Keeping the Peace: The UN Peacekeeping Force

The world celebrates the UN Peacekeeping Day today, the 29^th of May, but it hardly garners attention anywhere except in the camps of 16 operation bases around the world where the Peacekeeping force is striving to bring stability, establish the rule of law and end conflicts without resorting to war.

Strife is a global phenomenon and even now multiple armed conflicts are in progress either in the form of ethnic clashes, civil war, terrorism, dictatorships, coups or full scale war. More often than not, it is superpowers that intervene by either coercing or forcing both parties to co-operate and act as mediator but it may also happen that these nations may take sides in these conflicts.

This is the time where the need for a global non-partisan peacekeeping force betrays its importance. The UN Peacekeeping Force, comprising of personnel from all over the world, is the perfect third party to bring about a resolution to conflict.

The biggest contributors to the force are not the nations you expect. Expect surprises in the figures below which have been sourced from the UN website. These are the total number of personnel contributed by the nation:

1. Bangladesh – 9307
2. Pakistan – 8163
3. India – 8112
4. Ethiopia – 7864
5. Rwanda – 5575
6. Nepal – 5316
7. Senegal – 3570
8. Ghana - 3053
9. Nigeria - 2975
10. Egypt – 2937

Well, wasn’t that a surprise? Apart from the fact that none of the five nations that comprise of the United Nations Security Council feature in this list, the fact that the nations of the Indian sub-continent rank in the top 6 certainly show how much these nations and African countries who complete this list actually strive for world peace in spite of claims that they don’t contribute to the war on terror.

Image Courtesy: defencetalks.net

Although China makes it to the 11^th rank in the list of contributors to the Peacekeeping Force, the rest of the Big 5 are nowhere near. Here are the contributions of the Permanent seat holders in the UNSC:

1. China – 2899
2. France – 924
3. UK – 288
4. Germany – 194
5. USA – 95

This however, is not a condemnation of nations but a realization that those on whom the least expectation is placed often turn out to be front-runners in hindsight. It must also be noted that although these ‘developed’ nations my not directly be involved in the peacekeeping Force, they are the ones leading the alliance against major terrorist forces in the world today.

Although the force of arms is hardly the correct way to bring about peace, it is sometimes required to bring to sense to those who would prefer violence over cordial means and chaos over stability to establish control. This makes the UN Peacekeeping Force not just an interlocutor but a necessity in these times of grave turmoil.

On this day, the world should remember the lives given for the greater good of the world. People in conflict zones are actually thankful for the role these brave men and women have played in bringing some amount of calm to their days of unending warfare and nights filled with sobs stemming from constant nightmares. These angels of peace in Blue are worthy of the respect and reverence reserved for the highest form of sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty.

The Beef in Pakistan and the Ministerial Menu

The beef ban has become one big case of political posturing – deity worshiping – non vegetarian atrocity that has taken not one but two countries by storm. Sorry, three, you’ve got to count Nepal too.

The latest controversy in this cow murdering tale of dark comedy is Kiren Rjiju, Minister of State for home Affairs taking a pot shot at fellow Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abaas Naqvi, for a comment that went basically like, “Want beef? Go to Pakistan. It’s awesome there!”

Now one might easily be confused as to whether the Naqvi is an Indian Minister in the Union government or the Minister of Tourism for Pakistan but the Indian Secretariat website calmly assures us that the Pakistan tourism thing is just a side job that’s totally legal because hey, why not?

I'm delicious & you know it!
Image Courtesy: says.com

Now Rijiju said that we shouldn’t be touchy about people’s food habits and when the PM (and I’m just guessing here) called and reminded him that he was also part of the government, Rijiju promptly blamed the media for misquoting him because that’s the most plausible answer given the circumstances.

Well, he then said that what he meant was actually not what he said and what he said was not what the media interpreted correctly but now what he was saying was not what he said earlier but something different to the effect that the Hindu religious population was a majority in some places and a minority in other places and that Arunachal Pradesh was better at cooking beef than Pakistan.

Got all that? Good. (Hahaha, I didn’t either)

So basically, by his logic, if all the Hindus in all the states got together to ban beef, the whole country would have cows jamming traffic in the middle of busy intersections? Damn.

Note: I'm not trying to hurt anyone's religious feelings but in case you're hurt, don't say the title didn't warn you.

Indian Media teaches Sexism to School Children Now!

Today, the results of the CBSE class 12 results were announced across India and the kids seemed to have done pretty well. Although I don’t believe in the present system of examination myself, I’m sure we have a lot of proud parents today and others who are saying, “Look, Sharmaji’s son got 0.2% more than you! Which college will accept you now? You have destroyed your career and my reputation!”

Meanwhile the media is all about ‘Girls score better than boys!’ ‘Girls beat boys’ and so on and so forth all over social media. They’ll probably do the same thing on the front page of their newspapers tomorrow morning. And well, the news channels will be doing it right now. Really! Go check.

Ever since this dialogue of sexism has come to the forefront in India, we have been all about the empowerment of women and highlighting their successes and praising their leadership skills. All that is well and good and it is actually helping. But then the media goes ahead and creates the kind of tension that is counterproductive to everything else they think they’re doing for women empowerment.

Image Courtesy: dailymail.co.uk

While the only thing they’re doing is:

They’re creating unhealthy competition

Almost every media house in India has tweeted something to the effect that girls have performed better than boys in this academic year. What they don’t seem to realize is that they’re unconsciously widening the gender rift in academia which is already bad in India. Competition is good, but competition based on plain old gender divisive lines is ridiculous.

They’re creating familial rifts

Nobody can understand this point more than those who have risen in a house with a sibling of another gender. In a still very much patriarchal Indian society, a boy scoring less than a girl is perceived as a shame as it is assumed that the boy is going to be the breadwinner of the family. Looking at such headlines from the family perspective, the media is just putting more pressure on boys to do well. No wonder cases of suicides are going up every year.

Their idea of feminism is as evolved as a chimpanzee

The media wants to empower women but they either don’t know or don’t want to believe that feminism does not encourage putting one gender over the other. It is not about demeaning boys but about bring everyone to the same level. By saying, ‘girls outshine boys’ the only thing they’re proving is that they’re knowledge of feminism is as much as the politicians they label ‘sexist’.

Oh Indian media, when will you figure out what you're really doing?

Will Palmyra suffer the fate of the Buddha?

It is international news of great distress that in spite of US claims of air strikes killing scores of ISIS terrorists, the group has made great advances into Syrian territory, today even seizing the ancient city of Palmyra, a UN World Heritage site.

History dates the settlement of Palmyra to 7500 BC. That is a hell of a lot back in time than anyone would like to think of. Documents from various parts of the ancient world describe the city in eloquent details and it seems to be as famous as Babylon or Constantinople in ancient trading standards.

Ruins at Palmyra.
Image Courtesy: UNESCO.

In case it isn’t clear, the Buddha referred to in the title are the Bamiyan Buddhas statues in Afghanistan (built in the 6^th century AD) which were destroyed by the Taliban when they seized control of the area near Kabul. They were dynamited and horribly defaced because the leaders of the Taliban believed them to be idols and hence, blasphemous.

Bamiyan Buddhas.
Image Courtesy: worldarcheology.com

Now, another heritage site, which predates the Bamiyan Buddhas my millennia, has come under the control of another extremist organization that may or may not decide to disturb the remnants left by ancient humanity by blowing it up in response to airstrikes by coalition forces.

Extremist organizations throughout history have wanted power but have had a distinct lack of respect for culture and heritage. Well, it does make sense that those who cannot value human life will not value history. Julius Caesar’s Roman legions set fire to the Library of Alexandria, which, if it were standing, would be the single most important point of reference for world history. In recent history, Hitler’s Nazi army seized a lot of art from Europe and a lot of it was destroyed or lost when the Third Reich fell.

It is now the duty of international organizations to intervene on behalf of humanity to ensure that these ancient ruins are kept out of this war. It is time the United Nations stop issuing impotent protests and actually galvanizes some real effort into preserving this historical city.

Because what are we, if not the sum of our collective history?

I am an ousted CEO too

You’ve all no doubt heard about the case about the investors of housing.com oust the very founder of the company, Rahul Yadav. There must be a number of cases where similar things have happened to entrepreneurs who have sought investors to fund their fledgling start-ups. Now, I don’t presume to compare myself with Yadav in any way but…

Mine is one such story as well.

In September, 2013, three of my friends and I came up with an idea of starting up a news website for the students of the institute where we studied. We envisioned it as a platform for our fellow students to participate actively in the fields they were studying for. A practical approach to academics is what we brought our focus on when we thought up our web magazine.

Since we thought this up on the stairs of our institute, and involved the contribution of every one of our students, it was obvious that we were going to approach our management with this plan. We did so, and to our utter surprise obtained instant and enthusiastic support. We were asked to begin work immediately and submit requests for funding as and when required.

We were ecstatic and set up our website over eight months of planning, business model development, website designing and social media operations. Finally, out product was launched on the April 12, 2014 in the presence of the institute management and students. We had our own start up!

I assumed the role of Editor-in-chief, another co-founder as Chief Technical Executive and the other two co-founders as Editors of the two beats they excelled at. Although this selection does not seem fair, I must point out that the people in these posts were ratified by a general election within a week.

We ran the website with vigour and published 54 articles in the first two months of the launch alongside our hectic study schedule, assignments and internships. Some of our students even worked full time to support their education and even they contributed in one way or another to the initial success of this operation.

As in any other organization, we faced criticism, disgruntled employees and complaints relating to bias and prejudice. Although, all of these allegations were proved to be baseless time and again, these problems seemed to have an impact on the trust the management had placed on us and the morale of the entire team as well.

Decision-making ultimately passed to a representative of the investor (management) and although I still held editorial powers along with other editors, it became increasingly apparent that the democratic model upon which we had founded this organization was to come under fire from those who had deigned to finance it.

Finally, fed up with constant intrusions upon my sovereignty as Editor and decision making behind my back, I resigned from my post at the end of two months to allow for a new editor and pledged my support to the team if they needed it; albeit from outside. My resignation was rejected for reason I’m sure you can imagine and was told to maintain charge till they (management) could decide on someone to take my place and restructure the organization, placing their representative in overall charge.

Reluctantly, I withdrew my resignation in the interest of the magazine against my better judgement. But by then, the determination to lead controlled organization had left me and the team’s will to work had waned to the point that they refused work until the tie this matter was sorted out.

Two months of forced pieces and half-hearted work later, the management decided not to amend their mistakes but to make some more. They asked for my resignation in August, 2014, appointed their own Editor and asked the rest of the team to resign as well. They held a rigged election, refused to reveal the results and formed their own team against the wishes of the student body.

They rebelled.

Today, our organization lies, covered in dust, waiting for a new generation of students to shake the dust off what would have been a reputed student’s platform if only power hadn’t corrupted the investor.

Although complete in itself, this is still an excerpt of the whole case. You can read the full story here: The Story of an Ousted CEO

I Founded my own Country!

“Give me Liberty, Give me Land, Give me Liberland!”

This is what Vit Jedlicka, the founder of a 7 sq km piece of land on the Danube River probably shouted at politicians from both Serbia and Croatia when they told him he couldn’t just go to an unclaimed piece of land and set up his own damn country. Why he asks? Because it’s apparently nuts!

Well, ask Jedlicka and his merry band of Liberlanders? Liberians? Liberlandians? Liberties? If they give a damn about what anyone says about their state of mind as they hoist their flag, sing their new national anthem and being totally awesome by giving the finger to their collective governments who made the mistake of allowing dual citizenship because they thought their citizens were responsible adults. Yeah, these people come from all parts of the world. I wanted to go to but it seems India does not trust its people like the Turkish government does.

There are a surprising number of self-styled Presidents and Kings and Dukes who’ve tried in the past and keep trying in the present to establish their own nations inside other nations, on no man’s land like Jedlicka did, by encroaching upon the sovereignty of more than one nation or in the middle of the ocean. Seriously!

Not Featured here: An Emperor.
Image Courtesy: Republic of Molossia.

These people even held a United Nations-like conference in April this year so that they could get to know each other, discuss their problems and know why they thought establishing their own country was a good idea in the first place. One guy is trying to get his own country near Egypt because he wants his daughter to be a real Princess. Really? And guess what all you little, less fortunate kids of the world; Disney is even making a movie on her! Go cry.

The establishment of such micro-nations, as they have been termed, is a growing trend even if it’s not a new one. The thought-provoking thing here is why all these people want their own countries?

 Is it because they’re tired of living in one country?

Happens to us all

 Is it because they don’t like the laws?

Well, nobody does

Is it because they’re trying to bring a revolution?

That makes sense

Do they want their children to be Disney Princesses?

There is something wrong with people

Do they want more international chaos than what already exists?

Peace is so boring

Do they want an army to chase them back home and then get ‘exiled’ status?

Definition of FUN!

Do they actually have a reason at all?

The Mystery!

Although all these Highnesses and Majesties and Honourables don’t have one particular answer to this question, it seems like governments who have problems with these people will sooner or later stop laughing at them and realize they should have stopped them a long time back… when they could. But by then:

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD ORDER

Sweden plays a 'Gay' prank on Russia

Russia’s constant transgression into the Scandinavian nations’ sovereign territory has forced the Swedes to come up with a unique plan to shock and terrify the intrusive submariners into reversing their turbines and heading straight for the nearest Red naval base.

Bringing together a matter of national security and an important social issue to the same platform to address the Russian threat, Sweden has decided to lower a neon sign into the area where a Russian submarine was recently spotted.

This large underwater billboard advertises this: “Welcome to Sweden. Gay since 1944.”

The sign also sends out a message in Morse code to the effect, “This way if you are gay.”

Image Courtesy: dailymail.co.uk

This innovative method of intimidation of Russian forces by the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society (SPAS), while hilarious and probably terrifying at the same time, is also a commentary on homophobia and on growing concerns of a massive security threat by nations that are not aligned with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

According to the Independent, there have been around 39 incidents of the Russian armed forces entering other nations, intercepting cargo and passenger transports, abducting foreign citizens, flying dangerously close to NATO reconnaissance aircraft, circling naval vessels and positioning ships at the edge of other nations’ boundaries.

And despite this serious escalation of military activity, this organization has managed to put a farcical spin on things to turn the situation into a hilarious riot that, if implemented, will probably end up embarrassing Russia and its leader Putin, to no end.

It is however very saddening to see how homosexuality can still be used as a ‘weapon of shame’ in this day and age. Living in a nation that is against homosexuality to the point of making it a cognizable offence in the eyes of the law, it is easy to see how uncomfortable the very mention of the ‘taboo’ topic makes people. India even supported Russia’s anti-gay rights bill at the United Nations so the only difference between the two is that India hasn’t invaded anyone as yet.

5 ways Modi is helping India with his manic Wanderlust

Narendra Modi has gone on 16 foreign visits to 15 countries (visiting Nepal twice) since he took office in 2014. Out of these, five have been to summits which include BRICS, UNGA, ASEAN, G20 and SAARC, while the others have been state visits.

There has been criticism as well as praise for the Prime Minister’s travels abroad for bilateral, multilateral and summit meetings with heads of state and fellow heads of governments. Mr Modi has been on a whirlwind tour of friendly nations and his government has played an important part in helping other nations with their problems.

Helping Maldives with its water crises, Nepal with earthquake relief and a half-dozen more nations with evacuation of their citizens from war-torn Yemen has been a show of solidarity, strength and a sign of deepening ties with India’s neighbours by a PM whose symbolism is not only hard, but impossible to miss.

In a series of brilliantly executed foreign policy measures that has seen even the Union Minister for External Affairs noticeably sidelined, the PM has created such immense opportunities for India that even the most ardent of his critics must admit that Indian leadership of this kind on the international stage hasn’t been seen perhaps since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru, and that’s saying something.

Here are the FIVE reasons why a PM on the go has helped India stabilize and improve its image abroad:

1.       Marching Westwards

Mr Modi’s visits to the ‘Western’ nations, including the United States, Germany, France and Canada has emphasised on a possible break from Russia’s influence and a march towards the West, an improvement on many levels since India would certainly not want to be seen snuggling with an international aggressor. However, although India did support Russia’s anti-gay legislation at the UN, the trend of this government’s foreign policy is definitely looking towards the west.

2.       Looking back East

The PM hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and is slated to return the visit later this month. But this visit has been strategically placed after his visits to the rest of South Asia. This can only be seen as a sign of solidarity with smaller neighbours in the vicinity who view India as the only friendly nation powerful enough to counter the Chinese threat in the Asia-Pacific. Visits to Bhutan, Nepal, Japan, Myanmar, Australia, Fiji, Seychelles, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Singapore coupled with the invitation for them to attend his swearing-in ceremony sealed his commitment to India again being forthcoming to address issues of regional significance after years of a dormant and laid-back attitude under successive governments.

3.       Securing India’s Backyard

‘An iron hand in a velvet glove’ is what Mr Modi truly is. He has made sure that his voice of co-operation and failing that, the sound of his cannons, is heard from Kabul in the west to Dhaka in the east and from Beijing in the north to Colombo in the south. The first concentric circle of foreign nations surrounding India have been made to realize that she will not tolerate indiscipline at her borders and will act swiftly and decisively against those who try to violate her sovereignty as Pakistan has found in recent times.

4.       Bringing in Trade

Industrialists have always had better deals and working conditions under Mr Modi’s government since the time he was Chief Minister. He merely took his idea of local manufacture of products to the next level when he was called upon to lead the nation. The ‘Make in India’ campaign has attracted not only the attention of corporate giants and MNC’s, but also various governments who seem to think it is lucrative to enter into an emerging market as vast and diverse as India. There is something for everyone and ultimately the country has a lot to gain if investment keeps pouring in. Sectors previously under government control will gain momentum under privatization and decrease reliability on imports to sustain demand. The value of the rupee will rise and with it, prosperity. The defence sector has been given utmost priority in this drive which is a step in the right direction.

5.       Connecting with the Global Indian community

Being the ‘Rock star’ of an Indian PM, Narendra Modi enjoys immense popularity with NRIs and PIOs all over the world. Wherever he travels, he makes sure he meets the Indian population who come in droves to see the leader of their homeland and to hear the orator in person. The crowds at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Olympic Park in Sydney and Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto are witnesses to the fact that this PM has managed to unite his flock not only at home but also abroad. They believe that this PM will lead India into the glorious future.

Count your Casings: India out of Ammo

With mounting pressure on the Indian AirForce to induct more fighter planes to bring the country’s air defence capabilities to its full complement and to replace aging fighters that are killing off pilots even in times of peace, a new report by the CAG now claims that India can fight a war for only twenty days before it goes bankrupt on ammunition, leaving artillery battalions silent and soldiers scrambling to stab the enemy in hand to hand combat.

The CAG has slammed the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft for being only 35% indigenous, which means that 65% of its parts are sourced from other countries. So much for the Indian aircraft industry! The state of air defence seems to be much worse considering that the induction of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (PAK-FA) is some time away and those are also being developed in Russia. The government has had to make rushed deals with foreign governments like France for quick induction of fighter aircraft at a higher price because Indian red tape can’t be avoided even in such dire circumstances.

The constant costly upgrades to the older Russian MiG and Sukhoi planes which should already have been decommissioned are eating into the defence budget. And still, the news of constant crashes due to malfunctions and burnouts resulting in the deaths of pilots and civilians are a stark reminder that India is playing a dangerous game with its sovereignty what with the threat of border incursions and artillery fire being regular events along its lines of control and disputed areas.

Image Courtesy: taxrates.com

On the ground, there isn’t enough ordnance to last for more than 20 days while the official requirement is that ammunition reserves should last for 40 days of intense warfare. Apart from that, all kinds of ammo required for the different types of weaponry also aren’t available. Apart from the snail pace at which production is in India, the procurement of the same is so slow that it cannot catch up with operational requirement till the year 2019.

Only the Indian Navy seems to made progress that is quite remarkable in light of the failures of the other two services. The INS Arihant submarine completed India’s nuclear triad. A stealth warship INS Shivalik, an indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the commissioning of a naval base in Gujarat have multiplied the force of the nation’s armada. The Indian navy also proved itself immensely capable of operating in a highly volatile conflict zone by evacuating civilians from Yemen.

However, the lack of ammunition for all the defence equipment the country possesses is a serious threat to national security. What is the point of a gun without bullets? Firing blanks won’t help chase out intruders, they’ll only serve to fool people who watch Hollywood movies.

Image Courtesy: weaponsman.com

Prince Harry is King of the Kangaroos!

[Reports of a coup by a member of the British royal household are coming to light from Australia suggesting that Prince Harry, the younger son of the heir-apparent, Prince Charles, and the grandson of the monarch has seized control of the Commonwealth nation of Australia and apparently declared himself King.

Image Courtesy: Google Images.

In an official communiqué to the world media, the ‘Royal Rebel’ as he is being called, has issued his official title after snatching power from under his grandmother’s nose. He has asked to be addressed as His Majesty King Henry of the Land Down Under, Lord of New Zealand, Overseer of the general Oceania vicinity, Protector of Kangaroos and Great Commander of the Australian Defence Forces.

This surprise move by the Prince is being heralded as a rebellion against Queen and country and there are calls to declare the Prince a traitor to the British Empire. Both houses of the British Parliament and PM David Cameron are up in arms about this coup and have declared his actions as not being jolly good at all.

Various reports have disclosed that James Bond, Johnny English, Magneto, Superman, the Amazing Spiderman and even Harry Potter who are of British origin have refused to side with their Queen, instead opting for Australian citizenship under the ‘Royal Rebel’.

The entire Australian Defence Force has thrown its support behind the ‘Lieutenant’ as they fondly refer to their upstart leader. The Governor-General, who represents the Queen in Australia has been in hiding and is presumed to be gathering loyalists to resist the hostile takeover till the British army arrives, which probably won’t, because Parliament is still debating how the gentle, kind and loving second son who was never going to get the throne managed to ridicule the empire by claiming two whole countries without firing a single shot.

After claiming a complete and utter victory over an old lady, the ‘Royal Rebel’ now plans to seize another commonwealth nation from his family in the letter of intent that he issued soon after his coronation ceremony. The letter reads: ‘Next stop: Canada.’]

[This is my article for the Faking News website. You can and probably should read it here: Prince Harry seizes Australian Throne, declares himself King Down Under]

Note: This post has been written for Faking news. Did you notice the ‘Faking’ before the word news? That’s because this is a parody of mainstream news and is supposed to be taken in jest and humour.

The Moustache with Political Affiliations

I work and study in another city so I have to travel home for functions and other things like letting my parents know I’m alive, that I’ve not dropped out of my study programme and that I managed to pay my rent on time so I wasn’t sleeping on the road.

I reached home yesterday for this awesome party my Dad my arranged, for my sibling’s birthday. Yeah, I never got those, but whatever. So, whenever I come home, I shave and travel because in my city I’m pretty ok with a beard and don’t exactly look like I’m about to pounce on someone on a lonely road but back home, there’d be a riot if my chin even has the inkling of facial hair.

This time, before leaving, as I faced the mirror, razor in hand, I thought to myself, “Let’s mess with the family.” I had thought of the most shocking, jaw dropping, bottoms upping and outlandish idea to blow the daylights out of the whole family by entering the party… with a Hitler Moustache!

Left - Hitler and Right - Chaplin

Well, the correct term for this badass of the facial hair world is actually ‘the toothbrush’ but you can understand why I would want to call it by its other name. Had I mustered the courage to pull off this, what in the back of my mind, was still a brilliant stunt, I have no doubt that I would have been ridiculed, shamed, laughed at and then ostracised for being a complete idiot by the entire family, the neighbours, and basically my entire city until I went and shaved it off. I’m glad that good sense prevailed over my sense of tasteless humour.

The idea, as foolhardy as it might have been, created a train of thoughts from the very perception that people have about this particular moustache. True, it is associated with a man who tried to wipe out a whole race of people because he decided that he was superior to them. But is that really the fault of the moustache? Was it the moustache that instilled a sense of supremacy in Hitler? Then why didn’t it have the same effect on the man who was just four days elder to him and presumably as famous as Hitler is notorious: Sir Charles Spencer ‘Charlie’ Chaplin.

Same as above.

A German and an Englishman, living in the same age, leaders in their own fields and sporting the same moustache, but the collective consciousness only remembers the one who has done more evil and not the one who brought happiness. It is not that I don’t realize the severity of events or don’t understand the horrors perpetrated by Hitler, I’m just pointing out that people may be more prone to violence maybe because it is an easier choice than doing good. Even neutrality is akin to siding with the aggressor and as Dante Alighieri put it, ‘The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crises.’

That may well be the reason that this particular moustache is forever associated by with the name of Adolf Hitler rather than with the most loved comedian of all time, Charlie Chaplin.

End of Two Years - Not with a Whimper, but a Bang

This reversal of T S Eliot’s famous lines from ‘The Hollow Men’ is the perfect way to describe how this blog completes two years today. And it isn’t the end just yet; I believe this is just the beginning of my long relationship with writing. It has only been in this second year that I’ve really flourished in the Blogosphere and ventured into new territory.

Triumphs like reaching out to 200 followers on Facebook, 35,000 page views on the blog, 151 posts, 2,500 (the highest) views ever in a month and 40 followers on the blog itself are things I’m proud to announce this year.

I almost feel like a CEO presenting the statistics of the last financial year to eager investors. I know that these numbers make no difference to those who read my work on a regular basis. These facts are also not because I want to impress first time visitors, I’m sure it makes no difference to them as well. However, it is these small things that make me realize how much the blog, my writing, my readers and I have grown in the past year.

This is one of those times when I’m truly impressed by my own perseverance. And believe me when I say that perseverance isn’t one of my strong suites, I can’t stress that enough. But blogging over these two years has probably been the best outlet my passion has had in recent times. Writing for other websites, meeting new people, reading fantastic authors and trying to match up to the level of fellow bloggers has been as exhilarating a challenge as I’ve ever faced.

Dabbling with various forms of writing has expanded my horizons and placed such knowledge into my hands as one can receive only by staring at oneself in the mirror that shows one’s soul. It has helped me unravel the mysteries of the workings of the world and given me exposure to how fast the world is changing around us at this very instant. It has provoked… enlightenment.

My readers, who have suffered the most at my hands are the ones I have most to thank for they are my inspiration, the ones who have placed their expectation in me to deliver the best of the best. What more can one ask for? It is only through meaningful conversations, the endless debates and the views of the world that have helped my work my gears to bring out my twisted version of what conspires around us.

After two years, I’m not tired, I’m not weary and I’m not ready to give up. I’m ready to drive by this milestone and begin the next lap of this incredible race. Hope to have you by my side and in my ear, edging me on…

OMG! Sex on Indian Television?

[The Indian adaptation of the hit HBO television series Game of Thrones, slated to be produced by Balaji Telefilms and Sony Entertainment, will feature loads of sex, gratuitous nudity and decapitations (along with limb-severing), our reporter was told by an anonymous source. Speaking about the plot of the Indian version, Ekta Kapoor says, “We are in talks with Aamir Khan Productions to acquire the film rights of Lagaan.”

Sakshi Tanwar, bahu of the highest order-the ideal Indian wife-reason mothers-in-law hate their daughters-in-law, says, “I’m so excited to be playing the ‘Mother of Dragons’ character. My husband gets killed, I get an army and just for Indian audiences, I get to stab my mother-in-law with a Dothraki blade.” Asked about the question of nudity, she says, “I’m tired of being the goody –two-shoes of Indian television. People will see me in a whole new avatar now.”

Although the cast has been hush-hush, here is the grapevine about the possible cast of the show:

Sakshi Tanwar to play Daenerys ‘Mother of Dragons’ Targaryen

Come my baby Dragons, come to me...

Salman Khan to play (the bodyguard) Jaime Lannister

Kingsguard Captain Chulbul Pandey

Mallika Sherawat to play Margery Tyrell

Seducing Kings who are Kids

ACP Pradyuman (because nobody knows his real name) to play Tywin Lannister

I always pay my debts... to Daya!

And many more…

It is believed by a majority of television analysts in the nation that CID will no longer be aired after this show makes its debut. Karan Johar has tweeted that he will cast all of in his next flick ‘Kal toh hai hi nahi’ with the hash tag #DayaJustChill.]

[To know more about the cast of the cheap copy of the Game of Thrones that might also see Rakhi Sawant featured in it, you might want to the Faking News website. You can view the article here: Indian television all setto start a cheap copy of Game of Thrones]

Note: This post has been written for Faking news. Did you notice the ‘Faking’ before the word news? That’s because this is a parody of mainstream news and is supposed to be taken in jest and humour.

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