There is something about football that makes it the most loved game in the world. Its lovers insist that although Olympics are the most sacrosanct sporting event, even it can not match the passion that is put in FIFA World Cup. Therefore, it was a breakthrough of the sort in 2002, FIFA World Cup came to Asia and was jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0 in the final. But who cared about the result. The event helped provide the much needed catalyst to the game in Asia. Since then, several Asian players have cut into prestigious European Leagues and have helped broadened the fan-following.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Massacre in Nepal
Nepal’s palace carnage in 2001 — when Crown Prince Dipendra supposedly shot 10 of his own kin, including his father, King Birendra Shah, prior to shooting himself — has for the most part receded into background in this strife-torn land. It was a crime of fervour. The official inquiry into the case has now been closed, pinning the blame solely on Dipendra. But most Nepalis did not accept the succession of Birendra’s brother, Gyanendra, to the throne and frowned upon his son too. Nepal has grappled with political upheavals since.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Global warming meets!
Just for argument’s sake, take a test – try and identify your nation’s minister for mines, or the minister for textiles, or perhaps the one handling chemicals and fertilizers, or maybe culture, or better, rural development. Now try the same for the minister handling environment in your country. Get the spin?
Let’s face it, there is a huge lobby of intellectual and political experts denying man-made effects of global warming – but so does one particular Iranian the existence of the Holocaust. That said, reviewing even questionable findings, it does seem sensible to call for action on a war footing to save the most vulnerable and poorest communities on earth from annihilation. But the urgency with which the case for a follow-up to the Kyoto protocol was put forward by world governments in the summit at Bali has been substituted by hegemonic didactic of developed nations about equal responsibility of developing countries like India, China and Brazil to reduce carbon emissions as they are the fastest growing emitters. But developing nations are learning to return this sledgehammer serve of the developed world.
The fall out has been clamourous, complex and at times cynically hilarious. President Obama vows to reduce US emissions by 83% by 2050. It means 2050 US emissions will be at 1910 level when the US population was 92 million. However, with 420 million Americans in 2050, it simply means that US per capita emissions in 2050 would be the same as in 1875. South America’s histrionics mired in anti US propaganda continue especially with massive oil and gas discoveries in recent times which Latin American nations plan to sell to the entire world in coming decades.
China, the biggest emitter of Green House Gases (GHGs) recently declared that it has set a binding goal to reduce emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2050. At the same time, China is adding nearly two coal fired plants per week and its coal power industry is expanding at the rate of 50% for the last few years. India, suddenly realizing that its old position of equal yet differentiated responsibilities was being tossed around as a deal breakers’ whim, suddenly took big ‘brother’ China’s direction and declared to reduce its per capita emissions too – voluntarily, brother, voluntarily. Amazingly, amongst the trio (of US, India and China), China continues to have the worst energy intensity with amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP at 1152 metric tonnes (MT). The figures for US and India stand at 441 MT and 655 MT respectively.
Let’s face it, there is a huge lobby of intellectual and political experts denying man-made effects of global warming – but so does one particular Iranian the existence of the Holocaust. That said, reviewing even questionable findings, it does seem sensible to call for action on a war footing to save the most vulnerable and poorest communities on earth from annihilation. But the urgency with which the case for a follow-up to the Kyoto protocol was put forward by world governments in the summit at Bali has been substituted by hegemonic didactic of developed nations about equal responsibility of developing countries like India, China and Brazil to reduce carbon emissions as they are the fastest growing emitters. But developing nations are learning to return this sledgehammer serve of the developed world.
The fall out has been clamourous, complex and at times cynically hilarious. President Obama vows to reduce US emissions by 83% by 2050. It means 2050 US emissions will be at 1910 level when the US population was 92 million. However, with 420 million Americans in 2050, it simply means that US per capita emissions in 2050 would be the same as in 1875. South America’s histrionics mired in anti US propaganda continue especially with massive oil and gas discoveries in recent times which Latin American nations plan to sell to the entire world in coming decades.
China, the biggest emitter of Green House Gases (GHGs) recently declared that it has set a binding goal to reduce emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2050. At the same time, China is adding nearly two coal fired plants per week and its coal power industry is expanding at the rate of 50% for the last few years. India, suddenly realizing that its old position of equal yet differentiated responsibilities was being tossed around as a deal breakers’ whim, suddenly took big ‘brother’ China’s direction and declared to reduce its per capita emissions too – voluntarily, brother, voluntarily. Amazingly, amongst the trio (of US, India and China), China continues to have the worst energy intensity with amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP at 1152 metric tonnes (MT). The figures for US and India stand at 441 MT and 655 MT respectively.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Will 21st December 2012 be a defining date in time?
While this isn’t true that the world is ending, it is an extremely significant time where the world as we know may change beyond recognition. The end of one Age marks the beginning of a new Age. We are in that transition now; the old is being destroyed and replaced with the new. The Katun prophecy in the Mayan holy book, the Chilam Balam, describes the old leaving through upheavals in social structures and environmental stress. Socially, the Katun predicts economic collapse, loss of faith in governments, starvation, riots and loss of faith in religion.
Environmentally, it predicts pestilence, plague, and an increase in the intensity of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
Not all, however, is cataclysmic. There is light in the predictions of the new world to come. The Maya believed the centre of the Milky Way is the home of Hunab’ ku, or the creator. It’s said the alignment of the solar system with the Hunab’ku will bring an influx of spiritual energy to the planet. The new Age will be the “Golden Age,” a time of shifting paradigms where science and religion both become more focused on advancing human consciousness. It’s a time when people have better access to innate human spiritual ability and are awaken to self-realisation. It is claimed that there will be transparency in governments and institutions and the advent of leaders we can trust.
Not all the researchers agree that the Mayan Long Count calendar ends in 2012, a date that was determined by archaeologists deciphering glyphs on stele and monuments. Some researchers, like Carl Johan Calleman, believe the actual end of the Long Count will happen in October of 2011. The only people who really know are the Mayan day keepers who are still alive today. Today’s Mayan elders are soon to reveal five additional calendars that may shed light on the change underway.
The Mayan prophecies are fascinating, but should we believe them? One reason you might want to is the accuracy of the Maya’s astronomical data. Their calculations of alignments, cycles, and celestial events rival today’s computer calculations. As the Hubble Space Telescope is sending more pictures of galaxies back to earth, NASA is only now able to confirm astronomical observations of the ancient Maya. If they could see this far out into space and this far into the future, couldn’t they be correct in their predictions?
However, the main reason people are taking the 2012 predictions seriously is because they are proving extremely accurate. Today’s headlines reveal a world in chaos as the world economy collapses, social structures are stressed and in some places people are fighting for food. Climate change may provide the mechanism for intensifying storms, tsunamis and earthquakes as well as pestilence and plagues.
The message of the Mayan calendar may well be to let go of all that is not working in our current paradigm and to create the world we want to live in; one based on truth, justice and peace between all the people.
Environmentally, it predicts pestilence, plague, and an increase in the intensity of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and hurricanes.
Not all, however, is cataclysmic. There is light in the predictions of the new world to come. The Maya believed the centre of the Milky Way is the home of Hunab’ ku, or the creator. It’s said the alignment of the solar system with the Hunab’ku will bring an influx of spiritual energy to the planet. The new Age will be the “Golden Age,” a time of shifting paradigms where science and religion both become more focused on advancing human consciousness. It’s a time when people have better access to innate human spiritual ability and are awaken to self-realisation. It is claimed that there will be transparency in governments and institutions and the advent of leaders we can trust.
Not all the researchers agree that the Mayan Long Count calendar ends in 2012, a date that was determined by archaeologists deciphering glyphs on stele and monuments. Some researchers, like Carl Johan Calleman, believe the actual end of the Long Count will happen in October of 2011. The only people who really know are the Mayan day keepers who are still alive today. Today’s Mayan elders are soon to reveal five additional calendars that may shed light on the change underway.
The Mayan prophecies are fascinating, but should we believe them? One reason you might want to is the accuracy of the Maya’s astronomical data. Their calculations of alignments, cycles, and celestial events rival today’s computer calculations. As the Hubble Space Telescope is sending more pictures of galaxies back to earth, NASA is only now able to confirm astronomical observations of the ancient Maya. If they could see this far out into space and this far into the future, couldn’t they be correct in their predictions?
However, the main reason people are taking the 2012 predictions seriously is because they are proving extremely accurate. Today’s headlines reveal a world in chaos as the world economy collapses, social structures are stressed and in some places people are fighting for food. Climate change may provide the mechanism for intensifying storms, tsunamis and earthquakes as well as pestilence and plagues.
The message of the Mayan calendar may well be to let go of all that is not working in our current paradigm and to create the world we want to live in; one based on truth, justice and peace between all the people.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Owen roncon
Husband of Priya Dutt
Owen Roncon could be safely called “Mr” Dutt. He is
omnipresent while Priya Dutt, a Member of Parliament from Mumbai, is on the move. Owen is seen every time Priya, or Sanjay Dutt for that matter, is in the news. Congress workers aren’t even fully aware of who he really is. “Some whispered I was Italian, related in some way to Sonia Gandhi,” Owen laughs. "Many cannot even my pronounce my Portuguese name."
His initiation came with the late Sunil Dutt’s youth outreach programme. He coordinated the scripting and distribution of pamphlets across college campuses. He refused to accept any credit, but in a few months Dutt became Union minister for sports.
Recently, Priya was accused of using her father’s name to further her campaign. “She’s obligated to file her nomination according to the electoral rolls – Priya Sunil Dutt. What else should she call herself?’’ asks Owen.
When he’s not lavishing attention on his baby, the music enthusiast is busy preparing for a series of international performances in the city.
Owen still remembers the first two sentences Sanjay spoke to him – “Don’t marry my sister” and “I will get you one, yaar”. Today, the close friends share an unspoken pact on their professional lives. “Sanju made me promise that I would never do a Bollywood event, and I’ve kept that vow,” says Owen. But he may just handle the earthquake relief concert that Dutt plans to be a part of.
Owen Roncon could be safely called “Mr” Dutt. He is
omnipresent while Priya Dutt, a Member of Parliament from Mumbai, is on the move. Owen is seen every time Priya, or Sanjay Dutt for that matter, is in the news. Congress workers aren’t even fully aware of who he really is. “Some whispered I was Italian, related in some way to Sonia Gandhi,” Owen laughs. "Many cannot even my pronounce my Portuguese name."His initiation came with the late Sunil Dutt’s youth outreach programme. He coordinated the scripting and distribution of pamphlets across college campuses. He refused to accept any credit, but in a few months Dutt became Union minister for sports.
Recently, Priya was accused of using her father’s name to further her campaign. “She’s obligated to file her nomination according to the electoral rolls – Priya Sunil Dutt. What else should she call herself?’’ asks Owen.
When he’s not lavishing attention on his baby, the music enthusiast is busy preparing for a series of international performances in the city.
Owen still remembers the first two sentences Sanjay spoke to him – “Don’t marry my sister” and “I will get you one, yaar”. Today, the close friends share an unspoken pact on their professional lives. “Sanju made me promise that I would never do a Bollywood event, and I’ve kept that vow,” says Owen. But he may just handle the earthquake relief concert that Dutt plans to be a part of.
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