This is NOT Enough!

If this is a reaction to the Wednesday when hell broke loose, this is not enough.

If this is a display of insecurity for the ordinary neighbourhood Indian, this is not enough.

If we consider this congregation of anger an "Achievement", this is not enough.

If we really want change at the core of the Indian Establishment and at the grass roots, this is not enough.

If this is the way we will vent our anger on failed systems, this is not enough.

What needs to be changed is not what we see. It is the unseen that we have to deal with.

Indians, Protest! Stand for your rights. Stand against dirty politics. Make them feel your presence. Make them take note of your unity.

But do not vent it out. This is not the time; NOT YET!

This is just the beginning; the tip of the mighty iceberg. This is not the occassion to sprint; save your energies for the long haul.

Do not get carried away. Do not be satisfied with the numbers that turned out this Wednesday. The magnitude of the real issues are tremendous. Last Wednesday's attacks are just the symptoms; the real problem lies beneath.

This is the right beginning. But reactions are not enough. We need concerted action.

This is the waking up. This is NOT Enough!

A Call for Rationalism amidst Rashness: Mumbai Terror Attacks

Most reactions to the Mumbai attacks that were seen on the Television had two sets of people to blame: 1. Politicians; 2. Pakistanis.

Mumbaikars were angry, felt let down and were frustrated to the core. A Mumbai politician announced that the captured militant was a "Pakistani", his voice simmering with anger. Famous personalities said they were tired at the relentless expectation of "Resilience" on the part of Mumbaikars. Reporters were visibly emotional and shaken, having covered the episode from close range all through. Some feared a "Rash" reaction within India, with one set of people pitted against the other.

Understandably, it was "Emotions" everywhere. To attack the heart of a country in broad daylight, to spray bullets on by-standers using a police patrol vehicle, to slay unrelated travellers in a busy Railway station, to hold foreign guests to ransom and slaughter, to cut loose and run amock with loads of ammunitions in a Heritage Hotel that many fondly associate their growing up and their pasts with - one would need to be a saint not to be "Emotional".

The NSG operation has been steady, measured and systematic. But would it undo the losses of lives? Would it restore the tarnished image of the Nation? Would it wipe those tears and bring smiles? Could it bring back the same parents to the child that was rendered an orphan with a single finger on the trigger? Would the ATS have the same Chief again? To be "sane" and not to get "emotional" with these nagging questions may just be too much to ask for. With every cry, with every sigh, with every drop of blood on the floor, with every slain corpse that is carried out of the hotels, with every anxious moment of wait by the hapless relatives and friends, there is this "WHY???", soaked in "Emotions".

However, extra-ordinary situations demand "Rationale" to take the upper hand over "emotions".

If "Thinkers" like Shobha De lose it and challenge the politicians on TV in an emotional outburst, it is not just herself, but a lot of others that she is going to influence with emotions. To reinforce general opinion and shape popular feelings in an emotional mould is not the best of acts in an emergency as this. If everyone is to get bogged down by the scale of the horror and get overpowered by their own emotions, who would get to the "Root" of the larger issue?

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The need of the hour is, more than reactions, more than "Responses", the willingness to face reality, the resolve to change and the ability to preempt and take steps towards the "Solution"!

Any form of "Reaction" or "Hatred" will only complicate the already complex puzzle of senseless acts of terrorism. Hatred will only fuel the fire - and fire does not care which side of it you are in. It burns the perpetrator, the affected and the one who inflicts, all the same. Blame, hatred, taking sides, vowing revenge, any extreme "Emotion" is bound to be counter-productive, no matter what your stance is. What is required is restraint, responsible response and a sense of collective responsibility towards one cause: Peace!

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Pakistan: It has to take a real hard look at its side of the fence. It will take time. But it needs to have the resolve to see its face as it is, in the mirror. Pakistan has not been flourishing by any stretch of imagination. Dictatorial rules have been ruining its economy. It's high time it reorganised its priorities.

How long could "Kashmir" be its single-point agenda? How long would it let itself be taken for a ride by its own factions? How long would it want to hold its own progress?

Every nation has the right to thrive; and terrorism is that fire that knows no difference between its target and its starter. The nation that actually takes the toll of its own terrorism is Pakistan.

Not that the Government sponsors terrorists; but it definitely needs to take a very very tough stance against any form of militancy within its borders.

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Indian Politics: It needs to behave as one Nation, not an accumulation of states or a congregation of parties. It needs to rise above petty politics. And it needs to reassure every citizen, including the Minorities, that India stands for the very essence of Secularism and that every loyal citizen has the right for safety and feeling of security.

Indian politicians must realise that they are not in power to play games. Political parties must win on policies, deliverables and real productive action; they must play an active part in educating the public of what's going on and must be willing to relinquish power if their low levels of performance and the people who elected them, demand so. They must know that politics is not a business venture without any ethical strings attached but is a noble service that demands dedication.

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Indian Systems: There is no such thing as an "Indian System" till date. In the Mumbai episode, a simple first step of cardoning off the disturbed area, securing it and preventing people from getting on to the scene of action was not practised, before the prestigious Commandoes planned their moves. To have herds of people all over as if they are watching a Tamasha is ample demonstration of a society that is devoid of any semblance of a "System".

The system has to encompass every aspect of governance. Intelligence, for one, has been non-existant in this case. Post-mortems would anyway reveal how and from where the terrorists checked in at the Hotels with guns, bombs and ammunition for their baggage. But to let this planned and co-ordinated crime happen in the Heart of Mumbai is display of abysmally low levels if Intelligence. How could such a system be endowed with the responsibility of running the governance of a Nation with a billion souls? Why were not the coast lines secured? We were talking of preparedness for the next Tsunami a few years back. How prepared are we to monitor the seemingly innocuous boats that sail into our shores?

Systems! India lacks dangerously on them. If the Government does not realise how dangerously it has been living, the next attack could destabilise the economy and even the military.

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The Indian Judiciary: Let's not discuss the obvious Anti-Terrorism Laws. What about the right to Equality and Justice? How tough are the laws against any form of Inflammatory remarks or ideologies? Of what levels of significance are the laws that prevent attrocities on minorities by the armed forces and other forces in power? How balanced is the Judiciary in dealing with Justice to everyone, irrespective of one's religion?

The Judiciary needs to make a strong statement of sorts that Justice, indeed, has its eyes blind-folded when weighing the scales. Justice should not only be given, but also seem to be given.

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The Hindutva Forces: They have no necessity to feel insecure in the first place; nor do they have to feel their homelands being taken away or their religious sentiments eroded by other religions. They are the majority in this vast nation; they ought to take responsibility towards the minorities.

How good it would be if Nation stood ahead of sentiments? To protect one's ground does not mean attacking the other. To make people believe in a religion is not accomplished by force. And the Hindu Religion needs no testimony to its variety and strength of resources that has taken it forward over the centuries. The Hindutva forces have every reason to act in a mature manner in guiding the Nation forwad.

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The Muslim Intelligentia: They have their responsibilities spelt out more clearly and louder than ever before. Religions are no ordinary statements; they are full of wisdom. The only difference among religions is the way this age-old treasure of wisdom is personified. The paths towards spirituality are many; but the destination is one.

The Muslim Intelligentia and religious Heads need to walk that extra mile in propogating their own religion to the new generation in a way that is appealing to them in all its essence. And what better place and time to start such a Movement of Educating the children and youth about the real values of the Religion, than here and now?

It would be extremely unfortunate if precious life is wasted away in strife towards false ideologies. It is criminal to allow vested interests man-handle the Holy Scriptures for their own personal gains. It would be weakness to allow the well meaning books of religion to be misinterpreted towards vengeance and retaliation. No one can ever Kill in the name of God!

The religious heads can easily mould public and young opinions in the right way. It is their responsibility.

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The Government and the Society: It is tragic to allow Terrorism to hijack the daily lives of a Nation. Years of efforts, miles of progress, life-times of growth and dreams would be shattered in a moment of rashness.

The focus is on weeding out Terrorism. But to weed out is not to storm; it more than definitely, requires calm. Yes, let the commandoes root out the terrorists and restore peace. But restoring can never be as good as Cultivating! The emphasis has to be on Cultivating Peace. That requires a healthy soil, the best of seeds, fine nurturing, right irrigation, proper fencing, consistent care and attention, and the highest levels of dedication towards the long term objectives.

If Terror strikes humanity at a drop of a hat, let's set ourselves a step or two back to see WHY it strikes so frequently, so regularly. More than a sect, more than a state, more than a religion, more than a Nation, Humanity matters. After years of progress, why would we want to be canon fodder? After centuries of evolution, why return to the stone ages?

It would not be too high an asking to have "Peace" as the Theme for the next one year, the world over. All it requires is resolve and a moment of reflection as to where we have progressed with regard to human beings treating fellow human beings. What does a Terrorist feel? Why does he find himself forced into Terrorism or induced and propelled into flames of hatred? What makes his view of the world so negative? Why is he convinced every other citizen or nation or religion targets him and his society?

All of these take one step: Come out of your "Emotions"! With every screen of emotion, the picture seems flawed and distorted. And the first step forward is the responsibility of people who can Influence others' thought processes. It requires voluntary initiative with involvement and a sense of purpose. It's all about injecting positivism into evolving minds!

If this can be done with focus, we can start thinking of stability.

Clearway World Watch: Indian Evolution, World Economy and Darwinism

India has won in style. And to lose a series this way is not something that the Aussies are much used to. So much so, they were forced to make some face saving comments by diverting the issue and venting out their frustrations. One wonders why such comments are taken nicely by the ICC. Perhaps, because, it is not about cricket and ICC knows nothing but cricket!

But it was not one Hayden who sought to relieve his frustrations. The Aussie captain, gentleman Ponting, decided to have a go at Sunny Gavaskar, rather unnecessarily. Well, as Gavaskar said, the Aussies seem to be rattled, indeed.

The rise of India in world news was evident not just on land but in the waters as well. It would have been fun for our navy bro's chasing the pirates out of their ship and sinking it. The UN has recognised the Indian Navy's brave effort and even seems to have granted it the "License to Kill" on the pirate homelands.

This winning streak on land and on water actually, started from Space! The perfect launch and the touch down on moon by our Chandrayaan showcases India's capabilities - and the efforts of all those dedicated souls at ISRO. Forget the debate that sprouts up as always when anything significant happens - there seems to be no second opinion, now that ISRO has taken a page out of Abhinav Bindra's books on how to aim for and hit the target!

This clearly is Indian Evolution, if not a Revolution. As if land, water and space were not fuel enough, the American Intelligence has started taking serious note of India, among the other rising powers, as having a distinct possibility of capturing the lion's share of global dominance from the defending champions, the United States. Perhaps, the recession that started off with the Housing sector and the Financial sector debacle in the US underlines the vulnerability of the United States. Afterall, not many would have imagined that the stalwarts of manufacturing, the Big 3 Automobiles from Detroit would eventually have to chalk up a Business Plan and submit it to the Congress, to have a lease of life! That's not much of a pretty scene for a global giant. But then, reality is harsh - and the economy is even harsher!

The economy was, in fact, so harsh that it demanded a congregation of the Group of 20 Heads of Nations to assemble at Washington D C and chart the future path out. It was a quick reaction by the global leaders who promptly made it a point to do their bit about managing the intricately inter-connected world trade. Media reports have not talked lightly of the time and effort that the heavy weights have invested. There was this distinct sense of urgency in the high profile summit that is set to go on in a phased out manner. And not many such conferences would have yielded such a consensus so soon and so smoothly as this on has. Luckily for the world, this one wouldn't drag on for months and years like other political summits would.

Talking of urgency and consensus, the dark brown dust couldn't be all that transparent not to be seen at all! The layers of dust that could filter out the intensity of the sun as it reaches the earth should be quite a phenomenon. And a survey says how Governments around the world have been lethargic in protecting the oceans, falling far short of their own projections and promises. News items such as these warning of catastrophic rise in sea levels have appealed more to Film Makers in the Hollywoods than Governments.

One question strikes the casual eye: Why have these issues not been classified as being "Urgent"? If the dark clouds are such a serious threat that would affect rainfalls, visibility and health, if oceans are so precious to protect as would some endangered species be and if sea levels are rising alarmingly indeed, why doesn't the G20 or the G80 meet up in some serene place to read and understand the issues at least, even for discussion at a later date? If we are eventually to adapt ourselves to a waterworld, where would we play cricket and win matches against Ponting's men, where would we launch our rockets from and where would Wall Street be then?

Not to worry about the Indian Navy though. They could very well be close to home, chasing pirates away from the ocean above Madhya Pradesh and driving them onto the limited stretches of lands on the Himalayan Plains. We could have a G 20 summit with leaders fashioning Swim Suits. Or perhaps, by then, man would have evolved further with fins and gills. What's Darwin's take on this?

Barack "Historical" Obama

It was not yet another sensationalist hyperbole when the media described the United States Elections as "History in the Making". For once, should I say, in living memory, the media was spot on. Barack H Obama did make History. In fact, he has done more than just that - he has, perceptibly, changed the course History was taking. This was a moment that the Americans could rightly be proud of.

Forget his biography for a moment; the guy seems good by his very looks; by his measured speech and choice of words; by his conscious humility; by the depth of his eyes - and what goes beneath those eyes; by the determination in his voice; even his lanky structure and the way he held himself as he walked down the stage, his poise . . . they all speak something of his character. It says, "Hey Americans, this is the best that you could have got!"

His mixed race parentage is, obviously, what would make the world sit up and watch - and listen. But more than that, the United States has, over the past eight long years, dug itself in a pit in its Foreign Affairs Department. Arrogance is not the best way forward in a growingly seamless world. And ignorance is even worse. To think that there was only one Nation in the Universe would'nt make much political or economic or whatever sense. Obama offered a hope from a deteriorating and an even increasingly humiliating situation.

This development, if handled carefully, diligently, with sense and serenity, is capable of changing the perception of a whole lot of nations about the "Super Power". Israel has already started worrying about the strategies of its patron. Obama would, hopefully, know better than that.

The President-Elect has had many a thing going for him. President Bush himself has done him a lot of favour by forcing the president's approval ratings to a Historical Low. He was high-handed in dealing with a fragile planet. He was quick to formulate the "Axis of Evil" theory. He invented tall claims about "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and the inevitable link between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. He couldnt manage to plant those WMD's in Iraq in time, before the IAEA Inspection panel's aircraft touched base at Baghdad. He fulfilled his dad's dream of a world without Saddam Hussein. He showered weapons of "mass destruction" over civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. He threatened North Korea; he accoasted Iran. And in all the drama, he forgot his own home and his economy!

Put these all in perspective, Obama would have anyway been a silver streak if he had just said he was "not George W Bush"!

He would have definitely rejoiced to have his Grand mother by his side when he created History. But then, politics is all about points scored. And as commentators famously say, "Runs are runs, no matter how they come".

"For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century," Barack Obama said in his Acceptance Speech.

If he is really what he has projected of himself all the way, if he is really strong enough to dare to walk the rope, he has to double up even before the word "Go". He has no choice but to hit the ground running. And if he does that and if he walks the distance, the world would certainly be a better place.

Change Starts Here!

Clearway was Reborn on the 22nd of May, 2008 as the "Renaissance". And there was just one promise: Change!

Change is going to be the Future. Change is Positive. Change is Realistic. Change is constant. Change takes Time!

Let's not talk of how bad we are. We all know we need to change. We all see how things we see are. We do not see mere fumes, we see the fire as it is - raging! What's the point in describing the fire? What's the fun in predicting its course, or analysing its history, or fuming about it? It's in a rage, and any amount of talking is irrelevant. Those who describe become commentators; those who predict become wizards; those who analyse become historians. The fire keeps raging, lashing out on all that it touches, creating ash out of the already rotten. To talk is cowardice, blatant escapism.

To do is not easy. It could have been, if we were dealing with a spark. It might have been, if we all saw the future together. To do something to undo the damage is to stop the boulder rolling down the hill. To deal with the present as it is will only crush the brave heart. The need of the hour is more than a mere 'brave heart'!

I am here to talk. I know irony announces its presence there. But the fact is, I am here only to talk. Because, the future has not yet arrived. The boulder has not travelled the distance yet. And I'm not a 'brave heart' to get crushed under the unrelenting force. I would rather not be one.

Undoing the past carnage and rectifying the present mistake can happen only in the future. So, I'm not bothered about the past. I'm not going to talk of the present. I'm going to talk of what it would take to make the future! So that when the future becomes our present, we have what it takes to tackle the bull - by its horns. And I wouldn't mind getting curshed or being torn apart then. At least, I would not have the repentance of having been a mere "Brave Heart"!

Let's wait for the future. Till then, Let's Talk!

The "Small Bang", the Big Bang and the "Bigger Bang"

Will the world be consumed? Will the Galaxy be sucked into the black hole? Can the World survive this Wednesday?

We all like to be fascinated with science and fiction. Science is fascinated with imagination unlimited. Fiction has always loved science. Lethal combination - science and fiction. But lethal is attraction. Not that every attraction is lethal.

Cut the crap. Not just in the blog, but in science as well. Hey folks, you seem to have come of age! All set to find out the origins of the Universe, eh? Very clever. But you chose the wrong place, boys! Origins of the Uinverse in a, ahem, laboratory? (Officially, this set of experiments has been dubbed the "Small Bang"!). And that too dug up in a hole! Seriously, give me a buzz when you have found out your origins. Nah, Im not interested in the origins. But your discoveries and theories and theses running into reams will sure catch the press. Press people are hungry for news anyway. Whatever you may come up with, you sure would have given them fodder.

And here come the next set of entertainers- the Doomsday Theorists. And they predict that one black hole will swallow the world and bellow so loudly that a new Universe will have formed from the sound waves that emanate from the just formed black hole! Good for scientists. They can then conduct new experiments in the old world about how the new world formed and where it is located. Im sure the next set of experiments (Dubbed the "Small Bang 2") would be conducted in space of the old world. Ofcourse man, scientists too grow up the learning curve. How long do you think they would keep themselves dug up in a chamber shooting particles against the walls and playing with them?

But we were talking of the Doomsday Theorists now! They are one real bunch of jokers who forgot to wear their brains the day they started predicting. Cant blame them either. They are jokers and their roles are to entertain. So, every other day, they predict the end of the Universe - sometimes through some catastrophe, some times inside some black holes. Poor chaps. But even if the world got consumed in a black hole, we could still make a living there. I wonder if there would be sunlight there. But who knows, perhaps the black hole appears black only from the outside, but from the inside, it could be one nice paradise with 3 moons and lots of rainbows and half the sun at double the distance from the earth! Trust me, even laymen like me have imagination. Perhaps, not as much as the scientists who are trying to replicate the split second after the Big Bang though.

But what I say, people, why dont you start from the very beginning? Why start from the Big Bang? There must have been a "Bigger Bang" a few more billion years earlier that gave birth to the creators of the present Universe. I suggest you go to the previous episodes before you discuss the Big Bang. Try recreating the "Bigger Bang". To be safe, dig yourselves a few more hundred metres deeper into the earth and seal your ways up. With the replica of the Bigger Bang, so much energy would be produced that you would either be propelled up to the surface at the completion of your games or you may never have to come up at all - a new world may be created right inside our own world! Anything is a possibility, you see?

If You are a TERRORIST, You are LOSING your War!

This clearly turns out to be different from what I have expressed in the Bangalore Rockz post: "Blast Me if You Can"! They are Blasting India. 16 blasts in a day in one city! And that too close on the heals of Bangalore. Reports indicate targetting of BJP-ruled states.

People dying is not unfortunate. People are born to die. But the ideology that drives the killings is disturbing. This is sheer desperation; and I pity those who are weak. Weakness is Living Death. Death is Natural; "Living death" is a Curse!

I would become desperate if I lose all my strength and conviction; if I fail to find a way out with my own will and action. I would never want to be reduced to an insignificant living being that has given up all hope and resorted to terrorism or suicide.

To resort to terroirism and to commit suicide are the same. Both are extreme measures when every source of hope has dried away, every ounce of strength has got drained away. One commits suicide when one does not see even a remote possibility of a distant hope. The same is the case with terrorism; one resorts to it if one has anger but not a way to channelise it. Anger without a way out will lead either to suicide or to homicide. Any such act is the height of desperation, sign of one's being reduced to lifelessness.

If you have anger, if you have seen injustice, if you have found the system a heap of shit, if you have always been on the receiving end, FIGHT IT! Get yourself together, channelise your anger. That would be the power that brings about change. It is this focussed anger that is needed to being about the much-needed Revolution.

Die for a cause! But to waste one's life away in desperation, to kill unrelated people just for a base for dialogue or to make people listen to your stories and miseries makes you look mean and weak and starved and debilitated.

I am not bothered about the death tolls. I am bothered about the weakness in the minds. It doesn't take a series of blasts to rattle the weak; and making people feel insecure serves no purpose of yours, that drives your deeds of violence. It takes tough minds to change the world. Terrorism buries your ideologies beneath the heaps of corpses that have already perished to terror. You get lost among the tonnes of bones and blood and flesh that have already spilled all over the place.

Terrorism is a losing battle. You waste your vital energy when you give in to it. Your purpose becomes self-defeating and you can never win. Fight it - with sense, focus and determination. Wars have never been won in a rage!

Where Anarchy is better than Democracy!

We all know of how bad the boys behaved out there in the Parliament. And if they could put up such a show to be telecast live, one could imagine how much of an activity must have gone on behind the scenes. Discussions, disagreements, conspiracies, bribes, body shopping, mind games, barter exchanges . . . so much planning, so many suitcases of currencies, so many thugs involved . . . intricacies, intimidations, bargains . . . whewww . . . must have been quite a hectic period for all our neighbourhood politicians.

But coming to think of these guys who claim to be representing us, the humble law-abiding and law-breaking citizens and netizens, it makes one exclaim how truly they live up to the term "Elected Representatives"! I mean, do they really represent the sentiments of the senseless voters who made them Kings? Talk of this whole worthless, stupid, obnoxious episode of "No Trust" motion. I, as a citizen who plays a role in putting these mindless vacuum's amidst the power centres, ask my representatives one simple question: When did I ask you to move such a motion against a Government that I elected? Did I ask for instability in governance at this point in time?

If I appoint my representative to present my organisation to my client, I would kick his backside if he misbehaves in the client's place. And what have these guys done? They have been indulging in "Insider Trading", "Horse Trading", "Ass Trading"and what not! I would want to dismiss my whole organisation at one go! I can run my show without any of them. I would rather be a "One Man Show" than hiring goonda's for my team!

And what's with those numbers, my revered writers of the Constitution? Were your minds out of place when you put those clauses there? One number up, he wins; one number down, he loses. Two guys abstain, the nation's history reads something else. Heck! Is this some Play school that you were running before you were delegated with this unenviable chore of drafting the sacrosanct collection of letters and words called the "Constitution"?

In these days of hectic parlays, how many minutes would our representatives really have thought about the country, the roads, the infrastructure, the poor, the down-trodden . . . about anything that would constitute the very purpose of their being where they are? I wouldn't know, our people wouldn't know, none of our representatives would know either.

Coming to think of our country as one huge organisation, I can't help wondering what it would be like to have my own organisation filled with all sorts of people at the top, who never knew what "peaceful co-existence" is! Imagine my company chairman, its CEO, Board of Directors, Chief Operating Officer, Techincal Director, Finance Director, Purchase Manager and HR Chief trying to emulate what our Kingpins have been doing! Blaming, fighting, bargaining, buying out, selling out, having no Trust, taking no responsibility, being reckless, childish, stupid, arrogant, self-serving . . . I would definitely want my company closed down NOW!

In short, I want my Representatives to be sacked! I want my office to be closed. Hang the Parliament - and anyone else who is adamant on staying in it. And I'm sure that will not be the end of life. Being without rulers is better than being ruled by self-serving, conniving foxes. And ultimately, a rule will emerge. We can fight it out and can come up with a game plan. We dont need representatives to do the fighting for us!

Blast Me If You Can - Bangalore ROCKZ!

I welcome the new kids on the Block. And congrats on your new attempt.

You were always epected here. But I actually thought you would be less amateurish and more professional. Not amateurish, it was childish. No, perhaps, it was stupid. Or, rather, it was ridiculous. Yes, you are not kids, but are fools. Fools to the extent of being labelled demented.

Do you seriously think all that you could plan was a few crackers along roadsides? A few months late, folks would have mistaken you for some Diwali celebrations!

The next time, plan something solid. Make it big. Taste blood.

If you cant, climb up one of the towers in UB City and jump. You would make better news then!

Be What you Want!

How is it that you are able to type those mails out to your pal? How do you manage to drive or ride in this maddening crowd? How are you able to pick that grain from the plate and direct it straight to your mouth that you never see while eating?

Simple things, straight forward stuff. No big deal.

But so it in case of everything else. "No Big Deal".

Whether it's about planning an event or organising a rally or bringing about a change or a Revolution, the idea is simple. "How" is always preceded by "Want". "How" has never been a problem. The mighty Empire was brought down by dhoti-clad village lads more than half a century ago. For them, "How" was not the word. They "Wanted" to regain their land. They decided that it was going to be their destiny. They were determined to do that. And they did just that.

To start a thinking process with "How" is Negative attitude. How just does not matter. It's only whether you want it or not. The difference between what happens and what never happens is the will to make it happen. "How" merely follows the will, like a petite dog that follows a school-going girl.

Let me not beat it round. I want to change the society. I want to bring about some fresh air that would drive all this stench away. I want to make a difference to the ordinary, weak roadside old man who has given up all hope in life. I want this country to regain its place in History. I want the politician to morph into the statesman that he once was. I want the mind to be untiring, the muscles to be toned. I want change; I want peace.

I know I can get them. "How" doesn't matter.

Reborn - Yet Again!

There were three sides to the Clearway Coin - Clearway, India and Revolution. Now, Clearway will be One. Renaissance.

Much has gone into the Definitions and Re-definitions of Clearway. To complicate simple stuff is not wise; but to know that something is actually simple takes courage. It takes courage to face raw truth. To stand by truth, undeterred by the swirls of whirlwinds, needs more than mere courage - it takes Humility!

Predictably, Clearway has changed. Not in the outlook, not in the context, not in the content, but in the Soul.

How has it changed? It's for you, the reader, to waste your time and energy on theories and thesis to answer questions. In simple terms, compare the present with the future and the past. See what was what, why is what and how is why. Ultimately, all hypotheses, theories, observations and inferences will lead to one statement. Change.

Let's go!

The Mutation of a Powerful Species: Indian Cricket

What a time it is to invest in cricket! The tycoons and the super stars must be basking in all the turn of fortune that they could have hoped for - and much more!

The feel good factor about India's stature in its National Religion is overwhelming! And the game that has caught the imagination of every bud is now all set to take the next generation by storm. It started off with the unassuming and unpredicted coup called the Twenty20 World Cup Victory pulled off by a set of boys testing their teeth in unchartered waters. Today, it's not just the Under-19 World Cup Bonanza, it's not just the Tri-Series triumph; it's the ecstasy of having beaten the bad boys in their home town, the unchallenged World Champions whose machine seemed to grow powerful by the day and whose dirty tricks seemed to match their growing power in its gravity of abysmally low behaviour. How fitting it could be to respond to words in action, reply to off-ground attacks through on-ground discipline and performance!

The last two matches of the highly controversial series brought the best out of a young team ready to explode on to the international arena. The Master paved the way for the youngsters through immaculate style and command over his gifted art. It was a delight to see the super man back in his elements and reign supreme.

How risky would you want to be if you were the leader of an untested team? Ask MS Dhoni! His appetite for risk and his bravery in facing challenges with trust and grit was enchanting! The individuals seemed to merge into each other as a team under him. The fielding was tight and the confidence, unflagging. To him, the fight is more important than the victory. He is willing to give his lieutenants the free leash, and is willing to take responsibility for their failure. And his team performs as if in a trance!

At the end of it all, there emerges a new hope that is brighter than just a ray; a streak that holds more than a promise; a breed that has more than mere confidence; and a whole country that sees the potential of more than a mere entertainment quotient.

Yes, this is just the right time to be in the business of the sport. And the billions being poured are just in the right place.

Let There Be Life!

Not long ago that I thought Bangalore was such a cool place to be in. Blessed with its natural climatic goodness, blissful with lakes and trees, greeting tired souls with flowers of all colours, Bangalore to me was among the good things life could promise.

So, it was a horrid sight to see trees being uprooted heartlessly for petty reasons. To see giants being chopped to pieces on a daily basis, to see life getting destroyed haplessly, is to witness the plunder of the very identity of the place that boasts of its garden city status.

To lay roads without proper planning is indeed a petty reason; to cut life to compensate for human greed is raw selfishness. The road that was dressed in green a few days ago stands naked in the hot sun. But that is the very nature of mankind - the virus spreads, eats up life, destroys the planet and still remains hungry for blood. There never has been and will never be a worse enemy to planet earth than man.

If an airport needs to be built at one god forsaken place called Devanahalli, why would the benevolent green giants fall prey? Merely for being along the sides of the road to air? I dont blame the politician alone for not having planned at the outset, for not thinking ahead of time and for not willing to walk that extra step to avoid this ruthless deforestation. I blame myself for not being to do anything significant to stop the bloody rampage. I blame every citizen who let this display of human arrogance go on merrily.

To blame alone is as good as doing nothing at all; and doing nothing at all is cowardice; and cowardice is a vice.

All I can do, other than watch life being wasted, is to plant new hope. I'm starting off this weekend on a planting spree. Not a rush, not in a hurry, but taking it forward slow but steady.

I may not be able to stop the mighty rulers from stripping the land nude; but then, the rulers can't stop me planting a sapling and watching it grow either!

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The "Promise" of a Businessman - TATA

Cricket in general – and the Indian one, in specific – has been hitting news these days. That’s apart from our “Nano”, that is. Much like it has been in its recent history, Indian cricket has much more happening off the grounds than on it. Racism, sledging, hearings, penal actions, Bucknor off – Bajji on . . . that’s what they call cricketing news, don’t they?

Nano has not been so. It has had the nation buzzing with the tiny new word much before its arrival on to the arena. Should we be saying, “Take the Nation by storm”? ‘Storm’ seems to be a far more aggressive word than what may suit our cute lill’ “nano”. Stop Press by nature, it definitely deserves more than a round of applause. Mr Ratan Tata has brought life to his dream in style. To be able to make the supply chain dance to his tunes is no ordinary work. Nice features, smart styling, amazing price, endless possibilities! Now, is that not what is called, a “Dream Launch!” Tata summed it all up in one phrase that should perhaps become a popular quote in the years to come – “A Promise is a Promise”.

A promise is a Promise . . . hmm! So, media men, you have found fodder for your pulp. Front pages splashed all over with pictures of the great man beside the tiny car, all kudos, accolades that talk of revolutions . . . hold it, friends, I know it’s party time.

But you folks don’t seem to spend much time on-line, do you? The net is a much more powerful medium of expression of personal opinion of millions of ordinary unseen folks; the very people who read your words that fill the news papers. Did you ever get a chance to read of the woes of customers of one good old name called VSNL? You could spare so much front page space on a Brand; you could as well have spared a few centimeters of your columns in rapping on the knuckles of a service that has taken customers for a ride!

Mr. Tata’s “promise is a promise” seems to hold good for his super-car; not for his internet business. Or, perhaps, he never realized that when he made a sale to his customer and pocketed the money, he was actually making a “Promise” to the customer that the latter would receive value worth his money!

That is the reason why scams such as these are let go by the media and people such as the Tata’s are let to get away with them.

I actually don’t see many reasons to blame Tata; he has nothing to lose! He has grown far bigger than what could trouble him when his customers are unhappy (or enraged) – he always has his other businesses and the media guys who flower him with praises for all that he does. The media is to blame – for making heroes and glorifying them to the point of being obnoxious, for being a shameless promoter of the rich and the powerful, for taking up no ethical or social responsibility when it comes to something as basic as giving the news to readers impartially.

And Mr. Tata, it’s not the promise that would bother you; it’s the ego, the reputation that was at stake behind your “Promise” – and the huge market to tap with the Nano-effect. You are advised to refrain from using bombastic words such as a "Promise"; you are a good businessman, no doubt - but promises are only for noble souls!

Post Script: The case mentioned in earlier posts has been closed. After a struggle, a court case and loads of mails to the point of virtually threatening an impending fresh case claiming higher damages, the amount declared by the court as compensation – Rs 3000/- has been dispatched by TATA – VSNL as refunds. The letter had no words of apologies for the period taken for the refund or the troubles that the complainant had to undergo; the letter was signed by an “Authorised Signatory” whose designation was not mentioned.

Hopefully, the VSNL case would not appear in Clearway henceforth; but the appeal still remains: If you or anyone whom you know has suffered in the hands of TATA Indicom/ VSNL, please go ahead and file your cases with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. This part of the system still works and the complainant is very much likely to get the full refund, if the complaint is backed with evidence. You may drop your comments here for any further information.