So Much to Lose..

When stupidity is louder than common sense
When instead of sleeping safe, we prefer awakening tense
When we disagree not to defend principles but to bring people down
When compromising is viewed as a weakness and its powerful that frown

New lows threatening genuine goodness linger
Yes, it's easier to have discussions now, just point that finger
What doesn't change is the need for progress
The need to stop and listen before that angry egress

This country where we celebrate opportunistic freedom
Is blurred in political lines instead of working in tandem
Purpose, intention, empathy
Leap over, it's all in jeopardy...

What am I to tell my son of the world he lives in?
Is it better to wobble with guns than muscle with emotional strength?
Will being armed make him more of a man?
So he can rise up violently to a grand occasion of another's hostile plan?

I can't let him forget that kindness is louder than bullets
I can't let him believe that his conscience is a puppet
If he can stand up against the odds
When it is easier to buckle up and nod
He will reach his utmost potential
Regardless of policy, power and rendition

America: Still got it!

Returning to the US of A after a year (exactly) was crazy and eye-opening. We hear so much in the news about how America is deteriorating and the quality of life is depreciating, etc, etc. But living in India just for a year has opened my eyes to the harsh realities that exist in third world countries that in this day and age are only getting worse. It begins with something even as simple as the airport restrooms. In the states, they are clean and people are courteous. Basic hygiene is in order. Then you step out of the airport and wow, the traffic is organized. There aren't swarms of cars getting in your way as you proceed in traffic. Civic Sense. Two magic words. It is a sigh of relief to KNOW for a fact that other people on the road or using other public amenities will behave in a certain manner. They will not be rude or intrude in your personal space.
Despite all the negative news coming from America, basic comforts remain untouched. It's business as usual for most professional people. They are still pursuing the American dream and enjoying basic liberties. Yes, there are some things very wrong in the political arena, and social issues often clutter democratic principles. But it is still possible to be away from that and life goes on. You can choose to not get involved and go about your everyday business. This concept is non existent in India. No matter how rich or upper class you consider yourself to be, everyone has to deal with the corruption, greedy politicians, dirty water and food scandals. Everyone's gotta watch his own back.
Granted, India has come a long way. More people have access to internet, telephones and televisions. Sure. But it's a long haul ahead. The educated class in India is self interested and self concerned. India is starting to suffer with an ego-centric culture. People are delving into reality shows and propaganda driven news rather than an awareness in a global sense. It's the same problem that America has been suffering from for the last decade, maybe longer. The few things that most Indians feel proud of are being lost to West-obsessed culture while the country itself is lacking in basic infrastructure, access to education, and most importantly a government that cares.
Most Indians that call themselves "patriotic" take offense to constructive criticism. They downplay the positive aspects of the first world. There is nothing wrong with loving your country, no matter how downtrodden it is. But unconditional zest with no room for social improvement is not constructive. One strong argument for India in this context is a powerful word: culture. India is known for it's rich heritage and customs. But that is in fact a hindrance to social and economic growth. People hold on to the culture argument with all their intellectual might. If all else fails, one can always come back and say, "Well, India has culture, it is secular yet relatively peaceful. What country has that?" Good point, but that doesn't make a great nation. Culture alone isn't enough to be a successful country. What about culture though? Since that too is declining. Youth are astray and chase instant gratification. Nothing wrong in that. But that's what most people dislike about America.
It's time we talk about what we like about America. Perhaps that will steer India in the right direction. Focusing on the negative is having an unwanted after effect. A fact that is unquestionably true and remains undebatable: America is a standard and trend-setter in the developed world. As Stephen Colbert wittingly titled his book : 'I am America, and So Can You'. India, the alarm is going off, and we can't snooze any longer...

Shameful ignorance wins..again!

Yesterday was a shameful day for America. President Barack Obama finally gave in to the racist rants and provided a long-form birth certificate to prove that he is indeed an American born citizen. Shouldn't Americans be focusing on more important issues that are pressing current news? I don't know, maybe we can discuss the Afghanistan or Iraq war, or Pakistani Intelligence directly orchestrating terrorism, or Libya, or Japan, or unemployment or national debt. I mean the list could seriously go on. But no. Donald Trump and like minded morons find it more important to distract the nation with unimportant and irrelevant details that will in no way contribute to a single crisis at hand.
The hue and cry surrounding Obama's birth documents is a clear indication that most conservatives have no clue of what's priority. Just like any issue, the only way they attract media or mass attention is through paranoia, fear and racism. Yes, racism. Considering America is a land filled with immigrants, the whole idea of the 'Birther' movement is racist. Just because someone isn't born in the country doesn't make them any less able to serve than a red neck in Mississippi. How did most Americans get there in the first place? Oh yes, that's right by snatching away land from the Native Americans and basically ousting them from what was theirs in every respect. But that's okay. I'm not here to argue whether we should rid the constitution of the 'need to be born on the great American soil to be President' nonsense. That's a separate issue.
The issue at hand is how low will the Sarah Palin and Donald Trump likes go to dodge answering real questions. Obama has fallen for the trap. He stayed above the nonsense for over two years but now with him answering to an unwarranted accusation, he has probably only created more heat for himself. I mean, these people aren't going to stop. They will question his religion, his loyalty to the country, his morals and principles until its election time and the lazy Americans who don't read the news will focus on these facts instead of anything else.
Anyone who says that conservatives demanding Obama's birth proof isn't racist is grossly naive. I don't think this topic would have risen had Obama been a blue eyed blond white guy. It's because his father is from Kenya and he looks different than anyone else been in the White House. Why are people so afraid to admit it. It was a proud day when Obama was elected - a day that will be remembered as a historical turn point in race issues. But the backlash of denial and ignorance has continued since the election in 2008 and sadly has only gotten worse among the crazies.
Donald Trump has boldly stated that he is 'proud' of himself for having Obama answer to an undignified demand. Yes, you should be proud Trump. Proud that you wasted precious time that the President could have spent on constructive problem solving and 'real' problems. Perhaps Don should step out of his sauna and turn on CNN or BBC to realize what's really happening in the world. Believe it or not, the world stretches beyond Hawaii and Alaska.

Palin's New Target: New Delhi!

Sarah Palin, in all her graciousness, is going to visit the motherland. Yes, she will be in New Delhi delivering a speech titled 'My Vision for America' on March 19. The first thing that comes to mind after hearing that is so what does she really want? It's pretty clear from her 'personality type and intelligence' that she is not coming here out of curiosity or genuine excitement. Just like everything she does or says in the American political scene, all her actions related to media have a particular agenda or play propoganda to something.
Well, this is surely the case this time as well. She wants to prepare herself for the 2012 Presidential Campaign. Is it 2008 again? She is really going to use this 15 minute speech as foreign policy expertise experience on her resume to run for the position of commander in chief. Granted that it's a good move by her strategists to come here considering that India is the world's largest democracy, one of US' biggest allies, and a key nation to contribute to any energy iniatives in tomorrow's world. However, her dozens of gaffs, ignorance in basic foreign policy issues, her anti-abortion agenda in any circumstance, and her countless other 'qualities' that might impress her American supporters are not going to help her here.
India is a third world country. Granted. Indians don't stand up to corrupt leadership. But Indians are not stupid. She cannot get away with unintelligent remarks and blabber on without people noticing. She will be watched closely and openly ridiculed if the speech she delivers (not writes, duh) comes across as any of her appearances on FOX News.
Personally, the fact that she is still on the news channels, on bookshelves, and on this blog is baffling me. She is the epitomy of American ignorance and yet she will be here in New Delhi, the capital of one of the world's most powerful countries, sitting with world leaders and trying not to make a fool out of herself and the Americans she so truly represents.
Choose your words carefully, Ms. Palin. The stage is much bigger and more crowded this time.

Snowfall Pays!

I recently came across an interesting finding that accurately depicts true American entrepreneurial spirit. It turns out that there is a bright side to all the snow blizzards this year, for those aware anyway. Since Chicago has been a crazy unpredictable ground for heaps of snowfall for the last couple years, a creative trader in Chicago decided to start hedging snow futures. Crazy? Not at all.
Using snow derivatives (aka method to the madness), Chicago Mercantile Exchange trades futures that pay or collect depending on the snow fall compared to Chicago's average of 37 inches a season. So, who's interested?
People with a lot of money OR businesses that depend on the weather for their business operations i.e. airlines and like businesses. Depending on what contract they decide to play with, they use these funds as an insurance for their downtime during bad weather.
Simply genius. Something as simple as snowfall can create a business for someone truly business minded. I guess an observation or idea is just a method away from a dream. Cheers to entrepreneurial competency!

Pardon my gunshots, I'm just insane!

The recent shooting tragedy on Saturday, Jan 8, in Tucson AZ is yet another reminder that something is gravely wrong in America. Deaths of innocent victims saddens everyone, no matter what one's political affiliations or opinions are. There is no one person or one comment that triggers someone to act this way. Yet the political scene finds it comforting to constantly play the blame game through vitriol and try to collect some "points" from any tragedy that occurs.
This lunatic, Jared Lee Loughner, decides to bust out his Glock 9 mm gun and go to town, kills 6 people and injures another 8. Who is to blame for this incident? Umm, hello! No one else but the psychopath himself. And of course the lenient gun laws in the country that allow any person with no federal record to own a weapon. I mean, wtf! I agree that everyone who has a gun isn't going to go on a shooting rampage but maybe try to tighten the laws a tad might be of some catharsis to the public.
No one can get into the head of someone this extreme and figure out what their frame of mind is, but there has to be a reason for all these crazy shooting rants on the general public happening in a developed country like the US? Yeah yeah, it happens in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan but those countries are battlegrounds of war, and there are reasons to point to for such happenings there.
What is America's reason for these incidents? Mental Illness. What a joke. Is the government exposing us to some weird chemicals that causes normal people to all of a sudden experience a chemical imbalance in their brains and go insane? I'm sorry, but this "insanity" plea is a very sorry excuse for such radical behavior. The public needs to stop calling mass murderers mentally ill and realize that they are no more crazy as the average person. They are just sick in the unconventional sense. Serial killers and serial rapists are just as "mentally ill" as Loughner is. We need to realize that there are just some 'bad' people in the world who find pleasure in giving others pain. It's dark and gothic, but sadly true.
It's irritating to see these murderers being called "ill" when they are perfectly sane in everything else they do except killing people. These people don't need medicines or drugs to cure them, but life to capital punishment to make others realize that it is not okay to live in a civilized society and decide to "go crazy" for one day. Perhaps moving to a jungle is a good option? No one to fight there but wild animals. That'll make it easier to get all the "mental illness" out of them, I bet.
I hope this guy gets what he deserves, because too many times evil people go unpunished on the sorry excuse of "insanity".
RIP the victims of this horrible tragedy and I hope Americans learn that excusing evil doers as insane is the worst thing they can do for society at large.