This is NOT Enough!

If this is a reaction to the Wednesday when hell broke loose, this is not enough.

If this is a display of insecurity for the ordinary neighbourhood Indian, this is not enough.

If we consider this congregation of anger an "Achievement", this is not enough.

If we really want change at the core of the Indian Establishment and at the grass roots, this is not enough.

If this is the way we will vent our anger on failed systems, this is not enough.

What needs to be changed is not what we see. It is the unseen that we have to deal with.

Indians, Protest! Stand for your rights. Stand against dirty politics. Make them feel your presence. Make them take note of your unity.

But do not vent it out. This is not the time; NOT YET!

This is just the beginning; the tip of the mighty iceberg. This is not the occassion to sprint; save your energies for the long haul.

Do not get carried away. Do not be satisfied with the numbers that turned out this Wednesday. The magnitude of the real issues are tremendous. Last Wednesday's attacks are just the symptoms; the real problem lies beneath.

This is the right beginning. But reactions are not enough. We need concerted action.

This is the waking up. This is NOT Enough!

A Call for Rationalism amidst Rashness: Mumbai Terror Attacks

Most reactions to the Mumbai attacks that were seen on the Television had two sets of people to blame: 1. Politicians; 2. Pakistanis.

Mumbaikars were angry, felt let down and were frustrated to the core. A Mumbai politician announced that the captured militant was a "Pakistani", his voice simmering with anger. Famous personalities said they were tired at the relentless expectation of "Resilience" on the part of Mumbaikars. Reporters were visibly emotional and shaken, having covered the episode from close range all through. Some feared a "Rash" reaction within India, with one set of people pitted against the other.

Understandably, it was "Emotions" everywhere. To attack the heart of a country in broad daylight, to spray bullets on by-standers using a police patrol vehicle, to slay unrelated travellers in a busy Railway station, to hold foreign guests to ransom and slaughter, to cut loose and run amock with loads of ammunitions in a Heritage Hotel that many fondly associate their growing up and their pasts with - one would need to be a saint not to be "Emotional".

The NSG operation has been steady, measured and systematic. But would it undo the losses of lives? Would it restore the tarnished image of the Nation? Would it wipe those tears and bring smiles? Could it bring back the same parents to the child that was rendered an orphan with a single finger on the trigger? Would the ATS have the same Chief again? To be "sane" and not to get "emotional" with these nagging questions may just be too much to ask for. With every cry, with every sigh, with every drop of blood on the floor, with every slain corpse that is carried out of the hotels, with every anxious moment of wait by the hapless relatives and friends, there is this "WHY???", soaked in "Emotions".

However, extra-ordinary situations demand "Rationale" to take the upper hand over "emotions".

If "Thinkers" like Shobha De lose it and challenge the politicians on TV in an emotional outburst, it is not just herself, but a lot of others that she is going to influence with emotions. To reinforce general opinion and shape popular feelings in an emotional mould is not the best of acts in an emergency as this. If everyone is to get bogged down by the scale of the horror and get overpowered by their own emotions, who would get to the "Root" of the larger issue?

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The need of the hour is, more than reactions, more than "Responses", the willingness to face reality, the resolve to change and the ability to preempt and take steps towards the "Solution"!

Any form of "Reaction" or "Hatred" will only complicate the already complex puzzle of senseless acts of terrorism. Hatred will only fuel the fire - and fire does not care which side of it you are in. It burns the perpetrator, the affected and the one who inflicts, all the same. Blame, hatred, taking sides, vowing revenge, any extreme "Emotion" is bound to be counter-productive, no matter what your stance is. What is required is restraint, responsible response and a sense of collective responsibility towards one cause: Peace!

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Pakistan: It has to take a real hard look at its side of the fence. It will take time. But it needs to have the resolve to see its face as it is, in the mirror. Pakistan has not been flourishing by any stretch of imagination. Dictatorial rules have been ruining its economy. It's high time it reorganised its priorities.

How long could "Kashmir" be its single-point agenda? How long would it let itself be taken for a ride by its own factions? How long would it want to hold its own progress?

Every nation has the right to thrive; and terrorism is that fire that knows no difference between its target and its starter. The nation that actually takes the toll of its own terrorism is Pakistan.

Not that the Government sponsors terrorists; but it definitely needs to take a very very tough stance against any form of militancy within its borders.

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Indian Politics: It needs to behave as one Nation, not an accumulation of states or a congregation of parties. It needs to rise above petty politics. And it needs to reassure every citizen, including the Minorities, that India stands for the very essence of Secularism and that every loyal citizen has the right for safety and feeling of security.

Indian politicians must realise that they are not in power to play games. Political parties must win on policies, deliverables and real productive action; they must play an active part in educating the public of what's going on and must be willing to relinquish power if their low levels of performance and the people who elected them, demand so. They must know that politics is not a business venture without any ethical strings attached but is a noble service that demands dedication.

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Indian Systems: There is no such thing as an "Indian System" till date. In the Mumbai episode, a simple first step of cardoning off the disturbed area, securing it and preventing people from getting on to the scene of action was not practised, before the prestigious Commandoes planned their moves. To have herds of people all over as if they are watching a Tamasha is ample demonstration of a society that is devoid of any semblance of a "System".

The system has to encompass every aspect of governance. Intelligence, for one, has been non-existant in this case. Post-mortems would anyway reveal how and from where the terrorists checked in at the Hotels with guns, bombs and ammunition for their baggage. But to let this planned and co-ordinated crime happen in the Heart of Mumbai is display of abysmally low levels if Intelligence. How could such a system be endowed with the responsibility of running the governance of a Nation with a billion souls? Why were not the coast lines secured? We were talking of preparedness for the next Tsunami a few years back. How prepared are we to monitor the seemingly innocuous boats that sail into our shores?

Systems! India lacks dangerously on them. If the Government does not realise how dangerously it has been living, the next attack could destabilise the economy and even the military.

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The Indian Judiciary: Let's not discuss the obvious Anti-Terrorism Laws. What about the right to Equality and Justice? How tough are the laws against any form of Inflammatory remarks or ideologies? Of what levels of significance are the laws that prevent attrocities on minorities by the armed forces and other forces in power? How balanced is the Judiciary in dealing with Justice to everyone, irrespective of one's religion?

The Judiciary needs to make a strong statement of sorts that Justice, indeed, has its eyes blind-folded when weighing the scales. Justice should not only be given, but also seem to be given.

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The Hindutva Forces: They have no necessity to feel insecure in the first place; nor do they have to feel their homelands being taken away or their religious sentiments eroded by other religions. They are the majority in this vast nation; they ought to take responsibility towards the minorities.

How good it would be if Nation stood ahead of sentiments? To protect one's ground does not mean attacking the other. To make people believe in a religion is not accomplished by force. And the Hindu Religion needs no testimony to its variety and strength of resources that has taken it forward over the centuries. The Hindutva forces have every reason to act in a mature manner in guiding the Nation forwad.

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The Muslim Intelligentia: They have their responsibilities spelt out more clearly and louder than ever before. Religions are no ordinary statements; they are full of wisdom. The only difference among religions is the way this age-old treasure of wisdom is personified. The paths towards spirituality are many; but the destination is one.

The Muslim Intelligentia and religious Heads need to walk that extra mile in propogating their own religion to the new generation in a way that is appealing to them in all its essence. And what better place and time to start such a Movement of Educating the children and youth about the real values of the Religion, than here and now?

It would be extremely unfortunate if precious life is wasted away in strife towards false ideologies. It is criminal to allow vested interests man-handle the Holy Scriptures for their own personal gains. It would be weakness to allow the well meaning books of religion to be misinterpreted towards vengeance and retaliation. No one can ever Kill in the name of God!

The religious heads can easily mould public and young opinions in the right way. It is their responsibility.

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The Government and the Society: It is tragic to allow Terrorism to hijack the daily lives of a Nation. Years of efforts, miles of progress, life-times of growth and dreams would be shattered in a moment of rashness.

The focus is on weeding out Terrorism. But to weed out is not to storm; it more than definitely, requires calm. Yes, let the commandoes root out the terrorists and restore peace. But restoring can never be as good as Cultivating! The emphasis has to be on Cultivating Peace. That requires a healthy soil, the best of seeds, fine nurturing, right irrigation, proper fencing, consistent care and attention, and the highest levels of dedication towards the long term objectives.

If Terror strikes humanity at a drop of a hat, let's set ourselves a step or two back to see WHY it strikes so frequently, so regularly. More than a sect, more than a state, more than a religion, more than a Nation, Humanity matters. After years of progress, why would we want to be canon fodder? After centuries of evolution, why return to the stone ages?

It would not be too high an asking to have "Peace" as the Theme for the next one year, the world over. All it requires is resolve and a moment of reflection as to where we have progressed with regard to human beings treating fellow human beings. What does a Terrorist feel? Why does he find himself forced into Terrorism or induced and propelled into flames of hatred? What makes his view of the world so negative? Why is he convinced every other citizen or nation or religion targets him and his society?

All of these take one step: Come out of your "Emotions"! With every screen of emotion, the picture seems flawed and distorted. And the first step forward is the responsibility of people who can Influence others' thought processes. It requires voluntary initiative with involvement and a sense of purpose. It's all about injecting positivism into evolving minds!

If this can be done with focus, we can start thinking of stability.

Clearway World Watch: Indian Evolution, World Economy and Darwinism

India has won in style. And to lose a series this way is not something that the Aussies are much used to. So much so, they were forced to make some face saving comments by diverting the issue and venting out their frustrations. One wonders why such comments are taken nicely by the ICC. Perhaps, because, it is not about cricket and ICC knows nothing but cricket!

But it was not one Hayden who sought to relieve his frustrations. The Aussie captain, gentleman Ponting, decided to have a go at Sunny Gavaskar, rather unnecessarily. Well, as Gavaskar said, the Aussies seem to be rattled, indeed.

The rise of India in world news was evident not just on land but in the waters as well. It would have been fun for our navy bro's chasing the pirates out of their ship and sinking it. The UN has recognised the Indian Navy's brave effort and even seems to have granted it the "License to Kill" on the pirate homelands.

This winning streak on land and on water actually, started from Space! The perfect launch and the touch down on moon by our Chandrayaan showcases India's capabilities - and the efforts of all those dedicated souls at ISRO. Forget the debate that sprouts up as always when anything significant happens - there seems to be no second opinion, now that ISRO has taken a page out of Abhinav Bindra's books on how to aim for and hit the target!

This clearly is Indian Evolution, if not a Revolution. As if land, water and space were not fuel enough, the American Intelligence has started taking serious note of India, among the other rising powers, as having a distinct possibility of capturing the lion's share of global dominance from the defending champions, the United States. Perhaps, the recession that started off with the Housing sector and the Financial sector debacle in the US underlines the vulnerability of the United States. Afterall, not many would have imagined that the stalwarts of manufacturing, the Big 3 Automobiles from Detroit would eventually have to chalk up a Business Plan and submit it to the Congress, to have a lease of life! That's not much of a pretty scene for a global giant. But then, reality is harsh - and the economy is even harsher!

The economy was, in fact, so harsh that it demanded a congregation of the Group of 20 Heads of Nations to assemble at Washington D C and chart the future path out. It was a quick reaction by the global leaders who promptly made it a point to do their bit about managing the intricately inter-connected world trade. Media reports have not talked lightly of the time and effort that the heavy weights have invested. There was this distinct sense of urgency in the high profile summit that is set to go on in a phased out manner. And not many such conferences would have yielded such a consensus so soon and so smoothly as this on has. Luckily for the world, this one wouldn't drag on for months and years like other political summits would.

Talking of urgency and consensus, the dark brown dust couldn't be all that transparent not to be seen at all! The layers of dust that could filter out the intensity of the sun as it reaches the earth should be quite a phenomenon. And a survey says how Governments around the world have been lethargic in protecting the oceans, falling far short of their own projections and promises. News items such as these warning of catastrophic rise in sea levels have appealed more to Film Makers in the Hollywoods than Governments.

One question strikes the casual eye: Why have these issues not been classified as being "Urgent"? If the dark clouds are such a serious threat that would affect rainfalls, visibility and health, if oceans are so precious to protect as would some endangered species be and if sea levels are rising alarmingly indeed, why doesn't the G20 or the G80 meet up in some serene place to read and understand the issues at least, even for discussion at a later date? If we are eventually to adapt ourselves to a waterworld, where would we play cricket and win matches against Ponting's men, where would we launch our rockets from and where would Wall Street be then?

Not to worry about the Indian Navy though. They could very well be close to home, chasing pirates away from the ocean above Madhya Pradesh and driving them onto the limited stretches of lands on the Himalayan Plains. We could have a G 20 summit with leaders fashioning Swim Suits. Or perhaps, by then, man would have evolved further with fins and gills. What's Darwin's take on this?

Barack "Historical" Obama

It was not yet another sensationalist hyperbole when the media described the United States Elections as "History in the Making". For once, should I say, in living memory, the media was spot on. Barack H Obama did make History. In fact, he has done more than just that - he has, perceptibly, changed the course History was taking. This was a moment that the Americans could rightly be proud of.

Forget his biography for a moment; the guy seems good by his very looks; by his measured speech and choice of words; by his conscious humility; by the depth of his eyes - and what goes beneath those eyes; by the determination in his voice; even his lanky structure and the way he held himself as he walked down the stage, his poise . . . they all speak something of his character. It says, "Hey Americans, this is the best that you could have got!"

His mixed race parentage is, obviously, what would make the world sit up and watch - and listen. But more than that, the United States has, over the past eight long years, dug itself in a pit in its Foreign Affairs Department. Arrogance is not the best way forward in a growingly seamless world. And ignorance is even worse. To think that there was only one Nation in the Universe would'nt make much political or economic or whatever sense. Obama offered a hope from a deteriorating and an even increasingly humiliating situation.

This development, if handled carefully, diligently, with sense and serenity, is capable of changing the perception of a whole lot of nations about the "Super Power". Israel has already started worrying about the strategies of its patron. Obama would, hopefully, know better than that.

The President-Elect has had many a thing going for him. President Bush himself has done him a lot of favour by forcing the president's approval ratings to a Historical Low. He was high-handed in dealing with a fragile planet. He was quick to formulate the "Axis of Evil" theory. He invented tall claims about "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and the inevitable link between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. He couldnt manage to plant those WMD's in Iraq in time, before the IAEA Inspection panel's aircraft touched base at Baghdad. He fulfilled his dad's dream of a world without Saddam Hussein. He showered weapons of "mass destruction" over civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. He threatened North Korea; he accoasted Iran. And in all the drama, he forgot his own home and his economy!

Put these all in perspective, Obama would have anyway been a silver streak if he had just said he was "not George W Bush"!

He would have definitely rejoiced to have his Grand mother by his side when he created History. But then, politics is all about points scored. And as commentators famously say, "Runs are runs, no matter how they come".

"For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century," Barack Obama said in his Acceptance Speech.

If he is really what he has projected of himself all the way, if he is really strong enough to dare to walk the rope, he has to double up even before the word "Go". He has no choice but to hit the ground running. And if he does that and if he walks the distance, the world would certainly be a better place.

Change Starts Here!

Clearway was Reborn on the 22nd of May, 2008 as the "Renaissance". And there was just one promise: Change!

Change is going to be the Future. Change is Positive. Change is Realistic. Change is constant. Change takes Time!

Let's not talk of how bad we are. We all know we need to change. We all see how things we see are. We do not see mere fumes, we see the fire as it is - raging! What's the point in describing the fire? What's the fun in predicting its course, or analysing its history, or fuming about it? It's in a rage, and any amount of talking is irrelevant. Those who describe become commentators; those who predict become wizards; those who analyse become historians. The fire keeps raging, lashing out on all that it touches, creating ash out of the already rotten. To talk is cowardice, blatant escapism.

To do is not easy. It could have been, if we were dealing with a spark. It might have been, if we all saw the future together. To do something to undo the damage is to stop the boulder rolling down the hill. To deal with the present as it is will only crush the brave heart. The need of the hour is more than a mere 'brave heart'!

I am here to talk. I know irony announces its presence there. But the fact is, I am here only to talk. Because, the future has not yet arrived. The boulder has not travelled the distance yet. And I'm not a 'brave heart' to get crushed under the unrelenting force. I would rather not be one.

Undoing the past carnage and rectifying the present mistake can happen only in the future. So, I'm not bothered about the past. I'm not going to talk of the present. I'm going to talk of what it would take to make the future! So that when the future becomes our present, we have what it takes to tackle the bull - by its horns. And I wouldn't mind getting curshed or being torn apart then. At least, I would not have the repentance of having been a mere "Brave Heart"!

Let's wait for the future. Till then, Let's Talk!

The "Small Bang", the Big Bang and the "Bigger Bang"

Will the world be consumed? Will the Galaxy be sucked into the black hole? Can the World survive this Wednesday?

We all like to be fascinated with science and fiction. Science is fascinated with imagination unlimited. Fiction has always loved science. Lethal combination - science and fiction. But lethal is attraction. Not that every attraction is lethal.

Cut the crap. Not just in the blog, but in science as well. Hey folks, you seem to have come of age! All set to find out the origins of the Universe, eh? Very clever. But you chose the wrong place, boys! Origins of the Uinverse in a, ahem, laboratory? (Officially, this set of experiments has been dubbed the "Small Bang"!). And that too dug up in a hole! Seriously, give me a buzz when you have found out your origins. Nah, Im not interested in the origins. But your discoveries and theories and theses running into reams will sure catch the press. Press people are hungry for news anyway. Whatever you may come up with, you sure would have given them fodder.

And here come the next set of entertainers- the Doomsday Theorists. And they predict that one black hole will swallow the world and bellow so loudly that a new Universe will have formed from the sound waves that emanate from the just formed black hole! Good for scientists. They can then conduct new experiments in the old world about how the new world formed and where it is located. Im sure the next set of experiments (Dubbed the "Small Bang 2") would be conducted in space of the old world. Ofcourse man, scientists too grow up the learning curve. How long do you think they would keep themselves dug up in a chamber shooting particles against the walls and playing with them?

But we were talking of the Doomsday Theorists now! They are one real bunch of jokers who forgot to wear their brains the day they started predicting. Cant blame them either. They are jokers and their roles are to entertain. So, every other day, they predict the end of the Universe - sometimes through some catastrophe, some times inside some black holes. Poor chaps. But even if the world got consumed in a black hole, we could still make a living there. I wonder if there would be sunlight there. But who knows, perhaps the black hole appears black only from the outside, but from the inside, it could be one nice paradise with 3 moons and lots of rainbows and half the sun at double the distance from the earth! Trust me, even laymen like me have imagination. Perhaps, not as much as the scientists who are trying to replicate the split second after the Big Bang though.

But what I say, people, why dont you start from the very beginning? Why start from the Big Bang? There must have been a "Bigger Bang" a few more billion years earlier that gave birth to the creators of the present Universe. I suggest you go to the previous episodes before you discuss the Big Bang. Try recreating the "Bigger Bang". To be safe, dig yourselves a few more hundred metres deeper into the earth and seal your ways up. With the replica of the Bigger Bang, so much energy would be produced that you would either be propelled up to the surface at the completion of your games or you may never have to come up at all - a new world may be created right inside our own world! Anything is a possibility, you see?

If You are a TERRORIST, You are LOSING your War!

This clearly turns out to be different from what I have expressed in the Bangalore Rockz post: "Blast Me if You Can"! They are Blasting India. 16 blasts in a day in one city! And that too close on the heals of Bangalore. Reports indicate targetting of BJP-ruled states.

People dying is not unfortunate. People are born to die. But the ideology that drives the killings is disturbing. This is sheer desperation; and I pity those who are weak. Weakness is Living Death. Death is Natural; "Living death" is a Curse!

I would become desperate if I lose all my strength and conviction; if I fail to find a way out with my own will and action. I would never want to be reduced to an insignificant living being that has given up all hope and resorted to terrorism or suicide.

To resort to terroirism and to commit suicide are the same. Both are extreme measures when every source of hope has dried away, every ounce of strength has got drained away. One commits suicide when one does not see even a remote possibility of a distant hope. The same is the case with terrorism; one resorts to it if one has anger but not a way to channelise it. Anger without a way out will lead either to suicide or to homicide. Any such act is the height of desperation, sign of one's being reduced to lifelessness.

If you have anger, if you have seen injustice, if you have found the system a heap of shit, if you have always been on the receiving end, FIGHT IT! Get yourself together, channelise your anger. That would be the power that brings about change. It is this focussed anger that is needed to being about the much-needed Revolution.

Die for a cause! But to waste one's life away in desperation, to kill unrelated people just for a base for dialogue or to make people listen to your stories and miseries makes you look mean and weak and starved and debilitated.

I am not bothered about the death tolls. I am bothered about the weakness in the minds. It doesn't take a series of blasts to rattle the weak; and making people feel insecure serves no purpose of yours, that drives your deeds of violence. It takes tough minds to change the world. Terrorism buries your ideologies beneath the heaps of corpses that have already perished to terror. You get lost among the tonnes of bones and blood and flesh that have already spilled all over the place.

Terrorism is a losing battle. You waste your vital energy when you give in to it. Your purpose becomes self-defeating and you can never win. Fight it - with sense, focus and determination. Wars have never been won in a rage!

Where Anarchy is better than Democracy!

We all know of how bad the boys behaved out there in the Parliament. And if they could put up such a show to be telecast live, one could imagine how much of an activity must have gone on behind the scenes. Discussions, disagreements, conspiracies, bribes, body shopping, mind games, barter exchanges . . . so much planning, so many suitcases of currencies, so many thugs involved . . . intricacies, intimidations, bargains . . . whewww . . . must have been quite a hectic period for all our neighbourhood politicians.

But coming to think of these guys who claim to be representing us, the humble law-abiding and law-breaking citizens and netizens, it makes one exclaim how truly they live up to the term "Elected Representatives"! I mean, do they really represent the sentiments of the senseless voters who made them Kings? Talk of this whole worthless, stupid, obnoxious episode of "No Trust" motion. I, as a citizen who plays a role in putting these mindless vacuum's amidst the power centres, ask my representatives one simple question: When did I ask you to move such a motion against a Government that I elected? Did I ask for instability in governance at this point in time?

If I appoint my representative to present my organisation to my client, I would kick his backside if he misbehaves in the client's place. And what have these guys done? They have been indulging in "Insider Trading", "Horse Trading", "Ass Trading"and what not! I would want to dismiss my whole organisation at one go! I can run my show without any of them. I would rather be a "One Man Show" than hiring goonda's for my team!

And what's with those numbers, my revered writers of the Constitution? Were your minds out of place when you put those clauses there? One number up, he wins; one number down, he loses. Two guys abstain, the nation's history reads something else. Heck! Is this some Play school that you were running before you were delegated with this unenviable chore of drafting the sacrosanct collection of letters and words called the "Constitution"?

In these days of hectic parlays, how many minutes would our representatives really have thought about the country, the roads, the infrastructure, the poor, the down-trodden . . . about anything that would constitute the very purpose of their being where they are? I wouldn't know, our people wouldn't know, none of our representatives would know either.

Coming to think of our country as one huge organisation, I can't help wondering what it would be like to have my own organisation filled with all sorts of people at the top, who never knew what "peaceful co-existence" is! Imagine my company chairman, its CEO, Board of Directors, Chief Operating Officer, Techincal Director, Finance Director, Purchase Manager and HR Chief trying to emulate what our Kingpins have been doing! Blaming, fighting, bargaining, buying out, selling out, having no Trust, taking no responsibility, being reckless, childish, stupid, arrogant, self-serving . . . I would definitely want my company closed down NOW!

In short, I want my Representatives to be sacked! I want my office to be closed. Hang the Parliament - and anyone else who is adamant on staying in it. And I'm sure that will not be the end of life. Being without rulers is better than being ruled by self-serving, conniving foxes. And ultimately, a rule will emerge. We can fight it out and can come up with a game plan. We dont need representatives to do the fighting for us!

Blast Me If You Can - Bangalore ROCKZ!

I welcome the new kids on the Block. And congrats on your new attempt.

You were always epected here. But I actually thought you would be less amateurish and more professional. Not amateurish, it was childish. No, perhaps, it was stupid. Or, rather, it was ridiculous. Yes, you are not kids, but are fools. Fools to the extent of being labelled demented.

Do you seriously think all that you could plan was a few crackers along roadsides? A few months late, folks would have mistaken you for some Diwali celebrations!

The next time, plan something solid. Make it big. Taste blood.

If you cant, climb up one of the towers in UB City and jump. You would make better news then!

Be What you Want!

How is it that you are able to type those mails out to your pal? How do you manage to drive or ride in this maddening crowd? How are you able to pick that grain from the plate and direct it straight to your mouth that you never see while eating?

Simple things, straight forward stuff. No big deal.

But so it in case of everything else. "No Big Deal".

Whether it's about planning an event or organising a rally or bringing about a change or a Revolution, the idea is simple. "How" is always preceded by "Want". "How" has never been a problem. The mighty Empire was brought down by dhoti-clad village lads more than half a century ago. For them, "How" was not the word. They "Wanted" to regain their land. They decided that it was going to be their destiny. They were determined to do that. And they did just that.

To start a thinking process with "How" is Negative attitude. How just does not matter. It's only whether you want it or not. The difference between what happens and what never happens is the will to make it happen. "How" merely follows the will, like a petite dog that follows a school-going girl.

Let me not beat it round. I want to change the society. I want to bring about some fresh air that would drive all this stench away. I want to make a difference to the ordinary, weak roadside old man who has given up all hope in life. I want this country to regain its place in History. I want the politician to morph into the statesman that he once was. I want the mind to be untiring, the muscles to be toned. I want change; I want peace.

I know I can get them. "How" doesn't matter.

Reborn - Yet Again!

There were three sides to the Clearway Coin - Clearway, India and Revolution. Now, Clearway will be One. Renaissance.

Much has gone into the Definitions and Re-definitions of Clearway. To complicate simple stuff is not wise; but to know that something is actually simple takes courage. It takes courage to face raw truth. To stand by truth, undeterred by the swirls of whirlwinds, needs more than mere courage - it takes Humility!

Predictably, Clearway has changed. Not in the outlook, not in the context, not in the content, but in the Soul.

How has it changed? It's for you, the reader, to waste your time and energy on theories and thesis to answer questions. In simple terms, compare the present with the future and the past. See what was what, why is what and how is why. Ultimately, all hypotheses, theories, observations and inferences will lead to one statement. Change.

Let's go!

The Mutation of a Powerful Species: Indian Cricket

What a time it is to invest in cricket! The tycoons and the super stars must be basking in all the turn of fortune that they could have hoped for - and much more!

The feel good factor about India's stature in its National Religion is overwhelming! And the game that has caught the imagination of every bud is now all set to take the next generation by storm. It started off with the unassuming and unpredicted coup called the Twenty20 World Cup Victory pulled off by a set of boys testing their teeth in unchartered waters. Today, it's not just the Under-19 World Cup Bonanza, it's not just the Tri-Series triumph; it's the ecstasy of having beaten the bad boys in their home town, the unchallenged World Champions whose machine seemed to grow powerful by the day and whose dirty tricks seemed to match their growing power in its gravity of abysmally low behaviour. How fitting it could be to respond to words in action, reply to off-ground attacks through on-ground discipline and performance!

The last two matches of the highly controversial series brought the best out of a young team ready to explode on to the international arena. The Master paved the way for the youngsters through immaculate style and command over his gifted art. It was a delight to see the super man back in his elements and reign supreme.

How risky would you want to be if you were the leader of an untested team? Ask MS Dhoni! His appetite for risk and his bravery in facing challenges with trust and grit was enchanting! The individuals seemed to merge into each other as a team under him. The fielding was tight and the confidence, unflagging. To him, the fight is more important than the victory. He is willing to give his lieutenants the free leash, and is willing to take responsibility for their failure. And his team performs as if in a trance!

At the end of it all, there emerges a new hope that is brighter than just a ray; a streak that holds more than a promise; a breed that has more than mere confidence; and a whole country that sees the potential of more than a mere entertainment quotient.

Yes, this is just the right time to be in the business of the sport. And the billions being poured are just in the right place.

Let There Be Life!

Not long ago that I thought Bangalore was such a cool place to be in. Blessed with its natural climatic goodness, blissful with lakes and trees, greeting tired souls with flowers of all colours, Bangalore to me was among the good things life could promise.

So, it was a horrid sight to see trees being uprooted heartlessly for petty reasons. To see giants being chopped to pieces on a daily basis, to see life getting destroyed haplessly, is to witness the plunder of the very identity of the place that boasts of its garden city status.

To lay roads without proper planning is indeed a petty reason; to cut life to compensate for human greed is raw selfishness. The road that was dressed in green a few days ago stands naked in the hot sun. But that is the very nature of mankind - the virus spreads, eats up life, destroys the planet and still remains hungry for blood. There never has been and will never be a worse enemy to planet earth than man.

If an airport needs to be built at one god forsaken place called Devanahalli, why would the benevolent green giants fall prey? Merely for being along the sides of the road to air? I dont blame the politician alone for not having planned at the outset, for not thinking ahead of time and for not willing to walk that extra step to avoid this ruthless deforestation. I blame myself for not being to do anything significant to stop the bloody rampage. I blame every citizen who let this display of human arrogance go on merrily.

To blame alone is as good as doing nothing at all; and doing nothing at all is cowardice; and cowardice is a vice.

All I can do, other than watch life being wasted, is to plant new hope. I'm starting off this weekend on a planting spree. Not a rush, not in a hurry, but taking it forward slow but steady.

I may not be able to stop the mighty rulers from stripping the land nude; but then, the rulers can't stop me planting a sapling and watching it grow either!

Follow this story at:

http://www.orkut.com/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=32867446&tid=2585600041993830091&na=4

The "Promise" of a Businessman - TATA

Cricket in general – and the Indian one, in specific – has been hitting news these days. That’s apart from our “Nano”, that is. Much like it has been in its recent history, Indian cricket has much more happening off the grounds than on it. Racism, sledging, hearings, penal actions, Bucknor off – Bajji on . . . that’s what they call cricketing news, don’t they?

Nano has not been so. It has had the nation buzzing with the tiny new word much before its arrival on to the arena. Should we be saying, “Take the Nation by storm”? ‘Storm’ seems to be a far more aggressive word than what may suit our cute lill’ “nano”. Stop Press by nature, it definitely deserves more than a round of applause. Mr Ratan Tata has brought life to his dream in style. To be able to make the supply chain dance to his tunes is no ordinary work. Nice features, smart styling, amazing price, endless possibilities! Now, is that not what is called, a “Dream Launch!” Tata summed it all up in one phrase that should perhaps become a popular quote in the years to come – “A Promise is a Promise”.

A promise is a Promise . . . hmm! So, media men, you have found fodder for your pulp. Front pages splashed all over with pictures of the great man beside the tiny car, all kudos, accolades that talk of revolutions . . . hold it, friends, I know it’s party time.

But you folks don’t seem to spend much time on-line, do you? The net is a much more powerful medium of expression of personal opinion of millions of ordinary unseen folks; the very people who read your words that fill the news papers. Did you ever get a chance to read of the woes of customers of one good old name called VSNL? You could spare so much front page space on a Brand; you could as well have spared a few centimeters of your columns in rapping on the knuckles of a service that has taken customers for a ride!

Mr. Tata’s “promise is a promise” seems to hold good for his super-car; not for his internet business. Or, perhaps, he never realized that when he made a sale to his customer and pocketed the money, he was actually making a “Promise” to the customer that the latter would receive value worth his money!

That is the reason why scams such as these are let go by the media and people such as the Tata’s are let to get away with them.

I actually don’t see many reasons to blame Tata; he has nothing to lose! He has grown far bigger than what could trouble him when his customers are unhappy (or enraged) – he always has his other businesses and the media guys who flower him with praises for all that he does. The media is to blame – for making heroes and glorifying them to the point of being obnoxious, for being a shameless promoter of the rich and the powerful, for taking up no ethical or social responsibility when it comes to something as basic as giving the news to readers impartially.

And Mr. Tata, it’s not the promise that would bother you; it’s the ego, the reputation that was at stake behind your “Promise” – and the huge market to tap with the Nano-effect. You are advised to refrain from using bombastic words such as a "Promise"; you are a good businessman, no doubt - but promises are only for noble souls!

Post Script: The case mentioned in earlier posts has been closed. After a struggle, a court case and loads of mails to the point of virtually threatening an impending fresh case claiming higher damages, the amount declared by the court as compensation – Rs 3000/- has been dispatched by TATA – VSNL as refunds. The letter had no words of apologies for the period taken for the refund or the troubles that the complainant had to undergo; the letter was signed by an “Authorised Signatory” whose designation was not mentioned.

Hopefully, the VSNL case would not appear in Clearway henceforth; but the appeal still remains: If you or anyone whom you know has suffered in the hands of TATA Indicom/ VSNL, please go ahead and file your cases with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. This part of the system still works and the complainant is very much likely to get the full refund, if the complaint is backed with evidence. You may drop your comments here for any further information.

In Hope of a Better Pakistan - Benazir Assassination

It's havoc in Pakistan. That doesn't sound like anything new; it has been messy out there for quite a while now. But not many would have actually expected the assassination of Benazir Bhutto - no matter how bad it has been in our neighbour's yards.

This is not about Conspiracy Theories; it is about a state that steadily seems to be losing out on the values of democracy. The focus is not on who plotted the execution; it is on how the state of affairs could have an influence on a normal, law-abiding citizen of the country - and on the progress of the nation.

For any developing nation, it is a struggle - to survive the schemes of politicians who fight among themselves to secure their places. To grow in these harsh conditions without succumbing to the constant injuries inflicted heartlessly by self-seeking demi-gods is herculean - missions worth life times. For every seed that grows into life, there are a thousand feet that are ready to stamp.

Still, seeds flourish and trees arise. Hopefully, we have a garden next door very soon.

In the Business of Politics - Karnataka

It’s all out in the open. News channels have been following this relentlessly and the public knows it all. There is no room for “tongue-in-cheek” remarks or quips with sarcasm here. This is, hence, a plain vanilla post tracing the developments involving the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister, the Rebels, the Congress and the people at Bangalore over the past few days.

A couple of years back, Mr. CM said he would be the CM and his deputy would be the DCM till it was half way; they would then exchange seats for the remaining term. They agreed.

When it was almost half way, CM realised that his DCM was actually from BJP, a party with communal colours. With genuine concern for the people and the state, and with the able advice of his experienced Dad, the CM started pondering over his future course of action when it was almost time to quit.

The DCM sensed this and raised an alarm in his party; DCM started exerting pressure on the CM and his family and set a deadline.

But the CM was, by now, convinced that his people are more important than the word given to his partner. With great difficulty, CM threw his word out of the window and decided to do something or the other to continue serving the society, staying on at the helm.

DCM screamed foul play. His party labelled this a betrayal. DCM withdrew support to the CM. Mr Governor and Lady President came into the picture.

This was an opportunity for rebels in the CM’s camp. The Congress was also smart enough to be opportunistic. The rebels worked overtime to squeeze a convenient alliance with the Congress.

The CM was annoyed. Why should both the CM and the DCM renounce power while the rebel takes all the money? Further, even though the CM and the DCM declared that they were ready to face fresh elections, they never actually dared to do so. They were responsible people and knew how much it would cost the coffers to hold fresh elections – and that too, with uncertain results.

CM sat with his experienced Dad and worked out the numbers. The CM always had, in one corner of his heart, the guilt feeling that he was sacrificing his word to his DCM for the sake of people. At one point in time, he had also thought of approaching the Congress to get back to power. The Congress is better than a communal party any day, he used to think. But he wanted to play a major role in making sure the Congress served his people. So, this rebel strategy of aligning with the Congress was not his definition of social service; and he would never entertain back-door entry.

This set the stage for Saturday’s action. The CM and the DCM got together again. The DCM had called the CM a betrayer; the CM and his dad had taunted the BJP as communal who would spoil the welfare of the citizens of the state if the power-sharing agreement was respected. But that was long time back. This strife for the past month made them realise how dearly they missed each other.

With this turnaround, the DCM has nullified his statement of calling the CM a betrayer; and the CM has also proved that when it comes to a promise, he could go to any extent to keep it.

So, in all, this short episode had lessons for all and sundry.

A lesson for the CM: Never entertain rebels; promises can be made, broken and repaired again.
A lesson for the DCM: Never be in a hurry to call someone a betrayer; you may actually re-align with him very soon.
A lesson for the rebels: Do not count the chicks before they are hens; politics is a T20 match – you never know what would happen the next ball.
A lesson for Congress: Make sound calculations and decide whom to align with; you may need full time experts for this process.
A lesson for the people: No betting in politics; do not react to movements; be extremely tolerant; just keep watching and move on. You are just not smart enough to understand games.

TATA/ VSNL Broadband Scam: The Fight Continues!

Continued from http://clearway.blogspot.com/2007/09/judgement-pronounced-tata-vsnl-scam.html

For earlier links, please visit http://clearway.blogspot.com/2007/05/against-tata-vsnl-broadband-scam.html

This fight against TATA Indicom/ VSNL Broadband is on at Orkut: http://www.orkut.com/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=32867446&tid=2551305980118236875

Readers who have been following this story may be surprised at quite a few revelations:

a. That even though a broadband service is from a name as renowned as TATA is, it could be spurious.

b. That even if courts in India are notorious for the time taken for judgement (as the myth goes), the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum is actually quite fast and effcient (Complaint filed in this case: 30 June 2007; Judgement Date: 13 August 2007; Days taken: 43)

c. That even if judgements are awarded in favour, even if the opposing party happens to be a supposedly reliable name as TATA, getting refunds is quite another story!

According to the court order, refund was to have been given in the case (1381/07) by 10 Sep 2007. There has been absolutely no news of any refund till today, 1 Oct 2007.

It is unfortunate that consumer rights are being treaded upon by companies whose brands have come to symbolise the power of corporate India and whose name still resonates as trust in the minds of millions of ordinary citizens.

There are always bad boys who amass wealth; but then, they would be avowed bad boys. But to preach of good corporate behaviour, project an image worthy of emulation and to practise socially objectionable business is dangerous. Brands grow too big, become larger than life and form a veil that would blind the consumer and keep trapping him in the glow. The internet echoes of complaints against TATA Indicom; while the money-power of TATA still powers the advertising campaign of TATA Broadband.

To extract justice out of such hypocritic organisations is only likely to be cumbersome. Clearway, hence, considers it its responsibility to announce to the world that all that glitters need not be gold.

Despite the judgement in case 1381/07, the fight for refund is still on. And since this violation is being committed by a larger-than-life company that TATA is, Clearway declares the behaviour by TATA, reckless!

Mr Ratan Tata has this to say in his website: "One hundred years from now, I expect the Tatas to be much bigger than it is now. More importantly, I hope the Group comes to be regarded as being the best in India — best in the manner in which we operate, best in the products we deliver, and best in our value systems and ethics. Having said that, I hope that a hundred years from now we will spread our wings far beyond India..."

Clearway has this to say here: "A quarter of that time-frame from now, I expect the Tatas to have lost their present shine and glory; In less than 50 years from now, they should count themselves lucky if the brand survives in India. By then, I hope TATA's would at least serve as case studies in demonstrating how NOT to do business and perish in the process"

The fight for Justice continues. Clearway invites Mr Ratan Tata to witness the proceedings!

On a Winning Note: While we celebrate . . .

It's cricket all over. The dream has come true. A team totally devoid of stardom is bringing home the Cup of Joy, Pride and Victory! 3 Cheers to Indian cricket.

While you may read all the positive stories in other sites, I feel pressed to express a not-so-pleasant angle to the rhetoric around the heroic episode of Dhoni's men.

Before we get there, this week has seen the young constable steal all limelight and be crowned the Indian Idol! Congrats Prashant, your humble background and your rise to stardom will inspire millions. And, India celebrates.

But hey, what's this all about? To a novice with no exposure to the Indian media, mention of "Indian Idol" and the question would pop up, "Indian Idol? How many lives has he changed? What's his story? Is it one of sacrifice? Has he revolutionised Indian governance? Has he arranged a pound of bread every day to the starving millions?"

One would have to respond, sheepishly, "Well, he sings"!

Does our Indian Idol do anything more than that, by any chance? Why is this hype then? Why would a country go crazy over someone because he has been able to imitate a few classics and item numbers? Where's the value? What's the point?

It was shocking when Ravi Shastri announced that the ICC has awarded a million dollars for the Indian team and "A crore of Rupees" for Yuvraj Singh, because he had hit, ahem, six sixes!

I was left wondering what one could do to the needy in a country like India with a few crores of Rupees! I was perplexed why half the number of voters in Indian Idol never care what governance, or the lack of it, is causing to the fibre of the country!

It's good to find a young team emerging out of nowhere; may be they think they deserve the prize money; and perhaps Yuvraj created a sensation which would go down in History as a golden episode in the first ever Twenty-twenty World Cup.

But I fail to see any coherent argument that would justify squandering crores of rupees on 15 people merely because they scraped through the final, because of one mis-hit by the Pakistani batsman.

Dear ICC organisers, my fellow country-men, are you in your senses?

Management Lessons for Life – from a Twenty-Twenty Cricket Match.

It’s amazing how valuable a Management Guru a cricket match can be! It drives home cases that may actually be over-looked in a B-School. I would suggest last night’s India-Pakistan Match be recorded and analysed for insights into life and management. A sample analysis is presented here.


1. Settle down before you wield your willow.

Or, you would get caught by the bowler, as was Gautam Gambhir. Even if it was a 20 over match with no time to spare, leaving odd balls out to study the turf always pays off before you train your guns for the big blows.


2. Be flashy and stylish, but never forget the old school basics.

You could be as fast and furious as Virender Sehwag would like to be, but if you leave a mile’s gap between the bat and your pad and forget to move your feet an inch, you end up slashing the leather ball through the thick edges of your own bat and dragging it on to your stumps.


3. You don’t always have to be extra-ordinary; just being consistently good pays off in style.

Pakistan’s Mohd. Asif knew this only too well. His steady pace, impeccable line and length and intelligent variations took the sting out of the Indian batting line and had them wishing his spell was over before he zapped a couple of more wickets, exposing the Indian tail by the 8th over of the match!


4. Despite yourself, do just what the situation dictates.

That was precisely what Robin Uthappa and Mahender Singh Dhoni did when they tried to anchor the wobbling ship being rocked by the Pakistani waves. Remember, tides are never always too high to tide over; just wait till you find your kind of wave.


5. In any situation, use your brain.

Harbhajan Singh forgot to apply this simple principle of life. To play off a couple of dot balls towards the end of a twenty-over match and to steal a single and the strike at the last ball of the over, with a king-hitter like Dhoni at the other end of the pitch underlines a lack of application of the thinking apparatus. And to try to hoist the ball out of the packed stadium and not trying to restore strike with another single to the man-in-form (and getting out and wasting another ball in the process) is a violation of the principle in bold, red and big font.


6. Believe in yourself, play your part and get lost for your team, if needed.

Irfan Pathan had mastered this rule. Two sixes in a row after a brief study of the conditions and back to the pavilion immediately after that made a lot of sense. You either perform or create space for others to work.


7. Kill complacence before it kills you!

The worst ball ever bowled in the history of cricket was the one by Harbhajan singh immediately after Shahid Afridi was dismissed. It was a slow, sweet, flighted half-volley with no scope to swing or turn at all, that could have been the best gift to offer to any batsman, with “SIX” written all over the ball. The relief in pressure after Afridi departed was understandable, but to have absolutely no force and to look weak, meak and tamed down would enliven even the flagging eleventh batsman in the opponent’s team. And that ball flagged off the fight-back that resulted in the assault the next over from Agarkar.


8. The environment is always unpredictable; the match is never lost till won – and is never won till it is actually won!

India had almost snatched defeat successfully from the jaws of victory. From a virtually unassailable position, they had forced themselves into a desperate situation. However, the team took its time in the losing final over, built up pressure with time and field changes and finally succeeded in running the scrambling batsman out through the well-executed run-out. You just have to keep your cool in a losing match to end it on a winning note.


9. Talk less, stick to the basics and emerge victorious. Your action can always do the talking for you.

The Pakistani opener Salman Butt was shooting his mouth out at the interview, while the match was still on, as if his team had already paid for its victory and was awaiting its home delivery. And then came the tie like thunder; and all that the teams had to do was to hit stumps with no one to block them.

What followed was a simple display of the ability to bowl straight by India; and to the horror of the opponents, three bowlers missed hitting the stumps in a row, one after the other missing the mark by a good foot or more! The rest is history.


10. The Bottom-line:

Decisions and events in life are as good as strategies in management; and all it takes is a clear sight, strong head over shoulders and a positive attitude to do the job as demanded by the situation. You get carried away and the whole world would come to know that you get the opponent batsmen bowled only by chance.

Judgement Pronounced: TATA VSNL Scam

http://clearway.blogspot.com/2007/05/against-tata-vsnl-broadband-scam.html

That link is for those who may have tripped upon this blog by chance for the first time. And we have been moving forward from there at the moment.

The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum at Bangalore has declared that TATA needs to compensate a complainant for "Deficiency of Service". The order was issued on 13th August 2007 (Complaint Number 1381/2007). TATA is to provide compensation to the complainant within 4 weeks from the date of its communication.

That is the first step. And naturally, Clearway is not happy with the judgement. A nation-wide silent scam that has been on for years, and just one party being compensated? What of the remaining thousands who have fallen and who still keep falling victims to the audacious bid to swindle?

What is needed is an awareness - and an initiative - and the will to last till the very end. There is such an initiative on at an on-line community at Orkut. Join the march for Justice at http://www.orkut.com/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=32867446&tid=2551305980118236875&start=1 If you have suffered from TATA's Broadband scam and have been looking out for options, you may approach a Consumer Court near you and lodge a complaint yourself - and you may quote this case at Bangalore: 1381/2007 filed on 30 June 2007.

Too bad that TATA has taken so much time and space at Clearway; I would rather get done with this issue fast and concentrate on more productive stuff. Clearway doesnt like dwelling on dirty stuff for too long, you see?