This is barter system at its best. A sari in return for a chaddi in return for some thrashing.
So what is common to Sri Ram Sene and the Consortium of Pub-going Loose and Forward Women. There isn’t much difference to choose from except that Sene cronies exhibited scant respect for the laws of the land and spat at civil liberties and democratic rights.
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It is very easy to stir up passions of mis-guided youth who feel left out by ‘Other India’s pub revelers. It ain’t any difficult to form an internet group, pose with candles and pledge solidarity with victims of various atrocities.
Such public expressions of solidarity seldom serve any purpose.
The likes of Sene and the confederation of self-proclaimed loose women are also bound by a common desire to be somehow catapulted to limelight with gimmicks – they want to be in the thick of spotlight.
These fringe groups have also stifled other voices with equal vehemence – Now it has to be either for or against the pink chaddi and the sari. There is no liberal space, no grey area — either you are with saffron right or pink left.
What the Sene bunch needs is outright thrashing of the similar kind witnessed in Mangalore pubs. Can some one shun the candles and pink chaddis to do that to Muthalik’s cronies?
Don’t bet on any loose confederation – they won’t dare go anywhere outside the kewl environs of the world wide web.
$18.4 billion – That was the amount which made the uber-cool new U.S. President fuming.
Barack Obama wanted an introspection on whether Wall Street executives should have taken such massive ay-outs in 2008, a year which confirmed the start of what many call the worst recession in ‘living’ history.
Obama has a point. The much-hyped concept of investment banking was wiped off from glossy annals of history, larger-than-life banks collapsed without a trace, industrial growth plunged, and pink slips piled up across the globe.
So what where all these top honchos doing all the time. Weren’t they aware of the nature of crises which were to hit their inflated books and overrated performances?
True regulatory loopholes would have played a part. But that is no wanton excuse to take home the greenback in billions, after uttering the customary refrain of “hard times” to sack low and middle level employees, whom they hired without a alarming lack of vision, or without knowing what is in store in the days, months and year’s ahead.
The response as usual from some captains of free market was to ridicule intervention by state in matters of industry – like what happened in India when the man who ushered in reforms – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — himself spoke of executive pay.
So if intervention is bad why is everyone from clobbered banks to companies desperately in need of a lifeline seeking government bailouts.
That is the answer which the tax payers are seeking from the Wall Street honchos.
Shilpa Shetty with SRK & Gauri Khan
What lures Bollywood celebs to pick stakes in cricket? It is undoubtedly the same things for which they knocked the glam world – Money fame and the massive media hype and crowd attention.
Many of the big ticket Bollywood releases bombed, while lesser known filmmakers and cast stole the show and made decent money. Only in the last quarter did Ghajini raked in the money along with Rab Ne. Singh is King was the only cheer for the glitterati before that.
So it is only natural that Shilpa Shetty joins Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh, Wadia clan and its pretty face to dabble in the IPL turf. Given the inaugural edition’s exploits, IPL is likely to be a sure-shot success.
But the Board of Control for Cricket in India got a deserved snub when Pak barred its players from IPL, though it may not impact the fortunes of the tourney much. The reason cited was geopolitical tensions, but the snub comes as a reaction to India’s decision to call off its Pak tour in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks.
Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir who was the highest wicket taker (21) was a key performer for IPL’s inaugural edition champions Rajasthan Royals.
A Sindh court has also suspended a ban imposed on nearly 20 Pakistani players for their participation in India’s rebel cricket league, ICL, bankrolled by Subhash Chandra promoted Zee.
The players were kept away from Pak local cricket, apparently at the behest of the cash rich BCCI.
So what stops ICL and IPL from co-existing? Perhaps it is just a clash of giant egos.
The ICC, BCCI and ICL bosses are working behind the scenes to bring about a compromise formula, which could pave the way for such a possibility.
That could boost the fortunes of cricket further and perhaps the fading fortunes of the glitterati scrambling to get intothe cricket bandwagon.
Only worry seems to be a clash between IPL and general elections. Take a bet — More people would pay to watch cricket rather than get paid to add to the numbers in poll rallies.
No one is waiting, but this is to inform the stray visitor, the faceless blogger or the unknown netizen that this space is to witness some activity in the days to come. Welcome to those who have nothing worthwhile to do, no horizons to conquer, no goals to work for and no energy worth boasting.