2009 A. D. comes to an end in about 1 hour and 52 minutes from the moment I have started to write this blog. As a yearly ritual followed by all and indulged in by me as well, I make an attempt to write whether this calendar year was any different from the earlier years that went by or whether at this year end we hope for a better year ahead.
Around the world 2009 was no different than the other years. But some important events would make it a year worth remembering, both for the right and the wrong reasons.
The event which I would like to list first is something which happened almost at the end of the year. The Nobel peace prize. And it's not the peace prize but the recipient of the prize which makes the year interesting. Of all the people in the world involved in the peace process world wide, the Nobel Committee based in Oslo could only agree that except for Mr. Barack Obama, the world has not seen any peace effort in any human around the globe.
This reminds me of the earlier days of the Filmfare Awards where year after year the Black Lady used to become the property of a certain actor, in fact over two generations of actors, there have been two actors who have been consistently taking away the trophy, implying thereby that there was no actor who could be considered fit for the Best Actor trophy except these two mega superstars. My point here is that I seriously believe that awards are not decided on merit, but they can be only 'purchased', not earned.
I see no reason why a certain Mr. Abdus Sattar Eidhi, based in Karachi, Pakistan, a very ordinary person providing humanitarian services to humanity, alive or dead, could not be considered as one of the contenders for the award at any time in the history of Nobel prize, except for the fact that the award is not meant for the purpose which the title depicts, but it is an item of decoration for those who can afford the decoration.
I leave this issue at this, for writing anything on this serves no purpose.
The other notable event of 2009 was the recently concluded Copenhagen Conference on Global Warming. It brought to fore the difference in approach to the question of global warming and environmental pollution. The developed countries' belief that it is within their rights to expect the developing and third world countries to take steps to reduce activities that lead to pollution of the environment and at the same time, beyond the rights of the rest of the world to expect the developed countries to adhere to the standards laid down by them to prevent pollution of the environment is the most absurd, illogical and highly condemnable belief. This attitude perhaps led to the failure of the summit. Though publicly proclaimed that the summit achieved common ground, from what a layman like me can understand about the going ons at the summit, I can see it as a disaster.
On my personal front, a day before the year ends, I took an hour's assessment for certification in International Financial Reporting Standards through the ACCA. And I succeeded in the assessment. Success on the educational front has been eluding me for quite a while now and I hope that as the year ended on a positive note for me, the new year also helps me achieve my objective of clearing the exam held by the National Law School University of India.
This year gave us another 5 year term of Mr. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister of India, which was a very positive thing to happen to India. No doubt Mr. Singh is one of the best Prime Ministers that India has ever had.
There have been many positives and an equal number of negatives in this whole year, yet, all in all, this year has been a good year, a year having three hundred and sixty five days and each day giving equal opportunities for the good and the bad. During the course of these three hundred and sixty five days the success of good over the bad and vice versa resulted in events which either became worth remembering or worth hating. In short, it is all about DESTINY.
May we all have a better year ahead. Bye bye 2009. Welcome 2010.
The event which I would like to list first is something which happened almost at the end of the year. The Nobel peace prize. And it's not the peace prize but the recipient of the prize which makes the year interesting. Of all the people in the world involved in the peace process world wide, the Nobel Committee based in Oslo could only agree that except for Mr. Barack Obama, the world has not seen any peace effort in any human around the globe.
This reminds me of the earlier days of the Filmfare Awards where year after year the Black Lady used to become the property of a certain actor, in fact over two generations of actors, there have been two actors who have been consistently taking away the trophy, implying thereby that there was no actor who could be considered fit for the Best Actor trophy except these two mega superstars. My point here is that I seriously believe that awards are not decided on merit, but they can be only 'purchased', not earned.
I see no reason why a certain Mr. Abdus Sattar Eidhi, based in Karachi, Pakistan, a very ordinary person providing humanitarian services to humanity, alive or dead, could not be considered as one of the contenders for the award at any time in the history of Nobel prize, except for the fact that the award is not meant for the purpose which the title depicts, but it is an item of decoration for those who can afford the decoration.
I leave this issue at this, for writing anything on this serves no purpose.
The other notable event of 2009 was the recently concluded Copenhagen Conference on Global Warming. It brought to fore the difference in approach to the question of global warming and environmental pollution. The developed countries' belief that it is within their rights to expect the developing and third world countries to take steps to reduce activities that lead to pollution of the environment and at the same time, beyond the rights of the rest of the world to expect the developed countries to adhere to the standards laid down by them to prevent pollution of the environment is the most absurd, illogical and highly condemnable belief. This attitude perhaps led to the failure of the summit. Though publicly proclaimed that the summit achieved common ground, from what a layman like me can understand about the going ons at the summit, I can see it as a disaster.
On my personal front, a day before the year ends, I took an hour's assessment for certification in International Financial Reporting Standards through the ACCA. And I succeeded in the assessment. Success on the educational front has been eluding me for quite a while now and I hope that as the year ended on a positive note for me, the new year also helps me achieve my objective of clearing the exam held by the National Law School University of India.
This year gave us another 5 year term of Mr. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister of India, which was a very positive thing to happen to India. No doubt Mr. Singh is one of the best Prime Ministers that India has ever had.
There have been many positives and an equal number of negatives in this whole year, yet, all in all, this year has been a good year, a year having three hundred and sixty five days and each day giving equal opportunities for the good and the bad. During the course of these three hundred and sixty five days the success of good over the bad and vice versa resulted in events which either became worth remembering or worth hating. In short, it is all about DESTINY.
May we all have a better year ahead. Bye bye 2009. Welcome 2010.
