At me you made a firm pass

Exactly one long year ago ;

You imposed your closeness

Forcibly swirling me in a tango .                                

Then I had dreaded your abyss

And your proposal I did forgo ;

But ever since I sadly thee miss

And await your arrival, my amigo .

I had feared your unknown darkness

But more painful is this world's lingo ;

Here I am impatiently breathless

Unbearable is this life I undergo .

Wearied I am with sleeplessness

Come, relieve me from this vertigo ;

Don't just on my hands lightly kiss

And leaving me lonely swiftly go .

Embrace and take me in your arms

Hold me in the peace I lost long ago. 

She was 22 and I was only 18!!!

But they say love does not depend on age. And I thought my not taking age as a criteria showed that it was love-pure love.

Anyways, I still didn't find an idea to propose her. I phoned the surprise man.

"halo.."

"halo mama. This is Parth speaking."

"yeah say what u wanna say."

"are you busy?"

"no"

"ok"

"what?"

"nothing .just wanted to ask you something."

"go on"

"Now that my JEE is over, how should I propose Nida?"

"yo lover boy.....hmmm...serious issue"

"come on mama.." I was really serious.

"ohk.. tell her on the voice chat."

"no"

"what no ?"

"i dont want to tell her like this .."

"then what ? Do you think you should go to delhi and tell her about this..."

He wasn't serious saying this, but it made sense.

"yeah..thats a great idea.!!"

"what??..who will you go to in delhi ?? Nida?? Where will you live??"

"in some hotel."

"ya ya aur paise tera mama dega ??" Another idea.

"haan .."

"what?? I am not funding you...dont you think of it"

"please !!"

"no"

"mama please yaar"

"Parth are you serious ??"

"yeah I am"

"ohk...but what will you tell your parents."

"nothing"

"nothing??"

"ya i wont tell them anything about my going to delhi ...i will just leave a note that i will come back in a few days dont worry"

"wow....and you expect them not to worry ?? come on they are your parents. they will no doubt worry for you."

"they wont coz they haven't. you just be ready with money and i will tell you later where to deliver it."

Saying this I hung the phone and switched on the PC.

Nida was online, probably waiting for me. I took the initiative.

"hi"

"hey. how are you?"

"i m gud u say ."

"i m also good.. was missing you. :) "

"i was missing you too."

" :D lets talk"

"wait I have some work today." I had to do pre-journey things.

"what?"

"ya ... I am coming to delhi."

"really?" That 'really' said she was delighted.

"will you meet me?"

"ya ..sure why not"

"ok then."

"wait take my cell no. call me when u r in delhi."

"ok gimme"

She gave me her mobile no. and I signed out. I had never visited Delhi before. Still I didn't search about the city. After all traveling wasn't my purpose.

Delhi here I come.

PS: This update was due two days before but my net troubled me :(

PS: Sher of the post.

"yeh sher nahi real life story hai......yeh sher nahi real life story hai .....

har bigadte ladke ke piche ..ek chori hai "

1. Celebrated Independence Day weekend in Chicago
2. Proposed to my now-fiance
3. Moved to Groton, Connecticut
4. Went apartment hunting for a week while staying at the Mystic Hilton
5. Moved into the La Triumphe Apartments
6. Went on an 12 day Princess Alaskan Cruise
7. Started work at Progeny Systems
8. Impulsively purchased furniture and extra crap for the apartment
9. Received Comcast internet working after a few weeks of waiting
10. Watched the Olympics during every free moment
11. Started biking to work

I'll follow up on each of these things in a little more detail later, but in the meantime, let some of the pictures do the talking

__________________________Not so simple love___________________________

Life couldn’t have been better. Sitting in the air-conditioned ice-cream bar, with large butterscotch sundae with chocolate chip artistically sprinkled over as toppings; and a hung face of a lost challenger right in front of you to remind how great you are. This was exactly what and how I felt that day sitting in the Nirulas.

Shalee has been out from my mind till the sundae surrendered to my naughty tongue and melted its way down my throat. Just as I was relishing the splendid experience and taste of my cool win suddenly Sumit spoke, ‘so you plan to take this forward, or was that just for the challenge?’

To be frank, I really didn’t had any idea. No guy in the teenage has even the slightest idea about how to handle a relationship or even what it actually means to be in relation. Still I replied, “I don’t know may be…”

‘May be yes or may be no?’

“May be means may be …..I don’t know!” and I walked out.

That night I couldn’t sleep, not at least with even a hay of peace. The guilt feeling had taken over my brain; I could hardly concentrate. Exams were just two months away and my separation with the school too was not very far.  Finally I decided to tell Shalee that I won’t be able to continue. Though I didn’t had any idea why?

Being in love is a different ball game. However, the only problem in my case was …that I didn’t know I was in love! Got damn! The next day, the school, the class and classmates all seemed so alien to me. I don’t know whether seriously everyone was smiling at me or if it was just a wild imagination of mine.

I entered the class to find Shalee chit-chatting with few girls of my section. I forced a smile and waved to her. I was supposed to do that, wasn’t I? A few hoots and whistles emerged from the corners. It was hell embarrassing. It seemed Shalee had opted for a makeover. She had untied her hair, and it seemed that she had taken a bath today. Not that, she didn’t do it on regular basis, but I hope you know that girls have some designated days for full-course-bathing.

We guys either take a bath or we don’t. Girls, have two styles of taking a bathe. One: dry-washing, in this the girls just wash and clean their body and not their head; and two; normal bathe. So technically, Shalee had taken a normal bathe today.

It was mid day before I realised why she had been smiling. She was supposed to answer or rather, accept my proposal. I was about to have my lunch when one of my classmate came and told me that Shalee was waiting outside the class. I was disgusted, she hasn’t even said yes and now was outside my class, what the hell!

I was left with no other option but to meet her. On the five steps I had to take to meet her, I planned to tell her that I was least interested in such meetings. As soon as I met her I said, ‘how….’ She brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. I continued, ‘how … come you came alone?’ Of course, my first baffled dialogue wasn’t any sort of surprise for her; but surely it was for me.

‘Nothing just wanted to spend some time with you, you busy?’ she spoke in a very feeble sugary tone.

“Yes….I mean no… I mean you can ….oh forget it… lets walk to the canteen.” Girls feel when guys baffle or stammer at such situation they (guys) are just too over excited and drooling over their love. It can be quite disgusting when you can’t talk your mind and it makes things worst if what ever you talk doesn’t make any sense. And that was exactly what was happening to me.

Par contre, n'allez pas vous imaginer que les travaux vont commencer cet automne.  On parle d'un horizon de 10 à 15 ans.  Dans les faits, le gouvernement du Canada vient à peine de commander les études et scénarios nécessaires afin d'aller de l'avant,  Donc, cela veut dire que j'aurai ma pension de vieillesse quand je roulerai dessus.  Si la pension de vieillesse existe encore à ce moment-là, évidemment.  Comme dans tous les projets du genre, il faudra des études (celles commandées par le fédéral), des contre-études, les environnementalistes vont s'y opposer, et il y aura probablement même des procès, comme dans le cas du nouveau pont de l'A-25.

Puisque je réclamais son doublement depuis un bon bout de temps, je propose six voies par direction, dont une réservée en tout temps au transport en commun.  Attendons de voir ce que le gouvernement fédéral va nous présenter, de son côté.  On dit qu'il n'est pas exclu qu'une place soit accordée à un système léger sur rails (SLR), ce qui, à mes yeux, représente la plus grande connerie imaginable.  Je m'explique.

Quand un train est rempli à capacité, et que la clientèle augmente, il faut commander des rames supplémentaires, ce qui exige des déboursés incroyables, et des délais interminables.  Regardez toute l'affaire des nouvelles rames de métro; cela vous donnera une idée des délais.  Si le service est assuré par des autobus, dans le pire des cas, on peut louer des véhicules supplémentaires en quelques heures, tout au plus, en attendant de recevoir de nouveaux autobus.  Les tramways furent retirés des rues du grand Montréal pour une question de flexibilité, alors on ne viendra pas me faire croire que cette flexibilité n'est plus nécessaire aujourd'hui.  Un système sur rails, léger ou non, signifie des infrastructures dispendieuses, qui ne peuvent pas être partagées par d'autres équipements, contrairement aux voies réservées pour les bus, qui peuvent aussi servir aux taxis, par exemple, ou aux adeptes du covoiturage.  Et de toute façon, on va le faire arriver où, le SLR?  Au terminus centre-ville, déjà en surcharge, au point que l'AMT va établir bientôt, si ce n'est déjà fait, des arrêts sur le boulevard René-Lévesque?

Pour l'instant, très peu de détails sont sortis, sur ce nouveau pont Champlain.  Le JdeM a le scoop, sur ce projet, qui deviendra certainement une promesse électorale, afin de faire élire quelques candidats conservateurs dans le grand Montréal.  En bout de ligne, voilà de quoi alimenter une bonne demi-douzaine de campagnes électorales fédérales, à part celles des autres paliers de gouvernement.

AJOUT (29 août 2008)

Ceci n'est qu'un petit croquis fait rapidement, et n'est pas à l'échelle.

La configuration que je propose pourrait se décrire comme un 5-2-5, c'est à dire cinq voies de circulation dans chaque direction, et deux voes centrales, réservées en tout temps aux autobus et aux taxis.

Diary of a teenager…

____________________ Proposing A Girl- Phase 2______________________

It was a crazy feeling. I knew I was doing something very horrible. But who cares? I loved the game, especially this one. It was like the tiger smells blood; give him some!

The rumours, I knew were the indication to launch the second phase of my plan- lights, camera… action!

I waited till the seventh period, which I knew would leave the exact time required to leave a gigantic effect. Just as the seventh period started, I dashed out of the class; I started running in the corridors, asking people where Neeraj was? After a few minutes of fake search I came back to class to find Neeraj sitting on his seat, munching lays.

He was startled when I held him by his collar. “You basturd! Why did you spread the rumours?”

‘Huh? What? What’s the problem?’

“This is the final time… I am warning you….”

‘But Harsh…yaar what’s the …’

“Oh no…don’t you dare Harsh me…understand?”

I left the class to infuse the scene with more authenticity. At the back of my eyes, I could here a couple of voices asking Neeraj about the issue, but he replied that he didn’t know anything. Its strange that whenever people like Neerak who are the roots of rumours, say the truth many just don’t believe them, while the same people swallow all their lies as universal truths.

Valentines was just 20 days away and I knew this would be the perfect timing to propose a girl. As the Valentines Day approaches, the girls start showing attitude to even the cool dudes, if they propose them. But inside somewhere, every girl wishes to be offered a red-rose; to be cared and loved by someone on that special day.

Phase three: 'aar ya paar'

Every engineer tests his prototype, before embarking on the actualisation of his plans; I was no different. The drama was unfolding in a manner I wished it to. I knew that Neeraj would have gone to shalee, narrating the whole thing. As soon as the school was over I jumped out of the class and dashed to the place where she used to wait for one of her senior friend, who used to accompany her to home.  I stepped back a few meters seeing her approaching the place. Then, tadaah… the game begun!

I knew she would have noticed me coming towards her, but that was what I really wanted to happen.

“Hi shalee…! I am sorry about the whole rumours and stuff…” paused to read her face. No change just a plain smile. Huh? How could she be so emotionless or rather reaction-less??

“See…I …I am sorry about this whole crap…It’s my mistake …I shouldn’t have told him.” The smile on her face begins to widen. So I continued.

“I did like had an attraction to you in the beginning of the session…..but….” a pre-planned pause to check if the smile would vanish and give was to anguish. But the smile was still there, in fact even more conspicuous of what might be going through her mind.

“I know I should have approached you in the first place, but … I was apprehensive thinking you might reject me. After all I am not the types most girls like.”

‘Who told you that? And you are not afraid now, that I might reject you?’ she said with a confident tone (and a blushing face!).

“Well….I thought…now its ….leave it… I am sorry… I got your answer!” I turned my back and started walking. Somewhere in my mind I was wishing for her to call me. ‘C’mon call me you idiot’ I murmured.

‘Hey wait a second… who said no?’ she said. Bull’s-eye! I turned with a properly blended animated smile of happiness, excitement and bewilderment.

“Shalee…did I? …seriously…? I can’t believe it!” Which as a matter of fact actually meant – I knew it!

‘I didn’t say yes as well! I will give you my answer on Valentines Day. Till then wait.’ Now if she or be any other girl had to reject such an offer they would have never called the guy back. Nor postpone the reply.  So I was pretty sure about her answer. But Valentine’s was at least two weeks away and I didn’t want to postpone my treat.

“Can’t wait till then…take you time …and reply me by tomorrow. Ok?”

‘What?’ She almost giggled. I never noticed that she had dimples. Not even when I proposed her. They looked so beautiful on her dusky cheeks, with strands of hair brushing through the side of her eyes. Wait a second. This can’t be. It was the same old feeling, which I once had in the theatre. Oh no! Not again!

2:

3:

4:

1) .... Smith, Fresh Prince of Bel Air
2) ..., not me
3) To wed, .....
4) Not you, ..

Il s'agit d'un Jeep Cherokee Chief, dont la carrosserie semble plutôt propre, puisque c'est un modèle de 1987.

Arrangez ça comme vous voulez, mais il y a une attache de remorque... à l'avant!  Le sympathique propriétaire précédent, qui habite Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, m'a précisé qu'il se servait du véhicule principalement pour tirer son bateau.  Ceux qui manoeuvrent souvent des remorques savent bien que si une telle installation est plutôt inutile sur la route, elle est très pratique sur des terrains fermés,  car il est plus facile de déplacer une remorque sans avoir à constamment tourner la tête vers l'arrière.  Mais ne vous en faites pas; je lui trouverai bien une utilisation.  En passant, la flaque d'huile, sous le pare-chocs, est une gracieuseté de la pompe de servo-direction, qui a été remplacée depuis la prise de ces photos.

Le toit et le hayon arrière, ainsi que le capot, qui porte toujours les bandes décoratives propres à ce modèle, sont encore recouverts de la peinture d'origine, qui date de 21 ans.  Les côtés ont toutefois déjà été repeints.

Autre détail original, le lettrage, à l'arrière, qui montre bien qu'il s'agit d'un Cherokee Chief.  Évidemment, une autre attache de remorque est installée, au bon endroit, cette fois.

Si l'extérieur est encore très potable, l'intérieur accuse davantage le poids des années.

Voilà le secret de la longévité de sa carrosserie; elle a été traitée, pendant plusieurs années, à l'huile antirouille.

La blogue-mobile est équipée d'une boîte manuelle à 5 rapports.  On constate, une fois de plus, à la vue du soufflet du levier de transmission, qu'il reste beaucoup de petits détails à fignoler, du côté de la finition intérieure.

À défaut de proposer la climatisation, ce véhicule est toutefois muni d'une radio AM/FM de qualité, à façade détachable, de marque JVC, et doté d'une télécommande.  Elle lit également les CD, CD-RW et les MP3.

Parmi les trucs à fignoler, un compresseur à air, dont on voit ici la commande, qui permettra, une fois redevenu fonctionnel, l'installation d'amortisseurs pneumatiques.

Voici l'une des principales raisons pour laquelle j'ai choisi ce véhicule.  Il est doté d'une boîte de transfert Selec-Trac, qui permet le passage de 2 à 4 roues motrices à la volée.

Le tableau de bord est passablement complet, avec tous les indicateurs, que je préfère de beaucoup aux lampes-témoin qui, malheureusement, équipent encore beaucoup de véhicules américains.

Au prix où je l'ai payée, lequel comprend également quatre très bons pneus d'hiver, montés sur des jantes en acier, je ne suis pas sans me douter qu'il y aura des réparations à effectuer.  L'ancien propriétaire a été tout à fait honnête, et toutes les réparations effectuées à date concernent des problèmes qu'il m'avait révélé.  À date, j'ai remplacé la pompe de servo-direction, le radiateur, et le ventilateur du système de chauffage, le tout avec succès.  Présentement, elle est à Saint-Lin--Laurentides, où on procède à la rénovation du plancher, ainsi qu'à quelques trucs sur la carrosserie.  À son retour, j'aurai à remplacer un joint d'étanchéité au niveau de la boîte de direction, qui vient de commencer à fuir.  Ensuite, ce sera la tournée d'entretien; vidange d'huile à moteur, de transmission manuelle, des deux différentiels et de la boîte de transfert.  Bref, de quoi m'amuser pendant plusieurs week-ends.

Par contre, comme il s'agit pour moi d'un second véhicule (j'ai déjà une voiture sous-compacte), je n'ai pas de pression, au niveau de l'entretien et des réparations.  J'y vais en fonction de mon budget, et de mes temps libres.  J'ai toujours aimé "bizouner" la mécanique, et cette Jeep me permet de le faire, et ce sans le stress d'avoir à tout remonter rapidement, pour cause de nécessité.

Quant à la réserve de photos, elle commence à tirer à sa fin, ce qui veut dire que je devrai repartir à la chasse aux images.  Je ne vais pas vous révéler mes intentions en détails, de peur de me pas remplir mes engagements.  La chasse aux photos est souvent sujette aux tribulation de Dame Nature, dont la météo est plus incertaine que jamais, cette année.  Mais il me reste mon dernier coup de tête, incidemment sous la pluie, et en plein territoire des moustiques, soit cet échangeur en devenir, dont la vocation fut transformée, par la force des choses, en passe à chevreuils.  Un indice de plus?  C'est dans la région des Cantons-de-l'Est, tout près de celle du Centre-du-Québec.

Vous voulez plus de détails, encore?  Une seule façon de faire; restez branchés!

I am more bored than anything else, and wonder how long it will take for suggestive signs to instinctively lead him over. Ignoring him is the best option, so I listen to my friend and re-cross my legs. I bite my lower lip a little and toss my hair. I look back. He is with his friend, staring, and walks over to me.

Two minutes. Not bad.

Up close, he is actually quite attractive. I feel smug, and ignore him.

"Excuse me?"

I look up from the conversation with my friend and squint, amused with his attempt at talking to me.

"Is there are story to go along with all this cake?"

My friend turns to him and explains we're at a birthday party. She offers him cake, insisting there is plenty. I smile. She makes small talk, and he keeps eying me, and eventually decides to squeeze between tables to sit next to me on the couch. As he does, the birthday girl aims for the same seat.

"Hi! It's my birthday!" She's blackout belligerant and the guy is decidedly attractive. He politely chats with her and eats cake, edging his gaze in my direction. Finally, she loses interest and he's free. He turns to me and I snicker. It's taken him over ten minutes to talk to me since his initial interest.

"How's the cake?" I ask, and he breaks into a big grin.

He takes another bite and thinks. "They didn't skimp on the frosting."

"Thank god. I would never settle for poorly frosted cake. I'd be long gone by now."

We make small talk, and I find myself turned on by his confidence, his intelligence, and his unnerving way of calling me out when I begin to lie about my age.

"You're not twenty-two," he laughs.

"You're right. I'm thirty-two."

He laughs again and looks delighted by this lie in particular. "You're funny. I bet you're smart, too."

"You bet right. So what did you bet on?" I ask him, and we're both staring at eachother with a knowing gaze that occurs when you realize you've met an intellectual match.

"I bet on you."

"That's one way of asking a girl out."

"I thought you would be stupid," he admits. "I saw you, and you looked so beautiful, I had to come talk to you."

"But I'm smart."

"But you're smart," he nods.

"So you say."

"So let's get married." His eyes twinkle with mischief.

"Alright."

"You know, I've never proposed to anyone before."

"I've been proposed to before. But never in a bar by a stranger."

"Really? By a boyfriend?"

"No. I'm lying. But listen, I can tell you're out of practice. Next time, try getting down on one knee. I only know this from the movies, but I can tell you that's the real practical way of asking a girl's hand marriage."

"Right. Next time, on one knee."

"And you need a ring."

"Maybe our first date should be ring-shopping?" he asks.

"No, it's okay, I'll still marry you. Without a ring."

He grins. "You're low maintence."

"I'm a cheap date. And a cheap fiancee."

"I lucked out."

I toss my hair again and bite my lip. This time I mean it. This time it's not a smug plan developed out of boredom in a crowded bar. I lean forward and whisper: "You have no idea."

Voilà donc un autre fait marquant en faveur des autoroutes en super-2.  Avec seulement deux voies, sur une seule chaussée, veux, veux pas, on ne peut pas faire des miracles.  Mais au lieu de dévier la circulation, dans la direction la moins fréquentée, par les routes 232, et 132, afin de contourner le chantier, et laisser l'unique voie disponible en mouvement, on a préféré fonctionner comme sur un vulgaire chemin de campagne, où il passe trois véhicules à l'heure.  L'enquête dira ce que faisait le conducteur du camion-remorque qui est venu faucher les véhicules en attente, mais il est d'ores et déjà clair, dans la tête de beaucoup de gens, que c'est encore "un de ces maudits camions dangereux, qui prennent la route pour eux tout seuls".  Évidemment.  Ça saute aux yeux.  Pourtant, aucun ingénieur intelligent ne mettrait en place de la circulation en alternance sur une autoroute.  Qu'est-ce que ça fait là, de la circulation en alternance, sur une autoroute?

À moins qu'il ne passe que trois véhicules à l'heure, sur l'A-20, à Rimouski...

J'aimerais bien voir la ministre, Julie Boulet, aller dire aux membres de la famille de la victime de ce carambolage que les autoroutes en super-2 sont effectivement des routes sécuritaires, juste pour voir la réaction, dans leur visage.  Bien sûr, madame la ministre ne se prêtera pas à ce genre d'exercice.

Alors ceux qui croient que la future A-50, entre Gatineau et Lachute, sera une belle route sécuritaire, je vous propose de bien lire ces articles, ci-haut mentionnés, parce que vous risquez de voir, à la télé, ou d'entendre, à la radio, en attendant de lire, dans les journaux du lendemain, des nouvelles du même genre.  Et cela parce que des in-gné-gneurs se disent que l'on peut faire de la circulation en alternance sur une autoroute sécuritaire, construite en super-2.

"Howz tuition going on?", I asked Palak. Since she used to sit alone, I was on her bench for a while.

"Fine.", she replied. She was busy in writing something.

"Hey, I've got to talk something to you."

"About what?"

"Yaar....about your tuitions. I am really concerned."

She dropped her pen and looked towards me.

"See, I don't want to discuss anything. I know you don't like Sinha Sir, but thats your problem. He really is a good teacher...", she said in a strict tone.

"Ohkk...", I sighed and left.

*****************************************************************

4 MONTHS LATER

2nd Terminal Exam results were out. I got 39 in mathematics. This time A3 copies were checked by Sinha Sir and A2 copies by Rao Sir. I didn't really care about it. My studies were going good and I thought the teachers are just trying to depress me by giving low marks.

This time both Rao and Sinha sir 'duo' insulted me. Moreover, they started telling my 'example' to all the junior sections of 10th and 11th classes. I was more popular than Osama bin Laden in school. The 'duo' didn't miss any single opportunity to harass me.

May be they were absolutely right at their positions, but still I felt humiliated. Why every bad thing happening to me in my last year of school life!

I started a topic "How Sinha troubled me!" in my school community on orkut and outbursted my rage in it. I wrote everything I knew about him. If he can insult me in front of whole school, I will also do that!

*******************************************************************

DID I PROPOSE?

It was library period and I was on the way when I realised I've forgotten my library card in the classroom. I returned back to the class and saw Palak sitting alone on her bench and studying.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Don't wanna go library?", I asked while taking out my card from my bag.

"No yaar......just fed up. Don't want to go there."

"Ohh....okays, happy studying.", I said and started to leave.

"No no...I am not studying at all. Hey, stay here naa.", she said. My eyes went brighter.

"Ohk..", I said and as usual reached her place.

There was no one else in the classroom. Moreover, Palak's mood seemed to be good. So it was an ideal time to propose her. I took my courage and decided to open my mouth.

"Hey, I was wondering...."

"What?", she interrupted before I could say something.

"Let me say naa......I was wondering, in these two years, we've got very close to each other.", Oops...I couldn't believe I said that.

She remained silent, but raised her eyebrow.

"And you know....I think...well.....I have started to like you."

"Wait wait.....you were going to library naa...", she said and started laughing. I hate girls when they tease.

I was already very depressed to say something. She continued laughing and I left.

*******************************************************************

I couldn't sleep that night. She knew I was going to propose her otherwise she wouldn't have asked me to leave. Was she avoiding the situation? Or she just wanted to make some fun of me? Whatever it may be, I'd lost one more wonderful chance and again left with a dead-end.

*******************************************************************

AGAIN A SHOCK!

Akshat and I were sitting on a park near Char Imli Lake cursing each-other's fate. We both were seriously depressed about our studies and had decided to take a break in this park. We were just talking about random topics when gradually, the discussion shifted towards Sinha Sir's tuition classes.

"Did you write something about Sinha Sir on internet?", he asked.

I was shocked to hear that. Since orkut was recently introduced that time, and there were very few people on it, I wasn't expecting my writings reach people's ear such an early.

"How come you know that?", I cross questioned. I was worried.

"They were talking about it yesterday on tuition."

"Who?"

"Arrey....Isha, Palak and all yaar."

One more shock. I think I am best in absorbing shocks. Therfore, they come so frequently. So Palak also knows about it! I begged Akshat to tell me everything that happened on his tuition yesterday and finally he told me all.

*******************************************************************

SINHA SIR'S TUITION
(As told to me by Akshat)

#Palak, Isha, Akshat and one more boy, Vinod were sitting with Sinha Sir.

ISHA: What else he had written sir?

SIR: That I am a politician more than a teacher.

ISHA: Thats so sick of him.

PALAK: Yeh, how mean!

SIR: Isha told me that he proposed you?

PALAK: The idiot was about to when I stopped him.

(Everyone started to laugh.)

ISHA: But sir, this is not done. I'll make him know the consequences of what he did.

SIR: Oh comeon.....just concentrate on your studies.

PALAK: You are right sir. Isha....I'll never talk to him again.

ISHA: Certainly.

SIR: No....he's your friend. What excuse you'll give him if he asks why aren't you talking to him?

ISHA: Same reason sir. He has written rubbish about you. He insulted you.

SIR: I guess, spoiling relations will affect your studies too. Don't make him realise you know all about his character. As your studies and exams get over, make the things clear with him then.

PALAK: So you are saying we'll not make him know that we don't like or need him anymore.

SIR: Yes.

*******************************************************************

THE BROKEN HEART

I felt like a bomb blasted in my ear. I was ditched. I returned home. After so many years, I cried and cried. People are faithless. Still I trusted them. I had always loved her, but may be my love wasn't enough to build a relationship. My mind had stopped working.

I decided that I won't see her face ever again! But that's not possible. She's in my school, in my class. Ok....I won't talk to her ever again. Never! I swear!

And I sticked to my commitment. I had stopped visiting her place, crossing her way. I had stopped talking to her. Initially, she got surprised by my behavior. But later on she accepted it.

I prayed to God that whatever Akshat told me is wrong and one day Palak would come to me and ask me the reason for my ignorance. But, she never came. Afterwards, she also started avoiding me.

I couldn't say I didn't care. Everyday we would go school and follow our hostilities. It burnt my heart.

Few months passed by and it was our FAREWELL ~ the last official meeting day. May be we would not see each other after this. I had decided that today I would talk to her. She was looking very beautiful today. Her 'chotis' were gone and her new hairstyle was pretty.

But I couldn't. I got several opportunities, but I was too upset to initiate the talking. Moreover, my 'fake ego' was a hurdle. We clicked hundreds of group pics that day, but there was not a single pic containing me and her.

And finally, everything vanished. I hadn't spoken a word to her since that day. My love lost. I was lost. That year, I couldn't qualify IIT. Also, I got a serious medical problem and undergone a critical surgery.

I'd thought that she would call me and ask me about my health. But she didn't.

*

Everything is over now. Still, I think of her everyday. Its hard to forget your first love. Its a very genuine experience. For a while, it seems every happiness and good things are meant only for you. Everyone in this world once gets this feeling in his or her life. But those who are able to behold it are the most fortunate people in the world!

So, here ends the 'Chronicles of First Love'.

Also see the EPILOGUE.

*******************************************************************

PS -- I was very happy before writing this post.

PS -- No more PSs this time.

We left the car and I led her a few steps forward to a perfectly placed picnic on the green overlooking the skyline.  So in Liberty State Park, with so many beautiful lights from the skyscrapers and in her eyes, I proposed.

Thanks go to my friends for helping me out.

I looked at the invigilator and found that he was just sitting idle on his chair near the door. It'd appeared he has no interest in conducting the exam. I can say this because inspite of his presence almost all of the class was busy in cheating with each other.

I slowly drifted towards Palak's shelf.

"Hey, done?", I asked. She looked up and changed her face-expression from 'real nervous' to a 'fake smile'.

She kept silent.

"Ok, lets start again.", I bellowed with confidence. She didn't appear interested.

I prepared salt solution and started to heat it.

"I do the practicals and you write the observations." I said. She nodded so I kept on speaking:

"I guess its some salt of Iron. I've read about this in my coaching."

She kept listening to my craps. My strategy was to do whatever I can. Getting good marks was out of question in this exam, but still we could try for passing it.

I mixed the salt with several acids and other solutions, while she carefully noted the colours, smell, etc. in her observation copy. I liked being there. Its something else working with a hot girl. Everything was going just about fine till I heard the warning bell.

"Ohh god!", I yelled. I'd just forgotton about my practical. This is the problem with boys. Once they get a girl's company, rest of the things become irrelavant to them.

But this issue was serious. There were only 5 minutes left and it was sure that by no means, I would be able to write observations in my notebook.

"What happened?", she asked still busy in writing. Of course, she was not aware of my genuine trouble.

Without giving any response, I ran towards my shelf and grabbed my copy.

"Fuck!", I screamed as I noticed I hadn't written even my name and roll number on it. Now in a situation like this, your whole body including your hand starts to tremble.

"Ding", another bell after a while and in a minute, it was all over.

******************************************************************************************************

I began to feel that I am a 'Mahatma' or something who has sacrificed his 'chemistry practical exam' for the well being of others. How foolish?

Actually, I didn't really feel bad about it whatever may be the reason. I really loved her. Yes, she was my first love. When I saw her asking for help, while others ignoring her, my heart sank. I felt uneasy. So, I did what I felt was appropriate. No guilties!

I didn't see her until I heard her calling my name when I was just about to board on my school-bus. I stopped and saw her coming towards me.

"Hey, come with me.", she said and grabbed my hand and clinched it so hard that it made me think I should gift her a nail-cutter.

"What are you doing?", I asked.

She guided us to the small-gap that exists between two buses parked side-by-side. In a minute, I found both of us standing barely a foot away from each other. She looked around probably to check if no one's seeing us here, while I tried to push myself a little far-away from her. It was the first time I got stucked between two buses with a girl and therefore, I was feeling slightly awkward.

The situation appeared really romantic. She was too close. I can feel her breathe. I saw her face. I saw her cute and beautiful eyes. They looked worried, may be for me.

"Hey.....why here?", I asked by trying to hide my face expressions.

And this was the time we looked at each other. She came forward and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you.", she said and smiled.

OOoops!! Ohh God!! Wow!!

"You didn't write your exam for the sake of mine. How self-less.........you really are my very very good friend."

Now see this, who the hell talks about friendship and all in such a romantic situation. All dreams shattered..!

Jokes apart, this was the time my emotions outbursted. I really wanted to cry. I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her it was she for whom I couldn't sleep during nights, come to school daily and do whatever I can to see her smile.

But no-one believes 'filmy' dialouges even if they are true.

"Its alrite.", I whispered still numb and confused how to react.

"Next time lets hope you don't get the brown-sugar.", I exclaimed. She laughed.

"No problem yaar........as long as you are with me.", she said and left.

She left and I was left unspoken.

I carefully got out and moved towards my bus. I've never had such an astonishing experience and I was sure it'll take a day or two for me to get normal.

{rest continued in Chapter 15}

PS -- Feeling good after writing this.

PS -- Question of the Day: Have you ever proposed someone? (for boys)

PS -- Question of the Day: How many boys proposed you? (for girls)

PS -- Facing the so-called 'generation gap' at home.

PS -- Its raining here.

PS -- Purchased IIT Bombay shirt for 130 bucks. Now I have plans to wander through Bhopal streets wearing it all day. How cheap!! ;)

PS -- Just reading the novel 'The Partner' borrowed by Parth. Thanks dude. ;)

PS -- Sorry for the late update. I was out of station.

PS -- Mumbai Rocks.

PS -- Adios

Just now, I stumbled upon a few articles about the Canadian government's plan on introducing a bill that will make file sharing and unlocking phones illegal. If a consumer does an illegal act on anyway such as downloading/sharing a music file, they will be fined $500CDN (maximum).

This received some negative comments such as the consumers and to some musicians. As for the music industry and the movie industry, it's a benefit. They want to keep the rights protected from many people from going into illegal content. If this law sounds very complicated to you, then (in a silly twist) get a lawyer!!

As for unlocking GSM cell phones, I heard it's going to be illegal. While many of us already enjoyed the freedom of having cell phones that are already unlocked for us or we bought it somewhere and we can swap the phone no matter what provider we are in, many think of that it's a negative idea. The wireless industry was losing a substantial amount of revenue every day due to unlocked phones.

So how will this new law will affect all of us?

References:

"Ottawa brings copyright act into digital age." Toronto Star. 12 June 2008. 12 June 2008. <http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/442126>

"Canada introduces on Internet downloading." Forbes.com. 12 June 2008. 12 June 2008. <http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/06/12/ap5110737.html>

"Canada to get tough on digital piracy." CNET.com. 12 June 2008. 12 June 2008. <http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9967118-7.html>

"Tories proposed $500 fine for illegal downloading." CTV.ca. 12 June 2008. 12 June 2008. <http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080612/Copyright_bill_080612/20080612/?hub=TorontoNewHome>

Thus the name of this blog: Propose To Her, You Fool.

And you should.

Propose to her that is.

You have never been more relaxed and happy. It took almost fifty years to find it. So DO IT.

Amazing. That I write this. Being in a toxic relationship and all for over twenty years.

But I digress. It ain't about me and my failure.

You have found something rare, that only a nano-segment of the population finds. You have found yourself, throught the eyes of another who supports you. And you her. Don't wait: It's there, right as rain. Waiting will only de-saturate the trueness.

PROPOSE TO HER, YOU FOOL.

Hell, your almost FIFTY. What're you wating for? This is as close to human and perfection as we get. There is not such thing as perfect! This is so, so close.

CLOSEST

There, in the car, a map.

"Take I-40 east."

Then, waking up beside her, a groan, a yawn.

The sun slowly, slowly creeps up,

none too sure of today,

a crescent of orange and pink-yellow dawn

like a smoothie.

Goes up soft, sweet, perfectly balanced.

Goes up like sucking on fresh orange wedges.

Finding the sweet spot.

Fifty, remember?

She's the best thing ever happened in your life.

Propose, you fool

copyright June 2008 Nicki Miller

Leann Chin is to Big Bowl and Pei Wei what Taco Bell is to Chipotle. Like Panda Express on a bad day. But I think they put cocaine in the chicken, so I go back every week. Sometimes more, depending on the sweating shakes and how many sleepless nights I can take.

I have a handful of fortunes on my desk right now in varying degrees of disrepair, but I like to keep them around because even though they're cheesy, I like to think they were written for me somehow. One says "To understand, listen beneath the words." Granted, on the back it says "Plan your graduation party with Leann Chin Delivery" but I do my best to ignore that and let the wisdom of the underpaid fortune writers sink in.

My favorite fortune right now is the one that says, "Honesty Is The Best Policy. Honest." I have a hard time with ulterior motives because I find it near impossible to function without them.

A friend of mine has been dating this girl for a few years and they've decided they're going to get married. Except he hasn't proposed. This frustrates his girlfriend to no end, I think because she's been secretly planning her wedding since she was four, and he keeps putting off the engagement. But don't for a minute think my friend is just some jerk from The Office. He's a great guy who's just trying to do it right, not some schmuck with the "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free" attitude.

I was discussing my new dream guitar with his girlfriend the other day (this is normal) and the topic of marriage came up (this is also very normal). She told me, in the most serious of manners, "If you can get [him] to propose to me, I'll buy you the guitar". What? Who dangles a dream guitar in front of a musician? It's like cruelty to animals.

So I was on-mission for a few days. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to bring it up casually in conversation, hoping to do some conniving convincing and cajoling. And then it got to me. What was I doing? I was attempting to treat a friendship like a business transaction. I was the televangelist trying to win my friend's donation with niceties so I could buy a Porsche (I heard they're cool). So I dropped it.

This is where my problem really begins. I actually do want to talk to him about if and when he's going to propose, how he's going to do it, and if he thinks she'll say no at first as a vindictive joke (it might not be undeserved). But I can't do it. There's still this little voice in my head that says my motivation is still for the guitar (promised in humor) and I don't want my friend to find out and think I had used him to serve my own purposes.

Which brings me to Evangelism and why I'm a terrible Evangelist.

I can't help but feel like a used car salesman when I purposely bring up Christianity. To me, it can take relationships from being about the person to being about the conversion. I hate that. I really enjoy just getting to know people and watching their personality unfold. I detest going into conversations with an agenda. It feels like "Hey, yeah, I'll be your friend. But really I just want you to be a Christian so we can agree on things and I'll feel good about myself and have more like-minded friends."

Like, "I'll list off 100 reasons why you should propose to her, but really I just want the guitar."

While what it feels like isn't necessarily the case, I would be doing the world a disservice if I kept my mouth shut out of fear of coming across as a spiritual telemarketer. The truth is, every single person in the world needs to hear that Jesus is the only way to God, and they're not going to hear unless someone tells them. However, they're not going to listen if what's said is not said out of a genuine love for the person. If they think I'm getting a guitar for introducing them to the satisfying life offered in Jesus Christ, they're going to be rightfully suspicious and become even more antagonized when it comes to Christianity.

But here's the thing: There is no guitar. I have been promised nothing (even jokingly) for presenting the message of Christ to someone.

Where does this leave me? I'm still afraid of coming off arrogant, but I desperately ache for people who do not know Christ to understand what He's done for them. I believe there is a line between coming to a conversation with the sole intent of sharing the Gospel and loving someone to the degree that you want what's best for them, even if it may end up costing your friendship. 

Perhaps I should stop being a coward when it comes to Evangelism. And dare to love people enough to risk looking foolish to them.  Forever is a mighty long time.

So I guess depending on which side of things you're coming from, I have different parting words for you:

"Honesty Is The Best Policy. Honest."

or

"To understand, listen beneath the words."

But to everyone I say, "Plan your graduation party with Leann Chin Delivery." Which just goes to prove I will always be the worst salesman in the world.

---

Note: 
After posting this, I gave in to my yen for Leann Chin and my fortune was "You are one of the people who will go places in life."  This confirms that the fortunes are all true.

And I talked to my friend about marriage.  Turns out I was right about him.

Well, as me and Vipul were room partners, obviously we talked a lot to each other. I think I would not be wrong to say that we know everything about each other. I even found out from him, that I knew less about my "friends" back home then I could have ever imagined. I felt sad, cuz it reflected on me as a friend, you know, that these people never entrusted me enough to tell me about themselves. So, anyway, I found out that he's a nice guy, a little spoilt, u know, chasing girls and ghedian and all. But, he liked this one girl in his colony and the last day, the night of which our train was supposed to leave, he proposed(not a marriage proposal) to her and she said yes.

He told me all about his feelings, every thing he did and said in front of her, that helped him win her. We even tried the Game together for a few days.  I used to call her home, as she didn't have a cell phone, and I could make a girl's voice. I even supported and tried to console him at every moment for those 15 days he could not contact her. We were like Joey and Chandler for that one month.... really, we told each other everything.

The night that I shifted, Rohan (another friend of ours here) told me that he was feeling lonely and told me to call and of course I did. And now, I think he doesn't really need me. He called me this morning, while I was in class, at like 9 to call her home, and ask her to call his cell. I called her home 3 times before the class and 2 times during the interval. She told me, during the last call, that some problem was occurring as her mom was enquiring that who was calling so many times.

I went to Vipul's PG after class ended at 1, and he wasn't there. I called his cell and he told me that he was at the classes, and wouldn't be free till after 7:30. I was worried all day, I know I shouldn't have been, but I was, and this is the only place I can write the truth, right? I was worried, that their relationship might be discovered because of me, or whether she had called him or not........

So I call him, at 7:45 and his phone is busy, at 7:50, its busy, 8:15, he finally picks up. So, I try to ask him stuff about it all, and other things, and I feel like he doesn't really wanna talk to me. He stopped inbetween, and I think didn't wanna talk to me about it. So I just wanted to ask, is that all there is? I mean you could have called me and informed me that all is well, but you didn't. You call me only when you need a favour, or a job done.... and when I call you, you don't even talk to me properly, or don't wanna talk. Is that all there is to friendship, selfishness? Am I being unreasonable, cuz I bet I am, but anyone who reads my blog knows that I'm emotional about friends. But, what do you guys think?

Bruce bravely walks up to him and says "Mr. Smith, me and Jenny are in love and I want to ask you for her hand in marriage."

Thinking that this was just the cutest thing, Mr. Smith replies, "Well Bruce, you are only 10. Where will you two live?"

Without even taking a moment to think about it, Bruce replies "In Jenny's room. It's bigger than mine and we can both fit there nicely."

Still thinking this is just adorable, Mr. Smith says with a huge grin, "Okay then how will you live? You're not old enough to get a job. You'll need to support Jenny."

Again, Bruce instantly replies, "Our allowance .. Jenny makes 5 bucks a week and I make 10 bucks a week That's about 60 bucks a Month and that should do us just fine."

By this time Mr. Smith is a little shocked that Bruce has put so much thought into this. He thinks for a moment trying to come up With something that Bruce won't have an answer to.

After a second, Mr. Smith says, "Well Bruce, it seems like you have got everything all figured out. I just have one more question for you. What will you do if the two of you should have little ones of your own?"

Bruce just shrugs his shoulders and says "Well, we've been lucky so far."

Ce que j'aimerais savoir, c'est ce que propose ce Marc Hudon, pour que le projet de la CMI soit acceptable, à ses yeux.  J'aimerais lui faire remarquer que personne, jusqu'à maintenant, ne peut prédire quels seront les changements climatiques qui auront lieu la semaine prochaine, ainsi que dans les cinquante, cent ou mille prochaines années.  Devant ce fait, comment pourrait-on calculer les impacts d'un projet en fonction des changements climatiques que personne ne peut prédire?  Faudrait-il, devant ce constat, que l'on ne fasse plus aucun projet?

Il existerait une autre façon de régler ce problème de débit du fleuve, de façon à ce que la navigation puisse avoir lieu en tout temps, et ce sans nouveau draguage du Saint-Laurent, le tout en conservant le débit à un niveau optimal en fonction des différents besoins du milieu tout au long de l'année.  Il s'agirait d'un projet dispendieux, à prime abord, mais que l'on pourrait rentabiliser si l'on mettait Hydro-Québec dans le coup.  Il faudrait construire un barrage sur le fleuve Saint-Laurent, à la hauteur de Lotbinière, ou de Deschambault, qui serait bien sûr équipé d'écluses.  Un barrage auquel Hydro-Québec pourrait ajouter une centrale du même type que celles de Beauharnois, ou de la rivière des Prairies, à Montréal.  L'électricité produite par la centrale pourrait, jusqu'à un certain point, rentabiliser les coûts de construction et d'entretien du barrage.  Le ministère des transports pourrait même y aménager une autoroute - à péage - qui traverserait le fleuve, puisque le barrage serait situé environ à mi-chemin entre Trois-Rivières et Québec, ce qui en ferait un point de traversée idéal.

Mais à quoi bon.  Le simple fait d'évoquer une telle construction me mettra tous les activistes sur le dos.

Au jour et à l'heure de ce billet, on estime à 35 000 le nombre de morts, et à plus d'un million et demi de personnes la population sinistrée après le passage du cyclone Nargis, il y a maintenant 13 jours." Les diplomates occidentaux " estiment que le bilan sera de 100 000 morts. (Quels sont leurs éléments d'évaluation ?)

Et depuis 13 jours, la junte birmane refuse, non pas l'aide internationale, mais l'arrivée d'équipes étrangères pour l'évaluation de la situation et les distributions d'urgence. Progressivement, le gouvernement birman autorise certains avions à se poser à Rangoon, mais refuse toujours de délivrer des visas aux représentants d'organisations étrangères : Agences des Nations Unies, aides bilatérales, organisations non-gouvernementales.

La junte birmane, dont le chef, dit-on, n'a qu'"une considération limitée pour le reste de la planète" (Le Monde, 14.05.08) et dont le dernier symptôme d'orientation idéologique remonte aux années 1980, sous forme de "voie birmane vers le socialisme", portera ainsi la responsabilité d'un nombre de morts équivalent au double ou au triple du chiffre provisoire, par manque d'aide humanitaire.
Mais bien sûr il n'y aura pas de preuve, puisqu'une bonne partie de la population, notamment enfantine, était déjà modérément à sévèrement malnourrie avant le cyclone.

Voilà un régime militaire de "kleptocrates" (le pouvoir aux voleurs) qui, depuis des décennies, pompe et vole systématiquement toute la richesse produite par une partie de la population soumise, à grande échelle, au travail forcé : il faut relire les semonces formulées, depuis des années, dans un langage inhabituellement sévère, par l'Organisation Internationale du Travail (en français), pour se rendre compte que la Birmanie est véritablement le "mouton noir" du système onusien d'évaluation des droits humains élémentaires.

Sans parler de l'enrôlement - à but lucratif - des enfants, dès l'âge de 10 ans, dans l'armée, selon un rapport détaillé publié par "Human Rights Watch" en octobre 2007. (version française)

Source photo

Faut-il donc accepter de livrer l'aide humanitaire internationale à ce type de régime ?

Si oui, on dira "c'est une honte" d'alimenter un régime au détriment de sa population.
Si non, c'est aussi une honte de ne pas "venir en aide à un pays meurtri", au risque même de voir les pays étrangers et les agences onusiennes et les ONG accusées de "non-assistance à population en danger".
Si l'aide humanitaire parvient directement aux populations par des moyens militaires, sans passer par le gouvernement, on hurlera à l'ingérence et à la violation de la souveraineté du pays, etc, etc...

Les lectures politiques sont toujours des équations fatales.

Comment y voir plus clair ?

- La situation géographique du désastre est telle que, de toute façon, que ce soit l'armée birmane ou les logisticiens, civils ou militaires étrangers, tous auront les plus grandes difficultés à donner une réponse rapide à la hauteur de l'ampleur de la tragédie.

Il ne s'agit pas là d'un argument de fatalité ou d'impuissance - une seule vie sauvée vaut la peine. Mais d'affirmer que l'aide gérée par des étrangers aurait été à la hauteur est probablement quelque peu présomptueux.
Il suffit de voir les photos-satellites ("avant-après")

- Au fil des catastrophes naturelles des dernières décennies, il y a une expertise internationale d'intervention d'urgence - toujours perfectible - non seulement en termes d'approvisionnement en nature et en espèces, mais aussi en termes de coordination.
A l'heure de la mondialisation, il devrait être considéré comme élémentaire que des procédures internationales se mettent en oeuvre avec la rapidité et les volumes nécessaires, tant pour l'évaluation initiale des dégâts que pour l'intervention elle-même, et son évaluation ultérieure.
L'humanitaire ne peut se réduire à ses enjeux politiques : c'est d'abord une capacité technique internationale. Elle existe, mais sa mise en oeuvre reste un enjeu politique pour des régimes qui s'isolent de la communauté internationale, par paranoïa, ou par interprétation mal placée de leur souveraineté.

- Le gouvernement du pays affecté doit participer à la coordination générale :il se trouve, théoriquement, le mieux placé

- pour évaluer les dégâts;
- pour exiger de savoir qui vient pour faire quoi ;
- pour exiger aussi la transparence des actions menées.

- Le destin veut que quelques jours après ce cyclone en Birmanie, un tremblement de terre frappe la Chine : le gouvernement tient le même discours que la junte birmane, en acceptant l'aide internationale mais exclut la présence de personnels étrangers de secours.
Franchement, avons-nous la même sévérité spontanée avec la Chine qu'avec la Birmanie ?
Non, parce que le pouvoir chinois a , pour la première fois, été transparent sur l'ampleur du désastre... quoique transparent dans "sa" communication. On a pourtant lu dans le journal pékinois "Xinjingbao" que "l'efficacité des secours tient en grande partie à la liberté de l'information " ("Le Temps", 14.05.08). Et - fait nouveau - plusieurs radios et télévisions étrangères diffusent des reportages en direct du lieu de la catastrophe.
On aurait aussi tendance à plus d'indulgence grâce à l'impression que (vu de loin...) le régime chinois maîtrise les services publics, à commencer par l'armée qui, en Chine comme ailleurs, est la seule force organisée capable de développer les moyens logistiques nécessaires.
Et pourtant, des compétences humaines étrangères pourraient faire la différence, en volume si ce n'est en qualité de travail, ne serait-ce, peut-être, que pour quelques centaines ou milliers de vies sauvées dans cette course contre la mort.

- Le fondement d'une critique justifiée n'est donc que l'expression du bon sens : on ne peut reprocher à un médecin la mort de son patient, mais on peut lui reprocher de ne pas avoir mis tous les moyens en oeuvre pour le sauver.
La déontologie humanitaire participe du même principe : une victime de cyclone ou de tremblement de terre est une victime, un point c'est tout.

Et en l'occurrence, en quoi les chiens renifleurs de spécialistes japonais, américains, thaïlandais ou guatémaltèques constituent-ils une menace politique pour le gouvernement chinois ?

- Il y aurait aussi moins de problèmes sous cet angle si les agences onusiennes et les organisations non-gouvernementales se donnaient les moyens de faire le ménage pour ne pas ouvrir les portes à quantité d'acteurs privés, comme l'Arche de Zoé au Tchad ou l'Eglise de Scientologie - comme on l'a vu en Indonésie au moment du tsunami.
Un système d'accréditation devrait être instauré pour les interventions dans les futures catastrophes naturelles. Après tout, feu le Haut-Commissariat aux Droits de l'homme des Nations Unies avait institué depuis des décennies un système d'accréditation des ONG désirant participer à ses travaux.

- Pour éviter autant que possible que le droit de veto au Conseil de Sécurité ne soit un obstacle à la rapidité de la réponse aux catastrophes naturelles, il devrait être constitué un " Conseil de Sécurité Humanitaire " (à décision prise à la majorité des deux-tiers, sans droit de veto), composé d'Etats-membres des Nations Unies (par roulement, comme dans le nouveau Conseil des Droits de l'homme) auquel participeraient de plein droit une sélection d'organisations non-gouvernementales à dimension internationale qui ont fait la preuve de leur compétence en matière d'évaluation de situations.
On pourrait y ajouter un mandat international de prévention, au sens où la liste s'allonge des situations où les ONG internationales ont maintes fois alerté la "communauté internationale" de la gravité d'une situation - hormis les catastrophes naturelles, par définition imprévisibles.
Ce " Conseil de Sécurité Humanitaire ", composé équitablement de pays et d'ONG représentatifs des différentes régions du monde et des niveaux divers de développement, permettrait d'éviter le procès d'intention d'intervention occidentale ou de pays riches dans des pays pauvres non-occidentaux. Il faut définitivement sortir de ce procès d'intention.

Les instruments juridiques internationaux sont une forme de mondialisation, devant lesquels tous les pays sont juridiquement égaux et peuvent saisir les instances d'investigation, en vertu non pas de considérations géo-politiques, mais de critères négociés, adoptés et ratifiés par les pays membres des Nations Unies.
Par ailleurs, dans tous les pays, sauf ceux qui constituent désormais des exceptions, l'éclosion de la société civile (initiatives associatives, dont l'extension est inévitable par le développement d'Internet) fait apparaître des compétences nationales réelles, en marge des gouvernements, dont de moins en moins peuvent prétendre avoir le monopole de l'information.
Les capacités d'analyse de situations et d'intervention, face aux instruments juridiques internationaux, n'est plus le monopole des seules "grandes ONG internationales" - celles-ci s'alimentant d'ailleurs de plus en plus des informations fournies par les ONG nationales.
Avec les textes internationaux sur les droits humains, nous avons les outils ; avec les compétences humaines et professionnelles qui se développent dans tous les pays, les ouvriers sont de plus ne plus nombreux et ne sont plus le monopole de l'Occident.

Et donc, la "communauté internationale", si elle se veut démocratique, devrait instituer, au niveau international une représentation des peuples constituée d'une part d'un collège d'élus par les Parlements des Etats membres et d'autre part d'un collège d'acteurs confirmés (par accréditation) de la société civile, afin de ne plus laisser l'alerte, l'évaluation initiale, la décision d'intervention, la mise en oeuvre et l'évaluation finale des opérations de secours aux seuls Etats, mais sans que ceux-ci ne considèrent ce mécanisme comme une ingérence dans leur souveraineté.
Il faut inventer un système international qui ne prétende aucunement se substituer aux Etats, mais qui soit leur interlocuteur crédible, par sa légitimité et sa compétence reconnues.

- Toute contrainte juridique suppose contrôle et si nécessaire, sanction.
Il n'y a - sauf erreur - aucune procédure de sanction efficace contre des gouvernements qui laissent sciemment leur population dans l'abandon total, c'est à dire avec risque vital, en dehors-des conflits armés, hormis la condamnation morale internationale ou par des communiqués des institutions internationales relatives aux Droits de l'Homme, ce qui ne gêne personne. Les embargos, blocus ou sanctions économiques (voir les définitions de ces termes) n'ont souvent eu que des effets limités : la réaction nationaliste n'en est que plus forte, et toute interdiction dans ce domaine consiste le plus souvent à faire monter les prix de sa transgression (même les embargos sur les armes n'empêchent pas de livrer les pièces détachées des précédents contrats...).

Se pose alors la question de la justiciabilité des Droits de l'Homme.

Bien qu'il ne s'agisse que de droit pénal international, le Statut de Rome(version française) qui décrit le fonctionnement de la Cour Pénale Internationale, prévoit la poursuite nominative des personnes, dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions étatiques uniquement dans le contexte des conflits armés : "crime de génocide", "crime de guerre", "crime contre l'humanité " - en attendant la définition du "crime d'agression".

On rappelera d'abord que la définition du " Crime contre l'humanité " n'est -sur le plan juridique- nullement réservé aux situations de conflits armés : l'esclavage, l'apartheid,etc... ont été officiellement qualifiés crimes contre l'humanité - même si cette qualification n'est jusqu'à présent utilisée que dans les procès de criminels de guerre, dont les charges incluent souvent les crimes contre l'humanité.
Le Tribunal Pénal pour l'ex-Yougoslavie a déclaré : " C'est désormais une règle établie du droit international coutumier que les crimes contre l'humanité ne sont pas nécessairement commis dans le cadre d'un conflit armé international."

Ensuite, le fait, pour un gouvernement, de ne pas mettre en oeuvre tous les moyens de sauver une population civile des conséquences d'une catastrophe naturelle, sans qu'il y ait conflit armé, est-il un crime contre l'humanité ?
Tous les juristes hurlent en choeur au risque de dilution de la gravité de cette qualification si on l'étend à une plus grande diversité de situation...
C'est une réserve compréhensible, mais quelle qualification faut-il "implorer" face à la mort sciemment assurée - et parfaitement prévisible - d'une partie de la population civile par incurie délibérée de son propre gouvernement ?

Pour mémoire, il faut savoir que le Statut de Rome stipule (Article 6 : crime de Génocide) :

" Aux fins du présent statut, on entend par crime de génocide l'un quelconque des actes ci-après, commis dans l'intention de détruire, en tout ou en partie un groupe national, ethnique, racial ou religieux :
(...) " c- soumission intentionnelle du groupe à des conditions d'existence devant entraîner sa destruction physique, totale ou partielle; (...)

Pour qu'un crime soit passible de la Cour Pénale Internationale , il faut donc qu'il y ait intentionnalité. Y a-t-il intentionnalité dans le cas de l'attitude de la junte birmane ?

On rappelera ici un extrait méconnu d'un jugement édicté par le Tribunal Pénal pour l'ex-Yougoslavie, dans son jugement du 25 juin 1999 (Affaire Zlatko Aleksovski) :

" L'élément matériel du crime d'atteinte à la dignité des personnes requiert que la victime ait été à ce point humiliée que toute personne raisonnable serait offensée, et son élément moral, que l'auteur ait agi intentionnellement.
Pour ce qui est de ce dernier élément, il n'est pas nécessaire que l'auteur ait eu l'intention spécifique d'humilier ou d'avilir la victime, mais il doit avoir eu conscience que c'était là une conséquence prévisible et raisonnable de ses actes." (...)

La junte militaire birmane n'est-elle pas consciente que la mort de dizaines de milliers de personnes est une conséquence prévisible et "raisonnable" de ses actes ?
Pour parodier Victor Hugo (voir ci-dessous) : " Laissez mourir six personnes, vous êtes un criminel ; laissez mourir 60 000 personnes, on arrive pour négocier..."

Source photo

En réalité, il y a deux concepts fondamentaux dont la signification est en jeu dans une telle situation :

1 - la notion de souveraineté : un Etat qui n'est pas capable d'apporter la preuve qu'il a fait son possible pour venir au secours de sa population victime d'une catastrophe naturelle n'est pas un Etat souverain. De même que la souveraineté de l'Etat du Kampuchéa ne pouvait être invoquée pour justifier le silence de la communauté internationale face au génocide des Khmers Rouges sur son propre peuple...
La souveraineté est invoquée de manière évidemment restrictive lorsqu'une dictature refuse qu'on se mêle de sa gestion intérieure. La souveraineté devrait être conçue non pas seulement comme contrôle de l'Etat sur un territoire et sa population, mais aussi en termes de respect des droits humains élémentaires, dont la survie de sa population ... La souveraineté n'est pas seulement un concept utile, c'est aussi une responsabilité devant l'humanité toute entière. Ou bien ???

2 - La notion de sécurité humaine est devenue le slogan universel des Etats pour justifier la lutte contre le terrorisme (mais aussi comme prétexte contre la dissidence et autres formes d'opposition interne), et ne se définit donc implicitement que par les moyens que l'Etat se donne pour se protéger lui-même.
La sécurité humaine de la population civile implique donc aussi une responsabilité de l'Etat vis à vis de sa population en situation de survie, alors qu'il pourrait disposerait de moyens accrus face à une catastrophe naturelle de grande ampleur.

Dans ce débat, on conseillera très vivement de consulter le site du Centre de Recherche International pour le Développement (Canada) dont l'ouvrage "La responsabilité de protéger" (texte intégral en français, en bas de la page d'accueil) est lumineux sur ces concepts de souveraineté et de sécurité humaine.

On nous rétorquera :
" Tout cela est trop simpliste, la situation est très complexe..."

(...) " Chicaner l'indignation publique, rien de plus misérable.
Les atténuations aggravent. C'est la subtilité plaidant pour la barbarie."(...)
" Est-ce que le crime diminue en raison de son énormité ? Hélas, c'est en effet une vieille loi de l'histoire. Tuez six hommes, vous êtes (un criminel) ; tuez-en six cent mille, vous êtes César. Être monstrueux, c'est être acceptable."(...)
" Le moment est venu d'élever la voix. L'indignation universelle se soulève.
Il y a des heures où la conscience humaine prend la parole et intime l'ordre aux gouvernements de l'écouter."

" L'avenir est un dieu traîné par des tigres."

(Victor Hugo - 1876)

Messages à Victor Hugo au Panthéon (Source photo)