Pictures often express more than words themselves.. Here are a few pictures of events that made this year so memorable.. Enjoy the pictures, for it will take you back to those nostalgic moments and make you re-live the year through them.. The last day of the year, what better day to think about the year that was.....
First team to win the World Cup at home..!
Man who led India's First War against Corruption
Hurricane Irene, which swept through West Virginia in the US..
The Egyptian Revolution at the Tahrir Square
Fall of the Last Arab dictator
Keenan Santos & Reuben Fernandes, the two brave hearts who lost their lives fighting against eve teasing.
The Face of Terror, finally saw his end..
The Final Frontier Tour of the Legendary Metallica
3 faces, hardly anyone will forget... The Harry Potter movies finally ended with the final movie this year..
the fatal Nuclear Reactor Leakage at Fukushima-japan
The song that went Viral all around the World
2011, was no exception for Terror's favorite Destination... 3 bombs that rocked South Mumbai this year..
Dr.Conrad Murray, MJ's doctor sentenced for 4 years in prison for MJ's Death
The continued Stock market crashes and falling of the ruppee..
Sharad Pawar, slapped hard by a common man..
The news that got the entire world to tears.. Legendary Steve Jobs Passed away..!
Wow! What a year it has been...! Time really flies... doesn't it?! I mean I still clearly remember what I did last new year's eve and within a blink of an eye, a whole year has passed...! I mean gimme a break, man! Are times really going so fast or am I the only one feeling this way? As we'are just a day away from welcoming a new year, let's just take a pause and rewind to the year that was....I mean it sure was eventful... I'm going to list down a few highlights of the year, which have affected the lives of millions across the globe....
First and foremost, is the death of Osama Bin Laden.. The famed and much celebrated leader of the Al-Qaida was finally hunted down by American troops... His death restored peace and justice to people all over the world, yes it is cruel to celebrate someone's death, but at the end of the day, What goes around, Comes back around, right!?
2011 was a special year for some of the African countries like Egypt, Libya, etc who saw the end of decades of dictatorship... It saw the fall of many powerful leaders and rise of the 'Common Man'. This year has been a landmark year for, it saw the independence and evolution of people, from being ruled to become the rulers of democracy!
This year saw one of the biggest anti-corruption movements of the world, witnessed in India, led by a Gandhian called Anna Hazare... The world is left awestruck when the largest democracy in the world carries dour such a big movement against its politicians and it's political system..! It was indeed a year to be ear-marked as the year, when the first war against corruption was fought...!
In the sporting world, one of the big things was Formula One racing making its pit stop in India... The innaugral Indian GP at the world class Buddh International Circuit, was a massive success and it showed the world, that India is ready for the big stage...! Truly, it was an emotional or rather proud moment for all Indians around the world...
India was on the place to be this year, with international Music greats having gigs around the country... The Legendary rock band Metallica, paid a final frontier visit to India, and drove the country mad with their ever green hits... Apart from Metallica, Prodigy, Karnivool, Lady gaga, Pitbull and many other international stars made the country dance to their tunes in 2011..!
An obvious highlight that most of us would have noticed is the death of many celebrated people around the world... 2011 claimed the lives of one too many.. I dont know, but it was something very mysterious, that legends were falling one after another... It was a year that saw immortals like Joe Frazier, Steve Jobs, Jagjit Singh, Amy Winehouse, Shammi Kapoor , Elizabeth Taylor, Dev Anand and many more, bound to the chains of mortality...
On the contrary, 2011 also saw many celebrities becoming proud parents, the most anticipated and talked about baby being 'Beti B'.. I wish all the lucky parents congratulations and hope their babies grow hail and hearty and someday make them proud..! It almost seemed as if the legends gave way to see the birth of these lovely little ones..!
On a personal front, the year was quite disapponiting for me.. It has been a year of heart breaks... Firstly, I couldnt accomplish my goal, I had worked so hard for.. I had given my all into something so important for me academically and professionally, but in the end i was left wanting for a little more.. Some call it fate, some call it Karma, I say, maybe a little more efforts from my side...! And secondly, a beautiful 2-year relation with a special girl came to an abrupt end, leaving me with scars that are still healing... Heart aches which are still paining and Memories which refuse to fade...
Well, what this year has taught is that, anything can happen anytime... you never know what is gonna happen tomorrow.. One fine day everything seems all right, and then all hell breaks loose within a matter of days.. that has been the story of 2011.. So don't postpone anything for tomorrow, you have to do it, the time is now... Life is not about the number of breaths you take, it is about the moments that take your breathe away.... So let yourself go.. life, death, happiness, sadness, worries sorrows, joy, grief, defeat are all part of life.... Life is not fair, but still it is beautiful..
I wish everyone a Happy New Year, hope this new year brings in new joy and happiness to your lives.. Learn from the past, and make the present a happy jouney.... After all, one life, why give others a chance to rule it....!!
Anna Hazare-The young man who rocked the nation earlier this year, demanding a Jan Lokpal Bill, in a bid to clean the 'gutter' at the highest level is back again.. 74 year old Anna, had gone on an indefinite fast, to demand a Lokpal bill, which brings all government officials including the prime minister under one umbrella, and which would enable any civilian to question the actions of the officials at the highest authority in the government.. Lokpal Bill, is an optimistic first step to end corruption in the country!
The inefficient Government panicked at Anna's 'satyagraha' which became viral throughout the nation and which was gaining increased international media coverage.. Even as the nation united in demand of a transparent system, all the government cared was to somehow suppress the issue and stop Anna. Hence, to end Anna's protest, the government made false promises to pass a strong Lokpal in the next session of the parliament..
Well, Little did the lousy government know that, Anna isn't going anywhere.. Anna's mantra seems to be 'Stop me if you can!' Anna hazare is back at doing what he is best at.. making the government run for their lives.. The Lokpal Bill should have been passed till now, and obviously, it hasn't been yet..! (when have we ever kept our promises)
Anna Hazare who stoked public anger at India's scandal-prone leaders earlier this year, threatened to renew protests on what he sees at watering down of the Lokpal bill, a move that could blight the government's New year election drive..! The Gandhian said that he will gather greater support to picket the homes of party leaders like Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and he aims to get arrested to highlight demands for a powerful, graft-fighting ombudsman, the Lokpal..
The government is losing its respect and credibility in the eyes of its people.. A strong Lokpal should be tabled as soon as possible.. Most of us today have not seen Gandhiji, but i guess, Anna Hazare is our Gandhiji of today.. His non-violent antics has rocked the government, and he is fast becoming a nation's chant..
Connectivity! that is the first word that comes to my mind when i think about internet. Internet is a global system, which interconnects and unites the world to make it into one global village.. I guess, our Indian politicians have to be reminded about the use of internet and how actually it works... A Right to use the internet is as important a right to an individual as anything else.. The importance of uncensored internet is recognized by the UN and has duly recognized it as a basic Human right..
Recently, a senior minister in the government( name withheld to protect identity) had made a public statement to restrict internet usage and to screen the content posted by public in social networking sites like facebook and twitter. He went on to say that, most of the content published by the people, causes unwanted rumor and panic among the people, and hence, the content should be edited or screened.. I mean, what level rubbish is this?? Does the freedom of expression have no meaning to him?? Is he talking about, imposing government control over the media?? or, is he hiding some big skeletons in his closet?? kyu minister saab, Why fear about a rumor when you have nothing to hide?!!
Socializing on facebook and twitter, helps you keep in touch with your friends, be updated in the happenings of your loved ones and the world at large... For a lot of people, these popular sites are newspapers with a variety of news and updates... Cmon, you cant even think of censoring such stuff... I mean most of the content is a highly personal opinion of the individual.. People arn't stupid to follow any stupid status update or a tweet, so i don't think there should be even a discussion of screening the content, for if it has some concrete stuff, it is sure to go viral, i don't think a million people can be tricked by any false alarm or intended panic as our minister here thinks.. C'mon sir, what do you think the audience is..?!
Our minister's statement may just manage to qualify to be the most nonsensical statement by a statesman in the modern era.. Where the intent is right in the minister's thought, the idea is stupid, i mean, you are removing the idea of a freedom of thought, freedom to speak and express what you feel like, and freedom is everyone's birthright, yea, following one's expression is a choice, but you can't disallow anyone from expressing their thoughts... Right to Internet and Socialize in a basic Human right, and everyone is entitled to it..
Billions of people have died, Billions, are struggling with it, Billions fighting it, and Billions born with it...
Today, the 1st of December each year, the world remembers them all...
Today, We mourn for those fighters who died after fighting a stiff battle,
Today, We pity those, foolish people, who threw away their lives to chase the two minutes of erotic pleasure,
Today, We feel sorry for those, who were victims of used needles,
Today, We cry for the cursed few, who were born to a life, awaiting death..
Today, we look back, and think,
What if, Condom was not perceived to a socially undesirable word
What if, people were faithful to their partners,
What if, we had good medical aid for everyone,
What if, poverty never existed
What if, everyone is alert and aware
What if, people for once act like 'Human Beings' with a Heart
Probably, then, AIDS would not have been the Worst catastrophe of the Medical world..
Among those suffering from AIDS, a large number of them are women, who go on to pass it to their babies during delivery due to lack of awareness... And thus the chain is in a never ending loop, where a husband or a partner gives to the wife, who eventually passes it to their babies, hence, this virus is unstoppable if people aren't educated to take the necessary precautions...
One really wonders, as to why the hell aren't people aware of this virus, when there is extensive measures taken for its awareness and education? the answer to this may be, because, of lack of interest or fear of knowing.... about this medical condition and the dramatic effect it may have on their present lives... Yet, isolated voices have much to ask, but often these loud-less cries of help gets lost in the noise of the surrounding...
Our society is a coward lot... and it is by our very nature of the way we are brought up, makes us scared and weary of small things, and adding to this, the dreadful tag to the HIV virus, our society, more often than not, isolates people suffering from this virus.. They don't understand that it is not by choice, but my fate that are suffering this.. A normal person can be with the HIV infected person, work with them, hug them, kiss them, eat/ drink with them WITHOUT getting infected yourself.. HIV is transferred only through the medium of blood.. So, guys, don't hate, but Appreciate... Fight the Virus, Not the People with the Virus...
Homelessness, Increased violence, Unemployment, Poverty, Lack of good Medical treatment for all, are the OUR problems, and together WE can make a difference.....in the lives of numerous fathers, mothers, babies, friends, brothers, sisters, Together, We can Fight this! Together we can Win this, Together we can live! Today it is them, Tomorrow it can be you, or me! Spread awareness, educate, evolve, sooner or later, we will be telling tales to our grandchildren about how we fought a war, to have a safe world for them.. Wake up! An uncountable number of people have died, people are dying even as you are reading this,
check out this documentary on AIDS Awareness, which tells you the stories of the forbidden ones, maybe then you will understand the real picture....
