Arrest He Who Speaks! (by Naman Saklecha)

The deal with Congress, Anna and the Lok Pal Bill is very clear. Tyranny has virtually struck our country, and before we knew it, police (having not much power or soundness of their own) started arresting innocent citizens, including 11 year old kids for protesting against the corrupt. It was foreseen that the corrupt would react, but it was not foreseen that they would react in the most childish ways.
 
I was thinking that they would plot some moves, or moreover give in to the Lok Pal; but their strategy seems different. I mean, I used to give them the credit of being politicians (and hence be political about their moves), but these people, as I realize come from a different root. The reason why they have managed to earn this power and this ton of money was not because they are more intelligent or shrewder than you or me. It is simply because our laws want them to be corrupt, and hence it has always been difficult for the ordinary / honest person to even approach these positions because the basic criteria is not education / past background / a test to check your knowledge of the country or the people; the basic need is to be heartless and the courage to ruin and destroy the people (let go infrastructure and other institutions) who are their brothers and sisters and are sometimes at the brim of death.
 
The way corruption has grown in our country we have started to feel that we cannot live without it. This feeling is very legitimate as every single person, from bottom to top is corrupt. Hence any work you have to get done, which usually is legit (unless you are in some real illegal stuff), takes longer, is sloppier, and the rude environment is so overwhelming that you’d rather be outside the passport office gate, pay 200 bucks and get the most expedite delivery of your passport. Yes I will not deny being corrupt. I will, however, deny being corrupt since Anna’s movement.  
 
Many people, even from the general public fear the Jan Lok Pal Bill. Their fears, as what I believe are very short termed. It reminds me of what Sarkar (yes Bollywood again) once said, “Pas ke fayede ko nahi, door ke nuksaan ko dekho”.
The public fears things like – how will they bribe a cop if the Lok Pal Bill is passed.
Well let me bring light to this: without corruption many more entrepreneurs will rise who cannot, due to the 7 million permissions needed before a bribe (none after). There will be a better education system where only the necessary quota will be applied (no “management” quota as Jai Hind taught me), you can commute faster from one place to another given that the nexus between road developers (aka Mahavir Road Construction) will break, and there will be plenty more roads built. Builders can’t build buildings at the dividers, again increasing a half an hour for you to get to work, and the biggest of all, the commodity prices of your foods and every single molecule of air you breath will not go up the days Sharad Pawar has a bad hair day. There are many things, and moreover these things are not just bogus – they are in the open, and not one individual from the public is unaware of these issues. There is only one problem left. us.
 
We all need to get out of our comfort zones, quit whatever we can and more, add your count to the movement, and I want to see how the government denies us our right. Every single individual that adds to this will strengthen the movement; will strengthen our shot at getting this done at the earliest. Let me also correct those who doubt the power of one individual: Anna Hazare! The biggest example. At this long weekend of holidays I want your support at as many rallies as you can attend. I want each rally to look like a Godzilla from the top that is going to inhale the government in one shot if it wants to. These rallies will only be peaceful as they always have been. I have been arrested and have gone to jail, and it was more than peaceful the way we went about it (pics and videos below). Infact we cooperated so much that the cops did not even have to as much touch us to put us in the police vans. We ran in and refused to come out. We helped the police fill in registrations for new inmates as there were 20 cops and 700 inmates… I can understand the difficulty they faced. Finally they had to beg us (I’m not exaggerating now) to leave as the “Azad” Maidan Jail (as my friends like to call it) was packed.
 
The gist of this article is: the country needs you. Come to rally and help as much as you can, and you will see how satisfying that is.
Inquilab Zindabad!

Author: Naman Saklecha

COLD WATER gives you what half hour of Cardio does

I can't wait to go to McDonald's to try out their new Spicy McChicken or whatever it is called. I love food, but unfortunately for me, my metabolism doesn't. Its absolutely unfair when I see my friends hogging as much, as little active as me, but yet not piling on weight like I am in final year of Med school. 

Coming to the point, some experiment has pointed out that drinking 2 litres of chilled cold water through the day will help you burn 100 additional calories. As I believe all the research and experiments that seem right and convenient to me, I chose to believe this as well. My advice to every one - drink ONLY cold water. 

Lets quantify my advice and the experiment findings now:

A friend joined a gym recently, primarily for weight loss which cost him Rs.20000 per annum.

On an average, he goes to the gym 4 days a week, does Cardio for an average of half hour, floor exercises for 10-15 minutes, and no weights because he had a fracture recently, burning about 350 calories per session. 

Now assuming he is sincere through out the year (which I'm sure he won't be):

Calorie loss in one year = 72800 kcals

Cost per 100 calories burnt = Rs.28

Time spent = 12480 minutes

Water method:

Calorie loss in one year = 36500 kcals

Cost per 100 calories burnt = Rs.0

Time spent = 0 minutes

Final result:

Follow my advice to lose 50.1% calories of an average one hour weight loss work out at the gym, but at the same time, also save money (Rs. 10020) and time (6252 minutes) calculated per annum. 

The Indian blogger 'discovers' how to make a BPL citizen earn 16666% more

 Going through the RTI website, researchers at The Indian Blogger have put into place a new employment generation scheme for our Below poverty level brothers and sisters.

When people above the poverty line apply for a Right to Information, they are charged for the filing. Charges are minimal but can be about Rs.50 for an average application. More detailed information is charged higher, at Rs. 5 per half hour spent by the official to research on the desired information, and Rs. 2 per page of information given to you.

So where's the earning opportunity for the BPL citizens? Like many of the social schemes in our country, this 'right' is free for them as well. Individuals below the poverty line don't have to pay any fee for a RTI.

That means, if they do 20 applications on behalf of individuals and give a 50% discount to all, its 500 bucks for a day's work! This is 16666% of the threshold for the poverty line*. 

Well done Anna, but can you and I change as well?

 People are pissed off. Very pissed off. We hear of corruption scams coming to light every single day. Politicians, bureaucrats, government staff. We pay bribes everyday - like its normal. And yes it is normal for us. 

One man decided to get up and act. Anna Hazare fasted for the Lok Pal bill, and unlike what many thought, he ended his fast successfully. The entire country, patriotic post World Cup, stood behind up and the media gave the movement all the coverage possible, and the Government gave in. War won? No, battle won. 

So this is a start. The intention of Anna is great. But how great is the Lokpal bill?

Based on what I've read, it creates regional and central Lokpal / Lokayuktas. Anyone citizen except a government servant can lodge corruption and related complaints against politicians, ministers, MPs, other non political government officials, and so on. The complaints have to be addressed within 6 months, and the concerned person will be fined equal to the amount of loss the country has suffered, along with imprisonment for the crime. 

Now it does look great on paper, but the journey has just begun. It will be interesting to see how the Lokpal bill keeps a check on the corruption amongst the Lokpals. We certainly don't want a new set of non political citizens who we have to pay additional bribe to. It will defeat the purpose completely, if corruption can't be checked at that level. 

In the name of patriotism, have we laid the seeds of something worse? I hope not.

Comparisons are being made, equating the Lokpal system to be autonomous like the Election Commission, or the Indian Judiciary. We all know how 'transparent' and 'non corrupt' they have been despite of being autonomous. 

Mr. Murthy says corruption does effect investments in the country. And of course it does, corruption is universal here, and we are all part of it. Right from the mega scams like the Rajas and the Kalmadis that hurt the country the most, to the 50 rupees to the hawaldar that you and I give while breaking a signal. All of us pay bribes, how ever small it is. Can you and I break the habit first? Its difficult to pay a 300 rupee fine for lane cutting, when you can get away by paying 20%. Its 80% off and we all love sales!

I guess we all have to answer, is small corruption also corruption?

the larger hearts theorem.

 Our journey to the cup wasn't very straight forward. We had to beat the teams to beat in the world cup to get up there. Australia. Pakistan. Sri Lanka.

Many of us were extremely pleased with what Pakistan's bad boy turned hero Shaheed Afridi had to say about his experience playing at Mohali during the presentation ceremony. He was cheered by the crowd - perhaps as much as MSD. We were happy. 

  

What came a few days later, shocked people on both sides of the border. "In my opinion, if I have to tell the truth, they (Indians) will never have hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. I don't think they have the large and clean hearts that Allah has given us," Afridi said during a talk show on Samaa news channel when he was asked about relations between the two countries. 

"It is a very difficult thing for us to live with them (Indians) or to have long-term relationship with them. Nothing will come out of talks. See how many times in the past 60 years we have had friendship and then how many times things have gone bad," he said as the audience in the TV channel's studio applauded him repeatedly. 

Afridi has to his disposal a country of loyal followers. He has an enormous following in India as well. Given the sour relations between the two countries, and the fact that a new series of talks had just begun, one would expect the Pakistani captain to be as mature as he was on the pitch while captaining the team to the Semis. It shows that maturity on the pitch does not translate into maturity off it.

All it would take is one positive statement. What did he have to lose in it? Would you ever expect Sachin Tendulkar to talk like that? I would be shocked if he would because I look at him with more respect than just a cricketing legend.

Giving trash to the Indian media was fine. All of us would run to back Afridi up for that. But why the religion card? Aren’t our leaders enough to play the religion card? People listen to you Afridi, don’t humiliate yourself.

Dear Afridi, the last time I checked, we have more Muslim brothers in India than in Pakistan. #largehearts

#isn'tsportareligion?

We are the CHAMPIONS - 1/6th of the world is celebrating!

No country can win a final in Wankhede against him. No country can break his dream in his own backyard. "He has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years," Kohli said, "It was high time we carried him around on our shoulders."

Sri Lanka was good, but India was better. This Indian team is different. It relies on no singular performance. It attacks like a pack of hungry wolves. Imagine a world cup tournament. And now imagine a team who has the balls to leave out a player who can ruin any bowling attack - Yusuf Pathan. Now think again - imagine the bloody talent of the team, that Yusuf Pathan does not find a place for himself in the playing 11. And yes, that team won it for Sachin. They won it for us, all the 1,210,193,422 of us.

The final was worthy of being a final. Sri Lanka elected to bat, and despite some great early bowling, they managed to make 274, all thanks to a splendid innings by the veteran - Mahela Jayawardhane. He followed the orders of his wife and held the Sri Lankan innings together despite of wickets falling on the other end.

The chase was brilliant. Some brilliant batting by Gambhir, Dhoni and Virat. Gambhir's mud - stained jersey proved Surf excel's claim 'Daag ache hain' and the Delhi boy took India through with the captain.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was his old self finally. He was cool, he knew he had to hang in there, and he lead from the front. He never let the pressure build up despite the wickets, he knew he had to shut his critics up. The T20 world cup, number one side in tests, the IPL trophy, the Champions League winner, this captain had done it all, except this. And he achieved that in style with a wonderful straight batted six for the winning runs. 

India won it for Sachin. No country has won a world cup on its own soil, not until now. And India did it after beating the best sides in the world. First ending the sledge regime in the quarters, then humbly outplaying its neighbor in the semis, and finally, crushing Sri Lanka despite their good show. 

Mitul Damani - SL ko WC jeetne ki kya aukad hai, woh to apne map ke sath bhi free atha hai!

Bhavesh Sanghvi - When the earth's tectonic plate movement created Sri Lanka, it purposely gave it a tear drop shape in anticipation of April 2, 2011.

What followed the winning runs was more spectacular than the whole World Cup journey. Sachin and the team performed the famous victory lap. The crowd was mad anyways, it got even better. Virat, Yusuf, Raina and everyone else took turns to carry Sachin around on their shoulders. It was the most important day in his life. He now has everything that one could get as a cricketer. He is the most successful cricketer in the history of the sport, and you and I know it that no one can ever exceed that. There were many legends, but no one was loved as much as Sachin. "We won it for Sachin" said an emotional Harbhajan as the entire crowd silenced to hear him speak. 

Every one was in tears. Yuvi, Bhajji, Virat, Raina, Munaf, Zaheer, Sehwag, Gauti. And of course, the legend himself - Sachin Tendulkar. "These are happy tears, I don't mind them." My father was in tears at home as well, and he was in tears after listening to the All India radio back in 1983. The nation was in tears. 1 AM at Marine Drive was totally insane. Hundreds of thousands of fans cheering for their country, it was bigger than anything I have ever seen - 10 people stuffed inside every car waving flags while halfway outside the windows - singing Vande Mataram. 

News channels have already started talking about Sachin's retirement. What they are forgetting and what all of us can see is that he yet bats like he's 17. He's in amazing form and NO Indian fan wants him to retire. Personally, I think he's fit enough and young enough to be able to play in the 2015 edition as well. Sachin CANNOT leave us right now, we wont let it happen.

The era of Dhoni and his men has now begun and is here to stay. We are the lucky generation that has seen magic repeat itself after 1983. The World Cup is no small thing. Only 14 nations take part - but at least 1/6th of the World is watching it every time India plays. 

Cricket is more than just cricket for us. Its about standing for a common cause. Its about being united irrespective of where you're born (# the Thackerays) or what you do or how much you earn or where you go to pray. Its about praying to one God that day, and all of us know who I'm talking about. A text I read doing the rounds said, Dear Mr. Thackeray, a Punjabi lad, a Jharkhand captain, and a Delhi boy won us the world cup at Mumbai, and dedicated it to a Marathi LEGEND.

Talking about world cricket, perhaps the only non choker in South Africa - Gary Kirsten. He was there when we were down and out in 2007, and he changed it for us. Thank you Sir, you will be missed.

The lamest thing I've heard after the victory (and no, it hasn't come from India TV) is Poonam Pandey's statement. She says she'll do her 'show' at Paris IF the BCCI allows her to. C'mon Pandey ji, its like Afridi asking Shiv Sena if he can inaugurate the Metro rail in Mumbai.  

What about growing up now? #manmohan #gilani

Yes the semi final match was amazing. People called it bigger than the finals and it did live up to our expectations, Sachin didn't look in great touch, but got the runs never the less. What differentiated the two teams is of course, that Kamran Akmal's team mates joined him in his fielding efforts, one catch after the other. As I read somewhere, Tendulkar was 85/6 when he got out.

Having said that, Shaheed Afridi and his boys showed great responsibility and sportsmanship. They were reciprocated our team as well. The crowd at Mohali cheered as much for Shaheed Afridi as for MSD.

Lets see if our politicians and the masses that they influence stop acting like kids and move on, its been 60+ years of hatred with people who share the same culture and history as us.

Both countries would be so much better off if they would concentrate on what they're doing wrong while ruling the parts they already have.

It pays off to be a good cook!

I've been getting texts everyday quoting 35000 for a 3500 Sachin Tendulkar stand tickets. 1000% of the original price. People are definitely buying tickets at these prices, the stocks are rolling, people are getting leave from work, schools and colleges shutting down early, major surgeries being postponed like its shoe bite, the country is definitely feeling good.

So all the mad rush about the tickets and the game in Mumbai, but we've heard President Pratibha Patil has 65 VVIP seats reserved for her. That amounts to Rs. 1 crore in tickets.

A spokesperson for the president said, "Of course she deserves the ticket, she's India's President." Asked if he knows that unlike the United States, India's 'real' head of state is the Prime Minister (or in our case, the leader of the party - Sonia Ji), the spokesperson promptly replied, "You see, our madam has two credits to her name. President toh theek hai, she was head cook for Indira Gandhi. Now you won't question her status, will you?"

The way to the country's ruling seat is through the Gandhi clan's stomach it seems. It definitely pays off exceedingly well to be a good cook.

Nomads with a USG machine

Its match day and I'm super excited. As a morning ritual, I was going through the Times of India to see the pre-match review (like it matters) when I came across this.

India has 914 girl children per 1000 boy children. Every year we have 86 girls missing from India's hospitals and wombs per 1000 males. This is crazy! More than crazy, its scary.

No one seems to do anything about it. Just a few days back, 3-4 doctors from Haryana were in jail for sex selection. Thats too little! It happens in every corner of the country.

Its high time we seriously do something about it. We are awaiting results from the Silent observers practicing districts. You can have hundreds of laws like PNDT, its not going to matter if this continues.

What are we? Is it really the world's fastest growing developing economy if we cant take care of our little girls? Are we nomads with a USG machine?

What I 'really' need before the finals

India TV and Aaj Tak never fail to deliver. They are the pioneers

to 'great' Indian reporting.

Talking about the world cup, all other channels including ESPN Star Sports, NDTV and the likes have been disappointing in satisfying the Indian viewer. On the other hand, India TV and Aaj Tak have delivered what all of us 'really' need.

Thank you India TV for having Mr. Arshad Warsi tell us what he thinks will happen in the match, who is the better side, and how should MS Dhoni lead his team. Aaj Tak quickly had another Bollywood celebrity, Rajpal Yadav share his thoughts on the finals. Very inspiring.

What I really need before Sachin's last match in the World Cups, and by far, one of the most important matches that he has ever played or will ever play, is Arshad Warsi talking about stroke play.

#idontknowwhattheywilltaketoSTFU

Indian census: New Indian birth control

So the census numbers are out. The census has a few positives and persisting negatives.

While the population growth rate has steadily declined, which is an amazing sign, the sex ratio continues to be a constant worry. Sex ratio below 6 years shows out of every 100, there are 52.24 male children.

A Times of India article a few days back said there would be 20% more males than females by 2030. A Government spokesperson confirmed the estimate, and said, "Our Government is doing absolutely NOTHING about this, as we are seeing the bigger picture that the world is not. Falling sex ratio is India's way of birth control. We can't do a China after the Rajiv Gandhi incident, so this is the next best alternative."

While the Government is doing little for the falling sex ratio, there are a few brave programs that address preconceptional / gestational diagnostics (Ultrasonography and the likes)

You can Read about Silent observers in practice at Kolhapur and Sangli.

And here's a link to the census data.