Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson is no more. It has been long since he came up with any new albums but his death is like losing something you grew up with. Everyone knows Michael Jackson all around the world. The young in the 80s knew him because they liked his music and the old because the young did. To become a household name across cultures is surely no mean thing. Though people talk about his music and his legal troubles very few have spoken about Michael as a charitable person. Michael came to India and he did not charge anything for the concert. The concert was a lot of money but he did it for charity. He truly was generous. We grew up with his pictures always in magazines and newspapers. And boy! Did he stand out in a crowd! Michael has entertained with music and antics for a long time now. He will be missed.

Now every bit of music from Michael is valuable because it is certain that there will be no more. Michael sure was an entertainer and his job as an entertainer transcended his life. What lives of a man after he is dead is all that really mattered to others but very little to him. It is sad that such a good looking person spend a lifetime improving his appearance. There was no need for it but all that adulation from the crowds still did not convince him of that simple truth because of some childhood hurt is truly sad. Michael Jackson more than anybody else proved that no matter how he looked or what he did his talent endures.

Michael Jackson will rest in peace only when justice is done to him. I am surprised at how much I am affected by his death. It feels like some kind of personal loss. Musicians touch your soul more than you know they did.

Math books

As I finish writing my first math textbook I suddenly realize that there are no math textbooks written by women. In all my math career I have not read a math textbook written by a woman. It is strange indeed! Considering the thousands of intelligent women getting a PhD in math around the world it is strange that hardly any woman writes math books. Something surely is wrong here.

NRIs

The non resident Indians are growing in numbers. Every time you are in India there are people after you asking to invest your hard earned money in all sorts of schemes and causes. But for many years a NRI cannot vote, can be deported, and has to work awfully hard to keep a job etc. But there is not much sympathy or concern because you are supposed to be loaded with money. Time to burst some myths. Also it is time that India that asks NRIs to invest in India also do something to protect these investments. There is a growing feeling that NRIs are asked to invest only so that Indians in India can enjoy NRI investments. Actually there is a lingo called "Fleece the NRI".

Progress

Holding back the progress of women is holding back the progress of society. To let go of the familiar is difficult but is the best course to adopt. Everyone wants to be part of the mass humanity be it a man or a woman.

Dressing up

President Sarkozy do not approve of burqas. Perhaps he will next assign fashion designers to dictate what muslim women in France will wear. Will he stop there or will he dictate what all French women will wear? I wonder what proper dressing is for the French president. Perhaps the first lady of France is his ideal and we shall say nothing more about it. Is he trying to make first class citizens of perceived second class citizens or make second class citizens of regular citizens is the big question. Strangely enough its easier to ban burqas in countries with a muslim majority than in others.

Useless buildings

Catholics are increasingly forgetting this teaching from the bible. The way the church extracts money from people (especially poor people) to build big church buildings is surely not pleasing to god.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
—Matthew 18:20

Creating jobs

Government cannot create jobs, people do. But confidence in the country's leadership is what helps people do it. In other words conditions are right to prosper when there is a good government.

Questions of a democracy

An election result is challenged then there are processes in a democracy to prove fairness like a court judge or recounting. One cannot get worked up about protests unless there is reason to be. Otherwise countries should do away with elections all together and save some money.

No matter what happens in Iran Ahmedjan's leadership is undermined forever. Now when he talks in world forums people will wonder whether he is talking for the Iranian people or for the clergy. That is the power of protests in a democracy. If he desires credibility then he has to prove by some democratic means that the elections were indeed fair.

The leader

The world watches Suu Kyi in jail. But if she is meant to lead she will lead herself out of jail. It is not enough to protest but protesting to victory is the true sign of a leader. We all want to "learn to win" not just "learn to try to win".

Recession

Economic depressions is not only about pockets but about minds. People just lose their desire to go out and give it a shot. It is more like nothing is going to work and all effort is useless. Maybe people must just get out and get busy with something. That might lift up spirits and hopefully the economy.

Domestic help abuse

It is bad enough people are poor but they are starved of dignity. The treatment of maid servants in India is derogatory. I do not think there are any laws in India that protect their rights for they have none. Though they are equal to anyone else for they can vote in a democracy. Young maid servants are beaten and assaulted and they are afraid to speak out to the society that has ill served them. It is high time such things stopped. How human beings live in derogatory conditions and do nothing about it is a topic of its own and something I constantly wrestle with.

Peace

Israel finally agrees to a two state solution. That is good. Jerusalem is now going to be a problem. Perhaps Jerusalem must given away to the united nations. A holy land is creating a whole lot of unholy problems. But Jerusalem must stay secular because a lot of people all over the world like to visit there.

Spirit of the game

In a game people lose otherwise games make no sense to play. If the outcome is predetermined a game need not be played. But India losing in cricket is a tough one for people. Dhoni's playing out of turn is not working. Dhoni finds out now that with great love comes a lot of criticism. To be placed on a pedestal is heady but always ends in bitterness.

Not funny

Jokes that involve children even children of celebrities are not funny. It is in poor taste. Leave children out of media muck.

Kashmir

One cannot divide countries geographically on the basis of religion. The west who governed most of the world at one time happily divided the world along the most flimsy lines. They have not tasted their own medicine yet. Jewish people were exported off Europe when they sought land based on their religious beliefs. Kashmir is an integral part of India and if it breaks away from India because of religion, minorities in other parts of the country will face problems because of no fault of theirs. It is clear that a land belongs to a country and the army will defend it. If you do not like it then you need to move to other places.

But then the question is does the majority inflict suffering on people who follow minority religion in an area. If this is happening we need human rights watch dogs and United nation surveillance. No, minority abuse is not a matter of internal affairs just like domestic violence. It is a crime and must be dealt with as such.

Reservations for women

Indian men are up in arms against women reservations for job posts in India. I say women do not need any reservations and reservations are an insult. A Woman is a multi tasker and usually better than a man doing the same work. In fact jobs are reserved for women to provide eye candy for men. I say talented women need no reservation.

The internet

China is implementing screening software on the internet to save its youth and that is a good thing. Way to go China! In the name of freedom of speech a lot of muck is served to youngsters that is fast changing drawing room culture and relationships. It is time for law makers to really sit down and look at the effect internet has on people's lives both good and bad. China has reasons to worry after facing the opium war yesteryears they obviously do not want an internet war.

With freedom comes responsibility.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Respectful Memories

The Jewish people have memorials for their dead everywhere. And every big leader visits it. That is the powerful influence of the Jewish people. Now fellow muslims are dying everywhere for many causes. They have protested injustice in ways they understand best. Not always in the most elegant manner. But protests were and are absolutely necessary under the conditions. Time for them to get their memorials too. Speeches do not give one respect no matter who gives them. If muslims do not learn to respect themselves no one will.

Hardening of hearts

Sometimes you watch people's behavior and wonder how they are so heartless. And you look in to their history and see that their hearts have hardened over time. There is sound reason in the past to their irrational behavior today. And sometimes outsiders do not linger long enough to see who the real victims are. Victims alternate in the history of time again and again. The Israeli-Palestine conflict is an example. And so if your heart is soft and kind then be glad that you have not been victimized yet. Or if you have been a victim, its best to realize that a soft heart is a real treasure to own than not.

Beautiful speech

Beautiful speech by President Obama in Cairo. A beautiful place too for the beautiful speech. America now has an educated leadership and hopefully soon it will be safe for Americans to traverse the world like the good old days. Educated is not the same as literate and I am glad Obama is educated. With so much good sense it is hard for America to not do well.

The great divide

The world gets divided more and more each day. Australians would not travel to Pakistan to play cricket because they did not feel safe enough. And now Australia is not safe at all for people from that part of the world. I wonder how international games will be played if the world gets divided thus. And so all of us will look for a country where everyone can feel safe.

Education

Now some people in India want to have foreign institutions opening schools in India. Of course Indians for a long time have given importance to an education from overseas. This is because during the British rule most people went to London for further studies. But there is added value in a foreign degree because of the travel involved. It is travel that makes a person wiser than the one who did not. So a degree from a foreign university in India will never be as popular as the one from foreign shores. What might work and is quite desirable is collaborating universities that allow students to travel to many countries. Purchasing knowledge that really matters rather than learning a offbeat curriculum is a far better thing to do. And now if traveling to a different country makes one want to migrate then that is something one cannot help. People choose what works best for them.

Shameful

Attack on Indian students in Australia are really shameful. Scholars like athletes travel the word to match their wits and skills. There are unspoken rules of treating scholars fairly and when these rules are broken it is truly disgusting. Imagine a country inviting brilliant students to their universities to simply eliminate them. It sounds monstrous and that is how Australia appears to Indian scholars around the globe.

But like many firsts the Indian students have gathered together and peacefully demanded justice. I must say I am proud to have Indian origins when I see such things. That is all that is needed. No special treatment nor promises of additional security. But plain justice suffices plenty.