Aatif is NOT STIFF (...yet!)

Keeping the promise in my last blog, here I am - back with some of my matchless and mediocre thoughts! Before you think that this is some gossip related post related to some celebrity, let me clarify – This is not about Aatif or any singer or any celebrity for that matter – This is about a concern way beyond that! So read on… And decide for yourself…


Today I feel like writting about the very first line that I heard from my wife at 4 in the morning! I don't go to gym that early - the reason behind me being up at that hour is that this, being the holy month of Ramzaan (Ramadan) - my wife has to do her Sehri (have the first meal for the day) before a stipulated time! And then, she fasts for at least 14 hours at a stretch every single day, and this would go on for the whole month!!! God bless her strength and courage, coz honestly and shamelessly admitting - I would literally go insane if I do that even for 5 days at a stretch!


Anyway, so I stepped out before she even woke up today morning to get some stuff, and after I was back home, like a true gentleman I greeted her with a sweet "good-morning" kind of a sugar coated soothing phrase. To which, she responded appropriately, again like a true gentle-caring-lady. And then, her first line - the beginning of our daily conversation - was an exclamatory remark: "YOU KNOW WHAT??? AATIF ASLAM IS DEAD!!!"


I don't like to boast about myself, but I would like to coin here that after all that I have done, seen and been through in life, there are hardly any news that genuinely surprise me. I have become "placid" (love that word) to an annoying extent. So obviously, I was not like "Whaaaaaaaaaaaat!" after hearing this, but I responded with a curious looking "What? How?" to this note! (Although, I admit I would yell a biiiiiiiig "WHAAAAAAAAAT" if someone tells me that Droid 2 would NEVER get launched in India!)


So, she told me that one of her friends, whom she considered a "probable-reliable" source of information had sent her a text breaking the sad news! I don't usually accept and digest this sort of information without verifying it. Hence, I googled it and found various more "reliable-reliable" sources claiming that Aatif Aslam was very much alive! You probably won't believe, but since morning, at least 5 of my buddies have forwarded similar text messages to me confirming the sad demise of Aatif Aslam!

Hence, the idea behind me sharing this incident with you is - why do we always accept variety of information just because it has the right amount of spice in it??? I can give you countless examples of myths as this one, which have been so widespread just coz the rumour pressed the right buttons in people's minds. The biggest example is the "Do Not Use Your Cellphone" sign at any petrol pump - Yes... This is sheer bullshit and you can verify the same with reliable sources like mythbusters (Click here to to check if you'ld like to!).


Other examples like why are all the clocks/watches set at 10:10 AM in their display ads? Many people believe its because the first atom bomb was dropped at that time (I used to believe this for quite a long time!). Many think because some legendary person like Mahatma Gandhi, JF Kennedy, etc. was shot/died at that time. But all that is a sad lie! The truth is that its just because if the watch hands are at 10:10, a.) the manufacturer's logo is displayed properly and b.) this way, the hands resemble a smile!
Check this link to verify: The watch fact!


So, my only point is that we land up gathering and distributing incorrect and irrelevant information many times and this exclusively holds good in sensitive cases like world politics, celebrity gossip and the most critical topic - Religion!


Being your well-wisher, and a strong supporter of UNBIASED-LOGICAL-FAIR information in its true sense, I would like to request all of you to check your facts before you start spreading them! This way my friend – the world would be a less complex place!!! If you still wanna cross check that Aatif is really really not stiff, Click Here!!!


One more fact you might wanna know, is that when you hold a Sea Shell on your ear, it’s the sound of your blood surging through the veins what you hear – and not the sound of the ocean! You can very well hear the same sound even if you are sitting in your drawing room in Bhopal or Texas or Cambridge!

Many other facts like these are quite surprising, but all true nonetheless! So, keep doing a reality check and spread the knowledge worth spreading!!! If you would like to share any such surprising fact, you are most welcome to post a comment in here - for all you know, I might have to write an entire blog on it! Hope to hear some "whaaaaaaaaaat!" kindda stuff from you guys!


God bless!!!

Dissection de la Inception!

Note: ***The following blog may imply that I have purchased and viewed pirated vids! Please don’t file a complaint:)! Hope the CBI doesn’t come looking for me after I publish this...But you know what? I will happily surrender with a smile on my face once they have arrested AAAALLLL the video rental shop owners in India and the owners of a thousand different websites providing free torrents for EveryThing imaginable!

And after all, me - being a "seeker" of information would definitely grab anything and everything available which is of my interest!***

So, first of all, my sincere apologies to my dear readers {I know there are just 34 members on my blog - but it feels awesome to write this line!;)} for not posting anything for the last soooooooo many days!

Loadz of things have happened in these last few days which are worth writing about. But the one thing that I really cant wait to share is this latest flick that I watched last night on a dvd for the second time - After watching it first on big screen about 20 days back!

Yes, my dear friends - I am certainly talking about the “5 starer” - fully loaded - sci-fi - future 10 academy awards winner (I assume at least 10) – movie of the Year "INCEPTION"!!!

There are 2 reasons behind writing an exclusive post about Inception:

A. I had to watch this movie for the second time to fully understand it!

B. I have N-E-V-E-R seen a movie for the second time for the sole purpose of fully understanding it since 7th August 1986 (My inception)!!!!

Now, I have discussed a little bit about the plot of this flick with some of my most intelligent friends (Ok, go ahead - have your grin and give yourself a pat on the back if I discussed it with ‘YOU’) - and not to my surprise, even they dint fully understand the details. Hence, post my second session, I thought I would better share my personal understanding, since my understanding is usually ‘understandable’ by masses!

Many of you may think that you understood the movie, or at least the basic concept, but trust me - The devil as always lies in the details! So, if I ask you something like “Who's subconscious was the second dream??? or Who's architecture and who's dream was it really???” or may be “When and Where was the idea actually incepted in Fischer’s (Clillian Murphy – the recently orphaned poor tycoon) mind???” You may have to ‘guess’ rather than give a confident answer!

To remove this guess-work, lets understand the basic deal - One person designs the architecture of the dream (I know you know that – don’t be too happy about it!) - that's Ariadne (Ellen Page) for all the 3 levels of the dream; except the fourth one – the ‘Limbo’, which has no architecture technically. To make things quite simple, the architect only designs the very basic layout of the whole dream. So, this chick designed the city in the first dream, the hotel in the second and the fortress like hospital (YES - that was a hospital in d snow - watch it again before you bet!) in the third one...

Now, there is one more dude who's subconscious is used to populate that layout... This creates the special places in the dream - like the safe in the hotel from where Arthur (Joseph Gordan) pulls out the dream-sharing machine and the detonator charges in the 2nd level or the vault in the hospital where Fischer meets his dad in the 3rd level.

So, its kindda simple - first dream is populated by Dom Cobb (Leonardo), second by Arthur, and the third by Fischer. The catch is, that for the third one, Fischer is not aware that he is populating the dream. He think it is uncle Peter’s subconscious (Peter Browning played by Tom Berenger). The fourth one - the "Limbo" as we know it is only the subconscious of Dom, no architecture there! I know that you probably know most of this!

But what you don’t know is this - Our dear uncle Peter (Don’t jump thinking you know that he was forged by Eames(Tom Hardy) in level 1)… So, I was saying that our dear uncle Peter was forged by Eames only in the first level of the dream! In level 2, he was a projection of Fischer’s subconscious. The REAL “inception” happens in level 1 itself – when uncle Peter simply induces the idea of a second will of Morris Fischer to his son when they have a li’l handcuffed chat!

This simple idea leads Fischer’s subconscious to give himself the information through his own projection of uncle Peter in level 2 of the dream! What I mean is, that the uncle Peter who told Fischer that his dad dint want him to lead the company - was NOT the one forged by Eames, but a projection of Fischer's own subconscious!!! Since by then, he has already started doubting his dad’s intentions about the future of his company… However, again the small catch in level 2 is that he is motivated further to find out some “positive” reason behind his dad’s such decision. Fischer assumes he is going to find this secret buried in uncle Peter’s mind, but actually – he goes looking for it in his own spine – unknowingly though – coz Dom tells him they are going in his uncle’s dream, but they finally land on Fischer’s!!!

So, the plan works and Fischer finally finds what he WANTED to find! That his dad dint really want him to be him… The idea which he only vaguely perceived so far is backed up by a concrete motive now! Bingo!!!!

The rest of the Limbo thingy and Mall (Marion Cotillard) stuff is quite simple to understand… So I won’t go in a lot of details about all that.

Having said all of this, I think the movie was simply fantastic. I liked it better than Avatar as a matter of fact! (Don mind James, I still admire your creativity and technology…) Just so that you know, James Cameron spent 13 years only in researching on the technology that he used to create Avatar! But Inception takes the cake simply because of its marvelous idea and the way it is presented with minute detailing. I personally like the concept so much coz I have always fantasized that this whole life is a dream and after sometime, I am going to wake up in a different world! So to make the most of this dream, I should try and learn the most out of it!

This all goes parallel to concepts like life after death, re-incarnation, the idea of going to “heaven” after death, death being just a phase, etc etc. One more thing you may like to ponder about is our embryo stage. Imagine, a child starts feeling its surroundings even in the embryo state. For him/her, the womb is the world! Where it is being fed automatically, where it breathes through direct intake of oxygen from blood rather than through air, where it grows and even learns quite a few things!

The mind of any embryo is not so developed, but speaking of that – It is only our “perception” that our mind is developed or is it??? So, after some 38 weeks, that life form finally comes out of that environment which was so far its universe! And then it realizes that the world is way way beyond what he had assumed till now! Then it realizes that those 9-10 months were just a mere phase of its development! So, based on all this, my fantasy is that what if this whole life is a phase just like that only??? I know it’s a very absurd idea, but you never know!!!

Talking about dreams, the concept of shared dreaming is also real, and is quite possible (Go on... Google it if you don't trust me...)! The actual difficult task is Lucid Dreaming, where in you are aware that you are dreaming and you consciously navigate in your subconscious! This is also possible, but extremely difficult, coz you see the subconscious paradigm is a very tricky business… Our tiny conscious simply doesnot posses sufficient processing power (RAM) to control such a powerfully creative and dynamic thing! I have once or twice experienced lucid dreaming, but the dream hardly lasts for a fraction of a second once I realize I am dreaming.

Ultimately, as an ending note, I would like to emphasize that don’t underestimate the power of your subconscious. It can make you do things which you have never even imagined! And, the most important – the basic input to our subconscious is after all our conscious, our real world. So try and feed positive, good thoughts to your soul – that is what will connect you to your dreams, your faith, your heaven or even your God!

Signing off, with a promise to post back soon!!!

Please feel free to leave comments if you dint understand any part of this or the whole thing thing seemed crap!!!

God bless you and your dreams!

Make a Difference - GUJJU Style

Hello world,

I would like to share a portion from an email that I received from our HR dept today:

"......we found that there are a number of patients who have to stay in the hospital for the treatment for a very long time... for months, even for a year or more... And most of them are from poor families.

This time we are targeting patients who are admitted for treatment for Dialysis and kidney transplant.

They have to be admitted for 6-8 months and they have to follow a strict diet plan.

As per doctors' suggestion "Ganthiya and Jalebi" is very good for kidney patients due to the use of sodium bi-carbonate in their preparation.

So our social committee has planned for distribution of "Ganthia and Jalebi" on 27 June - Sunday to the Civil hospital kidney patients.

We have a target to distribute......"

Amazing! I never knew Gathiya-Jalebi is good for my Kidney!!! The best thing that Jalebi reminds me about is its mouth-watering golden-warm taste and the "Shuddh Dhara" ad in which li'l Chunnu who runs away from home comes back just to hog his Mom-made Jalebis!!! But that’s not the point.

I just want to share or rather point out that there are so many small little things in life that seem very casual to us, but can make a huge difference in someone's life! A casual snack for me could be a life saving (I know I am exaggerating) medicine for someone (at least it could be an aid to the treatment)!!! It truly is ironic that there are people around us who cant afford these things even when they are highly needed.

Most of us may not have to think twice about a lavish dinner at Barbecue Nation or a casual breakfast at IIM or Vastrapur or Iscon, but there are people who cant even afford a prescribed meal or a drug! It is our moral responsibility to come forward to help them.

But of course, we have our social responsibilities as well towards our families and work which may not allow us to spend time in helping others. These kind of efforts put at an organizational level help in bridging that gap. I cannot go to the civil hospital everyday to offer gathiya-jalebi to the patients there, but at least I can contribute financially if my company is assuring me that she will do it on my behalf. (Yes, 'company' too, is definitely a female - why do you think she is so unpredictable and demanding and yet so much needed???)

Jokes apart, but we all should be proud that there are millions of organizations worldwide who are putting efforts to help those who are in need today. And I really appreciate the idea 'coz even a small contribution from each individual in an organization would result into a huge aid at the end of the day.

So, I request you all to participate actively in these kind of official-charity events and encourage your organization to organize these sort of events on a regular basis. Not just organizations, even Co-Op Societies, clubs and other groups should think on these lines.

Two thumbs up to all the companies and individuals who have been putting efforts towards helping each other by helping the society.

And last but not the least, A heart felt congratulations to all the makers of Gathiya - Jalebi!!!

God Bless!

-- 

Diplomat Dog S#!T...

Ever wondered why our MPs don't get bored in the parliament???

Well, there is sooooooooo much of entertainment they get to witness live... Have a look...

Mr. Lalu Yadav at his BESTWA...

The Doctors of Death

You may be wondering why am I writing about doctors instead of the current hot subject of FIFA or the Oil Spill or something of that sort. I am as shocked as anyone else about Spain's and France's hilarious defeat and very interested in knowing how exactly the $200 billion from BP is going to be distributed in Louisiana - but I would rather talk about something related to the grass-root level than something which is globally appealing.

The reason behind me writing something else is that I am sincerely shaken by this incident and want to do something about it.

Here we go:

My colleague's father faced an unfortunate health issue in the last week. His condition was that there was a small blood clot in his right lung due to which he was facing acute breathlessness and high blood pressure. Obviously, the cause was diagnosed only after he was admitted at one of the reputed hospitals in Ahmedabad.

To save you from suspense - there is an injectable drug available in the market made by Reliance health; which was given to him and now his health is improving. Though he still is in the ICU, but it is rightly assumed that his illness will be 100% cured. (Touch the cross!)

Obviously, health - like any other place in the world, is very costly to maintain in India as well, especially once you are admitted to a clinic for a week or so! The first question that is asked at most of the hospitals when someone is admitted is "Does he / she have a mediclaim?" And I think the doctors keep their fingers on both hands and even their toes invisible under their shoes crossed hoping that the answer would be "YES".

Once the doctors get this green signal, they let out a sigh of relief, thinking that their sinful fees would be paid from a Wealthy Multi-million current account of an Organization rather than a middle class 'okay-doing' person's Fix deposits or savings account. This probably gives them a feeling of being just. Like you would feel its okay to kick an elephant rather than a lamb! (I am not so great at examples so bare with me please!)During his medication, my uncle was advised to get a CT scan done. CT scan is a very interesting thing - it sounds high tech and every thing that sounds high tech sounds expensive as well. Hence, my colleague asked the doc about the fees.

Doctor's reply : "Its 9000 if you want the bill; 6000 without bill"

(For non-Indian readers, bill in India is the receipt / check )

All of us are well aware about the flourishing gray market in India in the software, computer, mobile and other electronic items. But I never even dreamt that even the medical field would have this sort of arrangements. 'Coz I simply can't compare a doctor with a mobile sales person. But surprisingly, even at the hospital where CT scan was done (One of the renowned and reliable ones in A'bad), the staff is well versed with this procedure and would ask you up front before hand whether you want the bill or not.

Thinking further, VAT is 4%, other taxes may be maximum 10%. I cant figure out how exactly can a bill - no bill make a difference of 3000 bucks???

And since this is coming out from someone who is officially incharge of saving people's lives, I feel like bloody giving this in news papers, getting a Sting operation done at the clinic and at the hospital and putting them behind bars. Unfortunately, my uncle is still admitted at the same hospital at the mercy of the same doctor. Hence, my/our hands are tied.

But I assure you and make a self-commitment today - I will do something about this corrupt procedure which is so taken for granted. Its really ironic that someone's life and well being is someone's business, a source to earn, a career to pursue!

With all due well deserved respect to the medical profession, Screw you Dr. CORRUPT...

God bless only the deserving this time!

-- 

The "Mind-Lifting" LIFT!

Thanks to my wonderful wife, its a routine for me to drop her everyday at 12:30 afternoon at her pickup point. Today, as always, I was performing my gentleman's act by making sure she got safely on board her company cab... However, on my way back home, something interesting happened that I want to share in here.

Our home is 1.5 km straight drive from the main road (SG Highway); but this straight drive is through a very busy street of a local market and its obvious to find familiar faces of your neighbors while you are driving/riding there.

It is impossible not to find someone from our colony or our apartment shopping something or going somewhere while you are crossing this 1.5 km. Today, the familiar face was of our watchman. It so happened that he recognized me and I recognized him - and in that one fraction of a second that we saw each other - we realized the need of the minute - that he wanted a lift back home!

So, I stopped my bike and said "Chal aaja - ghar hi ja raha hai na?" ("Guess you are goin home, so hop on!") And so he gladly accepted the offered lift and became the pylon on my bike. Now its obvious that when you are giving a lift to someone, you ask questions like "What had you come here for?" and show some curiosity in other person's business while you are riding together for 5-7 mins.

Hence, I did the same and showing interest in Bhuppi's (our watchman) business, I asked him what he had come to buy at the market. To which his reply was that he had come to get "chaas" (buttermilk) from a dairy shop in the market - not that I dint see the buttermilk packet in his hands when I first saw him. So, trying to be his well wisher, I suggested that he can buy the same thing from the supermarket right next to our building.

I also asked him how much does he get the packet for at this shop - and I found out, that infact it was 50 paisa costlier than the supermarket. You get amul buttermilk for Rs. 7.50 at Hind Supermarket, where you can shop in Air conditioned environment without having to walk almost 1.5 km in rain or scorching heat to reach a local dairy and buying the same thing by paying a higher cost everyday.

Astonishingly, my watchman's reply to my advice was "Nahi sa'ab, udhar jana humare liye thik nahi hai" (Its not appropriate for me to go there...)!!!

In my last to last blog, I had spoken about the rich-poor divide. These kind of incidents make me realize that this divide is so intensely carved in the minds of the lower middle and poor class people, that they simply deny even if they are aware of any privileges that they might be offered or have a right on.

Their upbringing and their outlook towards the world doesn’t allow them to savor even their most obvious rights. Of course, I am not saying that everyone thinks like this - but what I have observed is many of them do! Unless these people are practically taught to exercise their rights as well as their responsibilities, they will not be comfortable doing that.

We easily notice if a laborer or some such person is littering or doing something abnormal according to the social standards. But have we ever wondered - If we expect someone / everyone to be responsible, are we ready to give equal privileges to everyone as well? If a person wearing a watchman's uniform or looking like a laborer is shopping next to you at big bazaar - wouldn't you get surprised or even suspicious for that matter?

I asked Bhuppi to let me know (which I doubt he would) when he goes to buy buttermilk again, and I will go along with him to the supermarket to change his thinking. I believe this should make a small difference. Ironically, he needs that 50 paise saving more than I do; and still he chooses not to go for it!

Thinking of change, now I wonder, this divide is not just a small gap or a crack between the two strata of society. But it is a vast river which is created by ideologies which are conceptionalized from the very birth and nurtured through out their upbringing in both the classes. It is taken very much for granted and considered as a universal fact that they are to stay separate, to remain divided.

Not done bhuppi - I don’t care if these two classes unite or not, or if this divide is bridged or not; But you my friend, are going to save that 50 paisa the next time you buy buttermilk.

God bless all of us, Hind Supermarket and the dairy-wala as well!

-- 

Silver Arrow...

There are certain times in everyone's life when one tends to be philosophical! I have my poetic moments too, and this one is a product of one of them!

Here we flow...

I admit that being 'me' is honestly fun!
For my life is a journey - and my end is none.
Every day I am different, yet just the same;
Never do I stand still - moving on is my game!


I was born out of mountains, who rendered me to these lands
Hence the fluid ideas - with a concrete stand.
I enjoy the nature while wandering through trees
And celebrate the social life in the fun filled cities!


Of all the sojourns I make, each is a special one
Some struggling yet thrilling, some smooth but fun!
I love my pals the most, the wonderful relation we share...
Even after I have passed by them, with them - I am always there!


On my way through the woods, I steal leaves and flowers
They share their aroma, and I give them showers;
Sharing is something I adore - its like breath for me
I roar and rattle - to be as expressive as I can be!


In some barren love-less lands, I cut through like a knife
Like blood in veins, I flow and carry life!
Whomever I touch, I try to prosper and flourish,
No grudges do I bare - only experiences to cherish!


I also help dispose... Clean dirt out of mind!
By carrying away the negative, and leaving freshness behind.
I have a journey of my own - on a self made road,
Give and take is my religion - which is self bestowed!


I progress but not alone, there are several friends to me,
Some drink from me my freshness; And some just like to see!
Some join me and swim along, and a few fly above,
Some visit me on occasions to express their love.


And there are certain special ones - some life long allies,
Like the earth that gives me support, and the sheltering skies.
For the base that she provides - I thank the Earth the most!
She is my ultimate abode, assuring I will never be lost.


The Mountains motivate me to be strong, offer parental advice,
They have taught me to stand true on my way, and so I am concise.
My brother - 'Sea' is vast n great - inspiring me to grow!
He will always be there for me, in my high and low.


My friends inspire me all the way - like rain, they complete me,
Their ideas reflect on my silver surface - throughout the journey!
This odyssey is not about me, not us, but the FLOW
What matters is not destiny, but what the 'journey' has to show!


Together - we travel days and nights, and carve our way
To create a better tomorrow, we modify our today!
No matter how thick or thin I am, serene or gushing, deep or shallow,
To flourish others and self - is the code that I follow...


I wish to move on, to grow, progress and proceed...
I care about the Voyage. Destination - I dont need!
I know that the choices we make decide our fate...
So the Destiny has to be Glorious, when the Journey is This Great!

This lil piece of creativity is dedicated to all my lovely friends and relatives, my parents, my bro and my dear partner for life! Also to all the people whom I have interacted with for a short while face to face or through other mediums, and people whom I have read or watched or heard!

Basically, a dedication to life, 'coz LIFE to me my friends - is all about people and things and thoughts who define "her". ( YES - life is definitely a female - otherwise she wouldn't have been so complicated and yet so beautiful! )

God Bless!

The most luxurious weapon!

I, like every other mediocre Indian, am planning to buy a car in the near future. For my reader friends abroad, owning a car in India is a luxury and not a necessity - So dont get surprised. Also, this is due to the climatic situation here, and not because India is poor - so dont be judgmental.

Currently, I am browsing for different cars, loan arrangements and emi schemes - And to be honest with you, taking test drives is really an enjoyable way to spend time. However, something happened this sunday that triggered my thought process in quite a different way.

I am sure many of us have already thought about this, but I would still like to pen it down - for documentation sake. And for all you know, it may even make a difference in someone's thinking.

On Sunday afternoon, some friends and I were enjoying a nice Fountain Soda (A'bad specialty) at a fairly posh locality of town. In the middle of our lil soda party, one of my friends literally dragged me to the other side of the road to see something which was of great interest for him. This object that seemed more important than a Blue Berry Soda to my friend was a product from one of the largest bankruptcy filer company - General Motors - A Hummer H2.

Now I admit shamelessly that I am no car-freak. I like to know about automobiles, have read "The toyota way", "LEAN technique", etc. Have also read about legendary tales of Ferrari and Mercedes and a few others. Also like to watch Formula 1 and read automobile mags at the barbers'. But thats it. I have never kept wall papers of Lamborghini on my cell or laptop; or drooled over Fast and Furious vids; or fantasized about getting out of a Bentley Mulsanne or something of that sort.

So, this H2 had a Mumbai passing - knowing which my Automobile literate pal calculated that it would have cost this hummer fellow about 8 grands for fuel to have come from Mumbai to A'bad. And the most interesting part, price of Hummer H2 in India - Rs. 7 crores and 20 lacs on road after duty and everything!

I know I am behaving typically middle class here - but maaaaaaaaaan... I feel like becoming a communist after listening to this. I am thinking about joining this NGO which organizes sunday classes for less privileged children; who cant afford regular school fees and education (about Rs. 4000 a year!!!) - and at the same time what I see is people can afford to buy cars worth 7 crores and fuel them up for 20 grands every damn weekend!

Plus, I write about saving electricity and fuel and about the evil of plastic bags, I genuinely try to save fuel by doing things like turn off my bike's engine at traffic signals (though my bike gives a 50+ mileage), etc. I take interest in knowing about cities like Melbourne running majorly on non-conventional energy sources - And here is this H2 fellow - feeding a liter of petrol for every 3-4 kilometers to this gigantic show off!!!

I mean, dont rich people have any common sense or any sense of responsibility??? I am sorry if I am offending anyone who is rich - or for all you know any hummer owners, but c'mon guys, have some noble purpose in life. Its great to earn money - And I aspire the same - Health, Wealth and Prosperity in life. But there should be some sort of a cause involved in it too.

The energy resources on this planet are depleting anyway. I genuinely feel that the government should ban these kind of luxury vehicles. This is nothing but a WEAPON devised my human race to kill its own future. At this stage, we cannot afford to be so careless about where we are utilizing our energy sources.

I think middle class people are more concerned about saving electricity and fuel then the rich strata of this society. If someone has the money to spend, he should buy a Civic Hybrid or a BMW X6 - At least these cars will save fuel since they run partially on electricity.

Please people, stop wasting financial and natural resources. There are people out there who dream of owning a second hand bajaj scooter; cooking on a gas stove rather than chulhas made of mud and bricks using wooden branches and cow dung as fuel; and also people not buying air conditioners just to avoid their electricity bills. Your personal luxury may be costing someone else a great deal of compromise in his life.

Let us try to eradicate this mammothic divide between the rich and poor. Let us try to make this world a better place, to make a better today, a better tomorrow - for everyone!

God bless (even the hummer owners)!

-- 

The Scariest 2 hours... Real life experience!

You might have had this feeling a few times in your life - like something is terribly wrong. At times, you might have felt for no obvious reason, but simply out of a gut feeling that things are not the way they should be - like something bad is approaching you and it is inevitable that you will have to face a hard time.

Something so creepy of this sort happened to me day before yesterday. It was two of us - me and my old man (though he is quite young) in a small restaurant located at one of the suburbs in town. The ambiance was neat, cheerful. We were surrounded by a lot of people - people enjoying a little gossip with their friends and families over the dinner. 

But still, amidst all these things, my mind was constantly reminding me that something is amiss. I was trying to talk to my dad, but there was an ill, pale and ghostly feeling eating my thoughts from within. My existence became so hollow due to this vacuum created in my soul. The entire focus of my subconscious brain was concentrated at a single point in space. That point was the left pocket of my pants. This pocket was empty except my bike keys today. One thing, which always dwells in it was not there - My Cellphone!!! 

Ok, dont curse me and dont frown... But honestly speaking, I felt sooooooooooooooo disconnected, so lonely and in a way so worried and worried to the point of being scared without it. It felt like I was quarantined on an isolated deserted island and there was noway I would ever be able to contact the world again. 

It is since 2003 that I have started using a cell phone. Ever since then, I can hardly count not more than 10 incidents when I have been without my cell phone. But now, since I am so used to using apps like GPS, latitude, mobile facebook, NDTV active, BBC live and various other things every so often... Since I am so used to listening to my incoming email ringtone every 15 mins... And ofcourse, texting and calling people is like a natural involuntary phenomenon in my life - just like blinking or clearing my throat without even realizing it. But out of this incident, I have realized one thing. 

I mean, I know I should not make a fuss about it - but I felt like mentioning this. My cell phone has become an integral part of my body, my life. And I think this applies to almost all of us now a days. This is sort of a funny realization, and I have taken an experimental resolution to understand this further... From now on, I would leave my cell phone at home at least once in a week while I am out with my wife. This would be like a breathing exercise - to get a command on my senses!

Watch out people, dont let this mobile mania make you so dependent on it - that you cant think beyond the conventional sources of communication. That you feel literally alone without your cellphone even when you are with your loved ones. Dont let this mobile monster become your worst nightmare!!!

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