Who is to be blamed for Iraq?

I am writing this post as I am reading the news on BBC and listening to NPR's Diane Reem show (9-10PM) about Iraq. It is really disheartening that yet another mass of people were killed today, a total of about 45,000 Iraqis have been . I can't believe that the politicians here in the US still dont want to take any blame for this mess. They even claim that the country is progressing in the right direction. What right direction with at least 10 people dying every day, with people being forced to flee from their houses, with innocent children left with no history about their country other than an ugly movement of so-called democracy!!!! The Shias and the Sunnis (there might have been differences) were living in peace harmony for years now, then how did all this happen? What kept these strifes under control? Saddam's regime may have been bad but is it any good now? I feel deeply for the Iraqis and wish I could do anything about it!!
Hope they keep their spirits high and pull it all back together. I also wish that the killing in the name of religion(s) would come to an end . Will my wishes come true?

PS: Here is an article that sort of summarizes the history of conflict but beware its about "bringing the troops back home"-The ongoing civil conflict in Iraq can only be resolved when the U.S.-led occupation is given a definitive end date.

Can a ticking clock be annoying?

Folks, trust me a ticking clock can be annoying specially on a lazy (and a depressing) Saturday afternoon, when you are the only one in your apartment. As you settle down to go down your memory lane once more for the millionth time on this lazy day, at some point you realize that you have company in the room. Thats when you being to pay attention to the ticking and if you were as crazy as I am, you would probably think-my gawd! doesn't it ever get tired? why can't it just stop ticking? or you would count the number of ticks you hear!!! I know I sound really crazy but that is what not having to do anything does to people, people. Not that I did not do anything, I did go to lab for about 2hrs (this after the fact that I am perfectly aware its a Saturday today).

Are we the independent nation?

Well, it was the 60th Indian Independence day on August 15th. At the stroke of midnight on August 15th, 1947 India was an independent country. But our minds and thoughts are yet to be free. It used be the British till 60years ago, now it is the politicians who think they can do anything to get to power and THEY DO!!! I dont know about other states but at least in Tamil Nadu, that is the case. If we had slightest of free thinking, high spirited minds, DMK would not have won these elections (mind you, I dont support AIADMK also!!).
The caste based decisions have reached the level that it now affects each and every students life in TN. All decisions are based not on merit but on caste. The sad thing is people let it happen, they dont seem to care about other children as long as theirs have the best of the best (does not matter if they have to change their caste for that). All I am saying is let the college seats be given to students who have merits (BC or not!!). If you read this column and the comments in rediff, you will be surprised by the fact that there are youngsters who seem to be FOR reservation based on caste. Who does it help- no one knows or wants to know.

I think its time the governing bodies for our nation changes the reservation policy and brings out a fair one based on the economy rather than caste.

In the end the rich gets richer and poor gets poorer.

PS I can go on and on about this topic but I might go overboard if I did!

Liberating dulcet melodies

As a part of 1-week Bhagavad Gita Gyana Yagyam at SSVT , there was a performance by Unnikrishnan. The first one and half hours of the concert was not to my taste - (I like to hear words) it was infested with alapanas and swaras. For most of that first half I enjoyed the wonderful violin (Vittal Ramamurthy) and mridangam (Poovalur Srinivasan)renditions. It definitely got better and better. It was all magical towards the end. All of it came together- the songs, Unnikrishnan's voice and the accompaniments.
But there is something that has been bothering me for a while now. It seems to never matter if it is a good or a bad concert, for an ardent listener can get distracted- worldly conversations (I assure you I have'nt eavesdropped), saying gentle hellos to aquaintances, uncontrollable little brats (some with noisy anklets! I must agree though- they try to be as quiet as possible but you sure cannot miss the bold expressions and that is what is the cause for distraction! But what bothers me most is this, these aret the same people whose attitude take a 180 degree turn when they go to an opera or a symphony. Even the children are taught to put up their best behaviour. Where does this sense of sobriety vanish when they come for a carnatic concert? Why this "taken for granted" attitude? Do other people also take notice of such an attitude or is it just me?