Close To Reality: 08/01/2007

Friday, August 31, 2007

Bihar proved it Again..

a state without law, ministers without decency, police without hearts, people... u see this n tell me..
watch what they did to a petty thief who was trying to steal a gold chain..

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Strike in USA? :) lets wait n see what will happen..

A general strike is proposed for the United States on September11, 2007, the sixth anniversary of the 9/11/2001 attacks on New York City and Arlington, Virginia. The general strike movement has no clearly named leadership. It’s described as an Internet viral effort. Wikipedia defines viral efforts on the Internet as:

for details follow the link pls..

General Strike: 9/11/07
or

General Strike: 9/11/07

Friday, August 17, 2007

Malaysia denies racism claim :)

Is it true that Indians and chinese are not interested in football these days?
If yes, what are the factors that made them to loose the interest ??
Time to open up the hearts and to be broad minded.. this is not something good for this country..

From correspondents in Singapore
August 02, 2007

MALAYSIA'S football federation has denied selecting its national team based on racial lines.

The country's Asian Cup squad, who was panned after its poor performances at last month's Asian Cup, was made up of 20 ethnic Malays and two Indians.

Malays make up around 60 per cent of the country's population but Chinese and Indians also form strong minorities.

Football Association of Malaysia deputy president, Redzuan Sheikh Ahmad, was quoted in the Today newspaper as saying: "Never once in the history of FAM have we tried to build a Malay-dominated team.

"And we have never based our selection of players on race or religion. It's just unfortunate that the Indians and Chinese are not interested in football these days."

The FAM is preparing to explain to the government why the national team performed so badly at the Asian Cup, where the co-host lost 5-1 to China, 5-0 to Uzbekistan and 2-0 to Iran in Group C.

In Singapore, ethnic Malays are the minority but make up more than 60 per cent of the national football squad.

Agence France-Presse

In general, most Malays are lazy..most Chinese are greedy..most Indians cannot be trusted.

Racism in Malaysia: they are right in front of the door step of 50yrs of independence, but this is what they said about their fellow citizens.. :) interesting, a must read..

Punch Lines: In the survey..
Thirty four percent said they have never had a meal with people of other races.

The survey found that 42 percent do not consider themselves Malaysian first, 46 percent say ethnicity is important in voting, 55 percent blame politicians for racial problems and 70 percent would help their own ethnic group first.

According to the survey, 58 percent of Malays, 63 percent of Chinese and 43 percent of Indians polled agreed that "in general, most Malays are lazy."

Meanwhile, 71 percent of Malays, 60 percent of Chinese and 47 percent of Indians agree that "in general, most Chinese are greedy."

Sixty-four percent of Malays, 58 percent of Chinese and 20 percent of Indians agreed that "in general, most Indians cannot be trusted."

Full details:
Racism
Still rife in Malaysia.
First survey in 50 years makes dismal reading. Baradan Kuppusamy. Asia Times.
Mar 26, 2006

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's first serious survey of race relations, in 50 years, shows that behind the façade of outward unity and peace, racism runs deep in this multi-ethnic 'melting pot'.

The telephone survey of about 1,200 Malaysians also found that the majority of the various races find comfort and security in their respective ethnicity and not in a common 'Malaysian' identity, as the travel and tourism brochures suggest.

"The findings are not at all surprising," said social scientist Chandra Muzaffar.

"This is partly because ethnic boundaries are real in our society and almost every sphere of public life is linked to ethnicity in one way or another."

The survey, by the independent Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, also found that negative racial stereotyping was deeply entrenched.

For example, minority Chinese and Indians see the majority Malays, who make up 60 percent of the population of 25 million people, as lazy.

Chinese and Indians, who began migrating here in the early 19th century, make up 26 percent and 8.0 percent of the population, respectively.

It found that more than half the population does not trust each other. For a nation that claims to be a 'melting pot', only eleven percent of the respondents said they had eaten often with friends from other races in the past three months.

Thirty four percent said they have never had a meal with people of other races.

The survey found that 42 percent do not consider themselves Malaysian first, 46 percent say ethnicity is important in voting, 55 percent blame politicians for racial problems and 70 percent would help their own ethnic group first.

According to the survey, 58 percent of Malays, 63 percent of Chinese and 43 percent of Indians polled agreed that "in general, most Malays are lazy."

Meanwhile, 71 percent of Malays, 60 percent of Chinese and 47 percent of Indians agree that "in general, most Chinese are greedy."

Sixty-four percent of Malays, 58 percent of Chinese and 20 percent of Indians agreed that "in general, most Indians cannot be trusted."

The survey, commissioned by the semi-official New Straits Times newspaper and supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, is the first honest look at Malaysian society and the findings have left Malaysians gasping in disbelief at how firmly racism and racial stereotyping has become entrenched and accepted as a way of life.

The Merdeka Centre said the survey "gives an honest picture of the country's situation and inter-racial perception" and warns that extremists can take advantage of inter-racial fears and suspicions in the absence of a meaningful interaction.

The ruling National Front government of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi works hard to portray the country as an example of multiculturalism where Muslims, Hindus and Christians live together in peace.

But experts have been voicing concern that, increasingly, the communities were drifting apart and polarization of the races and a lack of social unity were on the rise.

They squarely blame the politicians and the country's race-based politics for the sharp rise in racism. The shocking findings have also prompted civil society to demand a ban on all race- based political parties.

"Let us outlaw all Malaysian political parties that restricts membership on grounds of race, religion or sex," said lawyer politician A. Sivanesan who is senior leader in the opposition Democratic Action Party, one of the four registered multi-racial parties in the country.

"It should be written in the constitution that only multi-racial bodies be permitted."

Others say the few multi-racial political parties are weak and unable to grow because of the strong domination of race-based parties over the political system.

"Social problems affect all communities," Sivanesan said. "Poverty, drug and crime are not specific to any one race. All races face the blight."

"What the survey clearly shows is that the various races live peacefully but separately," Sivanesan told IPS.

"Half a century after independence we are further away from knowing each other than when we startedàseparate schools, separate friends, separate lives."

Curiously, the survey showed that many Malaysians had vague ideas, not only of each other's cultures and traditions but also of their own.

Hari Raya Puasa was wrongly perceived as the Malay New Year by 32 per cent of Malays, 84 per cent of Chinese and 45 per cent of Indians --when the festival actually marks the culmination of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.

Similarly, the Chinese New Year was thought to be a religious festival by 57 percent of Malays, 53 percent of Indians and a whopping 62 percent of Chinese respondents.

Despite the lack of unity, the country has enjoyed long periods of peace except for one race riot in 1969.

And unlike in some neighbouring countries where uniformity is enforced, Malaysia's minorities are not restricted and are free to practice their own cultures and religions and enjoy a vernacular education.

But, the government officially practices a policy of positive discrimination that favours Malays over other races in many areas -- from employment, education, scholarships and business to cheaper housing and assisted savings.

Private companies must hand over 30 percent of equity to ethnic Malays and a portion of housing and commercial property must be sold to them

These measures, collectively called the New Economic Policy or NEP, were started in 1970 to reduce the yawning economic gap with the Chinese community, which dominates business in this country, as in most of South-east Asia.

Originally designed to last for 20 years it has continued without check, sparking envy and resentment between Malays and non-Malays.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was sacked and jailed in 1998, has caused a stir by proposing to reform the political landscape which he says is straining national harmony.

"We need to appeal to the Malays, Chinese and the Indians and the rest that we need to go beyond race-based politics.

"If you continue to harp and support this racial equation, you will never be able to overcome racial divisions," he told supporters at a recent rally.

The government is aware of the deep divide and has taken measures to close the gap.

One experiment in racial integration is the 'Vision Schools' initiative where students share sports fields, assembly halls and canteens, but attend classes conducted in their own languages.

But the initiative is embroiled in controversy mainly because of the fear among Chinese and Indians that the vernacular education system would suffer and erode their identities.

A popular initiative, the national service programme, started in 2004, puts youths of all the races under a single roof.

Students are chosen at random and taken to camps for about three months in the hope that they will learn team work and absorb each other's culture.

But, the experts say racism is too deeply entrenched in official policies and the socio-political system for such 'half-hearted' measures to make impact.

"The survey's findings might be a bitter pill to swallow but it tells us who we really are behind the façade we show the world," said Sivanesan.
Asia Times

American Soldiers - Suicides

American soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a military report.

Irony :: Good news for Al Qaeda, they can get suicide bombers in America very easily.. :( [we heard about suicide bombers all this while, but here soldiers are committing suicides.. Oh Great America !! What the hell that you are giving to your soldiers which makes them to think its better to die than to live?? Hope my dear Butcher will respond soon...]

full story - courtesy: The Independent.

Suicide rate in US Army at highest in 26 years

By Leonard Doyle in Washington
Published: 17 August 2007

American soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a military report.

The suicides are occurring at a time when many soldiers are reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, including repeated flashbacks of combat experiences and other severe reactions.

But, with President George Bush demanding results and insurgents striking with greater success, an overstretched US Army has been extending the combat tours of soldiers in Iraq. It is also sending units back into action on a far more regular basis than was the case in the past.

The report found that there were 99 confirmed suicides among active-duty soldiers during 2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest since 102 suicides in 1991.

The suicides included 28 soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. About twice as many women serving in the wars committed suicide as those not sent to war, the report said.

The Army said "occupational/operational issues" as well as failed relationships, and legal and financial issues had led to the suicides. Not surprisingly, it did not speculate about the falling morale of US combat troops in the face of ongoing military failure in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Pentagon said there was "limited evidence" that repeated deployments were putting more of its soldiers at risk from suicide. Stretched thinly by nearly six years of fighting two wars, the Pentagon has extended normal tours of duty this year to 15 months from 12 and has sent some troops back to the wars several times.

The Army recorded 17.3 suicides per 100,000 soldiers in 2006, including two deaths still pending confirmation, up from 12.8 suicides per 100,000 soldiers the year before.

Last year, 30 of the 99 confirmed suicides occurred in war zones and, so far this year, 44 soldiers have committed suicide, including 17 in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

The number of suicides in 2006 marked the highest level since 1991, the time of the Gulf War, when the Army recorded 102 soldier suicides.

More than 1.5 million US troops have taken part in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. And the Army, the largest branch of the American military, frequently complains of being overstretched by multiple and extended deployments for its combat troops.

The suicide figures follow a string of studies showing an increase in mental-health problems among soldiers and other American troops. According to those studies, including an assessment by the Pentagon, the military has not provided adequate mental-health resources to its service members.

About 35 per cent of soldiers are seeking some kind of mental-health treatment a year after returning home and the Army routinely sends medical teams to the battlefront in Iraq to survey troops, their morale and related issues.

The Army, which has been heavily criticised for the poor facilities it provides returning soldiers, says it has revised training programs and bolstered suicide prevention. It has added some 25 per cent more psychiatrists and other mental-health professionals to its staff. It is also trying to teach all soldiers how to recognise mental-health problems in themselves and their comrades - and encourage them to seek help.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Tryst with Destiny

Happy Independence Day (swatantra Diwas).. Long Live India.. Mera Bhaarat Mahaan..

Dear Indians, happy to share this day with you all..
few special words from the first indian Prime Minister's first speech as a Prime Minister of Independent India..
i bet most of us never read it so far..

"Tryst with Destiny"

Punch Lines:

“ At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again. ”

Full Speech:

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.

That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.

And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this One World that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill-will or blaming others.
We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell. The appointed day has come-the day appointed by destiny-and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning-point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about.
It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed! We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrowstricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father of our Nation [Gandhi], who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us. We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.

Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death. We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good [or] ill fortune alike.

The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.

To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy. And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service. Jai Hind.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Gossips: Do u?

u wud ve followed every step in the following on how to not to get involved in gossiping, but there is no guarantee that u wont be ended up in some.. how tight lipped u r, how reserved u r, ppl can find a way of making stories.. why do they do?
why only abt u? why not abt others?

* If they feel that this gossip may bring u closer to them where currently u r not
* If they want to be ur intimate, or soulmate or some other thing, which they tried to be but failed
* If they want to impress someone with these stories
* If they dont ve much to do n find u so vulnerable
* If they want to avoid u n they r sure that this gossip will make it true
* If u had a fight with them n unfortunately they have a big mouth
* If u r becoming strong in ur area n they r jealous abt u
* If u r close to somebody whom they dont like
* If u ve a loose tongue [dont u ve? forget it.. :)]
* If ur presence is a threat to their position or career growth
* If ur boss is appreciating u infront of everyone, but they didnt get it even though they r senior or into the same job scope
* If ur circle of friends is growing n theirs going down (ofcourse, big mouths will ve to shut one day)

can keep adding these points.. pls find wht else cud be the reason if u r effected by some, if not clear "why?" post ur question n situation as a reply to this..

unless u r going to be deeply effected by these gossips on ur family n personal life.. reply those morons with one simple answer.. "I dont Care" ?? , sounds nice but better not to.. answer with " ", :) got me?, Silence.. just keep quiet, wait until they dig their own hole.. cause the more they r succeding in their gossips, the faster ppl will come to know the true colors, let them succeed.. if possible, help them to succeed.. :)

Now lets go n ve a detailed look on this..
******************************************
Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you.
A Spanish Proverb

Gossip can be found in just about every office. Some will say it’s just harmless fun but rarely is that the case. In fact, it’s a great way to destroy your own self confidence. Gossip is seductive though and it’s very easy to get caught up in it. But, have you ever thought about why you do it when you know you shouldn’t?

Here are the main reasons people gossip:
• It makes you feel more powerful or popular
• To attract attention and feel centre stage for a moment
• It makes you feel like you’re part of a group (bond with co-workers)
• To be seen as “in the know”
• Because you’re frustrated and just want to vent

In other words, we mostly gossip because we feel powerless and not in control of our current situation. Gossip is an attempt at gaining back that control. It’s also sometimes used as a way to boost your self confidence but it ends up doing the exact opposite. If you find that you do gossip, you need to take a look at what’s happening in your life. Do you feel like you’re powerless? What positive changes can you make? It’s important when you’re feeling out of control that you’re able to take action instead of only reacting to the events that occur in your life.

The other side of this is that if someone gossips to you, you need to ask, “why are they telling you this information?”. You’ll probably find that at least one of the above points will answer your question. This tells you a lot about the person who’s gossiping to you.

What Really Happens When You Gossip:

So, how destructive is gossip to you? Take a look at what happens when you gossip:
• You lose all credibility with your co-workers and people will no longer trust you. They’ll wonder what you’re saying about them to other people. They'll also feel if they tell you something in confidence, you may spread that information. Once you lose your integrity, it’s very hard to get it back.

• You may find that the person you gossiped to will go and tell the very person you talked about. Instant office conflict. Also, you’ll probably feel bad about saying those things in the first place. Or if you have gossiped in an email, other people could end up seeing that email (walk up behind the person when they’re reading it, it gets forwarded by mistake, etc.). Also, people tend to keep email forever so something you said 6 months ago may come back to haunt you.

• You’re going to worry about what others are saying about you. You end up making yourself paranoid when you probably don’t need to be.

• It creates conflict for no reason.

• It decreases the morale of your workplace which in turn will affect your own mind set.

• It cuts productivity; yours and others.

• You may end up wasting a lot of energy worrying about things that never happen (layoffs, change in staff positions).

• You get wrong information (could be very damaging depending on what you do with the information). Someone says “so and so said this about you.” It may not be true and now you have bad feelings about someone and a situation that may never have happened.

• It could affect your career prospects (if management knows that you gossip, they’re far more likely to pass you over for a promotion). Also, at some point in the future you may end up having to work for that person you gossiped about.

• Karma – remember the old saying, “what goes around, comes around”. When we spread rumours and gossip, it will end up coming back to hurt us.

• We usually end up creating a negative work environment and who needs that?

These are all things that end up damaging your self confidence.

Before You Gossip, Ask Yourself These Questions:

• Why are you doing it? (power play, to feel like you belong, to make yourself more popular)
If these are your reasons, then don’t do it. The wrong motives will lead you into trouble every time.
• Would you want other people to know that kind of information about you?
if you wouldn’t, then don’t say anything.

Usually it’s best to just “bite your tongue”. And the more often you resist the temptation of gossip, the easier it will get. Gossip is just not worth it.

How to Not Get Involved:

So, what do you do if you work in a gossip infested workplace? Here’s a couple of suggestions for the next time someone starts gossiping to you:

• Change the subject – try to have something else you can talk about. Make it a positive subject.

• Distraction techniques – "Hey, do you want to go get a coffee?” Get the person distracted on to something else.

• Don’t say anything – just let them finish and don’t say anything. They’ll quickly learn that you aren’t interested in gossiping.

• Tell the person – you can tell the person you’re not comfortable about talking about the particular subject. For example if someone is telling you about the latest rumour that your department is about to undergo staff cuts, you can say , “it’s a rumour. I don’t want to think about that until I know it’s true. I can handle whatever happens. It’s not worth worrying about things that may never happen.” Or if someone starts talking about someone else, you can say, “Let’s wait to discuss that until Joe can be here in person.”

Each time you avoid getting involved in gossip, the easier it will get. It’s the first couple of times that it will be a conscious effort to resist the temptation. It helps if you can remember the benefits you will gain by not slipping into this bad habit. You will find that your self confidence starts to improve greatly and people will have more respect for you. You’ll probably also find that you don’t waste anywhere near as much as time as you used to worrying about things that never come to pass. You’ll be able to focus on what’s important and what you want to accomplish in your life.

Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.
Gandhi

Stud - Sanjay Dutt

sent to jail for 6 yrs.. donno what the supreme court's verdict will b on his bail petition.. but bollywood will be missing a solid performer of his own style at dis age..

Actor Sanjay Dutt has begun his term in Pune’s Yerawada jail. That’s where Mahatma Gandhi also spent time during the freedom struggle and the Gandhi giri connection is for all to see.

If anything, life for Munna Bhai is going to be as simple as anything Gandhi ever advocated. Ashok Patil, deputy IG (Prisons), said that Sanjay is sharing the toilet and bathroom with other convicts. As far as the toilet’s cleanliness is concerned, Patil stated that there is no question of the toilets being dirty because the convicts take care of the hygiene aspect themselves.

Who all will be meeting Sanjay? Well, only those whose names have been given by Sanjay himself. As of now, the names are those of his sisters Priya and Namrata, their husbands Owen Roncon and Kumar Gaurav respectively, and friend Manyata.

Sanjay has been kept in a separate room because of security reasons, according to Patil, so that “other convicts do not harm him.” Will he be allowed home-cooked food? No, as of now. His meal timings, according to Patil, are morning tea at 6.30; breakfast at 8.30; lunch at 11.30 and dinner at 5 in the evening. The food is also cooked by the convicts themselves. He can be allowed home-cooked food, but only if the court grants him permission to do so.

Will he work inside the prison? Says Patil, “Although all convicts are expected to work, the authorities will take a call on this because of security reasons. He can play Munna Bhai and teach Gandhi giri to others in the jail. There is a library where he can read and also work. We are also organising entertainment programmes for inmates by Sanjay Dutt, which I am sure will be a big hit.”

courtesy: eenadu,times of india