Are we getting smarter?

There are many commercials these days which claim how they and their employees are making this planet smarter which in theory also cascade to the inhabitants of this planet. If not all at least humans. After all all these smarter applications are being consumed by humans. One will hear from so many who interacts with kids that they were no close to this generation of kids in their childhood. So what exactly is this fuss about smartness? Is it intrinsic to our evolution? ! Not sure. They say we should question everything and you are sure to come out with more enlightenment.

Lets question then!
Are we really getting smart or is this smartness really smart in making us dumb?

Lets see some examples.

One of booster of your acumen is your memory. If you remember more things you will apply them more often which in turn will make you more smart. Aren't we getting use to remember lesser and lesser things. I know many who don't even know their parents phone number and turn to cellphone address book to dig it out. There are many who depend on social networking sites to remember people.

If you are good with numbers then your are bound to be called smart. And you will feel a sense of pride doing it in anywhere. How often do we try to calculate? Even to calculate 10% of 150 we take out our calculator which these days is available in its ubiquitous avatar everywhere in watches, cellphones and computers. The local kirana-wallah uses his calculator to calculate how much is 12+7. This was not the case so common with our parents generation. When i see with my father calculating orally i feel impressed and ashamed too. He can put a banker to shame and he is not engineer.

These days we don't even remember directions. We forget them so often. We always looks for online maps or mobile navigator. Asking someone for some address or directions is slowly becoming a bad manner.

One can figure out numerous flimsy tasks which we as humans could do so but now we trust machines. One will argue that these machines are also being made by humans. True. The question is not about human ability but about relying too much on them for triviality. Perhaps some smarter people making these smart applications are making rest of the people dumb but they can't be blamed. And certainly i don't wish to become smarter.

Nationalization of Bombay..err,sorry mumbai

Shiv Sena says, "Mumbai is for Maharashtrians".

MNS says, "Mumbai is for Marathi Manoos".

RSS says, "Mumbai is for all Indians".

Rahul Gandhi says, "Mumbai was saved by NSG commandos belonging to Bihar and UP when 26/11 took place".

Hello whats going on?

I say Bombay is for the whole world. Please come and enrich it, but don't spoil it.

Aren't we living in age of globalization which we supports open heartedly by taking all those outsourced jobs. Then why this hypocrisy within India?

They say today Earth is a single village. Friedman says World is Flat. Then why are we digging the land of Bombay? More than half of foreign people coming to India land here. Its India's face, why create a island out of it?

They say people from north india are taking up top jobs meant for local guys. Common there is something called meritocracy apart from democracy. All high class jobs required the best available talent irrespective of geography.

They say small sector jobs of local industries should be for local people because one need local skills such as language to do it. I agree. But if someone from other part of the world is able to get it then doesn't it show that the outside person has embraced the local culture about which local people should feel proud of.

All this is so petty. Do we require it? NO. Then why is it happening? There is something called Indian politics. HELL.

P.S. I am ready to replace 'Bombay' with 'Mumbai' anywhere above without any condition :) Afterall Whats in a name?

Whats in a name?

Shakespeare said.."Whats in a name?" Naam mei kya rakha hai? Ask Raj Thackery. He will tell you how does it matter to call 'Bombay' 'Mumbai. Ask Karan Johar who has apologised to the former for using word 'Bombay' instead of 'Mumbai' in his latest flick 'Wake up Sid'. For Karan Johar its business, For Raj it is his party agenda. I dont know what it is for people. Moreover, there is nothing for people most of the time. Some agree and some don't and life goes on. I guess its high time we all have to be careful while uttering this word else we might invite trouble. Looks like there is lot in a Name Mr. Sahakespeare. People find meaning in your name and not in what you do, what you think or Whats your Rashee ( Sorry Ashutosh Gowarikar).
I fail to understand what have we got after changing 'Bombay' to 'Mumbai' or 'Madras' to 'Chennai'? Soon someone (most probably a politician) will say we will call our country Hindustan. Half of the country will agree, half won't. Media will debate. News channel will air it on their 24 hrs shop. People with free phone will SMS news channel polls and it would be a nice receipe for elections. Absolute Hypocrisy!

New fashion accessory in pune N-95 mask

Pune has gone silent. Today i went to see movie and found a large number of people wearing a mask on their face in the theater. All the staff there is wearing this N-95 mask. Looks like its a new cult accessory. Its not! Its ugly. Its the panic H1N1 flu has created all over the city and in India. Few people have died and many are infected. It has come to challenge the crippled government medical facilities. Not sure how they will take up this challenge. Even the doctors are reported to be getting infected. I hope this doesn't become epidemic and people get rid of this ugly mask.

Happy Friendship Day

My cellphone beeped few times in the morning while i was asleep. When i checked those sms they all came to wish me Happy Friendship Day.
I am confused!
How should i celebrate it? One minute.
Why should i celebrate it?
Is friendship meant to be celebrated only on one day in a year? Shouldn't it be celebrated and enjoyed the year around.
Why do we sms on days like friendship, valentines, rose so religiously? .
Is it a formal way of celebrating friendship? Is friendship formal?
Looks like these days are now being used as get-back-in-touch kind of oppurtunities. They are becoming useful to people who are trying to build up some relationship. Imagine a man or a woman trying to initiate a talk. Friendship day can be really advantageous!. So nothing wrong in it. One more question troubles me.
Why do we have friendship band? I guess there is some reason behind it. Its like kutte-ka-patta and Dog is the most faithful animal known.
So are we asking our friend to be (faithful) like Dog?
Then why do we react when someone calls us Dog (Kutta) ?

Multiple Prime Minister for India

It may be a stupid idea ( with very high chances) but i like stupidity. I got this idea from our favorite kolkata knight riders coach, John Buchanan..and when a qualified and renowned
coach can suggest that stupidity (if it is?) i can as well go ahead without any fear.

India is a land of diversity and that diversity is now being reflected in political parties for few years now. Gone are the days of Congress! Getting 1 party in majority seems distant dream. The regional parties have come a long way and leave no stone unturned to exploit their strength and make a mockery of the largest democracy of world. Coalition is the unfortunate word. Unfortunate because it really test negotiating skills of our poltitical leaders who otherwise enjoy being untested.

I can understand how difficult it would be negotiate to the likes of Mayawatis, Jayalalithas, Mamtas, Yadavs and Singhs who all aspire to be PM. For the same reason i appreciate and respect Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was successful in managing the whims and fancies of Mamtas and Jayalalithas.

This whole exercise of give and take take a heavy toll on our leaders who get so exhausted by the time they form government that their only wish after forming government is to enjoy for the next 5 years. I guess the situation arises because every party want to have their own Prime Minister and we can have only one PM. Imagine if we can have multiple PMs, something like two largest party will have PMs. The whole game will take a U-turn. That would be OBAMA!(read CHANGE). Experts always say we need some one from BJP to deal with Pakistan and from Congress to deal with USA. That would be so easy then.

One more point, The Left should get their PM in each government for next 3 governments as royality to their loya state team revolutionary idea. I hope Sharukh will not ask for money as he is the owner of team and can claim copyright. But he should not as a good citizen of India. Moreover, he is a smart guy who can earn money easily in India.

I know for sure John Buchanan will like my theory and is free to claim the originality of idea.

A Letter to Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav

Dear sir,

Recently you presented the railway budget and i immediately went on internet to see the list of new trains you would have launched. I was diappointed yet again. No new train from pune to Delhi. I wonder how can you have neglected pune entirely in almost all of your budgets. 

Pune-Delhi is a promising route as so many students, employees and other migrants from all of north india stay here that i am sure if you launch a new train it will definately run for more than 100% occupancy. Although i know occupancy has never been a issue with railways. Railways is favourites for all sections of society. I could sense the jealously in the speech of one of the big airline official when he said that in india the number of people travelling in trains in one day is greater than the number of people travelling in one complete year in all of indian airlines.  How stupid i am? I should have known that all this economic reasons are never the priority with government as it is supposed to work for people. Does it? 

Then i thought may be all these decisions need enough political reasons. So what? Raj Thackery has given you enough reasons to focus on pune (Maharasthra). Imagine if there is a good train running daily between pune-delhi it will make life of so many migrants from UP, Delhi, Bihar so easy.  It will make Raj Thackery more irritating at the same time. I am sure this must have gone through your shrewd mind. Then what is preventing you?

I know enough people in pune who wish for a good train of the like of Rajdhani to run between pune-delhi. 

I must say something in your praise which might motivate you to consider my wish if you again become railway minister . Sir, you are immensely popular with indian people. Whenever i travel in train i always hear about you and your work from people around. Recently i heard one lady saying Lalu is best. He takes good decision, he is the one behind the turnaround of indian railways and he is the most entertaining in all of the politicians whose speeches are so hilarious yet so straight and comprehend able by the common man. 

I wish you again become railway minister in the upcoming election after all you are the one who is head of a such a profiting government organization ( I hope the balance sheet is not a copy of satyam). You have done so much and much more is yet to be done. Still there is so much to be done in many areas like cleanliness and catering service. Sir, your decision of introducing khullads was a great one which i don't know why it was discontinued. Khullads are more environment friendly and generate work for potters who are trying to keep this art alive in India.  I know it must have been done again your wishes. Indians have full faith in you. You are the one talking about bullet trains in India. It would be a wonderful sight to see a train traveling at 300km/hr. Sir, this way pune-delhi will be covered in 6 hours. Again i am acting selfish. So what? Everyone is.

I must end this letter now by thanking you. I may again write you if anything i have to wish for from you.