a small message

I will delete this post, of course, but this is just to tell you all that there is a network problem at home, so there is no broadband access for me.

Will post as soon as it gets corrected, which may be in a week or a month (the ways of BSNL are mysterious, right?)

Regards,

Black or White, Vote for the best

When I heard that close to 95 % Afro-Americans voted for Obama, the question that crossed my mind was this, "Is this not racism?". For the record, close to 55% of whites voted for McCain. There will be more pointing fingers at those 55% of whites than the 95%.

Argument - 1
People may argue that Afro-Americans were oppressed for years and still are victims of racism. So when they had the opportunity to protest racism they voted to Obama. Hence it is not racism but more of righting a wrong.

Argument - 2
When someone chooses to vote to a person because he is from their race, irrespective of the merit, then it's got to be racism.

Argument - 3
We needn't see it from the racist angle. Obama is the right candidate and hence voted for.

Argument - 4
Yes, it is racism but so be it. For ages we have suffered racism and here is an opportunity that we don't want to let go.

Argument 1 & 4 are same things with different attitudes. Argument 2 sounds more valid while Argument 3 doesn't convince, unless empirical study supports such a huge support to one party by one section of people, based upon a candidate's credential.

To the naked eye, it is racism. But then could it be any different any where in the world, in different times and even with different races? I am afraid it won't be any different. It is natural of oppressed communities to stand behind their men when one of them rises to the limelight. It is racism yet expected and some what accepted. No white men were jumping on the streets to condemn it. There could be secret circles sulking, as one rumour on the net claimed, but there is none in the public. At least 45% of whites who voted for Obama are okay with it.

I do not know whether racism still exists in America but can be reasonably sure that Afro-Americans are no more an oppressed community in America. Other wise Obama could not have risen to the top in such a short span. I wish he serves the United States of America as a competent and successful president than as an Afro-American President. He has lot at stake. He has to tread a finer path. He could be mistaken easily. But he has nothing to worry as long as he is genuine.

Looking forward to an American President election where 90% Afro Americans vote for a white candidate, defeating an Afro American candidate. That will be the day of true victory for American democracy and there won't be Afro or White Americans on that day. There will just be Americans.

To V Belong Here

 



I like reading here but I hesitate to post for neither do I have the vision nor the wisdom. And certainly not any skills either.

So, something I can do let me share with you. To the wonderful posters here a photograph of a bee in a mustard field in IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute - Pusa Institute).

(Taken with a simple Kodak automatic, minor adjustments on Adobe Photoshop CS2)

Dollar and America's supremacy

Today marks the end of an era in world cricket with Australia losing the BG trophy, though they will remain the no. 1 side as per rankings. They are no more the invincible or the supreme ones. Likewise the big brother is showing signs weakening. It is now more worried about himself than concerning the affairs of the world. It's president elect Obama recently said something to the effect that the economic ruin is now more of a global problem and requires a global reaction than just America's. Though this is partially true it came across more as a rumble than a concrete, world grabbing statement.

America's power is dollar. If dollar loses its position as the pre-eminent and popular currency of the world, it will sound death knell to America's supremacy in world affairs. Euro's gain and acceptance among world investors is worrying development for America, though dollar still continues as the stock currency. Somewhere I read that Iran is promoting a trading centre for petroleum where crude will be traded in Euro. If it happens and happens successfuly then dollar will come under severe pressure.

Obama's biggest challenge is not how cosy he can get to his middle-class but whether he will able to steer through the current climate and restore dollar's position as the unquestionable, pre-eminent currency. This requires order in American financial markets and revival of American economy. In my view, if America can reduce its huge trade deficit and source more at home, it's external position will improve and reduce the impact that countries like China can have on dollar with their huge reserves.

Choler rising

Outside drawn curtains
misty lamp posts stand guard
over vacant lots

How People Change!

This photo is the point of this post.

Apparently the whole world knew of this photo at least 8 years before me, but i saw it just yesterday in a book review.

There is no sense in being coy about this, because if I don't say who all this people is, I can't get on with this post any further.

The boy whose head is circled in red, is, Osama Bin Laden.

Apparently Osama's family is big. He has 52 half-siblings engendered by his father through more than twenty wives. This is one part of the happy family that went to Falun, Sweden in 1971 and innocent of what was to come, posed in front of a pink Cadillac.

How happy they all are, and how unimaginably westernised, even the girls are in jeans and T-shirts. I wonder whether Osama still retains memories of that life, long back in his past, and feels guilt for himself and his brothers and sisters, all dressed inappropriately, and shamelessly posing in front of a Pink Cadillac?

Or would that memory shame the Osama that he is now?

It is hard to think all that happiness went wrong, and is deemed to be evil- the freedom and happiness that he, with his brothers and sisters shared, is denied to the children of today.

Back again

Here I am, back again.

I really missed this blog, but because of the peculiarity of my temperament, it had to be this way.

I missed this blog, and I missed you all (what all, just the five to ten people here, but you were the world as long as I were doing this!).

Will try to blog again regularly...

May be now that Obama has come to the White House, we are also inspired to change, so that we bring some joy and freshness here.

A personal note here:

You remember that Michael Jackson song, "The Man in the Mirror"? There is a refrain running in that song, i think: it goes, "i am talking with the man in the mirror, and i am asking him to change his ways." And then the chorus sounds, "change! change! change!"

One night, somehow my brain tripped, and I woke up from sleep in a sweat, because those voices were shouting, "change! change! change!' in my head. I could not go back to sleep. It was so unnerving.

I am one of the most stolid, predictable people, but when it comes to what goes in my head, it is always, "change! change! change!'. So when I do something for some time, suddenly it goes, "Change!", and then, I usually stop doing it.

It is nothing to be proud of, to say that I've been inspired by Michael Jackson, is it? I think that song and those words happened to articulate my own feelings.

Anyway coming back to this blog, let us hope there is some change of tone, of attitude and of interests, because if there is no change, it would be an evidence of the sad truth that there is no growth any more.

Regards to you all.