Picture of freak train accident between Thane and Mulund

In a bizarre train accident in Mumbai, a water pipeline along with part of a bridge fell on a moving train between Mulund and Thane station. The water pipeline was part of the bridge above the railway tracks and was being dismantled for a new one when the incident happened.

Raj Thakeray and MNS have lost their electoral virginity and in style

Though it was predicted by pundits that MNS would eat into NDA votes, nobody dreamed of the unprecedented way in which MNS not only ate into NDA votes but also their seats thus handing Shiv Sena their worst loss in twenty years. For a party that is only three and a half years old, this calls for celebration.

A party that has nothing to show for itself other than violence, goondaism, histronics of their leader, and highhandedness of its cadre has clearly hijacked these elections emerging as the second biggest party. The credit for their victory goes to Raj Thackeray (or is it Rajsaheb Thackeray already?) who literally brought up a party on an idea hijacked from his uncle, turned the tables on his cousin, led a revival of "Maharashtrian" pride (that is what they call beating up of north Indians nowadays) and thus stoking the feel good factor behind Marathi pride led his party to victory in 14 seats. The road to Assembly for MNS though rough and rubble strewn was quite easy compared to the future. The time for stage performance is over and real performance begins.

You can build castles in the sky and lead on a population with those promises, but you cannot sustain on it for long. Hatred and false pride won it 14 seats, but now they have to show the returns. Now starts the real test for Raj and his party. The people have put him in Assembly, and now its his turn to give them their dues.

Just as a bride is scrutinized and critiqued in her in-laws' house, MNS' conduct in Assembly would be minutely scrutinized by political pundits, journalists, and common people alike. Their support or nonsupport for issues that come up and their stand on critical matters will be discussed. Any false moves would be criticized harshly. For the sake of Marathi manoos, I just hope Raj and MNS deliver. The Marathi manoos has already gone through a lot (for a major part, they only have themselves to blame) and for them MNS is a beacon of hope. If MNS fizzles out on their promises just like its big brother Shiv Sena (promises galore, delivery none), then I am not sure what would happen next. MNS is in an enviable position where it has the respect and trust of a disgruntled populace and they should use that to encourage them in a constructive manner, push them towards academic progress, and restore Mumbai to the Bombay it was (though i dont want the name to be changed - name "Mumbai" has kind of grown on me). Now that the proverbial Chor is the Kotwal, I would hope we will see some reduction in the sectional violence and peace restored to the place I hold dear in my heart - Amchi Mumbai. Jai Maharashtra.  

India ousted out of Champions Trophy

India has been ousted out of Champions Trophy with Australia defeating Pakistan in a breathtaking end to a superb match.

I am HAPPY..... I just let out a big whoop when I heard this. I don't have to worry about missing matches anymore when I have to attend a friend's birthday or engagement party. I don't have to dangle out of the train door so that I can catch the update on FM radio on my cell phone. I don't have to irritate anyone asking them minute-by-minute updates. Furthermore, I am happy that we Indians have saved ourselves the embarrassment of riding to the semis on the shoulders of someone else's victory (in this case, Pakistan - our arch enemy). Thank you God, we are out.

Indian Team is HAPPY.....I think I heard a distant whoop from the Indian team dressing room too. The Blackberrys are already out and ad shoot schedules over the next several days are being planned now. A new clothing brand, a new saloon to be inaugurated, a new girl to go out with, a new vehicle to be bought, parties to go, ramps to be walked. Haa... thinks much more important that cricket. Things much more important than the country and dreams of a billion people. Thank you God, we are out.

Journalists and Editors are HAPPY.... They can write up corny headlines, write big articles on how such a waste the team is, how the Indian players being cash rich don't bother to play for their country blah blah blah.... Sells the paper, earns their salaries...

Indians are HAPPY (guiltily happy)..... They can go back to their pessimism, can go back to bashing and name calling, make for great talk between strangers. Yipeeee...

So did really losing matches and being ousted out of Champions Trophy make everyone happy... I would think so.. Afterall patriotism and playing for the country is all bullshit.. Its just pure business, pure business after all.

Eye in the Sky - September 11, 2001

A picture taken from the International Space Station on 09/11 showing smoke billowing from Ground Zero.

Obama's reply to Representative Wilson's accusations

Mr. Chandrashekaran - A Great Soul

Evening brought bad news. A phone call shattered the peace. Our family friend for more than 30 years, Mr. Chandrashekhar, had left for his heavenly abode. He finally lost his battle with cancer and all that remains is his emaciated body, lifeless, souless, but we wont remember him thus. We remember him as a loyal friend, a doting father, a loving husband and a kind soul. Though he is not among us, we are solaced by the fact that he is pain-free now and is in the heaven looking down on us with the same love and kindness that he was known for. We join the family in this time grief and offer our deep-felt condolences.

Nairs

Jaswant Singh - A lesson in selling a book, losing a reputation and getting royally screwed

The expulsion of Jaswant Singh from BJP was expected, but nobody reckoned it would be carried out in the way it was carried out. The party which has taken a lot of flak for poor election results and dissent within its ranks certainly could have done without having to do this. It didnt deserve a founder member commenting against the principles that are the pillars of the party. Commenting against respected Hindu leaders and commending a Muslim leader who is loathed by many certainly didnt go down well with party leaders and certainly not RSS, the backbone of the Hindutva movement.

Jaswant Singh has been a fairly intelligent politician and an avid reader. He must have this view cultivated in him for a long time. This certainly is not a recent revelation to him. He didnt sit under a Bodhi tree and gained this knowledge. So then here I fail to understand, why would a politician who is also a proud Rajput and over and above that a military man work for a party which went against his beliefs and not only that went against the secular beliefs held by a military man. Didnt he realize that minority Muslims were being preyed on by Majority Hindus for the past 63 years ? Was he blind ? Did he do it to sell his book ? Was it worth saying all this to sell a freaking book and getting his ass kicked? While I have many questions to ask him, I am not sure there are going to be any answers from Mr. Singh.

The only sad thing in all this is the way BJP expelled him which was kind of shabby and certainly unprofessional. It has pulled down the party's reputation down further. BJP did it as a gift to RSS, but the real effect of this on the party is anybody's guess. This was too much of a tit-for-tat from BJP, but then what do you do when one of your commander hits at the ideology on which the party stands.

With all this confusion about Mr. Singh's statements, I certainly have only one thing to say... Would the real Mr. Jaswant Singh stand up ?