Bush is still tap dancing around 'to withdraw or not' syndrome. Obviously, anyone expecting any bold decisions before the fall of 2006, is foolish. The Iraq war strategy will depend a lot on what people (politicians) think will be the outcome of the coming 2006 election, which sadly, is almost a full year away.
Here are some tidbits from the article below:
+ "We expect, but cannot guarantee that our force posture will change over the next year, as the political process advances and Iraqi security forces grow and gain experience," - There you go, from the horses mouth, nothing will change for a year.
+ "While our military presence may become less visible, it will remain lethal and decisive, able to confront the enemy wherever it may organize." - Interesting. I thought the whole point of the current discussion was that this kind of confrontation is becoming disastrous for everyone concerned.
And from the same article, about the speech given by Bush regarding this paper and strategy:
+ "That's what's important for the American people to understand -- that, one, we are not going to cut and run; two, we'll achieve our objective; and three, the president is going to listen to those who are on the ground who can make the best assessment," - we heard this before with 'Mission Accomplished'.
+ "If they tell me we need more troops, we'll provide more troops," - this is slightly out of context, but this particular quote highlights the 'tap dance' i am referring to.
White House releases 35-page 'National Strategy'
Tags: iraq, bush, wmd, war, withdrawal, troop+reduction, election, 2006
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Cool Advertisement
This is in response to a posting by '--xh--' (i wonder what means, i am sure he has real nice story behind that).
A friend of mine send this (a long while ago) neat advertisement put by EA Canada. Even the name of this company is interesting.
It is a brilliant idea. Talk about targeting the right audience. You do research and sample surveys, but very rarely can you get your message across to the right people.
Here is the ad. Am sure, you can figure it out.
If not, post a comment....
Tags: eacanada, advertisement, ad, cool
A friend of mine send this (a long while ago) neat advertisement put by EA Canada. Even the name of this company is interesting.
It is a brilliant idea. Talk about targeting the right audience. You do research and sample surveys, but very rarely can you get your message across to the right people.
Here is the ad. Am sure, you can figure it out.
If not, post a comment....
Tags: eacanada, advertisement, ad, cool
Sunday, November 27, 2005
When the liberator turns tyrant !!
So you set out 'with the objective to liberate the people of Iraq and Afghanistan', ofcourse there are very few who actually believe it. And then indulge in the same practices the local tyrant did. Its very clear, that the people of America and generally the world, save a few exceptions like Poland ( i wonder why !!), are dead against this invasion and everything related to it.
But the elected Governments of these people are not so vocal about this. I wonder if they know more than i know about this. And that frightens me even more.
On a related note, i wonder if Bush would attempt to bomb the BBC, or maybe even me for writing articles that he doesnt like to read.
US abuses in Afghan jails
Iraq abuse 'as bad as Saddam era'
No US charges over Afghan bodies
Tags: iraq, usa, bush, war, wmd, abuse
But the elected Governments of these people are not so vocal about this. I wonder if they know more than i know about this. And that frightens me even more.
On a related note, i wonder if Bush would attempt to bomb the BBC, or maybe even me for writing articles that he doesnt like to read.
US abuses in Afghan jails
Iraq abuse 'as bad as Saddam era'
No US charges over Afghan bodies
Tags: iraq, usa, bush, war, wmd, abuse
Friday, November 25, 2005
Bad Precedents
The match in Kolkata set a lot of bad precedents. The coach showing his middle finger and the crowd jeering the Indian team for not including Ganguly. The crowd jeering the team is nothing new, but before this, it has always been for poor performance on the field. The crowd at Eden, has been in the news before for both bad and good things.
And i think a coach like Greg, is bad news. Ever since he has started, it has been some issue or the other. Compare this with the previous coach. It could also be that, Greg doesnt put up with bull shit. But to show the finger is again pushing it beyond levels decency.
Chappell shows the finger
Crowds jeer India, cheer when Safs score runs
Tags: cricket, ganguly, india, blue, men+in+blue, eden+garden, kolkata
And i think a coach like Greg, is bad news. Ever since he has started, it has been some issue or the other. Compare this with the previous coach. It could also be that, Greg doesnt put up with bull shit. But to show the finger is again pushing it beyond levels decency.
Chappell shows the finger
Crowds jeer India, cheer when Safs score runs
Tags: cricket, ganguly, india, blue, men+in+blue, eden+garden, kolkata
Cricket - Ganguly - far / unfair
Ganguly has been included in the test team as a 'bowling all-rounder' because of his prowess with the ball !!
After a long gap, cricket in India is back to its ugly game of player vs player, a peek back to the era of Sunil Gavaskar/Kapil Dev conflicts. Player conflicts always existed between people, many of these dont even deserve mention. But when the top performers, or big figure heads of the team start going head to head, the conflict starts to pour out and the stink becomes unbearable.
I am a big fan of Ganguly. I believe he has achieved more Indian cricket than most others. He is not the best player, but i think his record as a captain speaks for him. As a batsman he is probably only a tad behind Tendulkar or Dravid. And i am big fan of Dravid, 'the wall' as he is called here in India. Probably the most underrated cricketer ever, meaning all ratings that he tops, still doesnt do him justice.
My problem with Ganguly, is grace. If i have cricket in me, go out and prove. Go out show, what they miss. You still have public sympathy. You also have a big fan following, and you have a lot of cricket left in you. Go and do it !! If you have to shine in domestic, and county cricket in England, so be it. I think he could have brought a fresh life to the whole domestic cricket games. Meaning, added a lot more glamour to those matches, by playing in it more often, while he was sitting out. But his recent comments and remarks to the press could have been avoided. Kapil Dev said it right recently 'Sourav must not beg for a place'.
Anyway, now he is included in the team. And what becomes of it. Will he command the same respect as before ? He is doing well in domestic cricket. As it stands today, he has scored 159 runs for Bengal in the 2005-06 Ranji trophy match between Maharastra and Bengal. With this kind of performance, doesnt he deserve a better treatment.
After a long gap, cricket in India is back to its ugly game of player vs player, a peek back to the era of Sunil Gavaskar/Kapil Dev conflicts. Player conflicts always existed between people, many of these dont even deserve mention. But when the top performers, or big figure heads of the team start going head to head, the conflict starts to pour out and the stink becomes unbearable.
I am a big fan of Ganguly. I believe he has achieved more Indian cricket than most others. He is not the best player, but i think his record as a captain speaks for him. As a batsman he is probably only a tad behind Tendulkar or Dravid. And i am big fan of Dravid, 'the wall' as he is called here in India. Probably the most underrated cricketer ever, meaning all ratings that he tops, still doesnt do him justice.
My problem with Ganguly, is grace. If i have cricket in me, go out and prove. Go out show, what they miss. You still have public sympathy. You also have a big fan following, and you have a lot of cricket left in you. Go and do it !! If you have to shine in domestic, and county cricket in England, so be it. I think he could have brought a fresh life to the whole domestic cricket games. Meaning, added a lot more glamour to those matches, by playing in it more often, while he was sitting out. But his recent comments and remarks to the press could have been avoided. Kapil Dev said it right recently 'Sourav must not beg for a place'.
Anyway, now he is included in the team. And what becomes of it. Will he command the same respect as before ? He is doing well in domestic cricket. As it stands today, he has scored 159 runs for Bengal in the 2005-06 Ranji trophy match between Maharastra and Bengal. With this kind of performance, doesnt he deserve a better treatment.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Rain in Chennai
Its raining again in Madras (chennai). Its been about a week since i landed here, and the climate was surprisingly cool and pleasant. I was beginning to enjoy the current trip and then the rain starts. The rain is good. But this time, it appears that it is going overboard. We havent had decent rains in Madras for a long time, and so this is like a breather. But the city is just about recovering from the last bout of rains.
I was up and about this Sunday, and noticed long queues near the ration shops (Public Distribution Centers). People were collecting what the Govt had given out as aid. Some clothes, rice and few essentials. The queues were exceptionally long, specially in this day and age. Meaning when there exists computers and other technology to help people avoid this wait. But i am sure people know their Govt better and rather trust some person who they can shout at, instead of a letter or appointment card asking them to come at a certain time and date. And when you turn up, there is no one to receive you. To me it brought some memories of my childhood, when we had to wait it out, get sugar and kerosene, because there was a time when these things were is short supply and the price in the free marked, was beyond what my parent could afford.
Things have changed in India, we are out of the clutches of the ration shops. But there are still 1000s who are impacted by it. With all the different revolutions (IT, white, green, etc.) run amok in the country, there are still large chunks of people who are completely untouched by it. Hope the Govt takes note and attempts to understand the economic impact from all aspects before proceeding full steam ahead.
Tags: india, ration, rain, chennai, economy
I was up and about this Sunday, and noticed long queues near the ration shops (Public Distribution Centers). People were collecting what the Govt had given out as aid. Some clothes, rice and few essentials. The queues were exceptionally long, specially in this day and age. Meaning when there exists computers and other technology to help people avoid this wait. But i am sure people know their Govt better and rather trust some person who they can shout at, instead of a letter or appointment card asking them to come at a certain time and date. And when you turn up, there is no one to receive you. To me it brought some memories of my childhood, when we had to wait it out, get sugar and kerosene, because there was a time when these things were is short supply and the price in the free marked, was beyond what my parent could afford.
Things have changed in India, we are out of the clutches of the ration shops. But there are still 1000s who are impacted by it. With all the different revolutions (IT, white, green, etc.) run amok in the country, there are still large chunks of people who are completely untouched by it. Hope the Govt takes note and attempts to understand the economic impact from all aspects before proceeding full steam ahead.
Tags: india, ration, rain, chennai, economy
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Free speech & premarital sex
Its ok to do it. Its not ok to talk about it.
Its ok for you to talk about it in private but not in public.
I wonder if the people who take exception to this, are people who missed out on this oppurtunity, and are now feeling 'j' about the whole thing !!
This topic has been in limelight for a couple of months, since Kushboo, actress from the tamil film industry made comment to India Today. The India Today article was about the 'sex' in India, opinion polls, discussions etc. And that started a spate of protests and lawsuits. Apparently the tamils took offense to her words that men in tamilnadu should not expect their wifes to be virgins at the time of marriage. A simple passing comment, may be outrageous in Indian society and context, but not far from truth and defnitely not something that people should be offended personally, to cause mental agony and trauma.
I dont support or condone it. I fear of the consequences of it. But to shy away from this and take offence because someone sought to talk about it, is meaningless and does not make the issue go away. The bigger question is, 'is this an issue ?'. I dont know. I am not an authority on this. But the impact of this, is largely felt on the women, rather i should say 'girls'. Because we are talking about the reducing age-barrier. This trend defnitely has problems for the society at large, and cannot be ignored.
The sooner you talk about it, the better it is. Filing for an injunction in a court of law, or protesting the comment made by someone is surely not going to help. Not to talk about free speech and civil liberties that are being trampled upon.
53% do it in India - The Pioneer - Nov 19th 2005
Protests in hyderabad !! - Times of India - Nov 19th 2005
PUCL flays protests against Kushboo, Suhasini - The Hindu - Nov 19th 2005
Tags: india, protests, liberty, freedom, free+speech, premarital+sex
Its ok for you to talk about it in private but not in public.
I wonder if the people who take exception to this, are people who missed out on this oppurtunity, and are now feeling 'j' about the whole thing !!
This topic has been in limelight for a couple of months, since Kushboo, actress from the tamil film industry made comment to India Today. The India Today article was about the 'sex' in India, opinion polls, discussions etc. And that started a spate of protests and lawsuits. Apparently the tamils took offense to her words that men in tamilnadu should not expect their wifes to be virgins at the time of marriage. A simple passing comment, may be outrageous in Indian society and context, but not far from truth and defnitely not something that people should be offended personally, to cause mental agony and trauma.
I dont support or condone it. I fear of the consequences of it. But to shy away from this and take offence because someone sought to talk about it, is meaningless and does not make the issue go away. The bigger question is, 'is this an issue ?'. I dont know. I am not an authority on this. But the impact of this, is largely felt on the women, rather i should say 'girls'. Because we are talking about the reducing age-barrier. This trend defnitely has problems for the society at large, and cannot be ignored.
The sooner you talk about it, the better it is. Filing for an injunction in a court of law, or protesting the comment made by someone is surely not going to help. Not to talk about free speech and civil liberties that are being trampled upon.
53% do it in India - The Pioneer - Nov 19th 2005
Protests in hyderabad !! - Times of India - Nov 19th 2005
PUCL flays protests against Kushboo, Suhasini - The Hindu - Nov 19th 2005
Tags: india, protests, liberty, freedom, free+speech, premarital+sex
Friday, November 18, 2005
to leave or not to leave
It is an unfortunate situation. It is very clear, when you look at things from the US point of view, again from the point of view held my majority of the people in the US, they want the soldiers back home. But the Govt has a completely different viewpoint. They know if they withdraw now, all what it thought it had gained till date, is lost. This withdrawal in their minds will not be any different from the infamous withdrawal from Saigon. A quick search on the web, yielded an interesting article, highlighting some of the same thoughts i had in mind when starting to write this.
The Democrats and the US People are getting more and more vocal about their demands for accountability and withdrawal from Iraq. The people have been divided from day one, but with each lie being uncovered on a frequent, if not daily basis, the faith in this president is shaking. The democrats, on the other hand are playing by the falling job ratings of the president. They suddenly find the voice to ask questions they should have asked almost 3 years ago.
"Yen yendra kezhvi illamal vazhkai illai", goes the lyrics of a popular song from the 70s; translated from tamil, it reads, "there is no life, if you dont question why".
Immediate withdrawal from Iraq, is bound to create more confusion and chaos, and a not so impossible bloodbath. The question again, is that, is the occupying force achieving anything different. Some of these similar questions were asked of India, in the run up to the 1947 Independence. And yes, the british troop withdrawal did cause a bloodbath, but in the final analysis of that event, it was more the ineffective policing and control that caused it, rather than the simmering discontent. But like all occupying forces that leave, they would rather the people feel the pain of their leaving, rather than help in the last minute policing. I not for a moment arguing against withdrawal, but i only wish to highlight the price that someone will have to pay.
The people of the country have to face the consequences of the actions of their government. But if they dont rise up to this occasion and teach the government a lesson, never to repeat this mistake, it will be an opportunity lost.
2000+ US (not to talk about countless iraqi civilians) lives have been lost, because someone lied. That someone has to pay !!
Tags: Iraq, USA, bush, troop+withdrawal, democrats, polls
The Democrats and the US People are getting more and more vocal about their demands for accountability and withdrawal from Iraq. The people have been divided from day one, but with each lie being uncovered on a frequent, if not daily basis, the faith in this president is shaking. The democrats, on the other hand are playing by the falling job ratings of the president. They suddenly find the voice to ask questions they should have asked almost 3 years ago.
"Yen yendra kezhvi illamal vazhkai illai", goes the lyrics of a popular song from the 70s; translated from tamil, it reads, "there is no life, if you dont question why".
Immediate withdrawal from Iraq, is bound to create more confusion and chaos, and a not so impossible bloodbath. The question again, is that, is the occupying force achieving anything different. Some of these similar questions were asked of India, in the run up to the 1947 Independence. And yes, the british troop withdrawal did cause a bloodbath, but in the final analysis of that event, it was more the ineffective policing and control that caused it, rather than the simmering discontent. But like all occupying forces that leave, they would rather the people feel the pain of their leaving, rather than help in the last minute policing. I not for a moment arguing against withdrawal, but i only wish to highlight the price that someone will have to pay.
The people of the country have to face the consequences of the actions of their government. But if they dont rise up to this occasion and teach the government a lesson, never to repeat this mistake, it will be an opportunity lost.
2000+ US (not to talk about countless iraqi civilians) lives have been lost, because someone lied. That someone has to pay !!
Tags: Iraq, USA, bush, troop+withdrawal, democrats, polls
Monday, November 14, 2005
George Bush - falling falling falling...
Click this link to see Bush falling: George Bush falling (if he comes to rest on the bubbles, give him a small nudge)
Bush also received his all-time worst marks in three other categories in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. The categories were terrorism, Bush's trustworthiness and whether the Iraq war was worthwhile. Bush's 37 percent overall approval rating was two percentage points below his ranking in an October survey. Both polls had a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. - CNN
Tags: bush, falling, polls, ratings
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Technology and Life
Ever wonder how people got work done a few years ago, a decade, a century ago ?
I carry a laptop, a palm treo 600, another cellphone for use in the US, and am considering an MP3 player.
I switched from a desktop to a laptop from about 1998. Because i wanted to be able to keep all my stuff in one place. My consulting work had me moving to different clients sites and the laptop ensured that all my stuff moved with me. But quickly what this meant was that, i was working at home, during weekends, but the consolation was i could do it at home.
My cellphone, which replaced a pager, enables me to stay in touch with anyone, anytime from virtually anywhere. But it also meant that i was reachable anytime too. Soon there was only number i needed to give people out. My cellphone number. Although it is technically possible to carry this one number all over the world, i think it doesnt make financial sense, and so i have two cellphone #, one for the US and one for India. I am sure, i will abandon one of these numbers in about a years time.
The weirdest thing, is that, my lifestyle hasnt improved drastically because of these technologies. The biggest pain i have is the ability of people to reach me. I just cant hide anymore. There used to be a time, when i could be on vacation and people simply waited till i return back to my desk, before they bugged me with stuff. Oh then the laptop, takes this interference a step forward, by allowing me to login to my corporate lan, from my home or other network accessible hotspots. To ensure that i dont loose touch or break the umbilical cord with the mother ship, my Treo 600, has a worldwide GPRS connection allowing me to check email and read webmail and other websites in case of emergency.
All these technologies which were supposed to make life better and improve quality of life has had a detrimental effect instead. No, i am not completely dismissing the benefits of these technologies. But, as always, every choice you make in life comes at a cost. There is 'no free lunch' as they say around here.
Tags: technology, treo 600, laptop, lifestyle, cellphone
I carry a laptop, a palm treo 600, another cellphone for use in the US, and am considering an MP3 player.
I switched from a desktop to a laptop from about 1998. Because i wanted to be able to keep all my stuff in one place. My consulting work had me moving to different clients sites and the laptop ensured that all my stuff moved with me. But quickly what this meant was that, i was working at home, during weekends, but the consolation was i could do it at home.
My cellphone, which replaced a pager, enables me to stay in touch with anyone, anytime from virtually anywhere. But it also meant that i was reachable anytime too. Soon there was only number i needed to give people out. My cellphone number. Although it is technically possible to carry this one number all over the world, i think it doesnt make financial sense, and so i have two cellphone #, one for the US and one for India. I am sure, i will abandon one of these numbers in about a years time.
The weirdest thing, is that, my lifestyle hasnt improved drastically because of these technologies. The biggest pain i have is the ability of people to reach me. I just cant hide anymore. There used to be a time, when i could be on vacation and people simply waited till i return back to my desk, before they bugged me with stuff. Oh then the laptop, takes this interference a step forward, by allowing me to login to my corporate lan, from my home or other network accessible hotspots. To ensure that i dont loose touch or break the umbilical cord with the mother ship, my Treo 600, has a worldwide GPRS connection allowing me to check email and read webmail and other websites in case of emergency.
All these technologies which were supposed to make life better and improve quality of life has had a detrimental effect instead. No, i am not completely dismissing the benefits of these technologies. But, as always, every choice you make in life comes at a cost. There is 'no free lunch' as they say around here.
Tags: technology, treo 600, laptop, lifestyle, cellphone
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