Category: Uncategorized

Swine Flu vs I am Legend

Arun Leave a comment

Swine Flu is getting scary! (see the screenshot of reuters website on left)

It reminds me of the movie “I am Legend” , where a pandemic was getting spread in New York City and people were leaving NYC.

Although the media is hyping it, like they do always, but this time I dont see people much affected by the media hype. For example, in my office I have hardly heard or overheard any discussion about this flu. I really dont see anyone panic till now.

We have a folk story back in India, where a shepherd use to joke around with his friends calling “save me, there is a lion lion” … and one day when real lion came everybody thought he was joking again and noone came to save him. I hope the same things doesnt happen with things like Swine Flu … where we get early signals about a catastrophic event … but since everybody has got so used to these kind of threat signals from traditional media – that they will simply ignore it in the beginning and will continue with their usual life, till the time that the event becomes so big that it cannot be controlled.

But when I think from a cool mind there is actually nothing we can do about this situation … because there is nothing we can do to control or end this flu because I guess it is all governments job to take care of this mess… right?

So, since we are just supposed to watch the show, so maybe it is best not to panic and just enjoy the ride.

While i am on this topic, I was talking to dad in the morning and he was saying that at New Delhi Airport team of doctors have been posted at various airport terminals – especially for flight coming from US, mexico or Europe… to make sure this flu doesnt enter India…. this maybe a usual/expected news, but i found it kind of ironic …
i mean normally bad things like this happen in Asia and it is western countries who have this kind of attitude of treating us all like we all are plague carriers, and make us go through these tests etc.

Taking the argument further, similar things may happen in economy also, where US/western countries may be so much affected by the plague called recessions like the one we are going under…. that Asian countries will take the centrestage and start making rules… you and I know that there is nothing called impossible … see this slide called shift happens, … we already saw some such signals like China asking that dollar should not be world currency etc…

Maybe what is freaking me out more is more similarities between “I am Legend” and my current situation – like my wife is going to india this weekend (planned trip), and I will be in US while this flu will grow and will reach climax. (will smith sent his family to safe zones while he stayed in NYC to research the cause and solution of pandemic)

Lately I have been reading stories about December 2012 – and how the world is going to end at that time…. and I hate to admit that there is one part of me who has started to believe that bullshit (the power of brainwashing) …. Hindu religion also says that Kalyug is about to end and satyug is about to begin bla bla bla, which actually means mass extinction or CTRL ALT DEL. (this mass extinction topic i guess is a separate post altogether, and very close to my heart, so maybe i will discuss it some other day on a dedicated post)

for the time being, fasten your seat belts because we may be warming up to a bumpy ride ahead. I just hope you & I will be the one who will survive all this to tell stories to next gen!

I will see you in a new post Swine Flu virus world! (tell me when it’s all done)

I think I found the Indian Obama!

Arun Leave a comment

Situation Vacant – needed a leader whom 1.2 bn people will follow.

Well!! .. I dont want my country to be called a copycat (of USA), that is to say I dont want to have an Indian Prime Minister who is similar in profile to US President Obama, who belongs to the minority or so called “the suppresses class”. (In US context it is the blacks who is called the suppressed class. So I guess in Indian context it is either the “lower caste / harijans” or it could be the indian muslisms!?)

But we need such a leader in India whom everybody can look up to, respect and wants to follow. That everybody means all states/religions/caste. It is ironic that Diversity which was touted as our biggest advantage is actually our biggest problem (likewise – population, which was touted as our biggest disadvantage, is proving otherwise)

Anyways, earlier I read/heard at many places that MAYAWATI is the Indian Obama!!!???
See the picture on right (as far as i know it is real picture) … comparing mayawati to Obama!? … that is one of the most ridiculous comparison I have ever heard!
The reason Obama is Obama is not because he belongs to the suppressed class, but it is that and his intellect, potential, attitude, ideas and the much publicized ideas of “change”.
Mayawati obviously is thousand wolds apart on all of these parameters.
Coming back to original topic, I feel a need of “fundamental change” in leadership (or at least leadership style) in India. similar to what happened in US this year. The thing that frustrates me most about politics in India right now is when I look at the two big parties participating in elections to be held in India, I see a big void of “good leadership” on both big parties – Congress and BJP. Neither party has a prime minstreal candidate who appeases me. (and I guess a normal middle class Indian like me)
This amazes me because of a billion people in India, how difficult is to find a suitable candidate for a position, which in this case is a good leader forthe nation!!! There is no-one on BJP side which I deem to be prime minister of India (Mr Advani I like/respect – but I dont see him as prime ministreal candidate for some reason)
The closest for a good prime minister candidate is what we have now – Dr Manmohan Singh, stillt I was not impressed during his last term of 5 years. Maybe if and when he gets reelected, he gets absolute majority, and will have a better backbone to govern and bring
about the change that every Indian is waiting for.
The reason I thought to make this post was today I saw a hope of light, when I saw following video of Omar Abdullah. I have been following Omar Abdullah for last 10 years, since I became political conscious, and I see a credible, honest man in there. I dont know how much of that is “show business” and how much is the truth … but he seems to be genuinely good.
To add to it – he belongs to the so called minority “Indian muslims”. So if by any chance he becomes the prime minister of India. I dont know how that situation will go and whether he will be able to manage the expectations…But that will be a good change, and I believe a positive one for India. There will be a prime minister from a religion and state which has a less representation historically in center.
That will show us as a true democracy.
So, I guess I will support him fully if he comes forward for prime minister chair.
(not to say my support will matter, among a billion people in India)
Anyways, I wish my country all the best for this painful and dangerour surgical procedure it goes through every 5 year – the so called Indian Election. I wish she (India) will come back smiling from this operation theatre, and will have a healthy government which will do good governance for next 5 years – which could be one of the most critical years for India.
Jail Hind.