The Barack Obama address of the Congress

President of the United States of America delivered State of the Union address today, which is meant to inform the people of America, the status of their country. The speech was a typically Obama fashioned, just speaking on the occasion.

The key factor of this speech, though was decorated to be patriotism, but what I sensed was a President pleading for the pride and credibility that he had lost in just one year of office. Sure, being President of the United States isn't easy, because thats the nation which never looks unto itself, rather intrudes into affairs of territories around the world. United States is the country which still believes that it still is a super power and without it, the world would suffer. But United States is not a might that it believes it to be. Historically, Americans have lived advocating what others around the world would do and forgetting that slowly the glory of America is fading away.

This address of the President is to make Americans realise where there ground is. But the Americans are far above the ground that any attempt to land them would not be without hurting itself. Nevertheless, if the trend had continued, the damage would have been severe, because the more they move away from the ground, the greater the depth of the fall. Probably its not the wrong time for such realisation.

US was really marred by the fact that there was acute unemployment in the US when he took over. And he took pride by saying that the worst is over, but yet would like to continue the good work. He was selling his healthcare reforms agenda aggressively as he had been doing in the recent past. He mentioned about children writing letter to him about the distress in their family due to unemployment.

A classic quote, I used wonder about the first part of it, "why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded, but hard work on Main Street isn't". The President is truly inspirational. His speech always motivates and instigates. From this moment, he was addressing the election rally.

He talked about bailout being hated by all including him, but why it was essential, doing what is popular than what was necessary. The novel concept came in where he proposed fee on the banks which benefited from the bailout plans, stating that when these banks can pay big bonuses again, why not the taxpayers who helped them when needed. Next was unemployement issue and the tax cuts offered to individuals and smaller businesses, college students and how that had saved jobs of 2 million Americans.

He proposed new jobs bill by glamorous statements about the Recovery Act, which had saved jobs of millions of Americans. He proposed to promote credit institutions in smaller towns, offer credit for smaller businesses. Next was infrastructure, clean energy development and he included clean-energy use by house-holds. There are variety of other issues he spoke.

He spoke about both Democrats and Republicans working together for the United States. He mentioned bills should not be delayed just because one has the right to delay. He touchingly spoke about the military personnel of the US and promised to take back troops from Iraq. He finished by saying: "We don't quit. I don't quit. Let's seize this moment, to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more."

I watched this on television. There were applauses, just by sitting, standing, from democrats alone, both. But there were a set of 10-15 people sitting in front, who never gave a reaction, don't know who they are, what is their role, but guess they are meant to remain like that. Parliamentary proceeding in such a decent fashion is hard to see in our country, atleast we will appreciate for the decorum that was maintained throughout.

A perfect dilemma

Now there are two roads in front of me, one road obviously has better visibility and the other one does not have the same visibility, but there are a lot of precedents for me to rely on and take that road. But the problem with me choosing the road that is travelled by many is that, this direction is not that which is so natural to me. In fact, I have not really landed at this place. It was an overwhelming force which has suggested me this path, and it has driven me to this road. There may be arguments that this overwhelming force is that which makes this road special. Whatever, I have always put my mind ahead of my heart to decide upon. Though the inclination and attraction was initially there, on a consistent application of my mind, well, I will have to assert that the road in which I can see the distance seems to be my logical partner.

Now, what is that application of mind I am talking about which has given me the direction more akin to me? First, as I always have been talking about and surely on hindsight, my sibling has denied me the liberty to do so. Second, the way I have conducted myself, consciously though, always puts me in a position wherein reacting normally as every human would mean strange for people around me. After all, people around you do make what you are than what you decide for yourself.

And, what if I go through with the heart over mind. I will be in a position where my identity is lost. I will be tortured by my own thoughts about being irrational. I will tend more towards heart sayings than mind sayings. I will be in love and lost. My heart may get attracted to whatever it likes in the future and at that point in time will be difficult for my mind to take charge. Thats the way life should be and will be greener and with loads of fun and surprises. Though would like to indulge myself and experience the heart fact, my successful route thus far has been through my mind.

Being unfair - Is it fair?

We often say that someone is being unfair on oneself, be it God or Judge of a show or a Teacher. This is the tendency in most human when one achieves shorter than what he could potentially do. It takes a lot of courage to accept on one's shortcomings. Instead, it is quite convenient to put the blame on others. Unfair is essentially a term that stems up only when there is something fair.

When something can be called as fair, it is obviously subjective. It depends on individual's perceptions. What is fair for me need not necessarily be fair for someone else. Yet we try to convince that what is fair for us is never unfair for someone else. It is always the case that when one is happy, there is someone who is injured and unhappy. This debate of being fair and unfair is an obvious result of selfishness that is ever increasing in this society. There is never an end to it. Comparison is also another major reason for this. Comparison mars growth or development of individual. Selfishness and comparison are going to be the phenomena of the next generations. Need to live with it. But atleast I would like to stand to be an exception.

A law soon on sexual abuse

With the Ruchika's and Jessica's case getting attention from the media, and people of the country standing in unison against power-backed officials and politicians, there is some momentum in the judicial process and also government response. Though these cases and a few others were brought under the scanner, there are definitely thousands of such cases across India which are not being reported.

Now coming back to government response, the government has decided to come up with sexual offenses (special courts) law to provide quick justice to victims of sexual abuse.

According to the law, sexual abuse is to be treated on par with rape and provides for stringent punishments for both, presently only one year imprisonment.
Sexual abuse will include both physical and mental harassment and both are treated on par for punishment.
Onus to prove suicide was not due to harassment lies on the accused.
Special courts to deal with sexual abuse cases on fast track basis within 6 months.

Certainly, law makers are being proactive in drafting a legislation which is waiting for cabinet clearance (cabinet will clear only when none of them will be convicted against any offense under the law and after making sure there are enough loopholes for them to go unscratched, in case opposition comes to power).

Next, what will be considered as sexual abuse? According to wikipedia, "is the forcing of undesired sexual behaviour by one person upon another". This is alright and anybody can reasonably understand such abuse. And it also covers "any behaviour by any adult towards a child to stimulate either the adult or the child sexually". These are one of the various other forms of abuse, which may not be included in the category of sexual abuse at first place, but in fact it may have been sexual abuse.

It is in these circumstances that it will be difficult to define and track what an abuse is. There will be thousands of cases on daily basis which will not be known as abuse to either to offender or the victim. So, there may be cases where abuses are not reported or certain abuses which were not intended being reported.

What is necessary is awareness, particulary amongst the younger generations of today. These days a lot of abuse is being considered as fun, which is socially, culturally and personally harmful. And these are impact of westernisation, that today's generation do not attach significance to - - mind you because of westernisation and not modernisation. Modernisation is adapting to changes and westernisation is adopting the changes.

Before any such legislation, let us be aware of what an abuse is.

When ordinary becomes extraordinary

What is extraordinary? Something which is strange and usually it is excellent. So extraordinary is acheived only occassionally. When someone keeps doing extraordinary consistently, there may be two views - one, that the person acheiving extraordinary has challenged himself to improve everytime and two, the persons watching the acheivement has never really grown, for extraordinary is spelt by people around.

So, Is there anything extraordinary at all? Or can we have extraordinary attached to specific activities? Say, scoring a test hundred, winning an oscar or grammy, being awarded padma awards. I do not think that extraordinary can always be associated with accomplishment of certain activities.

Extraordinary is a step towards ordinary. Only then there is scope for improvement and there is vision for moving upwards. Extraordinary should become ordinary in the next iteration, to acheive extraordinary consistently. Also there is no single thing that can be consistently extraordinary. So no one can say that Sachin is an extraordinary batsman or talent.

Causes for extraordinary
Cause 1 - That internal fire which never lets a person settle with whatever has been acheived. When one is internally motivated, excellency is the only goal and that excellency gets better everytime.

Cause 2 - When you say a person is extraordinary talent, does that mean that God has given something strange and excellent to that particular person? It is not extraordinary talent, it is just extraordinary parenting and response. Both should sync, if there is no response, such parenting would be military regime or when the child is such responsive, there are no one to breed the kid, there is no fruit that would be tasteful for either of them.

Cause 3 - Also sometimes, people become extraordinary when they work in a team - in such case, if ascertained individually, the accomplishment may be ordinary for few and extraordinary for many, and it usually works that team work results in extraordinary acheivements.

Cause 4 - Most people turn extraordinary, particularly male, when they are in love. Nevertheless, love also inspires female to accomplish extraordinary. But, the sustainance, according to me, is here a question - because, these days, goals are being set only for the interim. There is not the continuous motivation these days and when there is continuous accomplishment there emanates eternal love, which is hardly seen these days.

Cause 5 - This is reverse psychology. Either people whom you love inspires or those whom you hate to the core and desparate to prove a point. This works. But again as in love, hatred also inspires to a limited extent and there can never be perpetual hatred to continue as in love.

So, this a never-ending phenomena of extraordinary becoming ordinary and nothing becomes extraordinary - - it is only ordinary persons acheiving extraordinary things.

The Chetan Bhaghat Stunt Sequence

One of the most coherent stunt display was on ever since Christmas and it was for free!!! Absolutely cheap.... Cheap for the viewers, costly for pure hearts and riches for the crooked. Yes this is about you and me (viewers), the 3idiots team and the Lion(ess) of Punjab - Chetan Bhaghat.

3 Idiots, movie starring Aamir Khan, which was under production over the last year and was most eagerly awaited movie of the year. The movie is directed by munna-bhai fame Raj Kumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinodh Chopra. The script was based on a novel by renowned (only renouned and not respected) Indian author Chetan Bhaghat 5 Point Someone. The novel was national bestseller. CB over-night was the most celebrated Indian author, later came up with books One night @ call center, 3 mistakes of my life and 2 states being the latest. The screeplay for the movie was co-written by Abhijhit Joshi with Raj. The 3I team has signed an agreement with CB for their script was based on the book.

Sensing the overwhelming response that the movie would receive, CB having watched the preview of the movie decided on a ploy. This is how he executed it successfully. The credit for his novel was given at the end after the names of key artists and technicians in the movie. Yes, many would not have watched the credits at the end, as is normally the case with every movie. Wonder how many would have watched Aamir's name which was first in the list of credits at the end of the movie. Nevertheless, CB, wanting for publicity so badly plunged into action, accusing the 3I team of being unfair by adopting 70% of his book as movie and not giving him the due credit (will come up separately on this topic of how much % the book resembled the movie). He started accusing VVS, then Raj, but was not indulging any action against Aamir (a careful approach).

With the help of the action starven media and a few sensation starven media (HT, STAR, TN), he was quite successful in turing the media against the 3I team. In the meantime CB was continuing with his twitter and blog expressing his dismay and playing the holy cow. The tweets and blogs were so emotional, I (having neither read the book nor watched the movie) was convinced that the 3I team had held a conspiracy against CB and had in fact betrayed CB. The pressure bogged up. I believed that writers in the Indian cine world are not given due credit and the film-makers rob away with the credit.

Ultimately, justice has to prevail and atleast I was unvieled of the true face of CB. This happened due to series of events. First the press conference in which the 3I team was fired from all cyclinders (if these journos are really clever wits, wonder how constructive media would be) was decisive. When VVC was emotional and Aamir, blasting out at CB while Raj and Abhijit was keeping their cool, it was an indication of what the truth is. I was still confused about the truth. Then came the twister from CB. In continuation of his series of bluff on the issue through his blog, CB came out with a compromise solution, while the 3I team was never into dialogue with him. He wanted his name to be included in the script-writers and was generous enough to have his name after Raj and Abhijit, next, he loves Aamir and he has nothing against Aamir. Also he had publicly posted in his blog, private mails exchanges between the 3I team (the reply from VVC' brother Vir was a majestic reply).

These were clearly indicative of a stunt being performed by CB for the cheapest publicity ever possible for him. Now his book sales are up (can't argue that it was marginal), he has gained visibility among a section of people who never knew him and there are other opportunities for him to write columns in newspapers (Vir should never feel about the unprofessional exit of CB from HT, it is a blessing in disguise - HT should never have such people on-board).

Now, CB is a man of disrespect, dishonesty, betrayal and face of ugly publicity stunt. And the entire 3I team has gained a place of respect in me.

Markets opening early

This new year Indian stock exchange barometers, BSE and NSE are set to open at 9 AM in the morning. This was with a view to facilitate investors to react to other Asian markets cues. And the decision was taken with wide market participant's consensus. At least on initial reactions aired on Business News channels and Business Dailies suggest that there was lack of market consensus on the issue. The stock exchanges seem to have unilaterally decided on the issue. Though participants included brokers, they were larger ones and they also intended consensus from the participants.

What does this extended trading hour mean?

This mean additional trading hour. Earlier markets opened at 9.55 AM 3.30 PM. This additional trading hour means additional trade. This trade impacts the stock exchanges, depositories, depository participants and largely the stock brokers. For example, the number of trades in Nifty on 31st December 2009 when the markets last opened at 9.55 AM, was 58,09,802 and the average for the entire month was 59,80,000. The trade for today is 63,99,108. Though this may be a marginal increase, bet it will be much more in the coming days. This increase in trade means extended settlement process. The stock brokers is required to maintain more sophisticated books of account. They need to send reports to customers on a daily basis. Imagine the volume of work that would increase.

For all, they have to work after trading hours and also have to set up things ready for next day morning for beginning of trading. This will definitely impact the personal time of the stock brokers and those working with stock brokers. Increased work pressure will obviously mean lesser output.

On the lighter side, we will have news channels covering an extra hour of market, relief from investigative journalism that they carry on these days (manufacturing news), relief from the "how do you react to the allegations???, now its time to respond" to VIPs, relief from "First on....." statements.

My take, the stock market operations does not start at 9 and end at 3.30. It is atleast 6 hours of additional work than the trading hours. This effectively works out to 12 and 1/2 hours of additional work. Lesser time for family, greater stress, more divorces, more ruins to our culture, lesser time to relax (after all stock markets are full of stress).

Get back the decision.

Experience and not entertainment - AVATAR

I initially had a tiff with my friend when he said that he is dying to watch AVATAR, a few days before its release. For this particular guy who always fancies Hollywood movies and writes down Tamil movies, I felt annoyed at yet another Hollywood adoration by him. I never underwrite any tamil movie makers for some reason. They do what the majority of the masses in the land wanted and not for these hi-fi characters, who are hardly even 1% of their target audience. Nevertheless, I wanted to watch the movie. The movie released the week before Christmas and it was already full till Christmas. This had kindled my interest. CS examinations followed, so had to wait for a bit longer. One more week. And by this time, read a lot of tweets in twitter from various persons. One particular tweet from RGV mooted the interest further. He had said while there may be persons saying there can be a movie better than AVATAR, there can be no one who disputes that there was a movie like AVATAR.

Ha, My CS exams were to end on January 2nd and I wanted to watch it on that day. But there were other unexpected events to happen. I could finally watch the movie after a lot of drama. But ultimately I did, with my best friend and her sweet cousins on January 3rd. There was hardly any moment between January 2nd and morning of January 3rd, I had not thought about AVATAR. Much was the embarrassment the previous day evening that we could not watch the movie as planned. Eventually it was January 3rd matinee to take over.

I was already a little late for the movie. Finally sat down with the 3D glasses over my specs. I always had a doubt whether 3D glass could fit over my specs. It was perfect. And now over to the movie.

As I was late and had little confusion over the seating, 2-3 minutes after sitting was not so gripping. After a while when the mood was set in, it was just an amazing experience throughout. Never watched a movie like that. The movie had everything picture perfect. Be it the casting, make-up, graphics (woooowwwww), sound, sets, the plot, the screenplay and there cannot be a better direction. The Director, James Cameroon, already reputed as one of its kind director, has completed a movie of centuries with a mind-blowing team work. I am not going to be talking about the story or screenplay of the movie.

Coming the most important aspects, GRAPHICS, DIRECTION and the ONE BIG TEAM WORK.

This certainly is a big team work. Every soul in the movie has done its part without a blemish. The team credits at the end of the movie, unfortunately many would not even care to watch, even I did not stand there for the completion, but cared to watch till I got out and the teams that had worked were amazing. Animation has roughly 40 credits. By the way, there is some "CREDIT CRUNCH" that Indian Film industry is going through. Seeing the list at the end of movie, there was acknowledgement for every single person. Seen a list of 40 odd drivers there. The director's imagination was caught on tape with precision. The human race has never been short of imagination. I would not say that the scriptwriters imagination was the key success point in this movie. The success really was the transformation of the writer's imagination into such a marvel.

Next for such a transformation of the writer-Cameroon imagination, it was the director-Cameroon who has done every bit of justification to the writer deserves applause. The director has held the entire team together. There are no other words to explain the work of this director. A new dimensional direction. And yes he is the most articulative director.

Finally, what can never match the movie is the GRAPHICS or as they call it the ANIMATION. Recently, 2012 was released and got a feeling that there were lesser privileged industries producing better graphics than that movie. And when you watch AVATAR, you can never realise any work by the animation department. And that is what, is the success of the department. One should never notice the work of any department, including acting, while watching the movie. However, it should leave you perplexed after that.

Overall, the movie is a never miss-kind of movie. It was not an entertainment. It was an experience. And never like before or after experience. With all these perfection, its also amazing that the movie carries a good social message as well. Don't miss it!!!!!!

Coming to terms still... And I hope Aayirathil Oruvan weaves certain magic of this kind. After all, its a sincere effort from a sincere director... I support campaign AO...

Cheers