Building castles in the air

               We all have done that. Some have more frequently then the others. More easily when we were younger . Most of the time these airy thoughts culminate to nothing. But none of us can deny the pleasure involved in building these no brick ,no mortar, no sweat , no pain castles. The times when we sat with our friends , siblings or spouses ; holding hands or just chuckling away over tea and pakodas and discussing the intricacies and beauty of an unmatchable and favourable future full of achievements. What would we do when we become this or earn that? How great would it be when we would reach that place? What we would do when we retire? How much fun life would be when we achieve name and fame? One day I may write a book and win a Booker/Pulitzer/ Nobel!! Or enter politics and uproot all corruption and crime! Or start a big company and become the richest man/woman in the world...... the list goes on and on from the trivial to utterly significant.

                 Our mind weaves beautiful illusions which we savour with open eyes and don't mind talking about it. This whole exercise of pleasurable thoughts falls flat most of the times when hit with reality . As we grow we learn that dreaming too much may be synonymous with being dissapointed too much. So we learn the art of emotional insulation and refrain from premature celebrations. We learn not to build castles in the air as we grow wiser and walk deeper into the road called life. Thats a nice way of saving ourselves from despair. Besides this activity is but immature and childish.

                  I realised today that I have reached that understanding in life that I restrict myself from  being this imaginary architect of happiness . I shrug that dreamy circus and rationalize every possible action and it's consequence. I am meticulous and sensible. Yes! I don't indulge in building castles in the air anymore. Not that I did a deliberate attempt at that. It just gradually happened as I kept learning life. Somehow today I muse that what harm can this  little airy indulgence do, what can an innocent twinkle in the eye and an optimistic chuckle in the voice  take away. It's just a pure fun moment which can perhaps release positivity and some endorphins . Guarding too much and insulating too much may not serve the  intended purpose . So I guess no matter how old one gets one should build castles in the air occasionally ... for the sheer joy of it. I am sure doing some of that  now on ( but not overdoing of course !! :) )

No place for a world citizen...






Kalashnikov with Russian president



China is competing with the United States in millitary might by testing a new jet plane recently while US recently talked of cuts in the millitary budget by $78 billion dollars. The millitary expenditure hence is a mindboggling figure and it's a mad race of determining deterrence by hoarding more and more sophisticated weapons. The arms race that started betweeb US and USSR  during the cold war era  isn't abating . The START III treaty is being discussed and I am always befuddled by the numbers of warheads agreed to be deactivated. Imagining the cost of research, construction, maintenance , training , security and then deactivating is beyond the capacity of my tiny brain. But I do keep wondering when the G-8 countries talked about the inability to contribute to the Millenium Development Goals ,as earlier promised , under the pretext of the global financial crisis, did they compromise on the military expenses. I haven't fully grasped the concept of investing such humongous sums of money on agents of death and destruction. I am flabberghasted that  Kalashnikov the inveventor of deadly AK-47 was awarded hero of Russia.

       

         Perhaps all this could have been digested better if this was happening in  a world of affluence and equality. Then again the world was never equal , it's just a humanitarian philosophy and a utopian dream. When billions and billions dollars go into pumping up the military might of the developed world people in an unfortunate world steal grains from the lowest rung of creatures in the food chain. The Hindu reported a story of mass starvation in  drought stricken West Africa in june 2010. I have heard about people eating rats and roots but this shook my soul . With livestock dying and food prices soaring people in Niger were struggling to survive by eating leaves and collecting grains from ant hills !!! The following picture made me wince with pain and pity...              

                                                                               

                                                        

.             Nevertheless these horrifying stories of misery draw  brief attention  but don't lead to change of policies in the  developed world  that never ceases to exploit and flourish. Individuals and organizations work in humanitarian interest but invariably they all fall short in fighting the corruption, crimes, brutality, politics, destruction and war. Jeff Knaebel fell short too. He claimed to be a world citizen . The American millitary policies disillusioned this mining businessman so he  left everything and migrated to India. Here he worked for social causes and strived hard for an Indian citizenship. Even tearing off his American citizenship document could not win him Indian citizenship. He immolated himself on  Repulic day near a Buddhist shrine leaving whatever   money he possesed for charitable purposes , meticulosly dividing specific amount for each cause. Is that the destiny of a man of good intentions , generosity and humanitarian purpose?
                  
               In a divided world alarmingly competing over death and destruction, shamelessly indulging in genocide, increasingly overpowered by corrupt minds and  hopelessly losing a human face ..... is it surprising that there  is no place for a' world citizen' .......

Haron plese

Well even I took time to decipher that one. No my english vocabulary is intact and this ain't any European language. That is an inscription on the back of a truck. Does that ring a bell? Well I was travelling today  and this truck halted in front of my car at the traffic signal. Lost in my thoughts I absent mindedly read 'HARON' inscribed in bright blue several times. It was only after my gaze shifted to 'PLESE' that I was enlightened and I almost burst out laughing. That was the most ridiculous, innovative , blunderous distortion of 'HORN PLEASE' I have ever seen. With " बुरी नज़र वाले तेरा मुह काला '' as the standard prototype tag line accomanying the 'HORN PLEASE' the rear ends of those giant carrier machines could be real entertainers if you are on a long road journey involving highways. I am sure as you read through this one you would definitely recall some similar  distorted far from grammatic english that made you smile for that innocent display of ignorance without a clue.

                    PS . Have you ever been to a '' CHAI- NESE RESTAURENT" ?

Honey we shrunk our brains...!!

Yeah our brains are 10 % smaller then our anscetors. The latest research brings about this startling fact. So are we losing our minds as we are getting more advanced? or are we getting dumber with all the social networking, tweeting, texting and multitasking ? or is it that we are simply nearing the doom of the species? I thought we were getting smarter.

 Scientists are puzzled and put up different theories the most soothing and convincing one is that it is because we are more advanced and it's easier for us to survive so we don't need an extra grey matter. But it hasn't ruled out that it might be a dumbing down process. After all we have lost grey matter the size of a tennis ball!! Thats a whole lot of intelligence lost. Humans have worked tremendously hard to make their surroundings comfortable, safe and technologically advanced. We have reached a time where distances have shrunk, time isn't a barrier, communication is swift, almost everything can be canned , preserved, exported and purchased. People just need to earn and all is available at the nearest mall and that too on great discounts! All we need  to learn is how to operate in this hi-tech world . Reminds me of the movie 'The Gods must be crazy' where the narrator says that the humans became so advanced in the cities that it required 10 to 15 years of education for their children to learn to operate in that world. How true! So when your kid already an expert in texting on phone and using the internet looks all surprised and disgusted when he learns in school that milk comes out of a cow don't be alarmed .Perhaps the tennis ball of grey matter went away with all the  trivial taken for granted facts , some of the wisdom  and a lot of morality. My only hope is that our humour stays intact after all we are becoming light headed :P.

   Those who feel sad at the loss can find solace in chocolates cos a latest research ( of cos done by scientists from Hershey institute ) says  that chocolates are healthier then fruits when it comes to antioxidant content. And even  if the wrinkles on your brain are decreasing Loreal shall always ensure we wont have them on the face either :D :D. 

On camera

The spy cams are on sale with a discount offer.The the companies make sure you are aware of it through regular unwanted sms. I keep wondering what is the use of open sale of such products except to jeopardise peoples privacy. With all those technologically advanced cameras incorporated in phone sets its so handy for anyone to not only  to intrude but violate others privacy.
        The latest MMS circulating in JNU campus shows no matter how much we harp upon  improving education and curb deemed universities the rot has set in . JNU is the apex institute known to have generated and cultivated the best intellectuals in the country. This incident shows that education sans morality is the order of the day. The open  internet comments  on the issue were even more disheartening. The problem is the mms is probably still circulating and those who condemn it might have not restrained themselves from watching it. The girl left college without graduating. Whether she was a victim or a party remains uncertain. But  I see it as a discouragement to parents who send there girls to pursue higher education in such institutes.
     This loss of privacy and innocence is going to escalate. The inventors and innovators do not think about the far reaching implications of these gadgets. It isn't safe for girls to live in PGs cos they might be taped through hidden cameras , it's not safe to use trial rooms in shops cos you never know somebody might be using a camera. Girls can't be too trusting of their friends and boyfriends. These gadets are proliferating and flooding markets and luring the young and vulnerable minds with ever increasing consumerism . There is however a complete lack of check , restriction and laws as regards these technology tools. Being exploited , filmed , threatened , blackmailed  and blemished would become the order of the day if concrete steps are not taken in this direction.

PS. I was wondering how many spy cams have already been sold?