ME, MY VIEWS

About the Nursing Uprising in Kerala

2012-01-25T20:42:00.000-08:00

Let me try to put things in perspective: Nursing profession got attractive among Kerala youth not because they thought that they will get great jobs in Kerala or to that matter in India. They were dreaming/aiming at working and migrating to abroad. That's why they took huge loans and studied in nursing colleges mostly outside Kerala giving hefty capitation fees. They just wanted jobs for 2-3 years in prestigious Kerala hospitals to get working experience. But now because of GFC and the impending GFC II, the would nursing market is coming down and our nurses are no more welcome in those countries as in the past (They just implement tough IELTS condition, etc, etc which our new nurses cant get). The nursing community realize the danger. They are stuck. Also our medical field/industry is growing at a phenomenal rate. Nurses see that. They want a share of it. Fair, but the effect will be rocketing hospital/medical fees/expenses in Kerala. No more cheap labor, which is good, but that will result in a situation medical assistance going away from the reach of poor masses in Kerala, in the near future. We can also expect a cut in the number of nursing positions in hospitals, which means lesser job opportunities for new nursing students and deteriorating nursing care in hospitals. What we need is a balance. Nursing should remain as a noble profession of serving and not to be considered as a profession to make money. At the same time improve the working and salary conditions of the nurses to just-wage levels so that nurses can continue this serving ministry with dignity. Feel free to express your creative responses. No abuse please.

Published at MarunadanMalayalee

Honouring the Memories of a Brother - Rememberance Article about My Late Brother - Lalson

2011-12-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

On15^th September, just after midnight (around 00.30 am), my mobile phone started to ring. I was at bed and knew that it was an overseas call. Usually I never take those calls, because my friends and family overseas knew that I live in a different time zone and I like them to respect my time zone. But it started to ring again. I picked up the phone to hear that shocking news – my younger brother Lalson (36) had a silent cardiac arrest and he is no more. He was my only sibling and was working and living in Bahrain with his wife and two young children.

I couldn’t believe. I called Fr James at the Cathedral (a friend priest from Kochi, India) to come to Calwell presbytery and to verify the news. He verified the news. I cried. We did an “office for dead” at Calwell presbytery chapel.

It happened after lunchtime at Bahrain and was evening in Kochi. I instructed not to break this news to my aging parents that night and managed to get into a flight to Kochi. It was the most difficult thirteen hours of plane journey in my life. I prayed that my sister-in-law gets enough courage to bring Lalson’s body from Bahrain to Kochi, with his children. I reached on same day evening and the funeral was planned for next day evening.

When the news broke, it was devastating for my parents. My mother had to be taken to the hospital.

According to our customs (Syro-Malabar Catholic rite), the first part of the funeral ceremony is celebrated at the family house and then the body is taken to the church and then to the cemetery. It is more of a personal and communal event. There were around 1500 people gathered for the funeral including more than 50 Carmelite priests and nuns. It was an honour for me to officiate his funeral ceremony. But I could do it only with extra-ordinary grace and courage from above.

An official memorial service was conducted on the 7^th day of death, according to our tradition. The Syro-Malabar curia bishop – Mar Bosco Puthur officiated that Memorial Mass and it was followed by a solemn vegetarian lunch (Sadya) for all 600 special invitees. I remained with my parents and the family of Lalson for the next 30 days, listening to their stories, sharing our grief and observing a fast with abstinence of non-vegetarian food and entertainments. I officiated a Holy Mass on the 30^th day with my family and close relatives to mark the end of that fasting period.

A very special thanks to the parish community and Frs John and Peter who supported and prayed for my family and me all throughout these difficult times. It helps me to find new meaning in the mysterious ways of the plan of God in my life.

Published in the PM magazine of Corpus Christi parish, Tuggeranong, ACT, Australia

New Year 2012 – Reflections

2011-12-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

The past year was a kind of mixed bag - the Arab spring andend of dictatorships in many countries were mixed with global economic woes,centered-round Europe. Our personal life stories many not be too different. Thistime is the best time to reinvent the ancient Christian spiritual tradition of“examination of conscience” - to take stock of our deeds and actions. Let’sfind out some time to sit and relax, may be at the beach side (weatherpermitting!) and to look back and evaluate our life – both materially andspiritually.

It’s also a time to look forward and to make newresolutions. We may have dreams and wishes, like “I want to pass my exams thisyear”. But a resolution is bit different where I would say that “I will devoutan extra hour everyday for study to pass my exams”. January 1^st isalso the feast day of Mary - the Mother of God, who was prepared to put herefforts to realize that title. Luke chapter 2 verses19 and 51 show us how she “treasured theword and pondered it in her heart" to respond concretely to theplan of God in her life. She not only said “Yes” but also was ready tocorroborate it with actions, which we will see all through out her life – tillthe cross at Calvary and the Upper House with disciples.

Year 2012-13 is called by Australian bishops’ conference as“Year of Grace”. Wish you all a grace-filled New Year.

Publish in the Parish Bulletin of Corpus Christi parish, Tuggeranong, Canberra, Australia

Christmas Homily 2011

2011-12-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Homily 2011

It’s Christmas and a little story for you. Once there was man in Europe who was decent, gentle and generous. But he felt Christmas as a lot of rubbish. “The whole business of Incarnation where God becomes man sounds crazy, it doesn’t make any sense to me”, he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. It was Christmas eve and he wasn’t a Scrooge. So, he allowed his wife and children to go to midnight Mass. Soon after they left, it started to snow – it was a perfect white Christmas! But suddenly he heard some shattering noise at the living room windows. It was a flock of birds huddled miserably in storm, searching for shelter and trying to fly through his window. He felt sympathy – “after all it’s Christmas, I should help them.” He remembered the barn where the children’s pony was stabled. It would provide them a warm shelter. He went outside, opened the barn and invited the birds to come in. They wont come. He started to do all the tricks – switched on the light, put a trail of breadcrumbs, shooing them into the barn – but wont work. He was devastated. “I wanted to help these bloody ignorant birds” he said himself, “but they don’t get it. “And I can’t seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety. . . .”

Just at that moment the church bells rang- the Christmas Mass. He stood silent for a while and then he sank to his knees in the snow. “Now I understand,” he whispered. “Now I see why You had to do it.”

And that’s why He did it – the Emmanuel – God is with us – so that we may understand, and be led to safety – for our salvation and for us to know the mind of God and to touch his kindness in human form. Now we got a model and example before us, who can perfectly communicate God to us. And God communicated Himself to us by being a part of family - father, mother and a child – Joseph, Mary and Jesus.. That’s why Christmas is a family celebration and also Christmas is a celebration of “family”. That’s the reason why we are supposed to enjoy a beautiful Christmas lunch with our family and friends around. Hope you all will have good time with Christmas gifts and Turkey tomorrow/today!

Let us also not forget the tiniest (and most insignificant) of our human family as we share Christmas joy with our dear and near ones. Let’s make sure that every child in our families gets a chance to be born from the very moment of conception in his/her mother’s womb, as Jesus could be born into our world. Let’s make sure that every child gets the warmth of a family with a father and a mother ensuring complimenting dimensions of parenthood, as Jesus was blessed with a family. Let’s make sure that every human being gets an asylum if they run away from persecution as baby Jesus did from King Herod and not to be perished in the sea.

And after all JOY is putting J and O before Y. That is, Jesus, Others before You! Let’s allow Jesus to take the center-stage in our lives. Let’s love him – he is very cute in that manger on the crib and also in our hearts. Let’s also love others and put their needs before us. Let’s overflow our humanity with Christmas gifts to the marginalized and the poor – we could give generously to the Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for charity today or to Vinnies or Caritas or others. By bringing JOY to others and ourselves, let’s join the party of Jesus’ birthday. Merry Christmas and safe travelling!

With inputs from: http://www.frtommylane.com/homilies/years_abc/second_sunday_after_christmas-2.htm, http://www.munachi.com/z/christmaseve.htm

Delivered at Corpus Christi parish, Tuggeranong, Canberra, Australia

Child Protection Sunday - Sept 11, 2011

2011-09-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

"Child Protection Sunday is about safeguarding children and young people from abuse. This calls for the involvement of each person in the Church and in the broader Australian community" puts National Committee for Professional Standards (NCPS) - a committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops and the leaders of Religious Institutes in Australia, declaring September 11th, Sunday as the Child Protection Sunday. It further encourages that "as a Church, we must continue to put in place policies and procedures to promote the safety of children and young people, respond with openness and compassion to victims of abuse and to educate people so they can identify the signs and effects of abuse."

The theme of Child Protection Sunday for NCPS is "Safeguarding Children and Young People". National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) also calls this Sunday, Child Protection Sunday with an emphasis to “Play Your Part” (more info at: www.playyourpart.org.au). These two themes give us a real sense of the important role, each and every one of us has to play in protecting children and young people.

Church is to be the light of the world. So, it is fare that its dark places be exposed and illuminated first. We do have a responsibility to keep vigil to keep it clean all the time and be made an example to the world, so that it becomes a world leader in child and youth friendly policies. We do also share a responsibility to take child friendly policies to our families, work places and other areas of human interaction.

My Speech at the Inaugural Ceremony of Summer School at National University of Defense Technology, China, 2011

2011-07-27T00:06:00.000-07:00

Respected members of the faculty, students and ladies and gentlemen,

I am very happy to be here for this prestigious international summer school at China’s National University of Defense Technology, Changsha. I consider it as a privilege and as a great opportunity. I am sure that all participants of this summer school would also feel the same.

Let me introduce myself. I am Jaison Paul Mulerikkal. I am doing Phd at the Australian National University, Canberra. I am an Australian resident and an Indian national. I am doing my Phd in High Performance Scientific Computing. My research is to solve scientific problems using “Service Oriented Approach (SOA)” with high performance results. In the past year or so, Service Oriented Approach has evolved itself into Cloud Computing. So the research has directed more towards using Cloud Computing platforms for High Performance Scientific Computing.

I heard about this summer school through one of the old students of NUDT – Ting Cao, who is presently doing Phd at Australian National University at our department. I looked at the flier (brochure) and the website of the summer school. I was thrilled to see the great line-up of distinguished international resource-persons coming for this summer school and the topics they deal with. Then I googled (searched internet) to find that NUDT has developed the world’s fastest super-computer in 2010. I thought these guys are awesome! I made up my mind, that I should be part of this great event. So, I am here and I am very glad to be here.

I am very happy at the services provided by the organizers of this summer school. They were very helpful from the very beginning and through out the process. They have provided us with necessary paper work for visa, airport pickup, good friends to assist at the hotel and at the university. Very well done and big thank you to all the organizers.

Myself, and all other participants of this summer school are looking forward to have a great academic experience for the next two weeks. I am sure that we will have a good time in learning, understanding and sharing our knowledge in High Performance Computing area, which will benefit the whole humanity for peaceful and harmonious living.

This is my first visit to China. To be honest, you have exceeded my expectations. A great civilization with very good infrastructure and peace-loving people all around. I hope to continue to enjoy the warm hospitality of Chinese people for the next two weeks to come.

Once again thanking all of you,

Hen gou shing, jian do ni (Happy to meet you!).

Thanks. Sheshe.

Jaison Paul Mulerikkal

Australian National University

11-07-2011

The Poetry and Extreme Life of Pentecost: Reflections

2011-06-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, while speaking at the Guinness and God event at Civic, Canberra, Archbishop Mark encouraged the audience (of mostly youngsters) to grow beyond the traditional good boy/good girl Christianity. He quoted James Cowen from his book “Journey to the Inner Mountain" in observing that we are “grown tired of [Christianity’s] entrenched moralism, its desire to mould people into some kind of polite entity devoid of the essence of poetry and extreme life”.

There is a danger for all of us to become just polite entities for many reasons. The disciples too had the same dilemma, soon after the death of Jesus. It was out of fear and uncertainty they faced in their life at that time. They lost the leader and the vision. They couldn’t see anything but darkness in front of them. So they just wanted to be polite and ordinary Jews or citizens. Except Thomas, none even dared to go out.

There was need for something extraordinary - something that comes from the breaking of the threshold of grace. The grace of the resurrection bought that to them. The resurrected Christ allowed that grace to stay with them and that was the Pentecost. The grace of God - Holy Spirit – came to them and set them on fire. They became extra-ordinary men and women.

We live in similar salvific times, where we expect the breaking of threshold of grace for a new Pentecost for many reasons, Archbishop Mark suggests I think. We need individuals who find the poetry and extreme life in the grace of God, in Holy Spirit for the Next Big Thing in the Church. We had St Francis of Assisi or St Anthony of Desert, when times demanded such outpouring of Spirit in the Church in the past. Let the Pentecost challenge all of us to respond to such big grace in our personal lives to live a life of poetry and extreme life in the Spirit.

How to listen the interview with me on Vatican Radio?

2011-03-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

The interview will be transmitted on Vatican Radio on Friday, 11th March 2011 and re-transmitted on Saturday 12th March 2011. Thanks a lot to Fr William at Vatican Radio who interviewed me and to Fr Isaac Arickapillil CMI (Director, CIIS, Rome) who took initiative to put in on Vatican Radio.

The easiest way is to access it through Internet.

Access the interview on the following link (Broadcast on Demand) and select "Malayalam".The audio is available in mp3 and real audio format.

http://www.radiovaticana.org/in4/on_demand.asp

The interview will stay one whole day in the Vatican Radio site. So you can access it from 5.00 pm (Indian Standard Time) on Friday 11th 2011 to around 5.00 pm (Indian Standard Time) on Saturday 12th 2011.

The next way is to listen it in a "Radio".

As for my interview, it will be transmitted on 11th Friday 2011 evening 8.40 pm(Indian Standard Time) and there will be two re-transmissions on the following day (Saturday) at 6.30 am (Indian Standard Time) and 8.10 am (Indian Standard Time) on the following frequencies. You need to have a radio with shortwave frequency reception capabilities to listen to it.

Why shortwave radio? I had to research a bit to find that out. However, the research outcomes were quite interesting.

To begin with there are two types of transmissions in general.

FM (Frequency Modulation)
AM (Amplitude Modulation)

AM is further divided in to two:

Medium Frequency (MF), which broadcasts on frequencies between 531kHz and 1602 kHz.
High Frequency (HF), usually known as "short wave" radio, broadcasts on frequencies between approximately 2 MHz and 26 MHz.

Vatican Radio Malayalam is a short wave (HF) transmission. Short wave transmission is used for long distance transmissions (usually to receive broadcasts from another continents), because shortwave frequencies bounce off of the ionosphere of earth and return to earth halfway around the world.

Shortwave Radio (HF) is divided into the following bands:

3900-4000 kHz (75 meter band) 13600-13800 kHz (22 meter band)

5950-6200 kHz (49 meter band) 15100-15600 kHz (19 meter band)

7100-7300 kHz (41 meter band) 17550-17900 kHz (16 meter band)

9500-9900 kHz (31 meter band) 21450-21850 kHz (13 meter band)

11650-12050 kHz (25 meter band) 25600-26100 kHz (11 meter band)

And how to tune to it in India or elsewhere

രാത്രി 8.40-ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന പ്രക്ഷേപണം ( 11th Friday, Indian Standard Time: 20.40)

41 മീറ്റര്‍ ബാന്‍ഡ് 7585 കിലോ ഹേര്‍ട്സ് (41 meter band, 7585 KHz)

25 മീറ്റര്‍ ബാന്‍ഡ് 11850 കിലോ ഹേര്‍ട്സ് (25 meter band, 11850 KHz)

22 മീറ്റര്‍ ബാന്‍ഡ് 13765 കിലോ ഹേര്‍ട്സ് (22 meter band, 13765 KHz)

രാവിലെ 6.30-ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന മലയാള പ്രക്ഷേപണം (12th Saturday, Indian Standard Time: 6.30)

49 മീറ്റര്‍ ബാന്‍ഡില്‍ 5895 കിലോ ഹേര്‍ട്സ് (49 meter band, 5895 KHz)

41 മീറ്റര്‍ ബാന്‍ഡില്‍ 7335 കിലോ ഹേര്‍ട്സ് (41 meter band, 7335 KHz)

രാവിലെ 8.10-നു തുടങ്ങുന്ന പ്രക്ഷേപണം (12th Saturday, Indian Standard Time: 8.10)

19 മീറ്റര്‍ ബാന്‍ഡില്‍ 15460 കിലോ ഹേര്‍ട്സ് (19 meter band, 15460 KHz)

India bashing

2010-11-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

Comment by Peggy O'Connor as a reply to my facebook post:

Obama started his 20 hr journey to Indian and will be in India for three days, the longest single stretch he has spent
in any foreign country. He will stay in Taj Mumbai - sending a very strong message to terrorists of all sorts. Good. And hope Obama's plan to increase trade wont re-colonize India. I think, this time we know how to deal it :)

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Peggy O'Connor:

"America has been built by persons of all nations. Labor was hard, pay was not always fair, nor were conditions good. People in America struggled, worked hard to stop explotation of the worker. Formed Unions to protect workers that they shou...ld not have to work as slaves for slaves wages. To earn a decent, deserving wage. Many people fought hard, died, suffered to make this Country a place where so obviously today so many people want to live because of the fair chances for success. Because we have rules that govern the workplace. Protection of law for the working people. These other Countries, such as India, what have they done for their working poor, or just plain poor? What Unions have they started to protect workers rights for fair wage? What are the regulations on Child labor? What chance for "Untouchables" to have live a decent life? What "Justice" is owed to India. England colonized India. Not America. It is and has been India's responsibility to take care of it's people. India does not take care of it's people. It's people are exploited regularly. We don't want that in America. We don't want to be bought down to the level of slave work and slave wage. We expect more. We expect a fair pay for a fair days work. We don't accept Child labor. We don't make slaves of untouchables. I do not want my Country to ever be like India. With the tremendous human rights violations I detest our jobs going to India. You have atomic bombs but your people starve and live in filth and poverty...and you want justice??? Justice for what??? Why don't you start with Justice for the Untouchables? We, the United States, did not make India. India, as all other Countries is what it's people have made it."

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PS: I took this post out of my facebook page, because I found that this was too much of India bashing to demoralize Indian people, which I dont support. I publish it in a separate blog to protect the freedom of expression of Peggy O'Connor.

Interesting Story about the Life of an Atheist: Twins in a Womb

2010-10-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

This story reveals the folly of atheists' arguments and encourage us to see the "Mother"!

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Twins in a Womb

“Twins, a sister and brother were talking to each other in the womb. The little sister said to the little brother,

‘I believe that there is life after birth!’

Her brother protested: ‘No, no, this is all there is. This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but to cling on to the cord that feeds us.’

But the little girl insisted: ‘There must be something more than this dark place, there must be something else where there is light and freedom to move.’ Still she could not convince her twin brother.

Then...after some silence, she said hesitantly:

‘I have something else to say, and I am afraid you won’t believe that either, but I think there is a mother!’

Her little brother now became furious: ‘A mother, a mother, what are you talking about? I have never seen a mother and neither have you. Who put that idea in your head? As I told you, this place is all we have so let’s be content.’

The little sister finally said: ‘Don’t you feel this pressure sometimes? Its really unpleasant and sometimes even painful.’

‘Yes,’ he answered, ‘what’s special about that?’

‘Well,’ the sister said, ‘I think this pressure is there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face to face! Don’t you think that’s exciting!”

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(source unknown)
http://www.frtommylane.com/stories/birth/twins.htm

Mysticism Beyond 0s and 1s

2010-10-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Mysticism Beyond 0s and 1s
Search for traces of mysticism in science in the light of Steven Hawking’s Grand Design.
(draft only)

Jaison Paul Mulerikkal CMI
School of Computer Science
Australian National University
Canberra

The whole of computing, as we understand in computer science is based on 0s and 1s where 0 is off and 1 is on. Or in other words, combination of ons and offs are computations in computer science. What Millions of transistors in a square centimetre of silicon chip do is to act as a switch, which opens or closes a gate – on or off. A positive charge applied to the gate attracts electrons, allowing current to flow across the gate. A negative charge stops the current and closes the gate .

In Grand Design – which is an attempt to expel the Divine from human quest for ultimate answers, Steven Hawking reduces freewill to calculations, or in other words to 0s and 1s. He acknowledges freewill as a good model/paradigm to explain human decisions but only because we don’t enough computing power to analyse the “scientific” reasons behind human decisions/freewill. For him, the decisions (which comes out of freewill) are the result of combination of complex yeses and nos, which he suggests could be the result of chemical and biological reactions in our brain. Thus Hawking links science and computation to the sanctuary of human spiritual and moral capacities like freewill.

Once we link computations to human moral capacities, there is a big scientific question: why people don’t make the same decisions under same circumstances – if they are the results of same chemical/biological reactions? This is an important question because the basic premise of scientific process is that we should be able to reproduce the same results, under same circumstance for an experiment and principle to be scientifically true. Quite interestingly, Hawking does not answer this question directly.

Hawking tries to reconcile this question by pointing his fingers to macro world – the universe, which is his area of expertise. He rejects the idea of a “Law for everything” and resorts to the idea of “Laws for everything” and calls it as M Theory. In nutshell there is no scientific determinism as we have seen in Newtonian physics. No more single theory of everything or single set of theories for the whole universe. Because he introduces the probability of 10500 universes deriving inspiration from the Feynman’s theory of alternative histories in quantum physics (a jump from micro to macro level). Each of those universes (which came into existence after the Big Bang – the definite creation event), can have that many possible (but separate) histories and sets of laws (Hawking also predicts an end – the judgement day!). This gives Hawking enough space to argue about numerous sets of laws for different set of worlds/universes and for different scenarios. If we can apply this model to micro level – we should be able to explain the moral faculties like freewill, scientifically, for one can argue that decision can take twists and turns, based on those different sets of laws of his/her world. We could also predict those decisions, if we know the laws and got enough computing power to analyse it. However, Hawking does not say it explicitly, but that’s where he is going.

He concedes that those laws are “apparent” because the reality we perceive is modified (or interpreted) heavily by the model we use to understand it (Model dependent realism). There is no ultimate answer/explanation to the things we see and experience. Here, Hawking knowingly or unknowingly leaves space for the unknown, the mystery.

Hawking seems to reject the idea of a prime mover. But introduces a new model where all the probable 10^500 histories/universes/sets of laws etc derive from a prime law – Gravity, in his opinion. He has replaced prime mover with prime law. But the question remains: who is the lawgiver? Quite interestingly the Divine is also theologically understood as the lawgiver (remember the story of Moses at mount Sinai). If there is a need for a lawgiver to design the prime law (Gravity in Hawking’ view), who is also the designer of those 10^500 or more sets of probable set of laws/histories/universes, and this macro design can be replicated in micro level of human moral capacities (as Hawking would secretly wish), the credit for freewill will again go back to ultimate lawgiver. The mystery of freewill at personal level will also remain intact for out of those innumerable probabilities it will be up to each individual to make the right choices using the laws pertaining to him/her. The mystery will continue which will be very well beyond 0s and 1s.

It seems that the more he tries to eliminate the Divine (to that matter mystery), the more he gives space to the Divine to exist.

So, the inference: there is something real. The Absolute, the God, the law, the lawgiver! But we may not understand it fully – even through scientific process - because of so many intrinsic limitations of the model we use to interpret it. There will be mystery, and that is a scientific premise. So there is scope for faith. It is quite reasonable to have belief. There is no point is saying that, at this point in history I don’t want to believe in an Absolute (God), since it is not been explained fully through scientific process, now. It could very well be there as one of the 10^500 probabilities at least! Moreover, there is more than enough reason to assume that there is an Absolute – either as prime mover or lawgiver or some other title as we still don’t understand. Or it could very well be understood as a mystery as revealed.

Child Friendly Church - I'm hopeful!

2010-09-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

The other day, when we priests gathered, we were commenting: Catholic church is becoming a world leader in one more area - dealing with child sex abuse issues.

It's not a very impressive title, I admit. But it is a good thing. With humility, we can say that no other organization/association in the world might not have done so much to address this issue NOW. (Yes, we had our faults in addressing it at the "very first place". But better late than never.)

And personally I think, it does make sense that cleansing in this area starts from Church-not necessarily because this problem is only within Church or Church is THE highest offender (there's no data to suggest that), but because Church should be the "light of the world" and its dark elements have to be illuminated first.

And also I believe that the public (as well as Catholic faithful) will see through this smoke created around the Church over this issue (many a time by vested interests), by seeing the efforts Church is taking to address this issue and the other good things Church continue to do in the world and bring their children (and youngsters) back to Church. I can see a lot of evidence for that and I am hopeful :)

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This is posted as a response to Facebook post by Suraj AB

Dharmaram

2010-09-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

Why do I endorse Liberal party and Tony Abbott for the Australian election 2010

2010-08-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

On the outset of Australian elections, I endorse Liberal party and Tony Abbott for this election and encourage all my friends to vote for them when you go to the polling booth tomorrow.

Why do I endorse Tony and reject Julia Gillard? This is because:

There's a fundamental dishonesty in Julia Gillard in the way in which she annihilated her leader and came to power, which sets a wrong precedent and role model of young generations and Australian (and world) politics. Such tactics should not be endorsed by any responsible society.

There is a fundamental dishonestly in Julia Gillard when she says that she stands for "working families" and does not believe in family and openly in a de-facto relationship.

There's a fundamental dishonesty in Julia Gillard (and Labor) saying that they stand for "working class" and still the Resources Tax proposed by Labor is a "world tax" on resources and is going to exploit the poorest and the marginalized "working class" in developing and under-developed nations. Labor and Gillard don't stand for the principles of equity they preach as Labor core principle but promote exploitation of poor people in international levels through Resources Tax.

Tony Abbot rejects Resources Tax, supports family and ran a disciplined, positive and honourable campaign compared to Gillard. So, it is Tony this time!

Australia's new world tax!

2010-05-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

I feel morally responsible to respond to the newly announced "super tax" on miner by Australian govt (total tax to raise to 64%, accoding to some reports). This tax will defenitly put upward pressure on commodities arond the globe. So, this is going to be a "world tax" on commodities for just the benefit of 21 million ...Australians. I cann't justify such a tax grab just for the luxury of few millions ($100,000 will be added to super annuation of all Aussies by just sitting on their couches as result of this tax) at the cost of billions in developing world including China & India. These kinds of tax grabs are the seeds of great conflict in the future which will put world peace at peril. RUDD & AUS will be responsible for that, sadly.

The Lord is my Boss! (Psalm 23 for Professionals)

2010-04-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

The Lord is my Boss!

The Lord is my real boss,
and hence I shall not want.
He gives me peace, even while chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without murmuring and complaining,
that He may be glorified in everything I do.
He reminds me that He is my source and not my job,
and that he plans my future, not my boss defining my fate.
He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions,
so that I might honor Him in all that I do.
Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines,
budget cutbacks, misunderstanding and gossiping co-workers,
discriminating supervisors along with all similar challenges,
and an aging body that doesn't cooperate every morning,
I still will not stop but keep going – for He is with me!
His presence, His peace, His power and His provisions will see me through.
He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go.
Truly, all my security, rewards and recognitions come from him.
His faithfulness and love are better than any bonus check as He meets my every need.
His retirement plan beats every 401k there is – no ups and downs – because
His benefits are the same yesterday, today, and forever!
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that,
I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!!

Got from Joynet page:
http://joynet.jesusyouth.org/pg/pages/view/5002/

Use unique ID of international students for a just cause (Letter to Editor: Canberra Times)

2010-03-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

As an Indian student in Australia, I welcome the Baird recommendations to revamp the international education system in Australia. The most important suggestion is to give a unique identifier number to every international student coming to this country. The primary intention is seems to protect students from scrupulous agents by tracking their movements between institutions. This ID could also be used to a greater cause which will ensure more transparency, credibility and justice to Australian education sector.

Australian government awards 5 points towards Australian permanent residency (PR) for 2 or more years of study in Australia. Those 5 points are so critical that an average students who does a course in skills demand list (MODL, CSL, etc) will be eligible for PR, if they get those last 5 points. That's their last mile. Many students choose those courses (which are in skills demand list) for 2 or more years with the intention of applying for PR after their studies. This is good for Australia too, for Australia gets right skills trained in Australia itself.

In order to make this arrangement more transparent and just, Australia could link the proposed unique ID for international students with the skills demand list of the time students get admission to Australian educational institutions. This will be consistent with the practise of linking 5 points towards PR for 2 years of study in Australia at the very first time they join courses in Australia.

If we do not do this, we will be allowing the system to "change the goal posts" for international students during their 2 years of study in Australia. No one would argue that Australia has a right to change the skills demand list as the demand changes in the society. At the same time, we do have an obligation to protect the interests of international students who come here to study and fill in the needs of Australia, as we advertise. Linking the unique ID for international students with that of the demand list of the time students get admission to Australian educational institutions will be the best way to implement it. This will ensure credibility and reinstate confidence in "Australia brand" in international circles.

Fr Jaison Mulerikkal CMI
47 Lowe st
Queanbeyan, 2620
Mob: 0433893593

jmulerik@cs.anu.edu.au

A Conspiracy Theory!

2010-02-05T20:58:00.000-08:00

I will tell you a conspiracy theory. It's on the wake of the latest market crash at Europe: Some (bad) guys planned to siphon out huge wealth from big financial institutions - say banks. They planned that, once their financial institutions are bankrupt, they will terrify the public and govts, saying that, if they they dont bail them out, they will collapse. The public and the govts will be terrified, coz those financial institutions have become TOO BIG to fail now. They will convince the public and govts (they got their men inside govts.. lol) to bail them out. That is public will pay for the money they took. The private debt becomes public debt. That's the magic! Now every citizen/tax payer will work the rest of their life to pay that bill. What bill? The money who siphoned out by those bad guys in the first place.How is it? The worst part of the story is, most likely it may be true!

Climate Change/Global Warming politics

2009-11-25T00:11:00.000-08:00

Climate Change/Global Warming politics is simple.. if the highest emitters (per capita & of historic footprint) dont act and compensate (mostly developed nations), the lowest emitters (mostly developing nations) have the right to raise the living standards of their people cheaply, as most of the highest emitters did in the past.

Then highest emitters have to keep quite (no preaching) and lowest emitters (per capita and historic footprint) of populous countries of China and India will get the license to emit more.

In the past we could have "told" China or India to "stop" emitting. But not any more.

Only incentive for China or India to focus on global warming could be the "green" economy that may develop in the developed nations. China and India wont like to "miss that bus" (They already missed industrial revolution). If that's to happen, developed nations (who are indeed biggest emitters) should turn to "green" economies. That is, we need ETS or something similar.

That student was Albert Einstein!

2009-11-07T02:36:00.000-08:00

VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the Problem Science has
with GOD, the ALMIGHTY. He asked one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.
But GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella.
Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : >From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer)

Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

(Student had no answer)

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you.
Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD?
Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol,
Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes, Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn't.

(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat,
a Little Heat or No Heat.
But we don't have anything called Cold.
We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as Cold.
Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.
We cannot Measure Cold.
Heat is Energy.
Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir.
Darkness is the Absence of Something
You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . .. ..
But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and it’s called Darkness, isn't it?
In reality, Darkness isn't.
If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality.
You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.
You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure..
Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.
It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.
To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that
Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.
Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?
Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument was going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and
Cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going Endeavour,
Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir?
Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class was in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class broke out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . .
No one appears to have done so.
So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol,
Science says that You have No Brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . Exactly !
The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH
That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.

NB:

I believe you have enjoyed the Conversation . . . and if so . . .
You'll probably want your Friends / Colleagues to enjoy the same . . .. won't you?
Forward them to Increase their Knowledge . . . or FAITH.
That student was Albert Einstein.

I told you so :) (About Catholicism's Future!)

2009-10-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

Last year, Mr Michel from Norfolk, Virginia, United States commented on my blog post ( http://bit.ly/vSdMP) that Catholicism is fighting a loosing battle against other Protestant/Anglican churches, because of it stand on many issues including Same-Sex marriage etc. I told him that I was more optimistic than him on Catholicism's future. After one year here we stand.

---------------------------------------------------
Senior Anglican bishop reveals he is ready to convert to Roman Catholicism

The Rt Rev John Hind, the Bishop of Chichester, has announced he is considering becoming a Roman Catholic in a move that could spark an exodus of clergy.

Reported by: The Telegraph

Why there's no Pic of G20 Leaders and I Back It!

2009-09-27T03:32:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen a pic of all G20 (Pittsburgh) leaders' t'gthr? I searched for 2 days. I checked AP images. http://bit.ly/14Rvts. Not there!

If is not available, it is v good PR effrt - to make the transition from 8 to 20 smooth. I personally back it! It should b non threatening.

I posted it in facebook and Ben Johnson asked me: "Bro whats this all about???????????"

HERE is my reply

Well.. The world economic body is permanently changed from G8 to G20. The world is no more going to be uni-polar (pan American) or West centric. Countries like, India, China, Brazil r coming to the center stage. More cooperation and more distributed responsibilities. But the transition is always difficult, esp for those who were in the driving seat (read West). So I think, G20 is taking a cautious approach by keeping it on a low key, for now, which is good (Catholic Church made a big mistake in the past in managing the goodwill on Vat II council by going very up beat abt it and not keeping it low key during the transition period). Those who learn from the history does not repeat it. I am glad the new members of G20 got that wisdom (and of course the present members to accept it).

But I got the pic of all wifes of G20 leaders.. Here it is

Attacks on Indians have had a profound effect on Australia's image

2009-09-25T00:35:00.000-07:00

This was reported in THE AGE. Good on them. http://bit.ly/w1FGC

It is the Australian media (and Police) who are primarily responsible for this situation. Here is my response to one of the comments to this article.

----------------------------------

@ Kevin of Melb who commented: "Some balance needs to be bought into this one-way view. May I suggest that we start showing, on our tv channels, the assults on Australians and other foreigners that occur in Indian on any given day."

Yes, I think there's a need for balance. Let the Australian media pick up the cause of racial bashing of Indians in Australia. As an Indian I am very much sure that Australian media underreport any violence on Indians in Aus. There seems to be strong bias - to cover up things from the Aus media - to the benefit of white Australians. This is condemnable, if not racial! (Having said that, The Age and Fairfax media are bit of an exception here. This very article is a sign of that, But the rest are hopeless and divisive).

Australia put break on Catholic Church!

2009-09-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

Here is the Breaking News!

Australian government has updated the immigration rules to bring priests to Australia. Now the process to get a religious visa to take up to 36 weeks or sometimes more before the Department of Immigration advises them of their decision (this is after launching the whole documents, which usually takes an year's work!). And also all temporary visa applicants must participate in an English test and attain a certain level of competency in English. (Religious workers were exempted in the past)

Let me put my reflections.

It seems that there were some serious issues brewing between Aust govt and Catholic Church migration agency (I sensed it earlier, because I am in Canberra). Basically now the govt has stripped Catholic agency of its right to bring priest in its own right. They are introducing new barriers - IELTS (English Test) and a wait period of up to 36 weeks!

There are people who do not support the very idea of bringing priests from outside Australia. Their intention is to push Catholic Church to married clergy/female clergy by starving Church of celibate/male priests. I think, the push by the left (present federal govt who are supported by greens) and the atheists are bearing fruits and changing the clergy immigration landscape of Australia. Personally I am open to the question of married/female clergy. But I cannot accept anybody to starve Church to make decisions in their favor. God help Australia.

An Open letter to all "Jesus Youths"

2009-08-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

This is my reply to a discussion at JYMACE (Jesus Youth, MA College of Engineering, Kothamangalam, Kochi, India) yahoogroups. I attach my reply first and the mail of Chanchal which provoked it. It is basically a general question and an open challenge to all Jesus Youths.

------------------------------
My Response
------------------------------

Hi All,

I thought, I should reply to this mail (now bit old though).

What I havent seen in JY (better call Jesus Youth, according to Chanchal) regarding "long term commitment" is that Jesus Youths opting for the real "long term commitment" - ie, vocation into priestly and religious life. I worked with Jesus Youth after dedicating myself to Jesus through CMI congregation in the first place. I have seen so many zealous JYs after that (my friends and colleagues). But I havent seen any of them taking the real challenge of committing themselves through priestly or religious vocation. I always thought why? JY is supposed to be the biggest Catholic movement in Kerala/India. But how much/many JY has contributed to the ministerial work of Church? A BIG question to be answered? At some point I doubted JY has become a distraction to the vocations to ministerial priesthood and religious life, by over-emphasizing laity role in evangelization and even sometimes keeping a distance from the local Church authorities for the "development" of Jesus Youth itself. From my experience, I know one thing, there is no substitute for ministerial priesthood and religious life in the life of the Church. But I dont know whether I am fully right/wrong regarding my comments on JY (I know JY is now starting a new priestly ministry and hope this new emphasis on "long-term commitment" is not simply directed at it :). An introspection is always good.

I would encourage all young men and women in Jesus Youth to look into this challenge. If you really feel that you are called to a life-long and complete commitment, please seriously consider the prospect of a religious or priestly life in a religious congregation, in a diocese or in a society. Church needs more priests and nuns. Jesus needs more priests and nuns. God bless.

With love,

Fr Jaison Paul Mulerikkal CMI

------------------------------
Chanchal's mail
------------------------------

Hello George,

Let me be straight. So you have got new insights about Catholic Faith and Life time commitment etc.I have a friend who was a fulltimer some years back in the north east of India, who now believes that what he did then was just an act of impulse. He lives in his own ways now. As you are aware of, this is not a single case, you can find a very large number of such cases.

Are you sure you will not end up like that, when this feel good feeling is all over?

A qn to all: How can we ensure each of us will not end up like that. Just for thought..

Chanchal

US (and the West) has to learn how to deal sensibly with East and Islam

2009-08-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

SRK was detained and questioned in US airport. http://bit.ly/11ftFP US is loosing all the goodwill of Muslims in India and over the world. Pity.

The so called security procedure of US is going overboard. Its all about a balance between professionalism and sensitivity to Eastern cultural values, I guess. If this was happened to politicians or celebrities in the West, it would not have created so much fuss. On the other had, the public would have enjoyed it. But in the East respect for the "Elderly, religious, rich and influential" people are paramount. Irreverence to them is less tolerated, even in the public level. The West simply ignored that in the past, coz, the East was subjugated for economic and political reasons. But as the East gets more power and influence, they will start to assert their values. Now, its the time the West start to listen to it and adjust.

Split India, China strategic reporter says! My response is cautious

2009-08-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

http://bit.ly/cD4nn

I'm sure, China will play games.. because they fear US has included India to create a circle of enemies around China (India, Japan, Aus, etc). That will annoy China. So they try to create a small circle around India - Pak, SL, Bangla, Nepal, etc and try splitting us).

We need US and China. Even if we ally with US, we have to make it clear to China that we are not their enemies. Then only they wont worry much abt India and India n China will prosper together.

That's the way to go..

China-India hotline soon

2009-08-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

China-India hotline soon.. A welcoming news.. The two emerging powers in the region should have it.. I can sense that it is a very positive news. At the moment China has it only with US and India has it only with Russia http://bit.ly/iUtH1

Only improved relations between India and China can bring bargaining power and just deals for these countries with other "Developed nations". I can reflect on India, China, Aus relationships. India wants Uranium from Aus, China wants Iron ore from Aus. But Aus plays a double game with India and China and split them apart and always make sure that their resources and over priced. If this has to end, both India and China should stand together, at least for economic issues like this, setting apart their political differences. Then only India and China will get reasonably priced resources from Australia.

2009-08-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

A.R Rahman's "Mustafaa Mustafaa DON'T WORRY mustafaa" from the movie Kadal Desam.

I loved this movie and song, when I saw it as a kid :) The friendship, esp among boys (and also among gals) were so intense and sincere. They never thought abt the word "gay" or "lesbian". We enjoyed friendship. But the import of some Western junk "free thinking" into India may ruin all these innocence, I'm afraid. Many of the Western commentators in this youtube site even fail to understand that it is not a "gay" relationship but only friendship. It's a pity. But the saddest thing is Eastern culture is also getting malicious with these undesirable influence from the West. Our children may not enjoy innocence and friendship as we have enjoyed. If they hold hands, hug, pat.. they will be branded as "gays" and "lesbians". Pity.

God save friendship! Long live friendship and innocence...

Where is Krishna? Australia is punching above its weight!

2009-08-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

I watched in a side story of ABC lateline yesterday that Indian foreign minister S M Krishna is in Australia. I saw him on tele coming to Melbourne and received by Victorian premier. Its humiliating in itself! its just like Stephen Smith is been received by CM of Kerala! Moreover Krishna is seen nowhere in today's Australian media - print and online. I am surprised!

What kind of politics is this?

Is Australia is punching above its weight? ..delebarately ignoring Indian FM, who came here in the wake of alleged racial attacks on Indian students? It was Krishna who acted decisively in those events - directing his ambassador to convene a press meet in Vic. I think, Aus is giving back to him. But this is bad politics.. arrogant as always Aus is portrayed internationally.. Aus is confirming its stereotypical status by being so arrogant.. no much difference between Aus and China in this regard, I think (remembering the Hu case).

Wow.. Swayamvaram.. in 21st Century!

2009-08-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

Wow.. Swayamvaram.. great! That also by Rakhi Sawant! It's good. Let women decide. I only wish and pray that this marriage becomes a successful one rather than a publicity/entertainment stunt!

Austalian Government should honor their promises!

2009-07-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

This is the comment I sent to "The Australian" about their article "Education debacle to cost us badly" . As usual, I do not know whether it will get published! But here it is in my blog:

---------------------------------------------

What International students going through (in Australia) is really horrible. First they were shown Permanent Residency carrot when abroad. It was Australian govt that linked certain courses to PR points, not migration agents. Students are lured into join those programs by paying huge fees and there by assuring huge tax revenue to Australian govt. When they came here, they got substandard education and was beaten up in the streets. Then they protested. Now, the govt is going to de-link PR points from those courses. Students spent 40000 AUD over two years, they got no quality education and now no PR. It's going to be state supported cheating scam. There should be a policy whereby Aust govt honor their liking of PR points to certain courses for the whole tenure of those courses. I mean, if there is a link between a course and PR points when a student join a course, it should stay there for that student till he/she finishes the course. Otherwise, it is cheating and rip off. What we will be doing is to lure international students to certain courses by showing PR carrot and when they pass the course, revoke it and send them back home with nothing. Otherwise govt shouldn't link any course with PR points at all.

The Pragmatic (and the real) Aussie view abt Australian Education Industry - It's Brain Gain!

2009-07-27T04:58:00.000-07:00

Another post from the same forum gives us a real pragmatic Australian view abt Australian education industry. This is why Australia still welcome international students!

--------------
OpEd:

27 Jul 2009 11:04:30am

For those who are critical of the international education industry that Australia has developed, I ask, how will we replace the $15 billion in foreign earnings, and the 10s of thousands of jobs that have been created?

The issue is not that Australia provides education services that are in demand from international students, but that there are so many, largely private colleges that have sprung up offering doggy certificates, and linked in with migration scams.

This is where the cleanup needs to take place.

With regard to gradauates applying for their residency in Australia, my feeling is if these people have the right kinds of skills and meet all the criteria for migration, then they should be able to apply for migration to Australia. What Australia ends up with is young people in the prime of their working life, with an Australian education, all at no expense to the Australia tax payer.

I think we need to be careful that we don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

A True Aussie Vision; About immigraton (and Aust education)

2009-07-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

I cant but agree with the wisdom of this 67 year old pom - who is an Aussie now! Hat's off to you. I read this in the ABC online discussion forum: "Lifting the lid on Australia's 'visa factories'"
---------------------------------

Ian Harrison:

27 Jul 2009 2:04:13pm

Point one.
I am 67 years old, a child of "Ten Pound Poms" who left the UK in 1948 looking for and finding a better life. I am quite sure that most of these "Students" are doing just that, and who can blame them. In my experience it is the immigrants to this wonderful country who do best. Become businessmen and women and in a lot of cases major employers. I urge all Australians to put aside their declared (and undeclared) racial opinions and look at the facts and look at the History. Immigration built this country and will always do so, whether it be by stealth or wealth. I for one welcome any immigrant who wants to "have a go"
Point two
I did a Bachelor of Arts degree as a mature age student in 1995 to 1997. The University was a veritable League of Nations and I made many friend there from overseas countries. One of the most enlightening things was to see the difference in the work ethic of the overseas students to our own Matriculated students from High Schools throughout Vic and SA. and how the Overseas students in the main applied themselves so diligently to their tasks, despite the drawback of being in a foreign country and in a foreign and to some of them very frightening Society.
In comparison,I was and still am amazed at how many of our Matriculated Australian Students could not write an Essay or had an understanding of basic English.
One Australian boy reached that University so afflicted with Dyslexia that he could not read or write. How does that happen.?
Before we start disparaging these students from overseas we best do some housekeeping in our own Education system, especially at High School level.

Ian

"..great things england did for india"!

2009-07-27T00:14:00.000-07:00

It was an online discussion on at http://bit.ly/17kgPQ. I wrote this comment to the forum. But I will be lucky, if it gets published. There's a misconception in the minds of white men (and women), especially if they got some connection to England - England made India! That's rubbish. That does not reflect facts. Only problem with India was it was foolish in front of some colonial traders with gun powder in the past. Hope she wont make the same mistakes in the future. That's my prayer (and yesterday India launched its first nuclear submarine, I am really happy. It's a deterrent). This was my reply to an "r of Gold Coast".
----------------------

I am an Indian, still a student but resident of Aus.. I thought I wouldnt comment in the forum.. But this remark by "r of gold coast 12:13pm today" compels me to put my two cents into it: "Look at the great things england did for india.." Yes we know what England did for India. When the first colonial traders came to India, India controlled 26-27% world economy. When they left in 1947, India's share in world economy was reduced to less than 2%. Great things indeed, what England had done to India. You must be proud of it (if you claim to be of English descent)! And hope you will give back to India what you have taken from her ?! (I would be lucky, if this gets published :)

Cold Canberra morning

2009-07-24T16:33:00.001-07:00

Cold Canberra morning. but I decided to work from Uni. C my uni oval.. frosty :)

Indian Eclipse

2009-07-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful picture of Indian experience of Solar eclipse. Its spiritual, religious, ancient and bit funny too :) I loved this pic.

Australians Greens turning Red (rather yellow)!

2009-07-22T04:08:00.000-07:00

Australian Greens prove to be a BIG joke. Not a single serious word, against the proposed new U mine in South Australia. Moreover Peter Garret champions it (he sang passionate songs against N Energy in the past)! It's economy. economy of 1st world.. When that comes Greens of 1st world will shut their mouth conveniently. I've been told bfore 10yrs :) That is coming true.

I posted the above comment (similar one) on twitter few minutes ago. I was browsing "The Australian". Got this amazing poll result. Australia wants to go nuclear! Just couple of months back, I remember a similar poll. The Australians were dead against Nuclear reactors. My supervisor is a Green. May be an year ago I told him that the opposition of Greens to Nuclear power is just bad/baseless/opportunistic. He was defending Green position with an impregnated silence. That was the mood of Australia. Now all on a sudden, Australia wants to go Nuclear! What a joke!

Its not just joke. Its the trait, that disturbs me. These people/culture/countries can change color at the glimmer of a time. All what they preach (whether it is democracy, economy, ecology, international relations) is valid for the period that "benefit" them. After that they can change color at any time - just like in Hollywood movies.

I never saw that kind of attitude in the East.

Since they cannot change color like that, they can easily be fooled. Hope Indian Greens ("the Third World Greens.. haha") will not be fooled to be instruments in the hands of "Developed World Greens" who could really use them for their benefit. Is there a consistent policy about Nuclear Energy for Greens though out the world.. I mean through out different countries in the world? I'm pretty sure there wont be. That's handy, isn't it!

Perfect Solar Eclipse

2009-07-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the Perfect Solar Eclipse as seen from Varanasi, UP today in TOI. The diamond ring is beautiful.

Uninstall Virus Barrier in Mac

2009-07-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

It was very difficult to do it. usually we can drag and drop applications to the trash and it will be uninstalled in mac - but not for this one. I got this thread http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=349902 and look at the end. This will solve your problems -> http://www.integodownload.com/mac/X/...ninstaller.dmg

Hilary in India - on TOI

2009-07-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

I cant believe. the amount of work Hillary did in India. Here is another interview on TOI. The interviewer fumbles though.

Its remarkable that she stayed at TAJ, Mumbai to show support to India on its efforts against terrorism.

Hilary in India

2009-07-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Worth watching.. Hillary on NDTV.

India marches in Paris, for what?

2009-07-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

Indian soldiers marched during the Bastille Day military parade on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris. It's good to see friends flock together. I am just thinking about China. What will they be getting out of it? There was a recent report by an Indian defense journalist that China may attack India in as early as 2012 to divert its attention from internal discomfort. The signs are already seen here in Australia. A Rio Tinto staff is held in China for spying. Growing discomfort of China towards Aus, since Aus did not allow the Chinalco deal to go through. Kevin Rudd played smart. Now he is getting back.

But what about India and China? India should be very very careful and diplomatic. We got a Dalai Lama to be protected. Btw, Australia send a delegation to Dharmasala, India to visit Lama. That's cunning. Even when Lama comes to Aus, they wouldnt meet him. But send a delegation to INDIA to meet Lama! wow.. some nasty game of diplomacy it must be. That was during the delegation's visit to quell discontent about Indian student attack in Aus! Aus seems playing nasty to put India on the back foot.

In nutshell, it's all about INDIA. India has to tread on a narrow rope - very cautiously, especially when people like KRudd is here. God help Man Mohan Singh!

Who moved my cheese?

2009-07-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

Wonderful little story by Dr Spencer Johnson. I always loved this story about change. Here is a beautiful cartoon presentation.

Who Moved My Cheese ?

Mohanlal joins territorial army!

2009-07-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

I love his army moves to receive the medal

Kapil Sibal's New Education Revolution

2009-07-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Kapil Sibal's New Education Revolution thoughts are shared in NDTV. Good, if that happens! (many of them).

Being Indian in Australia!

2009-07-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

A wonderful report by Nathasha Jog about "Being Indian in Australia!".

BRIC's First Summit

2009-06-18T03:25:00.000-07:00

I was really impressed by the article of Brazil's President Luiz Ináo Lula da Silva. It was reported in "The Hindu". A good read.. insightful.. a “time for politics”!!

Read it here.

Julia Gillard, Dyp PM, AUS on recent attacks on Indian Students

2009-06-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

A creative suggestion to improve safety of Indian students in Australia

2009-05-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

This is the suggestion I send today to the High Commission of India in Australia as a response to the recent violent attacks on Indian students.
----------------------------------------------------------

To

Mrs. Sujatha Singh
High Commissioner of India
Canberra, Australia

Sub: A creative suggestion to improve safety of Indian students in Australia - Student Settlement Services by Australian Universities.

Madam,

I represent prestigious Rajagiri group of educational institutions Kochi, Kerala, India in Australia and heads it Australian operations as the Director of “Rajagiri Australia” (www.rajagiri.com.au). Rajagiri Australia has initiated twinning programs between Rajagiri, Kochi and major Australian universities and also serves as student agent for those Australian universities in India and Australia. In the wake the recent attacks on Indian students in Australia, I got the following suggestions to make to improve safety of Indian students in Australia.

1. Insist Australian Universities to provide Student Settlement and safety-net service.

The major problem of students coming to Australia is that they don’t get any other help from universities than the CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) even after paying heavy fees. They just arrive in airport and don’t know where to go, where to settle and practically no contacts/references. In such desperation, they end up in unsafe suburbs/homes and pushed to take unsafe works and work habits, which eventually make them vulnerable targets.

The solution is to give them hospitality, settlement and reference services as they arrive to Australia. In theory the universities claim that they got these services. But in practice they just don’t have this for many reasons, like – they don’t set apart enough funds and plans for these services, they don’t have the expertise in settlement services, they simply cannot give reference services.

Agencies those have got expertise in these areas can easily provide these services. “Rajagiri Australia” is experimenting this kind of services to students coming through us in our own way. That is to provide students with airport pickup, shared accommodation facilities, availability of ongoing support through an office (presently our Melbourne office) and reference services (provide a network of people who can contact and trust).

Being a student myself, I have gone through all the troubles of student life in Australia. That is why I initiated this service. We can do it because we don’t have much monetary considerations as we are Catholic priests’ group and plan to set apart a big chunk of commission amount we get from Aus Universities(in recruiting students as an agent) to these services. But in general (for all other agencies), this is not possible. Because the commission amount is meant only for recruitment services and not enough/not meant for other additional services.

So, the suggestion is to encourage universities to provide these settlement services – for their students - which include airport pickup, accommodation services, agent office support, reference services - though their “authorized agents”. Universities should set apart a fixed amount (say 5% of first year fee) towards these services on the top of the commission to those agents. This will enable those agents to provide the above services to students.

2. Rate Australian universities and Settlement agencies to enforce higher safely for Indian students.

The Indian government should introduce separate rating/accreditation system for Australian universities and the proposed student settlement agents. Universities who provide this “Settlement services” should be given higher safely ratings by India government. It will provide better advice to prospective students to Australia. India government also shall accredit “Settlement” agencies after scrutiny.

This will give ample impetus to Australian Universities to adopt Settlement services as part of their student recruitment process and their Settlement agencies to perform well to give effective services to their student customers.

I live in Canberra. I will be very happy to give any further inputs regarding this suggestion by coming to your office. Please feel free to contact me.

With regards,

Fr Jaison Paul Mulerikkal CMI
RAJAGIRI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
ABN: 85 128 322 761
Web: www.rajagiri.com.au

Response to Irish Church Priest Sex Scandal Report

2009-05-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

I was told by a young Indian Catholic youth lives in Europe, how she was shaken by the Irish Church Priest Sex Scandal Report. This was my reply:

--------------------------------------------

Its there. Its a cultural thing. That's what I think. I haven't heard of such things in such proportions in Catholic church in India or some other Asian countries. There are always exceptions, but not like this. The West liberalized too much. Families gone. The effects resonate in Church as well. If there are no good families in India, the same would happen in India too, I guess.

I dont know whether we can relate these incidents to celibacy of priests. If we can relate, then these things should not happen in families. But that's not the case, as we come to know. Priest sex abuse scandals are only tip of an iceberg. This was shared by a scholar works in this area.

But this exercise is good for Church. We have to purify first before we preach. That's good. So I accept it. I am not panicked.

An Amazingly Uplifting Story of Kamran Khan

2009-05-01T01:46:00.000-07:00

Story appeared in "The Age". About the latest Twenty20 sensation - Kamran Khan.

Read here

Or here it is:

From slumdog to cricketing hero
_________________________________________________________

NOT many in cricket-crazy India had heard of Kamran Khan when Shane Warne tossed the ball to the 18-year-old fast bowler during the final moments of an Indian Premier League match in Cape Town last week.

The batting side needed seven runs to win, and Saurav Ganguly was at the crease. Warne was clearly taking a huge gamble by entrusting a rookie seamer with the ball. But in just two overs Khan, whose family is so poor that he slept on railway platforms when he travelled as he could not afford even cheap hotels, not only ensured victory for the Rajasthan Royals but also became India's latest cricketing hero.

Khan conceded just six runs in the final over against Kolkota thanks to Warne in the field preventing what would have been a winning second run with the final delivery.

With scores tied, a Super Over was required to settle the result. Warne again turned to Khan and the rookie left-arm slinger contained the Knight Riders batsmen to ensure victory.

A drop-out from a village school, the keen-faced left-arm quick barely comprehends English.

He said Warne "speaks English so fast" he has difficulty grasping his captain's instructions. When Warne handed him the ball and gave him a pep talk in the match against the Knight Riders, one of the words Khan could decipher was "pressure". Warne was telling him to relax and bowl normally.

Khan told the Indian Express later: "I have seen several major setbacks in my life. I am used to pressure."

Khan's father was a taxi driver in Nadwa Sarai village in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh state. But a lung ailment kept him mostly at home, and Khan's mother took to rolling bidis (the poor Indian's cigarette) to supplement the family's meagre income. His father died five years ago, followed three years later by his mother.

"We didn't have the money for proper medical treatment for our parents," said Khan's older brother Shamshad Khan. "Father would get angry and beat Kamran if he skipped school to play cricket. He wanted Kamran to join the army so he could earn something."

But Khan was so obsessed with cricket he even chiselled his first bat himself.

"Much later, when the villagers got together and bought him a proper bat, he was very happy," his brother said.

Khan's first break came when a cricket coach from a neighbouring village took him to Mumbai two years ago. In the big city Khan began playing with a proper cricket ball for the first time, and not with the cheap tennis balls used in the village.

"He struggled really hard," said the coach, Naushad Khan, who took him into his house. "He is strong and very determined. Back home, he would play in district cricket tournaments eating just tea and biscuits, since he didn't have money to buy food."

But as with the hero of the film Slumdog Millionaire, there was to be a fairytale twist to Khan's life. Rajasthan Royals' director of coaching, Darren Berry, spotted the teenager at a Twenty20 tournament in Mumbai two months ago, and signed him for £16,000 ($A33,000). Though not tall or very well-built, Khan bowls at more than 140km/h. And he can swing the bat.

"We have one young player who's going to be very interesting," the Royals' captain predicted.

"We're tossing up now what his nickname is going to be, Wild Thing or Tornado — something like that."

But Khan's initial rueful response was that had the money come earlier, he could have paid for the treatment his mother needed.

First ever Indian series victory in New Zealand

2009-03-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

Sehwag Magic seal first ever Indian series victory in New Zealand.. Cudos.. Today only I noticed, I use the bat use by Sehwag - Hero Honda!

Oscar No 2 for Rehman

2009-02-22T22:56:00.000-08:00

Proud moment.. He is the real slumdog.. a choice between love and hate!

Rehman gets Oscar No 1

2009-02-22T22:54:00.000-08:00

Congrats Rehman.. A billion hearts beats for u..

Red carpet for Slumdog crew

2009-02-22T22:48:00.000-08:00

Red carpet for Slumdog crew.. I'm happy that those kids are there..

Smile Pinky gets Oscar

2009-02-22T22:46:00.000-08:00

Smile Pinky gets it.. Kudos

Rasul Pookutty accepts Oscar -

2009-02-22T22:43:00.000-08:00

U made all Mallus (those who speak Malayalam.. hihi) proud.

I love these cuties..

2009-02-22T19:15:00.000-08:00

I love these cuties.. The child actors of Slumdog Millionaire.. Who would believe that they are from Slums!!?

I love India, because it happens only in India! It was very confronting to watch that movie, as an Indian.. But in India, you can produce that movie, may not be in China! India can accept that there's poverty in India and still we are on the right track of progress - not even Australia (I've seen 'slums' terrible than Indian ones in Australian aboriginal communities in Tennant Creek. But Aussies wont accept it).

Pakistan gives in to terrorists

2009-02-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/16/campbell.brown.taliban/index.html

Sad to see this.. the mess Pak is in.. and worrying signs for the peace in the region, especially for India.

Who on earth could control Pak and its terrorists.. God alone knows.. may be ISI may have an idea!

no-secularism, no-religionism

2009-02-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

A friend suggested no-secularism, no-religionism
for India in rediff forums. Here is my reply.

----------------------------------------
Howz ur theory of no-secularism and no-religionism going to work? It is self-contradictory.. If it is secular but no-religion, it is logical. But that's what Western countries tried and trying. But they are struggling with 'kid-fathers' who claim the fatherhood of a babe from 16 yr old mother! The best option left is god-ful secularism, what India tries, without religions' extreme elements. That's what we need to concentrate and foster, I guess.

Why the face of failure is 'black or brown' in the media?

2009-02-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

There was a news about US, EU stocks plunge in today's Herald Sun. The face of the news was a black man. It's quite annoying. In the past I've hardly seen any black face along with market news, when it was winning. But now all on a sudden, the face of market becomes a black man! Media manipulation with racial bias. I condemn it. The following is the reply I posted. I dont know, whether it will get published!

--------------------------------------------------------------

This biased and racial media coverage is condemnable. When the market was winning there were only 'smiling pictures of white man/woman' along with the news. When the market started to crumble, all 'the faces of market' suddenly became black and brown, as if they are the cause of this market melt down. A deliberate attempt to associate failure with "black and brown". Its a shame. Let the white media has the courage to take the blame as well, by putting 'white faces' along with this news.

Reply to Virginia Haussegger

2009-02-08T16:36:00.000-08:00

I wrote a reply to the article of Virginia Haussegger in Canberra Times (Time to undo the petty deal that's destroying women's lives, Feb 7, 2009) as a letter to the editor. Virginia wants Australia to lift ban on its funding for Family Planing/Abortion missions in Asia. Alas.. as usual, it was not published! Here is my letter.

To

The Editor
Canberra Times
ACT

Dear Sir/Madam,

Here I attach my response to Virginia Haussegger's article in Canberra TImes (Time to undo the petty deal that's destroying women's lives, Feb 7, 2009). Please publish it as a "letter to the editor".

Yours Truly,
Jaison Mulerikkal CMI
47 Lowe street
Quenbeyan, NSW - 2620

Email: jaisonmpaul@gmail.com
Mob: 0433893593

------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a Catholic priest studying in Canberra from India - one of the so called "poor developing nations" in Asia. There is poverty in India, in Asia and we can slum it down at cinemas which is an Oscar stuff. No one debate about that. Poverty has to be addressed and we would welcome all men and women of good will to join us fighting it, because that is a humanitarian cause.

I felt it very sad and hypocritical to read an article by popular TV news reader and columnist Virginia Haussegger in Canberra TImes (Time to undo the petty deal that's destroying women's lives, Feb 7, 2009). The story of Meo Sot - a Burmese exile woman who jabbed her womb to force an abortion in Thailand "for she couldn't feed another hungry mouth" is really sorrowful. We need you to help Meo Sot and women like that. Our hearts and prayers are with Meo Sot. As it is clear from Virginia Haussegger's findings (and as far as I can read an Asian mind), Meo Sot would have been more than happy to bring her child up, if she had "enough to feed another hungry mouth". So, what the so called "developing nations" in Asia would want you to do is to assist us in eradicating the root cause of this social evil - poverty, which compels our women to take such unfortunate measures as described in Virginia Haussegger's article. We want you to take the shared moral responsibility of the dreadful social evil of poverty and put sufficiently enough money to eradicate poverty in Asia. As many NGOs noted in the World Economic Forum, if the so called "developed nations" had set apart a small portion of trillions of dollars of " stimulus packages" for poverty eradication, we could easily eradicate poverty in Asia (and around the world) and its negative outcomes.

That's what we expect Australia to do - to help "feed another hungry mouth" of Meo Sot. Let you keep at least 10% of the 42 billion stimulus package to eradicate poverty from Asia and help women like Meo Sot (and children and men) to come out of poverty so that terrible things can be avoided in our lives. I wish Virginia championed that issue to convince Australians to put 10% of "handouts and stimulus packages" to poverty eradication to help Meo Sot "to feed another mouth". But, if you can't do that don't preach us to kill our children. Virginia is not Mother Theresa. But we would welcome Mother Theresas into our lands who can take care of our women and children not Virginias who preach our mothers to kill our children. And Australian aid should only be set-apart to eradicate poverty which is the root cause of most evils and not to kill our children.

Reply to Virginia Haussegger

2009-02-08T16:25:00.000-08:00

An Appeal to New Generation Atheists - Part 1

2009-02-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

An Appeal to New Generation Atheists - Part 2

2009-02-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

Holy Mass and Bible - Part 2

2009-02-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Holy Mass and Bible - Part 1

2009-02-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

I pity you Symonds...

2009-02-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

Andrew Symonds' sad saga continues in Australia.. I find it very disturbing.. Here is the news:
-----------------------------

"ANDREW Symonds will have two months of intense reflection to decide whether he will become the first Australian star to choose Indian Premier League riches over a baggy green cap.
The troubled cricketer, banned from touring South Africa after his latest disciplinary dramas, will be available for Australian selection again at the time the IPL is about to start in April."
-----------------------------

Poor Symo is screwed by CA and Aussies in general.. What's the difference between "obnoxious weed" and "lump of shit". Only difference is who speaks it out.. If it's white man against brown, he can get away with it.. The whole Aus will be behind him. But if it is brown against white, they will screw him up.. Sad to see this drama.. Symonds, I pity you.. and shame on Australia.

Poor Jesus.. He is accontable for all the conflicts in the world

2009-01-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful online debate with 'c of las vegas, in the Herald Sun blog about this news. It was about a Muslim cleric urging to use minimum physical force to tame their wifes! However, as usual, the religion hates jumped into the scene and generalized and concluded that religion is the cause of all the evil in the world and they have to be banned. Poor Jesus!

Here is the debate!

--------------------------------

Hi "c of las vegas 9:42pm January 22,", You again say that "conflicts through the ages seem to have been based on religious grounds". Let your belief save you. But, as I made it clear earlier, there's no point in putting all the blame of 'conflict' on the shoulders of religion. Even before religion, nonetheless to day before Jesus, there were conflicts. Even without 'religion-less state' experiments in the near future (as I pointed out about communist Russia), there were dreadful conflicts. It's only Dawkins' style of anti-religionists that put all the conflicts in the world to religions and to 'poor Jesus'. You have to open your eyes my dear friend to see that it is human nature that make us conflict each other. Religions are meant to purify it, but some time, some vested interested people/group/culture can poison it.. like any other institution in the world. So please Jesus (God) alone.

-------------------------

jaison of canberra mate ive read your second comment and i am more lost than ever. anyway i dont hate jesus, i can see you really love him though. by the way i was brought up in a religous background. That does not take from my first comment that conflicts through the ages seem to have been based on religious grounds.

Posted by: c of las vegas 9:42pm January 22, 2009
Comment 705 of 772
--------------------------

Hi "c of las vegas 4:49pm", I'm sure you wouldn't understand 're communist Russia", he..he.. I've seen this kind of ignorance in almost all religion haters.. Communist Russia was a self-proclaimed religion-less state. And the ruthless cruelty produced by "your religion-less state" is very well documented. But it's only religion is accountable for "all" the tragedies of the world. poor Jesus! And again science is also exempted. There's no responsibility for science in human miseries like Nukes in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.. All those scientists and engineers are saints..but Jesus.. poor Jesus!
---------------------------

hey jaison of canberra i do not understand your comments re communist Russia . russia is predominately christian orthodox. or is religion a science . i just dont get ya

Posted by: c of las vegas 4:49pm January 22, 2009
----------------------------

Here comes the religion haters! They use every opportunity to tarnish the 'real, good' religion. "c of las vegas 2:12pm" wants all religion to be banned! Then what's going to happen on earth - Heaven? Dont think so. If that was the case, it would have happened in communist Russia! But that experiment was a cruel tragedy. It's not religion, but individuals/vested interested people/cultures who use religion to push their own agenda is the problem. Even science has got the same problem. That's what happened in Hiroshima. So, dont put rubbish on Jesus!

Posted by: jaison of canberra 2:48pm January 22, 2009

----------------------------
reckon Warren of Mulgrave 1:17pm is correct and its time we banned all religions. but that aint gonna happen any time soon. over the ages its religion that has caused the conflicts bettween humans. can the bosses of the various religions list out the benefits that religion provides us.

Posted by: c of las vegas 2:12pm January 22, 2009

Good luck obama

2009-01-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

GOOD LUCK OBAMA...

I am a fan of Obama.. But dont believe that he is a miracle worker, none of us are. With all the mountainous problems in front of him and with Clintons on the other side and his own inexperience in foreign policies, I dont think that he is going to deliver so much. But the symbolism he brings in - Black, young, half muslim - and the composure and compassion he has showed till to date, gives us some hope.. and hope is a good thing.

It was a terrific speech.. I wish I could do something like that one day!

Obama speech in full

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

test

2009-01-20T13:31:00.000-08:00

test

Mumbai is back!

2008-12-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

It was very painful for me.. The Mumbai Massacre! I was glued to TV for 2 days. It hurt me as an Indian. It has hurt India profoundly. It exposed the weaknesses of 'Super Power' India. It also reminded us of the terror of religious fanaticism.

Silver line:: The Muslim community in India came forward to denounce it. They didnt even bury those Islamic terrorists. E Ahmed, union minister who hails from my State Kerala lodged our protest in the UN.

We cannot afford it any more. Enough is enough! We need a full stop to terrorism. Whoever be the party, they have to ensure us - Indians - security, not rhetoric! That was reflected in the 5 state election results, I guess (3:2 - Congress, BJP). Indian voters have matured.

Good news today - Taj is back. Cheers to Ratan Tata. I wonder the way this man has transformed himself in the minds of Indians during the last few years . From a business man to something more than that - a national figure!

PS: I've got a new year resolution - I will visit Taj and spend at least a day there!

CMIs and Cash (some say, it is Cash Making Institute!)

2008-12-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

(Pic::CMIS in New York)
I got the following question from a young Catholic girl, who is my chat friend. I also add my answer to it. This is my conviction.

Why are Chirstian institutions so adamant in making money and investement?(This question was asked in the context of your congregation acha,CMI). Aren't you diverting from the cause of Jesus?

I like this question. It is very pertinent to me, as a CMI. We dont make money for the sake of making money. In reality, we are the great debtors. In my province, we got 100+ priests and it is said that every priest's head carry a debt of around 7-10 lakhs!

Yes we do have great institutions. All of them are for the benefit of humanity and for Church and its people. We are running a University in India (which is just one of the many other initiatives). It's all for good. Do we need to stop them? We can.. Then what will be the fate of those beneficiaries, which belong to all religious groups... of Church and Christians in India? The Xians still flourish and are respected in India only because of these institutions, even if they are a minority. If we abandon them, Christians will go down like the dalits or Muslims.

Now, it is my conviction that, Indian Church should make money. It is not to get 'rich'. But to stand on its own feet. In the past, we were relying of foreign money for our projects. But that is not good for Indian Church and India. If Church needs to stand on its two feet, it should be self-sufficient. Either, the Indian faithful have to contribute heavily or Church should raise it on its own. When Bl Chavara started CMI congregation, all of the initial monasteries were erected using the money from people. But, that scenario has changed. People's mentality does not support that method any more. And Church has got the capacity and human resource to do it on its own. So, it must take that responsibility than passing on it to its people. Moreover, India is in a better economic position now than in the past and so there's no point in importing money from outside. That is not social justice. On the contrary, Indian church should be able to support the missions in other poor nations around the world. That is our responsibility. We received when we were in need, now we have to give it back, when we are in a position to do that. If we are hiding away from that responsibility, we are just irresponsible. There's a danger of victim mentality (out of poverty) in our mindset, which actually hinder us from 'generously giving' to others (other poor missions world around).

If we need to be self reliant, if we need to venture into world missions, we need money. Church in India should do whatever possible in legitimate terms to amass it, so that it can keep sustain what they got in India, expand those services and to share its benefits with the Christ's mission around the world.

India emerges from obscurity as new global force!

2008-11-23T18:38:00.000-08:00

An impressive article.. first of its kind in any of the Aussie New papers, I reckon.. Even not published in other fairfax news papers... exclusive to "The Canberra Times"Read here.

Parking at ANU and Canberra Times!

2008-11-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

Canberra Times published an article regarding Fellows Oval at ANU and the parking issue titled ANU denials on paving paradise to put up a parking lot on 14th Nov 08. (read the article here: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/anu-denials-on-paving-paradise-to-put-up-a-parking-lot/1360560.aspx)

I wrote a reply. But it was NOT published! I dont know, what's wrong with these Australian Newspapers. They dont seem to accommodate any difference of opinions. Its a shame. Here you can read the reply.

----------------

ANU Parking

I am a research student at ANU. Parking in ANU is a pressing need for me and many others like me. ANU authorities have the right and duty to make sure that the staff and students get adequate parking space, so that they can pursue their academic activities with ease.

The response of the ANU staff and students as described by the article - "ANU denials on paving paradise to put up a parking lot" on 14th November is not completely true. In general, people love to save the Fellows Oval but not at the cost of acute parking shortage in the campus which is going to escalate due to the proposed construction work. As the article observes, the issue of parking came to limelight when "the opponents of the proposal" started circulating mass-emails over the last week. But when students including me send mass-emails seeking opinion about the other viable alternatives to spare Fellow's Oval, it was greeted with threats to suppress the emails by the moderators of IT department, which they allowed to "the opponents" at the very first place. And interestingly there were peaceful civil disobedience from even the staff members by hitting "reply all" button to express their concern for adequate parking in ANU.

The bottom line is ANU should be able to provide adequate parking service to its students and staff. Being a research oriented university, most of the ANU students are involved in research works whose timing cannot be restricted to office hours. That makes them and the staff members who guide them to resort to odd timings which are not supported by (infrequent and insufficient) public transport system in ACT. Moreover, Canberra is spread too much along different suburbs that ANU is not always accessible by bike or foot, unless someone is exceptionally athletic in most cases. Personally, I did my Masters in Melbourne and rode my bike to University and never own a car. I tried public transport in Canberra for first 3 months and it was horrible. Canberra has to increase its population and population density (instead of spreading too much), if it has got any good chance of providing a decent public transport system. And that is going to be a long term objective.

Till then, ANU should provide adequate parking space for its students and staff with reasonable parking fees (as we got now) to all those who want this service to keep ANU a destination for quality researchers from all around the world. If that could be achieved without Fellows Oval, we all welcome that move. But Fellows Oval should not be a hindrance to make this service available to its staff and students. The ecological cost of Fellows Oval could be off-setted by creative means like planting trees in even purchased new land.

Eco Warriors of ANU after me..

2008-11-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

It started with an email to ALL @ CECS.

One Rita (I changed name to keep her privacy), encouraged us to Save Fellows oval, which was marked by ANU-parking to turned into a new parking lot. I clicked 'reply all' button to query whether they got any alternative suggestion to provide parking lot which is a pressing need for me and others. Then came a wave of e-mails to ALL@CECS and to me personally.

They want to link Oval & Parking with sustainability. But I got some very unconventional ideas about it. The following is an excerpt from the discussion. I purge the names of people to keep save their privacy.

Rita wrote:
--------------------

Anyone who would like to keep Fellows Oval as a nice green place of recreation, send an email to
parking.feedback@anu.edu.au
(email closes in 2 days).

Cheers

--------------------
Jaison Paul wrote:

Have you got suggestion for any other place for parking? Parking is a
pressing need for me and many.

Jaison

--------------------
W J wrote:

Hi Jaison,
By making more parking area available is not solving the parking problem. This new parking area will be filled up the moment it become available and more parking area will be needed because more people will take their car to campus.
The answer is to encourage to those who can take public transport or bike to do so.
Please don't try to solve the sort term problem by causing long term problem.

--------------------
Jaison Paul wrote:

That's quite interesting.. I shared one of my genuine concerns. But I
get 'bashed'!

You did not answer nor addressed my concern. I am a research student
here who moved from Melbourne. If you are taking about public
transport system in Melbourne or Sydney, I can understand that. Where
is public transport in ACT? I depended on it for first 3 months..
HORRIBLE. Lucky that I could afford a car at last. Then about bikes..
Canberra is spread all around the place.. Not everybody, unless you
are so athletic and could bear 'cold cold' weather could resort to
biking.

So, dont be too emotional in the name of 'nature and nostalgia'. If
you dont have answers to the genuine problems of students like me.,
dont suggest anything. If you want to save oval, its good and fine.
But, WE NEED PARKING.

Jaison Paul

-----------------
J D Wrote:

Jaison,

Neither have you answered or addressed the concern in the email to which you were replying. To complain about the quality of the public transport here and then to support policies which will encourage people not to use it seems strange, to say the least.

-----------------
Jaison Paul Wrote:

This was the mail to which I replied: "Anyone who would like to keep Fellows Oval as a nice green place of recreation, send an email to parking.feedback@anu.edu.au". And my response was spot on.. Parking is a pressing need for me and many and "Fellows Oval as a nice green place of recreation" does not get more importance than that. Those who want to save it should come up with better suggestions.

I am not the person, who wants to play the "cool, nice guy" when it comes to ecology or sustainability. Here is my reply to another mail I got yesterday. That's my stand:

"I am not against saving the oval. But those who are for it should suggest means to provide Parking as well. I have also wrote article about Ecology and Sustainability in the past, when I was in India. But when I came to Australia and seeing "how we take of the planet's resources", I stopped writing it. An oval wont do any good to our status of world's worst emitters. For that we (AUS) has to shut down its coal power reactors or reduce the use of electricity to half or at least turn off half of street lights.

Best wishes in saving the planet."

The problem seems to link Sustainability issue with Oval and parking. Actually there's no link between them. The real challenge of sustainability demands too much, which will really hurt us and that we dont want to talk at all. So, we pretend to be "cool, nice guys" regarding these issues just to cover up our unwillingness to take the real issue head on . Coz it will hurt us - the developed world.

If we want to offset ecological cost of Fellows oval, what we could do is to purchase some land somewhere else and plant some trees there. That shouldn't be in Aus itself, may be in any of the Pacific islands or even in Christmas island - that will give 'refugees' some job.

And about public transport.. I support it fully.. But where is it? And there's no genuine effort to make it happen. Kevin 474 could give some 6 billion to car industry in Aus - bail out, but not to increase public transport facilities.. coz, there's no money in it.. economy of surplus.. That's what matters to us dear.. sorry. If you want to save the planet, do something in that line, not the 'feel good' flashy stuff.

I arrest my case.. coz I know, I am not going to save the world, when the ones who have the responsibility to take care of it is not up to it. Btw, I am an Indian. Thanks.

Jaison

Balance of power shifts to India!

2008-11-10T14:42:00.000-08:00

That was the heading of "The Canberra Times" today. Very well said. India ends the Australian dominance in Cricket with a 2-0 series victory and retaining Boarder-Gavaskar Trophy. India outplayed Aus in every department. Congrats to Dhoni as the winning captain. The tactics were brutal and merciless. The same old medicine of Aus, but this time to them! Well deserved win.

The most gracious moment was when Dhoni asked Sourav Ganguly to take the captaincy after the 9th wicket fall. What a tribute to retiring Dada! Truely Indian attitude by Dhoni - respect the elders. Well done.

As I commented in an online newspaper, it's an Obama era. The black and brown and even the yellow will take the lead. What matters is only skills and just (not equal) opportunities.. Let's make sure that these things are taken care of.. and let the rest - the power swing according to it..

Why Australia is upfront in climate change debate?

2008-11-05T21:44:00.000-08:00

I had this question in my mind for a while.. And something which I admire Australia for. In my recent visit to Toronto and New York, I shared this view to my friends over there. Australia is really well ahead of them in ecological sustainability matters. They do really care about it and identify it as a major issue. But not the cultures of US and Canada I witnessed, the media I listened, the people I met there.

But then why Australia is well ahead?

Usually Australia goes after US.. But in this case even the government is well ahead of US.. WHY?

I think, I got a practical and may be the most reasonable answer. Australia is the one who is more prone to the negative effects of climate change. Being the driest continent on earth and already experiencing series of droughts and dwindling food basket, Australia feels the pinch of climate change already. And the political leadership can easily see it and calls the whole world to stop it - the climate change disaster! Even the people from pacific nation may have to be absorbed into Australia, which they dont want.

Now, Australia want not only US but India and China on board to tackle climate change.

Well, India and China should come on board, but with conditions. If it is basically to ensure the well off of Australia (and other "developed" countries), there should be a price attached to it. The climate change discussions in the future also should include the matter of climate change refugees (eg. from pacific islands) and immigration.

That is, India and China should come on the board with the assurance that those "developed nations" whose well being is to be ensured by climate action should be bound to accept climate change refugees. They also should open their borders for immigration from India and China, who have got the largest population on earth, because their effort is going to benefit them.

Tail piece: I listened to radio yesterday saying that the first climate change refugees from one of the pacific islands were displaced to Papua New Gunnia (PNG). Where was Australia, the champion of climate change debate? A'nt they clever? Or they may be preparing Christmas Islands for them.. lol

When is Australia going to get its first Aboriginal PM?

2008-11-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

We got a black American president. Well.. When is Australia going to get its first Aboriginal PM? 40 years from now? How will it happen, huh? Australia does not allow them to come to the mainstream of social and political life and take their rightful position.. They dont have a definite plan to educate them or a reservation policy as in India. Australia does not have a single aboriginal person in its both houses of government.

There's a loooong way to go for the Aussies white supremacy.. The signs are written very clear on the walls.. not an aboriginal, black, brown, asian face on the many online/newspapers or in television media.. If at all something is there, that is just to portray the negativity - like the Gautham Gambir event in Cricket at the moment (only exception may be Sachin who gets comparatively good comments in Aussie media). As a person live in Australia I do really feel this. There's no racism in the peripherals .. but a lack of willingness to accept the goodness in minorities - aboriginals, asian, Indians without the barrier of color.

Australia has to work hard to come out of this divisive problem...

Ironically America shows India the way!

2008-11-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

Till now I thought Indians are better than Americans in political inclusion.. India had a dalit president and got a female president at the moment. The Chief Justice is a dalit too.. But America never had a woman or black president..But Obama's presidency changes all. India never had a dalit PM nor in the near vicinity... May be Mayawathi could make it. Even then, we can only FOLLOW America! Moreover, Obama was born of a Kenyan father who is/was a Muslim. India (I dont blame all Indian, but some extremists) finds it difficult to accept an Italian lady who happened to be Catholic even if she is been elected by people to the parliament and supported by her party. WE GOT A LOOOONG WAY TO GO.. And.. ironically, America shows us the way..

My mum's sms

2008-11-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

As I watched the winning speech of Barak Obama on BBC online streaming video, I received an sms from my mum in my small village in India - "Thank God, for Obama win".

Amazing how the whole world is looking at it..

As Obama exhorted, the climb will be steep. Hope he will be able to get them (and the whole world) there...

Finally, its Obama!

2008-11-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Finally Obama wins.. or about to win.. as I write this, the magic number of 270 has not yet come. But it is sure that he will. Not a landslide in big scale. But a reasonable landslide!

What does it mean. As somebody suggested America by-passed a civil war! If Obama weren't elected the black America would have felt cheated. That is over now. And a great PR success for America, something to be proud of in the midst of all negatives - the wars, the economy, etc, etc.

Good for World? Hopefully. As I commented earlier, the rhetoric and composure of Obama should help America to adjust themselves to the changing power shift in the emerging world order. Hopefully he will catalyze that shift. God save America and the world!

Sarah Palin

2008-09-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

What to say... I would like Obama to win (the US elections), but my vote (if I had) would go to Palin..

It's a dilemma.. Obama - as the first African American, I would like to be seen as the president of US. I dont know much about his 'change' rhetoric.. But as an alternative to 'BUSHism' it is good.

But.. Palin..

The introduction of Palin - a mother of 5 and a pro-life supporter, changes the whole scenario.. It's very hard to see those values (represented by Palin like, family, life, etc ) to be seen aloud in the public arena for quite a long time. To have 5 kids and to give birth to a babe, knowing that he would have Down's Syndrome is quite noble, challenging and heroic. And these values are essential for the survival of human race and to put themselves (at least) little higher than animal instincts.

And if those values comes into the mainstream of society, I would welcome them whole heartedly.. There's no second thought.

Sorry Obama.. unless until you don't have answer to Palin, my heart still goes for you, but not the vote!

India wins it FIRST ever individual Gold medal in Olympics!!

2008-08-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

Congrats Abhinav Bindra !!! You have made us proud.

He has won FIRST ever individual Olympic gold for India. He won gold in men's 10-metre Air Rifle event in Beijing 2008. It's only a beginning, I am sure. We are coming... may be bit behind China.. may be 10 - 20 yrs.. We'll be there!!

WYD and the Colonial hang-over

2008-08-04T04:19:00.000-07:00

One of the beautiful parts of World Youth Day final Mass was the gospel procession by the Pacific Islanders. I was there, right beside. It was really beautiful, touching (watch it here) . But,... that's a BIG BUT!

The end of the gospel precession really tasted bitter.. The symbolism! The Pacific Islanders 'entrust the Gospel' to a European convoy (at least all looked like Europeans). Then they takes it to the alter, as the Islanders passively look at it! Black and White!

Just reminded everybody of the new Cadbury ad on the TV. The Pacific Islanders wage war over coffee and the Emperor wins, only to see that European colonials came to take the throne.

Dont think that I am too critical. But there are things to be fixed up. In God, there's no race. When we do a liturgy for WYD, which is supposed to celebrate the universality of Church, these things should get right. The powerful symbolism could have all changed, if we had, at least a black or brown person among the convoy who received Gospel from the Pacific Islanders.

Tail piece: During the Saturday vigil, one of the Indian young pilgrims told me. "Look father they pray in almost every language on earth. But why not in any of Indian languages?". He was right. The representation of Indian subcontinental languages were almost nil, except for one of the prayers of the faithful during the final Mass in SriLankan Sinhalees.

I want to answer RIGHT to my fellow young pilgrims from Asia next time. After all Jesus was an Asian and Asia is the cradle of Christianity!

On US, Oil and Obama!

2008-08-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

I got a mail from Mr John D of Carnegie as a reply to my post "There's a Silver-lining everywhere man".. I post his mails and my replies with his permission.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jaison, I disagree with your views on uncle sam taking possession of Iraqi oil. The truth is that right now Iraq needs American expertise to modernise and fully develop oil production but once this is achieved you should expect that this expertise will be transferred to the Iraqis themselves. There is no 'uncle sam' in Saudi Arabia, the Saudis nationalised their oil industry decades ago when the likes of Getty and Texaco were invited to leave the country. There in no 'uncle sam' in Iran, or Kuwait or the UAE and we know only too well what that caring intelligent socialist Hugo Chavez of Venezuela thinks of dear old uncle sam. Russia, which almost certainly holds the world's largest reserves of oil, is steadily squeezing out every multinational - the American were never there (what a surprise) but now Shell and BP are on the verge of throwing in the towel as the Russians move to take full control. Contrary to the popular view America's principal interest is there needs to be an unfettered world oil market and one which is not threatened by idiotic mullahs and other crazy dictators such as Libya's Kaddafi who has just banned oil exports to Switzerland because that country threw his son, Hannibal, (true) out of the country for assaulting his Filipino servants. See what I mean?

John D

Carnegie

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi John,

Good to hear from you.

I'm not pessimistic.

I do agree with you that " right now Iraq needs American expertise". But the RIGHT NOW (The situation that is been created in Iraq) seems to sit perfect into a BIG picture, which could have been very well created! This wouldn't be not only my perception. Most of the world agrees with me, in this regard (aka, Iraq war was for oil).

"There is no 'uncle sam' in Saudi Arabia".. well, something very similar to 'banana republic'!

And regarding the other big stuffs you told about Chavez of Venezuela or Russia or Libya.. I must say, I am not in a position to comment at the moment.. coz I havent really put my mind into it.

Look, I think, you have been offended (I dont know whether, you are a US citizen or hails from US, etc).. I never meant any offense. There's a lot of good things about Uncle Sam. May be the best thing happening at the moment would be "Barak Obama". And much much more.. But every one, whether persons or nations need to be refined. And I am sure that 'Uncle Sam' will also take the lead in this regard(they are always at the forefront of everything!). Let's pray for that and hope for that.

Jaison CMI

PS: If you dont mind shall I post your reply in my blog? It's a good comment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please go ahead and post my reply, if it stimulates others to join the debate so much the better.

You may be disappointed at the end of the day because, if I'm right, and I do believe I am, John McCain will win the election. I draw as a parallel the year of 1960 when the youthful charismatic John F Kennedy on just managed to defeat the dour uninspiring Richard Nixon. Why? Because Kennedy had to overcome a silent but deep-seated antipathy towards catholics and I do recall at the time catholics everywhere rejoicing that their man had managed to crawl over line.

Barack Obama has a far more daunting hurdle to clear - he is a black man, and despite current polls suggesting he is leading McCain (only just) I keep thinking of 1960 and that 'silent deep-seated antipathy'. The problem for Obama is this malaise has a habit of finally revealing itself only within the enclosed anonymity of the voting booth.

We shall see....

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's okay John... It's upto Americans to decide what they want, what image they want to give to the rest of the world.

I have published them in my Blog.

Jaison CMI

Winston Churchill won the war, but Clement Attlee was elected PM

2008-07-24T23:56:00.000-07:00

I was just reflecting about WYD!

It was great success - as an event. The government has done a wonderful job. They poured out money and support. The infrastructure - public transport, randwick, barangaroo, security - was excellent. The pilgrims were excellent - their happiness, joy and discipline were exemplary. Sydniers were so welcoming. The Church organization did a good job - the billeting, hospitality, the ceremonies - esp, the Way of the Cross and final Mass were excellent.

Only one thing failed. the PR - public relations. It was a disaster. Except the official media (particularly new corp print media), all others tired their level best to tarnish the Catholic fest, by blowing the sex scandals and atheist/liberal views out of proportion in their prime time and space. The internet was the ugliest thing. I followed it till Thursday. Hopeless.

The Church (in Aus) didn't see that it was coming. When it came, it didn't know how to address it, when it addressed, it failed miserably.

Cardinal Pell did a wonderful job in bringing and conducting WYD in Aus. But many a time he failed to reap the fruits of it, by allowing himself to be exposed to unwanted controversies. Whether it was how he dealt the "sex abuse cases of the priests" (in this case a man who died in prison before 10 years) or "more western babies" or "un-linking climate change from human activity" (what the hell on earth a Cardinal should comment on the relationship between climate change and human activity (aka pollution) during WYD. It belongs to scientists and does not belong to religions to prove or disprove it, let science do it. May be on the basis of that we could postulate moral implications!), he was a PR failure.

He is good man, with lot of convictions. He was the right person to conduct WYD (except PR could have been given to a different team).

It was Winston Churchill who won the World War II as the PM of England. But it was Clement Attlee who succeeded him after the War. I heard that the people of England did a right thing by ditching their war hero over a moderate face. They had known that they wanted a moderate face to heal the wounds of war.

I think Rome will learn from history. I think, Pell will be taken to Vatican for greater roles in the Church. Australia (esp, Sydney) will have a new face - a moderate, happy face!

CHRIST University, India - The first ever Catholic university in India

2008-07-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here is the much awaited good news: Christ became University!! (as reported in www.cmi.in) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India, in its notification of 22 July 2008, has declared Christ College, located in Bangalore, Karnataka, as 'Deemed-to-be- University’. Christ College, till now Autonomous College, is now a University Rev. Dr. Augustine Thottakara, CMI, Rector Dharmaram College, President of the Board of Trustees of Christ College, and President of the Governing Body, has been elected as the Chancellor and President of Christ University by the Governing Body according to the directives of UGC. The Chancellor and President has appointed, according to the UGC Rules, Father Dr. Thomas C. Mathew, CMI, hitherto Principal, Christ College Autonomous, as the Vice Chancellor of the University. Other office-bearers will be elected/appointed in due course of time. Hearty Congratulations!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is my reply to cmigroup mail:

It's a great moment of pride in the history of Indian Catholics. It's a decisive moment in the history of CMI congregation. Blessed Chavara would be shedding tears of happiness in heaven! My heartfelt congratulations to all - especially Fr Chatamparmabil, the Vice-chancellor of Christ University (and not forgetting all previous and present visionaries of Christ and Dharmaram) - who worked hard to realize this dream. Well done. Let our Lord continue to bless!

Jaison Paul Mulerikkal
12 Chewings Street
Page, ACT 2614
Canberra, Australia

Globalisation of Human Resource and Climate Change

2008-07-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

Immigration must be cut to tackle climate change, says study - as reported by (Herald Sun). (IMMIGRATION must be slashed if Australia has any chance of seriously tackling climate change, says a Monash University study.)

I found that it was absurd and send a reply like this:

The term 'scientific' , 'research' and 'monash' are just decorative in this article. This is the most ABSURD thing that I have heard in the recent past. It seems that they are talking about "Australia warming" rather than "global warming"! Migration is only people moving from one part of the world to another. It's not going to affect the global warming. Or if the argument is to deprive people belonging to resource-less regions of the world (at the moment - like India or China) to confine to their regions, the policy will backfire. Then there wont be any moral ground for resource-ful countries (like Australia) to preach/persuade those countries. And those countries cannot be intimidated by economic or military pressures anymore. Like globalisation of resources, the globalisation of human resources cannot be reverted and should be continued (in a faster pace) without fail. And if we can read between these lines, there's one more thing to be done - which is the RIGHT thing to do - "Like all Australians they'll be living at twice the standard of living of current residents if the Government's predictions for per capita economic growth are correct,'' - BRING DOWN the CONSUMPTION of resources in resource-ful regions/countries of the world, because the the Globe's resources are limited.

"Convincing Victory" of India

2008-07-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Manmohan Singh government in India survived a confidence motion yesterday to go ahead with the Civil Nuclear Deal with US.

It was a "convincing victory"! Victory of the WILL of the people of India. We do have difference of opinions. That we have showed in the oppositions to the Deal. But in spite of our differences, as a nation, we are ready to go forward and claim our place in the history. We are determined.

The bribing allegations is only a part of the game (the BJP and Communists want to save their face). We all know that politicians receive money. In India, we call it as bribing and in the "developed world" they call it as lobbying (just makes it legal.. so no bribing..hihi). Only thing whether it was caught red-handed. But, even IBN-CNN went backward and not yet produced anything and which shows that there wont be much to come and even if something appear, its credibility will be heavily disputed. So no fuss as well. (It's time in India to stop horse trading and to find ways to find legal ways for acquiring money in politics, to support politicians to sustain).

The Singh is really King!

World Youth Day an awakening time for all Australians of goodwill

2008-07-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

The following is an article send by me to the Print Media in Australia during WYD 08 and was not published!!!
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As tens of thousands of young people from around the world flock together in Sydney for World Youth Day, it gives all Australians of goodwill to look deep into their own spiritual and religious self. As Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rightly puts it, these youngsters have come here as 'pilgrims of peace' rather than marching for a war as most youngsters have done in the past. It is really a history-making event.

As one among those young ones who is going to be in Sydney for the WYD celebrations and hosted around 70 of those young happy pilgrims in our parish, I am happy to confirm that they are proud young Catholics, who are determined to follow their leader and God - Jesus - and his Church. They got first hand experience of the Catholic Church and its teachings and they are well aware of its failures in the past too. Even then they love their God and Church. The big question before all people of goodwill in Australia would be, "What these young people have to convey to us?"

In spite of all apparent failures of Catholic Church - like the recent priest sex scandals in the Western countries and ruthless attack from various philosophies - whether it is communism or atheism or consumerism - the youth of the world comes to the beautiful realization that there are no other system or philosophy that has ever succeeded as Christ and his Church throughout the history of humankind.

Many of the allegations surfaced against Church at the wake of this great awakening of Spirit along with World Youth Day are misleading and many other stories have been allowed to explode without proportion.

Priest sex abuse scandals are very much confined to certain cultures and regions in Catholic Church and that cannot be attributed universally to Catholic Church. Church has repeatedly assured its assistance to heal the wounds of victims and is ready to refine its processes. But at the same time, since priests comes from the families, it could very well be the reflection of deep wounds within the society and those elements in the cultural psyche may have to be healed and refined to address these issues in the long run.

In almost every online newspaper bloggers and many articles in leading newspapers have alleged that Catholic Church is responsible for almost every wars in the history of mankind. When we read the history and especially when we try to read between the lines of history books, it is very clear that the wars were started by some crooked people who were cleaver enough to drag even religion into it and finally put all their blame on religions, including Catholic Church. And they just hid themselves into the deep abbeys of history as centuries pass by. Blaming Catholicism for all the wars in history is as absurd as saying that the war on Iraq was a Christian war on Muslims! But it is as clear as sunlight that it was the bloody oil greed of the West to keep enjoying their cars created Iraq war. But still after 200 years some Dan Brown could "uncover the truth" and say it was Catholic Church who put up that war, because it is the only institution, which survives the test of time (even not any state), and popularly could give the status of a "cult". It is always a fashion to blame a "cult".

I haven't heard any Catholics annoy the Mardi Gras Parade nor requesting the court to allow them to do so. But still the young Catholics who pay their way for their faith party could very well be legally annoyed in this country. Even still they are blamed for intolerance towards those people. No homosexual genes have yet been identified and the concept is not accepted unequivocally in scientific and medical circles yet. So, it may be premature to pressurize Church to make decisions on those issues. The Church is always as compassionate as Jesus - who welcomed everybody into his companionship - to those people but may reserve the right to gently remind them against their behaviour as long as it is not proved otherwise without doubt. The Catholic youth do understand the Church's position.

As many wanted to portray, Biblical God is not a jealous, murderous God. It was the understanding of the God by the humans that went on a transformation as we witness in Bible from Old Testament to New Testament. As Jesus himself made it clear he had come to perfect the law. The nature of God as a loving merciful father is been truly and perfectly revealed in Jesus and the New Testament Bible is a witness to it. There is no point in trying to understand the nature of God without reference to New Testament revelation about Jesus Christ, and every attempt to ignore it is an attempt to misguide masses by feeding half-baked truths.

Another allegation is that Catholic Church is the root cause of the whole AIDS epidemic in the world and especially in Africa. The best practice against AIDS, as everyone would agree, is committed married life as a lifelong union of both the man and woman involved in marriage. With any scientific procedure we can compare the successful rate of "committed married life" and the use of condoms against AIDS and see the conclusions (pretty well we all know what the result would be). And if Catholic Church wants to promote the best option for the Catholic youth and the youth of the world, the youth do understand and respect that stand.

World Youth Day is a wake up call, especially for the youngsters and young couples of Australia to decide in what direction they want to mould their personal life, family, society and their Church. It is a call to be inspired by Jesus and the great Catholics like Francis of Assisi - a true ecologist, Mother Theresa - a true humanitarian or the great Australian educator - Mary McKillop. It is also a call to be inspired by those thousands of cheering happy young faces around Sydney who find their meaning and peace in a loving God and his vibrant Church.

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Jaison Mulerikkal CMI is an Indian Carmelite priest, belonging to the Eastern Catholic rite of Syro-Malabar and a research student at Department of Computer Science, Australian National University. He lives in St Matthew's Parish presbytery, Page, ACT. He can be accessed at his website www.memyviews.com

WYD & Priest sex abuse in the Australain Church

2008-07-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Australian media has been running a vicious campaign against Catholic Church during WYD (world youth day). They dig up decades old 'priest's sex abuse' cases and trying to put Church on the back-foot. I honestly think that there's a ploy behind it... (and Church authorities have failed to foresee it too)

The Church is not unaware of the sex-scandal issues in the West. The Western church has to fight it's daemons. But what we are witnessing is systematic, biased and out-of-proportionate attempt by the Australian media (especially Fairfax media newspapers (online as well) and ABC television) to humiliate and demoralize the Church in the wake of all good things happening in Sydney. God save Australia!

Here is comment by me on one of their articles in Herald Sun online
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It seems that the media and a section of community (those who oppose Catholic Church for various other reasons) are using priest sex abuse cases as an instrument to destroy the morale of Catholic church in the wake of a great awakening in the society. We all sympathize with the victims and actions must be taken. But it has to be differentiated from what we are witnessing at Sydney at the moment. God bless Australia!

Posted by: Jaison 11:29am today (16th July 2008)
Comment 29 of 32

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/comments/0,22023,24028147-662,00.html

It's been published!

2008-07-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

The condom debate - continues

2008-07-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

to my previous post (letter to Herald Sun), Lara of Melbourne responded as follows:

HAHAHAHA...you're a "good" Catholic Jaison, of course you believe in "committed married life as a lifelong union of the man and woman involved in marriage", what we're saying is that many of your fellow Youth Day Catholics are not practicing what you are, thusly they require the extra protection afforded by common sense and CONDOMS. It's naive and stupid to think that everyone is going to behave as they should, because God knows they won't - human beings never do. Religion is outdated and science is beginning to prevail, the world is not the innocent place it used to be and sex before marriage and at disgustingly young ages is rife nowadays - Catholics have to get with the program and understand that in today's world, it's better to be SAFE than SORRY. Safe sex is not a joke, Jaison, it's probably saved a lot of people you know from unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

AND HERE IS MY RESPONSE

That's another great joke Lara of Melbourne! Almost every noble civilizations in the world does believe in that Lara - "committed married life as a lifelong union of the man and woman involved in marriage" - its not an invention of Catholic Church. That's why we call those civilizations as civilized. Please dont undermine at least your fellow-Australians. Then the word 'science'. I am not afraid of that. I myself is a research student of science. With any scientific procedure you compare the successful rate of "committed married life" and your condoms against AIDS and bring the conclusions (pretty well we all know what it would be). And if Catholic Church wants to promote the best option for the youth of the world, please respect that. And very sad to learn that you dont believe in the innocence of humanity anymore (and most probably the ideology you represent)! That would be a miserable life. I pity. My prayers

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/comments/0,22023,24003622-662,00.html

World Youth Day condom protest comic, says Catholic Church

2008-07-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

There's a World Youth Day condom protest! The Church reply was really funny!

This is my reply to that article in Herald Sun
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I agree with Bishop Fisher. It will be a comedy. I am going to WYD. But I don't really understand the logic of those people who plan to promote "health issues" (as they claim) during WYD. If they are serous about their cause, they should organize different programs or events for the same. Please dont do it at the expense of Pope! (That's the real joke!). And regarding the best practice against AIDS, I would say the best solution is committed married life as a lifelong union of both the man and woman involved in marriage. Without any doubt that would bring the best positive result against AIDS (or any other venereal diseases). The youth of the world (of course of Australia too) deserve the best. So let them distribute a replica "marriage ring" to the youth of the world (as a symbol) to give them best chances against AIDS. YesToPope!

INDIAaaaa!!

2008-07-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

It was a pleasant sight to see Kevin Rudd (Australian PM) moving around Manmohan Singh (Indian PM) to get attention at the G8 meeting, even though he pretends to distance himself from India at home (Australia). What a wonderful era that I am living in! (I am studying in Aus, at the moment). Aus will come to India's way (they would rather grab the opportunity) in selling Uranium in the very near future, I'm very sure!

There's a silver lining.. everywhere man!

2008-07-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Oil prices are sky-rocketing. Now here is a news! Iraq govt.(?) plans to open up their market for foreign oil corporations!

What a happy ending. I Think, the plan of Uncle Sam works well. The stage is perfectly set to explore (exploit) the Iraqi oil. Feeling the pinch of oil price hike NOBODY - no public, no NGOs will question the sale of Iraqi oil! The whole world has been beautifully tamed! Now, it's upto the Big corporations to get into the market and make profit! After all war is a bloody business.

And there's silver lining mate.. even in the oil price hike... The oil corportes can easily get a hold on to Iraqi oil.

I feel for the Iraqi people. They lost their cities and people, now they are going to loose their wealth as well for cheap. They say the Iraqi govt clinches the deal. Who are they.. the puppets of Uncle Sam..

What an achievement!

2008-07-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

The news from Daily Telegraph on July 02, 2008 12:00am goes like this:

THE average Australian woman has 13 different sex partners in her life, a major online survey has found.

What an achievement! As one of the readers commented, it is serial monogamy! Or may be deceptive polygamy! Or just way of life!

Global Mission of CMIs

2008-05-26T03:38:00.000-07:00

Today I have received a copy of the Report of the first session of XXXVI Ordinary General Synaxis of CMI Congregation (religious order, which I belong to).

To my great surprise, No. 10 of the report says:

In the light of the discussions and deliberations the Synaxis arrived at a consensus that there would be 4 major thrusts in our Congregation for the next 6 years.

Reorientation of our community as a spiritual movement
Global mission
To be with the marginalized always and everywhere
Affordable quality education for poor

It continues, Guided by the charism of founding fathers, this transformation will help us take new and bold initiatives in the areas of global mission.

I am really glad. This was the gist of my one-page working paper send to the General Synaxis (You read it as a post somewhere below.. My friend - Micheal's comment came as a reply to that post). With the collective will of synaxis fathers, it has been come out as a major thrust of the congregation for the next 6 years. Let CMIs surges into the world with a new mission of Christ. Jay Yesu!