Yet again, around 20 people killed and a few hundreds injured in bombay.
The Home Minister of the country in his first address after the incident, comes out and says, "Not an Intelligence failure".
Huh ? What do you mean Sir ? You mean to say the intelligence personnel were actually successful ?
He further explains "no intelligence input to state or central agencies" !
Well do you folks sit and expect Intelligence to be served on a platter ??
It is gathered Mr.Chidambaram, thats why its Intelligence and not news.
You have miserably failed and so have all the intelligence wings. Get that straight, please!
and also that they had kept the city safe for 31 months, commendable indeed eh ?
Very very sick, complacent and imbecile comments by someone who is responsible for over a billion people's security. This feeling is shared by not just many sick politicians, but fellow citizens. That terrorism is acceptable, that not much can be done. NO, it is not acceptable, there is no compromise.
We are not Pakistan to accept this, we are not Somalia, Uganda or Columbia ! We are India ! the 4th Largest Economy in the world, an emerging Super Power. The world acknowledges this fact, why don't we, why do we act like we are a powerless puppet state where tribal leaders are the true rulers.
Yes they got WTC, they bombed London Underground, but what happened since then ? You make them pay, you make them bleed, so that they know they can't take it for granted. You go out to your countrymen and say "No matter where you are, we'll come and get you" and then go do it ! Barack Obama's speech after killing Osama bin Laden
That is what we want, not an excuse.
Terrorists are human too and they definitely fear death and punishment. At least the ones who are on top definitely do, that's why they send teenage retards to go out as schoolboys as suicide bombers and not themselves. But, with India, they don't need to fear at all, because all Mr. Chidambaram will do is warn them, and then warn them again.
When they strike, he will wimp out saying, "It is not my fault, we didnt get intelligence". Does he mean we didnt get the usual stuff western powers grind and toil to obtain and then pass on ?
It is indeed shameful that we never 'ACT'. Some people will shed tears, some others will walk with candles, most others would think, that's Bombay, my city is safe. Media will ride the wave and make money, why doesn't anybody (people who are heard) have the courage to ask Mr. P. Chidambaram what does he mean he has not failed and that things have been fine for 31 months.
We just keep letting our brothers down, we have no resolve, we have no courage. What use are the 126 Multi role Combat Aircraft and the Aircraft Carriers ? How would they save us from this threat ? We need to change our focus, make the effort, make the investments, find the perpetrators and PUNISH them.
Today, am ashamed to be Indian.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Retro Cricket
Every now and then, there is the question of 'Has Protective Gear for Batsman' changed cricket ?
Eh ? Ofcourse !! Anyone who has doubts,
please watch Fire in Babylon -That's just the trailer, strongly recommend the movie for any cricket fan, I mean ones who watch Tests.
I must say, no matter how interesting it is to watch Viru tear the new ball open, the pinnacle of Test cricket is great fast bowling and this is being greatly reduced, thanks to the protective gear and the silly rules about number of bouncers.
I have great respect for the batsmen of previous era, who had to face the likes of Lille-Thomson, Holding, Roberts, Joel, Marshall, etc etc on pitches that were far from the sick, docile, batsman friendly pitches that are served out in all parts of the world (at least for all limited overs cricket)
Recently, I have been watching matches on youtube(even if I could watch it on my big Tele) because of the insanely funny comments. On a serious note though, most of these people have no idea what Test cricket is about and think 'Its just Natural' to be able to play short pitch bowling, i mean good fast short pitch bowling on bouncy pitches.
NO IT IS NOT ! I can assure you that not one batsman who has played some proper cricket at a decent level would say, "I have absolutely no fear for fast bowlers". Every sane batsman does ! That is what is Natural ! Its like stones(not much exaggeration, new balls are very very hard) being hurled at your face at 140 kms an hour ? You d be comfortable ? NO
Having put that into perspective, its just remarkable to see the courage batsmen of yesteryears put together, who faced that batting with little or no protective gear.
"Courage is not knowing fear, its how you face it" - exactly what they showed, GUTS and WITS (not so much by those who chose not to wear helmets after they were available, eg. Sir Vivian Richards)
But, I really wish I was born in the 70s / 80s, of all the cool retro things, retro cricket is just out of the world. I wish I saw Mohinder Amarnath hook his way to Glory against a top-class WIndies attack after rushing back from Hospital with stitches after being hit on the head. I wish I saw Lillee and Thomson thump everyone out, Tony Greig and team Grovel after his snide remark and the Little Master (Sunil Gavaskar- Hey I hate your commentary !!) sway out of line of a vicious bouncer with ease.
Helmet, arm guard, chest guard, thigh guard, etc? Modern day batsmen are like Medieval Knights with Plate Armour against amateur bowmen. Very Unfair ! Even I stand a chance (read - to survive, not bat) against an 80s Windies attack with such gear. Pitches need to be even more lively, but their quality only decline.
Finally, an extremely cliched point. If India need good fast bowlers and batsman who can play fast short bowling we need better pitches and fewer IPL numbnuts !
P.S. I am not complaining about protective gear, I d have been mauled myself a couple times without it, but for those who played without it, I have enormous respect !
Eh ? Ofcourse !! Anyone who has doubts,
please watch Fire in Babylon -That's just the trailer, strongly recommend the movie for any cricket fan, I mean ones who watch Tests.
I must say, no matter how interesting it is to watch Viru tear the new ball open, the pinnacle of Test cricket is great fast bowling and this is being greatly reduced, thanks to the protective gear and the silly rules about number of bouncers.
I have great respect for the batsmen of previous era, who had to face the likes of Lille-Thomson, Holding, Roberts, Joel, Marshall, etc etc on pitches that were far from the sick, docile, batsman friendly pitches that are served out in all parts of the world (at least for all limited overs cricket)
Recently, I have been watching matches on youtube(even if I could watch it on my big Tele) because of the insanely funny comments. On a serious note though, most of these people have no idea what Test cricket is about and think 'Its just Natural' to be able to play short pitch bowling, i mean good fast short pitch bowling on bouncy pitches.
NO IT IS NOT ! I can assure you that not one batsman who has played some proper cricket at a decent level would say, "I have absolutely no fear for fast bowlers". Every sane batsman does ! That is what is Natural ! Its like stones(not much exaggeration, new balls are very very hard) being hurled at your face at 140 kms an hour ? You d be comfortable ? NO
Having put that into perspective, its just remarkable to see the courage batsmen of yesteryears put together, who faced that batting with little or no protective gear.
"Courage is not knowing fear, its how you face it" - exactly what they showed, GUTS and WITS (not so much by those who chose not to wear helmets after they were available, eg. Sir Vivian Richards)
But, I really wish I was born in the 70s / 80s, of all the cool retro things, retro cricket is just out of the world. I wish I saw Mohinder Amarnath hook his way to Glory against a top-class WIndies attack after rushing back from Hospital with stitches after being hit on the head. I wish I saw Lillee and Thomson thump everyone out, Tony Greig and team Grovel after his snide remark and the Little Master (Sunil Gavaskar- Hey I hate your commentary !!) sway out of line of a vicious bouncer with ease.
Helmet, arm guard, chest guard, thigh guard, etc? Modern day batsmen are like Medieval Knights with Plate Armour against amateur bowmen. Very Unfair ! Even I stand a chance (read - to survive, not bat) against an 80s Windies attack with such gear. Pitches need to be even more lively, but their quality only decline.
Finally, an extremely cliched point. If India need good fast bowlers and batsman who can play fast short bowling we need better pitches and fewer IPL numbnuts !
P.S. I am not complaining about protective gear, I d have been mauled myself a couple times without it, but for those who played without it, I have enormous respect !
Friday, July 1, 2011
MGR..Rajnikanth....Optimus Prime ??
Watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon last night in a typical Rajni movie ambience. Right from the word go, it was Intense- no not the movie, the crowd, their excitement. The last time I felt this was while watching Endhiran
Hero Worship seems to be inherent in our blood. People might argue gone are the days of invincible heroes like MGR and Rajnikanth, I doubt it- current generation Kollywood has simply not produced another hero of that stature, so what do we do we turn to Hollywood and from the reactions of crowds in the recent years, I strongly believe Optimus Prime is the front runner.
Optimus Prime is a typical Indian hero character and I can immediately associate him with MGR.
Humble, Honest, Extremely Patriotic, Sentimental, a fighter even if he isnt the best, etc..
Only difference is that he is not made of flesh and blood and is from another planet.
Westerners might love the brash, cool, arrogant Invincible hero, but we prefer a Fighter, a true spirited Fighter. That's where Optimus Prime edges out of competition.
The Movie:
I feel bad that CGI technology is improving brilliantly bringing such visual treat, but its rare that there are great scripts to match it up.
Transformers 3 is another typical case, some scenes are just out of the world, especially because of 3D. Some brilliant sequences, but overall not such a gripping screenplay. Most of the first half of the movie is wasted around Sam Witwicky's personal life, who cares a damn ? Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a disappointment, reminds me of Cameron Diaz though- a young Cameron Diaz with a nose job gone wrong.
One nice thing the series retain is the Human element, that we are part of the fight, that's what makes this our story, not two alien races just fighting each other, but Sam and his girlfriend running through the battelefield is getting increasingly annoying.
However, must appreciate that the producers kept us guessing about what how Optimus would come back to kick ass, movie could have been shorter and more intense. Must agree with the current IMDB score of around 7.
Hero Worship seems to be inherent in our blood. People might argue gone are the days of invincible heroes like MGR and Rajnikanth, I doubt it- current generation Kollywood has simply not produced another hero of that stature, so what do we do we turn to Hollywood and from the reactions of crowds in the recent years, I strongly believe Optimus Prime is the front runner.
Optimus Prime is a typical Indian hero character and I can immediately associate him with MGR.
Humble, Honest, Extremely Patriotic, Sentimental, a fighter even if he isnt the best, etc..
Only difference is that he is not made of flesh and blood and is from another planet.
Westerners might love the brash, cool, arrogant Invincible hero, but we prefer a Fighter, a true spirited Fighter. That's where Optimus Prime edges out of competition.
The Movie:
I feel bad that CGI technology is improving brilliantly bringing such visual treat, but its rare that there are great scripts to match it up.
Transformers 3 is another typical case, some scenes are just out of the world, especially because of 3D. Some brilliant sequences, but overall not such a gripping screenplay. Most of the first half of the movie is wasted around Sam Witwicky's personal life, who cares a damn ? Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a disappointment, reminds me of Cameron Diaz though- a young Cameron Diaz with a nose job gone wrong.
One nice thing the series retain is the Human element, that we are part of the fight, that's what makes this our story, not two alien races just fighting each other, but Sam and his girlfriend running through the battelefield is getting increasingly annoying.
However, must appreciate that the producers kept us guessing about what how Optimus would come back to kick ass, movie could have been shorter and more intense. Must agree with the current IMDB score of around 7.
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