what is common between srinagar and new york?

I recently saw a documentary prepared by the New York Metropolitan water Alliance on the New York waterfront. NOW, when we hear the two words "New York" images of tall buildings huddled together on an island is what most people would think about. The water just frames the picture and as the movie clearly brought out, the water front, the interface with the water, is actually not a a part of this great sea port city!! The city has turned its back to the water.

Now to Srinagar(Kashmir, India), the "venice of the east" known for its royal housboats and quaint shikaras and the wareways, its veins. But the water now is polluted and the another city has turned its back to the water. As the road transpoart developed, people cared less and less about the water and allowed growing volume of sewage to enter the water stream. The ghats and other forms of daily connection died.

The New York City is water is also untouchable and its connections to the water- dead.

So what?

Yes so what if there is no connection ? People stop caring. This public amenity that belongs to everybody suddenly belongs no body. So Srinagar's world famous waterways have become the city's open gutters. Some of temples still have steps going down to these polluted waters. In New York people wake up in the their "bedroom with a view" which overlooks the river onto apartments buildings on the other side onto other "bedrooms with a view". Barges still run bring in construction material or transporting garbage. There are water taxis and water ways but can you dare to dive in? NO. Each year over flow from the six local sewage treatment plants over flow into the rivers during a down pour. The two water bodies across the continents end up with the same fate !!

MADE IN INDIA manholes covers in New York

I saw the first one on church street right in front of the world trade center and since then I seem to find them everywhere. "MADE IN INDIA -- NYC SEWER" thats what they read and they make me wonder why did this manhole lid had to be brough over from the other end of the earth? Another thing that I would like to know is when were they put in place? Where is the seed and where are the orgins of this global supply chain that has a fingerprint on everything today.

LOVE

I was writing about my "ideal match" in my orkut profile today... Silly stuff on a sunday morning and here is what I wrote- "People dont fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle". Its true they dont. The world of love is crazy. They say opposites attract; but can they love?
Well back to the original question; whats your ideal match?? I may have a certain image of MY ideal match, you know...tall , dark, handsome; rich, super rich; somebody with a good sense of humour etc etc. but what is the possibility that such a person has a person like me as a "pefect match" in his mind.
OR do we really think all that much when falling in love?? Its a fall, rather a trip and you loose your balance for a while. and once you start walking along with this person you try and match your pace. He might may have to slow down a little. you might have to catch up. And there you go, you are walking together.
And then there are people who are just not your type. You can sift through them quite easily. Its the close matches that could be worrysome. Its diffcult to see the gaps between the pieces with such a person but they are large enough that they cannot be filled with love.

Where is global warming taking us

Ok there is a little homework for this one. Two movies to be seen--" Inconvenient Truths" by Al Gore and " The Great Global Warming Swindle".

These present two contrasting views of the same issue, GLOBAL WARMING, trying two explain the phenomenon and the expected patterns of the world climate in the near future.

I cant say who is pushing which agenda, but what we can say for sure is that "global warming fear" is pushing the sustainability agenda. Reminds me of what a teacher had said when a certain tragedy struck our department " It takes a tragedy(in this case fear) for people to come together to take action". Sustainability is all about good common sense,higher efficiency and human health. If global warming is the way to it, so be it. It would be wonderful if we knew the true picture. Reward or fear should not be the drivers to self preservation!!

Dis"illusion"ment

I enjoy poring over optical illusions. It is fun to unravel their mystery and still be able feel the "illusion". The "illusion" can over-ride any facts provided. Its just the way the mind sees it and there is no way of controlling the mind at times. It( the mind) just sees what is wants to.

Like tihis picture: The grey bar is the same shade through out. No matter how many times I tell mind that it is so, I still see the gradation. Now just hide the background with your palms and you will see for yourself that is a solid grey bar!

How about illusions in real life and for that that matter dis"illusion"ment? Are there similar things that our mind presents to us how it would like to see them? So is there something like dis"illusion"ment. Can we really look beyond our own mind?

Wikipedia has the following definition for the word:

'''Disillusionment''' refers to a [[feeling]] that arises from the discovery that something is not what it was anticipated to be. Often, disillusionment is much more severe and traumatic than common [[disappointment]], especially when a [[belief]] central to one's identity is shown to be false" Woah!!

Dont you think most of the time when we feel disillusioned we come face to face with a reality that we were already aware of? Its just there is no more running away from it. So is it really disillusionment? Is the covering up of the background to see that it is indeed a grey bar, dis" illusion"ment? Isnt all this a game of words?

I think so.

Memory Matters

I read a quote somewhere and as usual I dont remeber the exact words. Its something to the effect that people look down upon a bad judgement but dont seem to mind a bad memory. Well it was put in a much better way, but what I intend to say here is that in general intelligence is weighed over memory. It may be noted that this applies to humans only and we are not talking about computers here.

So why is intelligence weighed over memory? I think, just like intelligence, a great memory is also something we are not born with. Its take effort to build a fast and relaible memory just as is does to acquire any skill and for that matter intelligence. Its another faculty that we possess that must be sharpened and developed.

A couple of days back I was discussing answers to those 'typical' interview quiestions with a friend and we came upon an extremely difficult one- what are your weaknesses? Now this is a delicate one and must be answers thoughtfully. Forgetfullness of names of people and books, we though is a safe anwer. Why is that?

I feel it is very important to remember things and details. It can help identify things that are linked, it helps connect with people and can save lot of time and effort.

The mind is an automatic filter which seives through the tons of information that this world throws at us every second, but it is important to regulate this apperture through which we take in the world. Its is to be ensure that we are not skipping to much and conciously absorb information.

The power of a writer

"A few thousand words from Rachel Carson and the world took a new direction". The few thousand words are known as 'Silent Springs' and I got to know about this book through a course I am taking this semester.
Rachel Carson in her book, writes about how the indiscrimate use of DDT after the WWII in several countries was effecting the ecological balance and how this chemical was slowly poisoning the food chain. DDT till then was 'concidered' to be a wonder chemical which could solve all problems and bring about the 'green revolution' wherever it was used. Several people had conducted and published research on the negetive impacts of over-use and the caution that should be taken while using DDT, but not untill this book was published that people actually began to question something that had till date been promoted as a medicine with no side-effects.

The whole idea that a book got the people to take notice and raise their voice against the negligence of the governement, resulting in national level policy changes in USA is not unique.
What I really found to be amazing is that the author, who was a biologist and environmentalist, decided to deal with the issue by writing a book about it. She could forsee the power of a book in invoking masses to action.

My Neice

Every now and then I pretend to cry and she turns to me and asks with genuine interest " What's wrong?". I say that I am feeling sad :( She smiles to cheer me up and asks "again?" . Its the sweetest smile in the world wth two huge dimples on the cheeks and then she rushes to give me a hug.

I am sure if were really sad, that hug would make me feel just as cheerful.

Children are real charmers. Their innocence inspires simplicity of thought; their simplicity, out-of-the box thinking; their questions, deeper understanding. It can be a transforming experience to have them around.