Petals!

I've never picked up a book by Michael Connelly before but when I read these first lines from his novel, The Brass Verdict , I knew that its a book I would enjoy reading. The first lines are: " Every body lies. Cops lie. Witnesses lie. The victims lie. A trial is a contest of lies. And every body in the courtroom knows this. The judge knows this. Even the jury knows this." My thoughts: As some one who studied law, I began my life with great expectations of finding justice for victims. Maybe reading a lot of John Grisham novels had touched a chord, I am not sure. I remember feeling thrilled about the characters and their struggle for justice. However, in real life, it is really different. In India, justice is a beautifully marketed concept that is never fair. Justice, its concept and execution in India, is so blinded by the weight of so many lies, negotiations, media moves and illegal manoeuvres that the public can never begin to suspect how murky it really is. Truth, i ...

Latest news about the US President-elect Barack Obama is that he wants the following words "so help me God" to be included in his oath on Inauguration Day. This is a confirmed fact as Obama specifically requested this to the Chief Justice to have this phrase included. Interestingly, this has stirred a bee's nest as a group of atheists want to bar Chief Justice Roberts from complying with this request and including the words, "so help me God" in the oath. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court in which plaintiffs stated that Obama can use the words but Roberts shouldnt be the one to prompt these words as part of the oath. The lawyers who are in the Justice Department called this whole rigmarole totally ridiculous. And you know, I think the more I read about what Obama is doing, the more I respect this amazing man. I wish we had more principle-based leaders like him in this world.