McPain Vs Oh Bama!

While the entire world is waiting with bated breath, I wonder who will win over whom. The world believes that Obama will win. He is leading. But do not be surprised if McCain wins. It has happened before. He is surely better than Bush (anyone can be better than him, even a fifth grader) but the democracy that US boasts about is a little over-rated. The election and re-election of the moron is a testament to that or that majority of America is filled with idiots who don’t have their priorities right!

Jimmy Carter, ex-president of the US, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, is the founder of The Carter foundation which promotes and monitors the electoral processes in support of free and fair elections. They have already monitored 70 elections in more than 25 countries since its foundation. After Bush’s first regime, The Carter foundation was asked to monitor the elections in the US. Carter declined. He stated that the electoral process in the US is not free and fair and doesnot qualify for democratic elections in its present state.

So don’t be surprised if McCain wins.

But one thing is certain, whoever is elected has a tough task to undo a lot of things Mr. Bush has done. The downfall and the repercussions of a decade long rule by a moron has had its toll on the US.

So, I thought we should be pragmatic about the elections and wonder what the world might be if each of them got elected. It gives us a chance to see how good we are at our judgement. Five years down the line we can always compare what we expected and what actually happened. Here is my take. My analysis is based on the following points. There are many more, but i thought i will choose topics that are generic, and somethings I care about –
General personality, Taxation, Energy, War on terror, and India

McCain as President:
McCain is quite old, rather experienced. He has been a war hero and has the experience behind him as he has seen generations of Presidents come and go. Beeing from the military, he is ruled by orders, protocols and conventional methods of decision making. America is a country that has always been in a war – other people’s war. I always felt that the strategy was simple. Help other countries in their internal conflict, do them a favor and then modify their national policies in favor of the Americans. So that gives me a first indication that he should not be president. He will have a passion for war, not for peace, that take care for vested interests of the powerful weapon makers of the US and builds in roads into developing nations economy.

With regards to taxation, McCain wants to slash corporate taxes, and give breaks to middl-rich earners and cut capital gains tax. This statement I think should be seen under a microscope. Cutting corporate taxes is like a blade with a sharp edge on both the sides. In this dwindling economy, slashing corporate taxes can ease the pain on the companies and reduce the layoffs, but that thought is a hopeful one. The company owners will use it to their advantage. They will continue the layoffs and try to reduce their losses by exploiting the cuts on corporate taxes. With his stand on Capital Gains, I can see McCain preference is towards the middle-rich and the rich. So, another no for McCain.

McCain would continue Bush’s stand on his war on terror. This means more deployment of troops in Afghanistan and ha has stated that he has no preference to put up a timetable for retreating the troops. This validates my point earlier on his personality of a war veteran.

McCain also doesnot support subsidies on ethanol and other bio-fuels. Why doesn’t he support the alternative fuel industry? Is hurting the oil lobby going to be bad for his presidency? Again, is he becoming a president for the people of the country or for the powerful people of the country?

With reference to India, he would be the perfect president. The Nuclear deal will not change and the policies on outsourcing will not effect much to Indians who are now turning from smart engineers to dumb telephone receptionists… For the long run, I would like Indians to be self sufficient and not depend on outsourcing and shift their focus from service to manufacturing industry as the driver of the economy. Hence my preference to McCain would be another big no.

Well with the total no to McCain, I think the obvious choice becomes Obama, but without analysis it would be a disaster. What if his stand on the same topics were worse than that of McCain? Being an Indian, the meaning for democracy here is to choose the candidate that is going to create lesser problems for the people.

Obama is young and looks dynamic. His smile appeals and has a kind of positive aura. Young blood means taking risks, and treading unconventional paths. It might retaliate, but there are a lot of chances that the approach might bring out radical change. There is not much information I could gather about how Obama would take his decisions as a President, but I would like to take that chance and hope the Americans would too. Mostly his decision making would be a reflection of how he approaches the different topics and try to decipher his thinking methodology.

With regards to taxation, he wants to reduce income tax for middle classes and raise capital tax. I think with my earlier debate on McCain’s take on taxes, I am convinced, Obama is a President for the people. Less Income tax means more savings and higher Capital gain taxes means the wealthy have to fork out a bit more. Not a very painful approach.

On the war of terror, he is clearly put his stand strongly against terrorism, but what is more pleasing for the world is that he has charted out a sixteen month withdrawal of troop deployment from Iraq. He has also gone all out for stronger operations against the Taliban. His name rhyming to that of Osama, and the middle name of Hussein is also an interesting occurrence, which might also be of influence people on their views in the war on terror.

Obama heavily supports increase of subsidies on ethanol and biofuel subsidies. Again another point that he is the President for the people and not for ‘some’ powerful people.

India might not stand to benefit much if Obama is elected president. He would be opting for more internal jobs and would cut outsourcing, which will hugely affect the Indian economy. Also his stand on the Nuclear deal that supports India might be challenged by the democrats which can take the deal to troubled waters. Nevertheless India needs to know that they have to be self sufficient and not depend on another countries economy for its existence. So I would like to vote for Obama. But I am not on the electoral roll.

The world roots for Obama, and I would too, but it is up to the Americans. I hope they see what lies in the best interest of their people and also consider that there are other countries other than the US in this world!

Happy Diwali!!!!

Faux Pas

Now I know why I cannot be a man who can charm women. It is an art and I don’t possess that for sure. A conversation on the phone today underlined the entire fact. A recent acquaintance keeps calling. I would call her ‘She’ in this post to maintain her anonymity. She calls daily and keeps asking if I had food, and if I did, what did I have. Its kind of irritating. I always try to be nice and cringe myself away from the phone when she keeps yapping not knowing how to cut the phone without her knowing!!! I guess life has a way to get things done. The excerpts of the conversation -

Tring Tring… (5 times approx which I take to think wether I should pick it up or not)
Me: Hello
She: Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii….
Me: Hi
She: Where are you?
Me: Office
She: Jeeez! Why did you go to office? There is so much tension on the streets.
Me: Well, I came
She: Had food?
Me: No
She: Why do you do this? You never have food on time. It wouldn’t… (I go deaf…)
Me: (thinking) Did I marry her and then loose my memory when I hit my head out of sheer desperation?
She: Helloo… are you listening
Me: ya, I am here.. tell me..
She: I was telling you, this guy proposed to me.
Me: Wow! Good for you. Who is the guy?
She: This guy from office, bas****…
Me: Whay are you abusing him, just because he proposed to you?
She: No, he is married. And he thought I didn’t know.
Me: Hmmm.. interesting…
She: He came up to me in the canteen and said he wants to go out with me!
Me: Well, that doesn’t sound like proposing!
She: I asked him Why and he said he felt that I was hot!
Me: (a little loudly) What! He must be nuts!

A long silence

Beep Beep.

OUCH!!!

Jaago India Jaago

Whats the easiest way to display power? Well, switching on the tube-light is one way, but the other way that has always been around in Indian politics for a long time is Vandalism. Dare to the common office-goer, a vegetable seller, a shop owner, a carpenter, a rickshaw driver, taxi driver, mill worker, peon, CEO... dare everyone to go on the streets else they will hurt you, your belongings. They threaten to put fire on your public transport, pelt stones on your trains, shatter the windshields of your car, burn tyres and block the roads. They do everything that is against the law and try to keep proving that they are above the law.

What can we do? an average man thinks. It happened at my home too. A stone can give you a huge expense for your car, and headache too, a cousin pulled me over and asked me to go home. This is the sentiment of a common man in this city, and probably in our entire country. A stone can cost you thousands, he said, indicating at the windscreen of my car. The society, in terms of the law, is divided into two - The law fearing people and The law-breaking people. I always wonder why people are so afraid of the law-breakers. Probably because they are law-fearing and not law-loving people. If they loved the law, everyone would do their bit to uphold the law. Also, the law breakers wield the rods and stones while the law fearing people wield only fear.

Mostly, the people in any country get what they deserve. They elect the leaders they deserve. If people are afraid of the vandals and sit at home, the vandals rule the country. If the people go out to work, face them, come together and face the vandals, it would be the vandals who sit at home. I think the equation is quite simple.

At the Bandra flyover, the entire traffic, however little it was, chose to take a u turn and go back. Seeing the vehicles take a u-turn, i too took a u turn, went and parked my car aside. There were a bunch of policemen at the junction who were just looking. I asked them what was wrong? They did not know. I asked a person on the bike who slowed down. He said someone said they were throwing stones. I went and took a u-turn again and headed back to my destination. Some vehicles were still taking a u turn and some waiting at the signal. I rolled down the window and spoke to a person in the adjacent car. He too was angry at the vandals. Another biker came in abusing them. The signal turned green and we all hit the flyover. There was not a single vandal in sight. The perception of fear had made so many people go back. I reached my office without a scratch and I am sure the others did as well.

Isn't it time that we all stood for what is right? If a mob tries to disperse the crowd with their rods and stones. Can't the crowd themselves think that they are bigger in number than the vandals and face them. It only takes a fearless thought to stand together. But alas, many people don't do that. To the many people who faced the fear and went ahead to work, I salute you. For those who sat back at home because of fear and in a hope to get a holiday, think of what you did, and think that it is because of you and your fear that these vandals rule us. What is the use of calling ourselves a free nation if we are not allowed our own free will? Its a shame for all of us if this continues to happen. The police are little in number if counted by the numbers of vandals to be controlled. We too are responsible for our own safety and freedom. We cannot blame it on the police force or the Government if we ourselves don't take responsibility of our freedom.

Jaago India Jaago!!!

The Follow-up

After my initial anger and mail to the Joint Commissioner of Police, I was still agitated. I went over the receipt I had got from the constable. I was booked for three different sections. I remember that in the 'pauthi' I was only booked for two sections Section 239 and section 250. But in this receipt I was also booked for section 184. So i went online to check for the sections and what it meant.

Section 250 MVA - Jumping the signal
Section 239 MVA - Use of mobile while driving
Section 184 MVA - Reckless driving.

Now my anger had a new level. I went to the traffic control room at the _______ junction and demanded to see the Officer in charge. I thought there might be some resistance, but it was quite easy. I was led to the Inspector to whom i explained the series of events. He countered saying that the mobile phone should be switched off while driving and if caught Section 184 was automatically to be added. But I remember the constable who had charged with me for the Rs. 200 fine on two sections and had told me that they have not charged me for reckless driving! The argument and counter argument continued. I was infuriated. The constable who booked me two days ago was the best person to asses the offense. If he has charged me with two cases then how come a constable sitting here has charged me with another section and that too offers me a Rs. 100 back for not providing me with a receipt. The inspector was irritated.

Inspector: What do you want Mr. N_______?
Me: I was not charged for Section 184. That should be taken back and my 500 bucks returned.
Inspector: Sorry, that cannot be done. The receipt has been delivered. If you had a problem you should have spoken then. And we cant change the entry in the books. Sorry anything else?

Me: I need an apology at the least.

Inspector: Arrey Kadam la bolav re! (Call Kadam)

Well, he did give an apology after a lengthy discussion. I had become a moral police standing against corruption. Finally the Inspector who was mighty irritated, insisted on 5 'uthak bhaitaks' (sit-ups holding ears). My anti-corruption ego had calmed down. I got off the cabin shaking hands with the inspector and the constable. My chest had bloated up with pride and my ears felt warm with blood. As i stepped out of the cabin, i heard the inspector tell him in marathi - Dont try to mess with such guys. If he had got a reporter along with him, we would have had a tough time with the seniors.

As I stepped out of the cabin, the constable who booked me two days back stopped seeing me. 'N______ saab, got your license back?' I smiled back nodding a yes.

'Please be careful while you are driving' he said.

I was surprised that he remembered my surname. I left the place a little relieved. I also felt hurt being poorer by 700 bucks for a single moment of negligence!

A letter to the Joint Commissioner of Police - Traffic

Respected Sir,

Recently, I was booked at the ____________ Junction for jumping a signal and for use of mobile phone while driving.

I am fully aware of the offense i committed and i promptly agreed to pay for the penalty of the offenses. It bought out a very weird expression from the traffic police on duty.
They gave me a 'pauthi' and asked me to collect the license from the Bhandup Sonapur Cabin.

Today as I presented the 'pauthi', the officer on duty at the Collection counter, Mr. S charged me Rs. 700/-. I paid him and he returned my license. However, he was reluctant to give me a receipt for the same.
When I insisted, he told me that I am not supposed to collect it from the cabin, but from the Court. He liked me as a person and hence he was doing this 'favor'.

He returned me Rs. 100/-.

I insisted on the receipt and told him that if Rs. 100 mattered to me, I would have tried to bargain with him on the day I was caught.

I also told him to return the Rs. 700/- and offered to give him back the license and collect it from the 'Court'.

He promptly made a receipt and gave it to me.

I would like to know if such a statement is indeed true. If it is, then why was I not asked to take the license from the court itself? And why did he be so nice to me and give me a receipt promptly?

It is indeed sad to see the state of corruption in the force. I understand the limitations and the difficult circumstances your officers work, but when an honest person is ready to abide by the law, I hope they are treated with respect and given the least trouble for being a law-abiding citizen.

I truly hope that you can do some little steps in bettering the system and tearing out corruption from it.

Yours sincerely,
P............

English is a very funny language!

Amitabh's dialogue in Namakhalaal holds true if you travel into the interiors of India. It is indeed funny!














Com-fart-able!!!!














Any takers for a Chicken that 'sweat', and is sour?














GARL FRINDES - No GARL FRINDES No TENSAN!!!