The Indian Moose

Benu Mama

2011-08-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

"Titir, gujiya khaabi?"

....Amar Benu Mama amar kaache gujiya nei sheita dekhte padtona. Boro hoi ami jokhon mama ke bollam je amar gujiya aar pochondo noi, onar kharap to laglo kintu tateo shey shuntona...jaanten je ami kono akta shomai bolbo je "Benu mama, tumi amar jonye mishti niashlena...". Eita chilo amar highlight kolkata trip er shob shomoy. Mama amar jonye mishti niashbe. Jawar dine taaka deben. Raatre bala khawar pode - ice cream, nahole pepsi, nahole aarek round mishti. Aar shei bank theke notun note'er bundle. Ak dom kadak. Tarpor shei carrom er tournament Akrur Dutta lane e......ami Kolkata e jawa maane, Benu Mama khushi je bonji aashbe aar or jonye mishti, kochu, chingri niashahobe. Dokaane niye jawa toh kom chilo, kintu amar shate Benu mama'r khoob jomto. Class 10 e jokhon nombor kom pelaam, shobai dukho peyechilo kintu mama chilo ak jon je amake shahosh diyechilo. Ma golpo bolto je mama amake choto bala te ghum padanor jonye kole dolato aar golpo bolto.

Shei mama aajke chole gelo. Kauke kichu na bole, shobar bhalo kore, shey chole galo. Taar atta jaano shanti paye....

The Hoped End continued....

2011-08-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer : I'd written this in 2007, and I hadn't expected myself to revisit it to continue the story. Until today, when something in me has triggered the breakdown of the writer's bloc. I'll try and continue this story regularly.

Not until recently did Kathy know what she wanted. It was time to move on. It had to be. That's how things play out in the larger scheme of life. This time she was sure. All those things in the past had held her back for too long. She'd missed out on her favorite plays, her favorite musicals, her friends, her family and most of all...no that was not an option anymore. All because she couldn't decide whether things were headed the right direction. Or for that matter, if they were in deed right for her. She knocked on her dad's door. Her father, a retired army man in his 60s, looked up from his book, smiled at her hoping, like everyday for the past year, that this would be the day his daughter would come out of that unwanted shell.

"I'm going to move out dad." Mr. McDowell was not expecting that. He'd hoped for her to get back to her normal self but this was drastic. He sat there awestruck. She couldn't look straight at him, she looked seemingly having said that. "I'm going to go to New York and stay with April for a while", she continued. "She's studying film at NYU and I want to do something like that I think. I can always find a job in New York and help out with the expenses and things like that." "What about your mom", Mr. McDowell didn't even realize that's what he'd said. "That...unfortunately will have to be your work. I don't think I'll have the heart to tell mom that I want to move out, especially after what she's done for me this past year. You are going to...". "But do you realize what this is going to do to her?" "have to handle her. She's not going to like it, but it is what it is right now". The two of them had always somehow managed to talk at the same time. The cuckoo's clock and Mrs. McDowell's gentle knock on the door, signaled it was time to lunch in this quite little house in suburban Ohio that had lost all its charm a year back. Father and daughter followed Mrs. McDowell. Kathy kept glancing at her dad with a look that oozed out "Handle it, please".

But there was something else that didn't seem in place at the table. Denise had started to eat. She'd forgotten to say grace. In all of her 25 years, Kathy had never seen her mom forget to say grace. There was something going on.......

Shreya

Does cricket define India's patriotism?

2011-04-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

I've loved cricket for ever. But of late, it has left a certain disgust in my mouth. Not because I hate the game, but because I hate the effect it has on the country. Every time there is a cricket match, the country comes to a stop. Stores are closed, people go back home early, housewives make sure they are done with their chores so that they are uninterrupted, and so on and so forth. During the World Cup, I seriously questioned whether my friends were working for Cricinfo through Facebook cause their updates sure alluded that way; every ball was on Facebook, every run, every dive, every move, every scream on the pitch. First we beat Australia, then we beat Pakistan which was nothing short of us declaring that we were the best anywhere and everywhere. And then came the epic win. Some places even declared a holiday the following Monday after our win. Indian patriotism was at an all time high

Along came Anna Hazare, a silent crusader against corruption in India, whose movement rose to national attention after he started a "fast unto death" to pressurize the Indian government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill; an anti-corruption law. When it first started, everyone was glad something was being done towards eradicating corruption. Updates about who Anna Hazare was, what he is trying to do, everyone was on the ball. And then...., it began to die out. The familiar "Arre, kuch toh hoga, kuch toh karenge, fir se wohi haalat pe utar aaenge", began. Now, no more updates. No more every second update on what the government is doing towards this Bill. No more snarky updates about what should happen. All that support......gone. Everyone was "attending" all these events; only to follow through. But Sachin videos can float around all the time. Of his 21 year journey. You know, its important. Its a great win

People asked if Chennai Super Kings won, not if the Prime Minister had yet set up a talk with Anna. IPL 4 is sure to take over talks now. Which brings me back to my question - is cricket the heart and soul of Indian patriotism? I have brought this up a lot of times with friends, only to see hatred towards me in their eyes, as to why I am questioning their "patriotism".

I will question it. And I will leave you to wonder if I have asked an invalid question....Have I ?

Shreyasee

Don't Judge me by my opinion

2011-03-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

It might seem odd that I've made a statement like that. In all seriousness, don't judge me by my opinion. I mean opinions change. They have to right? You let a person change. Let the opinion change too.

Case and point : The current World Cup. Facebook updates are filled with a topsy turvy of opinions. "Yay, the way India is going, we are going to the finals". Ten seconds, eleven seconds, twelve seconds.....A minute (You get my drift). "Come on, men in blue. Can you not do one thing right??" Stars around my head. What happened a while back? Of course, this is to be blamed on the fact that this is always the case with the Indian team and all the blahs that follow along. But I thought changing opinions was hypocritical?

So here's to not judging an individual on their opinions. To those have believed in something, and have in the course of their thought process decided to change their belief and failed to acknowledge it, feel free to stand with your chin up.

After all- its just an opinion

Shreyasee

Guns on Campus

2011-03-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted the title to be a snarky one, but my linguistic abilities failed me given the nature of the topic I am about to divulge in. Recently, the State of Texas (Happy Belated Birthday State of Texas) has proposed to allow guns on campus, on educational institutions' premises. Of course, since we are dealing with the Red State, it is highly likely that this law is going to pass.

Fortunately though, debates have taken place to attempt to give this law a justified (loosely used) existence of sorts. Here's where I stand. I am all for not having guns on campus. It's just going to someday make my parents lose their only daughter. I have an affinity to attract trouble towards me, and I can see myself dying because of a shooting on campus. Someone said that responsible people own guns. Ya, hence so many people died in Columbine, and VA Tech and little Christina Taylor-Green and poor Gabrielle Giffords suffering ; cause they were being targeted by "responsible" people. How, how tell me is it justified to have guns on campus? I am horrified. I am losing the ability to articulate at this point, that's how horrified I am. Added security if there is a shooter on campus? Imagine what the scene is going to be. Civil War Re-enactment if you asked me. Fires shot everywhere and more innocent people dying.

Your probability of death by a bullet goes up when this law is passed. Your probability of an undergraduate threatening you with a gun to increase his grades since he wasn't happy with them goes up. Your probability of being in the middle of a silly shootout increases. Your probability of committing suicide because of course load will increase. Your handle on sanity will decrease. Your handle on reality will decrease. Your handle on rationality will decrease.

I am scared .....

The Art of Bargaining...in India

2011-03-02T03:25:00.000-08:00

If you are from India, then bargaining is an integral part of your existence. Exaggeration? Probably not. Any city I have been to I have always been advised to profusely bargain...like there's no tomorrow. Be it Linking Road in Mumbai, New Market in Kolkata, General Bazaar or Charminar in Hyderabad.

If you are not aware of this, it is one of those things that could make or break your shopping reputation. "Maathe pe buddhu likha hai kya? 4 rupaiy se zyaada hargiz nahi doongi?" To which the seller could reply two ways " Deneka daam bolru madam" or "5 rupaiy madam". All for a pair of kaajal that costs 3 rupees each. One might argue that even that was overpaying.

I have seen mom, aunts, friends scorn upon me when I give in easily. My mom had reduced the price of a handbag in New Market from 100/- to 50/- . What is hilarious is the drama that ensues. The seller cries foul, the buyer attempts to do the same, the buyer decides to walk away, the seller follows the buyer and 70% of the times will seal the deal at say 55. Of course then I hadn't realized that 50 bucks was high too, but humor me.

This time in Bombay (Mumbai, whatever suits your boat) I was pleasantly surprised to see myself even attempting to haggle. I brought down the pair of really pretty earrings from 250/- to 100/-. Proud of my bargain, I began to look confident as I strolled with Sriram, who himself was quite surprised with my efforts. "Do din ka khaana chin gaya usse," he made sure he pointed out. Only to stop at another store merely 500 ft selling the same exact identical pair of earrings for 100 bucks. Aiyyo moment. Learning experience. Chin up. General Bazaar in Hyderabad definitely proved better, since all I kept saying was - "Udhar mereko isse kam ko dere, aap log mereko lootne ki koshish kaiko karre?(The other store is selling for less, you better give me a better deal)" Though I would like to boast that said attempt worked 100% of the time, it didn't since the sellers aren't kacche khiladi(novices) either.

So how do you perfect it? Can you in fact perfect it? Can we model it (the paper hungry in me asketh) ? I mean sure people have worked on it before, but for some reason I don't think it can beat what experience can teach you.

Oh well - there's time ;)

The oblivion of rebel

2011-01-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

I have always wondered what it is like to be a rebel. When I say rebel, I mean doing something that is not expected of you. I was always expected to do well in school, to be in academics, to get a PhD. It was understood. Shreyasee/Titir will do what she sets her mind to. I wanted to be a journalist when I was in high school, my friends are still perplexed why I didn't go through with it. Like I said, it was just expected.

I've never experienced that supposed "high" from being a rebel. The fact that I stopped learning the piano, the fact that I went on to do economics is considered being a rebel. I am one heck of a wasted talent, consensus has been reached.

Now when I want to go back to pursue something, is it really a sign of failure? Or someone's honest desire to get back to something she's always liked it? Is it really too late?

Happy Independence Day

2010-08-14T12:24:00.001-07:00

On this day, since we are so content with all of this - do nothing against

female infanticide
honour killing
price rise
domestic abuse
rapists going scott free
farmers committing suicide
children not getting basic education
religion over sanity
rich becoming richer, poor becoming poorer
going back to princely states

Happy Independence Day. Being content is living well and hence we are.

I tried and I made it!

2010-02-21T14:43:00.000-08:00

"....people stood in line to charge their mobile phones", he said. I didn't I had tears until the talk ended. I am not going to write on this since it is better you watch the videos. Please do watch both the videos.

Necessity is the mother of invention

Shreya

P.S. Thanks Vikram for sharing

Facebook

2010-02-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

Simpler times - University of Houston was on the waiting list of schools to get access to Facebook. And when it did, we had to strictly use UH email. Imagine the number of people flocking to the IT dept to start using their UH email. Good times..

I used to be one of those fanatics who made sure they could tell everyone what was going on, finding every one of my friends on there, following them (no not stalking them). I liked facebook.

And then .... it got complicated. It became this myriad of quizzes, of farmville, of fishville (god give extra time to these people, since they know not that they have sinned), of mafiawars, of craziness. And I began to detest it. It is an addiction - an inelastic demand that I am trying to turn into an elastic one, if only that were possible, considering I am in grad school.

Facebook has A.D.D.- what happened to it being a social network place- now its so ANNOYING, to say the least. Everyday its layout changes. Everyday its privacy stuff changes. Everyday its new. Everyday I check it I go I miss the old facebook.

I really do. I used to hope for a better interface, and look what I got. Please Mark Zuckerberg , please don't make any more changes. Please. I am tired of hiding friends, and hiding quizzes and random smiles I get from people.

Please please please - pretty please

Little Things....

2010-02-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

Chatting endlessly with friends helps you realize stuff, and then, of course like it were planned, we return to the routine we whine about. A routine in itself one might say.

Kartik was struggling to find a topic the other day for one of his articles. Of course, I am of no help, but did criticize him for writing something, for lack of a better word, oh so serious. Toyota recall something something it was.

Frankly, I am so tired of reading these things (sorry TK). We are so consumed by all of this, its plain ridiculous. Death here, corruption there. Recall here, bonus there. Granted these are important things. Granted these are things that are part of that happiness we all yearn for. But would it kill someone to write something, happy? Like how they spent the day on the porch drinking coffee, reading a book and enjoying that down time. I am sure the editor wouldn't like something like this, but you get the feel of it. I can't think good thoughts anymore, for fear of them being crumpled by future bad incidents. Must be prepared for anything, and thus ruin that little peace . Anil, was to say the least, frustrated with this line of thinking- "Can't you be happy for once- happy for no reason to add onto that?" I paused for a moment, in shock to add to that, cause I never thought that I was doing something wrong. It was natural, it was the way one should think. That what if was already in my line.

We are so consumed by these, at least I know I am, that we work towards avoiding something that might happen, versus working towards that simplicity we've been cribbing about since lord knows when.

Yours truly, will go back to the routine within a couple of time units(unspecified cause I don't want to give you false hope). But here's to at least trying....

Children on Children's Day

2009-11-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

That children are the citizens of tomorrow- is an oft repeated phrase in a speech a child gives on Children's Day. In fact, yours truly is guilty of starting this post with it. International Children's Day is celebrated on June 1, and Children's Day in India on November 14th of every year. While usually it is a day celebrating children and their innocence, it is also a day that one is reminded of the numerous kids that are exempt of the privileges that some of us have so shamelessly misused.

Here's my crib. Why remember them on the day that's meant to be theirs? The rest 364 days, forget about them or don't give them that much attention. In no means is it a generalization, there are lots of people who have devoted their lives to ameliorate the kids' lives, but they too go unnoticed until its Children's Day. Remember the dead when they died is it? News websites in India flash reports about malnourished children in rural India, the sorry state of affairs prevailing all their life, that money directed to uplift them often fails to even be heard of.

Where do we go from here? Feel sorry for them on the day we are meant to think about them and then go back to our business of doing petty chores that we so relentlessly run behind? Or do something that will in deed be of help? Where do we go from here....

Here's a nice TedTalk I stumbled upon today...Sort of connected...but not I suppose, either or its a good talk

What to do...

2009-11-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

Being selfless is often a virtue human beings desire others to possess, but not something they would easily picture themselves having. Sadly, this wasn't the case with her. It was unthinkable for her to be selfish, even if it meant doing something she knew was detrimental to her in the long run. In fact, it was the opposite in this case, her friends yearned for her to be selfish.

It was hard to decipher her. Putting herself first before making a decision wasn't ever the right thing to do, every time she thought about it, there was an impending guilty feeling in her conscience that made her step back. She'd struggled hard enough to make everyone happy, never hoping for a return. But it wasn't enough...people had higher expectations for her every step of her life. Was it because they thought she was capable of doing it or they were vicariously living through her life was indeed debatable...

So what should a girl like this end up doing...Wait for someone to tell her how to change her life or in fact make her own decision...

Abandon sex the TV way

2009-07-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: Dad, if you are reading this, sorry, but you know I had to write about this, its stupid how these people think. There goes creative thinking down the drain- and hence I never adopted it.

Agreed. We've got a population problem in India. Increased population leads to increased pressure on the economy, on the food chain, such and such. Clearly, you can see I am least bothered about the population problem by itself.

Indian Health Minister, Ghulam Naqbi Azad, in an interview about ways to reduce increase in population has said that heightened viewing of television, especially in rural India, will reduce the production of babies. Firstly, LOL at that. (Daddy, LOL=laugh out loud). I mean really, seriously, really? Where did you come up with that Mr. Azad?

I quote him here- "Television has one great benefit above all... if electricity reaches every village people will watch television late into the night and will have no time to produce babies. I would believe 80% of birth control be taken care of by television." Again, LOL. Imagine the plight of the birth control pill companies, even worse poor I-pill was just launched. How will it survive?

Obvious outrage in me, hence the lack of coherence. Someone asked me, what channels will be shown to these people- I say GOOD QUESTION. Now answer that Mr. Azad. Please do not show them something equivalent to the History Channel, cause then they might as well, spend time having sex, and if there's something on TV that's useful(in every sense of the word), then more incentive for them to check it out (;)). I mean learn stuff from TV if you wish to. TV as birth control, yea right.

So all those villages eagerly waiting for electricity, its coming, cause Mr.Azad thinks it will give you something to do. :D Sure it will...

Good Will Hunting

2009-06-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

The human race is an odd species. Half its time goes away trying to contemplate the possibilities of maintaining reputation. We are so consumed by what our place in society is, what it will be, we forget who we are. Some would argue that this is not a bad thing necessarily, after all its the survival of the fittest. But take a step back and think about it- is it really worth it? We are in a constant struggle to be someone people want us to be, or what people expect us to be, what we think people expect from us, what will it take to be us? Imagine a world where everyone was exactly who they were- would it really be that easy and playful to live in?

I watched Good Will Hunting for the 'n'th time today and the last scene without Matt Damon finally made sense. He could have been what he was being sculpted into by a frustrated Math professor. But he knew what he wanted. Sure its a Hollywood story, but in retrospect it could be our life...It really isn't about others, it's about us as an individual.

Life has become about others, while death the individual....odd ...

Death...

2009-04-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This is going to be a very depressing article, both due to the content and due to the fact that it was written on a weekend (great choice of day there). So reading along is totally up to your discretion. And no I am not suicidal, this is just a post.

Last Monday I woke up with an odd feeling- that this was going to be my final week on Earth. My final week to live. And then full stop. Period. Done. That's it, I wouldn't have to wake up in the morning, I wouldn't have to think about what was to be done, make an agenda, procrastination would have no consequences, I wouldn't have to be answerable to anyone, I wouldn't to worry about keeping people happy...oh the number of 'I didn't'-s and 'I wouldn't'-s that I could come up with....

Oddly enough, I wasn't sad or concerned about it. It almost seemed like a relief. I think the rationale behind it was that no matter what we do in life, and no matter if we achieved the fame we all yearned for, one had to die someday with or without that fame, with or without that knowledge. Hence, not a big deal. I sat down thinking to myself how life, in reality, was too long. On average, we live to about 70 years these days. Sure there are exceptions. But we can't help admit that life expectancy has increased. And yet, we seem so concerned about life being too short. I mean how much more time do you need to figure out your life. If you haven't done things by then, you won't do it anymore.

We are scared of death- no doubt about that. And living with that fear, we ruin every ounce of potential fun we are entitled to, or at least think we are entitled to. Almost seems like, things we do are to avoid death. That we know of its existence, should technically make it simpler for us to live, not complicated to the core. That knowledge should in fact just let us live...not die while living...

Gmail Blog

2009-03-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Call me a nerd, call me jobless call me whatever, but one of my things during leisure time ( err ok all the time) is to make sure I am up to date with the newest things on none other than GMAIL. I have to visit the gmail blog everyday to see if there are new updates to the mail system and of course I try and implement. Sometimes I wonder if gmail failed, what would happen to my daily routine.....err lol!!

As I contemplate over that, visit the gmail blog and be amazed

.....

2009-02-25T22:11:00.000-08:00

She knew it wasn't going to get better. That feeling was the worst ever. When disappointment... being led off track was tangible. But what could she do? There was no way out. Even if there was, there wasn't enough courage in her to do what she wanted to do, or to at least even acknowledge that it wasn't what she wanted to do.

She'd seen her family spiral down. A little too fast. Domino effect. Better than before. A start she could pin point but was it worth it? An end- none possible? Was it worth thinking about....She'd given up a lot, or at least that's what she thought. It would take a lot more to make her life seem worthwhile.

Was that all she cared about, to get that attention she yearned for? She was one of those people that couldn't do without people. Had to be the center of attention, if she wasn't she found a way to sorta find her place there. She was living someone's life. That was certain. She knew it, acknowledged it. But she didn't have the courage to change it. It wasn't fair to her....it wasn't fair for anyone....

It was the best anyone could do....It was the best she had always known....Its the best she'll always know.....

At a loss for.....

2009-02-10T14:32:00.000-08:00

Delhi-6 promises to be a good movie, inspiring as well. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra after all. You start with one video, and proceed to another one; you know that vicious chain of videos you get sucked into on Youtube. So my next video "happened" to be the trailer for Rang de Basanti- that movie that was thought provoking, that was off-beat, that made you think who you were as part of a country, of any country for that matter.

Of course my immediate reaction was to start blogging from what I saw in the RDB trailer- "A Generation Awakens". Myth I say it is. When 26/11 took place, when India was in shock, it seemed it would be the trigger to do something different, and not sit back. Sure we aren't sitting back, but ask yourself if we have in fact done something. Pakistan has not yet accepted involvement in the massacre. The dossier has had no significant impact on either government, it literally is a dossier. Plans were made in Bangladesh, now in Europe...apparently. In all of this, we have the Satyam scandal. The defining fall of India's IT sector in the world. Merryll Lynch backing out, so many clients insulted.

And in the heart of the country, that of the citizens- nothing has changed. We sit back and analyze; rage against those responsible, rage against the government has known no bounds for a while, but all in the coziness of the chair at home, in front of the TV. A two year old is raped in Bombay. Common, what can we do. Mangalore assaults. Horrendous. Let's send Pink Chaddis to the guy, Hindu Talibanization. Conduct certificates for single girls if they want to rent an apartment in Bangalore. Brilliant. Dawood trying to kill Qasab. We have all the news, we do zilch. It will all die out. I am waiting for it.

Half of us are sitting here in the US hoping things are better back home. In the mean time, we can take advantage of the exchange rate while it lasts and make fun of the falling capitalism. Job search isn't going the right way....well there's always India to go back to. And the other half in India too scared to change the status-quo. True you can't blame them because anti-social elements have taken the best of their thinking abilities. For that matter, non anti-social elements as well. Barkha Dutt pulled a brilliant stunt on a blogger, since she didn't like what was said. And she calls herself a journalist. A journalist who prides herself in the quality of work she has put forth over the years. Tell me this Barkha, wouldn't it have been easier for you to write something about that instead of pulling all the legal logistics, asking the blogger to apologise. So much for the freedom of speech you so dearly cherish and you so dearly derive your living out of.

Why has this gotten easier for us to accept? Thomas Friedman had written that our generation is Generation Q- Q for Quiet. We shout, we write, we debate, we blog, but in the end we are quiet, its better that way, we are in that infinite loop of leisure and ease that gets us nowhere.

Yours truly takes full responsibility of being in Gen Q. What will it take to change us in reality?

My bailout s'il vous plait

2009-02-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

If there is one word that the GRE/TOEFL is not going to ask this year and the coming years, it's BAILOUT. Everyone knows what it means, after all it has spread its horizon throughout the world now.

Off late, every time I sit down to read the newspaper, I wait in anticipation of news about bailout. Who's next? Another financial institution, more likely than not....Social Security is definitely down the drain by the time I get old enough to be able to claim it.

Where is my bailout please?

Where is she now?

2009-01-26T10:29:00.001-08:00

If you know me well, this post will come as a surprise. And let me know if what is in this post is not justified. I am guessing most of you have taken the time out to read the article and have already made a mental picture of what I am about to write. Sure, I am going to write about where this lady is. I do not care that she has a name, I do not care that she got to the US. All I care is I have been in this situation, still am, and have seen what it can do.

"Obama a messiah for Chennai family", that's what the headline read. Since the Obama wave has taken over places and people, yes moi aussi, I read the article, only to end up baffled.

I remember this person applying for a visa to get here to the US so that he can see his only daughter graduate with a bachelor's degree. Only she knows what she went through those three years, those three that she so desperately wants to forget. But sure enough he was denied visa, why - no points for guessing- cause he was a potential immigrant. Yes, his daughter was an American citizen, and yes his wife was here as well, sure that made him an immigrant, a potential one might I add. So he has never been able to set foot into the US ever since then. This to a man, who left the US in '86, has been to the US at least three times ever since then. So no brownie points for being here and leaving, nope! It made him a potential immigrant nonetheless. So would it have helped for his daughter or his wife to have sent a letter to the Congressmen in-charge then and seen if it had helped? Would it have been fair to beg for an entry to this country? Should I judge and say that because of this I had to go through graduation without my dad? Or should I just sit back and say, I guess I deserved it.

The article very sweetly failed to mention where this said lady is right now- India or the US? I wonder why........She wanted to come here for her son's house-warming ceremony, and she did. What wrong had my dad done to visit me for my graduation? That he didn't beg to get here, and held up his pride?

I want to know where she is. I want to know how many people here are NOT potential immigrants.

Written on the 25th of January, 2009

November 26th, 2008

2008-12-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

Written on the 1st of December, 2008

San Diego Harbor mesmerized us. We were deprived of this in Houston. All of us in our own world, pondering life as it came. Until that phone call. Taj and Oberoi under seige, ATS chief Karkare dead. Terrorists in control over south Bombay. 900 TCS employees warned not to get out. Hostage situation on the rise, point and shoot not a misnomer anymore. This was all the updates we got, sneaking in updates from CNN about the situation in Bombay. Every chance we got, we heard something new, and then we were disgusted.

Frantic phone calls were made. Non bombaites in India had no clue to the unfolding events in Bombay. I called up my dad, only to awake him from his good night slumber and inform him about the situation. His first reaction- Don't worry its nothing. When I filled him up with details, he realized we had friends in that area and decided to check up on then. He called me back, thank whoever, nothing had happened to them. All our friends and family had been contacted.

We were back in downtown San Diego.

And then it was the usual. Analyze. Analyze what happened, what could have been done to prevent it, what should have been done even if there were obstacles, the usual wouldas-couldas-shouldas! Who was at fault, who claimed responsibility? Did the Indian Intelligence have prior information? Whose fault was it? How many people dead? Why isn't NDTV updating their website? Are you seriously telling me that this is headline/frontpage news on CNN, NYTimes? What is going on? Can someone let us know please? Damn the government!

Oh oops, did I just say government? That thing that is meant to protect us, that thing that we as citizens (those who vote (willingly to add onto that)) elect to power. We transcend into that word the minute we run out of options to blame someone. In this case, lets just blame...I give up. I don't know whom to blame cause we have so many of them in question. It took 9 hours for the commandos to arrive. Are you KIDDING me? 3 full days of sustained encounter. We did zilch. We sent in local policemen with pistols as reinforcements, when the opponent had AK-47s. Plain brilliant. We decide what to do after we get there, not while we are getting there. What happens in situations like these, does anyone think through or does everyone just go with instinct?

Do we have the right to analyze this sitting all the way here in the US? Is it just because it’s easy to blame it on human instinct that we analyze? We talk about things being bad back home, and we do this while we enjoy fruits here. The government should learn something from its foreign counterparts. Aren't we escaping from something? What it is I don't know either, but it seems like we'd much rather be here than there, at least for the moment. Think about it. We worry, we panic, we can't do a thing. We go back to doing what we are supposed to do, considering that's what we planned on when we took that flight to the US.

It's the same thing back home, you tell me. Sure it is. Which makes the situation all the more repulsive. I remember I got into a huge argument with my father and his friend about how cowardly a portrayal we drew, when all we did was sit at home and analyzed a wrong doing. A friend once told me, if you don't vote, you don't have a voice. I couldn't agree more. I know a lot of people in India, who inspite of being able to vote, have not voted. Lazy, irresponsible, self-centered citizens. Sorry, but its true. Its easy to analyze at home and think about the do's and don't's, its apparently very difficult to get yourself to the polling station.

We can sit down and analyze all we want. 5 terrorists (reportedly) still loom large in Bombay. Terrorizing the city as they breathe. What happened in Bombay was sheer pathetic. India's 9/11 they call. A black mark on what mankind believes. And yes the government failed once again. It failed to do what it vouches for- protect its citizens. It failed to get help as soon as possible. It failed at the nick of time, because it was too busy playing politics. It turned down Israel's crackdown team. It turned down help- what was it protecting? The non-existant ego? Not everything is IT. India shining is long gone. IT won't save us from what happened on that night of 26th November 2008. Nuclear deals won't save us from that either. Blaming everyone except your own work won't as well. When time came to act, everyone resigned. Resigned cause that was the easiest thing to do. Get someone new to handle and blame. Of course, the previous leaders go back to doing what they do best- NOTHING.

But Mr. Deshmukh did make sure to visit Ram Gopal Verma for a possible movie. I love Bollywood.

Not one straight story as to what happened that night. Not one. All sporadic information.

San Diego, in all its beauty, was somber, until we let that fade away.

A decision

2008-10-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

When it comes to decision making, I am the last person one should contact. The number of "I guess"es you will hear in the conversation will leave you more flustered than before. Having said that, what happens when I find myself in such a situation? One such situation being the upcoming elections on the 4th of next month. One of the hardest things a voter is faced with is making the "right" choice. A very subjective right choice, but nonetheless, a right choice in the bigger frontier. I would like to believe that my thinking has changed from when I was 18 and voted that year (the 2004 elections), but then again with what guarantee. In short, I am faced with a decision to make on the 4th of November.

As we all are aware, the election hoopla started as early as Nov 06, so early that people took a step back to think as to when the elections were in reality. Over the past year and a half, we've seen everything in the political scenario- none that we are unfamiliar with. I myself have been a part of this chaos, attending campaign visits made by Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton, and quite recently, listening to all the debates.

You go into these things with a clear mind, until you have a conversation with someone opposing you and forcing you to question your own views. What happens then? You know you are wavering in your understanding, but how sternly can you stand your ground? I can get convinced easily, usually not on issues like these, but yes, I start to waver a little. I could blame it on the two party system in the US, urging for a need for moderacy, but who's listening? So I vote. I vote to make myself heard, however, with a catch in my head. Would it have been better off me not voting, rather than jeopardizing the decision? The Swing Voters' Curse is a paper that talks about how undecided voters should abstain from voting. I wouldn't consider myself undecided but a little confused (Wonder what's different). November 4th, I will make a decision, a decision that we'll have to stick with for at least four years.

In the broader prospect of it all, its great when someone else makes the decision for you, but oh well I am sure I will have a post to write about when that is the case.

Thank you Terezia for this

USA ( It might not be a post for all of you)

2008-09-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

This country does something to you. It makes you appreciate loneliness. Most of us are surrounded by friends and family here, but when its time to turn off the lights, you realize how alone you are... Someone the other day pointed at the noise of silence in this country. Though most of us laughed his comment off, I realized how right and how honest he was. A lot of us yearn for a support group, just to get us through the day. Face it, we are all in that situation. You could argue that it isn't country specific, but somehow it seems so.

And then of course the want to stay back here. We all come here thinking we'll stay here for a while and then go back, but then the fact that you begin to appreciate the independence you have, the self confidence you have harnessed here, the loneliness that doesn't eat you up anymore, all add up to you being a hypocrite to your own fundamentals. I have personally seen so many people say- I am going back- only to return to me a couple of months, not years, but months later and say- No one wants to leave this place- if its a genuine thing, fine. But do not use it as a defense mechanism because it's purpose is evident. I can't stand it when I come across these situations. And I can't stand it when people ask me what I will be doing- whether I will be staying here or whether I will be going back to India. If you can't figure it out on your own, don't try and figure it out through me and my thoughts; nothing's stopping me from classifying that as a sadistic view. Decipher what you want to do by what you want in life, not by what others want in life. Its disgusting when you do that.

So yes, this country does something to you ( if I may repeat). Can we get away from it is the question? I haven't seen anyone do so, and I don't think it will change for a while.

Presidential Debate-I

2008-09-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Presidential Debates kicked off last night at the University of Mississippi. To say the least, everyone was watching. Viet and I weren't exceptions to the everyone clause either, cause what better else can bored economics graduate students do on a Friday night.

Background: Viet and I have known each other for a very long time now, considering we both did our undergrad from UH and from economics. While I am still at UH, Viet ran away to MSU. But we still chat- a lot! And I mean A LOT!!!! So we decided to chat about the debate live, cause both of us are quite iffy when it comes to the memory issue. Midway through the chat we decide to put it on my blog, because we are that bored and want to be amused by god knows what. So here it is: You can be offended, you can laugh at it, you can laugh at our chats, but do not question are views, cause trust me both of us were LIVE BLOGGING and we were bored. [I figure I won't be able to use the BORED excuse for quite some time]. Have fun!

8:01 PM me: ok debate time

yay! debate!!!

8:02 PM Viet: oh lord

question, what's the point of suspending campagine activities???

8:03 PM me: hahahaha

8:04 PM Viet: i mean, the RNC was scaled way back due to hurricane, i can somewhat see the point

me: :D

8:05 PM Viet: what???

me: http://www.youtube.com/experiencewii

8:08 PM hez not answering the queston???!?!?!

Viet: that's a total sonic the hedgehog rip-off

me: yea

true that

8:09 PM Viet: he didn't answer a question???

me: no

as in

he kept saying bt how he went to Washington and stuff

the guy asked him where dyu stand about the gloabl fina issue

and thats what he said

8:10 PM Viet: wtf???

8:11 PM wth does normandy has to do w/ anything??

me: PRECISELY

obama's kicking his butt

he needs to realize that

8:12 PM Viet: hahaha mccain isn't patriot enough

me: BRILLIANT

Viet: he aint got an american flag pin on

me: hehehhehehehe

8:13 PM Viet: hey do u know how i can get an absentee ballot??

8:14 PM me: hmm good question

donno though

lets research this

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml

there u go

research done

Viet: huh???

8:15 PM what does gov spending and the financial crisis has to do w each other??

me: lessee

because the govt doesnt spend enuff we have a fin crisis

or because they spend we have a fin crisis

8:16 PM i dont think mccain noes what hez talking about

Viet: mccain is going w the second

me: ok

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/26/america/26campaign.php

brilliant

8:18 PM REALLY??????

oh lord

he doesnt know what hez talking

8:19 PM Viet: obama's geting pissed

me: yea.....

brb

dinner time

8:20 PM lets hope obama isnt pissed too much

hez being more assertive though

Viet: k

me: mccain's taking it lightly

17 minutes

8:37 PM Viet: let's count how many time mccain says he can cut spending

8:38 PM or miss congeniality

me: i was just about to type that

8:39 PM Viet: hahhaa

me: hahahah amy mom says

why is he saying eeraq instead of eyeraw

Viet: lessons of iraq, i can cut spending

me: eyeraq*

my*

Viet: what strategy??

me: :D

8:40 PM some strategy

i am gonna post our chat on this on the blog

Viet: it's the no strategy that is our strategy

me: precisely

Viet: do it

me: oh there we have patraeus again

we aren't winning in Iraq

8:41 PM Viet: mission accomplished

b/c mission is accomplished

me: ok ew are gonna count "fundamental difference" as well

htere you go

ok seems like i am biased

but seriosuly when mccain said that we shud cut govt spedning and blah blah

8:42 PM i wanted to scream out- ur party's the one that spent on 2 wars in 8 years

i mean seriously

$10 BILLION a MONTH!!!

waaaattT????!?!?!?!?

Viet: wow

i wish i got 10 billion a month

me: or for the rest of my life

Viet: i dont think i could spend all of it fast enough

8:43 PM me: that decision hez already made

100 year war :D

8:44 PM uh oh

obama's in trouble

no wonder obama was harvard law review president

he knows how to talk

8:45 PM Viet: burn!!!!!!

me: I KNOW!!!!!

Viet: wrong wrong wrong

hahahahaa

me: wrong what?

8:46 PM Viet: whatever, there was stop loss orders

me: so how come patraeus only invited him and that other dude?!?!

Viet: ^ on soldiers re-enlisting for iraq

me: and no democrats

err wad does that mean

ok this chat is awesome ;)

8:47 PM Viet: stop loss order = active military cannot leave military

me: :O

really!!!

damn!

Viet: mean, if ur time was up, u had to stay

me: uh huh

Viet: yea

really :O

8:48 PM me: precisely- afghanistan is so screwed because of us

Viet: why is he smiling??

me: mccain?

Viet: yea

me: i think your transmission is faster than mine

wtf!

8:49 PM Viet: no he's been grinning for the last 5 minutes

me: hahahahahah

that way

damn

obama is a debater

oh fuck!!!!!!!

Viet: yea

me: hahahahahahahahahahahah

Viet: he's a lawyer, right??

oh fuck what??

me: osama and patraeus have one thing in common

SERIOSULY???!?!??!

Viet: oh i missed that

me: iraq is a battleground is a common thing

hehehehehe

8:50 PM military questions are tricky

you could fal into a trap

and yes obama is a lawyer

primarily

8:51 PM Viet: burn!!!!!

double burn!!!!

me: i know

damn hez gainin strength

8:52 PM he actually worked this

out

ooo poppy trade

bush is working towards shutting/cutting down that trade in inida

Viet: i wonder if intrade has anything for the debate

me: i think it does, because of that whole tie up with global financial crisis thing

:O :O :O :O :O

did he just say that

8:53 PM the whole russia and afghan thing

we've always instated the people we go back and fight against

8:54 PM Viet: didn't we just fire into pakistan a few days ago??

8:55 PM me: YES :D

precisely

8:56 PM the new guy in pak is going to be back stabber

Viet: who/??

me: zardari

8:57 PM awesome

musharraf

failed state?

really?

Viet: what happened to musharraf??

me: he resigned before he was impeached

Viet: oh

hahaha

8:58 PM me: :D

Viet: is he the one that was on the dailyshow a few years ago, promoting his book or something??

me: errr dont think so

8:59 PM Viet: ok, wrong guy then

me: http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200708/r166954_621046.jpg

this dude

Viet: yea, he was on the daily show

me: oh ok

i missed it then

hez so making up these stories

its evident

9:00 PM Viet: hahahaha

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=114685&title=pervez-musharraf-pt.-1

9:01 PM me: not now

its debate time ;)

with chat though :P

9:02 PM did we have to say that about subcommittee?

9:03 PM YAY!!! TIME!!!!

HOLOCAUST????

9:04 PM really?????????

Viet: oh we let it happened, think of africa

me: ok so now we go to Russia- preventing work at the UN

no no

i am saying how loosely that word is used now

hahahahaah

McCain- Iranians have a lousy govt

I am sure they are saying the same thing about us

Viet: yea

9:05 PM lousy government = lousy economy

right

9:06 PM me: its so difficult to say whoz a terrorist org and whoz not

Viet: yea

i heart centerfuges

9:07 PM me: heheeheehe

rotfl!!!

oooo obama is cunning

he wants russia and china to be accountable when sanctions come

Viet: hahaha

i remember the stink it cause a few years ago, when iran got a few centerfuges

9:08 PM me: so that the blame's just not on the US when things fuck up again

ok we were in Iraq

now we are in Latin America

awesome

i love traveling

Viet: what kind of negogiation is it when u have preconditions???

me: think prenup viet

Viet: hey we espoused the extermindation of iraq

me: prenup ;)

9:09 PM there

i was waiting for Kissinger;s name to come up

there preconditions again

Viet: yea, but isn't negogiation a prelude to setting conditions??

me: what sort of preconditions

prolly

9:10 PM that unless you have women and JD i wont be there at tthe negotiation

Viet: one precondition that occured is with n korea, stating that the US will only negogiate nuclear treaty only if u stop all nuclear refinement

9:11 PM like wtf is that??, who in their right mind would agree to anything??

me: thas what obama said- low level diplomatic talks before something big happens

there u go

obama is up with N Korea

Viet: exactly

ty obama

me: thas why when Rice went there in Summer of 06

she fell flat on the face

cos she dint know wht to do

9:12 PM Viet: yea, with precondition that they stop all nuclear testing

me: plus lebanon and israel started their stupid fight

Viet: what kind of bullshit is that

me: some bull shit that made sense to them

Viet: bad attempt at humor

me: SERIOUSLY???!!! did he just think that was a joke

hahahahaah

Viet: hey kissinger was brought up!!!

9:13 PM me: second time

;)

"Sen Obama doesn't seem to understnad"= prolly the 6th time

:O :O naive dangerous

hez talking video game talk

Viet: it's more like he doesn't understand

me: whaaat???

9:14 PM why the height between South Koreans and North Koreans

Viet: if it's the most oppressive regime on earth, why the hell are we not fighting them??

me: There Reagan in the debate

cos they have sooper nuke powers

Viet: exactly

me: and they cud wipe us out if they got bored and angered by us

Viet: that's why iran wants nuke power

me: uh huh

9:15 PM ok wipe out is an exaggeration

Viet: nuke power = US not the monkey on ur back

me: but u get the point

kissinger- 3rd time

u;ve known him 35 years becase you are OLD now!!!

Viet: his friend

or 35 years

9:16 PM me: :D

9:17 PM hez so much better than Kerry and the whole I have a plan thing

Viet: hahahaha

me: uh oh

nuclear proliferation

9:18 PM CTBT and all that

obama wants India and Pak to sign that

goddddd!!!

so since russia committed that serious crime

9:19 PM Viet: hahahaha

wtf??

me: we start prepping for war against them ?

right?

McCain- I saw into Putin's eyes and saw three letter KGB

mccain is not helping his case

9:20 PM Viet: ooo, he went there once

me: ooooo

9:21 PM Ukraine???

err ok

lets see where this goes

9:23 PM i guess thats why we have so many ukranians in the dept ;)

oops

that wasn't meant to be there

Viet: hahaahaha

9:24 PM me: obama said plan

i am scared

hez not originally from AZ right?

9:25 PM uh oh

the host is a little lenient towards Obama

9:26 PM oh snap!!!!!!

good question

what is the likelihood of another 9/11

Viet: loaded question

me: and the answer is unloaded

and he said liebermann

ok i spelled that wrong

9:27 PM no onez asking what the refroms are

we want to know wil anohter 9.11 happen

no more torturing another prisonner

Viet: nobody will answer that

me: is anyone screaming Gitmo bay?

9:28 PM Viet: security is only an illusion

9:29 PM me: damn al-qaeda in 60 countries :O

9:30 PM Viet: yea

me: hahahah obama understands that america's lost respect in the world

Viet: pretty much any muslim dominated country

me: hmmm

Viet: SE asia is a hot spot for al qaeda

9:31 PM me: hmmm

oooooo emotional outreach

american blood

patraeus

jeeeeezzzzzz

Viet: hahaha

is that his lover??

me: well if hez not the general

then he is that i presume

9:32 PM check status ;)

9:33 PM Viet: haha

9:35 PM me: hahahahahahah

obama-my father came from kenya, thats where i get my name

9:37 PM Viet: oooo i have to see that one

me: hahahah

so we are done with debate chat

;)

9:38 PM stephanapolous is right

ok i am biased towards stephanapolous

9:39 PM hahahahahahahahahah

he said about the doesn't understand thing as well :D

damn i shud go work with him

hez saying what i am saying

Viet: yea stephanapolous is more awesome

9:40 PM me: we shud do this for a living

Viet: hahaha

me: and send it to stephanapolous

9:41 PM whad say?

9:42 PM Viet: ok, i'm beat,

me: heheheh

9:43 PM dyu realize we typed insanely

Viet: hahahaa

i did it with one hand eating cheetoes

hahaha, just kidding

me: :D

9:44 PM hehehe

true that.....obama was awesome when it came to foreign policy

yaya!

i shud be a journalist/political analyst

sscrew economics

9:45 PM Viet: no

me: oh

hahahahhhahahaha

Viet: be journalist/econ poly analyst

me: hez talking about mccain;s travel things

9:46 PM Viet: ok

i'm off to bed

me: awrite

i am gonna post this soon

9:47 PM if u r ok with it that is

Viet: hahaha

yea sure

me: hhehehehe

awesome

fun friday :D

Viet: add some random muses in there and i'll be cool with it

me: :D

good night

Viet: later

me: later

A trip down to the ancestral land, modern style

2008-09-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

I think I qualify to write about Stone-Age. Fine, if that's a little far-fetched, I qualify to write about a Modern Stone- Age. Who would have thought that living in the US would bring forth a powerless existence (no pun intended) for over 72 hours, and in some cases indefinitely ( as I write this, a multitude of citizens in the Houston, Galveston area are still without power, hence the indefinite part).

Hurricane Ike hit Houston on September 13th, at around 4 a.m. What would end up an excruciating, yet adventurous, experience began at 10 pm the night before. I lost power at the stroke of midnight. Thank whoever (read a lot of people) for having screamed at me to charge every possible electronic device I possessed, just in case the power went off. And go it did. Only to return at my apartment on Monday night, three and a half days later. Though it seems like it would have been an unpleasant journey, frankly speaking it wasn't. Yes, the lack of power got us frantic about phones, laptops, most of all INTERNET, every third thought would be - how many emails have I missed out on, but nothing that hampered survival. What about food you might ask- Bar-be-que to the rescue! A couple of my friends made omelette, Ramen noodles, tandoori chicken, stuffed veggies, and the best of all TEA! For the tea fanatic Indians, they had a working supply of tea.

The point I am trying to make, without further beating around the bush, is we had fun without power. Innovative and creative minds were beyond control, seemed like laptops and internet had put the thinking minds to a hiatus, except of course when we are required to do homework. One might argue that it was easy since we knew how to build fire, amen to the smokers, we didn't have to sharpen arrows to hunt animals, we weren't half clad with leaves, we didn't have to reinvent the wheel, though we did have to worry about fuel shortage, nonetheless it wasn't quite the silver plate we were accustomed to. Of course, not to mention the temper tantrums that some of us witnessed/threw.

Now that power's back, we, at least I, miss those precious three days. Very few people live to experience something like this. I do realize my post projects insensitivity towards people who have lost a lot. However, this post was an experience of someone who survived with a scratch. So let me be granted the permission of being insensitive. Cliched this post might seem, but I beseech you to look at it from my stand point.

Best of all, the cancelation of classes, homeworks and the lack of motivation to return to normalcy. One of those things that every acamedician, students especially, is going to appreciate.

I guess good things don't last too long, so is the case with this. Here's a slideshow of the hurricane through my camera. I wish I could upload more photos, but spare me that effort. I haven't quite gotten back to appreciating power yet (all pun intended ;) )

P.S. To those who are still suffering from the hurricane, I really have nothing to say, not because I don't understand what you are going through, but because I don't know what to say. Things will go back to what you knew before the hurricane, just hang in there I guess.

Err...

2008-06-17T15:51:00.001-07:00

Granted! I haven't written in the longest time. For some reason it feels like I have nothing to write about, no motivation whatsoever, and I wonder if it is really me or my surroundings. I really can't find something to write about, I don't want to force it, it won't be to my satisfaction; considering it is the primary reason I want to write. Like a friend says, "Either nothing's happening or too many things are happening for us to keep up with."

Hmm weird post, I don't think I can come up with a valid excuse for not having updated this place.

Television- Roald Dahl

2008-04-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

I remember reading this poem in 10th grade, and stumbled upon
this being posted on Atanu Dey's blog. Television by Roald Dahl, deals with the indecent world of Television and the repercussions it has had on children. I have to admit that I am one of those crazy people, that cannot live without the television . I need it during dinner time, I need it during homework; however much I am completely ignoring what's going on. I am a TV Buff. The poem is so beautifully written, I am going to post it here again

Television
by Roald Dahl

The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set –
Or better still, just don’t install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we’ve been,
We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotised by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don’t climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink –
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK — HE ONLY SEES!
‘All right!’ you’ll cry. ‘All right!’ you’ll say,
‘But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!’
We’ll answer this by asking you,
‘What used the darling ones to do?
‘How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?’
Have you forgotten? Don’t you know?
We’ll say it very loud and slow:
THEY … USED … TO … READ! They’d READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching ’round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it’s Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and-
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There’s Mr. Rate and Mr. Mole-
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks-
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They’ll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
And once they start — oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They’ll grow so keen
They’ll wonder what they’d ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.

Roald Dahl

I wonder what Mr. Dahl would have to say about the world of internet. In a way, I am glad he hasn't.

If only life could be highlighted...

2008-04-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

Colour coding one's notes is a study method a lot of us use. "Here's what's important for the test"- you have so many different colours of highlighters; you forget what colour represented what. Imagine if it were possible to do so with life. Colour code the merrier times and leave out the sad ones. Highlight those that seem important, those that seem meaningful and most of all those that represent you and forget the rest. Wouldn't it have been that much easier? Life is a notebook, would then cease to be a cliche and be a reality. Red for family, green from friends, yellow for this, blue for that....Life would be all the more colourful than it is today....

But then would it seriously be colourful, if we chopped off the down turns? Wouldn't we be ignorant and naive in a way; thus diminishing our learning experience? Do we learn from everything or do we learn from certain things?

Add colour to your life, don't colour code it. I wish I could live by that....

Say Cheese...

2008-03-07T04:28:00.000-08:00

One of the best things we (most of us) do today is putting up a false front. What happens inside our homes, rarely comes out. We have educated ourselves to be so closed, that it scares us to open up. What if the other person thinks we are a coward for opening up? Faking a smile has become an art. If someone can't do it, then they are being insensitive to the people around them. Finding a person to talk to and pouring out everything you need to, might just end up disturbing their peace of mind, that is if they do have one!

So what happens now? Since we have it all caged up in this big organ system of ours, where do we go from here? Do we just let life consume us or do we consume life? Sometimes the world is just an individual and sometimes its a maddening crowd, which one you want to be a part of is not the question, the question is which one will you let take over you.

There are some things that are inexplicable in life, one of them is existence itself. I am not set out to decipher it, I think the existentialists did their job. The other is courage [or a lack of it]. A lot of us rebel from the inside, but are hard core conformists on the outside. What happens to people like us?

Do we ever reach the other side? Is light really at the end of the tunnel, or is it just the end...?

And so it is..

2008-02-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

I'd forgotten how much I loved this song. I remember not able to control tears the first time I heard this song. There's something about it. Sure its depressing, but even then...it's out of the ordinary

The Blower's Daugher- Damien Rice
(the girl is Lisa Hannigan)

All the Lost Souls

2008-02-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

All of us have been living the monotonous life, day in and day out. The purpose of life is to understand where the monotone emerges from. Blindly following what has been prescribed to us. Sometimes we look back and all we see is blank space. We are all so lost. Someone who has focus is lost too, cause all (s)he can think about is that end of the tunnel, nothing else to distract that mind.

And of course, it monotonous to think about this all the time.

Frustrating....

EP5K

2008-01-13T14:33:00.000-08:00

Took part in my first 5k run today!!! It was awesome. I don't know if the time was conducive though(7 am); it was freezing cold! But I ran and more importantly, finished it! With an hour and a half sleep the night before, I took over that 3 miles like it was nothing. Ok enough bragging, because now I feel the pain, and so I am off to sleep.

(L-R) Manvi, Shveta and MOI!!!!
(Go AID)
(Go Women's Empowerment)

The Point

2008-01-01T01:01:00.000-08:00

You walk down a crowded road, contemplating how different everyone is from each other, when in fact, nine out of ten times, everyone is sailing the same thought-boat- what is the point? Conversations, off late, always take that gradual turn- what is the point? There is no point in all of this... Pointless.

All of us are so bogged down in finding the point in life, that we forget to live life the way we think it should be led. We try so hard to find that point, to prove to oneself and to others that we are doing something substantial in life, that we forget how to have fun. Competition is so deep down in our veins; we cannot stand competition from others.

We look back at conscious decisions, only to regret having made them because now there isn't any point to it. Self-satisfaction has reached the other level- it is no more in the moment, everything is long run. There's always that annoying naivety in us, screaming at us to find the point in a decision, a justification behind a job done. Why can't something be the infamous- just because I wanted to do it then. I do it all the time, the questioning part I mean. But it seems so counter- productive and time consuming. You are paying for that decision twice, in effect.

Which brings me to the point of this post (oops)- why is the status quo the status quo? Why is it hard to move away from it?

The Reality of Reality TV

2007-12-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

Call it cynicism, call it pessimism , but one of the biggest curses to modern day television undoubtedly has to be Reality TV. Big Brother, Beauty and the Geek, The Bachelor(ette), Wife Swap, Nanny 911, Who wants to marry a US citizen? No, the last one is not something I conjured up during this write-up, but it is a new show that will be airing soon. I hate to admit it, but I am in awe of these shows; it is mesmerizing how producers come up with these ideas. And what is even more interesting; is the plethora of time the average person has to participate in these shows. Needless to say, is the unmitigated media attention winners of these shows are awarded. News is not news until gossip comes up. Shocking huh? I mock with a lot of intention.

Reality TV is by far, a sick safe haven viewers are granted after hard day at work. Or so I think. Or so some of us think. If reality TV was meant to be family time, run away from it as far as you can. Sex on camera, swearing on camera, you name it, you've got it. Sex is very obvious, and the whole bleep thing is mundane, because their lips are focused and we know what they are saying. If I were to watch it, just as a dinner table show, with my mom around, you know what the consequence would be. And what do they call it- Entertainment. That's what the people want. I guess it's true, cause they do have wonderful... drum roll please....Ratings. Everything is ratings motivated.

Which brings me to the burning question, have we surpassed all levels of decency; especially when it comes to TV? Subtle things are fine, but when you make it too obvious, it is plain nauseating.

Now game shows, I have a sincere fascination for them.

Run Lola Run!

2007-12-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Red haired, skinny chic running close to a million times (I exaggerate with good intent) just to save her boyfriend from getting beaten up by a don- for 100,000 Deutsche Mark.

That is probably the shortest synopsis anyone will give you for Run Lola Run starring Franka Potente. For those who have seen the movie, you know what I am talking about. For the unaware souls, watch the movie. I assure you, disappointment will not be part of the baggage. And watch it in German (with English subtitles, if you will), don't watch the dubbed version.

Brilliantly filmed, simple movie.

The blasted male 'ego'

2007-11-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

"If he or she wants to...., we don't want to anger the women in the class now, do we?" An oft repeated statement, followed by sneers from guys in the class with a pinch of sarcastic comments. Pretty hard for the XY clan to see the XXs in there. "Dude, there is no way she could have gotten to that position. Slut! Damn straight there were things happening behind close doors." " Man, she got a better grade than me, how is it possible? Plus she's married. Doesn't she take care of the kids or something?" Its sheer pleasure to see how the male ego is hurt when a female compatriot crosses their horizon. Oh that ego. Fire spitting, rock solid, easily hurt- ego. Somehow they cannot stand that women can be their equals. Equal wage sounds blasphemous to them. After all, why shouldn't it- the better race that they are , aren't they?

Millions of Americans today are insecure with the idea of a female President. Why? For fear of being a nation that could be possibly run over. Gender bias, and not policy bias is what will determine their voting inclination. How apt! She might not be able to handle the pressure, she will do a bad job at being President! Yea great job the guys are doing, aren't they? Wonderful job! Keep up the good work, please? What would we do without you, o wise one?

How many girls have often found themselves in the if-can-you-cook,- you-will-get-married situation ? How many? Can I get a count please? Inquire the same thing from a guy- boy are you going to go down Inferno. The girl's insolence would be called upon with umpteen scrutiny, she might even be accused of being sexist. Thank you very much. I prefer it that way. Deal with it or keep walking. Last night, I found myself in a situation where the guys asked a girl to make tea at 1:30 am. When the girls rebelled for her, pop came the answer- "We are prepping her for family life." Excuse you!!?!!! Family life? Serving male chauvinists like you? See, we have no problem being stay-at-home husbands but we need to get paid for it. Classic foot in the mouth situation, cause two of us were about to ask them to shed out money for the late night tea. All they did was have a smirk on their faces. Insensitive .....!

Ask a guy to change their last name after marriage- BLASPHEMY! But reverse the gender and they justify by the eternal just-because-it-should-be! Who bloody hell said so, might I ask?
There have been instances where highly educated males have made their wives change their last name on their already existing passport too! Rude, callous, chauvinistic coward. Can't stand the fact that the wife has an identity of her own. Why should her identity be tied with an incessantly insecure human being? Just- because?

Just because what? It will hurt that ego that she is independent? It will hurt that ego that she can be someone too? Or because you will lose strong hold? You will lose that control over her life? Do not even dare give me the its-traditional line, cause I promise you, you are asking for trouble. Its sickening to see how strong of a hold a male dominated society continues to have even today. They feel tremors in their fort the minute a girl approaches them. Guards up! She cannot pass through these gates, or else we will crumble.

But what's gagging is girls who let it happen.

We need to poke that male-ego more often cause that's the only way they will realise our worth. That blasted male ego!!!

A sin?- its nothing.. its plain fun

2007-10-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

A Slut. A whore. A bitch! Really? So what if a girl wants to date an older man? Sin, they say. "Why can't she find someone of her own age?"

Well obviously, if she had found someone, she wouldn't be looking at the older guy. And its a guy right? (Not that I am against gay rights). So why the screams and the yells? She's having fun! Some plain old fun! Why the hell do people start judging the girl and praying for her relationship to crumble along the way? So that she comes to her senses? Yea right! SENSES!

Social norms, my ass. Can we not look at the other side? The guy is dating a younger chic! Or is the grass really greener on the other side? Now just to make things clear, age difference here is more than ten years. Give the girl a freaking break, will you? She's probably helping some lost soul boost his self-esteem, who would have died in loneliness wondering why no one was with him.

Its alright, its no sin- if they think they are in love, then so be it. If they think that its plain fun, then so be IT. And oh, all those people who date someone after calculating the age difference, boy are you in trouble if I find you. Biased love <==> true love? Whatever!!!

So all those girls who want to go date an older guy- go! Do it! Kick some serious ass while you are at it.

Dumb traditions. Why are we femmes the ones answering all the time?

Its all the same!!!!

2007-10-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

When you wake up and find yourself in the US, things seem odd and different; things seem ridiculously difficult. But as time goes on, you find yourself constantly explaining your culture, your traditions, and sometimes even your language, quite often to people who claim to know things . An innocent economics grad student at the University of Houston found herself in one of these ridiculous, yet hilarious situations on a cold Monday afternoon. While she waited with her friend for a cup of hot chocolate, she happened to hear the conversation between two undergrad girls discussing what they wanted to drink. One of them suggested that they drink chai and upon the inquisition why, went on to explain that it was very healthy because it had a lot of spices and herbs in them. She also suggested that she could drink tea too. Put in crude terms, the grad student cracked up ending it with a smirk on her face, subtly making sure that the girls saw it. Unable to restrain her obsession to explain things, to friends and strangers alike, proceeded to tell them that it was the SAME- TEA and CHAI were the same things. Let me enlighten you as to why the grad student made it a point to set it straight. In the US, chai is sold at coffee places as flavored tea- orange, raspberry, chinese herbs (god knows what that means), spicy masala chai- basically ruining the taste of tea, aka chai. When are these people going to learn??? I guess until they realize that Shreya and Shreyasee aren't the same thing, that semai is actually semi, that antai is anti and of-ten is often, we are still going to have chai as chai and tea as tea.

weirdos!

The Isolated Globalized World

2007-10-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

"Because the line between,
Wrong and right,
Is the width of a thread,
From a spider's web.
The piano keys are black and white,
But they sound like a million colours in your mind"
Spider's Web- Katie Melua"

You go back home to your loved ones after a hard day of work. Things seem normal, until you turn on the television. The war, the crimes, the blasts...the death, the doubts, the horror...the life...Today, in a seemingly globalized world, things could not have been more isolated. Globalization, is nothing, but an illusion; one that was created consciously by human beings with the advent of technology and most of all, the internet. Don't believe me, just ponder for a moment as to how many of us go out now like we used to do five years ago. Even when you are with friends, you wonder about the work that is awaiting you back at home. And here's how we have become more isolated- that iota of doubt that fills our minds, only to become a volcano waiting to erupt, ruining things for us. You are afraid to smile for one might misconstrue it, you are afraid to cry for one might think you are weak. How many friendships have been ruined because of doubt, how many relationships have been torn apart because of doubt...lack of trust. Most of us have lost track of what right and wrong is. Every action has a justification behind it, rational or irrational. The blind belief some of us have on media reports, has added nothing but fear amongst mankind..towards mankind. Fear has taken over the multitude of our thinking power to the extent that some of us sit back, only to be a silent spectator to the torture, the abuse that the world faces today. Voices that could have been heard, are lost in a lonely corner, adding more fuel to the fire (or lack of ) in their existence. Racism is more today than ever before, they aren't shown because it might strike a debate. You believe what you are shown, you don't believe in what's wrong or right, what you believed in. The sponge of a mind has absorbed all it can, nonetheless it will take in more of the lies it is presented just to rot. The mind has a spider's web within itself, with insects that gradually entangle it reaching a point of no return. We don't know what to believe.

And then there are those, who constantly fight to eradicate this galore of fear, this galore of doubt; to make the globe globalized. If only they had more support.....

Marriage, Kids...and Economics

2007-10-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

I am intrigued by how increasingly hilarious and weird what I am interested in economics is beginning to get. One of the few things in macroeconomics (tada, you have figured out that I like macroeconomics) is different models that explain the growth of an economy (if you are already bored, then your loss :D ). I hate to make this post a lecture about the two models I am currently smiling about, but you will see the irony in those models. Needless to say, the models take into consideration a lot of assumptions. Duh- economics, as I define it, is the science of assumptions.

The RAMSEY MODEL is a highly dynamic model that explains the growth in the economy with phase plots; how consumption and capital increases/decreases . A little bit of a background- Ramsey came up with this model when he was in his 20s and died 2 years after he proposed the model. What were his assumptions- people live infinitely and are alive at the same time; as in your kids, their kids and successive generations will never move out and you end up being the ruler of the family for eternity . Irony- the model was proposed by someone who didn't believe in the infinite life himself. Wow! The OVERLAPPING GENERATIONS MODEL also models consumption and capital growth but its assumptions are different- that you will die (oops) and that your kids will move out. Even better, is that you will live for two periods, hence never living to see your grandkids. If you haven't noticed yet, death is an assumption. Aa the metaphysical connotations are immense, and I don't think I have the strength to point them out.

Here is where its the pinnacle of weirdness (and thanks to Dr.Vollrath for having pointed it out)- what do you choose?

The Ramsey model- where you live infinitely, but your kids never move out, heck their kids never move out either?

OR

2. The OLG model- where you die, but your kids move out?

Tough choice! If only I had one... Which brings me to my observation- how having kids, and ahem getting married, are actually influenced by these two models :D, especially for economists :D

The hoped end

2007-10-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

"....separate the fiction from the fact...", a voice ran in the background. Had her life been a fiction, a figment of someone else's imagination. She had lost all she had, all she had hoped to have. Never ceasing to self-deprecate her existence until that bright and sunny April morning, when the daffodils had fully blossomed. The view from her little cottage was beautiful. However, that did not remove the constant depression she was under- the constant fear she lived in...until now. Were the seemingly carefree daffodils giving her a fresh ounce of hope? She smiled to herself and lay her head against her chair and thought. Her life flashing in front of her eyes- the banal promises she had made and was forced to keep them, the unrequited love, the tear she had forgotten to drop, the smile she never stopped to fake, the life she had led for others, the life she always day dreamed about....

" Kathy!!! Time to pack up. We are gonna leave in 15 mins", her brother called out.

Her head on the armrest of the chair and legs curled up- it was the end; the hoped end to the life she hadn't hoped for.

Top ten things about...

2007-09-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

First month of Grad school and I think I can tell you what my economics classes are going to reiterate for eternity. So here are the top ten things about economics classes in grad school

Monotone increasing/decreasing
Concave/Convex functions.
Jensen's Inequality
The Implicit Function Theorem
Envelope Theorem
Duality Theorem
Cramer's Rule
Hessian/Hamiltonian/Jacobian
The Intermediate Theorem
Central Limit Theorem

If you haven't noticed something in the top ten, you are probably not reading it right. Its all MATH. ITS ALL MATH! My notes consist of math and then intuition. And would you know it, my intuition SUCKS!!!! Yes grad school in economics is definitionally equivalent to grad school in mathematics (oh here I go again with a nerdy talk :D)

Shreya

:(

Umm...ahem!!

2007-09-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Not surprisingly, I love my iPOD. The fact that I can put all my songs in that one little thing and change songs according to my mood is just plain awesome. But here's where it gets dangerous. Every evening as I wait to change my bus, something interesting happens. The setting usually is around 7 p.m. and the sun is about to set, and it goes without saying that is pretty, even in a city with so much chaos and pollution, a sun set is beautiful. And for some weird reason, I also want to listen to either Chalka Chalka or Naina Milaike, both from Saathiya. They've got a beautiful rhythm to them, and me having learnt classical dance, its kind of a dance trigger. As aforementioned though, it can get highly embarassing. So I was waiting for the bus at the Texas Medical Center, and of course I am listening to this song, but all of a sudden a sudden involuntary action leads me to act out the song with hands too and I began to do the different mudras. After about 3 mins, when the song is close to ending and I am gaining consciousness of my surroundings, I see a couple of people I know at the Medical Center standing by and watching me. Trust me, I have never been redder in my entire life. I didn't know how to react to their staring and grinning of course :( .

Well I guess its the fault of the music and not the iPOD :P

~Shreya

To be or not to be...a spy?

2007-09-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

So apparently I have a natural inclination towards the Russian language. Weird? Quite frankly it is. I don't know how it is possible but apparently I understand Russian pretty darn well. My first year batch consists of three Eastern Europeans and a Russian, and no wonder when they are around they start to jabber off in Russian. Here's where it gets immensely crazy. They used two English words in that entire conversation last Friday and I understood word to word and did a perfect translation. It drove them nuts as to how I could understand, what was even funnier was even though I was gloating in pride that I could understand an unknown foreign language, I couldn't figure out how the heck I could comprehend it. Its a different thing if you sort of understand a couple of words here and there, but whole conversations...

So now I have gone from being Shreya- the Kid to Shreya- the Spy...can't decide which is worse(even though the former apparently still exists) ?

The weirdo in me asks me to shut up and get back to lagrangians...that's exactly what I am going to do!

~Shreya

World War III....?

2007-09-01T12:45:00.001-07:00

(Disclaimer: This post was triggered while reading Longitudes and Attitudes. Almost all my quotes come from that book, no doubt it may seem highly biased. The whole point of this post is not to justify terrorism, please do not get me wrong on that. But I am against the way we have tackled it, a.k.a foreign policy. )

Imagine a world where 9/11 never happened. Hard to do so? Precisely. The aftermath of 9/11 has terrorized every individual so much about the potential attacks on mankind, that we have lost hindsight of a less terror filled world (we have never had a terror free world). However, one may ask if it was more so the terror or the reaction that followed the attacks, that is responsible for said behavior. There is no denying that post 9/11, the world has changed, for better or for worse. The War on Terror was an immediate answer to the attack on capitalism on the so-called capitalist guru of the world. Unnecessary was it- no one asks anymore because where lies the point in questioning itself? A lot of us after viewing a rather rash and harsh decision by the United States of America, said to ourselves - "This is the start of World War III." Ever since, terrorist attacks have become more prominent in the world. Here is where things are wrong though- we are in the middle of a war but all of us, except those soldiers fighting for vanity and their families worried if they will ever come back home, lead a normal life. That initial pizzazz to fight for what had been destroyed is gone. Don't deny it! It really isn't there anymore. Thomas L. Friedman, in his book Longitudes and Attitudes- Exploring the World After September 11, partly a collection of his articles in the New York Times, actually went ahead and pronounced it as World War III. "The people who planned Tuesday's bombings combined world-class evil with world- class genius to devastating effect.And unless we are ready to put our best minds to work combating them- the World War III Manhattan project- in an equally daring, unconventional, and unremitting fashion, we're in trouble. Because while this may have been the first major battle of World War III, it may be the last one that involves only conventional nonnuclear weapons." (World War III, September 13, 2001).

What has prevented this war from escalating into World War III? Because we are not in the middle of World War III- if we were, we would all be choosing sides, unprovoked, (though in a subtle way we are), enlisting citizens in the army everyday, building up our weapons, marching off to some foreign land to kill, and most of all forming collaborations and collaterals that will fight with us. No one country would be free to sleep. It is only the US that is involved in such a war with a little help from UK and a couple more countries, but nothing as serious to call it World War III. You remember how World War I and World War II were (or at least you have been educated about it). Then how can we call this the third one, when it lacks intensity as them? We are not fighting global terrorism, we are fighting terrorism where our interests are being threatened. Now is that biased or what? The problem with our war today is that its tag line has become - It's our way or the highway. And even worse, is that it has become a war on religion. How much ever we deny that we are not against Islam, just against radical fundamentalists that have marred Islam, it sure does look like one. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, roughly about a month back made a highly welcome comment - "Terrorism has no religion." While some people might disagree with this, I highly support his point of view. On the other hand, during the Republican debates at Drake University, Iowa, Presidential candidate and former Mayor of New York City, Rudy Guiliani said- "4 democratic debates not a single democratic candidate said the word "Radical Islamism". Now that is taking political correctness to an extreme." Is it really extreme political correctness? At a time when we have to work more closely with the Islamic world, how can we make such a statement? In his article, Smoking or Nonsmoking, published on September 14, 2001, Friedman writes, "To not retaliate ferociously for this attack on our people is only to invite a worse attack tomorrow and an endless war with terrorists. But to retaliate in a way that doesn't distinguish between those who pray to a God of Hate and those who pray to the same God we do is to invite an endless war between civilizations- a war that will land us all in the smoking section. " It is hard to distinguish the non smoking and smoking section now. To have associated this war with religion was wrong in the first place. Not surprisingly, there is no looking back.

We started the war first as a reaction to the atrocity New York City bore on that fatal morning of September 11th. Gradually it progressed to being the War on Terror, and then it became towards helping authoritarian nations build a democracy. Sound familiar? Yes, the whole idea behind ousting Communism was to bring down the Iron Wall built by the Soviets. Cold war we called it then. History books have often expressed awe as to how it never escalated into a nuclear war. Today we are just waiting when it does, cause we know it will very soon happen. Friedman writes, "Osama bin Laden- he destroyed much, he built nothing. His lasting impact was like a footprint in the desert." ( Bush to Bin Laden, October 12, 2001). Reality check, we haven't done anything significant either. Afghanistan- we claimed victory there. Bull shit. Hamid Karzai is an utter failure. We always station people in "democratic power" who we believe will side with us no matter what. If you don't believe this, go back and check what happened with Iran and yes Bin Laden, at one point of time, was funded by us. The Taliban is regaining strength in Afghanistan. All those lives lost in the desert to search for a cave man- gone in vain. We haven't built anything there that is substantial. That democracy we were so proud of over there is going down the drains. Iraq- that ball game is an open book. We can't do a darn thing to instate a democratic government. We went in thinking that everything could be solved once Saddam Hussein was executed and if we found those non-existent Weapons of Mass Destructions, things would be hunky dory again. Wrong!!! The War on What? echoes this thought perfectly- " Is America's war on terrorism going to become a war against democracy? " (May 8, 2002). During the Cold war we supported dictators who promised us various things, once they were in the government they became what they were meant to be- dictators. We are doing nothing different today. President Pervez Musharraf is a dictator, there is no denying that. Add onto that he is a General of the Army too. We never asked him to step down from the post of the General until the Sharif threat returned after Supreme Court said former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was wrongfully sent to exile and could come back to the country. Lo and behold, Musharraf steps down as General and lets exiled Benazir Bhutto to come back to Pakistan too; pressurized to do so by none other than the United States of America. Don't be fooled. The Mullahs and Taliban are gaining strength in Pakistan too. Wait for a while until the so-called liberal theocratic state goes back to the tough regimes of the Taliban. We fight for human rights everywhere else, except for the Arab states cause we know that it will stop flow of oil. Same logic why we couldn't say a thing against Hugo Chavez when he called President Bush - "A devil" at the United Nations, same reason we haven't done anything against Fidel Castro cause we know then Florida will never see the dawn of day ever again.

If it still isn't evident, we are getting isolated by the day. We are not the world, we need to realize that. Someone once commented as to why the President of the World Bank should be nominated by USA. Why should anyone think of New York City when the UN comes into question and not Geneva? Our allies, and not our foes, are scared of us. Friedman reports in The End of NATO that Brussels, NATO is buzzing with one issue and one alone- that the US has become way too technologically advanced to fight its war on its own, thus forgetting its allies. This is what has happened. We have become over-confident of our strength. We are not in the middle of World War III, we are in the middle of a war between USA and the Muslim world. "My fellow Americans, I hate to say this, but except for the good old Brits, we're all alone. And at the end of the day, it's U.S. and British troops who will have to go in, on the ground, and eliminate bin Laden."( Thomas Friedman,We Are All Alone, October 26,2001). We need a miracle to get us out of this mess. I don't believe in miracles. No amount of diplomacy is going to solve the farce we have created in the world. Something needs to be done....soon...

~Shreya

Doors....

2007-08-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

I was walking through the automatic doors of the Math Building at my University, when I literally heard myself say in my head, "That's right. You open for ME!" Well I did giggle in shock cause I didn't realize I actually was being sadistic about it, but something struck me when the next door wasn't automatic. I had to push it open, basically make the effort to get through. Doors pretty much give you the feel that you are visualizing life. Sometimes in life things get done, it flows unattended cause it just has to. And dare you stop it, cause you might end up getting hurt. Just like how you do not try to force open an automatic door (unless it isn't working) because you know you aren't helping your case at all. Other hard times- you have to make the effort to get through. Obstacle after obstacle and you have to open it, conquer it and move on. Sorta like the difference between an automatic door and a "manual" door. You get the point...

Some of us take life way too easy, and some of us take life way too seriously. I hate to admit that I am in the second group. I envy those people that make both the effort to have fun and get work done. Its really hard for me to do that. I have to have things done the way a perfect world would function, and no surprise, get smacked right in the face over and over; never learning the lesson. As I walked through the aforementioned door yesterday (which has been used like a million times before though), I realized what I was missing out in life. Getting things right always doesn't matter to the world neither should it to me. It , in turn, ends up hurting me. I have to let certain things flow their course and not stop it. I have preached to a million people' "Live in the moment, let life flow the way it has to!" , but often find myself scared to practice it with myself. I am going to make the honest effort to stop myself from committing the same mistake again.

I never knew doors could teach you a lesson......phew!

~Shreya

Songs....

2007-08-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

While I was chatting with TK before he left for the US (... again), he said something very ..umm well...profound "Songs are so underrated as memory triggers." That one sentence made me think back on my existence if life, from a view point of songs. My dad once said that usually when we listen to songs, it just so happens that we have something in the ears, very rarely do we pay attention to it, especially in this age of iPods and MP3 players. Don't believe me? Just think to yourself- homework time, travelling, at the library, it usually ends up that you have it to "concentrate" or to fend people away. And after a while- you come to the sorry conclusion that you missed your favorite song; when it comes time to go back to that song- lo and behold your battery has died out on you. Getting back to the reason of post; off late a lot of songs on my favorite list have been playing on the radio- the likes of both old ones and new ones. Needless to say, flashbacks of where I have been and what I was doing when that song originally played have been cropping every time. I even ended up calling up Murjhi and Raju the other day when I heard a certain song yesterday. International call costs, at that point of time seem too trivial to even consider- you so want to be with the person especially when they are friends you have known for over 10 years.

Here is a list of songs that trigger my memory the most- I will try putting up little itty-bitty anecdotes whenever I can (just might end up having on all of them :P )

(Most of them are in India, when its in the US, I will make a note of it )

Truly Madly Deeply- Savage Garden - whenever this song played on MTV, Cynthia and I screamed our lungs out. We would leave everything, cooking (cause we would expt a lot then) would be transferred to her mom and we would sit in front of the TV upright, forget the world and watch that video. Lost lovers, back together.....aaa seemed ....I dont have the words for it.
The Hero- Enrique Iglesias - that was the first song Mahejabeen (Murjhi), Rajalakshmi (Raju), Priyanka (Priya), Cynthia (Cynthia) and Shreyasee (moi- Moti) had learnt the lyrics together. Lunch time was when the boys got bugged of us cause we were sitting and practicing (yea it was this song that triggered the call yesterday).
Ek Pal Kaa Jeena- Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai- Item number 1 in the year 2000-2001. Cynthia and Murjhi best impersonators of the dance- and the three of us best pushers to get them to dance. Dang they even danced at Ramoji Film City now that I think of it.
Zombie- The Cranberries (US)- Location--> the Econ Undergrad Lab. About 10 of us working on the infamous Econometrics homework. Diego, who is doing Game Theory at that point of time, asks me, "What are you listening to?" When I furnish him with the answer, his immediate reaction was " When did juice start singing?" If there was ever an eruption of laughter, it was then. Most of us had already fallen off the chair and on the floor, until we saw Dr. Thornton, who eventually joined in too. De-Stressing :D
Waqt ne kiya- Kaagaz ke Phool - Thanks to my mom, I adore the song now. Its like the best song ever. Someone asks me sing, I always do this song.
Kajra rey- Bunty aur Babli (US)- Location--> Lubbock, TX- graduate student's apt- someone's birthday- all of us dancing to it and then it happened- the cops came- someone called 911. Bloody hell!
Get over it- Avril Lavigne- Poornaa sang a version of it for Varun's birthday and now I am absolutely in love with the song. Its like you have life reflections with that one...there are other songs too....Thank you Poornaa for introducing me to it, and she actually did a brilliant job.
Tere Bina - Guru (US)- we were driving down to an Indian restaurant when in the car this song played on the Indian radio here. We pulled off to the shoulder and finished the song. Insane. People passing us thought what the hell, they aren't even outside the car...
What goes around, comes around- Justin Timberlake - This is the most hilarious one. TK, Shilpa, Addy and I in Addy's car and this song played. Shilpa and I remark as to how good Justin sings and acts in this video. TK, visibly oblivious to the song goes," Its a guy who's singing!!!???!!!....WHAT!!! " Laughter eruption again. :D
Dil Chahta Hai- Dil Chahta Hai- This was our song ( the 5 girls mentioned in The Hero). We were all gonna be like that. But now its what Sid said- that we won't be able to meet once in 10 years either ( I forgot the exact Hindi wordings). But I am glad I met Murjhi and Raju this time. It brought back memories, this song is a trigger of all the pranks the 5 of us pulled in school.. Fun times
Unfaithful-Rihanna (US)- Annie and I jabber all the time in the car. But when this song is on, its the like the two of us have no clue who the other one is and we sing that song. Rihanna effects you see :D.
As long as you love me- Backstreet Boys (US)- Annie and I in her car again or maybe her apt, I forget and the rest should be left unsaid. :D

There are many more, but this has to be the end for the moment!!
........
Shreya

Build Up Part II

2007-08-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

This post is inspired by Rajeev's post "Build Up" that describes things that happen at the gym :).

So off late, I have had a surge of motivation to go the gym and get into shape. I have never been in shape, so this is something new to me. Needless to say, the gym is quite an interesting place, even the one in my apartments(which is where most of these take place). Except for a few dedicated people, most of us go there to show off and then also to "make friends" and "hit on people".

If there was ever a justification as to why the iPod, the MP3 player, heck even a CD man or a walkman, was invented it was because of the existence of gym. Helps you keep away unwanted "objects".
You walk in and go "Awww man !!!". Why? There are Indian aunties and unkules there staring at you as you get in. They are wondering why you are dressed the way you are and are not in a salwar. And the worst is when by an error of destiny you have forgotten your savior (reference to #1) and they start up a conversation - that begins with a smile, leads up to how old are you and how much you got on the GRE/TOEFL (Geez!!!)
Mirror problem. Too many mirrors for people to check themselves out and the unaware ones too.
Guys don't push yourself too much, you will end up going home and cursing yourself for it. You know what your limit is , some people present in the gym also can see when you have reached the point de torture.
Dumbells (dumb bells) are meant for use, not for show off and smiling at the girl who happens to catch your eye.
Oh, Indian guys please don't end up talking about the Indian girl in the gym. As fate will have it, she will know what language you are talking about and before she leaves will make it a point to let you know that :D.
Friends could end up being a curse at the gym cause sometimes they are more of a distraction than a help... x-(
Worst is when you have no idea how to use an equipment and can't find the right person to ask about it, a.k.a some hot guy who's just about to leave(oh well yes I defied the whole point of this post :-P )
And then there's the phone call that needs to be attended to immediately, and sometimes like a dimwit you forget you are on the treadmill. The rest you can decipher from there.
To top it all, the vending machine right outside the gym that is a gentle reminder of what is important in life. Have that coke (might as well right :D) - the neutralization effect- you burn that many calories, you replenish them, come back home and whine. But hey! You didn't put on weight :-P . Lovely logic, aint it??

~Shreya

Update!

2007-08-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

I got back from India on the 31st of July! India trip= Fantabulous! It was great catching up with old friends, getting to know new friends, and getting to know long-lost friends all over again. Biggest thing- I learnt how to prioritize my life. I have been holding on too many things for a really long time, and a cause de couple of people, I have realized how much I was losing in life because of that. But now I am on a different track. You just have to meet me to know what I am talking about.

But definitely a special thanks to a couple of people, from the bottom of my heart, for making the vacation worth every second. I am not going to name names, but feel free to add yourself in the list :D. I miss all of you terribly though. Its as if I have nothing to do right now, as in you know 1 paisa messaging :P

I will try and blog regularly. Just that I got back on campus for math classes and it is plain TORTURE, nothing else. I am getting back to class in the next 15 mins so I have to run! All you crazy people take care !!!

~ Shreya

.....

2007-07-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

I am sad. I finally sent the letter to Oxford saying I won't be able to go and I can't seem to come to terms with the situation. I know I should have sent it earlier so that some eagerly waiting student could get through, but... It should have been me. I should have been the one packing my bags to go to Oxford this summer. I wanted to go there ... I guess I deserved not going too....Well I am going back to UH this Fall....its not that bad at all, now that I am closely looking into who does what kind of work and stuff....If I am cut out for grad school or not is a different question, but I am ready for it....

Goodbye Oxford I guess then....aaaa this is hard...I didn't think I would feel this way but....

Terrorism.....does it really exist?

2007-07-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

I was watching the news this morning and a weird question hit me- Does terrorism really exist? I don't have a justification for this question, but it almost seems that we create terrorism out of anything and everything. We just need a tiny bit of opportunity and we are good to go. I don't know why it hit me , so I am going to stop here

~shreya

Executive over Judiciary over Legislative over Nation over World!

2007-07-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

In short, I am pissed. President Bush commuted Lewis "Scooter" Libby's 30 month prison sentence; he wanted to reduce his sentence!That he was involved in the leaking of a CIA case is no matter anymore because he has the support of the President and of course, the Vice- President. These are people we attest to since they are apparently the leaders of the nation. I guess then like my dad says," What harm had Paris Hilton done?" CIA leak case- a.k.a breach of national security. How come these cases of misconduct are not deemed as terrorist activities? A jury made a decision, a judge made a ruling, that's it. END OF STORY! You face your punishment just how you gave into your temptation of leaking the identity of another CIA agent. If you ask me, 30 month prison sentence, probation and fines are still less for a crime like this. Its like sending Lindsay Lohan to drug/alcohol rehab. Might as well leak classified information to foreign agents if you are a close aide to the White House. Ken Lay should have been just sent to jail for a month then, there should be no question of capital punishment anymore and most importantly, free everyone from Gitmo Bay for the bulk of them are only suspects and not actually serving sentences.

Such an act by the President is what I call Dictatorship within Democracy. For those of you who are laughing, you know it makes sense. This is that subtle form of dictatorship that some of us condemn and some of us condone. Its amazing how the constitution allows the President do to something. That means the whole idea of checks and balances is a farce. Congress votes on something, and immediately is vetoed if it does not pertain to the whims and fancies of the President. President is unhappy with the judiciary he uses his power of clemency. Then where does democracy feature here, where does checks and balances feature here???!!!! Might as well let the President make all decisions right? Everything is guaranteed by the Constitution anyways!?! Censorship of the war is something I have not been able to gulp. No one knows what the real picture is over there, all we get to know is what they wants us to know. Fear of bringing about a revolution like what happened during the Vietnam war has brought the Cabinet to this conclusion. Then what wrong did Chavez do when he stopped the subscription of a national channel since they were apparently anti- socialist (Just for the record, I am not condoning Chavez. What he did was ghastly, atleast the US has a democracy, I consider Chavez to be a dictator). What wrong did Saddam Hussain do, we did not even have substantial evidence that he had Weapons of Mass Destruction. The President in a recent press conference said (and I paraphrase) that he didn't know why Saddam didn't have wmds. If this is the state of our desperation to justify the war, it is plain sick.

What irritated me more was Nytimes. I am an ardent fan of the Nytimes what little I read from it, but when the whole commuting thing came into light, they went into the semantics of how commuting was not the same as pardoning. ITS ALL THE SAME! Pardoning is a full pardon, but commuting isn't. Why did the President not commute the probation and fines? Technically, Libby is a free man now! You cannot justify the President's action by saying, "Well they aren't the same thing! "

The executive branch has way too much power. Checks and balances are tipped over towards the executive. The people need to do something about this!!!

~Shreya

8 Random Facts

2007-06-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Kokonad for some random fun! I am that utterly jobless to post it immediately and because I take Rule#4 very seriously(all pun intended....not)

THE RULES
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
3. At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
4. If you fail to do this within eight hours, you will not reach Third Series or attain your most precious goals for at least two more lifetimes.

Ok for the record, rule #4 should so have been 8 DAYS and not HOURS. 8 hours is just too less. Only people like me who care about two more lifetimes, care about the hours...lol...image self-tarnished.

8 Random Facts about me

I can make friends very quickly, and I mean it. My mom has tried to stop me on numerous occasions on various train journeys but all in vain!
I am not an ardent user of the cell phone, but it is my life. I cannot live without it, sleep without it, drink without it. It is always with me no matter where I go.
I am a great advisor- relationship issues(even though I have almost quite never had one), life issues (been there done that a lot). People come and confide in me for some reason!
I cannot go a day without having talked to Annie. She is my bff (best friend forever). If I haven't chatted with her, which happens very often these days since I am in India, I email her and she emails me. Its insane!
I am so jealous when my friends back home in India tell me of all their escapades, all I do in the US is study-work and occasional fun! Wait until these people get to the US and then they will face the misery I do! Ok a little sadistic there!
I am secretly trying to merge America and India together, yes the two countries. That way all the people I care for and who are spread in these two countries can be in the same place, not 24-hour flights away!
I can't sleep enough. I feel guilty when I sleep in, no kidding, you will hear me whine about it for days! Its sad. Its in the family! We are workaholics. Even though all I do is chat sometimes- its work- my fingers get the exercise. Have you ever seen my hands, damn they are nice :P
I pretend to work most of the time, but I am the queen of procrastination, until it is 10 hours left for the approaching horror of a deadline, I am not motivated!

In case, some of you haven't noticed, the ordering of the facts is also random. That's how much thought process I put into this. Now time to tag people :p Rajeev, Kraktik, Varun, Poornaa, Anju, Mohan, Aalta and Sandipan

Such pleasures in life :D
Have fun and please don't curse me, I am my parents' only child. :D

~Shreya

The End is....

2007-06-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

Creek...creek...tick..tock...The rocking chair and the clock were in sync. Both had stood the test of time. Both had experienced their versions of life. The inmate of the rocking chair wasn't an exception to this rule either. But what she anticipated, no one had before- death. She couldn't wait for her to die. She recollected the night mare of a life she had led- husband murdered for honesty..son abandoned her for being the mother she was, daughter handling her own set of problems. She reminisced those days when they were a happy family- when things seemed perfect, or as perfect as they could be. They didn't need to be an Anna Karenina family, they were good the way they were.

And as she started explaining the day she had met her husband, she stopped breathing with a tinge of a smile on her face. She was happy she went that way, her friend was glad she died peacefully. The end was farther yet nearer than they had known

Oblivion

2007-06-21T11:53:00.001-07:00

You step into it,
Sink or survive? Fighting
Through that vaugeness
Figuring out your existence
Alternative to life- where is it?
Mull over this only to
Realize it is taxing
On those eyes staring into blanknesss
On that hand your face is resting on
On that mind handling such oblivion
Eyes water lest you might forget this
A blink has never seemed so futile,
Until a jolt of lightning
Reality is back
Never will it be the same
Life seems a foggy path
That you have to tread

~Shreya

The Diva Problem

2007-06-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

Two women. Two nations. Same post, but different job descriptions. And this is a might- President of the United States of America, the other President of India. Two highly respected women in politics. But here comes the real question- how ready are the people of either nations for a woman president?

Forget for a moment their powers if and when they get the job- they will essentially represent the highest authority in either of the countries; irrespective of a parliamentary or presidential form of government. But like I said earlier- how ready is the general public? In India, I am quite certain that the citizens are ready for a woman to be the head of the state. After all, we have had Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister. Pratibha Patil's nomination was welcomed, but not by all. But in general, it was viewed with pride for she was a woman, who had stood the test of time in politics and worked her way up in a testosterone packed scenario. She is widely respected and deserves to be President, or at least for the moment nominated. Why are Indians ready, you might ask? We are a developing nation that still needs to taste success of a healthy economy, in spite of what some of our highly optimistic politicians and citizens say. Women in this nation need to get out and prove their worth. It is predominantly a male dominated society and sporadic incidents of a woman emerging in any field is definitely worth one's while. Now how competent she is a whole different issue but Indians in general are willing to trust a woman president/ prime minister

Take a 24-hour long, nerve wrenching, tiring flight towards the West, and you hit the United States of America. Currently in the midst of numerous internal turmoils, one of them being a highly extravagant Presidential campaign, more than a year before elections. One of them contesting is Hillary Clinton, wife of former President Bill Clinton. But this whole gaining a day thing, will tell you almost the same story but with a different outcome! Never had a female president, is a predominantly male dominated political arena, is a super-power; ready for a female president- absolutely not. Youngsters like us are skeptical of her too. She does not have the experience she needs to be the president. She is playing the Bill-Clinton-card way too soon. She is easily threatened by Barak Obama and she is clearly doing the girly thing- trying her hand at the sympathy votes. I remember Annie saying she would move somewhere else if Clinton became president, and I actually echoed her feelings, even though I am a democrat(at least I say so). Some of her plans seem like they were pulled right off the box and put on a teleprompter.

So how do citizens cast their vote in a situation like this, where you sort of have the same problem, but in different scenarios. I know a lot of people who would vote for a female candidate just because there has never been a female head of the state! Naive you might say, and without question it is, but they voted and did their duty! How informed one is, will definitely matter.

Divas will come and go, diva presidents... are here to stay

~Shreya

COPY PASTE JOURNALISM

2007-06-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Of the very few cable channels that my TV has been gifted with (the TV in India), I usually swap between NDTV, Star World, MTV and AXN (aah the typical America returned you might call me!). I woke up on Tuesday morning and was watching the news; they were talking about the upcoming G8 Summit in Germany and one of the most to-be discussed topic-none other than Global Warming. Ever since George W. decided to pay some commemoration to this problem, all the other countries have added their concerns. It would be wrong to say that they weren’t before this, but now that the so-called great America has voiced its concern, it’s as if the issue has gotten more important. But that is not what I am talking about (this is a whole different issue).

Prajna Datta Varma was anchoring that news cast and I was rather listening intently to her. When the special reporter started the news, I was shocked that her’s and Prajna’s words were the exact same thing. I know you must be wondering why I was shocked- wouldn’t you be too! It’s as if they had no other words for the report. How is this possible? Why use the exact same sentences while you are presenting? No wonder Microsoft Word is so useful even in journalism- COPY PASTE. I guess they thought that viewers wouldn’t realize their mistake (for lack of a better word). This is what I call Copy Paste Journalism.

Lack of originality is a major problem in broadcast journalism today. Everyone tries to copy the other journalist because they are not confident in their own capabilities and they try to better the other. In the mean time, they forget that their stupidity is actually portrayed lucidly. Journalism as far as I remember, used to be an art of presenting what is the way it is, not presenting what is by adding in some sort of a masala. Like I had written in The Virtue of Idiocy, irritating details of the humane world are thrown light upon, while important ones are given a nod and shown the door. I don’t think anyone in India is aware of how grave the situation in Venezuela is, ever since the shutting down of a news channel because of its so-called anti-socialist ideas that did not go well with President Hugo Chavez. Breach of freedom of speech? Most Certainly! But what do we (Indians) care about now a days? Whether Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama will become President? Might I remind everyone that they haven’t even won the Democratic primaries yet and that the elections are in 2008- so can we really stop obsessing what is happening in the West? Who can come with the most amount of gossip first is the race, not who is giving the real news. I used to want a journalist a long time back, still do somewhere in the corner of my heart, but such sort of ridiculous propaganda of the unimportant details of life make me want to question my desire to present reality to the world. It’s as if we have brainwashed people to forget to differentiate between good and bad, right and wrong, important and unimportant.

It really is shameful! I am at a loss of words. I guess blogging is the closest I can go towards presenting what is and what we forget these days! That’s all I can say!

~Shreya

You are a bong if....

2007-05-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

You are a bong (bengali) if:

You think that Bengali culture is the only cultured culture in the entire world (courtesy Proleta Datta); that all other cultures bow down to Bengali culture
You think that to win a Nobel Prize you have to be associated to Bengalis somehow or the other; either be a Bengali, or live in Calcutta(Kolkata), or go to a college which is also in Calcutta(courtesy: in unison by Proleta Datta and Shreyasee Das)
You think that without having touched the writing part of the literature world, you have lessened your existence- you have to know every single book that has ever been written and have had read it too!
You think that your kids have to learn all the possible cultural activities, especially debatin!
You have mastered the art of eating atleast 4 rasagollas at once and even then you can go on eating
Adda maara (as in talking nonsense) is the favorite past time- no questions asked! (courtesy: Proleta Datta and Shreyasee Das in the 2001 Corolla- damn that Corolla sparks ideas)
While addaing- you have atleast 6 cups of chaa(tea) in 40 mins. Damn bengalis have a little too much chaa paisa(money)
You go home and if there isn't any moosuri dal, you are pissed- and if there isn't any tomato chutney you are going nuts.
You hate to admit that West Bengal is going down the drain because of-- aah forget it!

Ok there are a lot more, but since I am a Bengali (a hyderabadi one) and my parents fit the definition above, I am going to stop, plus my defining skills are running out

~Shreya

CLUELESS!!!

2007-05-27T16:37:00.001-07:00

If there is one thing Americans today are clueless about, it definitely is, hands down, Immigration. We don't know what to do with this issue. At the heart of this debate is illegal immigration. All of us agree that illegal immigration is hurting the nation, both politically and economically, but various approaches to solve this problem has created far worse of a problem- a dead end. We really are Clueless about this.

When I started writing this piece, they were talking about legalizing illegal immigrants, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I definitely was enraged. Immigration hits close to me. I was born in the US, but my parents are immigrants, well they aren't - they would go back if it weren't for me for the moment. But you get the point. They went to the US with the right visa and all that fun stuff. And today if we say that illegal immigrants can be legalized after paying a certain amount of penalty and given the same facilities that legal immigrants are furnished with, then I am sorry to say that DOUBLE STANDARDS rule! Policy making cannot have double standards. I think I can claim that I know a little about visa rules and the insides and outsides of it. Trust me none of us are ever going to see anything as complicated as this ever in our lives.
The number of loopholes doesn't even keep the whole immigration policy transparent.

What's worse is people who do things the right way are the ones who have to pay the price. For example, my dad was denied visa when he wanted to come for my graduation on grounds that he was going to immigrate here sometime soon. This to a person who has come to the US 'n' number of times and has returned. I can guarantee you that my dad has no desire to live in the US- he is better off in India. By an error of destiny I guess, his daughter was graduating from an American University. Other friends who have graduated from here, their parents weren't denied visa to do the exact same thing. The perks of being an American citizen, I say.

On the other hand, parents of 35 year olds who themselves have families and are well-established in the US, are being given visa. Reality check, they have more incentive to stay back because they are atleast 65-70 year olds. Why am I pissed you may ask? Here is what happens. They bring their parents to the US, and somehow or the other put their name in their greencard application, and if and when it is approved, the parents have a greencard and can start working too! Now where is this coming from???!!!! Illegal immigrants are getting the welfare benefits while deserving Americans aren't because apparently they have enough. Who decides who has enough?

America, today, cannot afford to do amnesty work of this sort, especially domestically. We need a tighter economy to sustain the decline. The dollar value is going down the drain, not just against the British Pound Sterling or the Euro, but against other currencies too- the Indian rupee being one of them. We really step up things right now. No one knows what is going to happen in the next few months. Gas prices are soaring through the roof, minimum wages haven't changed. Average working-class Americans are going to have hard time day by day. So at this point of time, if taxes aren't being paid properly and welfare benefits are going to undeserving people- a.k.a. people who are here illegally, have somehow managed a social security number, that surprisingly cannot be traced when IRS is in town.- then I am sure we are looking at far worse of a situation than it already is. Politically, we have to look beyond getting the Hispanic votes, yes votes are important but not at the cost of worthy citizens.

"Where do you draw the line?" Republicans are stalling the immigration bill. Democrats are yelling and shouting. Independents are stepping back and looking. Look beyond. Immigration is not just getting the votes, its a tough call to make right now. Just plain political bickering is not going to help.

~Shreya

The Joy Killer

2007-05-25T11:54:00.001-07:00

It was, what I like to call, the Perfect day. Gorgeous 58 F weather, I was listening to James Blunt on my MP3 player and finding my way to work through the trees. It was such a beautiful weather, that I actually turned off my player and was listening to the birds chirp. For those of you who don't know, University of Houston is home to a lot of squirrels, they run around the campus as if their own and actually are cute until they try and attack you (which by the way is rare in occasion). The fountains are beyond awesome on a day like this- the maintenance had cleaned the fountain, people were sitting on the grass by it and reading or taking a little nap. After all the sun wasn't that strong or that light; you lay on the green,freshly mowed grass, put your backpack under your head (since that is their primary purpose ;) ). I actually sat down and started to read my copy of The Virtue of Selfishness (arguably a bad choice of book on a day like this); until I realized that I was running late to work. And just when I was a minute away from work- there she was, my joy killer, this lady who was smoking, corrupted my air- the air I was enjoying. In a second, it was all gone. The sensation that I wanted to last for the entire day was gone in a matter of seconds. This is where I do not know what to say anything anymore. It should have been a sin, but then again she is entitled to smoke anywhere she wants to. But not right in my way...smoke away from me, not at me :-(

~shreya

Oh the PRESSURE!

2007-05-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Results for ICSE came out a couple of days back and it brought back bad memories of my own results. I hadn't done that well as everyone had expected me to do, but now that I look back I wonder why were we even that persistent to make it to the top. I know one way I convince myself is saying that India is a developing country with not too many opportunities like the US and so we have to push our through the assiduous hurdles on our path to the top. I made an 89% in ICSE and I know I was in shock; but in my own defense, I knew I had done well, I just didn't know how I'd failed myself and my family. My parents were definitely disappointed because I hadn't hit the 90% mark, (I was too, no kidding) but what could I have done after that. Anyways, looking back definitely brings back unwanted memories.

And then, I talked with a couple of people from this years' ICSE batch and the same thing repeated. One of them made a really really good grade, but failed to satisfy the parents. This is where I say "Enough". Kids these days have lost all motivation to study for the sake of learning. They study to please their parents. It falls under my definition of "sin". Yes setting standards is definitely good, that's good parenting, its a good motivation for the children too; but if your children have reached it or rather are close to it, be content. Where your children stand compared to others' is not important, what they do in that position is what is important. Someone who is first their entire life can be a complete failure and someone who has been struggling their entire life is probably planting seeds towards making a difference. Yes parents will be parents, but all the time demeaning your kids(their version is motivating) is not worth it- it will only drive them towards self-inducted pain. I am not saying that parents should completely let go of their kids' lives but a little understanding would help. Its bad enough with the pressure education has become, and to add on that pressure from parents. Talking really helps, figuring out where each party is coming from is important. All the shouting, disappointments, frustration leads to nothing but the same list of household disobedience. All of us need to be content and happy with what we have. In the long run, these marks aren't even going to matter- like I said, it will be what we do that is important.

~Shreya

Whims of a blogger

2007-05-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Its been crazy how a lot of us have gotten into the blogospehere (as we call it these days). Some of us do it because we love to write, some of us do it because its the trend. But whatever be the reason, I think all of us do it cause we love to write. And then on days like these, when I come up with wierd titles, it basically means I haven't had the right kind of inspiration to write about something. So how does a writer get that motivation to write about something? I know I am very politically/life oriented when I write. I do not necessarily thing its bad, but sometimes I think I lack creativity; which is when I turn to other blogs I read and I am in awe when I read their innovative stuff? Why do I lack it?
1. I think way too much
2. I try to be better than the others
3. I feel bad when people write things that I could have easily written about
4. I go off on tangents because I have so much to say
5. I can never match up to the skills other writers have!
6. So then, why even try?
Because its fun to sometimes whine I guess
I have never written such a random post in my life.
Ok back to reading
~Shreya

Seriously!

2007-05-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

Ok so off-late people have been questioning my Indian-ness! Seriously, get off my back! I have lived in India for thirteen years, so I don't think I am a confused desi- rather I am a CONFIDENT desi- so new definition of ABCD- American Born CONFIDENT Desi- now if you can't deal with the fact that I am more Indian that some of you fobs around here, then stop being jealous and try not to americanize yourself that much. Don't tell me that I am not sure of what Indian culture means and stuff like that. I do not care much for your opinion and I will leave no stone unturned to verbalize the fact that I have taken offence to your comments. So do keep in mind about these things when you are talking with me. Just because I was born here does not mean that I am not sure where I originated from. If you are insecure do not put the onus on me. Find out why you feel that way and rectify it.
Seriously!!! Get off my back and watch your own before something goes wrong!

Shame on us

2007-05-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

This has taken a long time for me to complete, partly because I was ashamed to even think about this. The 14th Dalai Lama was at Rice University on May 1st and delivered two speeches. The one that interested me the most, without question, was the one on religious tolerance. It amazed me how forcefully, yet simply, he conveyed the message that there was nothing wrong in accepting people of different religions, including the atheists. We could all live in harmony if only we tried. The urge to learn what other religions are about, and embrace should be our motivation, not to use it against them. Like the Dalai Lama said, the theists all derive their inspiration, their faith from the same source- GOD, while the atheists derive their inspiration from their concept of "GOD". So everyone draws their inspiration from different "sources". So where is the question of hating one another coming from?

The Dalai Lama then continued to tell the Rice Owls that the world should follow the example of India- a Secular Nation- guaranteed by the Constitution also. We are a nation of different religions; rather almost all religions in the world . To be openly glorified as a nation with so much tolerance is no small feat after all. But stop for a moment and think- are we that tolerant after all? The recent insurge of Hindutva and their "insecurity" of the declining Hinduism, has given a different dimension to our country- after "trying" to live in harmony all these years with different religions; especially with Muslims- how on earth are we threatened? We call ourselves a developing country trying to be one of the superpowers by 20whatever, but how are we going to be able to progress if we are this closed minded? We condemn Islamic fundamentalism, but gleefully condone Hindu fundamentalism. Any sane mind would agree with me that this contradiction has no grounds. Any orthodox/fundamentalist religious group is full of cynicism and is wrong. What's even worse these days is young Indian minds support this kind of fundamentalism. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT WHO WERE/ARE!!!! We are a diverse nation; that has nurtured and respected this diversity- we might as well start mandating people to speak only Hindi and no other languages; such is the case.

I hang out with the Baptist Student Ministry a lot- and whenever people hear this, they proceed to ask me the infamous questions; "Baptist!!! Why on earth do you go there? We would have never guessed you were Baptist?!" I am not. I love that bunch of people. No one has ever asked me what religion I am, whether I believe in theism or not, they have always embraced my presence with open arms. I have never had a complain with them. They are the most down to earth people I have ever seen in my life. And this coming from people who could have frowned upon me any day. Because of a couple of fundamentalists, we make the wrong judgement call of STEREOTYPING and GENERALIZING- I am of the opinion that it is sinful to stereotype.

Due to upsurge of religious fundamentalists in India these days, we are a earning a bad reputation; they have better advertising tactics and they definitely win. It is a sad trend, just like friend of mine put it. We should be ashamed of ourselves. How many of us have friends who are from different religions? Just because we are Hindustan, does not mean that we did not have non- Hindus before!

I realize I am spinning in circles with this topic- its because I am really ashamed of where India has reached with religion in the backdrop. It is shameful. Unless we youngsters do something soon- we will have a religious war that will spread doom not only to us but neighboring countries too.

http://webcast.rice.edu/index.php?action=details&event=967
( This is the link to the Dalai Lama's speech, in case some of you want to listen to it)

Shreya

Conversation Specials

2007-05-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Things to look out for during online im's( most of them with friends back home in India)

Wassup?
Are you at work or college? ( this is to check what the hell I am doing in life)
So wassup (yes two sentences later)
Ntn much (a.k.a nothing much)
Wow, you do so many things together (yea then I eff them up too)
So what are you doing these days (same as usual)
Why/ How come you are always busy ( now that is just way too much)
How come you always have exams (thats how the American educational system makes sure we are on our toes, a.k.a not sleeping for more than 6 hrs a nite at the max)
So what else (clear boredom indications)
When are you coming to India?

If these weren't part of the conversations, then something terribly went wrong...
~Shreya

The Virtue of Idiocy

2007-04-21T05:57:00.000-07:00

Remember those days when NDTV was THE definition of good media in India? Atleast for youngsters like us, it was definitely the hip thing since it was fancied and very westernized. Rajdeep Sardesai, Arnab Goswami, Shivraj Parshad, Maya Sharma, Barkha Dutt and so many more. Now I think NDTV and Indian media are paradigms of what I call "The Virtue of Idiocy". (Where I got the title from, will be explained later). "The Virtue of Idiocy"- the act of making sure that one is deemed idiotic constantly for their pleasure.

My American readers (if any) will not relate to this but thank you for reading anyway. The reason I am so bitter, if not evident, is due to the recent extensive/intensive and unwanted coverage of the "Aishwarya- Abhishek" marraige. She is a former Miss World, he is a Bollywood actor; son of a very famous Bollywood actor- never knew that this would be a cause for loathing their existence. So much is the hype, that a couple of my Biology labmates asked me whether the marriage was over or not, and whether she wore the sari she was supposed to wear or not- this coming from Americans sitting in Houston, Texas who in no way whatsoever should be affected by this asinine of a scenario.

The day after Virginia Tech went through their massacre, I went on to NDTV.com- like every other NRI to check upon news back home in India. And to my utter surprise (all pun intended), I found the exclusive on the intricate details of Aishwarya Rai's sari. To the side of it, apparently Top News, but evidently very small and easily overlooked, news about Minal Panchal missing. Why are we glorifying something that all of us know is not going to help us in the future or for that matter in the present? We are not entitled to that sort of vicarious pleasures either! So WHAT IS THE POINT? And then of course, we come to know about the horrifying scandal about human trafficking being conducted by an Indian politician, and that news also finds its place in the Top News section that again is blinded by the Exclusive News.

Why is it so hard for us to cover news that actually matter to the public in general? The gala affair, if not anything, portrays the ever increasing bridge between the rich and the poor and the fighting middle class in a forever developing country called India. The rich get to strut their stuff, the poor think why they are poor once again, and the middle class wonder how come they end up paying for all this, since it is after all a lot of taxes. Important news is hyped in India for exactly a week or even less for a while, and then boom its gone, and who do they blame- the judiciary system (Not that things here aren't the same, but not as bad, atleast I think that). What happened in Noida, is beyond human comprehension- a whole hype, outroar of what were the Police and the Politicians doing? Questions asked, answers demanded- the outcome- Moninder Singh, the prime accused in the gruesome killing and organ transfers of now god knows how many children is acquitted. On the other hand, his accomplice, the house keeper, is being charged for the murders allegedly committed by Moninder Singh. He doesn't have a political pull and he pays the price for it. Nandigram and Singur in West Bengal are potential threats to the Communist government in that state. It is an ultimate test of capitalism in a communist state. How many of us care? Not a whole lot because it doesn't effect us. But for some odd reason, Ash getting married to Abhishek does. Most of us have absolutely zilch idea of our foreign policy. Fine if that is too far out, we don't even know what is going on in the grass root level. Our justification to our ignorance- they are all corrupt. My suggestion- look into the mirror when you are by yourself in front of it. The whole concept of NETWORKING is a fancy way of saying that I know someone that can help me in the near future to get something important done- ring a bell, yes CORRUPTION again. Maybe not in the crude form, but superficially atleast. Ask an Indian kid what they think about the history of India and unmistakeably their response is -" That boring subject that we had to once write an exam for". That definitely should not be the attitude. Important days in history are overlooked by news agencies because it will most definitely increase their TRPs. What will is poll- poll if Sachin should play, if Ash should stay with the Bachans, if India should have two cricket teams, not if the MP should have been sacked, not what people think where India stands in the global market.

How long will something like this continue? We sit at home and nod our heads in sheer frustration of the ever falling and failing system, but what else can we do? We whine about these situations, but any step we take is stubbed by CORRUPT officials that do not want "things" exposed for fear of more unwanted news coming out. Where do we draw the line of tolerance? When do we cross that thin line? Or have we become so insensitive and self- absorbed that living vicariously off of someone else has become more pleasurable than finding ourselves in the real world?

Shreya

P.S The title was inspired by Ayn Rand's book The Virtue of Selfishness where she talks about how being selfish is not evil and is actualy worth one's while. A must read- she is the height of libertarian values- a little too radical though.
P.P.S I am not going to deny though that these problems exist in the media here too. But like I said, they seem to be transluscent here. I could be wrong.

The Indian Moose: Virginia Tech

2007-04-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/us/2007/04/17/sot.nikk Publish i.giovanni.convocation.cnn&wm=11

This is a heart warming speech by Nikki Giovvani, a professor at Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech

2007-04-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

To all those who have lost their loved ones our heart goes out to you. Words are not enough to provide consolation. All we can do is to hope to survive this.

"No woman, no cry"

2007-04-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

As I sat trying to finish my differential equations homework today, I remembered a great song I had once heard as a kid- "No woman, no cry" by the invincible Bob Marley. And it made me think how futile my homework was proving to be. What good is phase plane portrait going to do to the world?

That song portrays the epitome of hope. "Everything's gonna be allright" he sings and that is the entire motive behind life. Live it because you hope- just not for yourself but for everyone around you, that they make it through the day and do something good- for themselves and for the world. When a reality check occurs we become conscious of our surroundings and after a while its back to square one- your monotonous life. Remember the forgotten not today, not tomorrow but forever so that they get the respect they deserve.

Stop for a moment and think why you exist......

~Shreya

Is rational thinking that difficult?

2007-04-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

You wake up Monday morning looking forward to another week-exams, quizzes, projects and that lovely Friday beckoning you to party it out again. And then out of nowhere you face death-of no fault of your own you stare into the eyes of death,knowing that this is the last time you are going to ever see broad daylight.

33 dead at Virginia Tech including the shooter. He lined some of them against the wall and shot them to death. Two shootings with a gap of two and half hours. The first one took place in the dorm and the campus was not locked down, an email was sent to the students that a gunman was on campus. Two and half hours later, another shooting in a classroom.

Students were allowed to get to campus even after the first shooting. How stupid is that? Sending out an email? How many of us on a monday morning waking up late get to the email? Why was the university not shut down after the first one itself? Officials say "they had reason to believe that the shooter had left campus" and hence no more measures were taken. It should have been taken more seriously.

I know the incident took place at Virginia Tech but I cannot hide the fact that I am shaken too. More like a jolt of reality. It could have been any of us over there. It could have been any of our campuses. I hope everyone you know up at VT is safe. It is hard not to be scared, but at times like these all you can do is stay strong and show that hope is the pushing factor in life.

~Shreya

Discussion, a.k.a Devil?

2007-04-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

Why are we scared of discussing? Democracy at its best is in fact the art of discussion. Atleast, thats what I think. You vote because you form opinions about issues, and what better way to do so than discussing with peers to provide a strong foundation to what you believe in. Today's Daily Cougar had an interesting article in the Opinion section : " Religious debate should be encouraged". The issue here is not talking about religion again, its rather the notion that there are things that are non-discussable(oh here I go with forming new words).

Off-late we are all frightened of having discussions/ debates because sensitive people might take offense to it. Their loss if they don't want to talk to you after that, you will definitely find someone else better! We go around banal topics just to save ourselves the trouble of finding topics that drive close to home. Are we scared that discussing issues might change us? I am sure some of you can relate to this. I, myself, find myself in situations like these. When some of us from the economics dept sit around and talk about things, the discussion somehow leads to free vs. fair market. Participants in the discussion include- a confused liberal Indian, a.k.a moi, a libertarian, a moderate conservative and a couple more here and there. We have the most random conversations and come out with changed or stronger opinions. Hell, we even sit in class together and whisper free or fair market (Yes that's a little too much, but you get the point). You learn more that way. Now, I am not going to go preaching that join our group, cause more often than not, you would be disgusted with us, but do not be afraid to discuss important things. How long are you going to discuss Anna Nicole's baby drama? Or the fact that who's going out with whom, or where are you going with your life? I am sure you are not actually interested in them. The worst are those that have no opinion at all since they think its a waste of time. Why say that, when we are all aware of the advantages of talking through things? Only when things affect us, are we more aware or rather finally aware of the situation we find ourselves in- and then we perform the classic act- BLAME GAME! At that point, such people need to really shut up and bear the consequences of their ignorance. Its never too late is just a feel-good phrase. Don't make it your lifestyle. "What do you think of such and such" is not a scary question. Answer it, and it will make you feel better. You might not always be in the mood to talk about certain things, but you certainly can talk about it sometime.

I don't know if any of this made sense, but I guess thats that.

Shreya

2007-04-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

I drag my feet on the empty street,
Not knowing where life will take me.
Earphones plugged in, Johny Cash playing,
Cell phone in hand,
I remain oblivious to the passing land.
What am I thinking, or am I thinking at all?
The courage I lost, I try to regain,
But the inner self makes me refrain.
What have I done all these years, I ask
The answer though evident is not lucid.
My heart wants to stop for a while
It is tired from taking this stride.
Don't get it wrong, it wants to go on,
But a little rest would help.
Why do we deny it that luxury?

The selfish ME emerges
I am on a lonely street and I still want to be alone
Loneliness is a crowd by itself
Does earth have a place for people like me
Society has killed me- I have turned into a fake being

Oblivion though haunts me naught.
For it is mysterious and adventurous
Tie not your life with unwanted chains
Help me for I am not lost,
I have not found anything either.
I just want to live
No one has found out to live means
Help me be the one who does.

2007-03-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

Umm today my ramblings are going to be very less.....

What I wanted to do though......http://www.youtube.com/EmergencyCheese
The website has videos of my mentor from Georgetown analyzing the presidential campaigns. Its a nice little political geeky analysis. He was recently on CNN and the Post! So check it out and have fun! And yes I am very proud I was his mentee! He's a lot of fun...and here's his own website www.jameskotecki.com

Have Fun!

Shreya

2007-03-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

God or no God? The worst that will happen is that I will die, but oh wait- I will be dying some day no matter what?

The reason I am talking about God today (yes surprising since I don't bring this topic up too
much), is because a friend of mine up at UTD made me read A Modest Proposal for anonymous reasons. One of the articles talked about how America would be a godless nation once the Democrats came to power in 2008. Since when did Liberalism become non-godism? Not that I am preaching that all of us should get down to our knees and acknowledging the existence of god(I am better off not doing it), but what gives one the right to say that deny his/her/its existence will be the doom of our existence? Here's another of my REALITY CHECKS- believing in god questions your inherent capabilities and also acquired skills. "Believe in yourself", its really not that hard! God exists or not is a whole different scenario! Go ahead and believe in him but don't shove it in my face or for that matter that of the others if we don't believe that. If it really were true that God was responsible for the happenings on earth, oh boy would we have actually had a different landscape! People would be EQUAL, opportunities would be EQUAL, hell life would be better. And if you(ardent believer in God) are denying this and saying that we create our own lives, then hell yes you are already contradicting yourself--> you make your own decisions, you are responsible for your sins, you are responsible for your good deeds. I am not asking you not be a God-believer, just stop hating me for questioning God's existence or rather not believing in God.

Shreya

2007-03-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

The recent much-awaited exit of the Indian cricket team from World Cup 2007 (no sarcasm intended) brings me to be creative again. I love how failure gives us things to talk about. So yes a country with 1. whatever billion people and not to mention the rest who are stationed outside, all geared up to watch a disappointing finale (again). WASTE OF TIME and MONEY, and this is not coming from an economics major this is coming from anyone with a tad bit of common sense. All the hype for no good reason. Why do we even compete anymore? Just for some vicarious pleasure?

This brings me to my new definition of Indian democracy- CRICKETOCRACY. We are not a democracy anymore, we just vote for the hec of it. Had it been cricketers running for government, we would have 100% voter turnout. Don't smile at this, it doesnt seem too far when this is going to be true. Saurav Ganguly kicked out of the team! Result--> PARLIAMENT ADJOURNED!!! What the hell....Politicians are discussing why he should be on the team and not how to eradicate that ever lasting poverty rural India has found itself for god knows how many years. Power play never has and never will get us anywhere...Cricket my friend has become a power play. And whats this all about killing yourself over their loss? You weren't part of it! If someone should feel guilty it should be the team and not you, so save your life and live it. Don't give it away for no good reason, especially if its something called SPORTS! And what's this new thing about two teams? One seniors and one for the newbees! We seriously need some other distraction in India. Find one, or induce one! Its pathetically ridiculous. Why cannot we flow this sort of unwanted attention to the greater part of the economy? Crores of money spent towards nothingness! And little attention towards the shaking foundation of a nation's mixed economy.

Shreya

2007-03-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

So the day after break as usual half the college is TRYING to get back on track. But thats a whole different ball game. As I picked up my dose of The Daily Cougar, my saving grace during boring classes since it has Sudoku and the Crossword, something very regular during this time of the year caught my eye. "SFAC report: increase fees" This is an oft repeated headline during spring semester since the University works on the budget. SFAC, for those of you who are wondering what it is, is the Student Fees Advisory Committee. They have proposed a 5.11% increase in the fees. While this might seem not too much to a few of you, imagine a University with more than 30,000 students and wonder how much revenue that would increase. Still guessing- its going to be a whopping $687,516. The first time I read it, I went oh my gosh, these undergrads next year are going to be oblivious to what hit them, and was delighted about the fact that I wouldn't be in that situation anymore since I was graduating. But then it hit me that I was still going to be a student in some University and was going to have to bear that brunt wouldn't I?

Here's my question. Why is it that all of the revenue making policies are guided towards students? It's not like we are making money like the faculty and staff. Almost all of us are on some loans of sorts. The more the tuition and fees increase the more we have to bear the brunt. The chair of SFAC expressed his regret towards not being able to curb the rise, but that is not going to help. We hear the same whine every single time, and we have always seen atleast 5% rise in the fees, to do what? Increase the number of buildings, give faculty and staff the pay raise they get every year? Yes faculty and staff get some sort of a rise, some bonus sort of situation! Ask them to donate to fund raising groups on campus, and a few handful will be glad to do it.

EDUCATION HAS BECOME A BUSINESS (those of you are denying this fact, you need some SERIOUS reality check) and it is irrespective of where the educational institution, which is one of thre reasons I have begun to hate the whole institution of learning, atleast the way we are used to it these days. If you can pretty much base a school/college and charge the students, you are on your way to having a decent amount of moolah. You cannot get a degree if you learn by yourself, since you weren't part of a reputed school. What the hell does a college/university have to do with your degree- all they do is basically guide you. If you really had the will and urge to learn, you would do it by yourself. Yes I am being cynical about the situation, but can you blame me? We go to school/college since its the thing to do. A typical question-" What would you be doing otherwise?"- my answer to that- Living life the way it should be lived. I can learn when I want to, when I dont want to. And more over why does learning have to be only through books? Explore the world and you will learn more, I promise. Which is one of the reasons I loved D.C. All those conversations I had with people, helped me "find" myself.

They say that life is a vicious cycle- what goes around comes around? But this present system of education defies all norms. If saying that one fine day, us sucking out the marrow of money from the students is our payback, then I have to say that it is sick! Us kids today are scared of education- we just hate to admit it since we are all part of it. Will save it for later!

Shreya

2007-03-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

(Having lived in India for 13 years, I have seen India "progress" through the years, and visiting India last December after a mere span of three and a half years, it definitely shocked these pair of eyes)

I was reading Atanu Dey's blog on India's Development, and this one particular post about Employment vs. Production got me thinking- so what is India essentially doing wrong? We've been hearing that the country is a developing country, but for how long? I know this is not an easy task with a population of 1.04 billion and still counting, but we should be doing something right to show hope to these people, or is it too much to ask(and here's where my free traders hate me, since I am trying to be fair)? To sum up what Dey was saying (and I could have misconstrued it) was that India needs to start focusing more on production rather than employing people for a while since only with increased production will we have increased output to distribute to the people to help the country in general develop more. Agreed! Sounds like a good plan (and no sarcasm intended whatsoever), but in a country with such a huge population with an ever increasing work force, how do we solve the problem of employment? We talk about enhancing the IT sector to push the economy towards being more organized, but then what are we going to do with the unemployed? (I know this is a circular problem where a clear cut solution is not possible, lets consider for a while that we are all in a Devil's Advocate situation, or atleast I am).

As banal as this might sound, why is creation of jobs a forgotten concept? Didn't FDR do it when the US was spiraling downwards during the Great Depression? FDR's motto- "Find some job". If not the sole reason, it did help bring the nation back on track. And how much of this employment drain is due to outsourcing of jobs into India? Is specialization just another trait that needs to be forgotten, or is it needed even more so that we can screen the all rounders and make monotonic workers? Is finding something to do and getting paid minimum wage that hard to do in such a big country? Like I said, I am all for advancing tech and R&D, but what about those people who get replaced by hi-fi computers, by machines that INCREASE production in a matter of minutes? We definitely have to find them some decent replacement, or maybe we could start giving them unemployment insurance? Well then again, we are going to have some serious drain on the funds, because a work force this large, with so many unemployed is going to chew away those funds in no time!

So yes, what is India doing wrong? India Shining went down the hills like a setting sun, never to shine again! It doesn't seem like we have an economic policy that is going to help the poor rise from the ashes! We talk about Africa being under a poverty trap, I think we need to look in our own yard first. We have a huge population that is living under the poverty trap. But no matter what we do, the middle class has been and will be paying the price for a while. Every bit of their hardwork, either goes to helping the downtrodden or surviving themselves or making up for the mistakes that the rich have committed? Do we stop insourcing or augment it? Multinationals have been gaining increased access into the country, but other than increasing consumerism, aka, materialism, I don't see any util of their investment. (Again, please correct me if I am wrong in this analysis!) We are all about the cliche ideas, but implementing them is way out of the league. We are always competing but never stepping back and looking back if any of our policies are working or not. A couple of people the other day were mentioning how India had grown 9% in GDP, but completely forgot to mention the 5.6% inflation that India faced in the last quarter! An alarming fact but completely forgotten, since we are trying to mask the flaws~ the number of chain mails I receive saying India is going to be a super power by 2015 or something (the year keeps changing everyday), it drives me nuts. Poverty is not going to run away in the next 8 years, its a near impossible task~ be it allowing the markets to work on their own or have government intervention. You cannot be a super power if over 30% of your population is under shackles. You need to bring the people be at a comparable range of standard of living. 2015 or 202o is nuts for that matter. Its like the Millennium Development Goals wishing that by 2015 all of the poverty is going to be washed away like it were some dirt that was stubborn and thats it. No! Thats not how it works! But that is a different story all together!

I am actually running out of things to say, and am sorry if this all seems incoherent, but like I mentioned before these are ramblings but with due thought in them. So bear with it please.

Later
Shreya

2007-03-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

If someone said travelling was tiring, waste of time and money, that person is completely out of their mind. Yes it is tiring, I mean how can it not be, but it is definitely worth it. No matter where you go, you need to embrace its existence. Be it a small town, a big town. Everytime I go somewhere, I learn something, well that would be an exaggeration but it definitely gives me a different outlook to life.

I was at San Antonio and Austin this past Sunday. I know two cities in one day but it was awesome! My friend from back home, now a Sun Devils (hehehe Krak had to put it in there), was down in Houston and it was fun! We were reminiscing old school days back home and boy o boy, was it something. We go through these stories every time we talk, but it never seems to grow old. It was definitely a good weekend.

Was in Longhorn Land for about an hour! And boy was I thinking about what would have happened if I were there. Krak, his dad and I were walking through UT land on a day of spring break, and both of us in unison go "Where are the geeks?"- to which Krak came out with a great but very strong answer- " Go back home and look into the mirror, you will find them"... So it got me to thinking, we are geeks on campus arent we? The more I deny it, the more someone or the other points it at me. I have to thank Annie for de-geeking me since I met her....That girl is crazy....Oh yea Annie used to be part of Longhorn Land, before she moved to Cougar Land. So yea before that all I had was school-work-home-school-work-home..and the same routine over and over again. Until Fall 2005, when I met these wonderful crazy people in Linear Algebra, aka, misery. We got to be such great friends, it was perfect. I am so glad we've been friends for a long time now. I might be the youngest among them, but they definitely de-geek me like I said.
So yea I think I have de-geeked myself now too, since I am procrastinating during this spring break...even though I wake up every morning going...I need to do something and then some friend either from India or wherever the time difference is more than 6 hrs, pops up online and talks to me and I forget my misery of being a workaholic. And yes I have been sleeping more than 5 hrs, isnt that awesome?

Oh well I have run out of things to ramble about...
Later!
Shreya

2007-03-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

So I wake up on this bright and beautiful Saturday morning hoping, and I mean really hoping that I would not have to do anything that fits in the definition of productive work. But most definitely that could never be true for moi. I had to do so much cleaning, it wasn't even close to being funny anymore. Fungus in the food- yes explain to me that one. How/ when it happened, I have no idea at all. So I am sitting there thinking how to tackle the situation, as if there is some CIA stuff involved in it. But I think I have been successful enough to leave the kitchen smiling....and what's the dealio with laundry....Does it have to be that much....seriously!!!!! Well enough said about my chore choke

I am trying to find something to talk about today and I think I am going to boast/whine about graduation a little more today. I got a letter yesterday in the mail, saying that I have been nominated to be a student commencement speaker , so I have to enter this competition and might actually end up speaking in front of a lot of people. Am not counting on it, but the thought of it kinda sounds nice. So if the university has recognized me after all these years, I mean come on, can no good school recognize me either? Yes I am a 20 year old graduating in three years, but that doesnt mean you can reject me because I am that young. So if I stayed in school another 4 years, meaning a total of 7 years, graduated with a GPA of 3.5 or above, changed majors n number of times, and then finally decided to do something, accumulated all the loans I could have, then maybe I would have had a better chance at getting into a good school? Irony of life....and I hate to put that cliche there, but apparently it is true. You cannot be good enough until you have seen failure. Wow! I am impressed with the double standards!

Spring break has officially started, which means I am mastering the art of SLEEP!!!!!!! So good luck to me on that

Shreya

2007-03-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh! So I finally recovered my account details and everything and am back to blogging.

So a lot has gone down since the last time I on wrote here (as is expected). The big news is I am graduating this semester!!! Yes finally, even though that seems like an irony since I am finishing a year early and should not be using the word finally. It's so nice to realize that you are actually finishing one part of your life. But the other side to this coin- trying to figure out what to do next, is definitely a brain hutter. I am currently in this spot where I don't know if I want to go to graduate school and be a 24 year old with a PhD and no work experience or go into the work field and go back to school after a while. Oh well! These kinds of things are most definitely frustrating but I guess you have to live out of it.

I did apply to graduate schools. Got a conditional acceptance from Oxford- yes the one in England, and not the one in Tennessee, USA. The condition being that I have to have a certain GPA by the time I graduate, and guess how off I am ......done guessing? I am off by 27/1000 of a point. I hate them for it, but I guess it gives me added incentive to study during this last semester! Brown University (up in Rhode Island) and Columbia University (New York :) ) have skillfully rejected me. So this week has been going worse than usual. Surviving it though....atleast I have convinced myself about it.

But I have to go now since I am at work (and hardly working).
I promise I will be updating this place like crazy from now on!!!
Take care!
Adios
Shreya

2006-08-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

I don't know what happened to the previous post, I have no idea as to what happened to that font! College started on the 21st, which was Monday(yesterday). I think I had a good first day of school. As in it began at 8 and did not end until 4 and then of course Annie kidnapped me to go to Bennigan's which was the highlight of the day. Today wasn't bad either. All my professors did today were- handed out syllabi and then we were let out. Aa those good ole days. Wish they came back

Then of course I hit the gym. I had to do it. I am sitting on my ass and getting fatter and fatter by the day. It is just not right!

Little tired today, so the post is going to stay small.
Will post later
Shreya

2006-08-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning not knowing what to do and all of a sudden Jon was online. As usual, I began to bug him and he sent me an email with this link ( I am not going to put the link out here)- but it got me thinking about personal liberty. I am going to be a little too extreme about this so please bear with me ( and of course comments are more than welcome).

The website was an online resource of personal information. You could search anyone on that website and get any information you would want. And yes when I say any, I mean it. For a price, you could be entitled to their Social Security Number too, you could do a Search by Social Security Number on that dreaded website ( as if it were an ISBN number or something). It scared the hell out of me in the beginning, but then upon close examination, I did realise that it could be a good resource( I am playing devil's advocate with myself, I am definitely against that website). I am sorry I am going offtrack. Here is the thing, do we need to start a more rigorous regulation of the internet today than ever before? Some people are going to ramble about infringement of personal liberty, of civil rights, but what if we definitely need a regulation because other people are at risk. When the phone tapping incident came out, I was all for getting an answer as to how my privacy was being intruded upon. And yes I was offended, and trying to justify as to how other people were ok with this. It struck me ridiculous. I don't want to be offensive, but that is definitely a violation of my right to privacy.

And even so why are we in a state of racial profiling in the 21st century? Just because we get threats sometimes?Like my friend Jad Elias from Lebanon said in our class once, that we have forgotten the distinct distinction between Radicalism and Islam. What about those who are innocent and are as disgusted as us with the current situation? Why shouldn't they be given a chance to explain their viewpoints?

I don't know...I have to let this post go now, cause I cant write anymore but I will
Shreya

2006-08-18T15:09:00.001-07:00

Yes I remembered the promise to keep up. So I know a lot of you guys have been asking me what I have been doing these years since I left India in 2003. I think ever since I have left, I have never been the same again. The first year was the hardest. It took me a while before I could adjust to the surroundings but I did it, and I am damn well proud of it. I was in Lubbock, Texas for a year, where I did my senior year of high school at Lubbock High. As crazy as this sounds, I loved that city. It was such a loveable city, I am not even kidding. That is like my point of reference sometimes. I can go on and on about that city, but I will not.

Well then by a series of (un)fortunate events, we moved to Houston in 2004. Hate the city till date. I did not want to come here, but I have indeed lived here for the last two years. I go to the University of Houston. I am working on my Bachelors of Science degree in Economics with a minor in French. So far, school(college) has been good. The first semester turned out to be decent enough. I was most definitely not one of those lost freshman, absolutely clueless. I had a game plan and I am glad that I have stuck with it. I do not intend to change majors, I am dead set to do economics, and economics it shall be. What am I going to be doing with that degree? Great question!!!! I am a little confused as of now too, because some people have been asking me to go to law school. I must admit that I am definitely skeptical about law school. I am not sure if I have got it in me to be committed to law school, but that is still in the near future. But I am planning to go to the UNICEF(United Nations Children Fund). I want to work with the UN and help third world countries get out of their poverty trap. It is not an easy task and it is definitely one of those young-generation-ideas. But I have decided to do it, failure or success.

I am currently working at the Scholars' Community at UH as a Mentor/Tutor. Some hard core job let me assure you. But the people are awesome. I know I am going to make friends for life over there. I am glad that that egg shell I was in, has finally broken and Washington D.C. is responsible for that. No more scared to do stuff, I have finally taken the step to not be such a wuss.

Umm have I changed? Yes, most definitely. I am still the person you could talk to 3.5 years ago, but I am sure you will find discrepancies here and there. I have become liberal, I do not know how much of it, but yes liberal. It has swung pretty often, moderate liberal and very liberal. But yes at this point of time I am definitely a Democrat. Washington D.C. and all the stuff that goes on in there, has let me come to that conclusion. I did think that I was a conservative in the economic standpoint, but after a lecture at Georgetown on Free Market Economy, I have decided never to hit that road ever again. I don't think that I want to run deficits, but definitely no free market economy for me. Which means Univ of Chicago is out of the question. For those of you who are wondering why, its because it is a free market school. I don't think I can work with the Austrian School of Economics anymore. Yes I still admire Hayek, but I cannot pursue it. Hayek will still be my God for economics, because he was the first economist I read.

I will have to take leave right now. I don't know how effective blogs are, so I am going to leave it at that . I am trying to upload a pic on here, so bear with me.

Adios
Shreya

2006-08-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well as I wait for the picture to upload, let me remind everyone, whoever has remotely kept up with my blogs, that I was the one that hasn't kept my blog updated like I had promised to. I was on xanga and I decided that it wasn't worth it. I don't know I ended up in this rush to start blogging and all that but now I think I will switch to blogger. Xanga is not appealing anymore to me.

This summer has been great! Those who will see this through facebook definitely know what I am talking about. It's been one of the best summers I have ever had. I think the only comparable summer was the one after the 10th. For those of you have been asking me about what I did, and why I was so busy, it was because I was in Washington D.C.. It is definitely the place I want to go back to in the future, or actually maybe New York , but yes Washington D.C. will definitely see me sometime in the future. Look at that place! THE WHITE HOUSE MAN THE WHITE HOUSE! Its not like I always will agree/disagree with the decisions that are being made that every day, but hey- who would not want to work over there!

I was also at the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States of America- it is where pretty much all the monetary decisions of the economy are made. I was sitting at that Board table, and trust me( yes its a highly biased comment), but that place was exhilarating. That experience was exhilarating. I know I will be there some day, will be a research assistant to some economist, cause that is what I want to do. I can still work at the White House but definitely will have to do this, I am determined.

I don't think I will start writing about what I have been doing these years, ever since I left India. I will in the next post and it is a promise.

I will have to take leave now. I hope I will be able to keep up with blogging.

Peace out(if this gets too cliche, do tell me-will stop it)
Shreyasee(shreya)