Two more attacks on Indians in Australia

Sad. Another incident. It has been 14 days since this furore started and it doesn't seem to come to an end.

Detailed news story here.

Let's hope good sense prevails soon.

Indians attacked in Australia: Aren't Indians racist?

News websites are rife with reports of ‘racist’ attack on Indian students in Australia. All reports are condemning the attack. Needless to say it is sad and uncalled for. Many have termed these as ‘communal attacks’ blatantly, while others have played them down by classifying as ‘opportunistic crimes’.

Suddenly everyone is asking / inquiring about hate crimes (if at all they are so)? Why are only Indians being attacked? And so on. Some say Indians are 'gobbling' jobs from other countries. Indian BPO/KPO etc have caused business losses to many firms aboard. Similarly, NRIs take prime positions in firms abroad. As a result there's lot of resentment in the native population.

OK May be. But what about the Indians?

Aren't we communal? Don't we look down upon folks who come from Bangladesh and mop floors in India? In fact just months ago Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) thrashed a handful of 'north-Indian's because these folks were making a living in Mumbai (which is supposedly in west-India). Wasn’t that communal?

Don't we classify ourselves in niche categories as north-Indian, Gujjus, north-east Indians, south-Indians, Brahmins, Mallus, Punjabis, Paharis and whoever. In fact this sense of identity (or pseudo-identity) is prevalent even in the most civilized circles of society.

I've heard people often say with pride, “hum logo mein to aisa nahin hota hai". (This doesn’t happen in our society)

Usually it cascades in the following order - I >>Me >> north-Indian >> Hindu >> Brahmin

Have heard people boasting about their castes and creeds often. Then how are we different from the assailants? Or how are people/groups like MNS different from the goons?

Aren’t we racist? Then why just pin-point a handful of Australians? Why make a hue and cry of this situation when we fall in the same category?

Jack& Jill. Version 2009

Have written enough on life, laughter and love. This post is more serious and somber. Read through my poem and you will understand why life becomes stranger than fiction.

PS: This is my first attempt at poetry and I admit it’s very bland. Please bear through this and do let me know whatever comes to your mind after reading this. Here it goes:


Jack met Jill,
On top of a hill,
And then,
They both walked together.

Holding hands,
Through thick and thin,
They seemed to love each other.

Jack called her God,
Jill blushed a bit,
And there was love all over.

All things were good,
All things were fun,
They ate and drank together.

They danced,
They jived,
They partied all night,
And both looked good together.

This went fine,
Till both went back to their kins,
Who hated to see these two together.

Families got in between,
And created a rift,
Between Jack and Jill,
And both were left heart broken.

In the grief,
Jack hit Jill,
She was left bruised,
And ill forever.

Cashing in on the elections 2009

General elections this year are different. Our netas have gone hi-tech. Hope you’ve noticed that most candidates have their own websites and many use SMS to reach the voters. Most parties are talking about development while suppressing issues like caste, dynasty etc.(seems like we’re maturing as a democracy). Also, this time media played a very vital role in turning around the election wave. Remember the radio spot – vote ka dot hai to hot hai.

Anyway, my point here was different.

This time business houses too were cashing in on the elections. Last weekend, capital’s popular pub F-Bar and Lounge had invited all youngsters, who have voted and carried the vote mark, to walk in for free and party for no expenses paid at all.(Those who don’t know, F Bar and Lounge is famous pub and nightclub at The Ashok).

Other than this, a retail shop in South Extension, Part II offered discounts up to 20% to all those who had voted. This retailing units deals in men’s wear and hosts popular brands like Allen Solley, Louis Vitton etc. (Will try to get a photo for this shop).

There should be many more places offering such offers/discounts. If you know of any, please add to the list in the comments section.

Happy reading.

iPhone to help quit smoking

Guys, there's no end to innovation. Video-phones and bio-metric silicon chips are considered remote now. Latest is that iPhone will provide some relief to smokers. iPhone's new app will help smokers kick the habit :)

Read details - "Developed by The George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) and the National Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (NTCC), My QuitLine app also provides evidence-based treatment for quitting.

It connects the user to the National Cancer Institute’s quitline service where they speak to a live quitline coach or use live text to get advice on quitting."

My questions are:
- How has technology improved/degraded your life?
- What according to you has been a path-breaking discovery/invention till now?

Is shoe-slinging the best way to protest?

Former US-President George Bush is a trend-setter of sorts. It’s just not about his occasional gaffes, here it is about the shoe-throwing episode. After he missed the shoe-attack by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi, it has become the most popular way of protesting in the modern age. 

Recently, two of our politicos were ‘shoe-stung’ – PC Chidambaram and Naveen Jindal – at different places for different reasons. Of course, both these netas ‘forgave‘ the offenders. 

- But is this the right way to display anger and frustration?

How does the blog look now?

Guys, I have just changed the design and UI (in simple terms the look and feel) for my blog. Just lemme know if you like it.

Love.