Surfing through the channels, I stopped at CNN where they were commenting on the memorial service that was about to start for Michael Jackson. Soon I found out that all the news services were covering it here...I was amazed to see the media shower glib tongued praises and relentless extolment with the same elan as when they used to mock him (when he was alive) - whats the point now?
Watching it, I was flooded with memories - I think I was about 4 when I first saw/heard him. It was at a family friend's place, where we kids used to sit together with the lights turned out to watch the video "Thriller". I think we did this countless times :)...and it was fun every time.
Uncle had brought the making of Thriller tape from the States. MJ is basically responsible for initiating me to music.
I also remember the time (this is before the Internet changed everything) when some friends and I used to share notes on the lyrics of his (and others) songs :) - playing the tape over and over in the Walkman and getting scolded by my folks for it :)
One more link to my childhood is gone now.
I watched the whole memorial service and it was really moving, especially the rousing sermon from the Rev. Al Sharpton. The saddest moment of course was watching Paris speak about him...it was probably the first time anyone has ever seen his kids and perhaps the first time people thought of him as more than just a performer.
Whatever might be the truth in all the allegations that constantly surrounded him, no one can deny his impact on the music scene - and for that reason alone he will remain a legend.
R.I.P. MJ
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Election results
Long time no post...so a quick one here.
Election results will be out soon. Hope who ever comes in to power will help quicken our pace towards economic and social development. I suppose UPA is likely to return...time will tell.
I just get a feeling that Congress and BJP will increase their seats...which will be good as we need the national parties to be more powerful.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Been so long...
Too many unfinished posts has meant that this place hasnt been updated for some time now...
Hopefully, I will get back into the groove soon.
Hopefully, I will get back into the groove soon.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Democracy - Equality and Liberty
Central to the idea of democracy are the twin concepts of equality and individual liberty. Equality is often taken to mean that all citizens of a country are equal in some basic respect. When all individuals are taken to be equal then it is obvious that one person can not decide for the other. Therefore all need to be given the same rights and meted out the same treatment. Of course, a look at history suggests that the right to equal treatment has not been
given to all. It was initially based on sex, wealth, age. Today in a democracy the right to equal treatment is shared by all citizens of a country over a certain age. Equality becomes critical during decision making. Equality aims to guarantee participation and thus avoid a situation where one party decides to disobey the decision because they were not allowed to participate in the decision making process.
Liberty has just as many connotations as equality and they again affect expectations of democracy. Experts suggest three set of ideas for liberty - republican,liberal and idealist. The republican view measures liberty in terms of a free political community. The liberal view is more concerned with individual freedom to do as he/she pleases. In between these views is the idealist view where the individual has the freedom but also the sense to make the right choices or demands.
But obviously a nation is more than an individual. Therefore it is the manner in which individual freedom interacts with the group that ties liberty to democracy. As individuals don't live in isolation, it is important that an individual's freedom of action does not infringe the freedom of others. Some experts see this as the only role for the state. Anything more and they see it as a threat to liberty.
It is this mix of individual rights and being an equal participant in decision making collectively that causes the tension between equality and liberty. A classic example is the desire to bring about economic equality. This can lead to a collective/majority decision to tax the rich more than others, thus infringing the right of the rich to spend their money as they choose. In such a situation, self rule is cited as a way out...and how self rule is to be achieved marks the major division between various forms of democracy.
At one extreme is what is known as Participatory Democracy. At the other extreme is the idea that people are willing to be ruled by a set of people chosen by them periodically [Representative/liberal] which often is the layman's definition of democracy. In between lies various shades, an example for which is people voting on an issue of national importance[Referendum]. Also, in order to restrain unchecked majority rule, an upper chamber is often recommended which will consist of meritorious experts in different areas.
So clearly it is difficult for a society to define what their expectations from this philosophy is. This fine balancing act gets more difficult when you start adding riders to the two opposing yet required forces. These riders include reservations, different laws for different sections of the society, etc.
Is it surprising then that our in-competent members of the legislature have done away with these goals of democracy and reduced it to a power game.
given to all. It was initially based on sex, wealth, age. Today in a democracy the right to equal treatment is shared by all citizens of a country over a certain age. Equality becomes critical during decision making. Equality aims to guarantee participation and thus avoid a situation where one party decides to disobey the decision because they were not allowed to participate in the decision making process.
Liberty has just as many connotations as equality and they again affect expectations of democracy. Experts suggest three set of ideas for liberty - republican,liberal and idealist. The republican view measures liberty in terms of a free political community. The liberal view is more concerned with individual freedom to do as he/she pleases. In between these views is the idealist view where the individual has the freedom but also the sense to make the right choices or demands.
But obviously a nation is more than an individual. Therefore it is the manner in which individual freedom interacts with the group that ties liberty to democracy. As individuals don't live in isolation, it is important that an individual's freedom of action does not infringe the freedom of others. Some experts see this as the only role for the state. Anything more and they see it as a threat to liberty.
It is this mix of individual rights and being an equal participant in decision making collectively that causes the tension between equality and liberty. A classic example is the desire to bring about economic equality. This can lead to a collective/majority decision to tax the rich more than others, thus infringing the right of the rich to spend their money as they choose. In such a situation, self rule is cited as a way out...and how self rule is to be achieved marks the major division between various forms of democracy.
At one extreme is what is known as Participatory Democracy. At the other extreme is the idea that people are willing to be ruled by a set of people chosen by them periodically [Representative/liberal] which often is the layman's definition of democracy. In between lies various shades, an example for which is people voting on an issue of national importance[Referendum]. Also, in order to restrain unchecked majority rule, an upper chamber is often recommended which will consist of meritorious experts in different areas.
So clearly it is difficult for a society to define what their expectations from this philosophy is. This fine balancing act gets more difficult when you start adding riders to the two opposing yet required forces. These riders include reservations, different laws for different sections of the society, etc.
Is it surprising then that our in-competent members of the legislature have done away with these goals of democracy and reduced it to a power game.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Violated...
So Delhi bleeds again, whats new? We have already seen the same scenes in Ahmedabad and Jaipur and B'lore and Hyderabad and Bombay before...the list is getting longer...
In fact, there are more terror strikes in India than any other nation(except Iraq and that's not much of a nation right now)...and we have ambitions of being a World Player???? How??
Will resign when Sonia ji asks to leave: Patil
Mr. Patil our home minister...the lesser said of his work the better (http://blogmia.blogspot.com/2007/06/india-burning.html)...but resigning if Sonia ji asks? Wasn't the cabinet selected by the PM, hmmm?
A quick check of course tells us that this government is headed by some one who has not won an election...now i don't want to get into whether its people's loss that he is not a member of the Lok Sabha, for he is surely one of the cleanest leaders we have...but not having obtained mandate is unacceptable all the same. Sonia ji of course is just a member of the parliament - but as the convener of UPA she enjoys cabinet status....and therefore the right to select the cabinet?
And yes, Mr. Shivraj Patil lost his Latur seat in the elections...
In fact, there are more terror strikes in India than any other nation(except Iraq and that's not much of a nation right now)...and we have ambitions of being a World Player???? How??
Will resign when Sonia ji asks to leave: Patil
Mr. Patil our home minister...the lesser said of his work the better (http://blogmia.blogspot.com/2007/06/india-burning.html)...but resigning if Sonia ji asks? Wasn't the cabinet selected by the PM, hmmm?
A quick check of course tells us that this government is headed by some one who has not won an election...now i don't want to get into whether its people's loss that he is not a member of the Lok Sabha, for he is surely one of the cleanest leaders we have...but not having obtained mandate is unacceptable all the same. Sonia ji of course is just a member of the parliament - but as the convener of UPA she enjoys cabinet status....and therefore the right to select the cabinet?
And yes, Mr. Shivraj Patil lost his Latur seat in the elections...
Friday, September 05, 2008
5 David Gilmour guitar solos
Boring bus journey home...made better with Pink Floyd :)
- The closing solo in Comfortably Numb from the live album The Delicate Sound Of Thunder
- Time (right after "...you missed the starting gun") from the album The Dark Side of the Moon
- Closing solo in High Hopes from the live album P.U.L.S.E
- Shine on you Crazy Diamond from the album Wish you were here
- Money from the album The Dark Side of the Moon
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