Mumbai Terror 1: Enough! We had it!

One more terror attack!

While I write, Indian Elite commando units are engaging terrorists at Taj-Mahal Palace. Every Tourist i have seen visiting Mumbai, visits Gateway of India and Taj-Mahal Palace (If from outside or at least for a coffee) for sure. Its what Statue of Liberty is for New-York and what Eiffel Tower or Arc de triomphe is for Paris or India Gate is for New-Delhi. Even the ones with less on pocket wishes to sit in and sip a tea or coffee. Its the only heritage hotel of Mumbai and is a century old.

Terrorists have carried out the most daring, planned and coordinated attack on the very symbolic hotel Taj-Mahal Palace along with Trident-Oberoi and also indiscriminate firing at many places which are tourist hot spots.

Terrorists are getting more bolder and the body count has risen exponentially from previous one.
So what has changed ?

• We : Every time Mumbai is attacked, everyone speaks of resilience and the spirit of Mumbai that cannot be touched. This time, Mumbai has decided to speak out!
• Why should we be the sitting ducks, all the time ?
• Why should the Financial Hub of India be turned into a Punching Bag or Dart board for the terrorists ?
  
• How can we allow ATS chief, a sharp shooter, a dignified IPS officer, an elite commando major, a jawan, dozens of constables be killed ?
• Why should the Israeli kid be an Orphan on the day of his birthday ?
  
• Why should a boy doing Internship shuttling between Haryana and Mumbai die away from his parents? Why should his ambitions be killed ?
• Why should I hear the same old Pakistani conspiracy theory with no result ?
• Why should I wait for Centre to sanction forces from Delhi for an operation in Mumbai?
  
• Why should I have to hear Shivraj Patil speak out the same words that he has been iterating for many past terror attacks ?
• Why should I have to hear the PM give out a speech that was the most boring(i must say BORING and UN-INSPIRING !) speech I have heard over a decade? Our PM can't even inspire people who are shaken to the core ? Its a pity that the PM and opposition leader couldn't make it to Mumbai on a single plane. These are times when every gesture speaks out much more than it means!


• Mumbaikars are thinking and thinking hard, as to how we can prevent such attacks in future. Debates about leadership, crisis management are happening at all places on the island. Debates on how to get a effective leadership and better politicians has started. THE DAM HAS BURSTED ! Mumbaikars wont forgive the leaders for letting them down for the last time. Things will change for sure! One thing Barack Obama campaign has done is inspired Mumbaikars to go for change! and YES! We can change and will bring change!

Many are wishing for our neighbor's annihilation. But that wont still help us ?
The rot is also amongst us ? Our display of helplessness is taken as our resilience and stockiness. We must make our leaders understand that this must change. We will not swallow this time. We need and mean change. We need a change of attitude, the way our external and internal affairs is run, our members of parliament must face the public. They must be accounted for every penny they spend or siphon in most cases. They must be fired if their attendance is found to be poor and barred from contesting if their performance is meager. Corruption must become capital punishment!

The National Security must be unified and under a central control which reports its actions to a Union minister and takes suggestions but not orders. Stop using the intel for spying on rival parties. Establish NSG at every state such that they can fly to any required position in an hour. Otherwise, I will call it New-delhi Security Guards. All parties irrespective of region, religion, no matter if you are a Red or Saffron or Green or White; must blend together like our tricolor flag to bring Peace back!

Its getting late. Rest in next post.
Thought the post ends for today, the anger, resentment and fire remains !

Shobhaa De has acted as an catalyst for this and for many! Her interview on NDTV was path breaking and inspiring.Check her blog at http://shobhaade.blogspot.com/

and her NDTV interview at http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=QRTZ8-K0jiE.

Beetles and Wasps Photographs

My assumption that all Wasps are dangerous and have a sting was thankfully changed by this yellow wasp. The tail or sting sort of part is actually a egg laying tube which it uses to lay eggs on leaves or if it is a parasite, it will inject it on some other insect.

This Beetle looks beautiful in its green armory. Its an assassin bug or shield bug.

Month after Insect photoshoot and tagging

What a Month! I created Profiles and did Photoshoots for many.

Many of them were 6-legged, 8-legged and of classes and sub classes that spin my head! Many had antennae and sting like tube at the back for laying eggs.

Now, before you start imagining, let me clear the air!

I was chasing around Insects and capturing them onto my Sony DSC Cybershot W80 camera. Well many would ask me, "Got nothing else better to do, Eh ?" Well, it seems I am an Insect lover who likes to take their pictures without troubling them!

Macro mode of the digicam is my favorite as it lets me explore fine details of insect body structure from their photos.

Dragon Fly resting on my pencil.

This comical and cutest Insect is a Dragon Fly. The best part is they eat mosquitoes and hence generally live near water.

Their Body structure reminds me of Helicopter and I must say their wings are large and strong!

More insects in further posts.

Meanwhile check all of them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/prashantmaxsteel