3 cents

Hindi-Japani-Chini: 

It was just a matter of time, wasn't it? China galloping into India to outwit Japan. Hahaha. The idea is to outbid $35 billion that the Japanis are planning to bait our country with. Don't forget that it was Japanese companies that introduced us to a family car, noodles, Mowgli and a private cellphone (no, it wasn't Nokia). We might share borders with China but our ties with Japan goes deeper in modern comparisons. There might be contextual quotes from Chinese ambassadors saying that India ruled China culturally without sending a single soldier across the border. But the plain fact is our ancient kings were too lazy to see what's on the other side of the mountains. As a result, we don't have the Indian counterparts to Fa-Hien or Hiuen Tsang. Maybe that's why Tagore's visit to China is still not forgotten by the Chinese. They even gave the revered teacher a Sino name: Zhu Zhen Dan. Before he happened to us and then them, our curiosity was restricted to knowing what's cooking in our neighbour's kitchen, if not bedroom. And when you put these historical data against the marriage between politics and economics today, you can't help but laugh at how things are changing. Bussiness (read: money) is the driving factor, not knowledge or wisdom or for that matter, religion. Two countries may not stand each other but they'll sit down and talk about eking out commercial interests that will work for both of them. The upside to this arrangement is people don't get killed unnecessarily on the border. In any case, not one soldier has died on the Eastern front since the infamous 1962 Indo-China war. The point being what's really happening is that our realities are evolving. Like never before.

Vote Yes or Vote No: 

After centuries of dividing nations on the planet with its manipulation, karma is all set to greet this constitutional monarch called United Kingdom. In fact, the island is staring at a drastic shift in allegiance. Who could have thought? Not even Mel Gibson. With a majority of Scots—mostly youth, which also means they are going to influence this referendum in the future if not this time around—wanting to have an independent country to their name, it's worth a wait to see what unfolds tomorrow. Personally, i want Scotland to secede because i've always admired Scotland as a separate entity. I fully understand what i just said reeks of unjustified sentimentality. I'd like to refer to myself as a Scottish Hindu but that'd be two-faced lie. Anyway, i have my reasons to like what i'm seeing. Well, i can relate to those Highlanders with their knee-length chequered lungis although i've only worn white veshtis so far. Oh, and who can forget their bagpipe—that abomination of a musical instrument, like a sister to our very own kombu that they play at Mangalorean weddings to everyone's annoyance except theirs—and the steady flow of whatis (Tulu for cheap Whiskey)? The greatest common denominator being that all of us were buttfucked by Brits for extended period of time and it'd be fitting to see how Great Britain (wait, with Scotland gone, there won't be no Great there, would there?) reacts if Caledonia has its way. Insomuch i can't wait to see how the other secessionist regions of the world would take the news—Aye or Nay—tomorrow.

Obama I v/s Obama II:

For the first time in my comparatively short life, i've seen an American president taking time to think a situation over and over again. Sadly, this posture of his has been interpreted as timidity. Obama is a wise guy, unlike say his predecessors, which includes Obama I who was elected in 2008 and quite given to populism. Obama II is nothing like that. He doesn't wish to get messy nor see his soldiers get into hot soup either. For a change, he is showing a path that is not earmarked by imperialism. No doubt the think tank will be more than glad to point out that the POTUS is shrinking his duties as the leader of a superpower. Guess what? He isn't. He's only doing what should have been the main course of foreign policies since World War II. He doesn't want to get USA into Russo-Ukranian battle because there's no point. USA does what it has to and so does old foe Russia. China is going haywire with its territorial claims on not only land but also water but Obama is least bothered with this rumpling. He has understood that Israel can take care of itself even at the risk of antagonizing the entire planet. Everything is sorted out. The world as it is doesn't need USA as much as Americans do. Obama seems to have learnt that in White House. He has lot of homework to do. Offshore endeavours can wait. Yes, American journalists are beheaded by a fast-growing militant group but that's the price you pay in journalism. It's impossible to deal with a masked man with a knife to your neck. As a result, Obama's response has been to think and think and think and then respond instead of just aerial-dropping into deserts and coming back home like Grim Weeper. The greys on his pate suggest that he is enlightened now. Bear with his patience. Please.