Eko ahem, dvitiyo na asti; na bhooto, na bhavishyati.
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Rparvaaz" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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04:45 pm
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Today...
1] Eid mubarak!
2] Happy b'day to M.K. Gandhi, and L.B.Shastri! I am glad you both were born.
3] Y'all with be innundated with posts as I have finished my book for the day and the kids' current fave TV programme just started [Backyard Science]
4] Y'all are invited to share your favourite Gandhi and Shastri anecdotes in comments.
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03:24 pm
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Ooh, cool
Via ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) nhw:
Supreme Court Meme
As evidenced by Katie Couric, Sarah Palin is unable to name any Supreme Court Case other than Roe v. Wade.
The Rules: Post info about ONE Supreme Court decision, modern or historical your lj. (Any decision, as long as it's not Roe v. Wade.) For those who see this on your f-list, take the meme to your OWN lj to spread the fun.
Roe v Wade is out, and nhw wrote about Scott v Sandford.
Which, I'm afraid, leaves me with only two cases from the SCOTUS that I can recall offhand -
Marbury v. Madison, in which the Court declared itself the ultimate arbiter of the US Constitution.
Brown v. Board of Education, in which segregation in public schools was ruled unsconstitutional.
I am relieved, however, to realise that I can recall more of Indian Supreme Court Cases: Golaknath, Keshavananda Bharti, Minerva Mills Case, Maneka Gandhi case, Ak Gopalan, then the Kharak Singh case.
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11:32 am
[Link] | This morning, as I walked to work, the slight nip in the air and the mellow gold of the sunshine sparked off these thoughts:
Ah, the weather is changing...
Hey! The festive season is here...
And then I burst out laughing at my next thought:
Oy! You have been mailing/calling different media outlets for the last ten days, talking about ways we all can ensure happier festivities for the underprivileged!
Current Mood:  festive
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10:31 pm
[Link] | goldenflames would be interested in knowing that the adult Pandavas will make their appearance from October 7.
Krishna finally leaves for Mathura, and Yashoda ruined what should have been one of the most heart wrenching moments of the epic with her godawful screeching and complete lack of histrionic ability. Things are moving along now, even Yuyutsu has made an in-character appearance.
Current Mood:  relaxed
Current Music: Oh Maria
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10:51 pm
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:(
And now Mahendra Kapoor died.
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10:10 am
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The US presidential debate
Apparently McCain thinks that the current Pakistani President is someone called 'Qadari'. Poor Zardari.
McCain also thinks that the 'Pakistanis are going to have to understand that the bombing in the Marriot hotel in Islamabad was a signal from the terrorists that they don't want that government to co-operate with us in combating the Taliban and jihadists element.' I have a feeling that the Pakistani populace understood all this long before that truck exploded in front of Marriott....Let's see, there have been numerous death threats against Mushy, a number of attempts on his life, and all of these were accompanied by messages about punishment for co-operating with the US.
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09:11 pm
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:(
Paul Newman died.
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08:29 pm
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_Krishna_ by Ramesh Menon
I have never read a sadder book or seen a more tortured portrayal of the Avatar who was a mischievous boy, and a playboy, and a master political strategist, and a divine warrior. This Krishna was a classic psychopath, a man given to immense rages and gnawing self-doubt, and strangely enough for an avatara known as the darling of all, a man who was loved by none - not his brother, not his cousin, not even any of his wives. And, if one reads between the lines, a man too cowardly to even tell Radha the truth.
I much prefer K.M. Munshi's portrayal.
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08:46 pm
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Boo!
So the GOI has decided against scrapping sec 377 of the IPC. If that isn't annoying enough, [and really, which idiot thinks that it makes sense to impose standards of Victorian morality on the present Indian populace], they don't even have the guts to come out and say that they are cowardly bigots. Oh no, they have to use a cop-out - [in an annoying nasal whine] Sec 377 of the penal code isn't just about criminalisation of homosexuality but also guards against those with sick minds [read pedophilia]. [end of nasal whine]
What utter nonsense! How hard can it be to rephrase the law to ensure that there is no criminalisation of sexual activities between consenting adults? Honestly, how stupid do they think we are?
Don't answer the last question - I really don't want to know.
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10:37 am
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Hee
This morning I was greeted with a picture of PM Singh valinatly suppressing laughter as he clasped Palin's hand. I wondered what she may have said. TOI tells me. Apparently, she said, "Of course, what he's [McCain] working on, the economic matters, in terms of our nation, impacts India. So it is very important that he deals with those matters."
I am sure PM Singh was enlightened...
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09:22 am
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QQ
So yesterday I found a copy of Ramesh Menon's _Krishna, the life and song of the Blue God_. A few pages into the story, Krishan is born and Vishnu tells Devaki that this is the third time he has been born as her son, and thus the prophecy is fulfilled.
So, looking at the ten avatars, one can assume that Renuka, Kausalya, and Devaki are the incarnations of the same soul. So who was she, and what is the story behind the three births?
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09:42 pm
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MB
Drona was introduced today, and it is a well cast Drona. Someone who *seems* to be a student of Parashuram, someone who was gifted weapons by Lord Shiva. And, most importantly, someone who is bitter and dominated by thoughts of revenge.
And Krishna has kicked off his subversive activities against Indra. Boy, am I glad that the sweet sacharine stuff seems to be over.
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09:40 pm
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This meme thing...
There is this meme going around:
Everyone has things they don't blog about.
Challenge me out of my comfort zone by telling me something I don't blog about, but you'd like to hear about, and I'll write a post about it. Ask for anything: latest movie watched, last book read, political leanings, thoughts on lima beans, favorite type of underwear, some crazy experience, etc.
I don't blog about many things, usually for good reasons. These reasons might range from a desire for privacy to tiredness to have nothing new to say about the subject - they rarely have to do with comfort zones. But if you have questions, ask. :)
I'll answer every question, even if it is with a 'None of your business'. :)What I will not do is blog about it, unless I wish to.
Comments are screened and will remain so unless the commentor indicates otherwise.
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: lazy
Current Music: Ravana's evil laughter
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10:07 pm
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End of an era
The 3 mothers left Hastinapur today, and Bheeshma's optimism is dented beyond repair. He held on for decades, but now, left all alone, he has started the process of withdrawal.
No longer will he invest as much of himself in this new generation, not as he did in the preceeding ones. And they will be poorer for it.
No more will he be certain that his wisdom and counsel will be respected. And slowly, day upon day, year upon year, he will pull pieces of himself away from the public sphere. And the state's politics will suffer because of it.
But, really, well done indeed. It takes rare courage to battle for decades and not let it scar your soul. It takes even rarer courage to accept pain on a daily basis and still not give in to the temptation of bending the rules. And now he will forsake all hope of joy, and live only for responsibility and duty. And he will haunt generations to come through many a millennia...
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10:57 pm
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QQ
I have been indulging in my favourite displacement activities this evening - playing word twist and catching up on international politics in between rounds of the former. And I came across a number of articles on how x percentage of the Americans believe that Obama is a Muslim.
And while I have the articles in detail and know why this is a focus for some commentors and certain Republicans, I can't help my basic reaction : So what? And I find myself wondering if our polity is the same. Iam asking this question because I can incredibly blind sometimes - so do we trust a politician less [okay, stop laughing at the back at the notion of trusting a politician] because he is a Muslim? Was APJ Kalam loved inspite of his religion, or was it not a factor?
Incidentally, the Merkin Presidential race is the most relaxing subject to read about atm.
Oh, and Vir Sanghvi really outdid himself today. He apparently feels that it is wrong to make Shivraj Patil a scapegoat [I am not convinced - the man has to have more uses than being a clothes-horse, and being a scapegoat is as good a use as many others], but that we all *must* demand more accountability from the police and the intelligence agencies. Umm, yes, now how about joining the dots and figuring out which Ministry these agencies are accountable to? Umm...could it be the Home Ministry, and could the person in charge be Mr. Patil.....Uh oh. Well, maybe Vir was too busy with his article on luxury hotels and thread counts in Egytian cotton sheets to draw these lines...'Tis okay, we understand, don't we folks?
Current Mood:  bitchy
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03:19 pm
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Hell, handbasket, stuff
Some days it is hard to look at the news and retain any degree of optimism. Today is one of those days.
Bihar is flooded, Assam is flooded. With the breach of Mahanadi, Orissa is flooded. Gujarat is facing floods. Flood warning have been issued in Punja, Haryana, and Himachal. Heavy rains, melting glaciers, millions displaced, gross shortfall of rescue and rehabitilation efforts and apparatus, and lord alone knows what the food shortage will be like.
Communal violence is on the rise. Trust in the state apparatus at an all time low [MC Sharma lost his life in the shoot out with terrorists on Friday morning, and inhabitants of Jamia Nagar in Delhi still believe the entire encounter was faked or the officer would have worn his bullet proof vest - umm, yes, he wasn't wearing it, perhaps because he rushed to the location from his son's hospital bed, and he *died* after receiving multiple gunshot wounds?].
Kashmir is stirred up again. Or shut down, to be more precise.
Marriott bombing in Pakistan last night was not just immensely impactful [1,000 kgs of explosives, 2/3rds of the hotel caught fire, and the crater at the blast site has to be seen to be believed], but also nearly panic-worthy when taken in conjunction with the economic meltdown and political disarray in the country. If Pakistan implodes, our troubles will multiply manifold. Perhaps the only good news, if it can be called that, is that the truck exploded in front of the hotel and not at the Parliament where Zardari was giving his inaugural address. I am no fan of Zardari's but had the 60 dead been from the Pakistani political establishment, today would have been a different day altogether.
I am going to bed. Call me if there is any good news....
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09:45 pm
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MB fix
Today's epispode was good at 2 points:
The war is declared. Oh, it will be decades before it actually reaches the battlefield but the war is now declared and all is well with my world. :)
And we finally get an explanation for Yudhishthir's losses in the game of dice. He says that when one meets one, they make eleven.... Well, with that kind of a mathematical aptitude, he could hardly be expected to calculate what a winning throw must be....
And Bheeshma...a red tilak on his forehead, a groove in his cheek, oh lordy, I want....
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09:08 pm
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Movies
Watched two today:
_A Wednesday_ : Well made, well directed, great dialogues, great acting by Anupam Kher and Naseerudin Shah. And no songs. I saw the end coming some 45 minutes before it happened, and I approved. I am still conflicted over the last line of the movie, and that, more than anything else, says what a good movie it was. Lots of lovely dialogues too, stuff that made you laugh out loud in midst of the tension. Fr'ex, when an ADC calls the Police Commissioner and says, 'The intelligence has no information, sir', the latter retorts 'Well, that is consistent.'
_Rock on_ : Another good movie, lots of songs, but I guess it'd be hard to make a movie on a rock band without including songs. I cried through the last 20 minutes of the movie and was glad for it. A story of hopes and dreams and passions.
Both are recommended.
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04:09 pm
[Link] | A slice of history
A short report on certain [recently] declassified documents which state the Indian position on NPT and the American reaction to the same. Seemed topical. I especially liked Ambassador Chester Bowles' description of Sarabhai's postion as 'emotional and irrational'. And what was the said position?
Sarabhai stated four requirements, the cable notes. First, was "complete freeze on current posture of nuclear powers", second, "equality of treatment with regard to nuclear explosions, i.e. all nations should be permitted to design and manufacture PNEs [peaceful nuclear explosions] or none should."
Sarabhai also said stronger security guarantees were needed and that there would have to be "non-discriminatory application of safeguards to all signatories."
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10:43 pm
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Hmm
Well, the NSG waiver has come about. And I really didn't expect it.
I am a bit depressed at the thought that we aren't outlaws anymore. I mean, look, when the NSG accepts your statement that you have been responsible in terms of both proliferation and indiscriminate testing, you can't look forward to too many arguments about 'Rogue India which doesn't even sign the NPT and actually has nukes!!!!!'
OTOH, all such arguments are with 'differently informed' Merkins and one can always hope that they are too busy to notice. Hmm. There might be hope after all....
Moving closer home, the Left is being cute. Their spokesman actually said, I kid you not, that they have no idea what the final deal with NSG was all about but it must be a surrender of India's sovereignity and hence it is a day of great shame. BJP, true to itself, forgot to articulate the former but repeated the shame bit.
Also, today Obama got the [moral] support of 1 billion Indians. Every major newspaper quoted his statement to the effect that Pakistan is using US aid to prepare for war with India. I tell you, we just love the dude now.
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