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Creating future on liberally expanding rational thinking. A mind fixated to past self destructs.

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Innovation keeps US keep distance ahead


Tight oil and shale gas had been always where it had been but it required innovative minds and perseverance to enable it change the dynamics of world energy scenario today.
Innovation keeps US keep distance ahead of others. 


It’s never been just availability of resources that gave US lead , it’s always been zeal of its people to innovate and let those innovations stand out and be rewarded for. Wold war was not won merely on ground strength but mostly on the technology deployed and it’s technology today which makes it militarily powerful . The focus on technological progress has made this country surmount most challenges.


Its hold over money , markets and politics draw most of the strength from ability of its people and space provided by the State, to look ahead into future and start transforming dreams into reality.
Allowing people to innovate and creating enabling environment to generate motivation enough to trump failures and continue efforts to make impossible possible , has brought prosperity for its people.


Contrast this with nations which take pride in throttling innovations and snatching creative output of its people in the name of public welfare. Such nations continue to lag decades behind in progress and prosperity. Political empowerment here refers to mere internal controls of the ruling elite and the commands at the State disposal . These countries hardly claim to have global voice which is heard with respect.


Technology for these nations means learning from attempts made by others and unthankful adoption of creative results of those who dared to take first steps . Be it space technology or oil exploration.


True , we can have resources only as much as nature provides but to bring that to use worthy purpose requires that individuals and organisations have motivations to innovate and to know that their innovations would be rewarded and protected. Those who invest knowledge , ideas, minds and creativity to make innovative products, methods and processes would do so only if State provides guarantee of protecting creative output with rewarding legal framework.


That turns any isolated , unknown , Continent into an admired America.

AA GALEY LAG Jaa

Shashi Kapoor/Sharmlia starer AA GALEY LAG Jaa has embarrassingly haunted me to this day. particularly because of its popular songs and  for the film being shot in Shimla where I grew up. 

This happened to be the only movie I ever saw by bunking the school. Not that I had soundest of principles but because I had no guts. Peer pressure worked one day and I did not return to class after lunch and went instead straight to Ritz cinema on Ridge with a friend. All was fine till interval when I suddenly saw my mother with her friends sitting couple of rows behind. I prayed to be turned invisible. I shivered. 

Returning home I was given enough embarrassing taunts by parents and my siblings which haunt me to this day. It's difficult to listen to the songs of this beautiful film even 35 years after without feeling a twitch all over.

Back to Allahabad . . .

My first day of Motilal started a day earlier when I left Shimla, a very small town away from speed and noise of cities. My father was taking me there for admission. My mother told me to be careful because Allahabad would be very large city, she thought so. 

Only once had I boarded Indian rail before when I was very small. 

My journey from Delhi on Upper India Express that day left me scared and scarred to this day. It was overcrowded. I was travelling with my father and had reserved berths but the rush of daily commuters inside was bursting and we were made to squeeze to a corner. The commuters, all  unruly males from Aligarh , Tundla were simply bullies and foul, fighting among themselves. There was a foreign couple in immediate next coupe. The way these starved men harassed them that day, etched frighteningly to my memory for ever. I hear, those scene continue even now on trains leaving Delhi in the evening and on those arriving in the morning hours. 

Then there was this gentleman sitting next to us. On learning that we were going for admission to MNREC he told us about the rigors of ragging there which he had heard from his brother who studied there. 

At Allahabad we put up in a hotel near  Niranjan Cinema and went to college later that day. I don't recall anything significant on admission process at college campus but remember having tea at Paul's, near the gate. He remained my favourite Third Place for rest of the years in Motilal. On hostel I remember having met Vardhan who took me aside after seeking Papa's permission and took little introduction which also included my first taste of three dimensional gaali. 

An important insight I was introduced to was his counselling that all students here are father, mother, brother, sister to each other so these gaalis have meaning within that context and premises only. That was very assuring and convincing which sobered my concerns. The hostel admission was probably being done at Tundon. I was allotted room at C-Top Tilak which I was to share with Anil Bishnoi. He was soft and friendly. I don't recall exactly how, but I did meet Shyam and John Jacob those first days. 

One incident,I will like to share, is of Sangam where we went next day. The Pandaas actually looted us on boat ride and we innocent pahaaris allowed them to laugh as well. I lost  faith on that institution permanently. Later that day we again went to college and I was to be now left at hostel. 

I remember, after leaving my luggage at hostel, me, papa and one more newly introduced friend I forgot, walked to tri-junction past Pura Gaderia where Papa took rick to Hotel leaving me behind. Remembering that moment is most emotional memory associated with my father who is no more now. It was first time he was leaving me away at that far place. I could not see him crying but he did, so did I. I was turning back while returning in hope that he would follow us. 

Thanks Anna and Jyoti I just walked back to those days and felt the chill. I salute the technology that we all are so well connected and bound to our roots tied to the days we spent together at Motilal.

Four years were undoubtedly most cherished ones during past whole of half the century.              

Sattawalas know...


They have probably sensed that the favourites may be losing. Satta organisers are going to make handsome killing only if people bet on illusion they crafted. Satta market was mysteriously underground all through. No newspaper carried their version of election projections. 

Then suddenly after three rounds of voting all newspapers and social media are out with hot opinion from hinterland of betting world. This spurt is most likely to lure maximum betting on winners they project . There is something very uncanny about this sudden activity. 

May 16 will be interesting.

I had sand in hand

I wish, many many years back when the city of Bombay was beginning to grow over me, I had cellphone. 

On my way to Nariman Point, I used to walk past the rope at Churchgate station, which used to be held by the cops to regulate thousands of commuters alighting from the locals and crossing over to Asiatic side. I wish I had cellphone then and I could click a selfie.

I used to love watching people especially young girls struggling with inverted umbrellas during rains at the junction of Marine Drive. I wish I could click video with my cellphone, of the waves splashing the pavement … and of the romance scripted on the benches, of the train of double decker Best buses on round trips from Churchgate to Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade. 

I wish I could capture the serene and beautifully architected empty streets of Ballard Pier on Sunday morning while going to Launch station for boarding offshore vessel. The streets which used to transform into noisy crowded lanes on weekdays. I wish we had ubiquitous cellphone those days.

Things changed too fast and I had sand in hand.

Filming an interview of the politician on move


The way large section of media has been apparently purchased and turned into trumpet to blow for an artificial hero is nauseatingly abhorrent. 

I was watching interview of their hero. The interview had non-journalistic unconventional format. The actor posing as a journalist appeared on camera for few seconds only, asked one liner and the camera shifted to the hero. 

The hero, from here after, takes 5 to 10 minutes of footage and delivers a prepared speech eulogising himself , full screen with all  gesticulation to maximise effect and for show...

The act is repeated several times. 

Later this film is carpet bombed over all friendly (purchased) channels at the same time.

Service delivered and perhaps invoiced.

Why Muslims should use euphemism of 'secularism' ?

Why Muslims should use euphemism of 'secularism' ? They must come upfront authentically and strive for representation as what they are. Our democracy is representative in character and if Yadavs, Jats, Brahmins, Dalits and other communities can group to gain by effective representation why not Muslims? Use vote, not force or sympathy. Discover fruits of democracy.

Every game has solution

For almost four years, ever since I first acquired my first smartphone, I spent hundreds of sessions solving Freecell during the times I have nothing else to do but wait. Travelling on a Metro, on backseat of my car, sometimes at home too, it has been a game.

Most of the attempts resulted in failure though.

Then I learnt to roll back the moves. If that didn't work abandoning and selecting a fresh game was next choice. I would repeat that till I get easy enough game to crack. The aim was to complete a game successfully by all means. And that used to run extra adrenaline in my veins. A sense of achievement. False though.

However I knew it was like first hitting dart on the wall and then drawing  circles around it to make it appear as if I had hit the bull's eye.

It was quite late when I thought of grit, not to give up and make repeated attempts till I crack it. Restart - that was option available which I had never bothered before. I got it now.

I don't give up on any game , don't rollback moves with back button, don't choose a new easy game. I select a game and keep trying.Every time I hit a dead end wherefrom I could not move any further, I would simply restart the same game. Every time I do that I learn that there are several ways to solve it. Also I get present to the mistake I had done during previous attempts.

Most important lesson is that every game has solution. All problems have solution- don't give up on grit.
  
Insightful.

Don't let separatists gain global sympathy

The separatists everywhere want sort of global legitimacy or acceptance for their final push. That drives easily from a central authority they fight which can be seen or easily made to appear as repressive , undemocratic or outrightly Fascist. There would be host of countries favouring secession by small rogue but committed groups if the power that governs  is seen as bigot. Wherever secession is succeeding the reason is common. Separatists, underground or overground, can be  already seen talking to favour such forces as these very forces may ultimately facilitate their goals conveniently for the reasons I stated above.  If we want  India as strong union we must keep racists , fundamentalists and religious bigots out of power.  

Opinion polls are tools to manage wins

Opinion polls are proving to be managed campaigns of favoured political parties. Like other political tools of 'managing wins' , many in the media appear to have been commissioned into campaigning for particular political alliances by conducting these polls. And it works.

In absence of any law punishing such entities for their ill nexuses they can go out and avail wild chances to mould public opinion. It's intriguing as to how otherwise always ALERT arms of democracy , appearing to be  anxious to bring in propriety and equity in public life, ignore such abuse .