I never got to see the movie ‘Seven’ when it was released almost 14 years ago until the dying hours of this morning.

Watching Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman work together in this movie seemed a bit odd! But maybe it was supposed to be that way.

Brad Pitt’s role wasn’t so spectacular playing a naive detective while disagreeing with Morgan for quite sometime throughout the movie, until the killer decides to NOT kill him in a chase.

To be honest, despite the reviews saying that it was gory and gruesome... nothing beats Saw III, I tell you. But some sights will shake you a bit if you’re the sensitive kinds. [read: Sloth]

And yes, of course... the delightful topic of ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ is brought up in this movie where the killer turns the sins of his victims against them. The serial killer later justifies his actions as being the ‘angel of retribution’ to punish people for their sins and so on and so forth.

The movie is dark but that’s how psychological thrillers are anyways!

There are some aspects of the movie that just didn’t seem right... the way they find the killer by virtue getting an FBI agent to provide them information about who borrows books on Catholicism... c’mon there would’ve been a million people who would’ve borrowed these books.

I liked a couple of things about the movie...
1) The actor who played the killer was identified until the end credits.
2) The killer only shows for the last half-hour of the movie... and his brilliant performance!
3) The soundtrack was great too

The ending, however, was clever though! It’s just one of those movies where the climax (or should I say, the anti-climax) just finished too quickly before the audience could really feel the shock of what had happened!

But all in all, it’s a great movie to watch if you dig psychological thrillers yet this movie is far from being hailed as a masterpiece such as ‘Silence of the Lambs’.

As George Carlin said, “I don’t have pet peeves, only major f@#$%&g psychotic hatreds”. So, since I worship the man and even though he’s gone, I thought it would be fitting to write a little something in tribute to his remarkable sense of observation yet intentionally placed crude humour, as imitation is sincerest of flattery:

So here goes, these snippets are based on popular culture in India that I openly despise with no remorse whatsoever:

1) That pilot in the Maruti Verna ad who goes: “It was smooth, but where do we load the warheads?” First rate circus act... Where did they get these clowns from? And I cringe and remember that Tom “Maverick” Cruise & Val “Ice-Man” Kilmer are in their forties, and we haven’t moved into the New Millenium as yet. And yet the ‘Stealth’ concept won’t work here either as artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity! Bend over and I’ll show you where, f#&k-face... most of these morons fly on auto-pilot anyways... and that’s what they learn in pilot school... with all the time in the world to press and wash their uniforms... and how to keep their passengers informed of those really lame boring sightseeing announcements... well, what can you expect... the intellect’s running on auto-pilot, yessir!

2) The Karizma ad, the one with Hrithik Roshan [with that goofy suit] who gets his bike sprayed with mud by these look alike Hell’s Angels bikers... and I cringe yet again... what is this? Hrithik dressed as Mork... and the bikers seem to have borrowed their costumes [and their hairdo] from a f@#$%&g theme party or restored from the wardrobe of a biker movie in the 80s... and the lyrics [the scourge of it all]... In the distance I can hear a rumble, of a million revolutions going on and as the pressure starts to crumble, I only see one way out... I can feel it coming on! Yess, my blood pressure begins to crumble... and just one more thing, no fake accents please.... haven’t we had enough? It’s embarrassing enough to have a company prefix the word ‘Hero’ with ‘Honda’... What’s next? A Carrie Ann Moss look-alike on well, a black 100-cc Ducati look-alike?

3) Another SUV ad... more nonsense... I don’t even know which company this is... Ford Endeavor, maybe... this vehicle deviates off the road on to a dirt-track to take a shortcut... what? Haven’t these m@#$%&*@#$%&s seen the traffic in India... everything related to transport involves shortcuts and dirt-tracks and pure mayhem... the anti-matter of coherent commuting... a little realism please... and what’s with the subtitling of the lyrics... yes, we understand the fake accent and the dropping of the g’s that indicate English spoken in another dialect... and no, we’re not aurally or visually challenged... I’ve given up... England is my motherland! It’s time to cripple these ad agencies that dish out shit like this and permanently put them out of business... I’m glad that I telecommute!

4) Maruti SX4... this one takes the cake, the pie and really shows how these Pecos/ Mojos going c@#$s... ‘creative’ giants of the ad industry in this ‘virus-culture’ who can’t really think for themselves any more... well, the ad finds a ‘macho’ son-of-a-bitch turning around and stalling a truck with his “Hummer”! Where in India do we find trucks that slick, solid or big? Just gaudy monstrosities... yes, the generic rage-against-the-machine lorries, tempos and all sorts of vehicles that severely hamper the chances of safe travelling. And the punchline: Who’s the man now... fake accent again... can’t you think of anything better than to borrow these obselete male cliches that are from another day and age [Read: the 60s clint eastwood]... and for the testosterone-driven assholes who think this is one stud of an ad, I’ve got two words for you... No Insurance!

5) Men who ride a Scooty Pep, and honk that wussy horn and then stop and glare at you as if it’s time for their tenth drive-by of the day... of course, that’s when I give them the middle finger... and grin and glare back... and ten times out of ten... they don’t have the balls to get into a fist-fight man-to-man in a rough neighborhood. Of course, a bat to the face [by one of my cronies] will result in dental complications [read: orthographic surgery] that they can do without!

6) People who are obsessed with their health and who think that by cramming all the pills [with the weirdest names, of course] in the world up your rear end will keep you alive... they have to do things at a particular time in a particular manner... the control freaks... spend most of their mortal life obsessed with perfection and getting it right and fail miserably anyways... what a joke... life by its design is unpredictable, shithead... and it’s obvious these anally retentive men/ women are prone to complaining and finding fault... run on rigid timelines, processes and can’t stop looking at their watches, clocks, hourglasses, pocket watches, the jantar mantar, the Big Ben and what not... looking for people’s flaws is the perfect alibi for your ‘faulty’ thinking... and I’m hardly masochistic! And I don’t wear a watch because I have all the time in the world and I like to take my time and ‘go with the flow’ & take my own sweet time... go figure! So, if you enjoy minutae then I beg you to start the nitpicking and break a leg or two for good luck, you’ll need it when dealing with a broken ego!

7) Women who can’t stop talking and glorify feminists, feminism and all that gibberish that is the result of man walking out on you or some horror stories that is a part of exaggerated second-hand information... I’ll sympathize and understand if you’ve been raped by a man who has herpes and has taken your left ear as a ’scalp’... shut the f@#k up... if you carry on like this... men will continue to f@#k you up... because of your inability to deal with reality and a self-defeating attitude... newsflash... if you’re telling me that men are the problem... I do hope you find a dominatrix-like mother figure [obviously not in a lesbian way, of course] who’ll make your life-threatening problems with a man/men seem like ‘the good old days’!

8) Indians who go to the US for about two months [and in some cases, watch far too much American television] and think that by including keywords or keyphrases or accents that are socio-linguistic by-products of a culture alien to ours, it makes them cooler! Whatever makes you think that is so? Your intelligence and ability to communicate are badly stunted to that of a parrot, spewing out words repeatedly with no comprehension of their meaning while being completely out of sync with reality and most of all, sound really fake! Even the Sufis choose the words carefully they repeat in their music!

I don’t mind Mos Def doing his ‘thang’ but if I find one of these fakes going through the African-American routine... clothes, shoes and all... projectiles will be hurled which includes an ensemble of old unpaired shoes, stones, rocks, sticks, marbles, change that I have lying around my place and basically anything I can find just to shut this blithering imbecile up! If that is your understanding of appreciating another culture, start with yours first... Captain numbnuts!

9) Up selling at coffee shops and no smoking in public places... would you like an extra helping of cream, chocolate serving on this overpriced unhealthy coffee-machine brewed concoction that you’ve just ordered? Yes, that will add another fifty rupees to the bill leaving these morons with a fatter bank account which is just daylight robbery.

What is wrong with this bloody country? None seems to mind anymore. Kadak chai or ‘kapi’ for me... yes, the darshini types... where you can get a coffee for 6 rupees... nice and strong for a non-morning person like me... and I like it that way... money saved is money earned is what they say... and in truth, wiser words were never spoken! Non-smoking in public places... what the f@#k? They’ve reduced smokers to lepers now... first they gave them their own corner & now even that’s gone... we’re not even a special interests group anymore? With all the pollution from cars, trucks, bikes and the fires of industry that burn brightly in your neighborhood that you inhale slowly and surely, a bit of second-hand smoke is hardly a threat! Fix the ozone layer as well, you bunch of hypocrites! Just because you’re scared of dying... why should I be penalized for my habits in public? Freedom. Bullshit. I’ve worked too hard for my illusions to throw them all away... if you’re worried about my bark, watch out for the bite!

10) Most Religious people [except some people who live by example]... these are the kinds who use abstract words, use weird interpretations of the holy books, and whatever philosophy they can lay their hands on to convince or brainwash you to do what they think is right! But of course, they don’t practice it themselves. First of all, at least if you’re dabbling with subjects such as this with a guy like me... my vocabulary and functional thinking skills will cut through that ego-ridden, I’m-always-right bullshit that you will bring up. And I’m rubbing my hands with glee. And you’ll understand what ‘circular reasoning’ means. What amazes me is how people put these so-called religious leaders on a pedestal and roll over and play dead... taking what they say as the ‘truth’! And sometimes I wonder whether it’s better to think for myself or follow the herd just to ‘belong’... and I think choosing for myself is the best thing of all, regardless of what people think or say... free your mind, please and look for practicality, rationale and truth in what you believe... even if you aren’t sure of your position... it’s fine to say I don’t know... just don’t take what someone says at face-value... that’s the behavior expected of children who are in love with fairytales, Santa or the Grimm brothers! And finally, if you have had a ‘personal’ experience, keep it to yourself... a lot of shit in this world is stirred up because of someone’s nosiness in another’s personal value or belief system!

And here ends the rant... ahhh... I feel much better, now that it’s off my chest!

I have nothing but nice words to write about the movie ‘The Wrestler’. Mickey Rourke gave us a fantastic performance. Well, if you can’t take my word for it... he received a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. That’s how good it was.

Wrestling as we know it, is now referred to as Sports-Entertainment today, owned by the McMahon family under the name of WWE. Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels were a couple of my popular stars during the 80s.

The movie is a ‘worst-case scenario’ depiction of a wrestler who is way past his prime and how he manages to get by by working with smaller promotions. They’ve literally used camcorders to shoot this movie in a documentary like manner. Great job... Darren Aronofsky!

The story might have been simple but I respect the hard work that Mickey put in this movie by getting into shape and pulling off most of the sequences just a real wrestler would. Trust me... if you’ve not been doing this for years... you can get badly hurt! And I mean, badly! Very far from fake...

And yes, we got to see Marisa Tomei playing a stripper-mom where her ‘moves’ to Firehouse’s “Don’t Walk Away” was just as authentic as you’ll find anywhere. Mickey said he enjoyed it. And can you blame him?

Cheap thrills aside... I would have been happier if she was given a few more lines to regard her part as a substantial role. I just feel that they could have done a bit more.

There were some parts of the movie that I really liked...

...where he ‘works’ with a wrestler... and does the ‘Ram Jam’ thing. Oh, and of course... the ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ entrance song... reminds of those days when Bret Hart would enter the arena and people would go nuts!!!

The ’staple gun’ part which was really mangled but presents a realistic picture of the ‘hardcore’ wrestling scenario in today’s world. [Read: ECW]

Brings back such sweet memories of the 80s... such sweet memories.

I just pro-wrestling has lot its flavor... although I like TNA for keeping it to wrestling moves... and no ultra-hype like the WWE... where the wrestlers are not ‘gladiators’ but entertainers.

Why I do not subscribe to its ‘current’ form is because a lot of the stuff that wrestling was truly all about has been cleaned up... has been sanitized to TV ratings and larger audiences.

A lot of people in wrestling community did not like this movie... because they weren’t involved in it...haha... and because it portrays a rather ‘bleak’ image of the industry. I disagree.

I like this movie because it seeks to present the reality of the situation... and I feel that, in doing so, this gives the wrestling profession more credibility and respect for what they do... because it is the toughest sport today.

Moreover, if you can’t handle truth, then just maybe you aren’t cut out to deal with reality in your own life. This is just how I see it.

Anyways, if you’re a wrestling fan... you should take this opportunity to watch the movie,if you’re a wrestling or Mickey Rourke fan.

Bruce Springsteen’s track for this movie sums it all up:

These things that have comforted me, I drive away
This place that is my home I cannot stay
My only faith’s in the broken bones and bruises I display
Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?
If you’ve ever seen a one-legged man then you’ve seen me

In a nutshell, this movie just goes to show that you don’t need a big budget to win awards... what you need is a story that demonstrates ‘heart’ inspiration despite the realism.

For, in order to succeed in this world... that’s all you really need!

I consider myself an observer of human behavior. And it’s interesting how many people find themselves to be uber-cool. I guess it’s the advent of the whole liberalization phase that our country is experiencing. The spate of ideologies that it brought with it have been rather change-bearing. Our culture, it seems, at this point a bit jaded, faded and degraded.

Look at the changes, music... attitudes to life itself have undergone a sea of change. Well, of course... the West is cool. And our life, values, culture is but a shade of the period of Renaissance that took place oh-so-long-ago.

I hear so many “artistes” do their thing with an accent.. oh yes... Radio Jockeys too... well, no judgment here... I’ve done it too.

But somehow I’ve lost taste for all these liberal things... much like the bunch of miscreants who threw ‘chappals’ at the BSM choir that I was a part of for quite some time, while we sang at the inauguration of Mr. Hanumanthiah, the first Chief Minister of Karnataka.

And I understand why.

It’s a siege that has been slapped on our culture, so to speak. Oh hell, I love the freewheeling, sweet-sin dealing ways. But somehow, I feel like I’ve lost touch with my roots. Really do. Hence, I’ve stopped singing. Period.

What’s the point?

It comes with an accent or with a ’slur’ as a buddy described it.

Like I said, Oh what’s the point!

This is why I laugh to my heart’s content when someone whether on the radio or at a call center or at one of these IT situations talks or acts like a cracker, nigger, slope-head, gook, Cholo, dickhead, fuckhead, moron and the list goes on. Honesty is a bitch. Haha.

Uber-cool. Sheesh. Hardly, my friend. We’re just acting like a ‘virus culture’ imbibing all the so-called wonderful elements that the West poses to be so good at. And what’s happened to our culture? Going, going, fucking gone. Or at least I don’t see it shining any where.

I don’t have any of the answers but when I read S.P Khullar’s books on Astrology... a lot of questions popped up. Shit, I don’t even know what my culture is all about when there are so many AMAZING things about it. Just no clue. And I was 29 years then. Hence, the first step was to unlearn all the liberal shit that I’ve come to learn in these years.

And today, I’ve turned into an atheist just so that I can practice ‘Astrology’ which is timeless and boundary-less. Yes, even Vedic and Western Astrology agree with each other at least when it comes to most basic concepts unlike religions from either locations. I’ve tested and tasted both systems, so don’t fuck with me, puhleeze. And yes, I can use the ‘fuck’ as well. And I don’t have to deal with fools who don’t understand their lifestyle or belief systems. Yes, I deal with intelligent people... my grandmom... for example. And trust me, nothing gives me greater satisfaction than sitting with my grand mom and telling her about this ‘jatak-shastra’ situation. You should see her grin . Meaning, what she’s thinking is you numb skull... I’m smarter than your mom and everyone else in your generation. And I just shut up, being her grandson!

Unlike the folks who believe in Jesus or who do their thing at ashrams or the mosque. Thank you. Have fun! I love you. But I’ve seen enough.

I’d like to believe in something that is ‘verifiable’, that proves itself and most importantly... doesn’t require me to spend money in God knows what not.

Astrology just asks me to ‘be’ myself. And I consider that to be ‘uber-cool’. Damn cool, for you wussy boy smart-ass clones. ;)

There’s nothing wrong with me. I am amazing. I was created with a plan and purpose. I am special. I am not a sinner like it is described in the Bible. I don’t have to do anything special to prove my devotion. I just have to be myself. Period.

I have my desires... I lust for beautiful women... I have my thoughts of charity... and it’s all good. Because I was created that way... I’m human... and I accept myself for who I am. And if you judge me... well, I’m sorry for you... fuck you, you’re no saint either!

Somehow I have a deeper respect for my culture and Hinduism [which is my former religion] because of the ‘learning’ that you find... my God... those sages were brilliant... for lack of a better word... and I give it the utmost respect in my life.

I found myself through this study of Astrology! That is everything to a person when you finally realize it. It surpasses everything that you hold dear in your life. Yes, everything.

And that’s worth way more than all the money, the macho-jingoism or the uber-cool attitude that most people gravitate towards in today’s India. Not impressed buddy. I know you and your future. [SIGH]

Thank you Kabir Jaffe, George Carlin [at the Larry King interview], S.P Khullar, Johnathan Cainer, Bridgette Walther, Dr. Loretta Standley, Bill Maher and a host of other people that I’ve been in touch with anonymously as well as at the Esoteric Arcanum.

The Age of Aquarius is upon us and this is my pragmatic understanding of uber-cool for a long fucking time to come and yes, Go Obama [Thanks Anita]... you are a wise man :)

NOTE: This is for Gracie and Pratibha who opened my eyes to the crazy things you did last year. My eyes are opened forever. Muah!

While working with a company called MOKA in 2007, I was asked to work on a ’small’ project that involved promoting Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign in the United States.

I didn’t know who Barack Obama was, didn’t care about politics whether Indian or American and most of all, found the person’s name rather QUIRKY.

The only thing that I recall about American politics was the stand-up comedian, Frank Caliendo’s imitation of George Bush which was deprecating and cynical to a large extent but was really funny and clever... thanks to a good time spent keenly observing the President.

People often express their deepest emotions through humor. And it left me with a feeling that there was a serious divide amongst the American People... very bipartisan in nature... which Obama was very vocal about...

Interestingly, in order to complete the project, I was asked to take excerpts from Barack Obama’s bestseller, The Audacity of Hope. So, in order to do that, of course I had to read the entire book.

My first impression was, another politician’s boring autobiography! Well, but once I was in the second chapter... I was like... Wow!

To cut a long story short, I finished the book, the project and my company didn’t get the contract it wanted.

But what I really found from reading that book really was that there is always hope no matter what. That really spoke to my heart on a personal level. It touched me like no other book has. The man is obviously gifted both intellectually and rhetorically speaking, and what makes him so remarkable is that he exudes honesty and a calm sense of dignity in talking about politics, his personal life and his vision which I gleaned from the book.

I just felt that the man had the “stuff” that legends are made of. For one’s values determine the course of his/ her life.

And this morning when I watched the U.S Marine band playing ‘Hail to the Chief’ at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C at the Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2009 where Barack Obama was sworn in as President, I felt so strongly that this was the first step to an America that we’ve always known and loved. Perhaps, this is the America that George Carlin wanted! Who knows?

As the President was asked to repeat the words: I, Barack Hussain Obama... I remembered what he wrote in the book about how people were wary of affiliating themselves with him as his name Obama rhymed with Osama of the notorious 9/11 episode.

And I felt inspired that a man against all odds has risen above his challenges and the country’s circumstances to take charge of America’s destiny as the forty-fourth President of the United States.

As far as I’ve read the news, a couple of thing that really caught my attention was that he changed the way fund raising for election campaigns have been run by only accepting small donations from individuals as well as his clever use of the Internet in the campaign efforts.

The old principle of ‘Divide and Rule’ is gone. His emphasis for a change in spirit by showing unity in diversity is not just empty talk but he has demonstrated that ever since he was a Senator by working with both Democrats and Republicans, or trying to bridge the existing gap between these parties. The account of the state of politics is mentioned with numerous examples in his book, The Audacity of Hope.

It’s time that everyone worked together to build a better tomorrow. For a real change and a complete transformation of the United States at both the individual and the collective level.

I might not be an American citizen, nor have I lived in the U.S but one thing I do know is that the man is inspiring, in his words, deeds and by the example that he shown, by showing faith, courage and hope that the world can be a better place, if we set our differences aside and stand as one.

Indian politics can really do with a Barack Obama right now!

I leave you with an excerpt from his Inaugural Speech, that I’m sure has personally inspired the millions around us even more than ever:

“So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

BRAVO... President Obama! It is hope and virtue that defines the human spirit and that can only reveal a new way forward.

A new and brighter day has indeed dawned for America and its choices. And Barack Obama is the first one towards a better tomorrow. :)

I’m an Indian. Always have been proud to be one.

For me, the beauty of this country lies in its ethnic and religious diversity, raw emotion, unsurpassed intelligence and as a nation, we somehow not only manage to co-exist but thrive despite it all. It’s because we believe in humanity, apart from all our differences, our backgrounds and so on and so forth...

In my neighborhood, we have a St. Mary’s shrine, a mosque and a Hindu temple... all within 100 yards of each other. My day starts with a Muslim prayer, and hindu bhajans throughout the day and ends by watching people offering their prayer at the St. Mary’s Shrine while I go out to buy food and other stuff.

We have, indeed, learnt to co-exist... yes, even at the grassroot level. How do you like that?

That’s the beauty of being an Indian. We might not be perfect but we’re doing this better than anyone else. We should be proud of this.

It’s a pity that we’re also our own harshest critics, for the blood memories of The Mumbai Outrage brought back bitter thoughts and hostile and immature behavior towards the Government. All of us got up and said: “Enough is enough. Do something about it. Or we’ll...”

Albeit, that this government had nothing to do with the Mumbai Outrage, the Indo-Pak wars, POK or even the events in Punjab for God knows how long.

I don’t think the anger was directly towards the government... but in general towards politics, especially towards extremism of all kinds... because we’re all so SICK of it! And we want it to REDEEM itself.

Well, the truth is that if one of you emotionally-charged chaps were handed the reins of the country and then asked to make a pragmatic choice, we’ll talk then. Thank God, that option isn’t even a distant possibility right now.

Also, I was very happy to see the letters posted against Bal Thackeray. Very happy. My dad, being a priest, was certainly relieved! And his paranoia is justifible. These people are volatile, violent and really are a black mark on the rich heritage of this country.

But I digress...

In hindsight,I consider the response of the Government to be justifiable, even though I was in favour of its immediate response by going to war.

And I came to this conclusion because of Mr. Tunku Varadarajan’s post here on Instablogs, titled Why India can’t do a Gaza. It was pretentiously verbiose, annoyingly arrogant and merely stated the obvious [like all low-level journalistic efforts] and showed a complete lack of respect to this nation of ours.

So typical of the ‘professor’ types!

I’m sorry but this is my viewpoint on that very US-is-in-authority driven post of his. It’s insulting and undermining to our country’s heritage and its present standing in the international community. And most of all, it reeks of emotional weakness. Read Sun Tzu please... for all your b***** education!

So I thought it would be good to write a post that deals with this superficial, unimaginative writeup of his with a realistic, level-headed take of things. So, here we go...

First point: If Pakistan dares to drop a nuke on India during the course of war... its intentions that are so cleverly disguised for all this while will be open for the international community to see. Some of us in India might suffer from a nuclear fallout, but there WON’T be a Pakistan when the dust and ashes settle. PERIOD!

On the darker side of things, I think that there are ‘nicer’ and permanent ways to debilitate a nation, without necessarily going to war. There’s nothing more gratifying to watch Pakistan admit and take responsibility in front of the international community for its ‘indirect’ actions in the Mumbai Outrage. That’s ’slow death’. And that’s worse than the fate of these poor Palestinians. Well, Sun Tzu says that the perfect commander is the one who wins a battle without having to raise a sword. How’s that for GENIUS?

And well, the tin-pot Arab outfit that was mentioned in his post, have been unrelenting in their efforts [like an irritating rash] ever since Israel came into existence. And they have the entire, very motivated Arab World behind them providing them with a limitless supply of men, money and machines, for years now. The U.S only provides Israel with ‘indirect’ support in the U.N.

And most of all, war is not based on confidence... it is based on deception... mind games if you will.

Second Point: India doesn’t need anymore proof than they already have to go to war. Forty years of conflict is enough proof. The government is exhausting all possibilites in finding a civil end to this atrocity. And they’re prepared for war... believe you me!

Third Point: India doesn’t give a shit whether the United States or whoever plays a supporting role to Pakistan in this situation... which was why, the U.S government almost immediately sent a diplomatic convoy to appease the sides. You’re really stupid to assume that the US can afford to go to war right now after Afghanistan and Iraq. For all their might, they’re out of resources... man, money and machines. And most of all, they’re out of motivation. Ask the American people. Ask Mr. Obama as well.

Fourth Point: Based on facts, Pakistan does not enjoy the unflinching support of the United States in this scenario [two Americans and an Israel family were killed in the Mumbai Outrage...remember? ] Most of the US flourishing businesses are located in key locations in India. Pakistan doesn’t even comes a distant second in this race. And there’s no state more capitalistic than the US. Ask the senators in Washington D.C who gives them their money to run for elections. You think the US want’s a war here.

And sadly enough, when it comes to terrorism, the U.S WILL have to be honest and play fair here, or else it will shoot itself in the foot for double-talk. And I’m sure that Obama will do what’s RIGHT! I watched the U.S Presidential Campaign very closely!

Fifth: India is NOT a prisoner of its global aspirations and pretensions.

NOTE: If this isn’t pissing off then I don’t know what isn’t, since I can’t seem to find facts anywhere to support this heavily opinionated point [especially the ‘pretensions’ bit]. Yet I’m not going to retort, because it’s stupidity exemplified to even react to the man’s point-of-view in this case, as it is based on his biased opinions towards his own people.

In conclusion
Trust me... India will find a ‘lasting solution’ to this disgusting episode of the Mumbai Outrage... without raising a finger!

For, in the Indian government’s case, they’re just playing along and will STRIKE when the time is right!

Keyword: Operation Slow Death.

So, hold on and don’t let your emotions get the better of you.

We’ll make an example and take these terrorists apart, their outfits, the people who are behind them and the whole system... bit by bit... slowly but surely!

DISCLAIMER: I’m saying this because I’ve had the privilege of having a few drinks and conversation with a couple of highly ranked personnel from the Indian forces over the past few weeks. And I’d like to believe that I put my money where my mouth is... and where I live, too.

I’ve wanted to write about Israel’s invasion for the past few days, but my thoughts were all muddled up. Thoughts were muddled up by people who do not really comprehend the concept of peace especially in the situation of Israel Vs. the Arab World. Thoughts of people who do not understand that Israel’s patience has worn thin, from all this fighting and countless casualties that go with it.

And now the UN council is proposing a ceasefire. Are you kidding me?

People, for once, take off that rose-colored lens of yours and look around you. It’s time to get real. In an ideal world, we’d all love to get along, but then you’re going to have people who oppose each other.

And war is normally declared when both sides find no point in negotiating or compromise anymore. Remember the saying: All is fair in love and war. And there is no love lost between the two sides.

In my opinion, if the Hamas really wanted to negotiate, we wouldn’t see what’s happening now.

It’s pretty obvious what the Hamas’ [and the rest of the Arab world’s] bottom line really is... the total annihilation of the State of Israel. And they will use any means necessary to this end.

I’m not trigger-happy but what I do know is that this is a war that has waged ever since Israel came into power. And we’re suddenly concerned about “collateral damage” now?

Remember the “Munich Olympics”? What did those poor athletes have to do with politics or terrorism?

The Arab world has made sure that for all these years, the pressure is kept on Israel, either diplomatically, guerrilla warfare or by terrorism.

Legend has it that when two Latinos fight each other in a boxing match, the match never ends as both sides refuse to quit until one drops unconscious or dead. A ceasefire in this kind of combat is really like a timeout in a boxing match between two Latinos. Both sides have enough hatred, angst and animosity that can keep them going for years.

All a ceasefire does, is allow both sides some time to recuperate, rally their men, indulge in trash-talk and make tall claims using the local and international media and then... it’s time to get ready for the next round.

I think Israel has understood this pattern very clearly and is taking very clear-cut & aggressive steps to decimate the Hamas once and for all. And in my opinion, rightly so.

This is also why Israel wants nothing to do with the whole ‘truce’ business because all it has really seen is unnecessary war and bloodshed for God knows how long. And if you and I belonged to the State of Israel, our response would be just the same. Time to uproot the entire Hamas

These terrorists aren’t Muslims. They’re using their religion as a mask to cover the s*** that they’re doing. It’s as simple as that. What a shame for the rest of the Muslim community? How should they feel about their own performing such ghastly deeds? Can you imagine how it must be for them who are so devout in their faith?

It’s a travesty! Wait... No... I’d rather call it ‘haraam’ as the Muslims would.

You see, I am pro-Jewish but I don’t think this has anything to do with a clash of religious or ideological principles. It’s a matter of territorial markings and a genuine distrust that both sides have for each other due to the past history between them. And it’s their cross to bear.

To me, it’s a regional and political issue and must be handled by the people who are in that region. Like I said, I’m not trigger-happy, but sometimes you just have to take action minus the kid-gloves.

I think it is a wasted exercise to point fingers but truly if you do put yourself in an Israeli’s shoes, I won’t be surprised if you’ve already checked into boot camp at this point to go to war.

At the end of it all, Israel will complete what it began a couple of days ago, till it achieves its objectives as clearly stated by its diplomats.

Until then the world can do nothing but watch with bated breath... shock, horror and disgust... pick your own phrase... as Israel exterminates the Hamas plague in an emotionally detached, methodical and effective manner.

Oh, yes and I almost forgot, the Gaza strip will indeed turn into a graveyard with a mass funeral befitting the likes of the Hamas!

For those who live by the sword, shall DIE by the sword...

Source: Analysis - Israel, Hamas take tough line on truce

I’ve written a couple of blogs until now about astrology and how true, accurate and relevant it really is. Blah Blah Blah! But at this point, I haven’t given you much to really affirm anything that I have written in the past. So I’ve written this post with only one thing in mind, to stop writing about what I’ve done... but to help YOU see it for yourselves.

On a lighter note, I remember calling this the human experiment which I’ve spent so much time on, for almost a year and a half.

It’s been rather murky if you go by what people say, as they intend to disprove its authenticity. I’m fine with that cause not everyone agrees with its concepts as it is called an occult science.

Here in India, it is an integral part of our culture and is known as ‘jyothish’ a.k.a the study of light... but what is unfortunate about a system such as this is that it lacks a proper medium of language to communicate the secrets of the universe.

I, myself, have been writing horoscopes for sometime now, with a bit of success but there is one person who made me sit up and give ‘Predictive Astrology’ some serious thought.

Her name is Bridgett Walther, and I have studied the content of her daily, weekly and monthly horoscopes for a year now and have found it to be rather accurate as well as passed it around to a bunch of close-knit friends.

Actually, these horoscopes are far better than most horoscopes I’ve read!

This is the first time that I am posting something like this on a public forum, but I’ve come to realize that the true purpose of astrology is only served when we use it to EMPOWER ourselves and others as well as PREPARE for what is to come. Yes, I am old-fashioned!

I don’t expect you to take my word for it, but treat it as an experiment if you have the time. If you still think it’s hogwash, no problem, but if you see something with what you’ve read, then use this site to your benefit or contact the person for a reading, if you’d like to know more.

And see if it works for you... that’s what I’m doing too!

They say that the best things in life come for FREE, so without further ado, here’s the link that you can read your daily horoscope for your sunsign:

The Cosmic Test

In addition, here’s a very interesting documentary which should provide you with an interesting perspective on the study of astrology by the TV channel, A & E.

NOTE: This is just PART 1 of 5. You should be able to watch the entire documentary by selecting the remaining part under the heading ‘Related Videos’.

Andy Kaufman, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Tucker, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor and Robin Williams... What do these guys have in common?

Stand up comedy! That’s what... and they’re pretty damn good at it. However, there’s one guy who’s really held my attention forever and a day now. And it would be a shame to not write about him.

George Carlin.

It all began in the first part of 2005, when I first took over responsibilities as a Curriculum Designer in an American company. At that time it was all about learning how to train adults, and I was stuck with the unenviable task of creating content for the in-house training team which complained of disorganized material, boring methods and salaries that would leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Instructional Design was new to me, challenging and seemed like a lot of work.

So, my first task in this role was to prepare a module on English. No inputs, just orders... and I wondered where do I begin?

So, since the first step to writing a good module is spending hours in research, I began to surf the internet for multimedia content that would help me teach people English using audio and video files that would keep them engaged and interested. And in that search, I found a copy of George Carlin’ brilliantly performed segment titled “Euphemisms”.

Little did I know that just a couple of years later, I would get hooked, cooked and booked by the man’s rhetorical contribution to stand-up comedy.

If you don’t know who George Carlin is, no problem... but don’t make the mistake of saying: What’s the big deal?

Here’s what you’ll get when you listen to George’s stand up routine. Some people call it observational humor.

To me, it’s much more than that. I’m telling you that the man has an unbelievable talent of making you think as well as laugh. What I mean to say is that through his humor evidently marked with such powerful word play and wit, you will cross the line on matters related to things that are absurd, ironic, stupid, inauthentic, socially taboo and that you might not hear everyday.

So, there’s always something to learn while having a nice time while you’re at it. And George Carlin is a ‘virtuoso’ in constructing jokes, and it’s like he says: You can laugh at anything.

For starters, listen to Class Clown, which is just plain wacky... and a long list of HBO specials... of which “Jammin’ in New York”, “What am I doing in New Jersey”, “Complaints & Grievances” and most of all, “You’re all diseased”.

In short, George Carlin’s body of work is based on revolutionary thought [and I mean revolutionary as it WILL make you sit up and take notice] and based on judging situations, people and basically anything that he has found worth talking about, with a high degree of reality, authenticity and originality.

[And I still think this description isn’t enough. You just HAVE to hear the man.]

Well, I consider this an introduction as I consider him to be one of the old-school greats, with a reputation that will command awe and respect from his peers, subordinates (for lack of a better word) and fans.

Most of all, he’s a guy’s guy! Plain and simple.

I think it’s time for me to stop writing and leave you with an experience that you will never forget [and thank me for, hopefully] if you haven’t heard him as yet.

So, this is to the ‘hippie-dippie weatherman’. Thank God for George Carlin, the first host of the show ‘Saturday Night Live’.

I’ve posted a video link from Youtube that is one of his last interviews before his passed away in June last year, and he really puts things in perspective on a lot of subjects as he always does.

Chris Rock’s interview with George Carlin:

The last article I wrote on a subject like this was based on the Mumbai Attacks detailing the situation at Ground Zero as well as attempting to make very strong deductions on what steps the government must take going forward. And then I thought, screw it... what’s the point, really!

I just completely lost interest because we still have the same raggedy-ass government trying to hold bilateral talks [the same one-trick pony method used for years now to no avail] in order to solve an issue that has raged on since our parents were children.

I also have this habit of haunting a Muslim tea-stall at night with a [yes, with a Muslim friend] and talking about the events that have taken center stage recently.

Hence the term, Nightcrawler Sessions as it’s like a jam session to me, only where we put our mental skills to the task...

Well enough said, let’s dive right in...

I watched CNN this evening while I was working on a couple of files at my current work-at-home job. There was extensive coverage of the attacks by Israel on Gaza Strip. As I flipped the channel to Times Now, I also watched the unfolding drama of Pakistan denying the fact that they had anything to do with the Mumbai Attacks.

You can somehow relate to that picture of the first instance [in this case, Israel Vs. Hamas extremists] as a situation where a teacher in school punishes a student for doing something deemed wrong.

The second instance [India Vs. Pak] reminds me of two scenarios...

The first scenario, a doting mother asking that very student, her son, to admit his wrongdoing as she found evidence of the same.

The second scenario, a circus that has the attention of the media with no definite resolution. In other words, one big diplomatic circus act.

Both situations have certain elements that bear a unique resemblance to each other. There’s no doubt about it.

Acts of terrorism by Muslim extremists is what you might say. No doubt about it.

I’m in favor of Israel taking stringent action... in India’s case... well, that’s a topic for another day...and another debate when I have the energy to waste my breath and my valuable time.

Personally, I’ve gotten sick and tired of all this religious prejudice. People don’t necessarily talk about it, but you can see it in their eyes and in the polite manner in which they so arrogantly treat the Muslim community in our own country.

Let me give you an example:
I recently tried to get a young Muslim boy who lives in the neighborhood, an internship as an aircraft maintenance engineer. The person who I requested to do me the favor said that she would have helped if he wasn’t a Muslim. I was enraged by such narrow-minded thinking from such an elderly person.

This is one reason why I think these days, religion is manipulated in order to divide us rather than bring us together. We’re always shown how different and better we are than some other caste, sex, age-group, economy class and so on and so forth. Divide and rule... same story... different era.

BOTTOM LINE: I’m sorry to say this but terrorism whether you like it or not is the ’scourge of Islam’.

Moin Khan.

I’ve known this chap for a long time, and since we’ve met, we have shared our deepest dreams, hopes, sorrows, desires and the like... like one brother to another.

So I just wanted to demystify these misconceptions about Islam and its involvement with ‘terrorism’ per se.

If we study the setup of a terrorist attack, one common feature is that it’s all about killing people at random and then committing suicide!

Islam actually states very clearly that anyone who commits suicide will spend eternity in hell... and if violence has to be used... it should be ONLY directed towards the person who has taken away your right, your family and your land. Not people at random or least of all, to spread ‘terror’.

Another term sorely misinterpreted: Jihad.

Jihad, to the non-Muslim, is ‘religious’ or ‘holy’ war.

Or that’s what we’re led to believe, which leads to an immediate assumption that Muslims are violent people!

If we go back to the time of Mohammed, when he wrote the Quran... that was a time when people were indeed fighting a holy war... where one’s religion decided whether one lived or died. It hardly seems to be the case now, does it?

So let me clarify what ‘jihad’ means in its true form: Self-defense [by use of force] to inoculate oneself from religious conversion... and in this context... protect their right to live the Islamic way. Nothing more, nothing less. And I think our nation, India is very clear on that law.

And Islam, in its purest form, has and wants nothing to do with ‘terrorism’. And if it did, then why I haven’t been shot yet by my neighbor [the Muslim boy, I mean].

I call it the art of disinformation which is present in all walks of life... the politicians indulge in it... the law-enforcement personnel... the government clerks... religious leaders from other religions... we, as law-abiding citizens as well...

So, to me, it all comes down to one point: We’re all human! We all have killed, have cheated, have skeletons in the closet and so on and so forth... and we have no right to judge someone else! Period!

Muslims are human too... they desire to be loved, to be respected... to live a healthy and long life. They want to be educated, want to be prosperous and yes, have the freedom to strive in the way of Islam too! Just like we do...

Most of all, who in their right frame of mind would want to kill themselves?

As far as my conversation with Moin went, to him, it is nothing but young people who have been brainwashed by unsavory power-mongering elements who motivate them [in most cases, kids who have nothing to live for] to perform these heinous acts in the name of God. Another easy target for these elements to ‘work their magic’ is among the same age group of people who aren’t educated .

And I agree. The evidence justifies the generalization!

So, to recap what was discussed here...
1) All Muslims aren’t saints [they’re human too, you know] but they certainly aren’t CRAZY! That’s for sure.
2) If you are truly an Islamic Fundamentalist, you wouldn’t be dabbling with ammo or guns... much less, indulging in these despicable acts or killing yourself for that matter!
3) Most of all, they’re just like any of us, HUMAN... who are susceptible to all the evil and good that we have to live through.

So, if these recent events have made you feel animosity towards the Muslim community, kindly revisit your thoughts and adopt a more humane approach. Most of them, are much like us, just bound by their own set of rules and regulations like we do.

They’re just different!

DISCLAIMER: I’m not pro-Muslim nor do I justify ‘terrorist’ attacks by certain Muslim extremists. What I’m trying to say here is that the ’saner’ part of the Muslim community are much like us. Only misunderstood because of recent events and the prejudice these events create in our minds. And it’s time to BREAK FREE!!! Remember, we can’t let the terrorists WIN...