:: the ninth path ::

The Nuclear Race.

2008-06-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

The nuclear race. (with help of my friend Wikipedia)

The members of the UN security Council are the biggest holders of nuclear power.
Namely:

1. The US.
When one talks about nuclear power the first thing that comes into mind is the US. No, when one talks about any kind of power the first thing that comes into mind is this big bullying superpower that vetoes and sanctions its political enemies into powerless miniatures.
This is the only country to have ever actually used it against any country, and not just as a means of intimidation either.
The first country to develop the Hydrogen Bomb.

2. Russia.
Yeah with the US comes Russia (oops! Soviet Union) and the Cold War(s) ;). The nuclear race among the the US and this country led to a power balance with both nations in the verge of a "day of reckoning".
And, the stockpile of Russia is big even after the Soviet breakdown.
It tasted the most power nuclear weapon ever detonated by humans.

3. UK
What next? Everybody knows all about the US collaborations with the UK, its open ally. The nuclear stronghold of the UK too was supposed to be used as a deterrent against the USSR.

4. France
Another "Free World Ally" of the US and UK.
Though it had reduced its stockpile, new weapons developed during the "Enduring Freedom".
Trust me, both the names in shackles (inverted commas) are as ironical as could be. Enduring Freedom? To hell, Bush!

5. China
You knew the name that was missing till now. The ever growing Asian Giant. And, against whom did they develop these weapons? The US and USSR. WOW! I really love whatever the Capitalist cum Communist Chinese bastards do.
Relations with Russia have grown better, but what about the US? It has its differences with everything that the US does, not unlike Russia, also Nuclear power!

and then....

6. India
"Smiling Buddha" was its first nuclear test, "peaceful nuclear device". Peaceful? My foot. Everybody knows how peaceful India was towards Pakistan and China. India didn't face a problem getting recognised, and not feared because it is a US ally!
They are still working out deals and agreements with the US about nuclear weapons. In fact, the US could be selling them weapons any time.

7.Pakistan
Aha! The British, History, revolution and separation, Hindus and Muslims, Bhutto and Gandhi, cricket and then, Nuclear warfare. Perhaps the most enigmatic among wars fought on Earth.
Bhutto: "If India makes nuclear weapons, we will also build nuclear weapons even if we have to eat grass."
Now, who helps them: of course the Chinese.

8. North Korea
At last, the country that made me write all this. A Communist and anti-US country making and testing nuclear weapons, and "weapons of mass destruction", how long can it last?
After US and of course another entity it owns: UN both sanctioned over this nation, this happens to its nuclear stockpile.
It literally "blasts" its towers and reactors based in Nuclear power.

Other nations to have Nuclear weapons:
Israel, obvious.
Iran,
Syria.
Yeah.

Siddhartha...the MAN

2008-06-24T04:10:00.000-07:00

I recently read Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse. A good book. I want to talk about Siddhartha, the character.

He resembles in some way to me. Not a good compliment I am giving myself, nor a bad one. Siddhartha is a very ambitious person, not that he is portrayed as such and nor does he seemingly want to be one... but he is. His destiny, if it can be called that, is to reach Nirvana..or enlightenment.

A dedicated young fellow who does not believe that any teacher, including the Buddha, can guide him along his path and that he alone must attain enlightenment. He follows his dream with all his heart and effort. Getting dissatisfied with many teachers and ways... he moves on. And then at one point he falls in love. Not exactly. He wants to learn love from somebody who practices love as an art, Kamala. They both cannot fall in love, at least Siddhartha thinks this way. Ultimately, he is lost in material pleasure, riches and women.

One day he realizes it all and remember's his life's motive. His quest. And then moves on, leaving pregnant Kamala behind. He then lives whole of his life rowing a boat with an old man, who actually seems to be an enlighted being. He learns the art of listening. He learns life from the river. He learns that time also is like the river. There is no past, no future. There is only the present like the river. It is always there. It is there in the source. It is there everywhere, in the seas, streams,... everywhere and that everything returns like the river. Life is not linear.

This realization helps him reach Nirvana. Surprisingly, he attains it after he acknowledges human emotion like love.

Pashupatinath: EXPOSED

2008-06-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Exposed. Pashupatinath.

A sadhu. He is a virtuous person living his life out of begging and sacrificing everything material in quest of the immaterial. Hindu Sadhus are plentiful in temples because that is the place where generous people come and offer bountiful alms to them. It is their place of god.

Pashupatinath, June 21 Saturday.

Lots of police.Lots of protestors. Bricks. A wounded policeman, no, two wounded policemen rushed to the hospital. A tense situation. Eager people surround the place. Police charging on the aggressors with batons. I and "SP" sitting on a high wall having a good look at the broad-daylight excitement.

"What's happening sir?"
"I don't know. I just came."
"What's happening maam?"
"A sadhu had locked himself with two little girls. One, it was said, was already molested by the holy man, the other waiting to be before the bad wind somehow found its way to the people and the police.

A holy man supposedly sacrificing his material life for some ... i don't know what.
This mocks Pashupatinath. This mocks the blind faith people have on their God and religion and their temple.

Other things I hate when I go there:
"Only Hindus Allowed" (inside Temple premises).
The corrupt priests who take the millions from innocent Nepalese and put the organisation's money in their pockets and remitting it to India.
the way people make fools of themselves.

Fear, aggressiveness...and Marketing

2008-06-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

Things my dad tells me.

"Be aggressive", my dad tells me. No he doesn't intend me to be bellicose. It is only that he wants to be forceful, assertive and uncompromising. Being forceful, he says presents makes your identity and persona stronger.

"When you get through your academics the only way you can market yourself is being expressive and forceful and removing any element of fear inside you. Fear, in fact, is the biggest enemy. Once you display your fear you get beaten. You give chances to seeking competitors to take advantage and step upon your Achilles' heel."

"It's in fact better to show more than you have. Call it 'show off' but its necessary. Do not show your weak point hoping to gain sympathy out of others. In nine cases out of ten, you don't get sympathy. Your weak point gets unveiled. Prevent this in all cases. Fear is the factor that will create pitfalls where there were none. Fear not."

"Be resolute and strong to your point. Do not ever hesitate. Stand strong and let no one hinder your direction. Your confidence and firmness will win you battles no bootlicker can."

And the way I bluff....

2008-06-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know how much my mind loves to bluff and go on with my bullshit ideas and fooling everybody and myself. I don't know why I blog...maybe to express and bluff! Nothing more. There can be no purpose.

I am a big bluff. You are reading me bluff and pretend and you bluff and pretend with your opinions and life goes on. We search for something. Some ultimate truth, some answer, something... we seek love, happiness, pleasure, glory...and it all turns out to be vanity.

I pretend I am dissatisfied and that I am a dissident. I pretend to be the Solomon in the Bible.

I pretend I am satisfied and that questions don't bother me. I say the answer lies only in the unquestioning mind. I try to become a nihilist and yet understand that nihilism is becoming a new religion and negate the same immediately. I become an existentialist, and an individualist, and I pretend to overcome altrusim and ... i get mixed up in -isms and go proud hating them all.

I become indifferent. Its not easy. I become. I reject god. I reject religion. I reject faith. I reject ... whatnot.

Life...I have philosophies...weave them.. and suddenly I stop!
I stop.

A walk through Kathmandu

2008-06-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Kathmandu.
City of Kings, Gods and pollution, and with kings and gods comes: Corruption.
Not to mention protests and crises.

A walk through the city the day before...

A police van roaring its way through the heavy traffic of Putalisadak. Monks inside the van. "FREE TIBET" "CHINA LEAVE OUR COUNTRY". Smily faces all around. I didn't know this thing... what do you call it.. protest.. was still going on. Very dedicated.. I see these Tibetians are. Nationalism you call it, no, maybe ethnicity...

The feeling for your ethnic interests.. that you are one... and that anyone interfering with those interests is an alien.

No fear of the alien nation
No fear of the hatred they preach....
Scorpions again. Kudos to Scorpions!!!

Anyway, the Tibetians don't seem to ever give up. I don't know.

And, then I saw this petrol station... no queue of vehicles. Just the day before the price of petrol was legally increased to Rs.100 per litre.. and today the bastards (a thousand apologies...courtesy: that Indian character in Mind your Language) start providing petrol... the way they stock their petrol and wait for the price to increase... that was the main reason for the crisis.

Human nature, maybe.
Anti-social, maybe.

And I have a confession to make.
I had to bribe (oh I hate that word) a fellow for providing me petrol without having to stay in the queue at Bhadrakali Petrol Pump...he was an army driver who told the officials there that our vehicle belonged to a Major..

Does situation make a person bad? Well no. I don't blame the situation. I blame myself. I allowed myself to be enslaved by the excuse of the situation. Eternally damned.

Copy, Right

2008-06-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

STATUTORY NOTICE: No copyrights were breached during the making and no breaches in the making are subject to copyrights.

copyright cop•y•right [kóppee rt] noun

creative artist's control of original work: the legal right of creative artists or publishers to control the use and reproduction of their original works
Microsoft® Encarta® 2008. © 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

The Microsoft thing that tails the copied part is Copyright.

If my definition does not work well with you, a better information on “copyright” is available on this page:

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wci

Fact I: Ok suppose you write a book or something. This copyright thing is meant to help you secure your writings so that no one can reproduce it and earn against your toils. This goes for other intellectual properties as well. Copyright infringements cause billions of dollars worth of damage to Hollywood and also a considerable amount to other artists.

Fact II: This Copyright Infringement, basically in South Asian and East Asian countries has led to an increment in knowledge-yielding material to all. The copyright definition I borrowed from Encarta is actually from a Pirated version of the same. No, you cannot put it against me. I have my legal sanctions, I won’t tell you though. Pirated DVDs and software CDs are cheaper to use and considerably the same...so I admit that I use the ‘cracked’ version of such programs and I do not remember buying even a single Un-pirated CD till date. Piracy made knowledge more accessible.

If I were to imagine a Copyright free world... it would be utopia... knowledge and ideas would float freely in the air and easily accessible to all. It just won’t go the right way though. How were you to convince this to an author who, with his effort has put his mindscape into words, and somebody were to earn out of it? What is wrong, is wrong.

"If creativity is the field, copyright is the fence".
John Oswald

The ‘vagabond’ antiguru UG Krishnamurthi’s books carried a special copyright notice: “My teaching, if that is the word you want to use, has no copyright. You are free to reproduce, distribute, interpret, misinterpret, distort, garble, do what you like, even claim authorship, without my consent or the permission of anybody.”

And to finish it off...freedom has reached a new level : COPYLEFT.

Free Tibet...from WHAT?

2008-06-03T08:05:00.001-07:00

The immediate reason as to why I am writing this post is all because of a forum entry in Nepalese Debate Forum. I had a similar debate in another forum. Anyway, let us re-see and re-discover Tibet.

Free Tibet from What?
Free Tibet into What?

From Chinese Dictatorship, you might say in haste. But, what came before Chinese Dictatorship and what will come after it? Other more dangerous dictatorships. The Tibetians were ruled by the 14th Dalai Lama (a close ally of other famous dictators like Augusto Pinochet) who, like his predecessors, was but a Feudal Dictator.

If Tibet IS freed, what will become of it? Look at its strategic (I might as well say unstrategic) location. North China, South Himalayas. Can Tourism help sustain Tibet? Can it feed Tibet?

Tibet MUST ask for freedom. But Separation? Come the end of the Olympics and you will see how easily the Chinese Bureaucracy will suppress the revolution. Had the Tibetians protested against the Dictatorship prevalent in the country, they would have a stronger cause , and possibility of massive internal support. Voices would begin shaking China into a revolution.

Tibetians would be better off as well-to-do Chinese citizens rather than slaves of their Feudal God "The Dalai Lama".

Here stands the mighty Potala Palace. I wonder how it was built in such a location and where they got the raw materials from. Slave subjects to his Holiness The Dalai Lama?

You the Patriot, and I the Traitor

2008-05-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

I am not a patriot. I am not proud of being a Nepali.

(Patriotism Index: Nepalese are not very patriotic, compared to Americans, Indians, Venezuelans etc.)

And you begin detesting the very insides of me as if I insulted the “nationality” in you. You don’t realize that I have my personal right and dignity not to be a patriot. No, I am not stamping on the ground I stand on. I stand firm respecting national integrity. I stand firm as a citizen to this nation. There is a certain attachment, an emotional hint, and yet the feeling goes nowhere close to patriotism.

As I see it, to be a Patriot is a beautiful approach to patronize the rest of the goddamned world. You call me a traitor to my land. You love the soil of your country. You feel your country belongs to you.

I only judge the soil by its fertility. My country is a different entity for me.

You see in Bhagat Singh the courage and the sacrifice and proudly claim, “He passed the ordeal and fought for the nation and the revolution and died fighting it.” He is an example of a true patriot.

I see in him the incomplete intellect that left the world early because he attempted to make the “deaf hear”.

You love your nation so much that you can die for it.

I live for myself and die for myself.

...................................................................

Many such YOUs helped Hitler rise in power.
As I crossed the border from India to Nepal, I suddenly felt a smile stretching across my weary face.

And they did it.

2008-05-28T18:57:00.001-07:00

I thought I was being too political or something. Maybe I shouldn't write such stuff.... was between an entry (ies)...and suddenly it happened, and had to happen.

They declared Nepal a Democratic Federal Republic.
It is to have a presidential system.

Happy faces, Vermillion, crackers.

Happy Republic Day (Republic at midnight.)

P.S.
Stay tuned. The next 15 hours and atleast 2 posts. Guaranteed.

FAITH. FAITHLESS.

2008-05-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Faith.

Considering Faith to be an important aspect is wrong in "true" lovers. Faith and love are two different aspects that contradict eachother.

Faith is a really dangerous word. Faith is the reason behind religion. Faith is behind Bush's bombings in Iraq. Faith is the agony and pain people are paying the price for. And, more dangerous still, they don't realize it at all. Faith kills. You blame it on what and what not.

If Faith doesn't exist, betrayal also will not exist. With Faith comes betrayal. Betrayal to your values. Betrayal by the person or entity that you had "faith" upon.
I see love as two lovers flying like birds without being bound by anything. True love never binds. It makes you free. It respects your freedom. It enhances self-freedom.

Hard to believe, but faith truly was something that came out of the Pandoras box. Faith is the most dangerous weapon used by religion, politics and the system that hits you hardest and you don't know who hit you and with what.

Faith was the reason that rendered me faithless. Don't Trust Anybody. Trust only yourself.

Faith Caesar had in Brutus as he yelled, "Et tu Brute?" (You too Brutus?) when he saw Brutus stabbing him to death.

Happy Birthday BOB DYLAN (67)

2008-05-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

"I consider myself a song and dance man."

Undoubtedly one of the best singers/musicians and lyricists in English music. One cannot describe music with words but here I collect some beautiful lyrics by the man as a homage to his talent.

Gotta Serve Somebody

You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might be a rock'n' roll adict prancing on the stage
Might have money and drugs at your commands, women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a state trooper, you might be an young turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody's landlord you might even own banks.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be working in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may call me Terry, you may call me Jimmy
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray
You may call me anything but no matter what you say.

You're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Some of the best lyrics by Dylan:

http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/bob_dylan/best_of_bob_dylan/

Hierarchy, Relationships

2008-05-17T01:12:00.000-07:00

Who is above you? Where do you rank and position yourself?

This is the question that sometimes makes you go round. Whirlpooled my mind since yesterday. (courtesy of my to-be employer)

Your Parents? Elders? Society? Teacher? Employer? The Minister?

Each of the persons mentioned above shares a considerable influence in life. Sometimes one or many of such relations create upon us some such form of undue influence that leads us to detest the very relation, the very hierarchy. Does the hierarchy really exist?

No one is really above you. Sheer misconception to place any of the relations above the self. Any religious soul would scowl at me for saying this and yet the sands of time led even the highly conservative and patriarchial Hindu society to some un-thought-of remains.

The only word that perfectly clips relations together is "RESPECT". Love has no role.

No employer or teacher or elder has any right to look at an employee or student or junior in a condescending manner. I do sometimes get entangled with Marx.

"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."

Struggles between what?

Marx says : Freeman and slave, patrician and plebian, lord and serf, guild-master [3] and journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight that each time ended, either in a revolutionary reconstitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes.

Lets come to the point. No body is ever "above" the self. Marx never thought of that. Marx thought of a "We" and a "They". A change of one form of hierarchy to another. One division to another. One dictatorship to another.

I did not let my employer look down upon me. I looked at him in the eye. I respected him, he being my employer and I expect respect from him, I being his employee. There is no hierarchy. There is only relationship. It binds us in one whole and one whole we are. One whole of distinct individuals.

A break from the break

2008-05-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry, dear visitors, if there are any, I won't be here for maybe 10 more days. Got a lot to write about later.

Who am I kidding, anyway.
Avish

Changing the world

2008-05-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

Is it necessary?
I ask myself.
To change the world.

To change, or not to change is the question, apologies to Shakespeare. I used to feel that when I grow up, I should make a tremendous impact and influence and in fact, change the course of history!!!

Maybe children and growing adolescents think about this a lot, and this is quite forgotten once we get stuck in the quick sands of life. At one point I felt that I would, when I grew up, change human life for the better and leave the world a better place. Every teenager, I guess, is an altruist.

And yet today, as I stand, head-raised, above the pits and crevasses, facing the distant horizon, I find this deep enthusiasm nothing but vainglory. Futile. No, its not because I have grown up and the colour of life has been sucked out of me. No! I am still the child I was yesterday.

Then, why the change in me?

Its a realization. A realization of life and happiness and of the beauty. A realization to not question. A realization to not want more. A realization of me being human, a self-centered being. A realization that I am living for myself, only for myself. That I need not show the world anything. I need not show myself anything. It makes me content and it shows me my selfless self.

I just need to live and be merry.

This is my ego, and my nirvana. A desireless desire.

All the King's Men

2008-05-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Power Corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I watched the movie "All the King's men" rated by one of the reviews as the worst movie of 2006, but it was quite good. An adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's novel, it shows the "radical transformation from an idealistic lawyer and weak gubernatorial candidate into a charismatic and extraordinarily powerful governor. In achieving this office Stark comes to embrace various forms of corruption and builds an enormous political machine based on patronage and intimidation." (Wikipedia)

Is politics indeed dirty? Yes, the movie shows.

I compare this situation with the prevalent situation in Nepal. Idealistic and radical "Transformers" and "revolutionaries" are forming the new government. Will greed and avarice make the better of them? It is yet to be seen.

Nail em' up!!!

Why Privatisation for Nepal?

2008-05-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

According to me, the major problems inflicting economic growth in Nepal are:

1. Corruption and Leakages
2. Improper Management of State-owned offices and organisations

Yes. These two are the major problems that Nepal needs to tackle to overcome every single problem the people here are facing today.

Privatisation is the best solution, as far as I can see. No promising government can ever change the situation that is prevailing in Nepal now. Privatisation promises a better management. The private sector is profit-oriented and does its best to reduce all shortcomings unlike the Government offices which, in fact, have no ownerships! Privatising the WATER SUPPLY, for example would do:

1. No corruption by staff
2. Better supply of drinking water all over
3. Better service and maintainance
4. A bit higher cost (disadvantage)
5. changing of an organisation at loss to one at a profit.

I would recommend the same be done to :

1. Nepal Oil Corporation
2. Customs office
3. Land Revenue Office

These three surely top the lists for the most amount of corrupt individuals, or I would say, a systematic setup of corruption.
A cousin of mine from a Village passed the Public Service Exam. He had a VERY poor family background. Now he works at the customs office (of the Airport) and now, his lifestyle has skyrockted.

MOTHER :: two poems

2008-05-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

Mother (TWO POEMS, one by Lennon, next by me)

Mother, You had Me I never had you
I wanted you but you didn't want me
So I got to tell you
Goodbye , Goodbye

Father, You left me but I never left you
I needed you but you didn't need me
So I just got to tell you
Goodbye , Goodbye

Children, Don't do what I have done
I couldn't walk so I tried to run
So I got to tell you
Goodbye , Goodbye

Lennon never got love from his parents. His mother died when he was very small and his father left him, a sea steward. He eventually got to see his father after he was a famous Beatle.

Now, I feel like writing a poem.... right now, as I finish off the blog post.

I was afraid
O Mother
I was afraid
the hand, that would
break your womb
as
you cried with a smile

I was afraid
the hand
Mother,
take me away
from you
as
you died breathing

I was to,
win the world
O mother
I feared
to be
to lose
and fail you, mother

Don't want to
No
Don't want to see
O Mother,
don't leave me
I fear
you will leave me alone
to face them

Mother
don't go mother
your child is crying
crying
fearing them mocking me,
my mother
the motherless child
the childless mother

The Mind. The Heart.

2008-05-01T18:26:00.001-07:00

What separates out the Homosapiens sapiens (for those who don't know... we have evolved into the Homosapiens sapiens from the Homosapiens, science keeps on changing, doesn't it?) from the rest of 'barbarians' and brings out man as a social animal, they say, is the Mind. I am not going to go back to evolution but we have evolved quite a lot though the brain sizes of our late late late ancestors, presumably the Neanderthals and other contemporaries have a larger Cranial capacity than ours.

The core of human research, development and the enigmatic picture of everything we behold... is thanks to the mind, they say. The mind led us to win battles of impotence and stasis. The mind answered questions that were thought un-answerable, and sometimes, un-qustionable. The mind leaped heights of knowledge and brought into existence newer questions and newer answers. The cycle goes on.

And yet, Osho says, "When mind stops, meditation starts". Isn't this a paradox? Wasn't deep meditation the answer the Buddha found and that led him to "enlightment". So, Path 2 seems more like a mystique path, choosing not the questions but the answers. The answers lead to the questions.

I remember Osho saying... "Speak from your heart and hear from your heart". In fact, "think from your heart". The key is meditation.

The mind is restless and always wants to know more.
The heart is calm. The heart teaches you to be happy and satisfied.
Knowledge could be obsolete.
Life could not.

The Black Hole...the bright life

2008-05-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Mysteries of science.

Starts with how a star is formed.
How many years does it survive?
How does it die?
What kind of stars convert into the black hole?
What is a Black hole?
What happenes of something goes inside a black hole?
What is a Supernova?

An interesting outlook: ANATOMY OF A BLACK HOLE http://www.thinktechnologies.com/portfolio/demos/Blackhole.html

Black holes form the core of scientific research. One of the most intriguing questions ever. The dark never ending pit? Imagine having so much gravity that not even light gets reflected back!

If you were to see a Transverse Section of the Universe, it would be hard to locate the earth, in-fact, impossible. The world is 10 ^ 22 times bigger than your imagination! Yes indeed, even if your imagination is faster than light, and vaster than sight. (wooh, sounds good)

In fact, it leads in us a feeling of absolute vanity. We rate nowhere. We are just another sand in the desert. (If only you were to see a universe in a grain of sand!)

Don't be dejected. Live life. Its a beauty and a boon.
And, the best thing would be to be Zorbah the Greek. Have fun. AND DO NOT QUESTION EXISTENCE!

Do not ask yourself the millions Hows and Whys! Be happy like a child in its "It is."

Voltaire quoteS (GOD)

2008-04-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

All men are born with a nose and ten fingers, but no one was born with a knowledge of God.

As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities.

Better is the enemy of good.

God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.

God is not on the side of the big battalions, but on the side of those who shoot best.

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it.

If God created us in his own image, we have more than reciprocated.

If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.

Nothing can be more contrary to religion and the clergy than reason and common sense.

The ancients recommended us to sacrifice to the Graces, but Milton sacrificed to the Devil.

The Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire.

To believe in God is impossible not to believe in Him is absurd.

We created god in your likeliness and not the complimentary.

Che Guevara

2008-04-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

I dunno why I chose Ernesto 'Che' Guevara to write about. Maybe because he was an "idol" before I realized that idolatry is dangerous. The Cult of Che.

As I talk about Che, I remember the iconic photo by Alberto Kroda (1960).

This photo, I think, is the most famous, and most used, of all photos ever taken. Most people who don't know Che and his legacy know this photo as, the guy in T-shirts, Baseball hats, Coffee mugs and even, cigarettes, bras, stickers... hell, whatever you can think of! He sells.

I once was a communist inspired by his romantic adventures ... and self-sacrifice for a revolution. Maybe everyone is, at one point in their life... frustration, sentimentalism and a strong will to change the course of history, life and the system. Che said : IF YOU TREMBLE WITH INDIGNATION AT EVERY INJUSTICE, YOU ARE A COMRADE OF MINE. Che's character has always influenced the youth who consider him their idol for life.

Of course, he has sacrificed himself, this Medical Doctor, for the sake of an ideal system and governance that will, it seems, never take form.. He is an individual who lived, and died, for his ideals. I respect him for this.

Well, a modified version of CHE depicts him as such:

He was indeed a killer, brainwashed by the cause of Marxism he was into. He started an angry young man... anti-imperialist and "for" the sake of the people. He was for the "violent" revolution...
I feel a bit bad as I say this. I feel betrayed, I feel lost as if my leader were decapitated. But, I am not going to close my eyes any more.

Che has been an icon. His grave is still alive with the love and hope of his followers, youngsters who see in him the energy and love still vibrant. He springs out in every mind not content... in every fit of rage... of dissonance and dissidence.. of love and hate...

"You're only killing a man" Che died in a CIA operation. He is more alive today because of the shots that killed him.

Ironically, having Che in all sorts of Capitalistic merchandise mocks the legacy of Che... more or less clouding his real being... Maybe Che is really dead.

Maybe,...
A capitalist makes the rope with which to hang himself.

Vivo el Che.... Hasta la Victoria siempre.... TO HELL!

The Two Beggars

2008-04-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

The two beggars

I was always the one with the biggest heart. I was always the one who always had a penny to spare for the have-nots. Being a generous, in fact magnanimous “altruist” always seems like a great idea. Giving selflessly! To love one and all, the feeling of brotherhood!

If you tremble with indignation at every injustice.... said Che.

Beggar 1:
I and Swikrit, my friend were at DDC having ice cream. We sat on a bench and another guy sat beside my friend. Suddenly a boy (aged 7 to 10) comes and says to the man "Uncle I am hungry", and that guy out of pity gives the remaining of the ice cream he was eating, to the beggar.

The boy gobbles it up as soon as possible.

After a while, he throws the now empty cup and asks Swikrit for his ice cream. First he refuses. I scold the boy, who I am sure takes drugs. He goes on asking and my friend gives it. And then he finishes that off and again attempts to ask me for my ice cream. I raise my hand and he runs off.

Later as we go we see him holding a girl's legs until she at last gives Rs. 5 to the boy.

Beggar 2:

A man comes to my house. I was alone. He was a man of 20-22. He hands a paper to me. The paper stamped with some official looking district administration stamp claims thus "This man doesn't have a tounge, and neither do 6 members of his 9-member family. And some blahs blahs"

There is a trend nowadays, people hand over such papers, laminated ones. Some say "She is a victim of some landslide or flood" or some "His son is a cancer patient". Now, without thinking I went upstairs to give money. You see I have a big heart. Suddenly I think, this guy is all fit except for a tongue. Damn, can't he work?

Since I had already come up, I took out Rs. 5 from the drawer and handed it to him. He did his "aa aaaa aa" (what else can a tongue-less guy speak) and shows a notebook that has names of people and amounts they have given to him, none less than Rs. 50 and most ranging from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500.

This was it.
I give money to him and the idiot demands for more.

I suddenly started shouting "Can't you appreciate the money I am giving you? You are fit and fine and you are lazy to work. You shameless beggar. You ask for more!"

Well, I had never been so agressive.

He left. I felt sorry for the money I gave him. I should not have given him...

NEVER GIVE A MAN FISH. TEACH HIM HOW TO FISH!

A COMMUNIST DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL

2008-04-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

Democracy and Nepal.
April 23, 2008

Ironic, one might add when one dares to link Communism to Democracy. The word communism brings with out any delay the picture of the RED ARMY of the Soviet or the Tiennamen Square. It also reminds you of American antagonism towards this and Khmer Rouge, North Korea and Cuba.

Do not haste! Not even Hugo Chavez can call himself the father of 21st Century Socialism without having to face our very own Prachanda.

Today, April 23, marks the transition of "Prajatanta" to "Loktantra". The biggest paradox is both translate into English as "Democracy". What differentiates the two is the People's war, the People's Revolution and the People's Mandate. The Nepalese people no longer take any blatant pride in being "Praja(s)" (Subjects to the Monarch). Today, though not official, marks the transition of a Hindu Kingdom to a Federal Republic (also secular). This Loktantra (Democracy) also marks the advent of a new governing body as we await the Constituent Assembly to be held soon to bid adieu the Monarchy among other things.

This first anniversary to this transformation, and we are not done! We witnessed the Constituent Assembly Elections, held more-or-less successfully, and the victors : the Maoists! Yes, the Maoists- alive and kicking in 21st century Nepal.

Now, using democracy after the word "Maoism" would be a herculean task (Peru might declare war on Nepal! Maoism was a failure there). I even don't know what yardstick to use to describe "democracy" but we are yet to see what happens.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) led by Prachanda has proved to be yet another revisionist party. As soon as it became known that the Maoists were leading the elections for a 601 member parliament, they did no further dawdling to announce:

1. Privatisation and Liberalisation
2. Open to Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) - hence, not a closed economy.
3. Maintaining proper foreign relations
4. Integrating the Nepal Army with the former People's Army (burying Mao deeper in Tiannamen?)
5. NO GROUP OWNERSHIP OR COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP!!

You might conclude... that they are as Left as Roosevelt was. But again, don't haste!

"The transition of feudalism to Communism could spell disaster. Capitalism plays a vital role in the middle" ~ Crawl Marks

SAVE HUMANITY FROM PEOPLE LIKE MOTHER TERESA

2008-04-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

MOTHER TERESA.. SAVE HUMANITY FROM HER!!!

Isn't she the nice ol' lady who stayed at Calcutta (now Kolkata) and served the poor, the disabled and the orphans, and who was honoured with the biggest honour : The Nobel Prize for Peace...

Mother Teresa : The Albanian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work for the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying in Calcutta (now Kolkata) India. Following her death she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. If you want to read any more of history please click here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa

Enough of this bullshit! Downstraight gibberish! Outrageous! Dont stare at me like that.... I know its been set in your mind that Mother Teresa, or Saint Teresa, was one of the greatest souls who ever lived. Now, time for some analysis.
Teresa was a social worker who gave service to the poor, handicapped and provided homes for millions of orphans! No doubt. But I plainly ask you to analyze her character by the points mentioned henceforth before you proclaim her the memento of peace in the world.
(This is based on my memories of articles I previously read and most specifically from the discources of Osho)

I. Orphanages
Bhopal, India. Explosion in a factory, two thousand dead, hundreds of thousands handicapped, homeless, orphaned. Teresa rushing from Kolkata to Bhopal. Teresa consoles the poor and the sick (Thats what religion has been doing for centuries. Console the poor and tell them they are poor because of sins in their previous lives. Suffering is a test set by god and if you pass it by enduring it and not at all challenging it, you will become gold, isn't this what priests and clergies are telling to the poor. No bellyaching, disobedience is the original sin. Remember Adam and Eve.) She gives them all a statue of Mother Mary.

Teresa : Pray, and you all will be enlighted. Dont blame it on the authorities (when the people demanded action against the authorities whose mistake caused the explosion), in fact you should thank god for giving this situation to us. It has brought out the best in man. Look at all the people in the street serving other people. We should look at it as a boon.

(Of all the nerves, did she mean every single factory should blast so that it would bring out the best in man, and man could serve? And dont blaim the authorities responsible? so that miss Teresa can gain favor with the bureaucrats and the government who can shower her projects in millions?)

Teresa collects all the orphans. Now, isn't it good? The people happy, the government happy, everyone happy that the homeless got a home. And remember all orphans who were previously Muslims, Hindus and Jains are all converted to Catholic Christians, remember ONLY Catholic, not Protestants. And, so her orphanages are factories to increase the number of Catholics, by none other than the decree of the Pope himself bestowed upon Teresa. And, who could adopt children from her orphanages - only Catholics!!! not even Christian Protestants.
Her orphanages, not as nice as projected, were factories increasing the population of Catholics, in other words making the Pope more powerful. The Pope created her, and it was a great success. She was always in his good books eventually leading him to put her forward for the Nobel Prize.

II. Birth Control

"ABORTION IS THE GREATEST DESTROYER OF PEACE" ~ Mother Teresa

There was always something between Teresa and Birth control, even in her Nobel Prize speech, she remained in her stance against birth control. Now, she claimed birth control was against god's will. Contraceptives are enemies to god's will!!!

In a country like India where the population is growing at the fastest rate, not use Birth control methods? Well, if birth is controlled and if children are not born, then wont Mother Teresa's orphanages be empty!!

Osho was against her, may be the only one in the world speaking against Teresa that time, and so one day Teresa wrote to him.

"I will pray to the lord to forgive you"

You know Osho, he replied.

"Who has given you the authority to pray on my behalf, I might sue you in the court. Dont pray for me, pray for yourself. You emphasize birth control. You pray to a god, who the Bible claims - parted the oceans for Moses, and cant your god part a condom or say, a pill if he really was against birth control!!"

Well her stance against birth control is really deplorable.

III. Money

Everybody was filling into Teresa's charity. The powerful bureaucrats she was in good terms with and all the people having blind faith on her.... even criminals. She accepted money from two notable criminals and she accepted the crime money and refused to return when the police asked her.

And her old age homes and orphanages weren't as standard as she claimed they were. She always bloated figures, her own sisters (helpers) have agreed upon this.

No one knew where the money went!

Hence, everything is not as it seems. Dont take history for granted, dont take anything for granted.