The Corn field of lawrence expressway

I dont take Lawrence expressway to go to work any more. In the first two years after arriving at Silicon valley, I used those roads every day. Well after 7.00pm, when even the bumper to bumper traffic of lawrence expressway had reduced, I would come back from work through that road. Work wasnt as bad but it was still hectic for a newcomer, along with it the pressure that builds up in your head when you get introduced to one too many ambitious people and their ideas, I would come back quite tired. As I move closer to elcamino, I would spot the cornfield.

Yes, Right in the middle of the concrete houses, right next to a heavy traffic expressway is a corn field - reminding my history thirsty brain that this is what the valley was like before it became silicon valley - that right in midst of all these people who run after money, there is one family that choose to continue farming their land  - land that could easily be converted into 20 homes which even at this rock bottom economy will go at 550K each. 

But they choose farming and have continued so for generations.

Same to Same

Whether  they are fighting a so called 'Jihad' or crusade against 'Islam" - they do the sound the same, no?
So cliched but so true.

Cross to bear

I had a weekend sore threat - came on friday and left today morning. Since it didnt trouble me at all today, without much of a thought went to neighbour's house. They have a 2 year old... hopefully didnt pass anything to it.

But universe I can take this one

It was supposed to be the easiest of dinner I had ever thrown. I had it all planned. Things at work went smoothly even. I had soaked the lenthil and rice for pesarratu in the morning.

I reached home on time @6.15, called up friend to confirm and assured her it would be a simple menu. Almost ready to grind up the pesarattu - a dish I had made only 15 or more so times earlier, I noticed something unusual, some part of the moong daal just remained as I saw them in the morning after a good 10 hour of soaking - as hard. I dont know exactly about the problem between the moong daal and water - but a part of them had decided to be water proof.

Let me be honest, for a moment I thought I will still try grinding them but better sense prevailed. Also an image of a guest with a broken tooth came up, may be. 

An hour and a half later which included a rush trip to grocery store, I was done with a mixed rice and side dish.

I am not making this up but as I type this late in the night, the cookery show on the tamil channel is showing how to make pesarattu!

And some say we were better off under British?

I dont how often you guys have heard the sentiment, that India was better off under Britishers and we just moved to corrupt Politicians and so but I have heard it. From people around me, the media and some scholars.

But no one - none of the books told us that the very food we eat wouldnt be possible under British rule. Leading upto even death of 1/3rd of the population while the grains were still being exported out.

" ..

 For example, two of the worst famine-afflicted areas in the Madras Presidency, the districts of Ganjam and Vizagapatam, continued to export grains throughout the famine.^[76] These famines were typically followed by various infectious diseases such as bubonic plague and influenza, which attacked and killed a population already weakened by starvation.^[77]

^........

........Jean Drèze finds that the post-Independence Indian government "largely remedied" the causes of the three major failures of 1880–1948 British famine policy, "an event which must count as marking the second great turning point in the history of famine relief in India over the past two centuries".^[118]" 

So there thank god for the very food we eat.  

About actually doing nothing

My whole life is pretty much about nothing  - I always planned to do so much - give that sixty seconds worth of work for the minute or something like that. Do voluntary work - learn music - learn sanskrit - get promoted every year( it isnt even possible apparently but how does that matter for dreams) - hike every week - play badmitton - be house proud - give me a minute on this one so that I can rofl ..... ok i am back - cook every day - sorry now i need two minutes...  

Obviously I havent done all that at the same time. Tried a few -  music for a year - it required practice @ home so I quit that for the nth time in my life - currently i am learning sanskrit. After all these years, my house and I have made peace with each other. We agree to be just in a situation where a guest wouldnt run away disgusted -  has worked so far except for one time when the carpet betrayed me during a friend's visit. So it goes.

I dont know where the past 7 years have gone by - I assumed it went on nothing. 

Except my brother threw up a challenge this weekend - he switched off the TV, took away the laptop and asked me to shut up and asked me to literally not do anything.

Ppls of India - couldnt wouldnt shouldnt  - the most impossible few minutes of my life.

I have quit on doing nothing as well now.

Secret behind Kanimozhi's arrest

Let me state this first just to make it clear. I am very happy Kanimozhi is in Jail. I am happy for once atleast couple of people associated with a scam are tried in the court of law.

But we all know of way too many cases where CBI will forget fill up an application or  takes 16 days to translate a document to english in high profile cases and also some one had to go use the bath room instead of being in the court -ok the last bit hasnt happened YET.

So, how is it that in this particular case, this particular set of people get arrested in spite of being in power.

1. Are Kanimozhi and Raja the only ones who benefitted out of this deal, there seem to be  others as well. So how did the others escape.
2. But then power equation in current scenario favors Karunanidhi, Kanimozhi's Father. Karunanidhi's party's support is crucial for central government's existence.
3. Inspite of this,  DMK's behavior ever since this case came out is the opposite of some with edge in power equation. DMK said it was going to discontinue the alliance with congress because they asked for n number of seats and a day later DMK came back on its own, saying the issues have been resolved and gave congress the same n number of seats!

To me, if we can find what is causing the government to act as it is supposed to in this particular case(you could say supreme court but supreme court was involved in all the other cases as well) we might even try to mimic in other cases.

Tidbit: Subramanian swamy was the man responsible for the voice about this scam first, I recently read some where Nira Radia confessing that a particular business house was backing Subramanian swamy.