Consumed by the SHARKS

If you are thinking about those razor-sharp teeth in deep clear waters, you are mistaken. No small talk today, let's get straight to the meat of it. I am talking about the sparkling corporate world and the spokes of this "Giant Wheel". 

You are very well aware how busy life becomes once you step into the corporate world. One goes from living to merely saying alive. And before you realise, you are retiring and probably too old to do what was once your breath and soul! The routine is very simple:

WEEKDAYS:

• Get up in the morning
• Go to gym
• Cook breakfast/dress up
• Go to work
• Work your ass off
• Eat Lunch
• Again work your ass off till you drop
• Grab a coffee time-to-time to stay alive
• Curse the boss for no appraisals and many expectations
• Hey! It's dark already and you look like a Zombie.
• Drop dead on bed as soon as your tummy is full
• Repeat.

WEEKENDS:

• Movies/Date nights
• Family time
• Late night parties
• Binge drinking
• More splurging
• Of course! Swearing.. as Sunday comes to an end!

Lately, I've been feeling very much caught up in this vicious circle of IT life. Luckily, I realised sooner that I'm ageing and would like to live before I go to the grave. Hence, here I am! Here's how I planned it:

>> Work is worship: only for 8-9 hrs, no extra hours! Some time management skills should be helpful!

>> Look around, chat and walk back home happy because I'm no nebulous apparition of dead.

>> Watch what I want before I sleep. Who wants a yearning, disturbed sleep anyway?

>> All weekends are not meant to be lived off streets and pubs, a good novel in bed is as appealing and lighter on the pocket.

>> Of course, family should not avoided, no matter what! So no change there.

>> I love to drink juices, coffee, tea, buttermilk, coconut water etc. too!


Following the above shouldn't really make me hate weekdays, right? ;)


Images courtesy : Google

Life at present - A conflation of Addiction and Frustation

Frustration.

Its just a word. But this one word is powerful enough to destroy peace, poison one’s tongue and heart, and ruin relationships for a lifetime. Frustration stems from an array of things – lagging deadlines, incapacity or even laziness! 

Mine comes from a blend of laziness and distraction. Access to internet has, over time, made me an addict of online games – so much that I sacrifice my study hours thoughtlessly for the ephemeral joys of gaming. The Result – I’m constantly lagging behind, skipping deadlines and blaming others for my failures! I’m angry, unhappy, dissatisfied with myself – I know why, and yet I sit stubbornly staring into the laptop. I feel so frustrated with my present state that I start looking for distraction, which in turn further aggravates my situation. Every morning I wake up with a solemn resolve to stay away from games for the day, but by midday the resolution simply breaks like a bubble! If, by any chance, I open my book instead of laptop, I spend my entire precious time daydreaming, imagining my successful future and wishing that my dreams would come true!  My efforts to part away from gadgets are successful only when there is a long power cut in my locality!!

Prolonged period of stagnation has made me irritable. Even the slightest of odds turn me wild and bad-mouthed. What I need is a stronger will. Well, realization struck me a few hours ago and I have determined to change now – for good.

Hence, I made a short list of Things To Do:

• First and foremost  - Uninstall wifi software!

• Change my desktop background to inspirational pictures along with my deadline – BIG and BOLD

• Write down all that I have to do/study and set the time limits.

• Plan my day, where breaks will now be spent by listening to music instead of playing games
• Meet some "real" people to actually get some motivation.

Though I’ll have to toil harder to get back on track, I should be able to get there in a week, what do you say??

Pictures courtesy Internet.

The Big “Syrian” Game

Civil War?

Chemical Attack? 

Death toll??

Democracy?

Violation of World Peace???

Is the unrest among the Western nations about this? Or is it about a bigger game? The Game of Thrones – The Throne of Oil and Gas...

C

ivil War in Syria has intensified since 2011 but the lines were crossed when a chemical attack was reported, killing over 1400 people of whom 426 were children. The ‘chemical attack issue’ has created much unrest in among the powerful nations- Europe, America and Russia. But the concerns here are driven neither by the cause of humanity and world peace nor due to violation of laws, there is a whole new angle to it.

The Attack

In a bid to suppress the protesters, the Syrian Govt has been trying everything -  legal and illegal. It has been so reported that small amounts of the nerve gas, Sarin were being used since long to weaken the rebellion. But things turned ugly when the people were exposed to a stronger dose, leading to massive death, busting Assad’s evil tactics.

The Defensive

Probe has revealed that the chemicals used to produce Sarin  for ‘6 years’ were supplied to Syria by none other than the United Kingdom, but the UK govt earlier denied any actual handing over of chemicals. Later it came to light that chemicals were sold by two UK firms between 2004 and 2010 for healthcare products and cosmetics, which may have been stockpiled by Syrian president Bashar-Al Assad and used against his own people.

The War

There is much debate over an attack on Syria. While America insists on a war, most European nations believe Assad’s govt should be punished, but not through war. Russia is in favor, given that the US Senate backs the military strike. About 1/3^rd of the Senate votes are still undecided. Voting is due on 9^th Set 2013.

The Catch

But, is it really about the people? Well, maybe not.

Syria’s location vests great powers to its conqueror. Located close to the Mediterranean Sea, Syria is rich in oil and natural gas reserves. The Levant Basin is estimated to hold about 380 million cubic meters of natural gas. Before the inception of Civil War, Syria produced about 180,000 barrels of oil a day, which has currently come down to 20,000 barrels a day.

Also, Syria is a part of two major oil and gas pipelines; one towards Russia and another connecting Syria to Pakistan via Iran. The areas along the proposed pipelines have been observed to suffer most unrest.

The Secret Motive

If US and UK succeed in their attack and get a control over Syria, Russia will lose its monopoly over gas and oil, which could be a possible motive.

Preparation

Though the military intervention is still impending, war bells are already ringing. The US has its five warships ready for attack on the Red Sea. Ships have lined up in the Arabian Sea too. Air bases of Lebanon and Jordan can possibly be used for aerial attack. Russia is likely to provide fighter planes while UK supports through land.

Conclusion

It is not hard to see that no matter who gains from this war, the economy is certain to lose its hold. Sky rocketing oil prices will surely touch the moon, economy and trade will further tumble and the world will see darker times of crisis.

With threats of dire consequences and worldwide protests against military action on Syria, how it all ends is yet to be seen..



Source: NDTV India

Emergency Trends In India

A state of emergency is a governmental declaration which suspends a few normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alerts citizens to change their normal behaviours, or orders government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used for suspending rights and freedoms, even if guaranteed under the constitution. Emergency is declared during a time of natural or man-made disaster, during periods of civil unrest, or following a declaration of war or situation of international or internal armed conflict. It may include right to detention without trials for period up to 48 hours.

The Indian Emergency of 26 June 1975 – 21 March 1977 was a 21-month period, when President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon request by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution of India, effectively bestowing on her the power to rule by decree, suspending elections and civil liberties. Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan, a scholar of law, called it one of India's "blackest hours".

Many events led to emergency. Opponents had long made allegations that Gandhi's party, Congress, had practiced electoral fraud to win the 1971 elections. Congress was defeated in Gujarat by Janata Party, and even faced an all-party, no-confidence motion in Parliament. Raj Narain, who had been defeated in parliamentary election by Indira Gandhi, lodged cases of election fraud and use of state machinery for election purposes against Gandhi in the Allahabad High Court. On 12 June 1975, the Allahabad High Court found the Prime Minister guilty on the charge of misuse of government machinery for her election campaign. The court declared her election null and void and unseated her in the Lok Sabha. The court also banned her from contesting any election for an additional six years. Serious charges such as bribing voters and election malpractices were dropped. The Government cited threats to national security, as a war with Pakistan had recently been concluded.  Additional challenges of drought and the 1973 oil crisis left the economy was in bad shape. The strikes and protests had paralyzed the government and hurt the economy of the country greatly. Hence, on 25 June 1975, emergency was declared, censorship imposed and opposition leaders were arrested. Indira Gandhi devised a '20-point' economic program to increase agricultural and industrial production, improve public services and fight poverty and illiteracy. during this period.

On 5 August 1975, the Maintenance of Internal Security Act bill was approved by the parliament, giving the administration and Indian law enforcement agencies super powers - indefinite "preventive" detention of individuals, search and seizure of property without warrants, and wiretapping - in the quelling of civil and political disorder in India, as well as countering foreign-inspired sabotage, terrorism, subterfuge and threats to national security.

Criticism and accusations of the Emergency-era may be grouped as:

• Detention of people by police without charge or notification of families
• Abuse and torture of detainees and political prisoners
• Use of public and private media institutions, like the national television network Doordarshan, for government propaganda
• Forced sterilization initiated by Sanjay Gandhi.
• Destruction of the slum and low-income housing in the Turkmen Gate and Jama Masjid area of old Delhi.
• Large-scale and illegal enactment of laws (including modifications to the Constitution).

The Sikhs believed that the democratic structure stands on three pillars, namely a strong opposition, independent judiciary and free press, and emergency has destroyed all these essentials. Hence they started opposing. About 140,000 people had been arrested without trial during the twenty months of Gandhi's Emergency, of which 40,000 were Sikhs.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), which was seen close to opposition leaders, and with its large organizational base was seen potential of organizing protests against the Government, was also banned. The RSS defied the ban and thousands participated in Satyagraha against the ban and against the curtailment of fundamental rights. Later, the volunteers of the RSS formed underground movements for the restoration of democracy.

Other major events during emergency were:

• 26 September 1975: The Thirty-ninth Amendment, placing election of Prime Minister beyond the scrutiny of judiciary, is approved.
• 9 January 1976      : The government suspends seven freedoms guaranteed by Article 19 of the Constitution of India.
• 4 February 1976    : The Lok Sabha's life is extended by one year.
• 2 November 1976  : The Lok Sabha passes the Forty-second Amendment, making India a socialist secular republic and laying down the fundamental duties of its citizens.
• 18 January 1977    : The President dissolves the Lok Sabha.

On January 23, 1977, Gandhi called fresh elections for March and released all political prisoners. On 22 March 1977, the Janata Party gained absolute majority in elections. The Emergency officially ended on March 23, 1977.

Freedom Under Threat

Located at the southern-most corner of the Asian continent is a country known for its diverse culture, an elaborate Constitution and friendly residents, a.k.a India. Almost as diverse are the countries that border India, fondly called ‘neighbours’. On the west side lies Pakistan – a land which burns under the terrorist groups it unwillingly(or maybe willingly) hosts and dares to desire Kashmir – the northern-most Indian state it shares borders with. On the east lies China – a country known for its copies of anything and everything that ever enters the electronic market. In recent times, neighbours Pakistan and China have become major cause of distress for India.

The year 2013 has so far been a year of tragedy and loss for the country. Earlier this year, Indo-Pak border of Kashmir came under fire following the trespassing and beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani counterparts. Two incidents of ambush and cross-border firing were registered in subsequent weeks in August itself, which ended up in tragic death of five Indian soldiers and one injured in separate incidents. Condition at borders continues to remain cold despite the many peace talk and treaties between the two nations.

Yet another violation comes from the other neighbour, China.  According to a latest article by a notable personality, India’s bordering states are threatened by attacks from China in the near future. The country eyes the snow-clad peaks of Ladakh along Indo-China borders. The article highlights May and June of 2014 as the most vulnerable period of attacks. This notion is supported by the following facts: 

• 2014 is of political importance as general elections are due this year, especially the months of May and June. Past incidents indicate that countries are vulnerable to foreign attacks during the election period. The reason is that the election process shifts the focus of security forces more towards securing polling booths as compared to borders. This is the much needed distraction expected by infiltrators.
• Another fact that stands in support is the ageing of various military equipment such as fighter planes and ships. India’s planes are as old as 40 years and need replacement. They are to retire in 2014 but new planes will take longer to come.
• Adding more to our woes are the hilly and stormed terrains of Indo-China border. There are two major points along the border. In case of emergency, the least expected time Indian forces will take to reach these points are 13 hrs and 5 days (approx) respectively, while the Chinese can make it there in about 3-6 hours!
• The Indo-China relations have hit a new low since the recent events of trespassing and stealing security camera by Chinese soldiers have come to light. It clearly shows that things are going downhill and chances of war are likely.

Indian military experts have been continually warning the government of the conditions at the border, bu it appears that either the government is turning a deaf ear or it is sidelining the matter in view of election campaign.

The experts suggest the following preventive measures:

• The experts advice the government to strengthen its infrastructure along the border as soon as possible. The roads to border are nothing but rocky paths, and the conditions have been such since 1962. Comparing the conditions of India and China during 1962 and now, the article says that though Indians have come a long way, the development is insufficient compared to its peer. India lacks an air force base along the disputed border. On the other hand, China has constructed eight main air force bases along major areas of border, with 14 other small bases, ready to be used for war. Definitely an Infrastructural Revolution is called for India.
• Although our planes are wearing out, there are some very good fighter planes with us which, if used wisely, can turn the winds to our favour.

India celebrates its 66^th Independence Day while war looms in the vicinity, and memories of those dreaded times of 1947 cross my mind, fresh and live. I have immense faith in my people. If and when the time comes, we shall fight together yet again to protect our glory and all that matters. Meanwhile, I pray for peace and strength...Amen. 

Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It is the first installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM).

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Why are our online identities so different from our real ones?

Our world is full of cut-throat competition and we are constantly struggling to be identified. Identity can be termed as an action conscious of itself. It emphasizes the sharing of a degree of sameness or oneness with others in a particular area or at a given point. W. H. Auden aptly quotes "Young people, who are still uncertain of their identity, often try on a succession of masks in the hope of finding the one which suits them, the one, in fact, which is not a mask." It is true that a new personality is incomplete without a new identity. A new identity gives you the opportunity to be someone you always wanted to be. It is a chance to experiment, to fake fame and success. It is an opportunity to quench the desire of being the most popular, rich and famous person you always wanted to be, without any actual consequences.

Our identity in the virtual world greatly differs from our real one because in real life we fear the uninvited judgement of society on every bit of our existence. We fear being criticized or laughed at. The youngsters want to do what’s forbidden and yet remain nameless. They want to breathe free momentarily, even if it is not real. Anonymity is one such weapon which empowers the hesitant to speak and the realistic to dream. One such example is the brutal Delhi rape case. The masses have been using internet as a platform to voice their opinions, loud and clear, and yet staying anonymous. Their voices are echoing throughout the country, shaking every pillar and will do so until justice comes our way.

Even the notorious types wear masks. The destructive minds take the aide of fake identities to target the unaware masses in unethical ways and make them victims of fraud and robbery. There are surplus examples of terrorists and hackers who have used fake names to attack government websites and banks, and stolen precious information. Online identity scams have multiplied in form and name. Recently hitting the headlines is Notre Dame star linebacker, Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend hoax. He reportedly fell for a “catfish” i.e. someone posting fake news of his romantic relationship and death of his girlfriend who never existed! He decided to go along with the wind, mentioning a non-existent girlfriend in interviews, grieving her death. The story definitely made him the top trending term on Twitter and got him Heisman Ranking No. 2 courtesy the unnamed hacker. Such attackers vanish swiftly into the pool of anonymity and are difficult to trace unless a legal action is invoked.

You need not have evil motives for using a fake identity. For some people it is a matter of privacy and avoiding scammers. With growing technology, people, especially teenagers, are becoming more vulnerable. Revealing one’s real self puts one at the risk of exposure and exploitation. There have been numerous cases where young, innocent women meet online friends who turn out to be jerks, and end up molested and trashed. A mask helps one stay protected, be expressive or even flirty without risking physical damage. Even the U.S. Military has purchased software designed to create and control false online personas in an attempt to use social media and other websites to counter anti-U.S. messaging. A hacktivist group named Anonymous follows the concept of all people as unnamed collective. Holding up their fake shared online identity, the members of the group contribute to the society as whistle-blowers against faulting organizations or simply speak their hearts out, something which they hesitate doing in a regular society. Although the group is more famous for cyber attacks, they have also lent a hand in promoting the interests of LGBTs, freedom of speech and protesting against barbarian laws. Masked heroes like Batman and Spider-man saw injustice and fought against it. In a country where corruption is at peak and raising a voice is analogous to playing with fire, all we need are leaders with the likes of our comic heroes.

Anonymity is a coin – its two faces being the real and the fake sides of our existence. On one hand the oppressed use it to make a strong statement while on the other hand the tyrants use it to ensnare the innocent. It is a power vested in your hands to be used as you will. Whether you bait or you liberate is a matter of choice.