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Evidence Of Global Warming

2009 November 12

It is no slightest doubt that everyone in India has experienced what really is global warming. The average temperatures have gone up in the last few summers, and even the winters and rainy seasons are showing abnormalities from their behaviors over the last few years. Indeed, this is ‘global weirding’ or rather ‘climate crisis’ that would define the thing better.

But, what really caused global warming? Industrial revolution for one, heavy pollution caused by it another and there might be numerous such reasons. But, how do we know that we have landed in a state of global warming? Of course, anyone who has experienced summer in any part of India would know better. But, any symptoms that would convince the rational mind? Yes, in fact there are many. If you haven’t seen Al Gore’s documentary, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ you must watch it once. I would rate it 5 stars, as it is a must watch for everyone today. From the official website of An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore, I could get some science behind this. The symptoms are listed below and are sourced from the website climatecrisis.net (official website of An Inconvenient Truth). Do visit the website, it has a good music track played once the website is accessed. Other initiatives from Al Gore are the website of WeCanSolveIt, TakePart, RepowerAmerica.

shark-global-warming

Image from www.cranberg.com

Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.

The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence.1 The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable.

We’re already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing.


The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.2
Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.3
The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.4

At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.5

Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years — to 300,000 people a year.6

Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide.7

Droughts and wildfires will occur more often.
The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050.8

 

More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.9

Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense.

1 According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this era of global warming “is unlikely to be entirely natural in origin” and “the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence of the global climate.”
2 Emanuel, K. 2005. Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years. Nature 436: 686-688.
3 World Health Organization
4 Krabill, W., E. Hanna, P. Huybrechts, W. Abdalati, J. Cappelen, B. Csatho, E. Frefick, S. Manizade, C. Martin, J, Sonntag, R. Swift, R. Thomas and J. Yungel. 2004. Greenland Ice Sheet: Increased coastal thinning. Geophysical Research Letters 31.
5 Nature.
6 World Health Organization
7 Washington Post, “Debate on Climate Shifts to Issue of Irreparable Change,” Juliet Eilperin, January 29, 2006, Page A1.
8 Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Also quoted in Time Magazine, Vicious Cycles, Missy Adams, March 26, 2006.
9 Time Magazine, Feeling the Heat, David Bjerklie, March 26, 2006.

The Case Of 9/11 In India

2009 November 10

So, the date today is 9 November, 2009. 9/11/2009.. Is this India’s or Maharashtra’s 9/11? 20 years back, this was the day when the Berlin Wall was broken, precisely on 9 November, 1989. As per European date system, it is 9/11. It is credited to be the first force that made globalization possible. Such a beautiful event signifying the unity of Germany. The other 9/11, and more famous one was destructive. But, what I see in today’s 9/11 is a wall being created inside India, which might even prove destructive. The lawmakers turning out lawbreakers.

The issue started all with the oath of Abu Asim Azmi being taken in Hindi. Okay, now let me remind you that a politician from Belgaum in Karnataka was made to resign from ministership as he was not able to talk proper Kannada. Rajnikant Gaikwad is a bigger – than – God famous superstar in southern India. He happens to be a native Maharashtrian. Ambumani Ramadoss wrote and alarmed the Tamilian people that certain non – Tamilians, non – Dravidians, outsiders are eyeing to take the seat of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The media made hoopla on this as it was all indicating towards Rajnikanth. This famous superstar knows Tamil very well but still the words made by Ambumani Ramadoss, a leader of Indian National Congress and not of any regional party makes such comments.

Image from merinews.com

Coming to point, let me remind the official language of Maharashtra is only Marathi. Hindi is not an official language of Maharashtra. The official languages of India are English and Hindi. Even when it came to Hindi being the official language way back sometime in 50s, it was made so only because of one vote. That is what Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s book written in 1955 says. There was a tie once, and the second time, only one vote additional in favor of Hindi. As per Wikipedia, what it said was ‘there is no national language of India’. Now, the edit is removed as something happened in parliament in May 2008. Even now, I do not find anything concrete on Wikipedia stating ‘national language of India is Hindi’. All it states is ‘Hindi is the official language of India’.  From May 2008, there is no one national language of India, but in fact, they are multiple. Every other regional language generally known is now a national language of India. The list of national languages in India from May 2008 can be found here: Funny thing, English, Hindi and Marathi are all one of the national languages of India. Then why is this issue on Marathi being whipped up all of a sudden? The population of Marathi speakers in Maharashtra is 68% as per 2001 census. Now, it is said to have gone down to less than 60%.

And Azmi is not the only one to take the oath in Hindi. One Thakur from Kandivali too did it. This MLA runs a group of institutions that have a Bhojpuri minority. He is involved into development activities. He never issued any statement of distributing sticks or so, and nor is he involved in any bomb blasts. That is why MNS has no enmity with him and the House was absolutely silent when he took the oath. Azmi was first requested to take the oath in Marathi and later on warned by MNS. The issue is not all against Hindi, but against Azmi who happens to be a key enemy of MNS. Girish Bapat of Pune took the oath in Sanskrit, and many Maharashtrian MLAs did it in English. Azmi was the only target owing to his credentials earlier.

As for today’s issues, I don’t know what has been reported in Hindi media. But, every MLA of the INC, ShivSena, BJP, MNS was in favor of taking the oath in Marathi. Especially, the non – Marathi elected MLAs were in absolute favor of speaking in Marathi, and almost everyone in the House had requested Abu Asim Azmi to take the oath in Marathi. But, he is a 1993 Mumbai blast convict, supposedly having close ties with Dawood and undoubtedly the earlier busted Indian terrorist outfit SIMI. He published a notice in all newspapers that he would take the oath in Hindi and did the nuisance, even after knowing the present scenario in politics of Maharashtra. When a person doesn’t understand the language of request, what does he understand, especially concerning the fact that the person in consideration is a Bombay blast convict? It was only 4 MLAs coming down to the level of violence whereas the other parties kept restraint. I do not wish to see a person like Abu Asim Azmi entering into the fold of Maharashtra politics at all. Hindu Muslim tensions, Bhaiyya – Marathi tensions are all sure to come into the fore once such a nonsensical person is present. He was the same man to speak of sending 20,000 people from Azamgarh along with distributing sticks in Mumbai. The remaining 9 MNS candidates along with the support of almost every other MLA would take care of Azmi in the coming time using the right language which he understands. Let’s hope. I just don’t want any problems in daily life of some ‘bandhs’ from either sides and all the bullshit followed.

This incident reminds me of something that took place 55 years back. The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement. It was the time when a Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti and a Gujarat Mahaparishad had unanimously decided to form two different states out of the then Bombay State or Maha – dwibhashik – rajya. A majority of other states in India were found on linguistic basis. Even then, 105 people have to DIE owing to the pressure of the police enforced by the Indian Congress Party. The place where deaths took place is called Hutatma Chowk and is located in south Mumbai. Motilal Nehru had made a statement long back that ‘Maharashtra is a dirty and rusty part of India that should be straightly cut out of India’ at some point of time. (Source: an article of Prabhodhankar Thackeray written sometime in 1950s, published in a Marathi magazine ‘Marmik’ issue of  16 August, 2009) The legacy seems to have passed to Jawaharlal Nehru and the death of 105 for no real reason only reconfirms it. Okay, coming to the actual point of convergence, today almost all MLAs were united against Abu Asim Azmi on taking the oath in Hindi. But, what we see is the Hindi media and our uneducated politicians from the traditional northern belts whipping up against Raj Thackeray on dividing the nation.

The Assembly was not the right place to beat Abu Asim Azmi.. Somewhere on the streets would have been better. It wouldn’t have suspended the 4 MLAs! :P Call me extremist or whatever, but such a person who has a clear motive to cause mischief deserves it.

Absurd Heights!

2009 September 9
by Whatever Strikes!

> 1. What is height of Fashion?
> Ans : Dhoti with a zip .

>
> 2. What is height of Secrecy?
> Ans : Offering blank visiting cards.

>
> 3. What is height of Active laziness?
> Ans : Asking for a lift to house while on a morning walk.

>
> 4. What is height of Craziness?
> Ans : Getting a blank paper Xeroxed.

>
> 5. What is height of Forgetfulness?
> Ans : Seeing the mirror and trying to recollect when you
> saw him / her last.

>
> 6. What is height of Stupidity?
> Ans : A person looking through a keyhole of a glass door.

>
> 7. What is height of Honesty?
> Ans : A pregnant woman taking one and a half ticket.

>
> 8. What is height of Suicide?
> Ans : A dwarf jumping from the footpath on the road.

>
> 9. What is height of De-hydration?
> Ans : A cow giving milk powder.

> 10. What is Height of Kanjoosi ?
> Ans : Banta’s house has caught fire and he is giving
> miss calls to the Fire brigade!!!

Helplessness of Humans…

2009 July 22

There are aplenty of hopeless people around the world. Did they all become hopeless all of a sudden, or did they have any choice? Understanding this is complex. However, I believe terrible helplessness at some point of time makes people hopeless. If they ever had any other choice, they would opt for it!

Image from www.emotionalcompetency.com

Image from www.emotionalcompetency.com

This is a song (as well as the whole movie) portrays the helplessness of six different people who are close friends. I have been listening to the songs of this movie, Kaante, since it was released, and I never got bored. Oh, but I felt somewhere I am missing one song out of the movie (which I had heard a lot sometime) and upon Googling for the lyrics, I got it back! Do not know how but I accidentally seem to have deleted this song back. Maybe, because it was Punjabi and I did not even get an essence of it then. It is 6 years that I am listening to the songs of this movie, but I happened to watch this movie only yesterday night on Star Gold.

I am yet to come out with any better movie that portrays the helplessness of people in personal lives so precisely. All actors were great, but Mahesh Manjrekar (originally a director) stood different as an actor in this, and so did Sanjay Dutt. Kumar Gaurav and Amitabh were great as usual. Suniel Shetty and Lucky Ali did not have many dialogues as always but their body language spoke a lot.

As such, this movie is ‘inspired from’ Reservoir Dogs, but many have told me that this one is better presented. Whatever, this post is about the song and not the movie. The song will show the helpless situations of the six friends in the video itself. I found it touching. It is originally in Punjabi, and I got it translated from a Punjabi speaking friend.

I wish I should have heard it daily for the last 4 years!

By the way, this song appears in the movie when Amitabh’s wife (played by Rati Agnihotri) is about to die and Amitabh wishes to get her back. He has no one to live for except her. He is asking for his own thing to God, but he cannot get it. The initial lines are in Punjabi, next two in the brackets are in Hindi, and the last two are in English. If you know any one of the three languages, you will understand! :D

Yaar Mangiyasi Rabba Tetho Ro ke, Kedi Main Khudaai Mang Laayi
Mar Jaan De Kisi Da Mainu Ho Ke
Kedi Main Khudaai
(Yaar manga tha Rabba Tujhse Ro Ke, Kaunsi Maine Khudaai Maang Li
Mar Jaane De Kisi Ka Mujhe Ho Ke, Kaunsi Khudaai)

I only asked for my dear (wife), I did not ask for your (God’s) kingdom

Let me die for the sake of my dear, I am not asking for your (God’s) kingdom…

Kinniya Duawan Mangga, Koyi Vi Na Manni Jaaye
Kaanu Roz Roz deve sanu dhokhe
Kedi Mein Khudai
(Kitni Duayeein Mangu, Koi bhi Na Mani Jaaye (or sunee jaye)
Kyun Roz Roz De Mujhe Dhokhe, Kaunsi Khudaai)

How many times I’ve prayed, not a single one is reaching you,

Why give me trauma everyday? I did not ask for your kingdom…

Pyaar Mera, Kar Rabba Mere Hawale, Yaar Bin Dil Mera Kaun Sambhale
Cheez Apni Hi Mangi Maine Tuhjse, Kedi Mein Paarai Manglaayi
Mar Jaan De Kisi Da Mainu Ho Ke, Kedi Main Khudaai
(mera pyar, kar mere hawale rabba, yaar ke bina kaun dil sambhale
cheez apni hi mangi thi maine tujhse, kaunsi parrai (kisi aur ki) mang li
Mar jaane de mujhe kisi ka hoke ..kaunsi khudai….)

Give me my love (wife) back, who will look after me without my dear?

I have asked for something of my own, did I ask for anything of others?

Let me die for the sake of my dear, I am not asking for your (God’s) kingdom…

Mera Ye Naseeba, Hai Meri Nahin Sunta
Sapno Ke Jaal Yeh To, Roz Roz Bunta
Kabhi Sun Le Tu Meri Bhi Duhaai, Kedi Mein Khudai
(meri ye kistman , hai meri nahi sunti Sapno Ke Jaal Yeh To, Roz Roz Bunti
Kabhi Sun Le Tu Meri Bhi Duhaai, Kaunsi Maine Khudai)

O my luck, doesn’t even listen to me, weaving out dreams of its own daily and daily,

Sometime listen to my two lines of prayer, I am not asking for your (God’s) kingdom…..

Gunda : What A Movie…

2009 July 22

Okay, I am back to post after a long time. I had lost internet connection for some time, courtesy rains and courtesy BSNL. Well, I do not want to write anything with facts and stats, analyses, on economy, business, politics or whatever this time, or rather from now onwards. I have not even been in touch about current affairs from some time, as all the time I am busy enjoying and watching movies.

gunda_mithun

This last month, I watched some four movies, starting from Paying Guest, then Terminator Salvation, and finally Transformer: The Revenge of the Fallen. After these three, I watched a movie named Gunda. Most people call it a cheap B – grade flick, and adding to it the fact that Mithun – da has acted in it, most elite watchers leave it there. Nevertheless, then even most people believed that the earth is flat and it turned out wrong, right? This is a logical fallacy called as Argumentum ad populum.

Right from the start until the end, the movie is full of rhymes, and one cannot stop oneself from enjoying it! The comments about the movie on IMDB seemed great, and I do not think any B – grade movie has ever achieved any feat like that. In Transformers, the hero is saved so many times that it becomes hard to believe the stuff we watch. However, in Gunda, the villain has to save himself some 200 times! There are aplenty of unbelievable stunts, but after I saw Transformers, do not know why but I found it less stupid!

Overall, it is a great comedy pack with action that would put behind the Terminator (s). Caution, it is to be viewed only by above 18, and I would rather not recommended it to females because of the tremendous cheap obscenity. Ishrat Ali was at his best! The names of characters are Lamboo Ataa (played by Ishrat Ali), Pote (Mohan Joshi), Bulla (Mukesh Rishi), Chutiya (Shakti Kapoor), Ibu Hatela (Harish Patel), etc. Noteworthy fact is that these actors have acted in many quality movies, even by 1998. There is everything from fighting with bare hands to even rocket launchers. I think this movie has even sparked an inspiration for a video game series where Mithoon would be the protagonist, on a mission to kill the villains one by one.

These are some of the dialogues from the movie and I believe they are the greatest in any movie I ever saw! And they were all delivered at some serious scenes in the movie, which makes it all the more enjoyable! I think the actors couldn’t have stopped themselves from laughing.. Wonder to whom the Best Dialogue Award went in 1998… You need to watch the actual movie to enjoy these and some other great ones! Comment below and let me know which one you liked. :D

Bheegi hui cigarette kabhi jalegi nahi,

Aur yeh tay hain ki, teri maut ki tarikh kabhi talegi nahin!

Aaj 1 tarikh hain, 2,4,6,8 aur dus,

Ab bass, dekhna main hota hoon kya tass se mass,

Jab train aati hain tab jaise station kaapta hain,

Waise meri khauff ke bukhaar se, tumhare andar ki hamdardi bhi kaapne lagegi

Jahan dekho wahan jurm hain, jahan dekho wahan paap,

Insaan aaj ke to hain, jurm aur paap me shaitaanon ke bhi baap

Mera naam hai Ibu Hatela,

Maa meri chudail ki cheli, baap mera shaitaan ka chela,

Khayega kela?

Mera naam hai pote,

Hum who hain joh apne baap ke bhi nahi hote,

Mera naam hai bulla,

Main rakhta hoon khulla,

Are a kundan,

Lagaaungi tuzko chandan,

Aur bhejungi tuze isi hawai jahaaj se London!

Inspector kale,

Ab lagnewaale,

Tere mooh pe, maut ke taale,

Kitna bada risk hain,

Teri maut ki date fixed hain

Are main to ek nariyal jaisa hoon,

Jo bahar se garam par andar se bada naram hoon,

Muze tum jaise garibon par badi hamdardi hain,

Hum samaaj ki karte hain seva,

Aur badle me dete hai gundon ko thoda mewa,

Hat jaao varna phaad ke rakh dunga,

Saamne ayaa koi toh gaad ke rakh dunga

Bhaiyya,  bhaiyya maine kya bura kiya,

Kisiki ijjat lutna bura hota hain kya?

Hum sab Ravan milke ab tuz jaise Ram ko maarnewale hain,

Itihaas hi nahi balki sabkuch ab se ulta likha jaayega aur padha jaayega

Are abhi to tere tube me light ayaa thee,

Aur Shankar ne to tera fuse hi udaa diya,

Waah, khote sikke ne kya baat hain boli,

Boli toh aise hai boli jaise ho koi bandook ki goli!

Are bulla,

tune khullam khulla,

Lamboo Ataa ko maut ke tawe me senk diya,

Uski laash ko Worli ke gutter me phek diya?

Villain: A kaun hai be tu?

Hero: Main hoon jurm se nafrat karnewaalaa,

sharifon ke liye jyoti, gundo ke liye jwaalaa,

Villain: Ab rakh dunga tuze banakar maut ke mooh ka niwaalaa, tere seene me gaad dunga maut ka bhaalaa,

Edited To Add: The 1998 Best Movie Dialogue was awarded to ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ which I honestly think is a joke. On request of Amit Simant, there is one more dialogue added.

Munni meri bahan Munni, Ooth,

To Tu Mar Gayi?

Lamboo Ataa ne tuze lamba kar diya?

Maachis ki tili ko khamba kar diya?

:P