Sunday, December 27

Is 'fore play' too tacky ?

In the last couple of weeks, sex ruled not only the sports headlines, but the tabloid ones as well, with the sordid saga of Tiger Woods.

Sex in sports showed its power in a completely different manner’s appeal is driving the continued rise of Patrick. It's powerful enough to do that for someone who looks good but hasn't exactly earned her way. Conversely, sex is powerful enough to turn a Tiger into a cheetah, as the popular joke goes. Woods has played his way to the top of sport, becoming the richest athlete in the world by dominating a finicky game like golf in a way that's never been done before. His 14 major championships at age 33 solidify his greatness. But sex can topple a titan, even one who has earned every step of success.

There is a both outrageous and quality journalism going around. Some talk about sex appeal and some talk about the act itself. thing have been proven again by both cases: Sex does, indeed, sell, whether it's by the marketing machine of NASCAR or to the insatiable appetite of society for the dirty details of celebrities' personal lives.

Before this animalistic analysis shifts into second gear, it must be made perfectly clear that these are two totally different areas of the sex spectrum. lol

Berti Vogts, the German football manager in 1994, banned his players from sex before games. Linford Christie, the British sprinter, agreed with the notion, saying a romp the night before a race made his legs feel like lead.

Athletes have long perpetuated the theory that sex before competition zaps energy. Muhammad Ali, for one, reportedly wouldn't make love for six weeks before a fight.But scientists say there is no physiological evidence to suggest that sex before competition is bad. In fact, some studies suggest that pre-sports sex may actually aid athletes by raising their testosterone levels, for example.It is unclear, however, what psychological effects sex may have on an athlete's performance. Some scientists suggest that abstinence could help some athletes concentrate better.

"There are two possible ways sex before competition could affect performance," said Ian Shrier, a sports medicine specialist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. "First, it could make you tired and weak the next day," Shrier said. "This has been disproved. "The second way is that it could affect your psychological state of mind. This has not been tested," he said.

The hormone of both sexual desire and aggression are from the body.

Still less is known about the psychological effects of sex on athletic performance.
Some experts say coaches may be favoring the abstinence theory simply because they want to make sure young athletes get enough sleep before a big game. Too much anxiety or too much aggression may result in poor performance. "If athletes are too anxious and restless the night before an event, then sex may be a relaxing distraction," Shrier wrote in his study. "If they are already relaxed or, like some athletes, have little interest in sex the night before a big competition, then a good night's sleep is all they need." The results will depend on individual preferences and routines, Shrier said, adding that consistency is key.

Does Good Sex Make Sports Heroes? Here are the two opposing perspectives from sports greats themselves. Muhammad Ali, believing it sapped an athlete's strength, wouldn't have sex for six weeks before a fight. The ancient Yankee philosopher, Casey Stengel, on the other hand, quotith: "I'm less worried about a player having sex the night before a game than him being out all night looking for it."

It’s an irresistible mix says the researchers. Sex and sports inseparable? The question brings to mind two historic sports heroes. Wilt Chamberlain claims he had sex with 20,000 different females or 1.37 women per day over a period of 40 years, from the age of 15. He further states because of such encounters he slept not a wink the night before he scored an astonishing 100 points in a National Basketball Association game.

"Babe" Ruth was equally notorious for countless liaisons, but sex did not seem to affect his legendary baseball records. However, it was Hank Aaron, a presumably straight-shooting, early-to-bedder, who broke Ruth's record of 714 regular season home runs. Could a well-rested, sexually-restrained Ruth have hit 800 or 1,000?
Must a sexually active athlete sacrifice success in the world of sports? For decades the answer was a definitive "yes." Sex, said many coaches and trainers, stunted athletes' potential and shortened their careers. This nostrum, probably based on an 18th-century notion about preserving vital body fluids, is fast losing support as a result of modern scientific study.

There seems to be no penalty in combining sex and athletics, according to sports medicine director John Troup, M.D. "Unless it becomes distracting, it might even help some people sleep," he says.

Most experts agree no evidence exists to support the old taboos.

"Moderate" sex before competition may indeed be beneficial, according to George Leonard, author of The Physiology of Sex. Leonard lauds the benefits of the "rapturous synergy of exercise and sex" and concludes, "Either sex or athletics is good for you, and in conjunction they're even better."

The loss of even one night's sleep is likely to result in fatigue, irritability and mood shifts. "At a certain level, the physical differences a competitor can feel are small, but there are no bounds to what can be done mentally," says Sue Hollaway, the first woman to compete in two Olympics during the same year (skiing and kayaking, 1976).

Research indicates sleep loss undermines creative thinking (spontaneity, flexibility and originality) and the ability to deal with unfamiliar situations.Physiology professor Bruce Martin agrees. "Humans can respond remarkably well when aroused," he says. "Sleep doesn't matter when athletes are fired up for competition."
Author Charles Garfield dissents. "No one lives in a constant state of arousal. More important is maintaining the energy to do good work consistently."
Time of day is a performance factor. The consensus? Consistency is the key..

Come to think of it, I’d like to do that research. Anyway, until some research is conducted, your guess is as good as mine as to whether sexual relations will hinder athletic performance. So until then …trial and error. Look at the bright side though, the trial and the error is going to hurt so g-o-o-d.

“Picasso had his Blue Period… and I am in my Blonde Period”. Since its inception in November 1953 (Miller, 41), Playboy has been a hit with men of all ages. He changed perception through business, including the use of sports. He turned the infamous Bunny logo into a cultural icon. Men and women recognize it throughout the world. It is this adorable symbol that gives him his place in history.

Thursday, December 24

A lion would not cheat on his wife but a Tiger Wood.

Would it be fair of Tiger Woods's wife Elin Nordegren to demand half of his $600 million fortune as a divorce settlement?

Tiger Woods might have announced his intentions to quit golf to repair the damages in his personal life. But.. MEDIA continues claiming his affair with Rachel Uchitel. After experiencing intense humiliation for quite some time now, Tiger Woods finally has a professional who understands.. It is Boris Becker and many others.

The skeletons tumbled out of the Wood’s closet at alarming speed. Golf genius Tiger Woods, winner of 14 major championships and 71 USPGA Tour titles.

On has heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but did you know that a photo of Tiger Woods is going for $300,000? After a former New York Police Detective spoke on a televised interview regarding Tiger Wood’s security and the fact that no one has managed to catch a glimpse of him or take a photo of the golfer in nearly a month. “There was a lot of broken glass. It’s conceivable that he was hit in the face with the club or that some glass shattered from the windshield into his face. It’s possible that he hurt himself when he was on the ground outside of the car.”

Than there are jokes on internet..
What: Tiger Woods wins the US Open in an 18-hole play-off with Rocco Mediate
When: June 16, 2008
Where: Torrey Pines, San Diego, California.
Watch: You Tube

Do we need to know that the man is a genius on one leg or two? What he did over the course of five days at Torrey Pines seems already to have blurred into myth. Woods may not be the man of grace he was 12 months ago, but that does not lessen his godly achievements.

With a wrecked knee cartilage and two stress fractures of the leg he won 4 majors. He a tremendous gift to takes it to the ultimate high. The putt that Woods holed to stay alive on the 72nd green teetered on the edge of possibility. Very few would know his knee injury case. He made a birdie three on his opening hole in the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson Arizona.it took eight months to reveal that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his left knee and had sustained a double stress fracture in his left tibia.

He was rusty, he was crocked, but still he came out on top. Despite having trailed 45-year-old Rocco Mediate after 17 holes in the 18-hole play-off. Tiger Woods will remain an asset for golf. The decade for him will not go low. It began with Californian coast in June 2000. Later that year Woods won his third major in a row at the USPGA .Any other human being would have been beaten in the May's afternoon but Woods found one more putt on the 72nd green. It was the day when he perfected the Woods fist pump; it was the day when Tiger seemed able to fly close to the sun without falling. The world's media turned up at the Masters of 2001 to witness what couldn't be done. No man had ever won four majors in a row.

He waited to come back on the major stage. He returned at the Masters In 2005. Who can forget that chip on the 16th green when he ran his ball up to the top of the shelf? It was the Nike moment. The ball seemed to have stopped rolling then, as if moved by an act of will, quiver and fell into the hole.

In 2006 after the death of his father he won amid tearful scenes at Hoylake. It was called a championship for the connoisseurs.

Then the historic win at Torrey Pines. In 2008 Woods won the US Open with two stress fractures of his leg and a ruined knee. The name itself stirs the imagination of golf enthusiasts all over the world. Is truly a "golfer's paradise”.

Tiger Woods ' car accident has opened a big, fat can of worms. Woods was considered one of the worlds most private and image-conscious sports stars. In the last week, he has faced exposure and personal scrutiny like never before, both through the legal process and its open-record requirements and the relentless pursuit of the tabloid media, which have sought explanations for the accident that he has declined to provide. I think Tiger's brand value is assured.

Tiger Woods won 12 major titles, he dominated the World Championship events with 14 victories, he won more than 50 times on the PGA Tour and he is now within touching distance of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 majors and Sam Snead's record of 82 PGA tour victories. Yet he is still only 33.

Tiger Woods became sport's first billionaire. He spoke at Barack Obama's inauguration.
As rightly put “The Greek gods and Shakespeare's tragic heroes looked on in approval”
Wood’s lust, his fatal flaw, had sent him crashing. Once we wondered at man's divinity. The will to win four in a row defies human frailty. AG Heuer confirms today that it will continue its relationship with Golf n°1 Tiger Woods but will respect his desire of privacy by modifying his role in the coming months’ marketing programs. The assessed the decision for a week.

The global consulting firm Accenture PLC became the first major sponsor to cut ties with Tiger Woods, saying the golfer is "no longer the right representative" for the company. The firm had earlier credited its "Go on, be a Tiger" campaign with raising its profile.
Sports card maker Upper Deck Co. continues its relationship with Woods.
Woods is voted Athlete of the Decade by members of The Associated Press, despite the fallout from his admission of infidelity. Voters say Woods' accomplishments during the last 10 years outweighed the revelations that forced him to take a break from the sport he dominates.

The company building "The Tiger Woods Dubai" golf course and housing development says it remains committed to finishing the first course designed by Woods despite the emirate's cash problems and the scandal involving Woods.

The Golf Writers Association of America votes Woods the male player of the year by an overwhelming margin over Steve Stricker, with most of the ballots returned after he became embroiled in a sex scandal. It was the 10th time Woods has won the award in his 13 years as a pro.

The Wall Street Journal reports that one of Woods' alleged mistresses, Mindy Lawton, has been under contract to the London tabloid News of the World and that her agreement with the paper prohibits her from discussing Woods with other media until after this Sunday. Both the Journal and the News of the World are owned by News Corp.
Under the severest pressure Woods achieved the impossible without breaking stride. He might aim the Century Club of San Diego Invitational at Torrey Pines in late January for his 2010 debut. Interest will be passionate when Woods comes back to competition, as inevitably, will be the media reception.

appy Xmas. to all.Pope calls for peace amid concern over his security just hours after a woman jumped a barrier and dragged him down during Christmas Eve Mass.

Sunday, December 20

Politics of narrow self interest to prevent a policy for human survival."Copenhagen Accord ".

At first it was difficult to know who had come off the worst: the scientists whose emails were published, or the bloggers who disgraced the academics, describing “climategate” as “the greatest scandal in modern science” and branding the research unit “disgraced”.

And now the Deal. A Copenhagen Accord = politics and economical interests minus solidarity, collaboration and science.

Finally the ongoing circus in Copenhagen venerating the global warming religion offers a front row seat to human folly at its finest. A naked, world class shakedown of the naïve political class retreating in their imagined fears of climate doom, by the dependency class of third world countries, the Copenhagen carnival collapses under the unbearable weight of fraud, folly and foolishness

We have been made to understand that the Earth’s average temperature changes frequently though time as does the atmospheric CO2 content. The sages of the research unit stood up with their theories and claimed that recent observations regarding climate change are still geologically well within the bounds of very normal for our planet. Few shielded themselves from the hail of blows for allegedly using methods which are questionable for their theories as advocates continue to use ice core data suggesting CO2 is causing temperature rises when this was long ago shown to be false.

On the other hand the basis for COP15 and other past climate agreements is based on the proof that CO2 in the atmosphere causes warming and that we are at, or already have, passed the point of no return such that atmospheric levels of CO2 will cause considerable warming with all the attendant problems—sea level rise, weather changes etc.

Where do greenhouse gas emissions come from?

Which countries are most responsible for causing human-induced climate change?

What have governments done so far to keep the global average temperature rise within "safe limits"?

The science of climate change became a lot more polarized over the past five years and last 20 day’s it got decidedly worse. As the UN summit in Copenhagen approached things went not as expected. We witnessed the turmoil inside and outside, the two-week summit which limped to a conclusion despite some hailing the Copenhagen Accord as “historic”.

We witnessed politics of narrow self interest to prevent a policy for human survival. Struggle with the developed and emerging countries at a log jam…. The COP15 meeting in Copenhagen lacked the care and pure approach of science but beleaguered and compromised by politics and money.

The nonaligned and unbiased approach necessary in science has is replaced with almost a religious fervor that seeks a particular finding at almost any cost including carefully choosing exactly what facts are used.The scientists of various countries of the world involved appeared gritty to use their status. Those with a different opinion could not untie and are subject to having their reputations questioned.

Ghossssssh.. One only has to look around at this Summit—full of lobbyists with check books. The original hypothesis that carbon and other “green house gas” emissions is causing the Earth to warm began as a scientific endeavor, but now appears to have evolved into a political matter where the science is playing second fiddle to other motives. And the reason why it is political and a mess, frankly, may be found in the root of modern politics—money.

The public ….. understandably confused. A recent poll showed that 41% accept as scientific fact that global warming is taking place and is largely man-made, while 32% believe the link is unproven and 15% said the world is not warming.At the moment it’s just frustration and stonewalling all round. If you ask anyone associated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ,they tell you to wait for their next five-yearly assessment report.

No wonder the public is confused, Working scientists grumpy about the unfairness, journalists with a choice between waiting for the occasional tablet of stone from the keepers of the global warming flame….This polarisation means that a considered view on global warming is much harder to achieve, so in the end people simply go for the belief that feels right for them.

If the high priests of global warming want to convince us that we could face a man-made rise of 4C in the global temperature this century, then they have to engage with their critics instead of hiding away in their ivory towers. It may be that discussing the science is irrelevant now so far as COP15 is concerned What is required and long overdue is a full and independent audit of climate science and the models used so that the scientists can once again be confident they are operating with accurate information.

Full and independent audit and debate around the science is needed.We have come a long way, but we have much further to go.. master scheme to monopolize and limit production around the world and charge people for the right to do so.

Thursday, December 3

The Bhopal Gas tragedy continues unabated. The heart bleeds.

My heart bleeds …Every daily has pictures which raise thousands of questions and tell sad, unexpected, shocking and tragic tales even after 25 years of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Twenty-five years after the world’s worst industrial disaster shook Bhopal (My City ) on December 2, 1984. my hear aches as i see the pictures, read stories and watch television showing victims and the pathetic state of the area till date.

25 years ago shortly after midnight on December 3rd, 1984 in the city of Bhopal, India, tons of lethal gases leaked from a pesticide factory run by the US company. A negligence which caused the lives of the innocent and the future who did not see tomorrow.40 tons of toxic gas spilled into the city, killing tens of thousands of people. Methyl isocyanate caused the mass death. It prevents oxygen from entering the blood when inhaled. In just one night, thousands were killed. Chaos and panic broke out in the city and surrounding areas as tens of thousands of people attempted to escape.

We witnessed the twice as heavy as air, the poisonous cloud which blanketed the ground, seeping into homes, schools, places of worship , everywhere. It did not even spare the animals. Thousands ran through the streets trying to escape the burning, suffocating chemicals and died on spot. Ripping their clothing off their burning skin, many dropped dead, and others lay dying in pools of their own vomit in the roads and alleyways. The gas was so deadly, that after inhaling the air from the child’s lungs few doctors/inhalers died. There was no Hindu no Muslim no Sikh no isaee.. The last ritual could not be performed properly as lacked identification. Some were buried some were lit fire. The cloth ran out of stock from the market. The numbers were innumerable for the innocent who died. Even the mortuary till date thousands are missing as have no clue about them. Mothers didn’t know their children had died, children didn’t know their mothers had died and men didn’t know their whole families had died. Thousands of dead cats, dogs, cows and birds littered the streets and the city’s mortuaries are filling up fast.

This was not enough the bodied were tortured before dying it affected the eyes- “inflamed eyes about to burst. ., foul breath from the mouths oozing blood streaked froth.. Bodies were tortured even after death due to the pressure from the gases produced by the chemical decomposition of MIC.

By December 1984 the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal India had been cited for safety violations, failure of monitoring systems, leaks of MIC into the community, and an explosion and fatality. Union Carbide was a U.S. owned chemical giant based in Institute, West Virginia. Decisions that allowed the Bhopal plant to fall into disrepair were made in the U. S.Two years prior to the disaster, journalist Rajkumar Keswani published warnings about the MIC storage, that the Union Carbide plant was a sitting on top of a “volcano.” Eager to profit from the Bhopal plant, Institute ignored the warnings, resulting in the worst industrial tragedy in history.

The toxic gas leak had caused a human tragedy of unprecedented proportions: In the following years the death toll from long-term exposure have crossed lakhs and children are born with birth defects, and many millions would fall gravely ill from drinking water contaminated by the massive amounts of chemical waste which is dumped in and around the Carbide factory grounds. The toxic gas altered the immune system of those who were still in their mothers’ wombs.

The waste left behind at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) factory that was closed 25 years ago after a fatal gas leak continues to poison people around that area and Politics is being played at the expense of the victims.\ Real justice has been elusive despite substantial evidence of political corporate cover-ups and criminal negligence.

Safety measures are still not in place in industrial units across the nation. Verbal commitments by the authorities and politicians for lessening the sufferings of Bhopal gas victims still continue. None have learnt lessons from the past. Bhopal gas tragedy is a prime example of how the rich and influential can easily get away despite such gross negligence which not only killed people 25 years ago but has also affected the future generations.

The culprit Warren sits in New York State private estate living a “life of luxury”. He is untraceable, and had been so since 1992 when “Indian court”, exasperated by his refusal to heed multiple summon for trial, declared him a fugitive from justice. Anderson was chairman and chief executive officer of the United States-headquartered Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) at the time of the lethal December 2-3 methyl iso cyanate leaked from Carbide’s pesticide plant in Bhopal and faced charges on many counts, including culpable homicide.

Accused in a December 1, 1987 charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against him and 11 others, including UCC, USA; Union Carbide (Eastern), Hong Kong; and Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), had been placed under house arrest soon after the disaster but won his release on a promise to return to India to stand trial.

Neither Mr. Anderson nor Carbide turned up in the court for obvious reason. The dubious role played by the world’s most powerful democracy in protecting the key perpetrator of the world’s worst industrial disaster can be seen today the government of the state and the central has shown little interest in getting justice for the people of Bhopal.. Seventeen years after he was proclaimed an “absconder”, Mr. Anderson, now 88, continues to elude the long reach of the law. Bhopal tragedy is a reminder of the unconscionable way justice plays out for the poor in this country. The governments came and left but none was bothered to even forming a commission. The whole world criticized but the administration could not take a decision.

For the $3 billion amount asked the compensation was settled for 15 per cent of the amount which reached in 1989 that too out of the court. The survivors were awarded a lifetime average compensation of Rs.25, 000, far below international compensation standards in 2005; six years later the amount reached the government. The records were distorted by the administration and not taken seriously. The correct compensation as criminal liability was not accepted rather affected due to ineffective role of the administration. No proper case was presented in consideration with eh MP Govt. Medical council report was ignored. It leads to suspicion. The compensation for 1.5 lakh people was distributed to the six lakh. The compensation paid by Union Carbide to the Indian government was laughably low: nowhere near enough to pay for the actual numbers of people affected by the gas spill.

This was not enough; this meager amount reached the awardees after long delays, protracted red tape and bribes paid to lawyers, middlemen and touts. Till date no compensation has been awarded to those born with disabilities and those drinking contaminated water. For those who did manage to obtain compensation, the measly amount quickly ran out in the wake of new or persistent medical complications, hospital bills, and economic problems compounded by disabilities.The biggest failure, according to medical experts, is that the line of treatment given to patients exposed to MIC has remained essentially unchanged since the morning of the disaster, when nothing was known about the poisonous gas.

All medical data has indicated serious genetic mutation but no autopsy studies have been conducted. No government body can explain why the prevalence of cancer among female victims is three time the national average. No research has been done on genetic disorders, low birth weight, congenital malformations, developmental disorders and biological markers of MIC exposure.

In November 1999 protestors , survivor organizations filed a class action suit against UCC and Mr. Anderson in the Southern District Court of New York, charging them with violating international human rights law, environmental law and international criminal law but Federal Judge John F. Keenan was not interested.

In 2001 the UCC was tken in control by The Dow Chemical Company claiming acquiring without LIABILITIES of UCC and refused surrender Carbide for trial. As a result of the sale of its shares in UCIL, Union Carbide retained no interest in - or liability for - the Bhopal site, the firm says in a statement. Its 51% stake in the subsidiary was sold after the accident. Not only this Dow gone on with law suits on protestors who besieged its offices in India, shouting, “Dow, you now have Union Carbide’s blood on your hands”. Dow claimed $10,000 in compensation for alleged loss of work resulting from the demonstrations.

It’s been the CJM’s court in the Bhopal District Court who is the lone flicker of hope for the Bhopal gas survivors. The court has struck blow after blow. From the 1988 letters have been issued to the U.S. administration seeking permission for the CBI to inspect the safety systems at UCC’s West Virginia plan proclaiming Mr. Anderson an absconder in 1992 to persistently seeking information from the CBI on the status of extradition proceedings to quashing the agency’s 2002 attempt to dilute the charge against Mr. Anderson from culpable homicide (punishable with imprisonment up to 10 years) to criminal negligence (punishable with imprisonment up to two years), the District Court is as pro-active as the Indian government was laid back.

The CBI’s 2002 attempt at dilution of charges was of a piece with Mr. Sorabjee’s 2001 advice to the government against seeking Mr. Anderson’s extradition. However, with the Bhopal magistrate standing firm, the CBI was left with no option but to request the Ministry of External Affairs to seek Mr. Anderson’s extradition, which the MEA did, obviously reluctantly, in May 2003.

In July 2004, the U.S. government rejected the Indian request. It stated that the request did not meet the requirements of Article 2(1) and 9 (3) of the extradition treaty between the U.S. and India.

On July 22, 2009, the CJM’s court in Bhopal issued a fresh warrant of arrest against Mr. Anderson, and ordered the CBI to produce him before the court for trial. What do we expect for the 88-year-old “Accused no 1”? to come to India one last time — to stand trial for a crime he committed a quarter of a century ago.

Two generations of victims exposed to MIC have been indiscriminately prescribed antibiotics, steroids and psychotropic drugs to ‘manage’ their ailments instead of finding a cure. till date no research has been done deliberately. The study was terminated in 1994 and its findings were not made public. No research has been conducted since and lakhs of people who continue to suffer from MIC exposure only receive symptomatic treatment. But the ICMR is again planning to conduct a study, and will probably commission it by March 2010.

The need of the hour is taking care of the hazardous waste lying in the acres of land of the closed industry, adequate compensation, hospital care, pension for gas-affected widows and rehabilitation of people with permanent disabilities. Insensitive remarks by politicians, opening the site to create a circus in the contaminated area, holding exhibition and constructing statues will do no good.

I was witness to Mr Jairam ramesh remark in Sept 2009 (minister for Forest and Environment ).Holding up a fistful of mud from the premises, he said, look here, I am not affected. Although later he apologized for this shocking crudity as people like us apposed. None of the reporters reacted as expected although he called and apologized. Today on the 25th anniversary they have been claiming it to be hazardous as Environment organization has proved once gains the poison and toxic element it contains and the world is watching.

And today we stand to witness the criminal not being punished even after 25 years. But for many in Bhopal, for us the disaster isn’t just a moment in history to be remembered on anniversaries. It’s an ever-present part of their daily life. The generations are affected - physically, financially, and emotionally.

The baby’s born on that day were name Zahar lal and Gas Devi who have turned 25 years old.

Wednesday, November 25

Shameless politicians who rules us and shameless opposition who sits

26/11 has blown apart a little part in every Indian. But each one of us feels it in a different way. some speak, some curse , some vent, some sit in despair , some don’t bother to say, some react as its their job, some feel as they have lost their family , some repeat the telecast to earn more money, some react as injustice has been done ,some react as forced by few, some are on the job as its their duty, some do as its politics, some react as its time to earn money and most of them still waits to see some God sent angel will come and provide security in out country.
Goddamn the insensitive politicians, inept bureaucrats and powerless police. India pretends to be a democracy. It has many flaws but it is legitimate. We need to reform the police ASAP.Speed up justice IMMEDIATELY. Make babus accountable without Delay. Stop criminals from entering politics ASAP . And Goddamn the sleeping society.. who do not react inspite of watching it again and again.
It is so frustrating the way the Mumbai crisis is being handled. It seems that we are all being taken for a ride and we are happily accepting to be fooled.
The ridiculous politicians are still using this sad and cowardly terrorist attach for their political mileage.
It is we who have accepted the feeble and corrupted system that is simply incapable of taking on trained and highly motivated terrorists.
Major corruptions have been revealed in the police system. Lackadaisical attitude in the security system is evident till date. We have no importance to ethics or morality as the end justifies the means. The Marathi manoos is sleeping. Alexandra conquered from Greece to Indus but do we consider Indus valley as the part of Greece.
The Thackray were hiding in their homes in 26/11 and it was common marathis were helping the injured.MJ Akbar says it .. It is both easy and pointless to blame the government. Every government keeps a thermometer in its holster and calibrates its decibel levels according to ground temperature. If it's warm, it will blow hot, as Delhi did so vigorously between November and January. If it has cooled, Delhi will cool it as well. It is meaningless to blame our Opposition. We have an Opposition that has become impotent without ever turning potent. The politician will only be as resolute as the citizen, and our sensitivities have been dulled by a culture of complacence. Even trauma has been reduced to television drama; once the scenes are played out, our bluster slowly splutters into silence”
Ajmal Kasab was the only attacker captured alive by police and is currently under arrest. He was the only only person the country sleuths were on the job untill after the arrest of David Headley in November 2009 in the United States, investigators determined that he had a key involvement in the 26th November attack.
This disclosure has come when National Security Adviser M K Narayanan had talks with CIA chief Leon Panetta in New Delhi on Saturday.What is to be seen is this disclosure coincides with the anniversary of the India Carnage ( Bombay attack). Eleven months but what kind of success? these two were arrested by the FBI in Chicago last month in connection with a Laskhar-e-Toiba terror plot against India.
Shame on our intelligence. One again I say.. Politicians should be involved in end-to-end emergency preparedness drills. Ultimately, it is they that authorize action against perpetrators. The questions of terror laws are still to be formulated.
Statistics are like a bikini; What is revealed is interesting; What is concealed is crucial.8 attacks occurred. The attack began on 26 November 2008 and lasted until 29 November. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Jewish-owned Nariman House, the Metro Cinema, and a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier's College, explosion at Mazagaon.
It killed173 people.
Wounded 308 persons.
Among the dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries.
There were 10 gunmen (terrorists).WERE shot dead.
1 was captured by security forces.
Still we have not learnt any lesson.
Want every reader to go down the memory lane ..On one hand the GATEWAY OF INDIA witnessed children, youth, old ..asking for security, accountability, their rights, agitated, full of hatred against the terrorism,,And on the other hand after the relentless appeals by the citizens and media finally forced the stepping down of Maharashtra CM.. and an apology by the Kerala CM.
Still we have not learnt any lesson. The Liberhan report is out . Much ado for nothing.

Monday, November 16

Two Kids on the block

Watching and reading news every day make me wonder what kind of democracy we are living in ? Currently national interest is far far away and people ….who have.. are crucified. Language is mocked at in the cosmopolitan, vandalism is at large, corruption is in the blood of the system, casteism is at peak, communalism, racism, nepotism.. all so blatantly visible and there is none to point out. But the media is ready to sensationalize everything that comes their way in a bid to grab eyeballs. Nonsence….

The society in the world dreaded, feared and doubted men with beards and turbans , men with beards and caps, men in saffron , women in scarf and the latest is men with white skin. Even after even resisting did not make us secure. Infact, the society is getting gulped by the monster called fear and restlessness because of the identity being created how they dress and how they look. Every time I read about the actions we take to protect ourselves from so-called terrorists, I have to wonder at the narrow-mindedness of our strategy.

The recent case is of David Headly Coleman and the 2 kids on the block- Rahul Bhatt and Vilas and the weather bureau predicting a cyclone and the media goes into frenzy while passing on the information to people, which should be otherwise told in absolute calm. I was there in Mumbai and witnessed the tamasha. It wasn't funny what the state of Mumbai was that afternoon. Shame on Media who created the frenzy..

Now coming back to the 2 kids on the block- Rahul Bhatt and Vilas Warak. why shouldn’t the two kids be commended for having had the courage to talk to authorities on their own and for having provided the agencies information about the white man Headly, which they otherwise would never have got. Bothe as advised by the family am sure boldly informed the caretakers of our system about what they had came across during their relation with a man who they had no idea was a mastermind of terrorist plans.


Both should be promoted as an example for others to follow to stamp out the menace.
Mahesh Bhatt is outspoken and clear-cut, virtuous and stands by his words, man of integrity and a man who has done all he can to further inclusion as a policy, as well as tried in the best way he can to support Indo Pak relations culturally through his films.

The media has a role to play in the society. The media is overlooking the facts.. the ineptness of our system? How David Headly Coleman did escaped every intelligence in the country? Is the NIA incompetent body? What role our intelligence and security wing is p[laying ? How a membership in the gym ‘Moksha’ was acquired? Does every body know that Moksha belongs to the well known journalist turned film producer Pritish Nandy. Rahul Bhatt and Vilas, work as fitness trainers a posh gym opposite the US consulate at Breach Candy in Mumbai .why is Moksha not being asked, questioned as in how without attaching a photograph to the form every member is supposed to fill and submit Headley got the membership?

Blaming people for our problems is a distraction we cannot afford if we truly want to find a solution to the crises confronting us. These incidents are symptoms of our failed system and society. They are as bad as a heart attack to an individual as they are to the society/

Saturday, November 7

Does Shivraj Singh Chauhan get carried away when he makes a speech?

Controversial remark made by the Madhya Prade4sh Chief Minister spread out like a wild fire in a jungle. His speech sent shock waves through political circles and civil society.

“Ye nahi hoga ki karkhana lage Satna me aur naukri karne wale aa jaayen Bihar se. Ye hum nahi hone denge. Yehin ke ladke, naujwan naukari karenge ye shart hamne laga di hai. (This should not happen that plants be established in Satna and people from Bihar get the jobs. We will not allow this. I have imposed the condition that the jobs be given to local youths only)”, said CM addressing the gathering at BTI Ground in Satna and striking a chord with the local people.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan a gold medalist in M. A. philosophy emotional speech was called "unconstitutional utterances'.Will it have any consequence by asking state industrialists to employ locals and not Biharis..? Pitching for "sons of the soil" policy has invited criticism from across the country.

Should he be pardoned?

Does the speech has any connection with the the elections to be held in the next couple of months?

Can chief minister’s statement be seen in the context of economic backwardness in Satna and other parts of Rewanchal?

Do you mind if locals in Madhya Pradesh get precedence over all resources, including work opportunities?

Monday, November 2

Amendment to RTI Act 'an obviously retrograde step'

A Mockery...
New Delhi, October 26, 2009
More than 200 eminent citizens have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to abandon the “ill advised move to amend the RTI Act”. This is the full text of the letter signed by Aruna Roy, Magsaysay Award winner, and others.

25th October, 2009

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh,

We are alarmed and distressed to learn from media reports that the Government of India proposes to introduce amendments to the RTI Act. This is despite categorical assurances by the Minister of State, DoPT that any amendments, if at all necessary, would only be decided upon after consultations with the public. We are further dismayed to read that far from strengthening the RTI Act, as stated by the Honourable President of India during her speech to the Parliament on 4th June 2009, the government's proposition would in fact emasculate the RTI Act. The proposed amendments include, introducing an exemption for so-called “vexatious and frivolous” applications, and by excluding from the purview of the RTI Act access to “file notings” and the decision making process, this time by excluding “discussion/consultations that take place before arriving at a decision”.

Two current nation-wide studies, one done under the aegis of the Government of India and the other by people’s organizations (RaaG and NCPRI), have both concluded, that the main constraints faced by the government in providing information is inadequate implementation, the lack of training of staff, and poor record management. They have also identified lack of awareness, along with harassment of the applicant, as two of the major constraints that prevent citizen from exercising their right to information. Neither of these studies, despite interviewing thousands of PIOs and officials, has concluded that the occurrence of frivolous or vexatious applications is frequent enough to pose either a threat to the government or to the RTI regime in general. Certainly no evidence has been forthcoming in either of these studies that access to “file notings” or other elements of the deliberative process, has posed a major problem for the nation. On the contrary, many of the officers interviewed have candidly stated that the opening up of the deliberative process has strengthened the hands of the honest and sincere official.

We strongly believe that it is impossible to come up with definitions of “vexatious” and “frivolous” that are not completely subjective and consequently prone to rampant misuse by officials. We also feel that it is a hollow promise to have legislation for ensuring “transparency” and encouraging “accountability” in governance which excludes the basis on which a decision is taken. Would it be fair to judge a decision (or the decision maker) without knowing why such a decision was taken, what facts and arguments were advanced in its favour, and what against? Can one hold a government (or an official) accountable, just on the basis of what they did (or did not do) without knowing the real reasons for their action or inaction? We, the people of India, already directly or indirectly know the decisions of the government, for we are the ones who bear the consequences. What the RTI Act facilitated was a right to know why those decisions were taken, by whom, and based on what advice. This right is the bedrock of democracy and the right to information, and cannot be separated or extinguished without denying this fundamental right.

In any case, in case the government has credible evidence, that despite the findings of the earlier mentioned studies, and despite the safeguards inherent in the RTI Act, “vexatious and frivolous” applications, and access to the deliberative process, are posing a great danger to the Indian nation, these should be placed in the public domain. We are confident that the involvement of the people of India will result in evolving solutions that do not threaten to destroy the RTI Act itself. For a government that has been repeatedly been appreciated for bringing about this progressive legislation, such a move would strengthen the spirit of transparency and public consultation. Surely that is the least that can be expected of a government that propagates the spirit of transparency.

It is significant that even among the collective of Information Commissioners from across the country, whom the government recently “consulted”, the overwhelming view was against making any amendments to the RTI Act at this stage of its implementation. These Commissioners, all appointed by the government, have a bird’s eye view of the implementation of the RTI Act. They have the statutory responsibility to monitor the implementation of the Act, and the moral authority to speak in its defence. Since the government works with the democratic mandate of the people, the collective wisdom, of people across the board who use and implement the law with an ethical base cannot be put aside. In any case we feel the advice of the information Commissioners should be taken into account.

We urge the government to therefore, abandon this ill advised move to amend the RTI Act. Instead, we request it to initiate a public debate of the problems that it might be facing in the implementing of the RTI Act and take on board the findings of the two national studies that have recently been completed. It is only through such a public debate that a lasting and credible way can be found to strengthen the RTI regime.

This government gave its citizens the RTI Act, and there has been no crisis in government as a result of its enactment. In fact the Indian state has, as a result greatly benefited, and the RTI Act and its use by ordinary people is helping change its image to that of an open and receptive democracy. An amendment in the Act would be an obviously retrograde step, at a time when there is a popular consensus to strengthen it through rules and better implementation and not introduce any amendments. We strongly urge that an unequivocal decision be taken to not amend the RTI Act.

With regards,

Aruna Roy, Shekhar Singh, Nikhil Dey

  1. Justice P. B. Sawant - Signed
  2. Anil B. Divan - Senior Advocate Supreme Court - Signed
  3. Prashant Bhushan - Senior Advocate Supreme Court - Signed
  4. Smita Divan - Signed
  5. Dr. Azgar Ali Engineer - Writer & Activist, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism
  6. Swami Agnivesh - Social Activist
  7. Sanjit Bunker Roy - Social Work Research Centre, Tilonia, Rajasthan
  8. Tarun Tejpal - Editor-in-Chief, Tehelka
  9. Arundhati Roy - Writer and Activist
  10. Neelabh Mishra - Editor, Outlook (Hindi)
  11. Ram Jethmalani - Senior Lawyer
  12. Medha Patkar - Signed
  13. Mallika Sarabhai - Cultural and Political Activist & Danseuse
  14. Sandeep Pandey - Human Rights Activist & AASHA Parivar, UP
  15. Arvind Kejriwal - Parivartan, Magsaysay Awardee
  16. Muzaffar Bhatt - RTI Activist, J&K
  17. Prabhash Joshi - Eminent Senior Journalist
  18. Bharat Dogra - Freelance Journalist, New Delhi
  19. Amitabh Behar - Director, NCAS
  20. Prof. Jagdeep Chhokkar - IIM-Ahmedabad (rtd.)
  21. Alok Mehta - Editor-in-Chief, Naiduniya
  22. Binayak Sen - General Secretary, PUCL, Chattisgarh - Signed
  23. Prof. Trilochan Sastry - IIM- Bangalore
  24. Harsh Mander - Supreme Court commissioner, Right to Food
  25. Kuldip Nayar - Eminent Senior Journalist
  26. Soli Sorabjee - Former Attorney General of India
  27. Nandita Das - Cultural and Political Activist & Film Maker & Actor
  28. Ajit Bhattacharjea - Senior Journalist & National Campaign for People's Right to Information - Signed
  29. Prof. Jayati Ghosh - Jawaharlal Nehru University
  30. Dunu Roy - Director, Hazard Centre Delhi
  31. Kamla Bhasin- SAHR
  32. E.A.S. Sarma - Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance
  33. Admiral Ramdas - Former Chief of Naval Staff
  34. Venkatesh Nayak -Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
  35. O. P. Jain - Signed
  36. Lalita Ramdas - Social Activist
  37. Sharda Jain - Educationist
  38. Anand Patwardhan - Film Maker
  39. Maja Daruwala - Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
  40. Prof. Jagmohan - National Campaign for People's Right to Information
  41. Anjali Bhardwaj - National Campaign for People's Right to Information
  42. Teesta Setalvad - Lawyer and Human Rights Activist
  43. Lalit Mathur - Former Director General NIRD
  44. Jean Dreze - Visiting Professor G B Pant University, Allahabad
  45. Admiral Tahiliani - Former Chief of Naval Staff
  46. Leela Samson - Director Kalakshetra
  47. Prof. J. G. Krishnayya - Director, Systems Research Institute, Pune
  48. P.S. Appu - Former Director LBS National Academy for Administration
  49. B. Yugandhar - Former Member Planning Commission
  50. Vinita Deshmukh - Editor, Intelligent Pune
  51. Arundhati Dhuru - Right to Food Campaign, UP
  52. Sumit Chakravarty - Editor, Mainstream
  53. Baba Adhav - Eminent Socialist ad Social Activist, Maharashtra
  54. Romila Thapar - Historian
  55. Julio Ribeiro - Retired I.P.S Officer and Civil Servant
  56. Vrinda Grover - Lawyer and Human Rights Activist
  57. Amar Kanwar - Film Maker
  58. S. R. Sankarna - Former Secretary Rural Development & Human Rights Campaigner
  59. Kavita Srivastav- General Secretary, PUCL
  60. Pamela Philipose - Senior Journalist
  61. Commodore Lokesh Batra - RTI Activist - Signed
  62. Vinay Mahajan- Loknaad & National Campaign for People's Right to Information
  63. Charul Bharwada - Loknaad & National Campaign for People's Right to Information
  64. Kamini Jaiswal - Senior Advocate Supreme Court
  65. Shanti Bhushan - Former Law Minister
  66. Harsh Sethi - Editor, Seminar
  67. Justice Dave - Supreme Court Justice (retd.)
  68. K. S. Subramaniam - IPS (retd.) - Signed
  69. Partho Kumar Dey - Air Marshall (rtd.), Indian Air Force
  70. Dr. Amita Baviskar - Academic
  71. Prof. Kamal Mitra Chenoy - Jawaharlal Nehru University
  72. Madhu Bhaduri - Former Ambassador GoI
  73. Shomi Das - Educationist
  74. Sowmya Kidambi - RTI activist
  75. Major General S.C.N. Jatar (retd)
  76. Kamal Jaswal - Director, Common Cause, India
  77. Suren Khirwadkar
  78. Shahid Burney - RTI activist, Pune
  79. Avinash Murkute- RTI activist, Pune
  80. Roda Mehta
  81. Sanjay Shirodkar - RTI activist, Pune
  82. Yogendra Yadav - Fellow, Wissenschaftskolleg Zu Berlin (Institute for Advanced Study)
  83. Annie Raja - General Secretary NFIW - Signed
  84. Shyam Benegal - Film maker
  85. Madhu Kishwar - Editor Manushi
  86. Ashim Jain
  87. S.R. Hiremath - NCPNR
  88. Suman Sahai - Gene Campaign & NCPRI
  89. Prof. Nandini Sundar - Delhi School of Economics
  90. Justice J.S. Verma - Former Chief Justice of India
  91. Sanjay Kak - Film Maker
  92. Ashish Kothari - Kalpavriksh
  93. Usha Rai - Journalist
  94. Nitya Ramakrishnan - Senior Lawyer
  95. Achin Vanayak
  96. Devaki Jain - Economist
  97. Vandana Shiva - Navadanya
  98. Prof. Hargopal - University of Hyderabad - Signed
  99. Harish Dhawan - Professor, Delhi University & People's Union for Democratic Rights - Signed
  100. Prof. Randhir Singh - Professor (retd.), Delhi University - Signed
  101. Manoranjan Mohanty - Professor (retd.), Delhi University - Signed
  102. Pushkar Raj - General Secretary, PUCL - Signed
  103. Ravi Hemadri -The Other Media - Signed
  104. Suhas Borker - Convener, Working Group on Alternative Strategies - Signed
  105. Mukul Mangalik - Professor, Delhi University - Signed
  106. Apoorv Anand - Professor, Delhi University - Signed
  107. Mukul Priyadarshini - Professor, Delhi University - Signed
  108. Shashi Saxena - Professor, Delhi University - Signed
  109. Moushumi Basu - Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University - Signed
  110. Rajni Bakshi - Citizens for Peace - Signed
  111. Deepika Tandon - People's Union for Democratic Rights - Signed
  112. Ranjoy Kumar Reddy - Researcher, Delhi University - Signed
  113. Shahana Bhattacharya - People's Union for Democratic Rights - Signed
  114. Amrapali Basumatary - New Socialist Initiative - Signed
  115. Madhu - Jagori - Signed
  116. Mayil Samy- Advocate - Signed
  117. Kalaiyarasan - JNU DSU
  118. Deepti Bharti - NFIW - Signed
  119. Surendra Mohan - Signed
  120. Sudhir K. Sahu - Signed
  121. Anil - PDFI, Delhi - Signed
  122. Jeevan - PDFI - Signed
  123. Mamata Dash - NFFPIW - Signed
  124. Manas Ranjan - Journalist, The Tribune - Signed
  125. Kiran Shaheen - Media Action Group - Signed
  126. Sunita Kumari - Daanish Books - Signed
  127. Ramchandra Prasad - ICAN INDIA - Signed
  128. Bipin Chandra - Historian and Director, National Books Trust
  129. Kiran Bhatty - UNICEF - Signed
  130. V.M. H. Banna - Journalist, Madhyamam Daily - Signed
  131. Surinder Singh
  132. Shailesh Haribhakti - Signed
  133. Sarwar Kashani
  134. Madhav Godbole
  135. Diwan Singh - Ridge Bachao Andolan
  136. Yogendra Narain - ICAN INDIA
  137. Arundhati Roy - Writer
  138. Suma Josson - Film Maker
  139. Ramaswami Iyer - Former Secretary, Water Resurces Ministry
  140. Ramchandra Prasad - ICAN-India
  141. Pradeep Ghosh - Ashoka Fellow & OASiS
  142. Ashwani Goyal
  143. Manish Jain
  144. Siddhartha Basu
  145. Dr. H. Sudarshan - Karuna Trust & VGKK, Bangalore
  146. A.L. Ragarajan - Rejuvenate India Movement, Chennai
  147. Vijayan Menon - Kormangla Initiative, Bangalore
  148. Urvashi Sharma - Social Worker, RTI Mahila Manch UP
  149. Prithvi Sharma - MD, FACC, USA
  150. Surekha Sharma - MD, FAAP, USA
  151. Prof. Mridula Mukherjee - Director NMML
  152. Swapan Ganguly - PBKMS, West Bengal
  153. Y. Singh N. Rajput - Gujarat
  154. Nitin Sonawane - IFA
  155. Sampad Zantye
  156. Dr. Hari Dev Goyal - Indian Economic Service (Rtd.)
  157. Ajay Pandey - Assc. Professor of Law, Jindal Global Law School
  158. Chitrangada Choudhury - Journalist
  159. Mahendra K. Gupta
  160. Dr. Ashok Sharma
  161. Gayatri Sahgal - Centre for Equity Studies
  162. Chandra Krishnamurthy
  163. Biswajit Mohanty - FCA
  164. Vijay Kapoor
  165. Paromita Vohra - Film Maker
  166. Vijendra Singh - UP
  167. Ravi Duggal - Research & Activist - International Budget Partnership
  168. Joyjeet Pal - Academic
  169. Ashok Gokhale
  170. Tara Warrior - Pune
  171. Damodar Warrior- Pune
  172. Col Mohite (rtd.)
  173. Dr. Anand Lakshmi
  174. Geeta Mohite
  175. Dr. Renu Singh - Save the Children, India
  176. Alankrita Isha Mrigakshi - Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Koln, Germany
  177. Himanshu Thakkar - South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, Delhi
  178. Arindam Jit Singh - Tema Nishant
  179. Prof. Rajinder Chaidhary - Dept. of Economics, University of Rohtak, Haryana
  180. Sandeep Thakur
  181. Dr. Kamla Ganesh - Prof. and Head of Department, Sociology, University of Mumbai
  182. Sindhu - National Election Watch, Karnataka
  183. Amit B. Jethava - President, Gir Nature Youth Club, Gujarat
  184. Amman Madan - Assc. Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Kanpur
  185. Malay Bhattacharyya - West Bengal RTI Manch
  186. Rahul Varman - Department of Industrial and Management Engineering, IIT Kanpur
  187. Ghyansham Shah
  188. Hansabahen
  189. Daniel Mazgaonkar
  190. G.L.N. Reddy - Hyderabad
  191. Girish Mahajan
  192. Anil Taparia
  193. Dr. Vednata Kabra
  194. S. L. Chowdhury
  195. Faisal Khan - NAPM, Asha Parivar
  196. Saraswati Kavula - Film maker and activist
  197. Somesh Bagchi - Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
  198. Pankaj Joshi - Executive Director, UDRI
  199. Dr. Anil Joshi
  200. Dhan Raj Bansal - Mumbai
  201. Subodh Abhi - Jan Ekta Samiti, Ponta Sahib
  202. Ramesh Agrawal - Jan Chetna, Chhattisgarh
  203. Bardwaj Ananthem - Asha for Education, USA
  204. Dr. J.N. Sharma - Advocate and RTI Activist, Lucknow

Friday, October 30

"I feel ashamed, of course. I promise myself that this lie is the end of it.”

Well... one of the most beloved athlete and a gifted men did what is expected form a 27-year-old multimillionaire... world famous athlete and married to Brooke Shields. Agassi and Shields lasted just two years, divorcing in 1999, and according to stories/blogs, media news he quit meth well before they split.

Andre Agassi is in headlines once again and this time for his new memoir coming out at the end of the week called Open. The 39 year-old tennis great reveals that he had a crystal meth addiction in 1997, right before he made the decision to marry his first wife, Brooke Shields.

After faltering in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocked the world and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.

He spent most of 1997 snorting meth the same year he married Shields and Home Alone 3 came out, coincidence? He won a stingy five Grand Slam titles after becoming an addict and gave time for charity work for underprivileged children.

Agassi had won the Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Games, but didn’t win a major in 1997, dropping to No. 141 in the rankings.

He resuscitated his career in 1998, making the biggest one-year jump into the top 10 in the history of the ATP rankings. He won the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam, and then added a second career U.S. Open title en route to finishing 1999 at No. 1.

But he regained his balance after he found his love for Stefanie Graff. Her strength encouraged his fights of crippling pain from a deteriorating spine to remain a dangerous opponent in the twenty-first and final year of his career. He entered his last tournament in 2006; he's hailed for completing a stunning change, from oddball to elder statesman, from dropout to education advocate.
He went on to win three more Australian Open titles before retiring in 2006. He won more than $30 million in his career, and eight major singles titles.

Today he has once again mad4 a courageous stand. And still he's not done.

His new memoir will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi's game, it will set a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power in Tennis At least.He admitted to his addiction. I'm sure there are many other athletes that have had this issue and have not had it in them to come forward.

Everyone has a closet. I will always be a great fan of him. Agassi has been married to his second wife, retired German tennis player Steffi Graff, for eight years. They have two children: son Jaden, 8, and daughter Jaz, 5. By most accounts he’s a great guy, and it sounds like he’s only human.

"I feel ashamed, of course. I promise myself that this lie is the end of it.”

Wednesday, October 28

RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration & Management Bhopal has made a mockery of the RTI Act 2005

Established in 1966 as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Public Administration, the RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration (RCVPAA) is today the premier training institution of M.P.


It is an apex institute of the state which imparts training to people across all sectors right from NGO to the highest level of the bureaucracy. It act as a Regional Center by performing the task of imparting of Trainers Programme.


As heard ...it has been effectively playing an advisory role for the Madhya Pradesh government and also a coordinating instrument among the various training institutions of the state.


Today the Institute is in news for Corruption,malpractices,mismanagement ,scoring personal grievances and misuse of RTI act by an IAS officer, few deputy collectors and educationists.Does it reflect about the Government and Governance?


http://www.mp.gov.in/mpacademy/ I realized something suspicious in the month of 2009 February and used 4 RTI Applications to gather the information but so far no information has been provided.

It came as a rude shock; after i recievd a letter from the PIO as the format was objectionable for the Academy and by me. It’s was more disreputable to receive this letter when the Academy is nodal agency to train on RTI Act in Madhya Pradesh .


In lieu of the 4 applications sent for which separate money was deposited , received a reply in a single letter which is amiss. Every case is taken individually under the act and the proceedings of the court.

I m sharing the applications made by me and am confident the information so far has not been provided deliberately as the same PIO name is under scanner along with the others.


To,

The Public Information officer 1/5/2009

RCVP Noronha
Academy
of Administration & Management

Bhopal


Sub- Sub- inspection and copies of files /note sheets from 1999 till date

Sir,

Kindly provide the following and facilitate.

  1. Copies of the tenders floated since 1999 till date
  2. Copy of the committee members for tenders
  3. Name /address/phone of the bidders who participated in the tenders give year wise details.
  4. Copies of the work orders of the tenders given from 1999 till date
  5. Copies of the tenders which were canceled and copy of the reason sent to the bidders from 1999 till date.
  6. Note sheet of the decision making for cancellation
  7. List of the registered vendor’s year wise since 1999 till date
  8. Copies of the money disbursed to the vendors from 1999 till date .give year wise details.
  9. copies/ name of the outsourced services

Kindly provide year wise details from inception 2000 till 2009

  1. Copy of the list of seminars organized on governance along with the name of the speakers invited and remuneration given to them and the expenditure incurred on the each seminar give year wise details from 2000 till date.
  2. Copies of the seminar organized along with the subject name for
    • Government departments of Madhya Pradesh including public sector units of State.
    • Government of India including public sector undertaking of Central Government.
    • Other State Governments.
    • Other organizations including NGOs.
  3. Name of the training programmes and the concerned officer the academy has organized ,availing the expertise of the civil service officers ( give names) and the academician (give the names ) till date.
  4. Copies of the name of the faculties and their inputs in their area of expertise to the academy year wise
  5. Copies of the names of the faculty and all the expenditure incurred on them year wise besides the salary.
  6. Name of the programmes organized by the academy under the faculty.
  7. copies of the names of the researcher /subjects of the ongoing research work
  8. Copies of the names of the completed project along with the names of the researchers and copies / note sheets stating the benefits.
  9. Copies of the grants received from the GOI and any other in the last 10 years.
  10. copies of the funds diverted to any other give a copy


Kindly provide year wise details from 1999 till 2009

  1. Copies of the dates when annual Noronha Memorial lecture series through the Academy of Administration were organized since inception till date.
  2. Copies of the Names of the awardees / scholarship to encourage talent in the field of administration from inception till date.
  3. Copies of the names of the talents developed amongst rural and tribal population under the trust.
  4. Copies of the activities organized to promote and encourage any activity consistent with the above objects and particularly which relates to subjects late Shri Noronha was interested in.
  5. Copies/ note sheet of the Recommendation made to the Govt or any


Kindly provide year wise details from 1999 till 2009 Women Resource Centre

  1. Copies of the agenda sets for the women Resource Centre till date
  2. Copies of the Workshops organized with their aims/ dates/ places/incharge
  3. Copies /note sheets of the Projects so far completed
  4. Copies of the Recommendation made to the Govt or any
  5. Copies /note sheets of the Implementation
  6. Copies/note sheets of the Funds/ grants received from the GOI and any other in the last 10 years.
  7. Copies/note sheet of the funds diverted to any other work
  8. Utilization certificate of the same



Tuesday, October 6

Why did PT Usha Cry?

Why did PT Usha cry?

A day after World Boxing Champion MC Mary Kom complained of sub-standard accommodation and food during National Boxing Championships, it was the turn of flying queen PT Usha to face the humiliation.

Many facts have come out come out, loud and clear from the PT Usha incident. Flouting of norms, modus operandi of Govt. functions, infringement of rules and regulations by the Government authorities who are supposed to be the public servants.

I remember the days when every kid in India used to rely on her for the highest achievement at the international level and today PT Usha the sprint Queen of India broke down in my city "Bhopal" as an indecent accommodation was provided at the National Athletics Meet . “In spite of her request.” she broke down in front of the media today when asked about the humiliating incident.

If one looks into the incident it brings out the high handedness and imprudence of the authorities nothing else. The reasons are uncomplicated. No qualms of the law, high handedness, corruption, backing of the politicians , political bolster, posting without turn or ability, promotion without turn and last but not the least a typical attitude of a Police which is self-aggrandizing. The crux of the above is Money and power not ability. Lol. There are various officers who are posted where they do not deserve to be just because they or their family has affiliation to the political party somewhere or the other.Few press deliberately do not take up stories to highlight the truth as close to the officials. i am not exaggerating but this has come out through information collected through RTI Act. The officers flout norms because they know they are the Puppets of the Bosses who have the strings .Enquiries will happen, they will take 3-4 years, by the time they will come on surface they would have been managed.

The sports and youth welfare department of Madhya Pradesh is being run by an IPS officer Mr.Sanjay Choudhry whose grasp on literature is not poor besides a bright background of police .With his vision no doubts the department has progressed… . There is no boss above him. He has a free hand. The PS is a signing authority and not much should be said about the Honourable Minister. Much is being done by him for no other than the ex Minister and present MP.. who still plays a role in the department. His autocratic behaviour and typical police behaviour has made the department grow. He only does if he likes or if the ruling bigwigs asks for..Although its worth mentioning that he dictates his CR report. ha ha ha.There is no prize for guessing the name.

"If I get this type of treatment, you can imagine what other athletes get" PT Usha said today.
The incident of PT Usha has come in public but what about the other incidents where the sports personalities are mistreated. Her voice has echoed but none have heard the voice and complaints of the ill treatment of local sports heroes. Its heart wrenching to even think about those incidents. Madhya Pradesh government has ordered a probe into the allegations levied by legendary sprinter PT Usha regarding the ill-treatment given to her during the 49th National Open Athletics here.

Everybody knows the fate of the inquiries. Only the small fishes are hooked.

Wednesday, September 23

Who are outsiders?


As mentioned in the story published dated 22/9/2009 the words outsiders are used for whom?

Is it used for citizens who keep a watch on administration?

Is an outsider the vigilant citizen?

Is an outsider the opinion makers?

Is an outsider the public pressure groups?

Is an outsider the one who works at their own expense to keep a check on the Government officers who are perpetual at fault and who take laws in their hands?

Is an outsider the one who keep the head above the shoulder?

Is an outsider who is earnest?

Is an outsider a nature lover?

Is an outsider who raises questions on time?

Is an outsider one who writes the PM for action?

Is an outsider the one who wrote to the Chief Wildlife warden?

Is an outsider the one who exposed the faults made by the Van Vihar officers to impress the Minister?

Is an outsider the activists?

Is an outsider the one who do not take grants for their work?

Is an outsider a sensitive person?

Is an outsider a courageous person who makes his/her voice heard?

Is an outsider the social worker who works for the betterment of the society?

Is an outsider inhuman?

Is an outsider the one who points out defects in the system?

Is an outsider who is working for the betterment of the society and nature?

Is an outsider who raises voice where Public Option is under siege?

Is an outsider better than the so called elite who know all but do not react?

Is an outside r who believes that the road is made by walking?

Is an outside the one that breaks a window to rescue a child from a burning car?

Is an outsider the one who is talking to keep everybody alive?

If all these are outsiders I am proud to be known as outsiders. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence.


It’s a shame who calls the vigilant citizens outsiders.

Friday, September 18

Twitter, Tharoor and the Indian Politics

Holier-than-thou.

Before I write I must say that the Congress and BJP should have an English teacher.

Mr Tharoor's track record in our country reveals one clear distinguished feature. His ability..to gather controversies .lol. if I am not wrong it all started the very day his name was announced as the contestant from Trivandrum. From the burning of his effigy to the National anthem controversy he has emerged out amidst personal attacks pertaining to his American Connection, Israel soft-corner, literary works, Canadian wife and affluent lifestyle.

A former UN diplomat, a prolific writer, a political debutant and an inveterate Twitter-e. In all fairness to Tharoor, Cattle Class is an accepted and widely frequented synonym for Economy Class travel. He has used it as a run-of-the-mill response but this is where the words and phrases find new and out of context ...I fail to understsnd.. what is the fuss all about ? A wise crack has been made into a controversy. Twitter, Tharoor and the Indian Politics is being discussed for no reason leaving the more important discussion on the Indian media houses who thinks whatever the media vomits and excretes are sacred offering. From debates to research, to polls a complete waste of time and money on the nonsense. The omnipresent television folks are ready to spring upon anything, and under the present Indian circumstances the media verdict is interpreted as the people's opinion.

The recent Five Star Hotel non-issue brought the man again back in frame. Shashi Tharoor, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and a member parliament is in big controversy due to his statement regarding the people traveling in economy class. Before the Hotel nonsense was dead the next one has crashed down on all of us, this time with the effect of a Tsunami! And this one seems bad enough, with Tharoor's trendy aide, Twitter, letting him down this time.

What’s more astonishing is the fact that airlines has taken no an action on the remark but definitely our Politicians who are trying to be Holier-than-thou. Does anybody remember the infamous 'dog remarks' by Kerala CM Comrade Achutanandan? Same settings, same ploy, same error, same comedy and same emotions …Now if Achumama was wrong there, Tharoor is wrong here. You take out the 'if' from the previous sentence, it still holds its fact, sadly.

It’s not an astonishment to see lack of sense of humour among the political and the chattering classes. People who are unfamiliar with English usage and with the nuances of the language suddenly take offense at phrases that are perfectly normal and acceptable.

Shashi Tharoor usage of the words “cattle class” and “holy cow” will get a political debate on is funny. The humorless politicians who are good in manipulating once again show their aptitude, social and political realities. Shashi Tharoor is not an average man or a fuddy-duddy Indian politician.

A student of St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Calcutta, St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston is being targeted. The Congress party has gone on an overdrive with its austerity procedures. This is wise and good. But this should not mean that the leaders of our country should abandon the ability to laugh at themselves. Fusion with the BJP senior leaders on the issue shows the true colours of our politicians and the love for the cattle class. That’s how they treat the aam admi

Our politicians tend to be earnest, self-righteous and holier-than-thou. This is what Mr Tharoor was poking fun at when he spoke of holy cows. Lets re-look at the political, societal and security developments related to India as it readies to reclaim its position among the great nations of the world.

Twittering back, Mr Tharoor has negotiated the "cattle class" slight uncomfortably, arguing that it was a "silly expression" not meant to disrespect economy travellers. Instead, he says, it was airline companies who "herded passengers in like cattle".

He also came up with a somewhat revisionist and semantic take on the phrase "holy cow". "Holy cows are NOT individuals but sacrosanct issues or principles that no one dares challenge. I wish the critic would look it up," he writes. "Now I realise that I shouldn't assume people will appreciate humour and I shouldn't give those who would willfully distort your words an opportunity to do so.".

To my limited knowledge goes, "holy cow" is used as an exclamation, in American slang something negative..

It’s silly to ask the minister to resign. If this is diplomacy I have no words. Sadly, humour sense and common sense is not something very common in our set-up, he has learned the hard way..:)

() Never understood this about humans. We call dogs our best friends, but then abuse someone by calling him a dog. We descend from monkeys, but calling someone a monkey is racist. We worship cows, but suddenly saying 'cattle class' is derogatory. LOLL