Escaping Sparring Mullahs!

The sun is about to set. This is the time every Friday evening the small tea stall of Fakira, near the entrance of the Shamsher Nagar Hut (market place) livens up with livid discussion, loud hindi music, and smoke of biri (deshi cigarettes). This Friday is no exception.

For the large number of unemployed youth this is a favorite gathering place, where they mingle with each other and exchange ideas. Most days’ discussion essentially peters down to the curves of the village girls and real or imaginary exploits of the village Casanovas. Today however, it is different. There are couple alems (religious scholars) visiting from another village who have chosen the tea stall for their fact finding venue for the next week’s urush (Muslim religious convention). Hence the discussion this afternoon is essentially metaphysical.

The huzurs’ (preferred address for the Muslim priests) presence has drawn larger crowd to Fakira’s stall, and even the elders are gathering around. There is less sell of biri today, but Fakira is not unhappy, since he is doing a brisk business of tea, biscuits, and other condiments.

The discussion is profound. Even the young studs are trying to throw a few Arabic words in the mix with their vernacular, to boast of, or, gain respect of the others, and especially the huzurs. The alems are having a field day. They are imbued in the matters, literally, of life and death, and what makes the difference between one’s journey to hell or heaven in the afterlife. After all they are the people of knowledge when the affairs of heaven are concerned, and even college educated people defer to them on matters such as that.

At this time the huzurs are delving in subject profound, such as how much water must be used for ablution so that Allah would not consider it a wastage, or, why whoever wears long pajama touching their ankles, is committing kabira gona (carnal sin); and other vital matters likewise!

Soon the discussion turns to salah (prayer), as the ablution naturally progresses to prayer, and the discussion focuses on the importance of reciting the suras (Quranic verses) correctly.

It should not be difficult to comprehend that the native tongues of Indian Subcontinent are not really suitable for pronouncing Arabic words, the way the Arabs do. Regardless; there is no dearth of people who would insist that theirs’ are the most perfect intonation, some even superior to the wayward Arabs themselves.

In the course of the discussion one alem comments that he finds it annoying that most people these days do not know how to recite sura Fatiha which is the obligatory verse for any ordained prayer. They recite the word wallodowalin as wallojoallin, and sure this is a great offence in the eyes of Allah, distorting His Own word.

Although the two alems were in excellent harmony up to that time in condemning every Hindu, Christian, Jewish, or Buddhist people for their kufri (blasphemy), at that particular time, the laldari alem (red-bearded scholar) found himself a little uncomfortable. He addressed the sadadari alem (white-bearded scholar) and said, “astagferullah bhai saheb, what are you saying, the word indeed must be pronounced as wallodowalin. I have heard this myself from a huzur who just returned from hajj last week?”

Both alems nevertheless, had unshakable belief on how the word must be pronounced, and it did not take long for the discussion to get impassioned.

Soon two groups formed; one supporting the laldari alem, the other supporting the sadadari alem. The elders mostly took the side of the sadadari alem; since they deemed, by applying henna (color) to his dari (beard) the laldari alem was showing imperfection in his religious practice.

As the voice of the alems rose, so did the temper of the young men, and even old men followed with enthusiasm. They embarked on breaking things in Fakira’s stall. The poor man fell at the feet of the alems to save his small stall, nonetheless, by that time it was even beyond them to stop the skirmish.

The two opposing groups took stand by the entrance to the market led by their individual alems, and began quizzing everyone leaving the market how they pronounced the revered word in sura Fatiha. If the answer was wallodowalin the laldari group said, “masallah” (praise be to God), and let the person pass unharmed, however, the sadadari group got hold of him and beat him up.

If the answer was wallojoallin the sadadari group said, “mobruq” (congratulation) and let the person pass unharmed; notwithstanding, the laldari group got hold of him and beat him up anyway.

A small rickety man was standing outside the market, watching the on going saga with fear in his eyes, and was debating with himself whether he should bolt from the area to escape the beating. He was nonetheless, not so sure, if he could run away faster than the young boys in the two conflicting groups.

The man was astounded when he saw a smartly dressed person coming out unbeaten—both the sadadari and the laldari group had let him go unharmed.

As the person came close to him, the small man asked, “Brother, how did you escape beating? What was your answer?”

The man smiled and said, “I told both groups that I do not pray.”

Gandhi In Heaven Cries Aloud

While my adopted country is going down the tube, my country of birth is resurging as a mighty economic power house. In a few decades India is slated to overcome China and the USA, relegating the great current superpower to a distinct third position. Yet, it does not give me any pleasure to call myself of Indian origin. Why?

India is already suffering the ills that I keep on writing against in the USA. The country is showing the same rank greed, selfishness, lack of sensitivity, and total disdain for its people with disadvantages. Read this excerpt from the celebrated author John Pilgers’ column.

In India, a similar re-branding is under way for next month's Commonwealth Games. In the country that has most of the world's malnourished children, the capital Delhi has been re-branded a "world class city" at a cost of $2.5 billion. A school for 180 slum children has been bulldozed so that a vast estate of luxury apartments can be built for visiting athletes. "They told us we were a security threat so we had to go," said the headteacher. "All my children were crying." It is one of many demolitions; over 100,000 families have been evicted to make way for 'security zones' around the Games and facilities that will mostly benefit India's small but powerful managerial and technocratic class who, besotted with all things corporate, prefer not to be reminded that 77 per cent of their compatriots are dirt poor.

Who cares for 180 crying children? Who cares for a poor headteacher? Who cares for 100,000 families? India is becoming a world class economy, therefore, it must have a world class city!

The great Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore wrote, “The darkest shadow is right under the lamp.” The most expensive home in the world is now in Mumbai, called Antilla, where the fourth richest man in the world, Mukesh Ambani recently moved in with his wife and three children. The news clip says, “From the top floors of the 173m(eter) high property are spectacular views of Mumbai and of the Arabian Sea.”

If you look from the other side of the top floor of Ambani’s house however, you would see those rickety half-naked slam children who were given world audience by the award winning 2008 blockbuster movie Slumdog Millionaire.

If there is a heaven, Gandhi is there, and he cries out loud to God, this is not the India for which I gave my life! And he would ask God, “If this would have to be the future of India, why did You send me there?"

First published on Technorati.

Progressives’ Double Standard On Anthony Weiner

Why? Why this Double Standard?

Progressives never let go the opportunity to heap on Conservative politicians when they falter on cupid related issues. Nonetheless, when it comes to the Democratic leaders they appear to have different standard.

Shame on the progressives!

Democratic left’s poster boy in the US House, Anthony Weiner is under water for lying to his wife, and also in public, about his queer sexual activities on line.

Regardless, the progressive media personnel such as Bill Press is all over the issue finding ways to defend him. On Tuesday Bill said in his radio program, “Weiner did not commit any crime,” and he compared his action with another Democratic poster boy Bill Clinton, saying, “Bill Clinton on the other hand lied under oath.” Many of his listeners called in defending Bill’s point of view.

Nice try Bill, admitting that Bill Clinton committed perjury—the funny thing is, the admission is several years late and is of no consequence now. How did you forget so quickly Bill, it was only the other day that you were defending Clinton, who should have been convicted for lying under oath?

Bill Press even went to the extent of saying that if lying is a disqualifier in politics then Washington would become a ghost town.

Okay, I get it. Now it is time to defend one of our own. Therefore, we redefine morality and look for justification to save the skin of one of our own! Accordingly, we begin the spin game—that we always blame on the Republicans, calling it their monopoly?

Shame on the progressives!!

I understand the Bible is more than 2000 years old, and in our time we do not stone the adulterers, in fact the word adultery is on borrowed time in dictionary. Does this mean that there are no scruples? No moral compass? Lying in public has to be an acceptable norm?

Shame on the progressives!!!

Article first published as Progressives’ Double Standard On Anthony Weiner on Technorati.

False Prophet Preys On Vulnerable

Jesus lived the life of God on this very earth, setting examples that would never be surpassed by another human being. What has happened to his disciples—who call in his name?

Retired civil engineer turned preacher, Harold Camping had twice falsely predicted Biblical rapture to bring end of the world—his latest failed prediction passed on May 21. Some would call Camping a nut case, Doris Schmitt nonetheless thought him a prophet. Like many others who believed him, Schmitt donated all her savings to Camping’s broadcasting network Family Radio.

Schmitt ‘s niece Heuwetter, who is executor of her aunt’s will came to know about that legal document recently, and it did not make her very happy. She and her sister received $25,000 from their aunt's estate, the rest, around $300,000, went to Camping’s Family Radio

Schmitt’s life is a stereo-type tale of frustrated Americans who had lost it all to alcohol and drugs. She had struggled with alcoholism lifelong, and lost her two children to drug addictions. She died on May 2, 2010, alone, in her small home in Queens, New York. In her last days she found peace in Family Radio broadcasts. Her death prior to May 21st saved her the agony of the final heart break, from trusting a swindler.

I am not sure what kind of relationship Heuwetter and her sister had with their aunt, and if they are any more desirable to get a greater portion of her aunt’s estate, what I am sure of however, there are many organizations such as Red Cross, Doctor without Frontiers, or even Churches, who are more desirable than the Family Radio why pry on faith of vulnerable people.

If Harold Camping has any decency left in him he would return Schimitt’s money to her immediate family. I doubt that it would ever happen. The strange thing about our society is that Camping had more followers in his life time than the living God Jesus had. How queer we are that we pay reverence to the false prophets, and crucify the one truly.

Article first published as Lifesavings Goes To Family Radio, Crumbs To Heirs on Technorati.

Imagine There’s No Heaven, It’s Easy IF You Try

Why does it take a blind man to see what others with vision fail to see?

Well, Stephen Hawking is not really blind, and what he said cannot really be seen—but you get the hint!

Hawking said in an interview published on Monday in The Guardian: There is nothing out there; heaven is a fairy tale.

Who is Hawking?

At the age of 46, Hawking became world’s most famous scientists, with the publication of his book A Brief History of Time in 1988. This was 23 years after he was diagnosed with ALS disease that affects motor neuron, and was given to live only a few years.

The degenerative disease paralyzed him and took his voice, however, it could not prevent him from becoming the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a position once held by Sir Isaac Newton.

Hawking said, “I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first.” What keeps Hawking going? How did he achieve so much that people with healthy bodies cannot emulate? The burning ‘fire in the belly’ that keeps Hawking going is found in his answer: “We should seek the greatest value of our action.”

Hawking elaborated, “I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” He explained life emanating out of quantum fluctuations that occurred in the early universe.

This indeed is a phenomenal assertion from a person who has no voice and has to speak with the help of a computer, regardless, he speaks in the voice of the early sages such as Lau Tzu who maintained, “Tao is the way to Tao.” In a further esoteric expression Lau Tzu articulated:

He who knows, speaks not;
He who speaks, knows not.
He closes the mouth,
He shuts the doors of the senses.
He subdues activities,
He is freed from bonds.
He diffuses light,
He gathers men into unity.
This is called wonderful unity.

What an irony, the life-long seeker of truth, Stephen Hawking does not have a voice where as third grade preachers spewing out second hand knowledge have megawatt sound waves!

First Published on Technorati.

My Father And I

Several decades after his death, my father is more alive today than he ever was in life. He had a mind unshakable as a mighty oak, and a personality as remote as desert sand. I feared him, but never loved him truly, not until he died.

It was his tough and aloof exterior in part—the rest was my own inability to understand him—which kept me from appreciating the great attributes that God had imbibed in him, the qualities that we call strength of character.

He was a stranger, lived alone even amidst crowd, and was forced to spend most of his adult life away from his own family, to earn livelihood. He visited my mother and other siblings, only for short durations. My mother played the role of both parents in our lives. This did not help my relationship with my father either.

In life I only focused on his shortcomings, amplified the disappointments of my own thwarted expectations, and piled them up to construct a wall so high, what could never be torn down.

Even when he fell sick toward the end of his life, his vulnerabilities evident for the first time, did not set the realization in me that that was the time when he needed all the help I could muster. It nevertheless appears, looking from where I am today, I failed to provide my very best for him.

Now that he is gone, although for many years to date, not a day seems to pass when I do not think of him. And I can see him clearer through my misty eyes, than I ever saw him in life. I can see his over pouring love for me behind his unemotional façade; and no trace is left of the detachment that there was in life.

Something tells me, my father had always been my guiding angel, and will forever be there for me, in the eternity where time stands still and all beings exist in their true spirits. And I know that he too is aware of that.

Or, is that all projection of my own longing, guilt, and susceptibility?

But, who am I? Do I really exist? Where am I, when not in here?

If there is no heaven and no hell, where do people go when they die?

What are people, by the way, except not for the rotating electrons around protons and neutrons that create the illusion of three dimensional objects? Is it not all emptiness—Maya, created out of interplay of quarks—energy masquerading as particle?

What are we but our thoughts, and play out of our thoughts, that we call our actions?

Alone In The Breach--A Nation's Story Told Through One Life

Seldom, autobiography of an individual, who is not a truly public persona with a large following, transcends its narrow horizon of interest, and enters the world arena. Alone In The Breach by Muhammad Shamsul Haque Chishty is one such book that does.

Granted, Chishty is not really an obscure face in Bangladesh. He rose through the ranks of Bangladesh Civil Service, and was widely known for his dedication and utter honesty at high official level. For a country that had acquired the dubious distinction as the most corrupt nation for five years in a row, it is only natural that its civil service department would have a fair share of corruption. Yet, having spent a lifetime in the service of people, Chishty is among a handful of officers whose name is not in the mud.

The original book is written in Bangla. It was translated by his son Muhammad Rezaul Kaiser Chishty, and published in Bangladesh. The book has world-wide distribution—its US distributor is Muktadhara, in Jackson Heights, NYC.

Chishty wrote about his life, the people in his life, the time of his life, and the writ became a valuable document of life in Bangladesh for a period spanning several generations—it captured the living history of a nation in the move.

Bangladesh is crisscrossed by innumerable rivers, and those rivers are mighty. With incessant monsoon rains they swell up and flood their banks with vengeance, snatch lands and everything on it. Millions of people lose their lifetime possessions and become destitute overnight. The people nevertheless, are even more determined than the mighty rivers, more resolute, from the brink of death they snatch the joy of life—that is the story of Bangladeshi villagers who live on the river banks. Losing everything, they literally pull themselves up with their shoestrings, just as Chishty himself did, and rose to the highest possible level at government cadre services.

Chishty's book is as unassuming as his life is, a shiny exception to the class that he belongs to as a member of a prized group of civil servants who see themselves as part of a privileged master class.

His story begins with the tale of his early childhood life in his native village, when he had the comfort of a middle class life. However, before long, he was propelled to a struggle for survival once his father died, and his ancestral home was swallowed by mighty river Padma. From that moment the book transcends individual life, and emulates lives of millions of other Bangladeshis, striving for mere existence. From that point the book is no longer the story of a lone ranger; it is the story of people with similar background and aspirations.

Chishty entwines his personal life with the history of a nation so well that it becomes breathtakingly interesting. When I first picked up the book, I only wanted to glimpse through it for a later reading, but the book had such a spell on me that before I realized, I was hooked to it.

Starting from a nondescript village, Chishty's journey takes the readers to the urban life of Dhaka, then traverses through the ancient civilization of Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan, and finally to the then-world capital, London. He delineates an unforgettable mosaic with rich tapestry and expands it like classical Indian music, reaching its tempo in the world of diplomacy, and high international politics.

Alone In The Breach is a book that every person of Bangladeshi origin must read, to know his/her own history. This is a book that would tell generations to come, the stories of their fathers, and their father's fathers, their lives, their dreams, their struggles, and their success, that defines the country called Bangladesh.


First Published on Technorati.

US Media Is Destroying Family Values?

Responding to the poll, overwhelming number of respondents—64% of my readers said, US media is destroying family values. However, an important group of 17% did not agree with that assertion, while another 17% had no opinion.

I am curious to know the view point of 17% of the poll takers who think that US media is not destroying family values, since I side with the majority opinion. Perhaps those readers know something that I do not. I have great respect for my readers and I think whoever spent time to take the poll really wanted to make a statement, and I am curious to learn from them.

Let me express my reasonings for agreeing with the majority.

We are all aware what kind of influence Hollywood has in the world—just consider the copy cats Bolywood, Dolywood, Tolywood, Kolywood... and finally Sandalwood.

Hollywood has relentlessly pushed the frontier of pornography to the extent that hardcore movies are becoming mainstream. This is quite a transformation from the Brady Bunch ages!

If anyone has taken a note, it must have been apparent that the latest Hollywood agenda is to push the issue of same sex relationship relentlessly. There are hardly any shows these days where a gay couple is not portrayed, where as this choice is only embraced by a tiny portion of the society, they are depicted disproportionately. Mind you, it is not my intent to make a statement against the gay relationship here, for I do not have any opinion against them, I only raise the issue here to make a point.

Then take the cases of violence. I am not sure how many shows would be left out these days, if we screen violence and sex. If someone thinks these unrelenting observation of violence does not desensitise our minds and make us more susceptible to accept these abnormal behaviours as normal, then there is a serious problem.

So my readers, please tell me, please educate me—what am I missing?

Congratulation GOP; You are the Master of Crafts

Barack Obama and his self-proclaimed liberal amateurish friends would want you to believe that Federal shut down has been avoided by their skilful negotiating technique and they have won a victory over the GOP. However, I say, if you believe in that propaganda you are hopelessly naive.

GOP has shown once again that they are the master of the craft called negotiation. First, they set the goal post so far that they know the Democrats would never agree to meet as for example, cuts in EPA and planned parenthood, the two signature programs of the Democrats were presented as the “must have” goal for the Tea party members. They gave impression that until those two were met, they were not going to agree to any deal, and under that threat they started the negotiation. They gained ground inch by inch, prolonged the misery of their opponents to the very end, and only accepted the deal when they had to.

What did GOP gain from this deal? Roughly $38.5 billion in spending cuts from various social programs, which the Democrats had to fight for so long to achieve for their constituents. What's the impact of this cut? Unhappiness and resentment in the core Democratic base.

The GOP also demonstrated that only having control of 1/3rd of the Government they dictated the terms of the agreements and delivered significant victory for their constituents. And the liberals would have us believe that John Boehner is just a crying sissy, who does not understand politics?

What did the Democrats gain? The last minute budget deal averted an embarrassing federal shut down and would pay for government operations through the end of September. Why were the Democrats playing chickens to this threat of government shut down? Are they so weak in memory that they could not recall how Newt Gingrich's career was destroyed when he brought down the federal shut down against Bill Clinton?

The Republicans do not believe that the $38.5 billion in spending cuts is really going to have any significant effect on our deficit. Only on the first day of attack the US spent $100 million in Libya. The crisis in economy has been caused by tax cuts to the rich and unprecedented increase in war spending. And the solution would come from rolling back the Reagan tax cuts and reducing defense expenditures. Alas, those issues were never even on the discussion table! That was the extent of success of the Republican politicians!

If spending cuts are not going to solve our economic crisis, why then the GOP keep on repeating the mantra of spending cuts?

The answer is—they are smart, they know spending cuts hurt the democratic base, their followers become disenchanted, lose interest in election, stay home, and that helps the Republican candidates win in the poll.

Are ordinary people really impressed by this Obama voodoo magic of saving federal shut down? Let's look at the comment of one of the taxpayer:

“Everyone's screaming for accountability for teachers. Well, more imperatively, we should DEMAND accountability from our legislators. Their hours spent with lobbyists (and the resulting money/voting that stems from this shady activity), their voting records, incomes, every cent of their benefits and pensions, and every corporation and special interest group which contributes to their campaigns - and how much is contributed, again comparing it to their voting - should be published in a VERY public place for all to see. You talk about being accountable for the results of your work? Washington and state politicians should be the first ones to answer for their actions. Make their jobs as transparent as glass, then sit back and watch them squirm like the worms they are.”

Yet another ordinary American taxpayer writes, “They can play with our benefits, but why is it I have not heard a word about Congress cutting theirs? It may be the tip of the iceberg, but it would be a start if they would pay for their own health care, like we do, and set up a retirement plan for themselves that better resembles our choices — instead of simply taking all they can from us at no expense to themselves. A pay cut wouldn't hurt things either.”

Repulicrats and Demopablicans are all in it for themselves. It is time for a revolution at the ballot box. Educate yourselves people, and vote your pocket book in 2012!

First published on Technorati

Why Do Ordinary Americans Vote For Republicans?

First they give tax cut to the rich, which reduces revenue and creates deficit. Then, they commence wars to worsen the economy and further line up their rich friends’ pockets. When in power they expand the government beyond any sensible proportion, and once out of power starts complaining about the size of it. And their solution to every problem is cut down expenses.

What expenses?

The largest expense the US has is in its defense sector. One cruise missile costs a million dollar. Only on the first day of action in Libya 100 Tomahawks were fired. And this happened while in our inner cities, social programs are being cut. Teachers, police men, and fire service officers are being forced to accept pay cuts. On top of it, they now want to mess with the Social Security.

Charles Babington of Associated Press wrote:

"If there's any place where tea partiers in Congress might hesitate to call for cuts in Social Security and Medicare to shrink the federal debt, Florida's retirement havens should top the list.

Even here, however, Republican lawmakers are racing toward a spending showdown with Democrats exhibiting little nervousness about deep cuts, including those that eventually would hit benefit programs long left alone by politicians."

I am by no means proffering the idea that all Democrats are looking after the small people’s interest. Blue dog Democrats such as Barack Obama and the likes of him are no better than the Republicans. They only pretend to serve the middle class Americans while they safeguard the interest of the rich.

Babington further illustrated :

"In southeast Florida last week, first-term GOP Rep. Allen West, a tea party favorite, called for changes that some might consider radical: abolish the Internal Revenue Service and federal income tax; retain tax cuts for billionaires so they won't shut down their charities; stop extending unemployment benefits that "reward bad behavior" by discouraging people from seeking new jobs.

As for entitlements, West told a friendly town hall gathering in Coral Springs, if Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid "are left on autopilot, if we don't institute some type of reform, they'll subsume our entire GDP" by 2040 or 2050. GDP, or gross domestic product, measures the value of all goods and services produced in the United States."

These are plain lies, Social Security is solvent and it can make payments for the next two decades even if no changes are made today. The reason social security is facing problem is because both Republican and Democrat administrations have raided this cash cow whenever they needed money. Even then the solution to the problem is simple, raise the current limit of $106,800 to a million, or, even abolish the ceiling all together.

During last week's congressional break, Rep. Trey Gowdy , another Republican freshman with tea party backing, suggested cuts in social programs in Greenville, S.C. Babington cited a Greenville News account that reported Gowdy describing a recent school classroom incident where most children thought that it's the government's job to provide health care, Social Security and education. ‘'We've got to do something about the sense of entitlement,” Gowdy said.

Obama's debt commission recently recommended to raise the full retirement age, from 67 to 69, over the next 65 years. In Washington, 32 Senate Democrats joined 32 Republicans in urging Obama to negotiate a spending plan that includes cuts in Social Security and changes in Medicare.
It is only in America, where poor people don’t vote their own interest; if they did they would vote these 32 Democrats out of office along with the 32 Republicans.

First published on Technorati .

Bangladeshi Rickshaw Puller Shames The Privileged

Here is a story from a 3rd world country that would shame many Americans, just as it did me.

Bangladesh is a country, where upper class people scorn the uneducated lower class, who earn livelihood through menial jobs. Just as in the French language, Bangla has three levels of addresses, one is reserved for the elders and respected, the other for the same status level, and the third for the younger and the people who have no 'respect.' Rickshaw pullers are in this third group, and often it is found that a 20ish well-dressed kid addressing a 6oish rickshaw-puller, in the tone that is reserved for the young and lowly, while the 60ish person is forced to address the kid with honor and respect. Now from Bangladesh comes a story of a rickshaw-puller, who by his share deed has reached the pinnacle of dignity that few can boast of.

At age 30, Joynal Abedin, watched in desperation as his father suffered and died in Taan Hashadia, a small village in Paranganj union under sadar upazila of Mymensingh. The first hand observation of his dying father's pain gave birth to Joynal's inspiration and resolve that he would not be like other bystanders who have lived in the same village, however, were unable to do anything to help others.

Joynal did not have money or education, regardless, when a person truly desires to do something great, nothing can stop him. With sheer determination, but not much more, Joynal and his wife left the village and moved to the capital city Dhaka. Finding no other meaningful work, Joynal became a rickshaw-puller. For days and night, under rain and sun, in cold and heat, he pulled rickshaws for 14 years while his wife Lal Banu worked at a clinic.

It was not easy living with their small earnings in the capital city where things were expensive, yet, come what may, the family managed to save a few pennies even in their darkest days, and deposited them in two separate bank accounts. In 2001, the couple withdrew their whole savings of nearly $4000 and returned to village. With that money, they purchased 23 decimals of land and constructed a house to live with their two young children. With rest of the savings Joynal and Lal Banu opened a four-bed hospital on his land, and named it after their daughter "Momtaz.” They also established a free coaching center for underprivileged children.

People began coming to Momtaz Hospital from far and beyond, since there was no other free facility in the nearby villages. On an average day, the hospital treats around 25 patients and dispenses various medicines to them. With time, recognition followed, and Joynal was awarded a title Sada-Moner-Manush (Man of a golden heart) in 2008.

Despite honor poring in from different quarters Joynal finds it extremely difficult to run the hospital now. A local paramedic treats patients in the hospital, and a degreed doctor pays occasional visits in exchange of $7 for a day's consultation.

In 2006, Joynal received $430 from the local administration and the social welfare directorate. In 2005, a Bangladeshi woman living in the USA gave him $1000, and he received small helps from various quarters, one among them is from an eminent personality of the country, Abdullah Abu Sayeed. “I shared my dream with my wife and she helped me beyond anyone's expectation in the venture,” said Joynal, “For the last five years I have not received much help from anyone. With the price of medicines spiraling several folds during the time, running the hospital is now at stake. The hospital needs at least $5 a day to function.”

In Joynal's charitable school around 50 children receive free education. He pays two teachers—Md Aiyub and Khalilur Rahman, $100 a month, this is nonetheless becoming hard for Joynal as he is coming of age. For a ricksha puller, 55 is a ripe old age, toil of hard work takes its toll on the person, and Joynal cannot work anymore. His will is strong though, as he says, “I want to cling to my goal till I breathe the last and seek nothing more for me and my family.”

The sad part of Joynal's life is that many took advantage of his simplicity and tried to swindle him with the pretext of helping him. “Many people pledged me of many things while some even invited me for help and I came out of there labeled as a greedy fraud,” he said. Once the people who pledged him help wanted to turn him over to police as a criminal.

The people of his and the neighboring villages nevertheless, adore Joynal. Fazar Ali and Ayub Ali of neighboring Foliamari village said to the national newspaper, The Daily Star, “Momtaz Hospital may appear as nothing to the urban society, but the people here are greatly benefited form it as they have to go several miles for medicine from other places.”

Joynal, you made me feel so small—enamored with my own idiosyncrasies, leading a selfish life in a far away country! But you are the one for whom the birds croon, the seasons bring color, and the gods envy humans; and it is an honor to know that we share this earth at the same span of time.

Article first published as Rickshaw Puller Sets An Example In Bangladesh on Technorati.

The Bridge on the River Kwai—Actually Jiaozhou Bay

Have you noticed how the landmark technological marvels are shifting one by one to the rising Super Power China? After longest rail lines and fastest rails it is now time for the longest bridge. This phenomenon is perhaps synonymous with a nations progress and development!

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, which had the title until December 27 of the last year, for its longest span, has now been dwarfed by three miles, by the new bridge that has a massive 26.4 miles span–five miles more than the distance between Dover and Calais. Expressing in another way, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge is 174 times longer than the famous London’s Tower Bridge over the river Thames.

The Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, connects the main urban area of Qingdao city, which is in East China’s Shandong province, with Huangdao district, that lies in the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas. The bridge shortened the distance from Qingdao to Huangdao by 30 kilometer, and saved 20 minutes of travel time by car.

To finish the construction in record time, two separate groups of workers began building from two opposite ends, and the bridge was completed in four years, relatively short time for a project of this magnitude, and the cost was nearly $9 billion.

This massive bridge however is going to hold its record only for a few years, and it will be dwarfed by, probably you guessed it, another Chinese bridge. Last December Chinese officials announced that workers had begun constructing a bridge to link southern Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau and the work is expected to be completed by 2016. This new bridge would be 30 miles long.

A six-lane expressway on the bridge would further boost tourism, trade and professional services between main land China and Hong Kong. The bridge is designed to sustain earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8.0 in the Richter scale, and impact from a 300,000 tonne vessel.

This gargantuan bridge nonetheless will be dwarfed by another bridge which has the word 'grand' embedded in its name—Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge, spanning an astonishing 102 miles, and this too would be in China.

Perhaps you noticed too, how the Republican governors are opposing Obama's fast rail projects, as waste of money? Obama's “new fast rails” of course would be slow moving locomotives when compared with Chinese rails!

America is broke, the only way our nation can survive is de-funding all social programs! If it were not for the welfare queens, America would still be prosperous—would she?

Wake up sheeple!

Article first published as The Bridge on the River Kwai—Actually Jiaozhou Bay on Technorati.

A Street Vendor Brings Freedom To Two Nations

The fire that Mohamed Bouazizi set over his own body had burnt thrones of two dictators whose autocratic rules spanned 23 and 30 years respectively, and accorded freedom to people of two nations—first Tunisia and then Egypt.

It all began at Sidi Bouzid, a nondescript small town in Tunisia, in humiliation for a man who had suffered life long indignation at the hand of corrupt public officials, the goons of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the country with iron hands for 23-years.

At the age of 10 Mohamed Bouazizi became the provider for his family, selling fresh produce in the local market. His father had died when he was three years old, and he did not have the opportunity to finish school, for there were five younger siblings that he had to take care of. He applied for various jobs, but in a country where unemployment ran in double digits, he could find none. Finally, he improvised to earn a livelihood on his own.

Every day, his journey would begin at the local supermarket where he would fill his wooden cart with fruits and vegetables and then walk two kilometers to the local souk, and nearly everyday, he would be bullied by local police officers. They would often confiscate his scales and his produce, or levy fine for setting up a stall without a permit. Six months prior to his suicide, police had sent him a fine for $280 to his house—the amount was equivalent to two months of his earnings.

"Since he was a child, they were mistreating him. He was used to it," Hajlaoui Jaafer, a close friend of Bouazizi, said. "I saw him humiliated." On December 17, 2010, however, it crossed the limit that Mohamed could endure. That morning, a policewoman sized his vegetable laden cart and proceeded to seize his weighing scales. Bouazizi refused to hand it over; he was slapped by the policewoman, and she pinned him to ground with the help of her colleagues. They wrestled away his weighing scale.

Bouazizi sought justice by going to the local municipality building and asking to meet an official to express his grievances, however, no one would meet him. With frustration thrusting him against the wall, Mohamed poured paint fuel over his body, outside the local municipal office, and set himself ablaze.

Mohamed Bouazizi was not the first Tunisian to set himself on fire in an act of public protest, there was Abdesslem Trimech before him in the town of Monastir on March 3, but things happen when the time is right. Mohamed was a very popular man who would give free fruit and vegetables to poor families, and in his death they returned his kindness by protesting vehemently.

On the evening of Mohamed's self immolation, Ali Bouazizi, a cousin of Mohamed Bouazizi, posted a video of a peaceful protest led by his mother outside the municipality building. The video was aired on Al Jazeera's Mubasher channel.

The uprising that begin in Sidi Bouzid soon spread to other towns. From Sidi Bouzid to Kasserine, then Thala, Menzel and Bouzaiene. The protests spread like wild fire in dry forests, and Tunisians of all age, status and profession joined the revolution.

By the time Mohamed died of his burns on January 4, the uprising had engulfed the whole of Tunisia. Fedya Hamdi, the female police officer who tormented Bouazizi had fled the town. Tunisian protesters communicated with each other on Facebook, used Twitter, and followed the news via satellite channels Al Jazeera, France 24, Al Arabiya and others.

President Ben Ali declared a state of emergency in the country, dissolved the government on January 14, 2011, and promised elections within six months, but it was too little too late. Ben Ali resigned the presidency at about 4pm, and fled with his family members in four helicopters bound for Malta. Ben Ali sought exile in France but was refused, and finally went to Saudi Arabia, the epicenter of despot Muslim rulers.

Honor eluded Mohamed Bouazizi in life, death brought him the same in profuse. His body lies in a simple grave in Sidi Bouzid, surrounded by olive trees, cactuses and blossoming almond trees, and when Arab history of this century is written, his grave would become the new pilgrimage, the most sought after relic of the indomitable Arab spirit and freedom, and will inspire all despairing people, everywhere, for generations to come.

Article first published as When A Street Vendor Brings Freedom To Two Nations on Technorati.

Way To Happiness Rediscovered Through Science

Eons ago, the Zen masters said that to be happy you must live in the moment 'NOW.' This indeed is the gist of Zen philosophy, the rest is mere commentary. And so did pronounce the Indian rishis thousands of years back in Vedas and Puranas, now a fresh voice has just been added to those age-old masters' discourses—the voice of an young American psychologist, Matthew Killingsworth, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Harvard.

Killingsworth, and Daniel T. Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard, used a special "track your happiness" iPhone app to gather research on 2250 participants. The results of the study confirms, we spend at least half our time thinking about something other than what we are doing at that moment, and this makes us unhappy.

Dr. Gilbert raised the question, “Which would make you happier: winning the lottery, or losing the ability to walk? It may seem like a no-brainier, but the answer may surprise you.” Gilbert said that research demonstrates, one year later, the paraplegics are just about as happy as lottery winners. How does this happen? The answer is that happiness is all in our minds, as the spiritualists have said it all along.

According to Matthew, multitasking raises our stress level, in other words, if we are playing golf and thinking about last night's party at our friend's place where we had a gala time, despite our indulgence in the happy memories, our game is going to suffer since our stress level is bound to increase.

Any wonder why our lives are so stressful?

Matthew published his research findings in the journal Science where he says: How often people's minds wander is definitely a big predictor of who's happy and who's not happy, because the more often they take themselves out of the present moment, the less happy they are. He went on to maintain that even if we time share with pleasant daydreams, it makes us unhappy.

The guinea pigs for this study were iPhone wielding volunteers, whose average age was 34. The researchers used the specially developed iPhone app for their experiment that called the volunteers several times a day and asked them a few standard questions such as: how they were feeling just before they were contacted, what they were doing, and if they were thinking about something else other than what they were doing. More than 5,000 people are now using the iPhone Web app.

The study found that even when people perform seemingly unpleasant tasks such as running errands or doing a monotonous routine, their unhappiness level increases as they shift their focus from the tasks at hand. People often indulge in daydreams in unpleasant or neutral topics, and as expected those thoughts are likely to increase the level of unhappiness, however, what surprised the researcher was the fact that even pleasurable thoughts made participants no happier than when they were focused on the activity they were performing, whatever the activity may be.

Although this seems to be a paradox, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, who teaches at Stanford University explained, “When the mind wanders to a happy memory, it tends to eventually turn back to things that aren't quite as positive." Killingsworth explained it in terms of a concept, what he called "default mode, a non-pleasant thought stuck in the brain. For instance, while remembering about a romantic Paris honeymoon, one may come back to the thought of the overpriced hotel that is deeply etched in the memory and became a "default mode." His advice is, contemplate the past to learn from it, but then move on, so that in the future you are prepared to avoid the default mode.

Killingsworth thinks that this default mode probably gave us an advantage by making us watchful to dangers in our hunting and gathering stages of evolution. McGonigal said, "We maximized our survival chances even if we didn't maximize our happiness, evolution doesn't give a damn about happiness." In our time, however, we give paramount importance to happiness, and McGonigal said that we can increase our happiness by keeping our mental focus, or mindfulness, by practicing certain skills regularly.

Wondering what they are? Go see a Zen teacher, or an Indian Yogi, for they are exactly similar techniques that McGonigal prescribes: Live in the moment. Here are five techniques from McGonigal summarized by Deborah Kotz, in her article, Want to Be Happier? Keep Your Focus:

1. Begin the day with a focused task: Be in tune with whatever you are doing.
2. Exercise with alertness: Immerse yourself in it, feel it, sense it, live it.
3. Engulf yourself in a good book or movie: Live the scenes, engross yourself.
4. Reduce multitasking: This breeds tension and unhappiness.
5. Meditate: Practice five to 10 minutes of daily meditation.

You say, you heard them before? I agree. Nonetheless, when we re-discover the ancient truth with new scientific research, it gives wings to the old thoughts, and make them more believable, and more effective, for it is our faith that gives real strength to any construct to be useful in our lives.

Article first published as Way To Happiness Rediscovered Through Science on Technorati.

Show Skin Make Money

After three seasons, the premiere of the MTV reality show “Jersey Shore” drew 8.45 million viewers, making it MTV's most-watched series ever telecast. But now with "Skins" MTV has upstaged even "Jersey Shore."

Following the tradition of copying hit British hot shows to produce its native American version, “Skins” is a creation of steamy drama about teens that depends on liberal exhibition of skins for its blistering popularity. MTV began airing its 10-episode season last Monday with heavy promotion targeting its young audience, and the show was instant hit.

Just days after the airing of the first show, one parents' group called U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees and the Department of Justice, to "immediately open an investigation regarding child pornography and exploitation on MTV's 'Skins.'" Tim Winter, the President of Parents Television Council said on Friday's TODAY show, “You have a major conglomerate, Viacom and MTV, that is directly marketing to children graphic sex, profanity, drug use.”

Legal analyst and victims’ rights advocate Wendy Murphy commented on how Viacom’s defense is going to be: Their defense is likely to be 'oh, come on, this is just a television show.' However, she thinks that ''that’s not really a defense, because that's not the issue," Murphy further explained, “The only issue is, are there kids involved who are under the age of 18? That's it! That's enough! That's child pornography.”

Unlike other made-for-TV teens' shows, the actors from “Skins” are real teenagers in the age range of 15 to 19, and that should be a serious concern for everyone. Regardless, MTV responded on TODAY, “'Skins’ is a show that addresses real-world issues confronting teens in a frank way. We are confident that the episodes of 'Skins’ will not only comply with all applicable legal requirements, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers.”

Commentator Frazier Moore wrote in Uproar over 'Skins' is a blessing for the show, “But this is only the beginning for 'Skins.' With its new wave of publicity, it has nowhere to go but up.” Sadly, Morre is right, despite the relentless provocations on the stupid box TV, movies, and other media, it appears American audience is still sex-starved, and sex still sells big time. Viacom is simply getting some free marketing with all the controversy around the 'Skins.' Morre could not be truer in writing, “As a publicity spectacle, this couldn't be going better if MTV had masterminded it.”

When it comes to making money, nothing is sacrosanct anymore, there are no taboos, no limit to decency, morality or values; whatever sells must be good for business. If this is not the sign of a decadent media then what is?

On a MSNBC survey, 74.3% said, “Yes. It is too racy,” 22.7% said, “No, what's the big deal?,” and 3% said, “I don't know.” Obviously, American people have not yet lost their commonsense, but who cares? In the new age, if you wonder “for whom the bell tolls” the answer is, It tolls for thee—the plutocrats, for whom money is God, all else secondary.

Article first published as Sex sales, Sell Sex on Technorati.