Oh My God

Last week, my sister, who lives in Calcutta, got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the way back from school. The reason she was stuck was that a bunch of people, who unlike my sister, never did go to school, were protesting against an article that The Statesman had reproduced from the UK's Independent. The protesters claimed that the article had insulted the Prophet.

Now, as you would know, this is somewhat of a recurring phenomenon. Every few days Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Sikhs or barbers pop up out of nowhere claiming that their sensibilities have been hurt. And, more often than not, our government either capitulates or the goons beat up everyone in sight so that there’s a de facto ban on whatever these chaps were protesting against.

Now, there are a number of reasons why this should not happen.

Firstly, we have the London bus argument: "There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life". However, in all honesty, this is a futile argument not only in India but in almost all parts of the world including most of the western countries. Also, I am a bit sick of the Dawkins fanboys and their I’m-more-rational-than-99%-of-the-world expostulations.

Secondly, we have this: clock:time::religion:God.

A clock helps us to tell the time but a clock does not define time. So, if my clock is two hours slow or has stopped, it doesn’t mean that Time is two hours slow or has stopped. Time is impervious to the clock.

Similarly, at best religion can be way for us to understand God, but nothing that mortal men and women do on this Earth can ever affect God. A fair argument, if you ask me.

Therefore, it’s quite preposterous to think that an octogenarian (or is it nonagenarian?) painter can insult the very embodiment of Shakti or that a newspaper columnist can insult God’s chosen Prophet.

Incidentally, I’ve discussed this point on online forums (yes, I have too much time on my hands) and I’ve been met with one stock response: "Would you not feel hurt if somebody insulted your mother? It’s a similar case when our God is insulted."

Now, the thing is that, while my mum is somewhat of a remarkable woman (she can teach History to a bunch of unruly girls and make the best chaanp ever) she is hardly a god—in fact she’s, unfortunately, quite mortal. She is neither omniscient nor omnipotent and, in what is cinching proof of her imperfectness, she likes to listen to ABBA.

Hence, it’s not a similar case at all and if you do insult her I should and would feel a bit pissed.

Last and, well, least we have free speech. This has unfortunately taken such a beating in our country that I feel it futile to waste time writing about it.

Having enumerated (some of) the reasons as to why this stuff should not be done, it is instructive to try and understand why these things are done, nonetheless.

In one word, the reason is identity. Religion, in our part of the world, and, in fact, in most parts of the world, is an intrinsic part of our identity. It’s who you are. In effect, insulting symbols of your religion is taken, almost instinctively, as a personal insult.

So, when the chaps in Calcutta were ostensibly protesting against a columnist insulting the Prophet, what they were really protesting was a newspaper columnist insulting them.

In fact, a corollary of this would also explain the Ram Sena’s actions (as opposed to the more commonly held they-are-fags argument).The Ram Sena (and the other Senas) primarily consists of people who would charitably be called lumpen. Here Hindu culture, or their definition of it, gives them a lovely little make-believe world to hide in. A world in which they are actually better than the pub-hoping sahebzaadas zipping around in their fancy cars. That these people are largely Hindus in the first place matters little, because by the new terms of engagement, the Ram Sena chaps are the "better" or "truer" Hindus which makes them leapfrog in social status over the harlots who frequent bars and what not.

So, what do we do to remedy the situation? Well, quite frankly, I don’t know. Yes, we could make people richer; the whole cut-at-the-root-of-the-discontentment rigmarole—admittedly our best bet. But, sometimes, even that doesn’t help—the eagerness of the residents of Punjab to murder their own daughters is proof enough.

However, if you do think of something, scribble it onto a pink chaddi and send it to Muthalik. In the meanwhile, I suggest we follow Mark Twain’s advice:

"When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained."

--Shoaib Daniyal, OutlookIndia.com
Read the article here

Love Mere Hit Hit

A catchy song from the recently released movie Billu. Deepika Padukone looks like a million bucks. Love her smile. SRK on the other hand looks quite sad serenading a woman half his age. He needs to reinvent himself, like now! The movie was nice, funny for the most part (watch out for that brilliant scene where the guesthouse manager is trying to remember his dialogues). A big applause for the Irfan Khan who delivers a heartbreaking performance as the poor barber whose life is turned upside down because of his famous friend. He silently suffers as his children, his wife and his entire village force him to get them a meeting with the star, and then turn against him when he is unable to. Watch him in the scene where he searches for his stuff in the trash after some angry villagers take down his shop. Here is an actor who doesn't need dialogues to communicate. A special mention for Lara Dutta, who looks gorgeous in the most simple of sareers and has matured tremendously as an actor. Great screen presence! The movie though, like most movies these days, ends up being a bit longer than necessary, especially the painfully long manipulative speech at the end by our man (watch out for the closeup of his hideously ugly stained teeth).

Anyways, drool... (don't forget to tun on high quality in the menu)

Cyclical upheavals, routine shock

Every few years, we have a downturn. This is not a very surprising thing to say for history has taught us that periods of prosperity are
interspersed with those of economic tightness. This means that ever so often, good times will give way to bad, economies that were booming will stagnate (Japan for the last 15 years), companies that were star performers will struggle (Sony) and countries that were superpowers will find themselves going through a rough patch (Russia after the end of the Cold War). Sometimes these changes in fortune will be of a longer duration and occasionally, we will see a change in the order of a more permanent kind.

Things move in cycles. This is a simple truth. Then why is it that we find ourselves in such a tizzy when we come across a routine, frequently recurring phenomenon? Why are we so unprepared both commercially and emotionally, to face the transient challenge of economic hardship? In India's case we are not shrinking, merely slowing down our rate of growth. But even if we were to talk about the developed world why do we find ourselves in such a state of desperation today? The idea of the market is that there will always be losers; the market celebrates the unequal nature of the world and sees it as the reason why individuals are driven to achievement.

For everyone who is buying when the price is low, someone is selling at the same price. Why do we celebrate the discriminatory nature of the market in good times and run to the referee the moment the market as a whole takes a dive. Isn't that too part of the market mechanism?

More importantly, we know this will pass. Just as we knew this would happen, but for a large part, chose to believe otherwise. Experts told us that the growth would be sustained for longer. The story seemed compelling then just as today the recession story seems equally inevitable. Of course, this had to happen; hindsight loves inevitability, just as foresight skirts around the cyclical nature of reality.

And yet, the story of humankind is nothing but a sustained battle against the stubborn inevitability of Nature. For nature imposes its bloody-minded gods on us that do not allow any event or phenomenon to continue unhindered. Night foils day, winter shrivels summer, good monsoons get rudely interrupted by droughts.

Civilizations flourish and tumble, species multiply and die, mountains become oceans and grasslands turn to sand. Which is why the idea of progress is based on pushing back the constraints imposed on us by nature. Culture seeks to harness biology as well as to thwart it. The manmade replaces the god-given as we set out to dismantle the power of natural phenomena, physical constraints and cyclical upheavals.

Technology has helped us erase the experience of most cycles. Electricity has turned night into day, air-conditioning has made summers quilt-friendly and cosmetics and medical science have postponed both death and age. Viagra has reduced the consequences of age while contraceptives have eliminated the tyranny of the fertility cycle. Menstruation continues its reign, albeit with a little less certitude and it is only a matter of time before this cycle too, is tamed.

The rebellion against cycles and the belief in an unbroken journey towards more reveals itself in other arenas of life too. Classical music, with its carefully extended rhythm and its spirally unfolding structure, works over too long a period of time to be popular. Cricket too leans towards the T20 format with its compression of ups-and-downs. In the West, most marriages do not survive the first emotional downturn that couples encounter and the quest for unbroken excitement creates a sweeping disregard for the psychic debris that is gathered in its wake.

So why should business be any different? Why should it not pretend that the market should perpetually rise and why should it not judge individual companies on a consistently upward performance every single quarter? Why prepare for bad times when you can sack thousands ever so often? Why not feed into the huge anxiety that such downturns generate and cadge a few billions from panicky governments?

The animal kingdom understands the rhythm of cycles and works to create a sustainable future for itself. Mating, breeding, feeding and migration occur cyclically and are all geared towards long-term survival. The male emperor penguin spends 115 days without a meal while incubating its offspring while its mate spends the winter at sea. It does not see deprivation and abundance as two separate phenomena but recognizes that they are part of a single process, something we seem curiously unable to do. We react to these two phases as if they are unrelated and need to be managed independently. We do not prepare in good times for bad and vice versa.

So right now we believe that we need to do something dramatic to get out of this cycle. It's almost as if we don't believe in the market any more. For India, the disconnect is even greater as we rush to embrace somebody else's reality as our own. Eventually things will get better. And then we will again forget that they will, very soon get worse again.

- Santosh Desai, TOI
Read the article here

If you ever feel lonely

One of my favorite moments from television...

Carrie is supposed to meet Mr. Big before he moves from New York (sigh!) to Los Angeles because of his job. When Carrie shows up at his place at the appointed hour, this is what happens

Slumdog Gazillionaire!!

...coming soon

Sapnon se bhare naina

Jaise ke din se rain alag hai
Sukh hai alag aur chain alag hai
Par jo yeh dekhe vo nain alag hain
Chain toh hai apna, sukh hain paraye

Jai Ho

Love these lines from the song from Slumdog Millionaire. The song itself is magnificently sung by the inimitable Sukhwinder Singh, and brilliantly composed by God himself - A R Rahman

Ratti ratti sachchi maine jaan gawayi hai

Nach Nach koylon pe raat bitaayi hai

Ankhiyon ki neend maine phoonkon se udaa di

Gin gin taarey maine ungli jalayi hai


(I tried translating it in English, but it makes no real sense and neither does it rhyme, hence omitted from the post)

:)

The following is an extract of a google chat conversation between Amruta and myself today. Amruta had introduced me to the sitcom "Its always Sunny in Philadelphia" a few days ago. I watched it, I liked it, and I was hooked. Now this is what happened when I tried to communicate this to my dear Amruta:

me: im hooked onto sunny now
useless person
Amruta: what?
me: sunny in philly
Amruta: kya bol raha hai?
u r in philly?
me: its always sunny
in philly
Amruta: haha
me: idiot
Amruta: when did u move?
is it sunny?
i thought it was cold in philly
me: AAARRRGGGHHH
this conversation should go on my blog!
Amruta: haha
we r not on the same page
what r u talking about
n u have a blog?
Amruta: what is sunny in philly?
areeee...whats ur blog page?
i dont have it
ok tell me right now!
what's happening

Favorite Quotes (updated regularly)

Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this, ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth. -- Albert Einstein on MK Gandhi's death

Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand. -- Putt's law

I have wondered before now, whether the vast astronomical distances may not be God’s quarantine precautions. They prevent the spiritual infection of a fallen species from spreading. -- C. S. Lewis

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. -- Thomas Edison

I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism. -- Charles Schwab

You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing. -- Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr

State of the Indian media - flicked from Big B's blog

It is late, but it has been a full and constructive day.

Promotional activities have consumed most of the time, after shooting for ‘Aladin’ ended.

Srinivasan Jain and Barkha Dutt from the same channel NDTV being the last two.

The former a little more rushed than the latter, but both hinging on topics already expressed upon in the print media. Barkha more incisive, Sri in a hurry ; maybe his time limitations were somewhat acute.

The questions had similar content. Not to say that the other 42 interviews that I did in the evening were any better, but ’similar’ was the unchallenged constant. Shatrughan Sinha, Salim Khan, Raj Thakeray, Anurag Basu. Commerce and sensationalism still riding high on their intelligent shoulders.

Why so angry now ? Would you still be friends with them ? Why do you think you are attacked ? Would you still greet them ?

And i wait for the dynamic headlines announcing the interview. Some thing that will draw attention, keep the audience unmoved from their channel. Phone in’s may get constructed around comments of mine. Do you think he is right in saying so - phone in your comments at 58822 something, put Y and gap and N and gap. Get the graphics of the percentage going, call in a semi intellectual, preferably from the film Industry and certainly not ‘Bachchan Camp’ into the studio, repeat the questions asked in interview, expand them, cover half hour or else the adverts will not fructify. Culminate the proceedings on a note where the channel looks good and unbiased, yet signals its last cynical or sarcastic ending, dynamic background music and…. channel ID !!

Matter over.

Anchors move on to the next programme - a rape or shoot out, car having run over pedestrian sleepers. Get the blood, get the relatives in various stages of shock and dismay, weeping and distraught close ups would help. Catch the cops for comment and the ambulance taking away the bodies. Didn’t get the shot ? Damn !! No problem, pick up the visual from the day before as the bus plunged into the river, patrol cars and ambulances were seen there as well.

Anchor at news asking their on the spot colleague, to report what is happening, in the same tone as when describing Dhoni hitting a six at a cricket match !!

An average scene at any given time on any given channel.

And they talk of monotony and lack of fresh content in our cinema. They talk of ripping off foreign DVD’s and plagiarism. Where did they get there programme ideas from ? Are any of their presenters sitting in front of studious looking desks any different from the sets of the BBC or ABC or CNN Studios. Is ‘Seedhi Baat’ not ‘Hard Talk’ is KBC not ‘Millionaire’ ?



Afternoon of 28th, CNN-IBN 12:25pm news on review. Title, ‘Busy Big B’ a recap of the launch of a game show for Bhooth Nath. Launch over, media questions. The same rumor laced spicy barbs.

The blog is occupying much debate. Thank you. I am honored there is interest in it. How do you get there ? I give them the address. Next question- are you anxious about what the media writes about you. I respond yes for i do not know what abuse will come my way. Back to condescending anchor, male, in a fetching suit and tie, a tinge of sarcasm and one up manship, a wry smile and the closing before the signature tune takes over.. ” Far cry from the Amitabh Bachchan that had boycotted the media not so long ago” !!

Brilliant, CNN-IBN !! You have denounced the BIG B and come out looking superior. After all media credentials must always be on top. The last word must be ours. ‘News is not what happened, news is what media says happened’ - famous editorial quote from the owner of a daily.

Except its the other way round !

Media blacked out Amitabh Bachchan in the 70’s on the ridiculous assumption that press censorship during the Emergency was instigated by him, because of his proximity to Shrimati Indira Gandhi.

My name my activities my photographs all banned from any and every journal, in retaliation. Even in the credit titles of a film under reference in print, would not carry my name in the star cast. It would be reduced to a comma !

-Amitabh Bachchan,
http://blogs.bigadda.com/ab/2008/04/29/day-11-2/

Caution amid India's cricket euphoria

Writing on cricket in the early 1990s could be a depressingly easy business. All you did, so went the joke, was alter the scores, change a few names and amend the dateline. The storyline mostly stayed the same - India was average.

And there is nothing worse in sport than average. It is tedious, it is uninspiring, and part of our affection for Sachin Tendulkar then was because he, almost single-handedly, fought against this average-ness, a hero amidst the humdrum.

This staggering ability to be unexceptional was not a cricketing malaise but some wider lack of nerve. There were exceptions in Indian sport, but the rule was meekness.

Leander Paes' gravitational pull at this time was not because he was overburdened with tennis gifts, but because in the Davis Cup he was simply prepared to contest every match till its last point. When he howled in desire, something locked up in us was released.

The current Indian cricket team has howled too, occasionally rudely, but in a cricketing sense it has thrilled, its spirit has become contagious, because it has the powerful scent of self-belief.

These fellows wear the insolent bravery of youth and a cloak of effrontery, though at times they needed to clutch at the experienced hand of Tendulkar. Australian cricket is somewhat a faded photocopy of itself, but beating them at home required from the Indians substantial commitment to the cause and each other and they found it. Opportunity knocked and was tackled to the ground by the Indians.

Indian cricket teams have owned this belief before, but never held onto it, because their commitment to excellence, and each other, was fickle.

Greatness is an ability to repeat, but they have not shown the discipline for it yet. This, then, is Dhoni's test.

He has conquered Australia, but like Australia, he must eventually own the world - in every form. In the past decade, Australia has twice won 16 Tests in a row, and also once won seven in a row, another time six in a row.

India's best in that period has been three Test wins in a row. However, the first time that was achieved it included a win against Zimbabwe, the second included two against Bangladesh. This is how far India has to go.

The captain, who has a cowboy's insouciance about him that is agreeable (though Praveen Kumar's immovable face after a wicket in an overreacting series brought the biggest smile), has many jobs ahead, for eventually he will become Test captain.

He must ensure Ishant Sharma, who is in need of muscle, is not overplayed. He must remind his energetic army that history doesn't remember bank balances, only wins. He must keep faith in his own interesting instinct.

And he must be careful with his words. While his statements (he could have run a single faster than Rohit Sharma even with cramp; Munaf Patel was better than Sreesanth in a particular situation because he didn't think) appear absent of malice, when his team loses they may not be as understanding.

Rohit Brijnath
BBC

Which College Major Should You Be?
	Your major should be Engineering. Logic is your friend. With enough work, you can find a solution to anything... Unless it involves dating or parties.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Aha!

What Kind of Drink Are You?
	You are a Fine Glass of Wine. You are sophisticated and refined, but also complicated and hard to deal with. Not everyone loves you, but those who do swear that you're the coolest thing since sliced bread. One of these days the people that matter will understand you. Until then, you will be sitting on your throne as the distinguished product that not everyone has the taste to appreciate.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Me again!

Which Springfield Resident Are You?
	You are Comic Book Guy. Who said there's anything wrong with being a nerd? Certainly not you! You may be obsessed with things no one else cares about, but your passionate about what you do, so who cares what anyone else thinks?
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Me!

Which Friends Character Are You?
	You are Rachel. You're very selfish and pay great attention to image. Spoiled when you were young, you were always the popular and snobbish kid. Although you hang on to your adolescent attributes, you grow more responsible every year.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Smelliness

Now we had this furore over some local TV channel calling asians (or was it just indians?) smelly just last year and the whole asian comunity (or was it just those who had nothing better to do with their lives?) rose up against the "racist" americans and there were fliers and signature campaigns and demonstrations flying all over the place....it had gotten quite ugly and eventually the editor of the channel had to apologise in public and i think we got an email from the chancellor about how "shocked and appalled" she was and all that bull

OK..now i have never really bought into all this "racism" funda....well maybe thats cuz ive never really encountered it...but mostly, its becuz if someone is being racist, it shows his indifference to "other cultures" and i actually pity such people...and try my best to "educate" them that there is a world beyond america and that besides white, there's yellow and brown and black and pink and all the other kinds of colors out there...so the point is that i never really bought into this whole smelly asians thing..

but in the last 2 weeks, ive had the fortune (or was it misfortune?) to really test this stand of mine...and it wasnt pleasant...maybe its the change in weather or some extra pollen in the air or just my hormones...but the kind of stink that i have had to bear is unimaginable....every second person who has come close (within societal limits) has stunk...stunk bad!...it gets worse when u give people a ride in your car...with the doors locked and the windows up, there's nowhere you can go if someone decides to "emit gasses"...it fills up the entire car and its not something u wanna inhale right after finishing 10 hours of a work day....and then what follows is equally hilarious...after committing the crime, they try to get rid of all "fingerprints" by pretending as if nothing happened, slightly lowering the window (in the hope that it gets rid of the stuff quickly), looking out and whistling...but people...ITS TOO LATE BY THEN...all i can do then is to play with the fan direction switches and try to create a circulation which takes most of the stuff away from me...in order to not embarrass them, i also cant confront them or make faces or ask them to stop what they are doing....but I HAVE A NOSE PEOPLE!

now im not saying that its only indians who smell....the point of this blog is just to say that PEOPLE SMELL....and thats something ive had to learn the hard way..not to take anything away from those who invest in deos and soaps and bathroom time...but its that one lazyass in a hundred that spoils it for the rest of us.....

The Namesake

Finally reached the theater fighting against all odds...starting with an annoying friend who's always late for everything..then getting a bad review about the movie and deciding to watch something else...reaching 5 mins late (anyone who knows me even reasonably well knows how much i HATE being late for movies)...then dropping the plan for the movie cuz the rest of the options were crap...and so on...but then after some yelling and name calling and tense silences, decided to stick with the plan and watch "The Namesake" by Mira Nair...starring Irrfan and Tabu and Kalpen Modi (better known as Kal Penn)...

Well...the two things that struck me the moment we entered the hall were
1) there was a fairly decent crowd in the hall unlike what i had expected
2) the crown was 100% American!
Gladdened my heart to see Americans watching a movie made by an indian about indians...guess mira nair is a big name after all...

Ok..first...the review - One of the best movies i have ever seen...driven by powerhouse performances by the lead cast..i wont deny tht it felt weird watching the characters speak in bengali for a bit of the first part of the movie and having to read the subtitles..but got used to it soon...the film is very subtle and is handled with a lot of sensitivity...it has some great moments, mostly involving Irfan Khan...the film begins with tabu coming to the US after getting married to Irfan..and the first day, for breakfast, she takes some rice krispies in a bowl, and instead of adding milk, she adds red chilly powder and some peanuts to it....just like we have farsan back home...i saw some surprised faces in the audience and i had to really fight the urge to explain to them what just happened....

the film moves lightning fast, unlike what most people have said and a lot happens in that span of just over 2 hours...i did not quite get the logic of the part when the father explains to his son the reason behind his kinda funny name....but all in all the movie moves you in many different ways..and to sum it up you will HAVE to do 2 things when the movie ends:
1) wipe your tears
2) call your father

Make sure you don't miss this one..

Oh Darling...yeh hai India

Never confess. I repeat never ever confess.

If spotted, swallow the chits.

If caught red-handed, make allegations of bias against the person who caught you.

These are not notes from an Al Qaida manual but quotes from a special session conducted by a handful of city coaching classes on 'cheating and how to cope if caught'. Listening in rapt attention are hundreds of 16-year-olds who will appear for the SSC exam in a fortnight. In these special sessions, Gen Next is also taught how to get rid of the guilt that comes with copying.

TOI has learnt from students and parents that this happens in at least five coaching classes across Mumbai; in Mulund, Sion, Andheri and Thane.

It is never announced beforehand that tips would be given on cheating. Also, like a student who attended this lecture in a coaching class in Sion on Saturday said: "I was told it is a general lecture for important tips on how to write the exam and how to revise before the exam. But after some time, we were being told how to copy safely and escape if caught copying."

Recreating the scenario in the lecture hall, this tenth grader with some other friends added: "Soon after the basic instructions, like carrying your hall ticket and sharpened pencils was over, the professor said, 'if you get too tensed, it's fine to copy. There are ways to do that without getting caught'." Quoting the teacher, she added: "You can either carry chits or in desperate situations even your text, in case your exam seat is a window seat."

On carrying chits: "To use this method of copying, you will have to practice how to swallow paper quickly. Try doing that at home before you go for the examination," the professor recommended. According to them, chits can be safely hidden in socks and under shirt sleeves. For girls, professors say, writing on thighs is pretty safe. Copying from neighbours: In case you ask a neighbour to throw his supplement and the supervisor notices it, blame that neighbour. Pick up the supplement and loudly tell the neighbour to "take care of the supplements".

At another class in Mulund, children were told that it was fine to "get objectives checked from neighbours." Similarly, a student who appeared for her tenth grade exam last year said that professors at Bharat Classes, where she went for tuitions did mention that if they indulged in the crime, they must be "bindaas". Students were advised that if they take their texts inside, caution must be taken to ensure that their names are not written on the texts. Also, when the supervisor notices the book, throw it from the window or ahead. "This will ensure that there is no clarity on the real owner of the book," a professor in that coaching class said.

Lastly, most classes laid emphasis that no bribe must be given to supervisors. The word "sorry" must never be uttered, they advice. Like a student who attended a session in Andheri said: "My professor told me that even if the supervisor takes you to the principal, go there and argue. Ask them what proof do you have? It's fine if you waste some time. To waste 20 or 30 minutes is better than wasting three years." She added, quietly, "The professor who spoke about this also said that I should confidently blame the supervisor and say that s/he is biased with me, doesn't give me supplements quickly and now she's charging allegations of cheating against me. But I am a good student and I will not accept that I cheated. Because I didn't."

When this correspondent telephoned the proprietor of Bharat Classes, he applied the same technique that he taught his students. "This is a wrong number, I don't run any coaching class," said the man. The telephone number was tried again six times, but there was always the same reply.

I love America...

Most Americans are entirely unaware that the most pro-US foreign country in the world is India. It is also one of the only countries where George W. Bush is more highly regarded than in the US. The reason for this is that during the period of Indian socialism and economic isolation (1947-91), Indians were fed a constant diet of anti-American, anti-capitalism propaganda. The utter failure of India's socialist policies, combined with the emergence of the Indian-American community as the wealthiest ethnic group in the US, led to a deep appreciation for a socioeconomic system proven to empower Indians. As a democracy, Indians could understand America more readily than the Chinese or Arabs could. All this has led to a nation with 3 times the population of Europe trending towards becoming one of America's closest economic, political, ideological, and military allies.

Another opportunity to pretend to care...

As Shaukat Ali Rana crossed over to Pakistan on Saturday with the charred bodies of his five children killed in the Samjhauta Express terror attack, another equally poignant story of human loss surfaced. That was of Shabir Ahmed, who having left his country of birth as a young boy had desperately wanted to return.

But unknown to him destiny had granted him just a one-way ticket to India. Returning to India from Pakistan, where he had settled in 1989 as an 18-year-old, Shabir perished in the ghastly Samjhauta Express blasts along with his wife and four children. As if that was not enough of a tragedy, his brother-in-law Fakruddin, too, died with his entire family of four.

As Shabir’s brother Mohammad Javed, a resident of Gaya in Bihar, tearfully identified five of the bodies at the Civil Hospital here, he said, ‘‘Bhai jaan had come to meet us after so many years. It was such a happy occasion, especially for my mother, who was overjoyed to see her eldest son.’’