Unwarranted Detention and Unanswered Questions

Unwarranted Detention and Unanswered Questions

Dr. Muhammed Haneef is finally back home from a harrowing experience in Australia. The last four weeks have changed his life forever. From an ordinary immigrant to a terror suspect to solitary confinement to sudden release, Dr. Haneef has gone through a lot and it is commendable that he was able to keep his head above the water.

It now transpires the knee jerk reaction from Australian Government was based on inaccurate and incomplete data. It took a while for the Australian Government to sort out the matter but it nevertheless did after much pressure from media across the globe.

Even though this episode seems to have come to an end with Dr.Haneef's return, there are still few unanswered questions..

Australian Government: When Dr.Haneef was only conditionally released why was he allowed to leave the country? His conditional release had a requirement that he call the police every day and physically present himself once a week. Did his case become too much of a hot potato to handle?

Australian Immigration Minister: What additional do you posses now that you didn't earlier that caused you to revoke Doctor's work visa. If you have revoked it, how can the Australian justice system release only conditionally. Why was he not deported?

Dr. Mohammed Haneef: Why did you hurriedly leave Australia for India in a one way ticket? When was the ticket purchased? Is it true that Dr. Sabeel's mother called you informed you or the search and recovery of stuff that might belong to you from his son's residence in UK?

India: Why is this double standard in reaction between Dr. Haneef and Prof. Geelani's case? When such a hue cry is made over Dr. Haneef's detention in Australia, why was such a deafening silence about the arrest and conviction of Prof. Geelani (in relation to 2001 Parliament attack ?). In both cases the apparent 'crime' seems to be related with telephone (SIM card Vs telephonic conversation).

Karnataka Chief Minister: Why do you think your state is in all clear with Dr. Haneef's return when Dr. Sabeel who committed the ghastly act in UK is also your State?

India cannot pretend anymore that some of its citizens doesn't belong to Global Jehadi outfits. It is high time, we examined the flaws in the secular system and took actions to fix it.

Travelog # 44 - Rocky Mountain National Park

Just came back Rocky Mountain National Park. It took me more than the 5 hours I had allocated for it.. and I am now toast.. and I still have to pack and get ready to leave tomorrow..

So here is a sneak peak.. more to come soon..

Travelog # 43 - Boulder Memories

I am in Boulder, CO now after a long and usual flight from Chennai. Immigration was a breeze but the baggage collection wasn't. Even after the long wait to collect my bag, I wasn't done. Customs Officer asked to get my baggage screened as I had checked as having bringing 'food' in the customs form. This happens every time and consumes 15 - 30 minute every time. I keep asking myself why bring junk food from India and get stuck at the customs screening. I think its the urge for 'masala' that keeps me do it every time overriding the logical thing of avoiding the snacks.

The drive from Denver to Boulder was beautiful and enjoyable. The vast expanse of mid western USA unfolds in front of you as you speed through the immaculately maintained freeway. The only irking factor was the need to pay toll repeatedly. I had to stop three times to pay USD 2 at each toll stop.


This hotel is kind of deja vu for me. I am coming back to this city on business exactly after 10 years and in a strange coincidence staying at the same Hotel I stayed the first time. But this is where the similarity ends. Last time, I drove from Columbus, OH with my entire family and my visiting parents in a full van stuffed to the hilt. This time, I am alone and from Chennai.

The intervening 10 years, had brought lot of changes in my life that I never even imagined, but then that's the beauty of life. At that time, we were soaking up on American dream and never for once thought of R2I or the possibility of being responsible for 'old age kids'. Ten years later, we are in Chennai now and feel responsible for my paralyzed father and my sick mother. Wonder , what's in store the next decade. God willing, I hope to be still running & writing blogs in 2017.

Spirit of the Marathon

I found this clip inspirational and eagerly waiting for the full motion picture this fall..

Spirit of the Marathon is the first ever feature-length film to capture the essence, drama and unique spectacle of the marathon. Featuring five runners - three amateurs and two elites - as they train for and ultimately run the Chicago Marathon, the tremendous challenge of the 26.2 mile race is brought to life by many of the most remarkable athletes in the history of sport.

More than a sports movie, it is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a glimpse into the world of ultimate human potential first exemplified more than 2500 years ago in a place mythically known as the land of the gods.

via: Andy.. Thanks a bunch..

Tough Act to Follow

In about a week's time, India will have its first woman President and Mrs. Prathiba Patil woiuld have been sworned in. She will have a tough act to follow the footsteps of President Kalam. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam will leave for Chennai with just suit cases from Delhi, but would have a left a very large void at Raisina Hill. He is by far the best and most apolitical figure to occupy the highest seat of India.

Some people dismiss Dr. Kalam's popularity as just a middle class phenomenon and isn't there where it matters most. The political view is that, middle class don't vote and hence the popularity amongst them don't count.

By ignoring Dr. Kalam 's popularity, the politicians are ignoring some fundamental shift that happened during his presidency. Dr. Kalam fundamentally changed they way people look at a Presidency from a mere ceremonial post to action and responsibility oriented post. From flying Sukois to submarine expedition to visiting Siachen he identified well with the common man. Dr. Kalam also effectively used his bully pulpit to interact with hundreds and thousands of students all over. I have seen him once amongst the young crowd and was amazed at the way in which he literally floored the crowd.

This is the kind of act that people have come to expect of their President and Mrs. Patil will be expected to perform. The little we have seen and heard of her doesn't give the confidence that she will be a peoples' President, but then who knows, she might surprise us all. Let's wait for that surprise.. Welcome Madam President.. looking forward to your great act.

R2I # 16 - US Citizenship / OCI

Question as comment in my earlier post..

I am planning to r2i next year. I will be eligible for US citizenship this year. Some of my questions are:

1. Is it worth going for US citizenship & OCI ? Or is it better to just give everything up and come as normal Indian citizen? The consultant answer is it depends.. Having said that, I will also say, it is a very personal decision. I know there are emotions involved in relinquishing citizenship and acquiring another. I have known folks have hung on to Indian citizenship for this very reason. If you keep that aside, US citizenship & OCI gives you options but comes with little bit more paperwork from a immigration, tax perspective.
2. There are lots of info available for OCIs living outside India. Does the same apply to OCI residing in India?In other words is there any advantage to an OCI residing in India? I'm particularly concerned about financial issues.
   
1. If you are an US citizen/OCI residing in India, can you maintain normal bank accounts or does it have to NRE,NRO? You could have regular accounts like other Indian citizens with your OCI. However, you can't trade have a stock trading account as a US citizen.
2. Currently NRIs cannot invest in post office bonds etc and it applies to OCIs too. If thats the case does one lose? Not sure, the only exception I have heard is around stock trading accounts.
3. Out on tax front if one is an OCI?( as he/she cannot invest in things like NSC etc to reduce tax burden) When you bring back your savings from US back to India what account can you have it in? Well, if I read you correctly, you are talking about the ability to avail tax shelters.. pl. refer to the answer above. The only restriction that I know is around opening stock trading accounts by US citizens.
4. Are you treated like a resident of India for income tax purposes if you are US citizen/OCI? I go through a tax consultant (Chartered Accountant) and he takes care of the tax filing in India. As a US citizen you will do US taxes and as a resident of India, you will have to file India tax returns as well.

Hope I have answered your question/s. Any other questions.. pl. shoot a mail or comment..

R2I # 15 - Is it worth bringing stuff back to India?

Here is question I got in my mail box for my earlier R2I post

Based on your experience, is it worth bringing any thing back to India. Last time I was home, I realized that everything that you want is available in India. The cell phones are far better in India than here. Of course there is a lot of things you need to know when you buy the service in India.

Yes, it is true that almost all household articles are freely available in India and one might choose to go for new stuff when settling back. But this approach will pinch the pocket heavily particularly when the R2I itself is an expensive proposition in terms of all other expenses. Also, from a familiarity perspective, I would suggest bring the stuff that is important to the family. It also makes economic sense as there is little or no customs duty for the most of the used household articles.

But while packing, pl. take in to consideration the fact that you might end up moving in to a substantially smaller quarter than the existing home in US. But then one might use this opportunity to donate some stuff to charity in India or in US.

Singapore Marathon - Registration Open

Singapore Marathon 2007 early bird registration is now open. If you register by Aug 12, 2007, the entry fee for the full marathon is SGD 55 only as against SGD 75 or even 85 after that. So, ChennaiRunners Pl. register early and save. I am hoping there would be about 10 ChennaiRunners participating in the event..

30x30 - a Great ECR Run

30x30
Let me start with a confession.. It was neither 30 kms nor 30 runners.. We were about 27 folks and ran close 28 kms. But, it was undoubtedly one of the best runs ChennariRunners have run.

Though we started a little late, the weather god was kind to us enabling most of us complete the course, run, walk or crawl. Besides weather, two things really helped us - enthusiastic bunch of volunteers and sumptuous breakfast at the finish line.

Thanks to a whole bunch of people who made it possible, without the camaraderie and the exemplary team spirit shown by this crowd, this run wouldn't have been such a success. From water to reflective stickers to volunteers to first aid it was great show of team spirit. Kudos to the entire team that made all this possible.




Vidyuth, our resident coach taking us through some simple stretches before the run. After parking our vehicles at Shahid's place, we assembled just south of toll booth for this exercise and that was also our starting point as well.


A group photo before we started. See the reflective stickers on the runners? It was a thoughtful idea by Ramesh Ponnuswami, a fellow runner. It was just INR 5 per person and was a great little safety widget given that we were starting when the Sun was yet to show up on Chennai shores.


Shumit crossing the Muttukadu bridge. I was simply following Shumit for a long time.


Gadge, Shahid, Shumit & Sivaram inching to Coral Surf restaurant - which was also our finish line.


Sivram, Vidyuth & Shumit relaxing after the run. The restaurant guys gave us ice, cold water (and not beer), towels.. this greatly helped sooth aching muscles.


Kiruba, Suprathik, Rajesh & Sundar - This gang of four was last the last bunch to arrive but were a determined lot. They didn't yield to the temptation of share autos and reached the finish line all the way by foot... Great showing guys..


A group snap at the finish line after a good breakfast at Coral Surf Restaurant.


ChennaiRunners returning back to the City. Thanks to Shahid for making his van available for this trek back to the city. In fact the van reached the finish line much ahead of all of us.


KK - whose leadership made this run a reality. From volunteers to first aid kit to finish line to breakfast to coordination.. KK took time from his busy startup to do it all. Thanks KK for your leadership.. much appreciated.

More pictures in flickr

Update #1
Route map through Garmin

KK on ECR Run

Travelog # 42 - Manhattan & Times Square

As you know, there are lot of things to do and see in NYC and one must see place is Manhattan. It is the happening place in the city. The energy levels on the streets of Manhattan is quite high and reminded me of Mumbai in more ways than one. But, I found NYC far better organized than Mumbai. Manhattan is basically divided in to near grids of avenues and streets. While the Avenues run north souths, streets run east west with Sixth Avenue forming the dividing line between east west streets. While it looked daunting initially, once I got the hang of the grid, navigating NYC became very easy.


Cycle Rickshaws for hire in Manhattan. They are regulated and park only at designated spots.


Long line only for this street vendor selling middle eastern food. There are several street vendors selling food in Manhattan but I found only this vendor attracting large crowds all the time.



Times Square.. one of the must see places in Manhattan.. always busy..


Two dollars snap a picture with is 'statue of liberty' at Times Square.


Defense forces recruitment @ Times Square.


Broadway.. near Times Square


Interesting art work in Sixth Avenue near Central park

More pictures in flickr

Simple Leg Stretches

Simple leg stretches

It is important to stretch and warm up before a long run. This will aide in preventing injuries and help run better. I found this in youtube and found it useful.. hope you find it useful too..

ECR Run - 30x30

We, Chennai Runners are having an important run tomorrow. This is our second ECR run, the first was in March 07. This time, we are expecting more participation, around 30+ hence the title 30x30.

Here is some detail about the run.. Pl. ping me @ ram@viswanathan.in if you would like to participate..

Pick up points: We will have two pick up points from the city.
1) From Khader Nawas Khan Road - Shahid can take up 4 more runners in his car. For details, please contact Shahid @ skandrikar@gmail.com. (starting time 3:45 AM)
2) From Dimensions - Ram, Hari, Ashwini & Murugan put together can ferry up to 10 more runners to the starting point. If you need a ride from here, pl. contact Hari @ harican@gmail.com (starting time 3:45 AM)

For those who may come directly to the meeting point..
Meeting Point: Immediately after the ECR toll booth
Meeting Time : 4:15 AM (We realize, it is early but we must meet on time to ensure we get a head start against the onslaught of sun and the unrelenting traffic).

Starting point: Shahid's farm house which is close by ECR toll booth. (we will move from our meeting point by 4:15 & park our vehicles at Shahid's place.)
Starting Time: 4:45 AM (This will give time for runners to do some stretch and get ready)

Route: South on ECR all the way (KK Can you do your magic add map here?)


Finish Line: Coral Surf Restaurant ( This restaurant is right at the entrance of Mahabs, just across from GRT Temple Bay. This place has a Jesus statue at the entrance and should be easy to spot. We have arranged for South Indian Vegetarian buffet consisting of Pongal / Vada & Idly costing INR 100 per person, which will served starting @ 8:15 AM).

Water Points: Couple of KK's friends have volunteered to help us on this front. They would be cruising in their cars and would be carrying some water / energy drinks / snacks and first aid. They would be carrying their mobiles and can be reached via phone as well. (phone # to be updated soon)

Safety First: Please note that we do not have any safety net in terms of ambulance & insurance etc.. All of us running at our own volition and it is important to adhere to safety norms at all occasions.

1. Always run on 'right side of the Road' facing the traffic. In doubt, slow down, let the traffic pass.
2. Runners on Chennai roads is relatively a new phenomenon and Chennai drivers haven't gotten used to that yet.
3. Do NOT run if you are not medically fit. Stop running at anytime you feel uncomfortable.

Entry Fee: INR 100. This voluntary to defray the cost of water, snack, first aid and fuel cost of the mobile water points. If you are willing, pl. give entry fee to KK.

Recognizing Stroke

Here is a forward I recently got on recognizing stroke. I wish had learnt about this a while ago, that would have helped in recognizing the symptoms my father when he was in US with us. At that time, even though we understood them to be some medical condition, we didn't quite take it seriously partly because my parents didn't have health insurance.

On return, my father had a massive stroke and due to lack of prompt medical care, he has been paralyzed for close to 4 years now. With that still fresh in my mind, this email forward struck a chord. I believe this will help many others as well hence this post..

RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STRoke. Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Here is how a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE .
T *Ask the person to TALK , to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently: It is sunny out today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

{NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue... if the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke}

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, then immediate medical attention is a MUST.

Travelog # 41 - Jog in the Park

Last Sunday, I had the pleasure doing my weekly run in the Central Park. I had been to Central Park many times, but this is the first time I got the opportunity to run and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Central Park is over 840 acres right in the middle of the concrete jungle.. It has enough running tracks to conduct a ultra marathon comfortably without run thru the same track twice. A huge reservoir right in the middle of central park..


With a beautiful running / jogging track a around the reservoir.. I did two laps and man that felt good..

'Natural Living' a running community like Chennai Runners getting ready for their spin in central park


This is the route I did in central park last Sunday. I started at south Central Park, but ended northwest of the park and ended up..


Taking subway back to my hotel.. the twenty dollar I took with me in the last minute came handy..

A short clip of the running track around the reservoir

R2I # 14 - What to do with house hold articles?

There was a comment and question in my previous R2I post. While, I responded to the comment / query there, I also wanted to publish that as a post so more folks might get to see it.

Question # 1

Could you give us a few pointers as to how to go about selling household items??(like how did you sell your furnitures, electronics, etc.)Did you use a service which buys used items(if there is one!!), or did you just advertise for the items individually in some website(if so, which one?), etc.

Response:
We did the following:

1. Limited 'Garage Sale' thru word of mouth mainly for friends and family.
2. Sell thru craigslist
3. Give to charity
   

May suggest you consider bringing stuff back with you as well? Almost everything can be brought back in a container and there isn't any 'customs fee' for used personal stuff... particulary furniture types.

Question # 2

Also would you recommend carrying back the TV & home theatre system(I love my HD TV and the 9-disc DVD Player!) With the voltage difference and the frequent power cuts, is it worth it??

Response
I would NOT. You could buy step down transformers and use the stuff mentioned above. However, as you rightly point out with the voltage flucations and cycle difference, it is simply not worth it. I spent lot of energy trying to reuse our VCR / DVD / beside side digital clocks and stuff but to no avail. Two things that did work for me were 1) Microwave oven 2) Music system. While the former is still working, later conked out few months back.

If you must, take back only your Home theater system but without TV. With the NTSC / PAL difference and voltage problem.. TV might not be worth it.. Also, there is nothing on HDTV in India yet. By the time that happens, you may be ready for a newer one..

Have R2I questions? Please send via comment or send a mail to ram@viswanathan.in

Travelog # 40 - Curry Hill

Curry Hill
After a hectic day at work, my colleagues suggested we go to Curry Hill for dinner. If you are wondering about the Indian sounding name.. you are not alone. Indian restaurants dominate a two block area near Lexington and 28th. Every other shop is an Indian restaurant of all kind, from Saravanas to Copper Chimney. As I learnt later, that's the reason Murray Hill became Curry Hill in the local vernacular.

We went to a vegetarian restaurant called Tiffin Wallah. The place was small like most other restaurants in this part of town and was bare. But the food was decent and reasonably priced. I ordered South Indian plate (USD 14) which got me Idli, Vada, Masala Dosa, Uttappam and a sweet. The food portion itself was filling but the side dishes weren't enough and had to order extra (USD 2).

Though the restaurant didn't serve liqour, my colleagues bought King Fisher Beer from elsewhere and openly consumed it at the restaurant. That was not only permitted, but seems to be the norm in most of the food only Indian restaurants in Manhattan.

Our order was served in reasonably quick, but there was minor goof up. My colleague ordered Mysore Masala Dosa, instead he got the regular one. To make the matters interesting, our Mexican server didn't understand a word of Hindi or English. After few tries, we finally managed to grab the attention of an Indian waiter who casually told us about the language issue with the cook. Our eyes popped when we learnt that even the cooks in the kitchen are from Mexico and they don't understand English as well. But, these Mexicans from South of the border learn to adapt and pick up Indian culinary skills. Most of these folks are undocumented and work stealth on cash only basis.

We finished our dinner with a hot madras coffee (USD 2) which was served unique coffee mug, which I understand is from crate and barrel.

Overall Tiffin Wallah served us decent food and value for money. Check it out if you visit this part of the world.

Travelog # 39 - A stroll in the park

A Stroll in the park.. Central Park, NYC that is..

Having missed our wedding anniversary and my son Raghav's birth day on June 30th, I did the next best thing.. walk around the central park. The weather was just perfect, it was sunny and wasn't too hot.

Central Park is a great place to hang out for people of all ages. I spent a few hours just walking around soaking in the Sun and the surroundings. Here are a few pictures from that..


Folks enjoying a sunny weekend..


Ladies are sun bathing alright.. what is the gentleman doing? sketching them out?


Family & Kids Time..


Kids amusement park right in Central Park



Running.. boy can you run.. there miles and miles of undulating trails. We can run a full marathon without having to use the same track twice..


Inline skating.. that used to be my passion before I returned to running. And that was because, I broke my leg in Bay Area and couldn't continue that in Chennai.


Buggy ride. they charge a bundle but the ride is kind of fun. We did that few years back as a family and enjoyed it.


Can't find them in Chennai but Cycle Rickshaws available for rent in Central Park.


Muslims quietly saying their prayer...


More pictures in flickr

Sivaji Adventure

Even though I am not much of a Rajini fan, Sivaji bug has stung me as well and was looking for an opportunity to see the much talked about movie in US. I first attempted to see it in Dallas but was surprised to see it showing in Little Rock, AR but not in Dallas. I was able to catch up with Sivaji in NYC but not without a little bit of an adventure.

I am staying in close to Central Park and figured out concierge would be able to locate the cinema. I gave myself about 2 hours for commute and thought would be sufficient to reach in time for the 3:00 PM show, but that wasn't enough for the surprises in store.

First the Hotel staff didn't know the exact location of Bombay Theater and the best they could do was to point me in the direction of Jamaica subway train. I figured, I could figure out from there, but that was not to be.

After a long commute in F train to Jamaica station, I couldn't find a soul who knew this theater. One guy who appeared to know this place suggested I take Q17 bus to Flushing and ask the driver who would most likely know.

After a long wait, I did board the Q17 bus, but the driver did not know about this place at all let alone the theater showing Indian movies. As I was contemplating my next move, I heard few folks talking in Tamil in the back of the bus and quickly went up to them to seek help. They knew about the theater but didn't know where it was. They were kind enough to call one of their friend to find more information, only to tell me that I was in the wrong bus going in the opposite direction.

They advised me to trek back and catch Q30 bus to Utopia and 69th Ave. So, I was pretty much back to square one, but wasn't going to give up, at least not as yet. For some strange reason, I resolved to get to the theater even if it was going to be well past the start time.

I walked back to the subway station and was looking around for some help and a Indian newspaper vendor came to my rescue. He suggested me to take a cab instead of waiting for the bus. I decided to take his advise and to my delight a cab station was right across from the station. A Hindi speaking cab driver readily took me to the theater for USD 8. He knew the place like the back of his hand and drove to the place while chatting in a heavily accented Hindi with someone in his mobile phone.

I felt a sense of accomplishment as saw the rundown Bombay Theater. I quickly hurried into theater, paid USD 15 and quickly went inside a almost empty theater to see Rajini singing Ballelaka song. Mission accomplished.

So, was the Sivaji movie worth 7 hours and USD 31 (4 - subway, 4 - samosa & coffee, 15 - movie ticket, 8 - cab). The movie was not.. but the adventure was..

Director Shankar has taken a pretty serious subject of bribery / black money but has treated them in a very casual manner. Sivaji has lavish sets, gravity defying fight sequence and unnecessary romantic dream songs. And oh by the way, it also has a thin story line around bribery and black money.


Bombay Theater is a pretty old rundown place but attracts affluent Indian community and their fancy cars. The crowd you see was for a Hindi movie. Sivaji which runs just one show a day had very sparse or no patronage.


This is where I had to get off if I had taken the right bus. I did manage to take Q31 back to subway station on my way back though..