Benazir Bhutto: The end of a saga. . .

Benazir Bhutto on Thursday evening became the latest high profile politician to become the target of mindless terrorism. The two times Prime Minister of Pakistan and possibly a third time was annhilated by a bomb from a crazed assassin, who some say vowed allegiance to the dreaded Al Qaeeda or as others claim was a member of President Musharraf's secret service ISI. Well whomever group the terrorist belonged to he managed to bring the curtains down to a legacy which always remained an enigma both in the native country Pakistan as well as internationally.

Benazir's father Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was one of the only democratically elected Prime Ministers of Pakistan which has mostly been ruled by Army juntas throughout its 60 years of Independence.
Whereas its neighbour India has been a shining beacon of democracy. Mr. Bhutto was deposed by another army general Gen. Zia-ul-Haq and sent to the gallows on various trumped up charges. After this the entire Bhutto family went on a self exile for some period.

From its inception Pakistan remained a favourite of the US which pumped in billions of dollars of aid most of which got directed into the huge coffers of the army, it always remained as the biggest factor in all things involving Pakistan. Whereas the country faced sectarian violence, widespread economic inequality , poor economic and industrial growth and other problems. The army preyed on the psyche of fear and loathing towards its neighbour India and grew stronger ever. It fought 3 wars all of which it lost but rather than getting brow beaten by the political system it grew even stronger. Then came Afghanistan, which was foolishly invaded by the USSR in the late 70's and Pakistan became the staging ground for clandestine operations by the CIA and other western powers who wanted to make it the "Soviet's Vietnam ". Billions of dollars worth of arms and ammunition was pumped in to arm the "Mujahadeen" as well as encourage narcotics trade to finance even more deadly weapons. All this only strengthened the army and radicalized entire sections of society who were taught that they were fighting a Holy war or "Jihad" against the Soviets.

But after some years it was the return of the prodigal daughter who came back to Pakistan with democracy and peace on her lips. The people of Pakistan welcomed such a change and in the 1988 elections her party, The Pakistani People's Party(PPP) won the largest no. of seats in the General Assembly. And she at 35 years of age became the youngest PM of Pakistan. Although in 1990 her government was dismissed on charges of corruption. Again she was re-elected in 1993 being dismissed in 1996 for corruption charges. Although she promised a lot of changes for Pakistan namely in the areas of women empowerment. She hardly delivered on any of them. But she became a serious threat to the Sindhi elite who were terrified of her moves of de-feudalising the country out of their hands.

She and her husband Mr Ali Zardari were accused of corruption and graft charges amounting to millions of dollars, which they vehemently denied. Although the Swiss, Polish and French governments all initiated corruption cases on the couple and gave various details of stashed Swiss bank accounts, huge mansions and various shadow corporations owned by them.

The current President Gen. Pervez Musharraf was staunchly against Mrs. Bhutto and had her exiled outside of Pakistan. And advised her never to return again. But Mrs. Bhutto carried on her political work by travelling throughout the world and highlighting the cause of democracy for Pakistan. In October of 2007 she finally came back to Pakistan under a power-sharing agreement with Gen. Musharraf where she was to possibly become PM for the third time. After the US pressurized the General to initiate the process of democracy and hold general elections which are as of now scheduled to be held in March 08. Though now a big question mark looms over it. The present government offered her clemency in all corruption charges, she in turn stopped lashing out at the general.

She had become the target of suicide bombers right from the point she returned to Pakistan in Oct 07. But was unpreturbed by all this, when finally on 27th Dec, 07 she succumbed to the bullets or bomb of a terrorist.

Although she might not have been a very honest or capable politician, she was a breath of fresh
air in the Pakistani political scene which has seen very little democracy and only authoritative military dictatorships. She was one lady who was not afraid to speak her mind outno matter what the consequences. She held her own amongst the very best and brought glory to her nation in international forums. She also was a pragmatic who wanted to weed out religious fundamentalism and feudal mindsets from the pakistani society which made her a lot of enemies.

She is survived by her husband and three children. may this bold and intelligent stateswoman Rest in Peace. And may her nation become the way she dreamed it to be. . . .

The Advantages of having experience: A funny incident

A giant ship engine failed. The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine.

Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was a young. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom.

Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed!

A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars.

"What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!"
So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."

The man sent a bill that read:
Tapping with a hammer...... ......... ........ $ 2.00
Knowing where to tap......... ......... ........ $ 9,998.00

Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort makes all the difference!

Posted By
Dev-Urban

Lajja.

Hindus are a majority only in India. In Bangladesh, they are as miserable as any other minority group. In Pakistan we all know the state, so i wouldnt dare to comment. India, is really a tolerant country. For in Bangladesh and Pakistan, all temples were broken down with apathy. And in India, when it is Id, you know it is Id. And still, at times we have come across pathetic display of the crass show of violence and power that religious fanatics putup for the world to see.

Taslima Nasreen, is a very controversial writer. Because she is too crude and honest. There was this whole drama in Kolkata, the city was on fire. Because it had extended a shelter for her. Mobs went mad, religion became the priority and so she had to be sent to unknown places. The day she reached Rajasthan, the officials had been trying desperately to dust her off their shoulders, what if they got shot by extremists only because of a woman?? So she is shifted to Delhi and now finally i get to hear, that no state wants to guard her, and so she has to hibernate in the capital of India.

One woman, has sent the whole nation topsy turvy, she has alone managed to enrage thousands and she is homeless, just because she wrote things which were NOT TRUE and incoherent. Ya, right something like a LIE will cause such uproars. Who are they trying to fool? It is obvious that truth hurts. And as this being a democratic country, everyone has a right to the freedom of expression. I do not side any religion, i just believe in God. And neither do i approve of the treatment that is being meted out to her. Or is democracy just about voting every five years ?

From the international relations point of view, India would be in some serious trouble if they guard her against the wishes of the neighbouring country. Scared of a country which does not even ensure a basic respect to the mother religion of the nation. If people have read Taslima's book Lajja, then i need not elucidate more. Salman Rushdie also faced such a problem. Where is the technical fault? An article i read online suggests that,

'These incidents point to two of the deepest problems in modernizing Islam. One is permitting freedom of speech concerning Mohammed, the Koran, and other aspects of the religion. The other concerns the right of Muslims to leave Islam. These twin transitions must be accomplished for Islam to leave its current backward and oppressive condition.'

I have a friend who lives in Pakistan and is a muslim. We have had passionate discourses on the two nation theory, and whether it should have happened at all? He says no, and i dont know either. The Godhra incident, is still fresh as fresh brewed tea. On NDTV and CNNIBN you can see interviews of the survivors, it was a pathetic display of love for fanaticism..i mean thats what was said after all. Which religion on earth allows that? The scars are fresh, and i wonder whether they can be ever embalmed.

In our own country, we are allowing all sorts of crime. Criminals are let loose, and writers who express their own views are thought to be dangerous? What kind of country do we live in ? What are we paying the taxes for, to send these officials on a family trip? Or is it sensation that is the new SEXY?. History has witnessed that great people were killed, insulted and not respected. After they die they become best-sellers. In a way its good for Taslima, her brand value has increased more than ever. And do not forget, this is a country where Bhagat Singh is a heart throb, and where girls and boys like to call themselves the RDB generation. Its only inefficiency that the government proves day by day.

Sigh..

Its a mad mad World.

They showed in the news today that a teacher gave electric shocks to the children in the physics lab as a 'punishment'.A few days back, there was an incident where two boys shoot their bully classmate.

Teachers giving electric shocks, and students gunning down their classmates..
Exactly what is wrong with the people?

p.s: i probably cant write more about it,can i ?

p.p.s: it is elaborate enough isnt it ?

p.p.p.s: if it isnt i do not care, and you seriously need a new thinking device.

A regular Software engineer's story.. True for most of them

A Software Engineer's feelings.....

It was raining heavily outside. Dark clouds gathered in the sky and nature
was in its ominous best. I took a break from my work and went to the pantry
to grab a cup of coffee. I had a sip and went near the window to see the
rain pouring down heavily outside the glass structure. I was inside our
huge office building, unruffled by even the fierceness of the nature.
Through the heavy transparent glass, I could see a small girl trying to
hold on to her umbrella which the wind was snatching away from her. I felt
sorry for the girl, and was happy that I was not in a similar pathetic
situation.

Yes. I take pride for the fact that I am a software engineer.
I have everything which a common man would envy; money, status, respect,
you name it I have it. I always wanted to be software professional and here
I am, working for one of the best firms in the world.

But then, am I really
happy? Now, I could see an imprint of my palm on the other glass window,
through which I reminisced my past, basked in the warmth of the sun shine.
My childhood was so much of fun. I vividly remember those rainy days, when
I hugged my mother tightly during sleeping listening to all the stories
told by her. Now, I have a big house here, but then it is just a house, not
a home. My parents are pretty far away from me now. I have a cell phone to
talk to them everyday, but then I really miss those dinners which I had
with my family everyday. I could easily afford to taste all the different
cuisines these days, but the best of food there, lack the love and
affection which is present in the food prepared by my mother.

I threw a lavish party for my colleagues for my birthday, but then they
would never replace the birthdays when my friends secretly brought a cake
and at the end, half of the cake would have ended up on my face. The couple
of hundred bucks that u save for a long period just to give a treat to your
friends in the road side chat shop can never give the pleasure even after
spending a few thousand bucks these days.

The scene of me crying and refusing to have dinner on the day when I fought
with my best friend came to my mind. Today, she has gone far away from me,
taking away my love and with it my life, but I am sitting and coding here
with a false smile on my face. Everyday I meet new people, but then I long
ceased to make a new friend.

It's true that I have a lot of things now. I have a nice bed, but no time
to sleep. Lots of money, but no friends to spend it with. The latest
designer clothes, but a worn out body . Quite a few to flirt, but no one to
love. Awards for technical excellence, but no reward for the crave for
peaceful ambience. A confident demeanor, but a reluctant and apathetic
mind. Full of rain, but no sunshine even in the farthest distance.
Now, I could see the small girl on the road enjoying in the rain with her
umbrella firmly in her grip. She might not have all the comforts which I
have, but then she has the innocence and fun which I lost a long time back.

I have decided to come out of this false fantasy, even if it is at the
expense of losing the tap of the software engineer. I am going to again
enjoy my life. I am going to go out in the rain and play with the small kid
now. I removed my tie, and went near my computer to shut it down. Just
then, I saw a new mail alert in my mail box. I slowly opened outlook and I
found a message from my manager with an attachment saying that there was a
critical defect in the code and I have to fix it soon. I convinced myself
that I am not going to get bogged down again by these pressures and stick
to my decision. I ignored the mail and went to the rest room. After a
couple of minutes, the software engineer in me came out, his shirt tucked
in with the perfect tie knot, sat before the computer, and started typing,


Hi XYZ,
I am looking into the defect and will send the patch files before EOD.
Regards,
Software Engineer.

No title for the post.

Ok so Praveen Mahajan loses the case, the one in which he himself confessed a year and a half ago that he killed his brother. Wow, thats amazing, if the news channels didnt flash it continuously across the TV screen for 5 hours yesterday, i wouldnt have known that he was found GUILTY! The Pramod Mahajan case was a breakthrough for the Indian Judicial System. Because they anounce that guilty is GUILTY in just 18 months or so. Unlike others, where people were dead gone and their relatives were half insane going to and fro to the court for the much hep word 'JUSTICE'.

After confessing to the crime, knowing the consequence, saying that ' i dont regret it', Praveen Mahajan goes to the Siddhivinayak temple with his wife, to pray to God. I wonder for what. God cant come, say freeze and erase all proof and the testimonies and fly back to heaven,then why? Oh wait..how to forget publicity, his wife is making here way through a plethora of cameras and overambitious journalists to the gate of the temple. Overambitious Journalists? I say this because, only an overtly ambitious journalist can think that it would be of much importance to the viewer. You know how it is, a bit of emotions works wonders. When the verdict would be finally announced, it will be perfectly dramatic just like K serials n the like. I wonder when would people stop making a show of their feelings and beliefs. Feelings are fake all around, but then belief in God???. God must be embarassed to the core, someone who didnt even repent killing, forget about the fact that it was his OWN brother, kneels down in front of the Almighty asking for god only knows what, and saying the screen 'Mujhe court pe bharosa hai'.

Sigh and just SIGH...

India Shining.

The year is coming to an end, and people who read my other blog would know that i am enroute becoming a saint who just came down from the Himalayas :p. For those, who do not have an invitation to read it, i shall elucidate the 'saint' part. I have been saying sorry and making up with people whom i clawed and fought with. India is one such body. I have been criticising India endlessly. So here is a little note for my unruly country.

Dear India,
Things have been bad, and criticism has been at its best. I have skinned every aspect of your being ruthlessly. From the politics that has impregnated you, to the kind of crimes that have been breeding on your bosom, i have criticised and written/spoken about to all known to me. You need to realise just one thing, i am an angry mother trying to rectify her spoilt teenager. If i say you are useless, it means even if you potray to be one infront of some other country, i have and will always defend you. I still wax eloquent about you to my friends who are there in other countries belonging to a different race. My friends who have left you, to make it big, love you all the more, perhaps for the same reasons for which they once hated you.Its not that i am perfect, i am bad maybe really really BAD compared to you, but then i want you to be flawless. The hope is too idealistic and i realise that perfection is utopian and unrealistic. Still i want you to be a priced possession in history.
take care

To the readers,
I am not drunk, just that i got all sentimental. Anyway take care, i'll be back ranting about the state of affairs soon.

How Can I Tell You ....

How can I tell you what I feel for you?
When I think of you my feelings twist inside
As if someone's fist reached in and grabbed a few,
And turned and turned them tight and tangled. I've tried
Somehow to say: You're the sun in my sky,
The wind that takes me where I want to go,
The sweet incense that makes me feel so high
That loving you seems all I need to know.
But it all sticks in my throat! It sounds too cute,
Empty as a wrinkled paper bag.
You won't believe it! Better I stay mute
Than offer you cliches that make you gag.
And yet I wish to tell you of my love,
If only love its own locks would remove!

Oh K ?

Dear Ekta,
I did not know how to reach out to you, so i write this open letter. Hope some day you come across it, i am taking such pains unwillingly to type a letter to the gossip queen of the small screen. Your K chain is fabulous, though i am a bit confused about the messages you are transmitting. My antenna failed miserably when i learnt the Prerna is getting married again. Has she ever heard about STD? if not then i am genuinely worried, and how much has she spent on botox? No, i mean come on, her daughters are having daughters and still she looks younger than her grand-daughters. If not then o you mean that she is a Goddess? If yes, honey you are in for serious trouble. If you ever make a public statement like this, Shivsena will come and shoot you on the set itself.

Oh sorry, i forgot you are the authority on Indian Culture and Indian Women. How can i forget Tulsi Virani and Parvati Agrawal. If i had mothers like that, i would possibly be writing an open suicide letter. Why ? Of all the scandals they are involved in. After watching your serials, i'd rather not marry. I feel so low, and have become a chronic depression patient since i saw your version of the 21st century woman. I am not bitchy, i never had so many men in my life at the same time, the one i had was not a millionaire and for ofcourse he did not have a mistress. Neither do I wear italian creppe sari to wear in bed, nor sea green silk lingerie.

If ever possible, just look at your window and you'd know who a 21st century woman is. She is there in rags with a baby begging for food. She is there jostling her way through a busy station with no make up and no salma-chumki suits. She is there with her family,looking after her children and sending them to school. Her husband, is working like a dog to survive the family. He does not have a 7 figure salary, and seven companies at disposal. They have fights, they are so busy at times they forget to celebrate their anniversary. No, every-morning her mother-in-law does not dress up with a box of ladoos to go the mandir, she fights with her daughter-in-law as well. She does not scheme to blow up her sister-in-law's house, or kidnap her daughter. But still without all the glitter and masala, they are a big happy family. They sit on rickshaws and go for shopping. They have puchkas, and fight with the vegetable vendor at the mandi.

I wish someday, along with all the fame and money you have got, somebody gets you a bit of brain as well.. God bless you, you really need prayers and blessings.

One Lakh Rupee Car..A boon or a curse

A lot of water has become murkier on the issue of the Rs. 1 Lakh car being manufactured by the Tata's. The area of Nandigram a rural hamlet in West bengal gained international notoriety because of this.

But leaving all the political issues behind. What will the 1 lakh car actually mean? As said by Tata will it be a boon for all the millions of two wheeler commuters who will travel in comfort and be saved from the vagaries of the elements? Or will it be a curse congesting our already bursting at seams lawless roads. Anyway the car will not be selling for Rs. 1 lakh on the road but will be somewhat nearer to the Rs. 1.5 lakh mark including all the taxes, insurance etc. it will probably be a 600 CC car with seating for four. But what about safety aspects and quality. When Tata launched their other small car Indica it had loads of quality problems which were finally ironed after a period of about 4-5 years. Indian car makers are notorious for not providing adequate safety features in their cars at the cost of low price. So how will Tata be able to incorporate them in this car with such a low sticker price.

Also Tata plans to manufacture about 1,oo,ooo cars a year of this model. So can it induce the average two-wheeler user to switch to this car. Now when average 150 cc bikes cost around Rs. 60,000 the Indian market is not very particularly price conscious anymore.

And if all the plans of Tata work out what will the result be? Roads in all Indian cities are overcrowded, congested, have no traffic rules. These cars will contribute significantly to this chaos. One more perennial problem which every car owner experiences is that of parking. Every city lacks parking spaces and the existing ones go for a premium even now. What will the situation be when these cars hit the road.

Although one aspect which can be an incentive for this car is, most of the car users use their car alone. We see single persons driving away in sedans and other big cars. With unavailability of other viable options, the electric Reva being a failure and ideas like car-pooling going for a toss here. At least if the people migrate from bigger cars to it. The current problems may get mitigated to a certain extent.

Image: A possible look of the 1 lakh car.

We are family.

In a zoo in California , a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans" that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops?

Photo 3: Mother and the two babies, who die shortly

Photo 2: Mother and piglets in tiger skin

Photo 1: Mother and piglets, a happy family.

All i ever wonder, why cant the world get along ?

Video Games: I can live out any fantasy I want

I love ..Video Games. and so does almost half of the adult world. It lets you live out any of your fantasies in the comfort of your home wearing shorts with a bottle of beer in hand. ..Whether it be trashing exotic cars on highways all over the world in speeds that will make you a candidate for the next F-1 driver job, to killing scores of murderous Jehadis and safeguarding American interests or flying the 747 jumbo jet or even as a female archaeologist with the cat suit and the Attitude. I have done' em all.

From its very humble beginnings in computer research labs where fun for those dorky scientists meant hitting a dot across the screen (Pong !! if you remember), to games on high definition with details that will put any sci-fi movie to shame with Dolby Digital Surround sound for the heck of it. Video games have come a long long way.

Earlier it waas thought that they are only for kids and that too males.. Now these myths have been broken with studies showing maximum gamers in the 15-30 years range. And that includes a huge number of females too. In fact, female video game consumers have made EA Games title "Sims" the largest selling game title in the world.

They are every parents favourite whipping post. But every kid loves them (almost). Researchers have spent millions of dollars (don't know whose..) and years in the biggest universities of the world to find out about the pro's and con's of video games. Some say that playing them makes you violent, anti-social, depressed etc.. While others advocate them by saying that it increases reflex, boosts concentration, aids you in taking split second decisions, team spirit and a lot of other things.. which I don't remember right now...

But whatever it may I just love my being the lone wielder of a huge gun, blasting away at sadistic Russian mobs or fanatic Terrorists to rescue a group of Cambodian children and offer them a Mars bar. Well the world needs me and I have loads of things to do, places to go. Cars to trash, wage huge wars on ancient civilizations, fight hordes of aliens, defeat the Nazis .... All the time sitting on my favourite LazyBoy..

Rocking 80's: The best years for rock..

The 80s according to a lot of Rock Music enthusiasts including me is considered to be the best time in the Rock Music Scene. There were a dime and a dozen "Hair Metal" bands and their lineups included beautiful ballads, powerful guitar riffs, new musical concepts, power vocals, loud guitaring, amazing live acts and what not..

Bands like Metallica, Scorpions, Bon Jovi etc ruled the roost and even continues to the present day.
Rock Music became classified into Heavy metal, Glam Metal, Instrumental Rock, Alternative, Grunge, Thrash Metal etc. Bands like Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Queen popularized the British Heavy Metal Genre.

Whereas the "Hair Metal" band were marked by names like Warrant, Motley Crew, Cinderella, Poison, Skid Row and many others. These bands exemplified the debauched Rock Star lifestyle in both their music as well as real life.
Guitarists like Steve Vai, Malmsteen, Joe Sat released solo, guitar based albums which became extremely popular too.
Harsh and aggressive thrash metal a precursor to new age metal became popular because of bands like Megadeth, Metallica etc and achieved mainstream success.

Although rock music was in the scene from the 60's it became widely popular and mainstream. After the Vietnam war the youth didn't have a place to vent their angst and the Reagan era also brought prosperity to the US, all this helped popularize Rock for the young generation to live the high time, break lotsa rules and have great fun. So may the 80's ROCK ON.....

The Sad State of Bangalore's Roads...A harassed commuter's inside take..

Bangalore.. The Silicon Valley of India, IT Hub and known by many other epithets..is the epitome of the New India, resurgent, confident and a Knowledge Superpower of the world.

The city hosts numerous software and IT related companies including global giants like Microsoft, Cisco, Intel etc.Is home to a huge expat population both national and international.Has swanky shopping malls, multiplexes, high rise apartments. That is all the trappings of a fast modern lifestyle.

But sadly it lacks one very essential amenity..Roads. The roads all over Bangalore are in a terrible..terrible state. Potholes, narrow roads, no proper traffic signals, no proper surfacing. A whole book can be devoted to describe the woes of Bangalore roads. And the travails of an average Bangalore commuter. Most of the so called "roads" of Bangalore much rather look like the Lunar landscape than anything resembling the earth. And if it rains then may God help us all. Areas like JP Nagar get flooded with just an hour or so of rains. The famous crossings of Silk Board, Koramangala, MG Road are millions of IT professionals daily living nightmare. And wherever the roads are in a somewhat decent shape some or the other organization digs it up. Which takes ages to fill up and even then a very shoddy work is done.

The roads in general are very narrow and the rapid rate at which vehicular population is growing in the city everyday makes it even worse. Instead of widening the existing roads
and making some new ones. The administration gives permission to make shopping malls and office blocks which even more compound the problem. "Total" Mall in Kormangala is a very beautiful case in example for this. Moreover another beautiful strategy of the Administration is to put dividers on already narrow roads which are not properly illuminated and marked posing a threat to motorists. Add to that maniacal drivers who neither care nor understand about basic traffic rules crown the icing on the cake. Particularly bus drivers of BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Service), cab drivers of the IT companies and loaded trucks are the worst offenders. This has resulted in the huge number of traffic accidents and unnecessary losing of lives.


Now if we talk about roads inside localities that opens one whole new can of worms. Almost 90% of Bangalore 's localities have no roads or roads that put that particular word to shame. Whether they be the poshest areas to shabbiest slums all have the same story to tell.

All through this while the Traffic Police and other concerned Authorities do is pass the buck around or doing things which make the situation even worse. The attitude shown by these people is very myopic and suits a small time town rather than a modern metropolis.

Some immediate steps that can be taken to alleviate somewhat the agony of the daily commuter is to widen by at least two feet all the arterial roads of the city. It will involving demolishing some structures but it will be for the long term good.
To absolutely ban the entry of heavy lorries and trucks inside the city during normal daytime hours. This practice is followed in a lot o cities of India but still is an alien concept to this city. Also to ban the movement of tractors on city roads. These vehicles are very ungainly and slow, are driven by people who are absolutely unaware of something known as traffic rules and pose a big threat to the people.
To repair all roads at earnest and do it in such a way that they last for a while, rather than the customary months. And to lay roads where they are not there.
Proper training imparted to Traffic Police personnel so that management of traffic can be done effectively.
To discourage any kinds of road digging activity on the major roads and ensure proper monitoring and repair of the road if it is absolutely essential to do so..

Any other comments from you will be great.....

Windows or Linux : The Line seperating the Geeks and the Non

This one is a very debatable question. Which operating system to choose....

Linux or Windows ??????

Now the Geek brigade ( no offense meant !!) will swear by the various distros (various distributions in Tech talk) of Linux.. about how it being open source, customizable, powerful, almost virus free etc.. etc and will curse you to eternal damnation for being a Windows user.

On the other hand. . Another breed of people will swear by their Windows XP and Vista.. about its beautiful layouts, ease of use, availability of an unimaginable amount of Softwares, games etc

Linux is emerging as a very strong and viable alternative to Windows both for professional and normal use. Linux versions from companies like Redhat and Novell have become a major force in the enterprise computing domain.. non tech meaning... On Servers for Web , Database or others. On the other hand versions like Ubuntu from Canonical and Fedora from Redhat are replacing Windows on numerous desktops and laptops every single day. Their USP being ease of use with particular point in case being Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com)whose tagline goes as "Linux for Human beings" that is for every normal user. Without any of the hassles of Linux as known to people. And on top of it all is absolutely FREE.

But Windows is still the largest used O/S in the world and is installed on around 85% of the entire world's computers. Both for commercial and domestic use. And other Microsoft software particularly The MS Office Suite is a must have for almost everyone. The secret for its success lies in its ease of use, compatibility with other hardware standards, almost unlimited repository of third party software and some very clever marketing ploys..

So the debate continues and as of now there is no clear winner, although Linux is making inroads in a huge way. At the end of the day..May the Best O/S win..

The Nandi Gram Issue : Albatross around the WB Govt's Neck

The issue of NandiGram in WB has snowballed into a huge blot on the West Bengal Govt's name.

The CPI's big honchos Mr. Prakash Karat his spouse Mrs Brinda Karat and Mr. Sitaram Yechury who were harping about scuttling the N-deal which they effectively have are now facing some very embarrassing situations. These people it seems owe alligienace to China and hence want to stop India becoming a Global Power. With "Friends, rather politicians like these who needs enemies".

All through this N-deal controversy the WB CPI infact was advocating the policy of reason. Politicos like Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya CM WB, Mr Biman Bose were quite supportive of it.

But then came Nandigram: a small hamlet in rural WB which made headlines all over the world.
The state government showed dilemna in handling the problem of violence in between rival political cadres of the ruling party as well as opposition and it escalated into a major political fist fight between the CPI(M) and TMC. The government should have tried to resolve the matter but chose to wait and the local populance suffered because of this. Even the intelligensia normally a communist bastion stood up against the high handedness of the government and even they were beaten up by the police.

This fuelled even more fire to it. Mr Buddhadeb was fresh wind of change who promised development for West Bengal as his priority and delivered on that account too. But these developments have made the people as well as investors wary. The WB govt should pick up its pieices immediately and reslove the Nandigram problem rather than passing blame on others.