Now that the budget is beyond speculations, it is time to take stock of where we actually stand. It is always a two-edged sword. Close on the heels of tax revisions came the fuel rise, and just yesterday Banks announced that home loan rates are going up again. It seems savings would be too frugal for the common man to even feel its benefits. While the oppossition has found a new issue in the fuel price-rise and protesting it vehemently, to prove they are on the side of the 'people', we know that it is just another meaningless episode in the general drama of politics.

Another year, another budget. Accept and move on folks. There never was any choice so to speak.

This is Holi week. There is colour everywhere. Colour power in the Parliament as it is budget day, and a lot of colour-changing after that. But just remember, green is 'the' colour of money, and so is it of jealousy. Red is definitely the colour of love, and pink of new love, blue of sadness but also of tranquility. Yellow is for friends. But after the heights to which Sachin Tendulkar is taking Indian cricket, the colour for the mind is certainly Indian.

Here's wishing all of you a bright and funfilled holi. We don't get many opportunities that officially allow us to be crazy. So make the most of it guys.

This week I had intended to tease you a bit about Valentine's Day. But instead, here we are stunned by what happened at Pune on the evening preceding the day people were waiting to celebrate love. As five young friends gathered around a table in a cafe for a reunion, the explosive went off, sealing their fates in their prime. Many others were killed in the same incident and many more still left impaired for life. Shocked yes, but are we really surprised? Innocent lives have always been easy targets in our country for such a long time now that we have really begun to loose track of statistics. We just mourn in silence and wait for the next assault to take place.

Shame. Shame on the cowardice that violence represents.

Bavery is only determined by factors that are inherent. Little Takam proved this once again, as he helped several others to escape from a devastating fire that engulfed a hostel in the remote township of Palin in Arunachal Pradesh last night. As the fire began to spread, Takam, a class V student, shook his friends and other small children from sleep and helped them find a way out of the leaping flames. Ten students, most from KG to Classes I and II, were killed in this heart-wrenching incident while three others are still reported to be missing.

Brave Takam did not find escape for himself. But may be, people like him will always put others before self. We pray for Takam and all those who have fallen a victim to fate even before they got chance to start life.

As the Mumbai film fraternity extends support to Shahrukh Khan in the face of antagonism from Shivsena and loyalists of Mumbai-for-Marathis, we stand in amazement and wonder what else can stimulate communal extremism in India. SRK had described the IPL situation concerning Pakistani cricketers as unfortunate - a thought that must be echoed among millions worldwide. But the point then is, are we not allowed to speak at all? May be a ban is going to be issued on us too for upholding the right causes.

A black flag from our side to all self-imposed prohibitors of individual rights.Just let people be.