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7月27日 Terror Weekend. Friday, 25th July 2008; *Terror stalks Bangalore, India.
*Eight low intensity bombs go off, leaving two dead, many injured and shocked.
*Schools and colleges are evacuated; parents and general public scared.
Saturday, 26th July 2008: Seventeen high-intensity bombs go off within 50 minutes in Ahmedabad, Gujarat state.
-Predicatably, all bombs were planted in high population density areas.
-Bombs were in lunch boxes, planted on casually parked bicycles.
-Even the city Hospital Trauma Center was not spared; a vicious explosive was planted
here as well.
-All bombs contained ammonium nitrate.
- Death toll so far: 38 dead, 100 injured.
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Can we prevent terrorism in our country? How?
- We can prevent terrorists from having field day in our country by;
a) Keeping strict watch on all people entering and leaving our cities and towns.
b) Forcing people to carry identity papers at all times.
c) Awarding those who inform the police of any suspicious person(s) or objects left lying
around.
d) Keeping the public aware and informed about terror tactics.
e) Keeping our highly porous borders sealed. This is an onerous task, given the fact that
India has four immediate neighbours to keep an eye on.
f) Hi-tech monitoring of any suspected religious group indulging in terrorist training.
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The obstacles to our vigil on terrorism:
1) The high population density of our cities and towns.
2) Too many religious and cultural groups to keep an eye on.
3) Intricate networking among those plotting terror activities.
4) Terrorists are resorting to advanced technology when it comes to doing harm.
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The only solution to combat terrorism: Unite to fight this evil. Destroy their power, break their backs. Sounds impossible, but can be done. May God Bless us all in our attempts!
7月20日 Travel destinations with a Difference. Here's a travel destination for those looking for out-of-the-ordinary experiences. I haven't had the good luck of visiting this place myself, but reading an article on it is enough to kindle the curious traveller in me! Happy reading, dear Blog Friends!
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Did you know about the existence of a republic within a republic, in the Lithuanian capital called Vilnius? Today, the beautiful city has been declared a world heritage site by the UNESCO. The moment one crosses the bridge over the River Vilnele, one enters the land of Uzupis, which has it’s own constitution, national anthem, a bishop, currency, and four flags!! This curious republic even has an independence day, which falls on April 1, All Fools’ Day. The creation of the republic of Vilnius is a pretty recent affair, in 1997, which was started off as a joke. They have their own president, bishop, four flags, currency, and a constitution. As a testimony to their formal existence, the Uzupis even have a palace, an army numbering 12 to defend it, and a National Day on April 1st! The city boasts of several artists, art galleries, narrow cobbled streets, and picturesque landscape. Interesting curio shops, exquisite souvenirs, flower pots and beds overflowing with colourful blooms, and wonderful art are the hallmarks of this wonderful place. Up the hill, is the Bernardine Cemetery, standing next to the old Bernardine nunnery. A most stunning spot, it is difficult to leave in a hurry. There is a history behind why artists chose Vilnius to be their home: after the holocaust, many Jewish homes had fallen vacant, attracting a lively, bohemian population, irreverent attitudes, and an interesting café crowd. Not surprisingly, Romas Lilekis, poet, musician, and film director was chosen as President of Uzupis. Come April 1st, the Uzupian Independence Day is celebrated amidst concerts, parades, and tomfoolery. And yes, you can buy a pint of beer with their currency. The Uzupian Constitution is a must-read, every indolent person’s dream-come-true. It is pasted on to a crumbling wall on Paupio Gatve, and has 41 tenets which are interesting, to say the least. I end this short article with an English translation of some of the main constitutional tenets:
************* Hope you enjoyed reading about the Land of the Uzupis as much as I did!
7月12日 Sowing and Reaping.Sowing and Reaping.
If you plant… Honesty : you will reap trust. Goodness : you will reap friends. Humility : you will reap greatness. Perseverance : you will reap victory. Consideration : you will reap harmony. Forgiveness : you will reap reconciliation. Openness : you will reap intimacy. Patience : you will reap improvements. Faith : you will reap miracles.
But… If you plant… Dishonesty : you will reap distrust. Selfishness : you will reap lonliness. Pride : you will reap trouble. Laziness : you will reap stagnation. Bitterness : you will reap isolation. Greed : you will reap loss. Gossip : you will reap enemies. Worries : you will reap wrinkles. Sin : you will reap guilt.
So be careful what you plant now. It will determine what you reap tomorrow. The seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better. Your life or the ones that come after. Yes, someday you will enjoy the fruits, Or pay for the choices you made today.
7月1日 Reality Bites! "All the world's a stage, - Shakespeare, in As You Like It. *************** How many of us can remember the famous Bard's words as we carry on our journey in life? That nothing is permanent, and that we are here only for a short while to play our parts? In today's highly competitive world, nobody stops for anybody; least of all for those who failed it to make it to their target. This can be academics, career, personal life, or sports. As a result of societal pressure, the "failures" therefore take their failings very seriously, and very personally. This has resulted in escalation of suicides or attempt at suicide, mental problems and destructive behaviour. Over the past one decade or so, we see the tremendous pressure to succeed, reflected in our TV channels, where reality shows draw participants from all over the country, in a bid for instant fame, money, entry into the world of glamour,or recognition. For every American reality show, we have our own home-spun counterpart. There is an unprecedented rush in such programmes, and channels welcome them, as their TRP ratings are high. The public has become hungry for success; we all love people who succeed, and in doing so, benefit the organisers, sponsors, and winner. Remember that famous number by the Abba, called "The Winner Takes It All"? That's just what is happening. As if the other equally talented competitors didn't count in the scheme of things, the spot-light invariably falls on the person who made it in the final rounds. He or she wins pots of money, signs umpteen contracts from recording companies or is selected by our Bollywood notables. In short, his or her life is made, and, in the audience, we see the families of the winners fawning, preening, clapping, dancing, and crying tears of joy. Are reality shows all icing and roses? The answer of course, is NO. In a recent tragic episode of a reality show, a young 16 year old girl was chided, criticised, and humiliated by the judges, who jointly thought that the girl, Shinjini Sengupta, was not living up to their expectations, and that her standard of singing and dancing was not as good as they thought her to be. This, after the girl and her family had put in loads of money and energy, and also sacrificing her school exams to come to the Mumbai studio to attend the show. As a result of such harsh words by famous film personalities, Shinjini suffered a paralytic stroke, which has left her speechless and unable to move her limbs.She now lies in a neurological institute under the watchful eyes of her doctors and dazed parents. Many social activist groups have come forward to defend her case, and question the producers' stance. There are yet others who are criticising her parents for getting greedy and putting so much at stake. Who can blame middle class parents for wanting a place in the sun, and dreaming of success for their family, through their talented offspring? After clearing so many rounds, who would have thought that Shinjini would epitomise all that is wrong in the big bad world of the glamour industry? ****************
Prospero:
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