Middle East And OIL

Seen from a Middle Eastern perspective, the present global oil situation can be summarised within five major and inescapable trends:

1- The world's super giant and giant oil fields are dying off

2-There are no more major frontier regions left to explore besides the earth's poles

3- Production of non-conventional crude oil has been initiated at great costs - in Venezuela's Orinoco belt, Canada's Athabasca tar sands and ultra-deep waters

4- Even OPEC's oil production has its limits

5- No major primary energy rival can possibly take over from oil and gas in the medium term.

Adding up these five trends, one can envision a global oil crunch at the horizon most probably within the present decade. Unfortunately, however, the general public will not heed such a rational vision. And, even if it did, it would be loath to respond to the implied threat. In its defence, it should be said that many actors are constantly and consistently reassuring it: the press (even parts of the specialised press), most politicians, some international institutions, a couple of major oil companies and naturally OPEC. But this can only last until petrol stations post 'empty', natural gas supplies are suddenly shunted and, eventually, the lights go off.

Giving it more thought would probably burn more neurons than I can handle so I leave it the Princes and Politicians of the free world.

Foreign Policy

The new world order is changing and that too in every sphere of thought.But what is intriguing is the socio-political scenario,the sole factor why I am writing this article.To tell you the truth I am actually addressing the issue quite late.

America is stagnant with its pro radical views,Europe is making progress but that too cautiously,Asia is moving with great speed and Middle east is making commercial friends.Truly the world is changing.In addressing the issue from India's viewpoint I must confess that I may not be accurate in my writings but am surely well versed with our international standing.

India stands at crossroads today,as usual,either we go along with our commercial interests or we seek our political destiny.Either way half the world will stand against us.i think our safest bet would be too align ourselves with China and the Middle east.One grants us economic stability and the other financial.The Middle east needs someone in Asia and we need someone in middle east,best bet being Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.Saudi Arabia being a dominant controller will be difficult to win over but is entirely worth the effort.

India has various options in hand now but the question remains what shall it choose and how will it affect us in the long term?I don't give any answers but rather seek them.

Violence,Anger,Hate

Counteract Violence with Knowledge...educated yourself about the situation at hand and seek out peaceful, collaborative and empowering alternatives. Violence spawns from an attempt to recover what one believes was pilfered. Whether this was money, land, dignity, etc—violence is only a temporary fix to secure these lost assets and rational, intelligent avenues to make the self whole yield the most sustainable results.

Counteract Anger with Understanding...pause, listen and truly hear the angry voice. Anger is frustration and becomes louder because no one will listen. Often anger can be diffused significantly when given a passive audience. You do not have to agree with the position to support the human behind it.

Counteract Hate with Love...hate is toxic. And perhaps my answer is cliché, but in my personal experience...it is the only way. Every individual is human (with good parts and not so good parts) applying this ideology inhibits the reciprocation of this hate. Hating the hate gives it an excuse to hate more, but by loving the hate...the diseased cycle is starved.

Some Social awareness

The political system in India is slowly evolving to a vast exodus of bureaucratic power and ministry hounds.The Nehru-Gandhian philosophy has faded away and any speck left is surely gonna be gone by end of this decade.Not that I am spending sleepless nights over this but it is a disturbing piece of news.We talk of emergence of a new nation,of rising economies and (ha ha) of global standards while the majority of India is still lurking in dark shadows.The only bit of india that is actually rising is the intellectual elite--the real driving force behind an emerging nation.True the percentage is a small one and the situation is bleak yet the change is evident,Infrastructure in india is on a high,global brands have entered the indian market and lets not forget that in India,crore is the new lakh.

But sadly what about those states where famine and floods are still at large and farmer suicides are rampant.What is the government doing about that?Are government officials during the time of their induction told that "Make hay while the sun shines"?Guys fill up your tijoris but do spare a thought for the impoverished.The country's economic condition cannot stabilise unless we remove the disparity that is spreading between the classes and the masses.The situation will only worsen if money and power remain in the hands of select few.

The country should remember Gandhi's words-'True India lies in villages".It is essential we follow his principles or else we will be just a shiny metallic but a hollow ball.

God and I

The gods have a gala time ruling me.They tinker with my emotions,my passions and my destiny.They make me worship them,throwing my existence into the meaningless warp of dark voids,forcing my cocky self to finally bow.

The blue gods are my favourite - one surrounded by gopis and the other symbol of truth.Both command a flurrying sheet of dark clouds over our heads.Imaginative no doubt,their command is charismatic yet humble.Few can achieve this exalted status and even fewer can inspire faith which is so assuring in its own self,like a phoenix's song.

The God of War and Weather fails miserably here.But he too is no less.His description,I must confess did capture my imagination.

"In Indra are set fast all forms of golden hue."

At the swift draught the Soma-drinker waxed in might, the Iron One with yellow beard and yellow hair."

"Fair cheeks hath Indra, Maghavan, the Victor, Lord of a great host, Stormer, strong in action.

"May the strong Heaven make thee the Strong wax stronger: Strong, for thou art borne by thy two strong Bay Horses. So, fair of cheek, with mighty chariot, mighty, uphold us, strong-willed, thunderarmed, in battle."

He no doubt cuts an impressive figure yet he falters

“...the image of the Lord had been replaced by a mirror.”
The irony is that he indeed is a lord in his own way,yet even they are denied vanity.
Where dost I stand?

Internal conflict

Cursin screaming I wake up.
The demon bleeding my soul to come out.
It won't stop.
It won't fall and I will be annihilated.
Should I stop this struggle?
Will the void ever fill?
Stumbling on unknown paths,I question the divine master.
Time is less for he lurks inside me.
Will I fail or will he win?
Thorns manifest my plant for the bud is dead.

Now the time is right for drawing out my sword.
His blood will be my penance,

The battle has been won
He stands victorious
I lay slain
His eyes pity me
His gaze is cold,
He beckons me to life,his reward is my soul

I give in,
Now we are together
infused like scales on a snake
The venom has spread to my veins
Day is over
The sun has been banished
The night shall rule

Rotting away

Life seems to be rotting away and I can't do shit about it.The only way out of this nonchalant lifestyle seems to short stories and timbaland remixes but they too seem to be running out.So I have decided to start developing mah taste for trance muzic.I am goin freakin crazy so might as well take down some numbskulls with me.That means you

GREAT MOVIE

A New York club owner has his club raided by cops one night, the catch is that one of the cops doing the raiding is his own brother. After his brother his sent to the hospital, he takes matters into his own hands to try and catch the ones who did it. His life then is turned upside down, as he must look over his shoulder at every turn, or turn the tables on those after him.

I wasn't all that interested in "We Own The Night". Granted it had a good cast, a competent director and a decent story line, the trailers just never grabbed me. Nevertheless I gave it a try and it is exactly what I thought it would be, a decent film with great acting and good directing. "We Own The Night" is no "Departed", which is what many people will compare this to, as it came out the year prior and bare similar plot scenarios. "We Own The Night" is a decent film that can stand on it's own, but it's lackluster ending and stages where it drags on a bit stop it from being a film that might be remembered years from now.

Bobby is a night club owner and his brother, Joesph is the cop that raids his place. Joesph is after one man and one man only, Vadim. Vadim decides to send this cop a message and has him killed, but Joesph survives the attack. Bobby decides to take matters into his own hands, go undercover and stop Vadim from his drug running. Things don't go as smooth as planned and then we have a big shoot out in the drug building. This scene, along with a unique car chase scene later on, stand out as highlights in a film that is mostly talk. The car chase is unique in it's own right because most of it is done within the car, only briefly going outside to show the viewer where they are headed. It's pouring rain and the one sound that you cannot help but hear it the windshield wipers going back and forth, trying to give us a clear view of what's going on, but it's never clear enough for long.

Bobby is the main character, played by Phoenix with Wahlberg playing the brother, in a more supporting role. Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall round out the rest of the cast, both hold up well with what they have. Surprisingly Mendes, who has a real performance here. She genuinely loves Bobby and doesn't want to see him get hurt. Duvall, the father, always liked the one son more then the other, mostly because the son was following in his footsteps. With the small screen time both characters have, they manage to change drastically. Both in the opposite direction, one grows closer, while the other further apart. Wahlberg does well with his role, he doesn't have any material to work with, other then to be angry here and kind there. This film belongs to Phoenix.

A powerful performance is in the film and Phoenix delivers on every level. Bobby is a complex individual, we never truly know what he is thinking or believes. He is rolling with the bad guys and tells his family to screw off, yet will run to their aid when needed. Phoenix delivers this performance, mainly through his eyes. In one particular scene he is told about his brothers attempted murder and the man telling him is the man who did it. Phoenix plays both sides of the spectrum perfectly well, hiding his true emotions to the other character, yet showing everything to the viewer.

Gray uses light and sound to his advantage here. When one character dies, the main thing we hear is silence, with the exception of the rain hitting the floor. Gray also likes to use hallways, for instance, when Bobby is about to enter the drug operations room. He travels down a dark a brooding hallway, into the darkness he goes, into the danger that lies ahead. The film is never too bright, or too dark, it has mid grays and blues throughout. It's set back in the 70's and this feeling achieved right from the opening pictures.

The final climatic showdown is what brings this film down a notch. A good premise with bad execution is what happened. Two characters are traveling through a marsh field, one is after the other, the suspense is building...then we all of a sudden stop and set the marsh on fire. We are waiting for this one guy to come out and give up, all suspense is gone, but then Bobby decides to go back in, so we are suppose to go back in with him. They've already brought us in and taken us out, now they want us to go back on this journey with them. The second time we enter, the suspense has settled and the scene doesn't last long enough to try and rebuild it. It's over before it begins. Some plot holes also hurt "We Own The Night", like how some people know they are brothers, yet others have no clue. It would seem like someone would have known something beforehand.

All in all "We Own The Night" is a good film, I can recommend it to you. It has great performances, especially from Phoenix and good directing. IF the story was a little tighter and the final ten minutes more suspenseful, "We Own The Night" would be one everyone's top ten list, instead it might have to sit at the next number out. Which is a shame, cause this film is worthy of praise.

SEEKER

Her eyes search for what will not be hers
She see everything and yet she sees nothing
Her gaze lingers on

Beyond the grave
she searches
Beckoning the mist of darkness
Each tear drops like a pearl
shining...........questioning

She shall not speak;yet say all
Waiting in hope
Vainly

Sunlight penetrates darkness
Emerges a new era
of hope
of pain
of wait
......................
But she shall have it all
Nevertheless
The tear drops

Dark Sentiments

I stand unchallenged
victorious yet finished,
Is this my final victory?

My heart beats
I feel nothing
The wind passes through my locks;
like a shell floating on a dead sea

The air is heavy
my life in ruins
the cause finished

Thou shall not fall
till breath sways
Tears end
Grief endless

Should I fall
remember.....................

Victory is shortlived
Life uncertain
Man falls
but rises ahead
How?

His hearts thumps
relentless
Mind in a frenzy
Palms taut
Sweat on brow

I lie unchallenged