Surely seems like

a credible plan to face the Maoist threat presented here by Pragmatic Euphony.

Naxalism in India

In the recent months, Maoism has caught on as the most serious challenge to India's Law and order. This admission is really huge, given that, we Indians are regularly used to Pakistani based militants attacking us whenever they want to, killing innocent people. Now, we have our own citizens (of course it's possible that they have help from China and/or Pakistan) attacking CRPF personnel first and now even innocent people. I have seen articles on both sides of the aisle: supporting the cause of the Naxalites and opposing their cause. The biggest difference in these two arguments is, the people who oppose the naxalites are not trying to brush away the development issue. All they are saying is to ensure development you need to maintain law and order. After today's blast on the railway tracks in West Bengal, I hope all the people who support the naxalites will call it quits and increase pressure on the government to act against these butchers. Yes thats what they are! If their cause was improving the cause of the tribal people they had no reason to attack innocent civilians travelling on a train (most probably not affecting tribal population in any way). These butchers are attacking India. Their objective (which most of the people who support them do not even value) is to dismantle our democratic government. Do you get that? And after what they are doing over the last two months they seem to believe that they have the strength to do that. Will the people who support Naxalites wake up at least today and accept them as a menace. Please!

I would like to ask Ms. Arundhati Roy whether she still calls these butchers Gandhians with Guns. The comparison is a sleight even to Gandhi (People who know me well enough do know the kind of respect I have for Gandhi, but thats for some other day!)

Manmohan Singh, please stand up

and address the Maoist problem.
The Maoists attack a train of innocent passengers. Now what are they doing attacking innocent civilians and why the hell is the government not dismantling their infrastructure! Common what more do you need? They have lost all credibility by attacking innocent civilians. Please act before its too late!

Amit Varma writes

a fabulous piece on work ethics here. Especially, this part of the article rings so true:

After doing the match, the study found that “the elite performers had each totaled ten thousand hours of practice… the merely good students had totaled eight thousand hours, and the future music teachers had totaled just over four thousand hours.” The part of the study that I find astonishing is that not only did all the top performers have over 10,000 hours of practice to their credit, but everyone who put in 10,000 hours was a top performer. The key to excellence was not natural talent, but hard work. (Caveat: this is not to say that talent doesn’t matter at all. Firstly, as the researchers pointed out, there was a minimum level of talent required to get into the Academy. Secondly, a completely untalented musician would probably not get the positive feedback for his work that would motivate him to put in 10,000 hours in the first place.)

Hardwork alone isn't enough but without hardwork any amount of talent will get you no where! Something I think is pretty obvious but often neglected. Also, I would like to add another one of my thoughts here. If you work hard consistently it will bring you rewards. It need not get you the job you wanted or the career you aspired for but all the hard work you put in will surely come handy in occasions you cannot even imagine when you were working! So keep at it everybody (includes me too, if you are wondering)!

A hilarious video

on the European economic crisis! (link via economist blog)

Is there any logical reason for such

disproportionate growth in assets for Mayawati. What is the point of declaring assets when nobody cares how the assets grew over time. What has Mayawati done to accrue 1 crore every month. Hmmm, oh yes she is the CM with a salary of 50k per month. But that does not become 1 crore. Who am I kidding! Everybody knows where she gets her money from donations.

The efforts made

by Obama and his Department of Justice officials to scuttle whistle blowers activities is over the top and in fact ridiculous! See more here from Glenn Greenwald an ardent supporter of freedom of speech

This guy does not go down

without a fight! Seems like Lalit Modi is back with a 14 page e-mail that maligns everybody involved. Most of the e-mail might be false but not impossible if you knwo how India works! See more details here.

It is clear to me that

Soumya Bhattacharya is n't alone in his crazy love for the gentleman's game. Haven't we all been there?

Will better sense ever

prevail in the case of Maoism in India? A million dollar question as discussed here.

Rajadhyaksha

argues why Manmohan Singh the finance minister was better for India than Manmohan Singh the PM on his column at livemint. I tend to agree with his view! The idea of income redistribution is a scheme to ensure a political vote base by ensuring people remain poor and dependent on government for income. This is typical of the age old congress tactics in a different form. When Indira Gandhi was in power she did the same with her "Garibi hatao" campaign. But, she knew better than most that if she delivers on the promise of removing poverty there wont be people so dependent on the government (or as congress is always in power it is synonymous with congress!) Now Sonia Gandhi is carrying the flag forward with the MGNREGA (or Rahul's flagship project!). Unfortunately, Manmohan Singh, who knows its not good for India in the long run, still allows it go on uninhibited! In spite of such schemes we know Congress will stay in power in India for the foreseeable future!

An interesting

article on the press conference by Dr. ManMohan Singhhere. Have to say, hits the nail on the head!

Well

for a change an Indian Film Star has something sensible to say! Teaching should be the highest paying job: Aamir Khan

Will the politicians

be smart to recognize this about caste politics. Don't be so sure!

I am wondering if the

article is actually serious. Come on Tamil Nadu (or for that matter any state in India) is not ready to scrap reservations. If possible they will add to the existing reservations!

This recent

act of inhuman barbarism on the part of the naxalites should expose them for what they are. A threat to Indian democracy! See the mint article that puts this succinctly.

Some excerpts

The incident removes the last shreds of the ideological cover behind which Naxalites had been hiding. Beyond the hysterical response that has ensued, however, there are three beliefs at stake. One has to do with the claim that Naxalites are fighting a “just war” against the government of India. They aren’t. The second is another claim that there is a difference between them and terrorists who operate in other parts of India. There isn’t. And finally, there is the issue of ends. If Naxalites were to attain their goal, which is the destruction, for all times, of a legitimately constituted government of India, what would replace that?

Harsh Bhogle has a refreshing

piece in India's exit from T20 World Cuphere

Some excerpts

From here on, India's young cricketers need to ask themselves whether they want to be rich also-rans or want a place in history. It is a choice they must make. Currently they are not good enough, but pelting abuse, and the odd stone, at them will not solve the issue, only point fingers at ourselves.

And, did you see How Hussey played the match. Wow! That knock ensure no sub-continent team is in the T20 final!