A stupid, ney perverted thought!

Colin Todhunter is a regular columnist contributing articles in regular intervals to Deccan Herald, to which I have been a subscriber since over forty years now. In today's article on this Cristmas day, on the eve of a new year he has ventured into quite some interesting and serious events of 2011. Apart from half a dozen events he has narrated in this Sunday Herald, a week end edition of Deccan Herald, he has taken up the case of Julian Assange, who has ruffled a hornet's nest so violently that his very life is in peril in the hands of the Godly guardians of world's biggest democracies.

It is in this context I would like to put in a few words here. In my well considered opinion, Assange instead of standing on an open public pedestal and blowing his whistle, he should have taken a sniper's position behind a strong wall and shot his salvos directly without fears. Now that his very life is in danger under the combined mammoth force of Britain, Sweden and USA, I do not expect anything more from him than already published. 

Now that anything more from Assange is doubtful, I feel some of the geniuses should do the job of sniping. I firmly believe that there is no dearth of intellect surpassing the likes of Assange and Steve Dobbs in this whole wide world. But once you fall for name and fame like Assange, the evil in this world can easily take over you in a matter of time. After all, what a person needs to live a happy life takes only a couple of good meals, sufficient dress to cover from the vagaries of weather and a roof to live under. Don't laugh at me, please, thinking what kind of junk this old man is! I am not preaching any religious or spiritual lessons here. It is the basic truth of life one should realise while going on a mission to dismantle the well organized crime by none other than people in governments all over the world.

Todhunter says, the illegal money stashed away in foreign countries from India by a powerful few is more than 13 times the total foreign debt of the country. Imagine this when over half of the population is reeling under poverty not being able to earn two square meals for him and his family, the the punishment calls for the highest. Assange, however loud he threatens to publish the names will soon be muted.

Some time back I think I had written an article on the barbaric act of the so called civil society to put a woman to death by stoning in public. The crime? - unsupported claim of adultery by her husband just to marry another woman of his choice! See "Stoning of Soroya M" on Netflix movies online if your government allowed the site to operate in your country. The final scene of stoning the woman is filmed wonderfully, bringing out all the anguish in you. At that time I felt this age old civil laws were barbaric. But now after seeing such gigantic crimes by the people who are supposed to be in their political position to alleviate poverty, have to be meted out with more severe punishments than the one meted out to Soroya. And for that no government worth its salt dares to do that; only the people in crass mob mentality can do it when the names are sniped out in public!

After all human psyche is based on cruelty and extracting happiness from the sufferings of fellow being. No other life species is based on cruelty just for the fun of it. Only man can do it. So to give outlet to such behaviour of man, which can never be controlled, should be channelised in one or other way, and I think this is the best opportunity!
I wish Merry Cristmas to Colin Todhunter, his numerous readers, Julian Assange and his team of dedicated colleagues hoping, as I have done in the last 68 new year eves, that this time around the new year may bring about real change in society for good.

Brigitte Bardot - Then and Now

I posted a blog on Dev Anand, the legendary everlasting romantic hero of yesteryear, who romanced well not only in his films but also with life itself by successful experiments in film making, till he passed away a couple of days back at the age of 88. His latest production is all ready to be released early 2012! There were many articulate and nostalgic reporting and tributes to the departed legend in the print and electronic media yesterday and a day before. During writing that blog, nostalgic memories of movies of my college days in earlier part of the sixties started slowly unfolding.

Apart from Hindi and regional language movies, I used see a lot of western movies too - War movies, Romantic movies, Espionage, Thrill and of all I loved Cowboy films (also called Western Quickies) most - Right from John Wayne to Clint Eastwood. Apart from many male actors, lot many female actors were also my favorites and among  my likes Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn were in the forefront. There were sex bombs such as Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren too, But I liked Audrey for her sheer acting skills and Brigitte for her naughty character depiction.  I do not remember how many times I viewed "Wait Until Dark", the recent being on Netflix stream during my last visit to America in the first part of this year. I calibrate that film as Audrey's best. I am never tired of seeing that movie again and again. The acting of a blind woman is such.

Recently I received a chain mail with the same title in the subject field as I have given to this blog. Looking at the pictures of Brigitte Bardot, my mind reeled back in time to "Viva Maria!" Brigitte, if I remember correctly, was the leader of a train robbery gang of the wild west of the early 20th century in that film. The inimitable drunkard Lee Marvin was her assistant in this movie which I must have seen at least twice during my college days.

I felt very sad to to see that lovely Brigitte in crutches. Yet, her trademark thick lips are still inviting, aren't they?

Please see the everlasting beauty in this album :
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Abhi naa jaavo chodkar...

I received a message on my cell this morning when I was taking my breakfast at around 8.10 AM. It was from Rajiv, my good friend from Kanpur and the message read - "Dear Dev sahab, Abhi naa jayo chor kar ke dil abhi bhara nahin. We grew up seeing you romancing with life, charming everyone around you - Rajiv". That's right Rajiv, Dev sahab charmed everyone around irrespective of age, with his unparallelled romancing with life. When Dev sahab romanced with those beautiful words with Sadhana in 'Hum Dono', I saw the movie during my I year B,Sc. in 1962 for a second time bunking classes, if my 50 year old memory is not cheating on me!

Dev Anand was my most favorite actor. I used to see Tamil movies too in those days and 'Gemini' Ganeshan (that great Hindi star Rekha's father), who was 'titled' as 'Kaadal Mannan'  by his Tamil fans, meaning romance king, was also my favorite. But Dev Anand was something unforgettable all life for his new and newer gestures of romance in each of the films he acted. His gently hitting on the nose of Sadhana with his fist during that song 'Abhi naa jaavo...' is still green in my memory. I might have missed just one or two of his films, maybe I have seen all, I don't really know. But it is a fact that I did not care for anything in order to see whenever a new Dev Anand movie was released. I was born and brought up in a small town near Mangalore in South India and during those days Hindi movies were a bit late to arrive in Mangalore. Hindi movies were a poor competitor to Tamil in the 'Tent' Cinema in my little town. We could rarely see a Hind movie during my high school days. Only films like 'Mother India' and  'Madhumati' (Dilip Kumar-Vyjayanthi Mala starer). But the Golden period of Hindi Cinema started in early sixties. Oh, that scintillating tunes with meaningful lyrics composed with great soothing music using real instruments (No electronic organs please!) And that is one of the reasons I consider my college days in Mangalore the best period of my life, with Dev Anand almost a role model!..... from Kala Bazaar, Tere Gharke Samane, Guide of the International fame to Gambler and Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, one cannot discard any of the Dev Anand starer, be it with Waheeda Rehman, Sadhana, Nanda, Saira Banu or Zeenath Amaan.

In the beginning, there was a feeble accusation that Dev Anand was trying to copy Gregory Peck of the west. There certainly could be some similarities in mannerisms of the two, but soon Dev sahab firmly established his unique identity by the wide range of versatility in his acting style. Not only the acting with a variety of heroins, but his romancing with real life itself is great for his experimentation with new ideas.

The legend has vanished for ever, but the memories will never fade simply because the charm spreads over at least three generations! May the great soul rest in eternal peace.



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Global Economy

It has become a much talked about topic about the current Global Economic Slow Down. Being a small time investor in stock market, I too am feeling the heat while I am yet to fully recover from the 2008 Satanic blow!

In this context, an article in the Deccan Herald Daily in its today's edition made an interesting reading. One Paul Krugman, whose name appears in the said Daily quite often, has written a column titled 'S&P's credibility is questionable' in the 'In Perspective' section of the Daily. America, no doubt everybody should agree, is the biggest economy in the world and naturally it has a sound influence on world economy. America is also the biggest borrower in the world as I know. If the melt down was triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in 2008 in America, this time on it is the down grading the rating of U.S.Debts by Standard and Poor's (S&P's) in their research report. It is this report, the author of the said article questions. Krugman makes, in all its appearance, a very concerned and deep analysis of the situation that has a very sound effect on Global Economy. He says the findings resulting in down grading of American Economy, thereby having a global effect, is based more on political compulsions of that country than the any Maths, Statistics or Economic research.

Agreed, America has done a lot of blunders by entering into wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. One cannot deny the deep dents these wars made on American economy. Yet, America is such a country which has the ability to tinker the deepest of economic dents, the author opines. I am neither a political observer nor a specialist economist. But the account on S&P's presented by Krugman is amazing.  To repeat his own words,- "To understand the furore over the decision by Standard & Poor's, the rating agency, to downgrade US Govt. debt, you have to hold in your mind two seemingly (but not actually) contradictory ideas. The first is that America is indeed no longer the stable, reliable country once it was. The second is that S&P's itself has even lower credibility; it is the last place one should turn for judgements about our nation's prospects."

Krugman goes on explaining the contradiction on which judgements are made that have serious implications on world economy. He says it is the the same S&P's who gave a one star rating to Lehman Brothers even on the day the giant financial organisation declared its bankruptcy. Also, the 2008 crisis happened because S&P's gave a AAA rating to mortgage backed assets that have since turned  into toxic waste! And this time? There was an error of $ 2 trillion S&P's calculations in making the research report and after discussions S&P conceded that it was wrong, but went on downgrading American Debts! How well he compares this to a story of a son killing his parents and then pleading for mercy as an orphan! Another point the author asks the reader to focus is that nine years ago S&P's down graded Japan, but that country not only easily gets loans in the world market but also for a cheaper rate of interest at 1%. The country never felt any economic difficulties in making good of its deficits by global borrowings all these nine years despite the rating agency not upgrading its ratings.

As regards the American ability to pull itself back to normalcy, the author opines there are at least two golden opportunities. One is Health Care expenditure in America is the highest among developed nation; bring it down, he says. And the second is tax revenue that is one of the lowest in comparison to international standards; just a nominal enhancement in this sector will boost the economy enormously, the author says. Are they, the people who matter willing to do it? Krugman opines it is actually the right wing forces that are destroying the federal structure of American system.

All said and done, now how is it going to effect this 'Great Indian Economy'?

That reminds me of a comment one of my good friends made way back in 2008. In that melee, the fellow had lost over half of his net worth in stock market, yet unfazed and jovial as ever. Sitting in Bangalore he used to call me every now and then to give me a 'hot' tip or to take one from me. "What they say this Indian economy going to be the global power," he exclaimed during one such call, "if Wall Street farts, Dalal Street purges loose motion!"

That was in 2008 about nameless microscopic flies like me and my friend swimming in the economic ocean, once again being the same in a fresh new global melt down. But Indian  economic ocean is really big and powerful , capable of absorbing the effects of gigantic scams like 2G and CWG involving astronomical figures, what do you say? Where is Lehman Brothers and Standard & Poor's?

Choices

".....I would have preferred doing otherwise, or living otherwise. But I let myself overcome by things ... things foreign to me got started to get in; they began to rule me ......"

Yes, you have rightly guessed (if you have read my previous blog/s); it is a piece of dialogue from a Spanish film. (With English sub titles, of course) The character, a rich old man over 70 telling this to his 15 year old son, who had aberrational behavior. His wife who was half his age was revelling in drug and sex parties every evening......Well, I am not going to narrate the film story. In fact I was wondering  if we do not think the same way as the old man.... as we age, 'I would have preferred.....' Whether you are rich and successful in life or a failed miserable, you get this kind of thought...'if only I took chances with the other choices.....'  - other than what actually I did, - be it with people, matter or opportunities, you always see better things if you chose the other. But you didn't!

Back in 1969 July, when the then prime minister Indira Gandhi announced nationalisation of top 14 private banks of India, I was a bundle of miseries, for, I had resigned my job in Canara Bank Ltd in December 1968 and got relieved on the last day of the year. There was no job satisfaction at Rs.180/- odd take home monthly package for a bank clerk in Delhi. Of course, as a bachelor, I truly enjoyed life with the remuneration, but without hope for a future. I had people ahead of me having put in over 15 years of service as a clerk without promotion, except an intermediary post between officer and clerk! Growth of banks after nationalisation was phenomenal. (And so the NPA - non-performing assets meaning irrecoverable loans). When my juniors got promotions within two years after nationalisation, I regretted my decision to resign. And after about ten years, when I came to know of a person, a colleague of mine, whom all of us at the branch considered as the dullest head as regards banking accounts were concerned, was promoted as a branch manger, well, I knew how nationalisation of banks had in store for Indian economy. People who worked in banks in those days know it all well.

No doubt my chosen profession, a show room with franchise of distribution for two districts of a motorcycle of repute in those days, gave me a lot of satisfaction and pride and status in society, which my bank job would not have provided. I was my own man, never required to bow my head to my superior officers. Above all, I set goals for myself for a better future. Yet, that sense of loss of an opportunity was still there!

Quite a few people at the park where I go regularly for my morning and evening walks ask me sheepishly if I was a retired army personnel! A six footer with an erect standard body and an army march type of straight steps in my walking style, may naturally make an onlooker think that way. But every time a stranger asks me so, a wave of sadness passes over my face. It reminds me of my elders refusing to sign in their consent on my application for a second lieutenant job in the Indian army. I was an outstanding NCC cadet during my college education and the military establishment offered a short service commission (seven years with an option to continue) for such cadets in their second year of graduation with a condition that they pass out their graduation at first attempt. Of course, I did have options to join army once I graduated and became an adult without needing any body's consent. But then, not only the process of getting the job was not as easy as the short service commission during education, but also by that time I had lost interest in joining the army. 'I would have preferred.....'

 I have reasons to believe that everybody has this syndrome with varying intensity and frequency of after effects; if some go into deep depressions, some just laugh it out as foolish memories, a truly blessed lot! -'I would have preferred.....', Nope, I do have my preferences right now, in this moment, here and what I prefer or choose is the best under the prevailing circumstances, do it and be happy!....forget the rest!!

Bribery

Yeddyurappa has become the talk of the town, nay, state, nay the nation since quite sometime now. Yes you guessed it right, Yeddyurappa is the incumbent chief minister of the state of Karnataka, my home state. The fellow has been not only indicted but also strongly recommended to be prosecuted for serious graft and corruption, by the Lokayukta, in his final report having over one thousand pages resulted by an investigation that took over two years to complete. Lokayukta, - for the benefit of those who are not conversant with Indian political system, - is an ombudsman headed by a retired judge not below the rank of High Court of a state. This system, intended to make impartial investigation into corruption in public life, was put in place on public demand about a decade ago. But then, the Lokayukta is not given Suo Motu powers to prosecute the corrupt government servant or a legislator, because the law makers (legislators) framed the legislation so, - no power to take direct action against themselves but recommend the action to the incumbent Govt! We the the common citizens should only be happy because a chief minister of the state was included in the scope of the ombudsman despite very strong objection by the ruling class.

However, Yeddyurappa, in my well considered opinion is nowhere near a match to stalwart chief ministers like Mayavati of Uttar Pradesh, Karunanidhi and his rival the present chief minister Jayalalitha of Tamilnadu or the leader of this elite and privileged line of State Chief Ministers, Lallu Prasad Yadav of Bihar.

Anyway, at the very outset, my intention was not to discuss this political nonsense and idiocy when I started to write this blog. It is the sense of corruption, its place and the the reaction to it by the common citizens in this part of the land under the prevailing circumstances including old age friendships.

I made a new friend at the community park where I go for my regular walks in the morning and evenings some 7 or 8 months back. Soon I went on a five month visit to the U.S. and now it is almost one month after my return but we still sit together in the evenings after walk and chat. This man is a retired Govt. official, a gazetted officer in Forests Department. He has pleasing manners with a speck of innocence. I liked the way he took initiative in breaking the ice after a long period of mutual observation, and perhaps a peripheral visual appearance too.

I never make it any secret of my detest and disgust to bribe and corruption. Probably this man had noticed it during our initial talks. Soon he told me without any hint from me, that even though he was in a Govt. dept., which is no less corrupt than any other administrative departments, he hated to take bribe. But then when he helped a departmental man to get a transfer to his choice of place and this lower grade worker after his transfer came to him and forced a couple of hundred rupee notes in his shirt pocket, he felt it awkward but kept it as that same day his son who had applied for some educational institution for a professional course, and asked him  for Rs. 200/- towards prescribed fees which this man did not have! In the evening he paid that sum to his son. Was this man justifying bribe or was he trying to make a right impression on me? I did not bother, for, I have long been convinced that people can never understand my thoughts on morals and ethics in life. I simply take this other facet of nature that I can never understand!

This was before I left on a five month leave from my regular walks in the park. Now, this retired gentleman Govt. servant seems to have forgotten what he told me earlier and tells me that a three year stint to a particular place which has a vast forest land came to him as a boon and changed his fate as it was during this period he was able to redeem the pledged jewellery of his wife to own a house and marry off his two daughters to well placed boys (both govt. servants). And he genuinely prides in telling me that he never stretched his palm for bribe; everything came on its own way in the form of gratitude towards his selfless work! Moreover, I noticed that the events he described defied all logic of chronology.

One should be able to put his feet in my shoes and walk to know what I am, isn't it? I can never understand your sense of right and wrong, good and bad and just and unjust, unless I am born again as you, not me, right?  For this I may have to die first to all past, all values and all teachings I have accumulated in my head.... perhaps!

Yeddyurappa puts conditions to resign as chief minister of Karnataka to the BJP high command and the senior leaders of the party say him first to resign and then they will consider all his conditions! Die to your past sir, you will have a grand new life!

I do not speculate anything new to my state, nation or the whole wide world, the same thing repeats over and again at one or the other corner of the world in a different new form. That is the entire meaning of democracy, the best option of governance we have.

Corruption and bribe, a far and remote extension of survival instinct, is an integral part of life on earth. Bribe, perhaps, takes its form from the first human act of feeding the new born baby to stop its crying!

The week end

I am back from my U.S. trip a few days back. It took awhile to get into the routine mode. I had made proper arrangements to keep my utilities such as land line phone and broad band in force at minimum cost. This time the trip was of 5 months and the house was under lock. So, as soon as I came to Shimoga, I attended to certain pending works on priority. Everything was on track within a week.

There was a series of on line problems yesterday. First it was ICICI bank. When I tried to transfer some funds to a different account in Axis Bank, it failed; it simply informed me that my mobile number is not registered, but I was regularly getting alerts from the bank of my off line transactions such as cheques and deposits. There was even a couple of on line fund credits made by my daughter. And I got all alerts of these few transactions in my account. Now when the portal denied on line transaction citing that I have not registered my cell phone number, I was surprised. (Just before effecting a transaction on line they SMS a unique number to mobile to authenticate the transaction on line and the customer has to mention that number to complete the transaction.) My repeated trials gave the same result and I gave up. Let me go to Axis Bank and deposit the cheque to the account, I thought.

Soon after coming back to India, my eldest daughter from Hubli had advised me to do my such works on Internet whenever and wherever it is possible instead of taking pains to go physically and do the work. We old couple live alone here and have to attend all the chores ourselves. I thought it was a good idea she gave me to reduce physical strain. So I started with my on line bank account.

Next I tried to pay my AirTel Broadband bill on line. The site did not accept my log-in at all on repeated trials. And even when I clicked on 'Forgot' pass word?', the process failed repeatedly. Then I called the bill collector as usual and he came promptly. He told me the service is being underway on a major upgrading work on all India basis requiring 30 odd days and the process is in midway; only in the first week of August, everything will be fine he said!

After failing to pay Airtel on line, I tried to make my payment of BSNL land line phone bill on line. The Govt. of India owned portal pleasingly told me that there is no dues from me! I was holding the bill in my hand and following their instruction to make payments on line! The portal was repeatedly making merry by telling me that there are no dues! OK, let me go to their counter and make the payment as I used to.

I made a chakkar this morning (Saturday-yesterday)physically making payments and trying to put the on line things in place. First it was ICICI. The officer I approached was very cordial. There of course is a toll free number (call centre) to set right everything. But I have some speech recognition problem on phone, especially digitally created voices. The person at ICICI also dialed the same helpline and gave the phone to me as he was busy (Saturday - last working day of the week). I politely told him I have hearing problems and that was why I came to the bank office, he obliged smilingly despite the helpline taking a lot of looooooong minutes. Finally he got the account straightened, and on line transactions can be made after one working day, probably on Monday, he said. But I got the message on my mobile by around 3:30 PM that the account is enabled for on line transactions. The officer had told me that, because of security, as I did not do any online transactions right since I opened the account over six months back, the concerned Internet managers might have pushed my account to dormancy. That exactly could be the case as the SMS read that my account is reactivated.

Well then I took the chakkar to BSNL bills payment window. While paying, I asked the cashier why the portal was showing no dues to me when I tried to pay on line. The fellow simply told me, "I don't know sir, you go to the first floor". I climbed four long flights to the first floor, - yes, sure, four long flights to the first floor! There was only two windows, - one accounts section and the other inquiries for Mobile Service. I went to this and the officer there was cordial. But he did not know what was wrong with the portal and promised me that he would ask the concerned people to look into the matter. Thank God, he didn't ask me to climb another flight of stairs to next floor.

There were days when BSNL, then called the P & T department, a monopolistic Govt. Of India enterprise and one had to wait for a few years to get a connection after booking by paying an interest free deposit. Cell phones were not even dreamt of. Doctors and such other essential service professionals were provided a phone almost immediately after submission of application. without an extra charge, but an emergency connection was available to public on a payment of a hefty sum. The service was shoddy, and the department was filled with highly inefficient and arrogant people. The stink of inefficiency is still ruling the roost though the department was rechristened with a grand name - Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. As soon as my eldest daughter passed her medical degree, I made her apply as a doctor. I got the connection almost immediately. The ownership or the subscription was transferable after three years. Promptly I applied for a transfer of the phone in my name providing necessary documents as required by the Nigam for the transfer. But no the connection remained in my daughter's name till this date though I had made an application with necessary documents at least half a dozen times in these long 15 years! I still get the bills in my daughter's name! And the beauty is the connection is mentioned against my name in the directory! Reason? The computer accepts all changes except the name of the original applicant. Do you get an idea of the extent of the stink of inefficiency?

Well, it is a rather long deviation from the story of my week end.

Right at the beginning, the car gave some starting problems as it was not regularly run in these last six months and the battery is getting old. It somehow started and I drove it to my old office and cut off the engine and did all the work by walking; didn't want to take chances with the starting problem, by repeatedly cutting off the engine and trying to start again. Also unfortunately, I had worn a newly handmade footwear and the bite of the new leather straps is still soring!

That was it; I returned home by lunch time with some wonderful Neelam Magoes, which were selling at throw away price (Rs.15/- per Kg.) due to incessant rains in last four days, and some other sundry purchases. That was a strenuous but ultimately a satisfactory week end I had, right?


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