Last week, when I read about Australian Medical Association’s stand on combat sports and their call for boxing to be banned from Olympics and Commonwealth games, I was not surprised. Given that entering a boxing ring poses greater risk (in terms of probability) of a head injury than riding a two-wheeler without helmet for a comparable […]
Bringing Political Parties Under RTI – a Flawed Approach
I have seen a lot of people criticize Government of India’s submission to the Supreme Court that political parties cannot be brought under the purview of Right to Information (RTI) act. I endorse the stance taken by the Government, and my reasons (which may be different from the Government’s, with slight overlap) are discussed here. […]
Government’s Ban on Porn – a Step in the Right Direction
There are reports of the Indian government instructing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to around 800 websites, most of which are said to offer a variety of pornographic content including extremely toxic and illegal shades. While there are many who consider this move to be an assault on personal liberty, I would like to […]
Transplanting for Growth
In gardening, it is common for saplings to be initially planted in controlled, ideal conditions and once they outgrow their initial station, they are transplanted into open locations which offer unlimited potential for growth. The process comes with its own set of risks, and not every plant or tree will survive this abrupt change; those that do, flourish. The choice […]
What it takes to be a Martial Artist
What does it take to be a martial artist? Perhaps there are many factors that work together to make one. To identify these, and their relative importance, we can begin by looking at what keeps many from being the martial artists that they want to be. I have met people who claim to be interested […]
Victims of Political Correctness
What are the similarities between British biochemist Sir Tim Hunt and American biologist James Watson? Both have made great contributions to their respective fields and both are victims of political correctness – both paid a heavy price for holding and expressing views in areas that are considered sacrosanct by society and in which a different […]
What Makes A Loser – a Nonsocietal Perspective
It was a long time ago (well, at least in the scale of time that I have lived through) that someone told me that I am a total loser. I was not happy at being told that, and retorted that there may have been times when I have found myself to be totally lost, but […]
Bargaining with Street Vendors – Exploitation or Prudence?
Today, a video was brought to my attention through WhatsApp and it wasn’t difficult to find the same on YouTube. It carries a message which at first seemed to be perfectly valid. The comments on this YouTube video also showed that many or most viewers agreed with it. However, if we think a little deeper, […]
On Sports, Patriotism, and National Heroes
I find it very interesting when sports stars who play in national teams are not just praised for playing and winning medals, but elevated to the status of unrivalled patriots and national heroes. If the so called Indian cricket team represents the country in the world cup (and say, brings home the cup), do they […]
Response to a Viral Video on Rape
I recently came across an extremely stupid video in which a lady who pretended to be funny was trying (in her own retarded way) to explain why “rape is a joke in India”. The only credit I would give her is that by the end of the video you’d understand clearly that it is people […]