without great contributions of the ruling leaders to benefit the people in large measure.
Hard times for the CPM
The CPM would have to face hard times after the Lok Sabha elections be they held this November or early next year. The Kerala State Committee of the party has found fault with the prevailing regime’s rigidity in matters of liberalisation. A sort of West Bengal line should have been adopted in various spheres, particularly agriculture and industry. Education is in the doldrums. A lot of ideas have been pressed into service. Not a single one worked wonders. Many steps ensured only distrust among various echelons of society. The church has been alienated totally.
Does this mean Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan can be replaced after the Lok Sabha elections that easily? He has his own followers. Not everyone in the party can toe his line. But a lot of people, many of them unaware of the intricacies of policies, blindly believe him. He has done nothing of consequence in matters of administration beneficial to the people. Some of his own party leaders would not support him lock, stock and barrel.
Which means, the next three years would pass by without great contributions of the ruling leaders to benefit the people in large measure.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
O J’s Corner
Pre-election throbbings
Pre-election times offer throbbing opportunities for restructuring within or looking for other options or for complete changes as far as political entities are concerned. Everywhere the look-out is for space in the ruling dispensation.
We have before us the Lok Sabha elections to be held early next year, or this year-end, if political situation engenders advancement of the poll schedule.
In Kerala, the Lok Sabha elections would be thrilling. Last time, the LDF cornered all but one of the 20 seats. CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury has hinted that there may not be such a sweep this time. Usually, the Commies root for all the 20, even if circumstances present a different scenario Hard luck is looming large before the LDF, as opportunities were mismanaged on several counts. Anti-incumbency factor, clashes of interest on various issues, people’s feelings of helplessness and the like would contribute to a negative result for the LDF, it seems.
If there is a sweep for the UDF, which looks more or less possible, there would be strong under-currents working against the V S Achuthanandan Government. Calls for a change of leadership at the governmental level could be raised. There would be furious counter campaigns as well.
The coming months would provide interesting and at then same time agonising times for the UDF as well as LDF.
Pre-election throbbings
Pre-election times offer throbbing opportunities for restructuring within or looking for other options or for complete changes as far as political entities are concerned. Everywhere the look-out is for space in the ruling dispensation.
We have before us the Lok Sabha elections to be held early next year, or this year-end, if political situation engenders advancement of the poll schedule.
In Kerala, the Lok Sabha elections would be thrilling. Last time, the LDF cornered all but one of the 20 seats. CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury has hinted that there may not be such a sweep this time. Usually, the Commies root for all the 20, even if circumstances present a different scenario Hard luck is looming large before the LDF, as opportunities were mismanaged on several counts. Anti-incumbency factor, clashes of interest on various issues, people’s feelings of helplessness and the like would contribute to a negative result for the LDF, it seems.
If there is a sweep for the UDF, which looks more or less possible, there would be strong under-currents working against the V S Achuthanandan Government. Calls for a change of leadership at the governmental level could be raised. There would be furious counter campaigns as well.
The coming months would provide interesting and at then same time agonising times for the UDF as well as LDF.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
O J’s Corner
Mighty Universe, puny Man
Recent exposures on the basis of evidence obtained from archaeological findings strengthen the view that the Universe, composed of unfathomable globes and worlds, systems of planets, satellites, gaseous phenomena, black-holes and so on, remains under the control of the Almighty.
Millions of years ago, there existed a developed civilisation in the Antarctic region. Newly-found fossils in the area have delineated a thriving population of living beings that might have perished on account of accelerated freezing or strike of celestial objects.
The icy Himalayan Mountain ranges had remnants of piscian scales, which suggest that it had oceanic links at one time. Continental shift, mighty fall of a comet, once-in-a-lifetime tsunami of unthinkable proportions or some such calamity might have impaled the core of the earth’s surface, throwing out areas to separate locations.
The discovery of human skull in icy embeds has driven home the point that sculpted men and women were there eons of ages ago, necessitating scientists to look for other avenues of straight and separate creation than Darwin’s evolution over a period of millions of years.
A small twist of the Earth’s disposition might throw the system out of gear. The molten metals churning within the Earth’s core, flowing in reverse direction on account of a different gravitational pull, might scatter everything topsy turvy. Alien life may be far more advanced than human accomplishments. The speed of the thought process might be the speed of life particles elsewhere. These may be visible or invisible.
The whole gamut of the Universe, circling, wheeling and dealing, expanding and contracting, emitting powers incomprehensible to mankind remains an enigma.
Mighty Universe, puny Man
Recent exposures on the basis of evidence obtained from archaeological findings strengthen the view that the Universe, composed of unfathomable globes and worlds, systems of planets, satellites, gaseous phenomena, black-holes and so on, remains under the control of the Almighty.
Millions of years ago, there existed a developed civilisation in the Antarctic region. Newly-found fossils in the area have delineated a thriving population of living beings that might have perished on account of accelerated freezing or strike of celestial objects.
The icy Himalayan Mountain ranges had remnants of piscian scales, which suggest that it had oceanic links at one time. Continental shift, mighty fall of a comet, once-in-a-lifetime tsunami of unthinkable proportions or some such calamity might have impaled the core of the earth’s surface, throwing out areas to separate locations.
The discovery of human skull in icy embeds has driven home the point that sculpted men and women were there eons of ages ago, necessitating scientists to look for other avenues of straight and separate creation than Darwin’s evolution over a period of millions of years.
A small twist of the Earth’s disposition might throw the system out of gear. The molten metals churning within the Earth’s core, flowing in reverse direction on account of a different gravitational pull, might scatter everything topsy turvy. Alien life may be far more advanced than human accomplishments. The speed of the thought process might be the speed of life particles elsewhere. These may be visible or invisible.
The whole gamut of the Universe, circling, wheeling and dealing, expanding and contracting, emitting powers incomprehensible to mankind remains an enigma.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
O J’s Corner
Thrill in others’ elevation
Is not the world brutally selfish, with jealousy, ill-will, malice permeating everywhere. There is no happiness about someone else enjoying happiness. One can understand the discomfiture, if there is cogent reason for it. Being bruised one hearing others’ prosperity is overtaking all canons of good feelings.
An exception to the all-pervading anathema was Harkishan Singh Surjeet. He was amenable to Sonia Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister. Before that he tried to make Jyoti Basu the Prime Minister. But other partymen of consequence vetoed it. This time when the UPA was formed, he had wanted CPM representatives to join the Cabinet. But there was stiff resistance from some of the party leaders.
It is very clear from these and other gestures that Surjeet was comfortable when others got elevated. Rather he would take the initiative to secure fine positions for others. What could be the reason for his endearing disposition? Congenital attitude of goodwill, variegated experience and fellow feelings had got compressed into the frail body. An emancipated soul indeed.
Thrill in others’ elevation
Is not the world brutally selfish, with jealousy, ill-will, malice permeating everywhere. There is no happiness about someone else enjoying happiness. One can understand the discomfiture, if there is cogent reason for it. Being bruised one hearing others’ prosperity is overtaking all canons of good feelings.
An exception to the all-pervading anathema was Harkishan Singh Surjeet. He was amenable to Sonia Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister. Before that he tried to make Jyoti Basu the Prime Minister. But other partymen of consequence vetoed it. This time when the UPA was formed, he had wanted CPM representatives to join the Cabinet. But there was stiff resistance from some of the party leaders.
It is very clear from these and other gestures that Surjeet was comfortable when others got elevated. Rather he would take the initiative to secure fine positions for others. What could be the reason for his endearing disposition? Congenital attitude of goodwill, variegated experience and fellow feelings had got compressed into the frail body. An emancipated soul indeed.
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