I'm feeeeelin' it... You??

Google Base Javascript hacks by ZDNet's Garett Rogers -- Google is arming itself to take on eBay -- even if they don't admit to it. I spent some time with Google Base and confirmed a suspicion I had about a month ago. They are going to allow users to edit their Google Base items just like they edit webpages in Google Pages.I wrote some [...]

Alright!!! Now, how many of you have ever piad attention to what the 2nd Generation Indian kids indulge/listen to when it comes to music? Apart from the usual Bollywood/Bhangra/Hip-hop stuff, most often you can listen to something they have come out with something of their own..Remix!!! Its not just music, but sorta like a new culture of their own! Remix Culture???

I hear some of you saying, yea so what.. What's new about this? Nothing authentic, right? Not really.. Of course, most migrant cultures did the same and I guess these 2nd Gen kids have done with some "extra" appeal..Often blending the music from their roots into what is available locally, these new generation of migrant children have often forged new trends in music..With the music, evolved their attitudes and cultural choices in life..

Now, I'm not sure how it was in the earlier years of migration to the US for most of the Indian familes, but I can tell you what I experienced..Half the time it was the usual boring Bollywood non-sense and the only few "Indian" alternatives available were the ones played/experimented by a DJ/Doctor friend of mine .. It gets too boring especially when you don't even know Hindi, the language of choice in Bollywood..

He exposed me to this remix culture as he trained/learned from his days in New York City..It was quite fascinating to listen to these Bollywood songs blended with local urban sounds you hear often at the clubs & on the radio..Poor me , the town where I was had only one radio station that rarely played hip-hop .. So, those reggae/reggaeton discs my friend brought from NYC was the first exposure to something so urban & chic..With not in a position to afford, TV and Cable Television, time passed by listening to these remixed tapes..But with the move to a bigger city that had gazillion radio stations that played urban hits came the opportunity to listen to some of these new & familiar tunes often..From being experimental, I could see the desi remix culture proliferating beyond the experimental state and exploding on the club scenes across the city..New DJs displayed their skills behind the turntables, scratching the decks and innovating new themes..All this happened while captivating the audience to things that are so unique.. Glad that these 2nd Gen Indians found these traditional/original music videos and traditional folk (Bhangra) songs not serving their palatte, they started to experiment more vigourusly - fusing the local music trends into the Desi music tapes..Voila! There comes a new generation of Indian kids listening to the most catchy, chic, Indian beats mixed wonderfully with the local rap/reggae/reggaeton/hip-hop chart-busters..

Often times these remixed experiments paved way for the renewed interest in Desi music among their communities (you can listen to some local Rappers opting to mix the Indian Music into their grooves) .. Most of these songs have often found a celebrity status and have climbed into the Top 10 lists in UK/US Club scenes.. Unlike the typical Indian boy/girl who is always associated with Geeky images, these young 2nd Gen Indians are roaring to change the music landscape when they get/got their opportunity..As they do/did this, they defied the stereotypes with their ultra kool music videos and lyrical skills..the costumes, dancing, lyrics, everything has become a blend of cultures and often its hard to tell which one of these cultures influenced the other.. With the evolution ofmusic came a new generation of music makers..Below is a Desi Video by Aman, featuring Bohemia- the famous Punjab Rapper from California.



Rapper Bohemia is true example of what is real Talent .. His Website bio sketch indicates that "after immigrating to the West over ten years ago, Bohemia came to realize that the South Asian experience in America wasn't all about nice cars and palm trees. On the contrary, he found himself living amongst murderers and drug dealers.

Through his experiences, come raw, hard-edged raps depicting not just California street life, but a life many South Asians lead in America. His lyrics are primarily Punjabi, while many of the hooks are in English. Placed over hip-hop beats, Bohemia makes it seem as though Punjabi was made to be rapped rather than merely spoken."

Aother exmaple is Inderjeet Singh Chana aka Kidd Skilly.. This kid got true talent and can rap so well..Born into a mixed family backgournd (mexican mother & punjabi dad), this young man took to rapping as he grew up in the hard streets of Detroit, Michigan (as he calls - the Motor City Punjab).. Listening to some of his songs, makes me tap my feet and the rhythm gets you hooked, leaving you wanting more..Especially the one, Bytch Please, stands testimony to his incredible talents..

Kudos to these kids who defy the odds of being a rapper, representing the Indian community.. As we all know what kinda pressures/expectations are piled on these 2nd Gen Desi kids here in the US/UK among various cultures .. PhD parents with their expectations of turning their son/daughter into a successful Doctor/Engineer/Dentist/Lawyer can do a number on these kids who aspire to be someone different.. Can't even imagine me telling my Dad/mom that I don't wanna be an engineer anymore and want to explore Music, and probably turn into a rapper churning out some sexy videos..Can't help but stay praising these talented young Indians who defy the odds stocked up against them and continue to excel in what they truly love and believe in..Gotta love it as they still try their level best to save whatever was given to them as part of their Indian culture from their 1st Gen parents..Be it the music or the love for India, they sure don't hide it..

Now the funniest part is that the Glam-loving bollywood is starting to adopt this new remix version directly/indirectly into its traditional Filmy music..Movie such as Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena Thee (not sure what the hell this stands for)..


Are we witness to some change in usual Bollywood stuff.. who knows.. it might very well be happening..

Happened to read an article by Suganthi on www.Gilli.in in which she has sinfully captured the fortunes of the"rich & famous" of Tamil Nadu politics .. I believe she collected the data from the media (SIFY.com) reports as the politicians were filing their nominations to contest the upcoming elections in the State.. Thanks to her! I was so inspired that immediately I lunged for my calculator sitting across the other end of my desk and started to do some simple calculations. for the heck of it..And lemme share what I found out with you.. Be patient as the following will be a very lengthy article..Lets goooooooo
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Summarizing Suganthi's article, you will get the following "Values" for some of the rich and famous:
1. Dr. Jayalalitha Jeyaram, Current Cheif Minister of the TN - Assets valued at 24.65 crores
2. Dr. Muthuvel Karunanidhi --Assets valued at 22 crores

For simplicity purposes, I have only taken the above two personalities to study in detail here.. Just banged my calculator to see how lucrative a career is for someone who is willing to take that as a "Career option" in Tamilnadu instead of killing themselves in a professional curriculum (Doctor, Engineer, Lawyer, etc)..Boy! Wasn't I stunned! Lemme share with you all what I found.

For mathematical purposes, I decided to take up Kalaingar Karunanidhi .. He has been in politics for over 60 years.. With no capital investment (except for his time and effort), his wealth is now valued at roughly 22 crores..If you break it down into simple mathematical stuff, this is what you get:

• Man hours spent during his political career (60yrsx365 daysx24hrs) = 525600 hrs
• Total Wealth Amassed in the 60yr political career = 22 Crores (22, followed by seven zeros)
• Hourly Rate charged for his "Service" to Tamilnadu = Roughly Rs. 418.57/hr
  

Not a bad rate, compared to some of his peers in the TN political world, right? This simple "number crunching" exercise was done based on some the following assumptions:

1. Dr. K.K. worked 24 hrs of his career for TamilNadu (no sleep, sick days, awarded time off, etc)

2. No Bonuses taken into account..

3. Population has remained the same for teh past 60 years (6 million)..

4. These CEOs of State charged the same amount over their entire political career

5. All reported expenses are TRUE and ONLY assessts they possess are reported. None of the "family" is included here (for example, Dyanidhi Maran's assessts are not considered here)

6. NO assests belonging to Benomies & Proxies are reported (which would inflate the per hour cost to an uncalculatable amount)..

Whoaaaaaa..Looks like Politicis is after all a good career! Given all the numbers for an established politician who spent his entire adult life in politics, you must now be wondering how much is Dr. Jayalalitha charging the poor people of Tamil Nadu for managing/running the state and looking/caring after everyday life of the Tamil citizenry..Here comes the next round of "Number Crunching" with the same set of assumptions as above:

Starting her active political Career in 1981, Dr. Jaya has served(!!!) the state for almost 25 years..She has reported a Net Worth of 24.65 crores.. Let us say that she started her life with 4 crores worth of assets, which over the years have grown to 8 crores .. If you think I'm not being generous, let us add a couple of crores towards that "Asset Growth" from her incomes through her acting profession..This would spare Rs. 15 crores for us to start our calculations:

• Woman (politically correct here) hours spent during her political career (25yrsx365 daysx24hrs) = 219000 hrs
• Total Wealth Amassed in the 25years political career = 15 Crores (Without adding the 10 crores through her Filmy career)
• Hourly Rate charged for her "Service" to Tamilnadu = Roughly Rs. 684.93/hr..

Geez .. She is a bit more expensive than Kalaingar, right? How is that a state with 6 million + population can afford such expensive CEOs? Probably they could have hired Jack Welch (famed CEO of General Electric) from the West for this salary...Even in corporate terms, I think these CEOs are charging excessively high rates without showing any improvement in their services to the End Beneficiaries.. The quality of life hasn't imrpoved for a vast majority of the population in the past few dedcades and people continue to suffer in the long queues outside the Rationshops and riding the terrible roads, fearing their life if they come out and question these "rich & famous"..

Between the two CEOs who have continued to rule the state for the past 25+ years, I have pretty much come to a conclusion that Politics is anyday a better Career Choice than being Engineering/Doctor/Lawyer, etc..Poor engineers/doctors/lawyers don't even stand a chance to charge such huge sums of money .. Even if they do, they will never be able to buy a place to bury them after death on Marina Beach..And no 21 Gun Salute Government Funeral/Burial ...

No wonder people with no academic intelligence chose to pursue politics as a career.. No wonder these Dropouts, Failed students, etc should be lining up to run the State, where the only prerequsite is to be an ACTOR/ACTRESS or BE SOMEONE WITH GOOD Skills in Cheating People with your flowery language and charming wit...It seems all worth the effort when it starts paying rich dividends..Better start telling your kids to be a Politician than to be an Engineer/Doctor/Lawyer.. If he/she shows interest in political rallies, be assured that your generations to come will NEVER have to be worried about MONEY ever in their lifetime..

Now, you know why people line up and ight for those Most Valued MLA Seats during the Election season.. Now you are starting to understand, why Vaiko is willing to let go of his Pride..If you haven't started understading anything yet, start to crunch teh numbers for Dr. Ramdoss..You would even be amazed how crazy it can get if he gets to be the next CM of Tamil Nadu..Aandavanae Vandhalum Indha Tamil Nattae Kappatha Mudiyaadhu (remember, these are not my words.. but of Mr. Rajnikanth's.. Uttered during the 1996 state assembly elections)...

As I wrote up the riots in B'lore that erupted during the funeral for actor Rajkumar a couple of days ago, I continued to watch the media reports in the days that followed. As the days grew the media started shedding light on some of the scariest images captured during the riots and some shocking statitics in terms of fatalities, injuries, property damage, etc..

Of all that I read, what shocked me the most was how ill-prepared the Karnataka Police Force was during the crisis hours.. KSP not only failed to protect the public, it also lost a whole lot of its own machinery & men..The following is what I've gathered as a status update through the media (primarily from Dinamalar's online editions)

The Losses suffered by Karnataka State Police:

• Seven Police Vans
• Three (3) Cars (not sure of what kind)
• Two (2) Toyota Qualis
• Five (5) Jeeps
• Four (4) Motorcycles

Now comes the most Interesting Statistic:

• # of Policemen injured during the riots: 174
• # 0f Policemen died during the riots: 1

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Apart from these losses for the KSP, the overall picture painted a grim situation that was poorly handled by the City's administrators. As of April 15, 2006, the media compiled the following statistics:

• Total Killed during the riots: 8 (including the lone policeman who got killed in the line of duty)
• Total Injured: 285, including the 174 policemen.
• Property Losses: 6Lorries, 12 buses, 3- Auto rickshaws, 20 - Cars, and 54 Two Wheelers.
• # of Cases Registered: 41.
• # of Arrests reported: 563.
• Lost Revenue for businesses during the period: Undetermined.

It is estimated that the cumulative losses incurred during these riots would be in billions of rupees. B'lore is reportedly the IT hub of India & several Business Process Outsourcing entities reported poor staff attendance owing to the riots. Other businesses (even the essential services) were also reported closed.

In all Dr. Rajkumar (still wondering who and why awarded this honorary Doctoral degree for this man) didn't die alone: he had a lot of company to heaven (or wherever else he went after his death).. Hmm..what else to say except that We, the Indian Community, is collectively failing in establishing some moral values in our growing youngsters.. So, where do we start looking for the solutions to this problem? In our edcuation system? in our public policy? In our politicians??
Your views and comments are welcome and I hope this blog will serve as a platform for a healthy debate on this issue..

For those you who are interested, I've attached a picture of the smiling politicians standing around the Status of Dr. (!!!) Rajkumar as the media started to come up with these grim numbers.. Aren't they a shameless breed to show up in such great numbers for dedicating a statue of a deadman while NOT being around at a press conference to discuss and dissect the issue in Public.. So, isn't it vaugely becoming clear who is at fault here?? The politicians?? Noooooooooo.. Its us, the citizenry that's at fault..

You might have seen/heard several incidents that signify the title of this post - ONLY IN INDIA.. But here is something that you might have never come across.. Yep, and its very interesting too..This probably might be the only post that examines the way people deal with Death of a politician/film star in India.. Read along!!!Almost all the newsmedia across the world, including the CBSs, CNNs, BBCs, etc., shown those violent images from Bangalore as the funeral for the kannda actor Rajkumar was in progress..(Thanks to Dinamalar, BBC, CBS, & other news magazines for these shocking images)..Now, thsese images leave me asking a question why violence in a funeral?? What's the need for violence in a place that's already soaked in grief? Just the previous day, the news media was filled with stories announcing RajKumar's demise and how his fans/followers/admirers from Karnataka have been thrown in a state of utter sadness..Now within 24 hrs, sadness gives way to anger..Anger over what?? No clue yet..I'm yet to understand why this sudden turn of events..

As we try to understand the reasons behind this, let me explain something basic about the violent, unIndian way of "mourning":In general, when people are left to mourn the death of the(ir) loved one(s), it presents an opportunity for them to sit back and cherish those moments they shared with the man/woman that's now lying dead.. Its an opportunity to say their final good bye in a very intimate way..It is a very personal a way to mourn the loss of someone who will be missed for ever in their life ..In India, like many parts of the world, death/loss is not dealt/managed with in a peaceful way..We are noisy/loud people..

So, what is "death-managment" ( a new term I coined here) for a normal Indian househould? The following is my personal experience and can be similar to many Indian regions when some non-celebrity dies (like you and me). When my father died, I was greeted by the loud screams and shreiks of the mourning relatives as I arrived home after hearing the news. They exploded in tears & screams as I walked closer to see my dad's body lying ready for burial and some women whom I don't even know/seen before were astanding all tears and singing the traiditional songs (typical of our region to see people singing some folk lore praising the dead man/woman)..The situation was already gloomy and it was made even worse with all this crying and wailing that seem to be picking up in intensity by the fade of each minute..It was shocking for me initially as I was thrown in the middle of all this for the first time in my life and left to deal with death staring up close and that too in such a noisy way ..Gotta agree that it was a true moment of agony ..

I was not crying but was deeply disturbed to think about the loss of my dad..There I stood grappling with my feelings and emotions, wondering how will be my tomorrow & the days after without this man I have come to call Dad & shared things with for several years..A man that raised me through several hardships and imbibed those values of life and everything else a boy should know gowing up to be an adult.. But there was no time to deal with all my personal feelings..No time for me to reflect my sorrow with my family (mom or my sibling(s)) and other close friends.. It all took place mechanically and by the time all this was over and the house got emptied, we are left all alone to deal with this loss.. I found that lonely moment where I could sit and reflect on all the good time I had with this man and had an intense personal moment where I said a heart-felt thank you..It was trruly sad as I cried myself to sleep and woke up next morning knowing that my dad will never be there physically in my life..

Now, this whole thing changes when you are a film star/politican in India.. This won't just be a family affair anymore.. The loved ones will be left to deal with this loss at a more personal level later while they are confronted with the reality of the situation that just has started to take shape..The crowds swell on the day of the funeral and somehow there will be a bit of unrest during the entire time - from the moment the media delivers the news till the burial/cremation, sometimes even past that..Slowly, the unrest shapes into a skirmish, and then a brutal exchange of words, followed suit by the stone throwing and damaging of property & threat to human lives..Traders were forced to close the shops all over the city, buses stop plying, gates closed at all schools, factories, banks, offices, etc., etc., everything comes to a grinding halt.. Normal life was thrown outta gear and people scramble for their essentials while the "mourning" takes place..Now, comes the best part.. With a lot of anger and availability of huge numbers of people (for God's sake, this is India) the situation becomes volatile and is ready to explode with the slightest of the disturbance..

Of course, Police will be summoned.. Riot Control forces will be positioned along the route as the family/fans prepare for the final march .. The family will be busy managing the heavy influx of dignitaries and the fellow "who is who" in the industry/field .. the state police will be on standby awaiting orders from their bosses on what to do and what not do if things get outta hand..As unpredictable as the way the sun sets, the crowds will be worked into a frenzy as the funeral starts..The cycle of violence starts with the first stone thrown at someone/or something (usually a car/bus)..Cracked windows and shattered glasses litter the streets along the path of the funeral procession.. People hide behind their closed dooors clinging to their dear life praying to all the gods out there to make sure the crowds don't destroy anything on their property or for heaven's sake come inside and butcher the families .. As all hell breaks loos, police are finally authorized to "control" the chaos and they reign in the "Indian ishtyle".. The level of control (read as brute force) exercised by the police increases in the following order:

• Water Cannons
• Firing tear gas shells
• Lathi Charge (Baton weilding police officers just thrashing around with no sympathy whatsoever).. You gotta believe it to see it.. It will be a masterful shot for any Kung Fu movie as the people dodge these skull crushing blows by ducking/running/jumping around, etc)..
• Firing Rubber Bullets
• Finally, the REAL DEAL (real bullets)

In this latest episode, as reported in The Hindu, the police fired 100 tear gas shells and then resorted to repeated lathi charging.. When none of this sort worked in controlling the situation which is already outta hand, the police resported to lethal force and started firing real bullets .. When all this chaos came to an end, the living folks were left to deal with the following:

• 5 dead people, including a police constable (4 died from police firing);
• 25 damaged cars;
• a burnt-out gas station (petrol bunk, as its called in India),
• innumerable cracked windsheilds,
• lost business that's worth crores and crores of rupees (or in dollar terms - millions and millions, mind you this is B'lore the Software/Outsourcing industry hub),
• countless human lives that endured so much misery without the basic services..

Though it was the death of one man that caused all this chaos, all the fingers point to one thing: We live in a society that allows people to think that violence is an acceptable way of "celebrating" one's death. We have become a society that revels in thinking this is the best form of expressing affection you had for someone who is not around anymore..Ever since I was a child, I have witnessed these scenes repeatedly while these politicians and actors got their exit tickets and stamped the passports to heaven/hell (wherever they are destined to go)..When Indira Gandhi got muurdered, the sikhs were butchered all across India..Business were down for days.. The same scenes repeated during the death of her son Rajiv Gandhi too.. The scenes were not different when the tamil actor turned politician MGR passed away.. This repeated itself every time when someone "elite" passed away..

All this for WHATTTT? Just to mourn a human that is not even alive anymore.. Morons, I say! Can't folks find a better way to let the world know how deeply we loved this man? Can't we be a bit more civilized in the eyes of the rest of the World while grieving the death of an actor/politician? Can't we be a bit more human by allowing people to deal with this loss in their own tersm? Can't we allow those children to live a life that's not scarred for ever by this level of violence?? Can't we find a better way to spend the money lost from all these shut-out business hours across the entire state of Karnataka?

Everyone knew that this inevitability is to happen someday..But the response to this inevitability never changed a bit.. It was the same everyime a celebrity passed away..Everyone dies..Be it Rajkumar or you, or me, for that matter any human on earth will die some day in his/her life..No question about that .. But happens after that? This is where I pose a question to all those celebreties of India/world over that are still alive.. What do you want to leave after you die? Do you want People to spend their days crouched behind their doors and pondering what/who is ggoing to come through that door? Do you want the nation's best minds to stay locked in their houses as they can't go to school/do business during the days you lay dead in the public view? Do you want people to remember you as someone who caused so much misery that they dispise you even after your death?? Do you want people to remember you as someone that left his/her loved ones suffering like this?

As we stand here today pondering this inevitability of "death" to happen someday in our lives, I think the solution lies with the celebreties themselves.. I strongly believe they have the power to control their masses when they are alive and hence can use their clout and charisma to reachout to their fans and tell them "If I die, celebrate me silently.. Don't bring shame to me by doing all the bad things.."

I hear some of you say, most of these rioters are hooligans and not even real admirers/fans..I agree that these are some miscreants/abberant souls in the society who try to make the best of the situation.. Making use of the opportunity, they come out in force, flexing their muscle, forcing traders to shut their business, stopping movement of people, & disrupting pretty much every aspect of a normal human life .. Sometimes this happens at a regional scale.. or sometimes this happensWhat I foresee in the future? The political climate and the cultural dimensions of this society in TN point out that the same scenes are to repeat if anyone of these celebreties listed below were to die:1. Jayalalitha Jeyaram -- Current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu2. M. K. Karunandhi --Past Chief minister of Tamilnadu and the leading oppsotion leader3. Rajinikanth - Most celebrated ever actor of TN4. Ramadoss-- A man with a mob of mindless followers that number in thousands5. Vijay, Ajit, Vikram, Vijayakanth, etc , etc..

Its unfortunate to point specifically to some of these celebreties of Tamilnadu (listed below) but these are some "definitely" candidates who can influence their cadres wisely and address this issue before they pass away. Where in the world is the Peace in the middle of all this chaos? For all the good things to begin, this mindless thuggery to stop.. And for this to happen, the leaders of the present should step up and "educate" their masses and ensure that they leave a lasting impression even after his death..Tell your people to stop this nonsense...Tell them its unacceptable for you to see them doing things that you never supported .. Tell them to be good citizens who respected their leader's words.. Tell them to be part of a society where they learn to "REALLY" celebrate death..Celebrate the good things about the person..If anything, IMHO, it might be worth an effort to save a few lives after you die..

The other day I happened to see how America/Americans CELEBRATED the death of Corretta Scott King, the Widow of Dr. Martin Luther King... When I say celebrate, I really mean it.. Actually, it was no different from any American Funeral of the present/past.. I saw people lined up to pay their last respects peacefully filing past the casket..weeping in silence and not making a scene..Not a stone was thrown.. Not a shutter was forced to stay closed.. Not a soul was leftc omplaining" Ms. Scott, its becos you I suffered in your death"..

As they prepared for her services before the funeral, the who is who of black America, for that matter every race in America was there irrespective of their color/nationality/creed, turned out in force and remembered the best things they shared with Mrs. King..Eulogies after Eulogies piled up and the mourners happily remembered what they knew about Mrs. King.. Reveled & shared the moments they considered precious..It was the true joy of knowing her with everyone around..It was smiles and tears at the same time as they said how much they respected & cherished her.. A sight that I never will forget as they concluded their homage by taking the body of Mrs. King with their final goodbye.. Now, that's what I call a civilized nation..Of course, the cultural differences between India and America are abound.. We differ in the way we celebrate death like any part of the World..

But one thing that stood out in contrast to Dr. Rajkumar's funeral was that it was an occasion where I saw a dead woman being loved even after her death in such an adorable way.. A way no one was hurt physically expressing their sorrows, no property was destroyed as the funeral procession took place, no blood was spilt on the streets of Atlanta when the tears rolled down the cheeks of these mourners..Now, that's what I envy about America..I have linked this article from WashingtonPost that talked about this wonderful thing:

Leaves me to yearn why is that we Indians are not copying some of these best and most wanted qualities (In my view!!!) from the West.. Why is that we only love to import the violence and gore through the media from West..Come on India(n)! We gotta do better than this..

The above post was originally done here without the pictures.. Since I addedthe pictures it looked much better and felt "alive" .. hence i decided to edit this old post but leave the lovely comments left behind by some of the readers.. so, if you are to see this, please scroll down the Comments section to find what the readers had to say after reading this..If you areseeing the above post for the first time, please feel free to leave your comments along with the new post..Thanks..

Hmmm.. looks like I finally had someone "comment" on my blog..hehehehehe..and guess what? that results in Yours Truly floating on Cloud 9. Damn...I never realized the Power of Blogs.. Anyway, I hope this continues to grow and I expect to remain grounded..