Shobha De is spot on when she says "Pull the "Z" category security for politicans and use it to secure our cities". At least the taxpayers money will be well spent.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Its Bussiness as Usual for Indias Politicians
Just days after one of the most deadly terrorist attack in India's history, politicians are back to their usual self. Blaming the opposite party for being responsible for terrorist attacks.
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"I have heard that BJP leader Gopinath Munde has demanded for my resignation following the multiple Terror attacks in Mumbai," Patil told media persons.
He further said that when Akshardham was attacked, the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi did not resign and when the Parliament was attacked the then Union Home Minister L K Advani did not resign.
"Then why should I resign after the Mumbai attack? What morality is BJP talking about?" Patil questioned.
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The Patil here is Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil. Just for information, a Home Minister is responsible for the internal administration of the country/state, and for the law and order situation in the country/state.
Going by this definition and since the terrorist attacks in Mumbai happened under the watch of RR Patil and not Narendra Modi or LK Advani, as Home Minister, the responsibility lies with you Mr Patil not with Narendra Modi or LK Advani. That's were the buck stops.
Should RR Patil take moral responsibility for the Mumbai blasts and resign from his office. Or should he be forced out of his office for saying "Such small incidents happen in big cities. The terrorists had come to kill 5000 people, but we ensured minimum damage"?
I wonder, and I do not want to wish this on any one, what would have been RR Patil's response be if one of the people killed would have been his loved one. Would he still consider that to be minimum damage?
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"I have heard that BJP leader Gopinath Munde has demanded for my resignation following the multiple Terror attacks in Mumbai," Patil told media persons.
He further said that when Akshardham was attacked, the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi did not resign and when the Parliament was attacked the then Union Home Minister L K Advani did not resign.
"Then why should I resign after the Mumbai attack? What morality is BJP talking about?" Patil questioned.
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The Patil here is Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil. Just for information, a Home Minister is responsible for the internal administration of the country/state, and for the law and order situation in the country/state.
Going by this definition and since the terrorist attacks in Mumbai happened under the watch of RR Patil and not Narendra Modi or LK Advani, as Home Minister, the responsibility lies with you Mr Patil not with Narendra Modi or LK Advani. That's were the buck stops.
Should RR Patil take moral responsibility for the Mumbai blasts and resign from his office. Or should he be forced out of his office for saying "Such small incidents happen in big cities. The terrorists had come to kill 5000 people, but we ensured minimum damage"?
I wonder, and I do not want to wish this on any one, what would have been RR Patil's response be if one of the people killed would have been his loved one. Would he still consider that to be minimum damage?
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thoughts About the Mumbai Blasts
Prem Panicker has an excellent compilation of thought about the Mumbai terror attacks. So does Amit Varma in his blog.
Live Coverage of Hostage Rescue Missions - Good or Bad?
In this age of 24/7 news coverage and hundreds of news channels, is live coverage of certain events like the current hostage crisis in Mumbai good or bad. Shrinidhi Hande in a post on Churumuri argues that we should ban all live coverage of certain events.
I think that media should have maximum freedom for a free society to function. But should that freedom be restricted when covering events when human lives are in danger?
What do you think?
Read the complete post ban live coverage
I think that media should have maximum freedom for a free society to function. But should that freedom be restricted when covering events when human lives are in danger?
What do you think?
Read the complete post ban live coverage
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
More Regulation is Coming?
President elect Barack Obama announced key members of his economic team this week. One of the key members of this team is Larry Summers, former treasury secretary under the Clinton administration and currently appointed to head the White House's National Economic Council. In this role, Larry Summers would serve as the primary advisor on framing policies related to domestic and international economic issues. In other words, he would have the Presidents Elect's ears on making policy decisions to get the world out of the current financial mess.
Recently Larry Summers wrote an article for the Financial Times which might give some key insights into the economic policy direction of the next administration.
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However, policies that contain the crisis, support the economy and generate recovery are not sufficient to meet the historic challenge of this moment. Even with the best conceivable fiscal, monetary, financial and regulatory policies, economic performance depends on deeper and more structural policy choices. Nations cannot fine tune their way to delivering a prosperity that is more broadly based. In important ways, then, the crisis creates space to address longer standing problems. Just as patients hear advice regarding diet and exercise differently after a heart attack, so recent events should make it possible for the next US administration to accomplish more than might previously have been thought possible.
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If this article is anything to go by, then the thinking of the incoming administration is to not just focus on more regulation, but also to boost government spending on infrastructure related projects like developing more renewable energy sources, expanding broadband connectivity and investing in science and technology.
Recently Larry Summers wrote an article for the Financial Times which might give some key insights into the economic policy direction of the next administration.
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However, policies that contain the crisis, support the economy and generate recovery are not sufficient to meet the historic challenge of this moment. Even with the best conceivable fiscal, monetary, financial and regulatory policies, economic performance depends on deeper and more structural policy choices. Nations cannot fine tune their way to delivering a prosperity that is more broadly based. In important ways, then, the crisis creates space to address longer standing problems. Just as patients hear advice regarding diet and exercise differently after a heart attack, so recent events should make it possible for the next US administration to accomplish more than might previously have been thought possible.
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If this article is anything to go by, then the thinking of the incoming administration is to not just focus on more regulation, but also to boost government spending on infrastructure related projects like developing more renewable energy sources, expanding broadband connectivity and investing in science and technology.
Monday, November 24, 2008
BJP on the Defensive
Until recently, whenever terror struck India, the first thing that came to mind was another Muslim group, another Jihadist organization, SIMI or or even Al Qaeda. This all changed a few back when the police arrested one Sadhvi Pragya Singh along with a Army Lt Col and a self styled guru, Swami Amritanand in connection with the bombing of a predominately Muslim town of Malegaon.
With the Lok Sabha elections approaching next year, BJP a predominately Hindu party which is also the opposition party in India had been on the offensive accusing the ruling UPA of being soft on terror. The UPA did not help its cause either as the bungled response by the Union Home Minister to the quick spate of terror attacks across the country played right into the hands of the BJP.
But the arrest of Pragya Singh and others has put the BJP on the defensive. It cannot use the us against them, Muslims responsible for terror, Pakistan hand in terrorist strikes, as its poll plank. The involvement of Hindus in the Malegoan blasts seems to have caught the BJP off guard and in two minds. It can neither distance itself from the Sadhvi as that would mean that you are abandoning a fellow Hindu, nor can it embrace her and her accomplices as that would mean that you tacitly support terror. Until a few months ago, I was leaning towards BJP gaining power in the Center. Now I am not so sure. If the issue of Hindu terrorists continues to dominate the headlines for the next few months, then the upcoming Lok sabha elections will be pretty interesting to watch.
With the Lok Sabha elections approaching next year, BJP a predominately Hindu party which is also the opposition party in India had been on the offensive accusing the ruling UPA of being soft on terror. The UPA did not help its cause either as the bungled response by the Union Home Minister to the quick spate of terror attacks across the country played right into the hands of the BJP.
But the arrest of Pragya Singh and others has put the BJP on the defensive. It cannot use the us against them, Muslims responsible for terror, Pakistan hand in terrorist strikes, as its poll plank. The involvement of Hindus in the Malegoan blasts seems to have caught the BJP off guard and in two minds. It can neither distance itself from the Sadhvi as that would mean that you are abandoning a fellow Hindu, nor can it embrace her and her accomplices as that would mean that you tacitly support terror. Until a few months ago, I was leaning towards BJP gaining power in the Center. Now I am not so sure. If the issue of Hindu terrorists continues to dominate the headlines for the next few months, then the upcoming Lok sabha elections will be pretty interesting to watch.
Citigroup Bailed Out by Taxpayers
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“Our job is to set a tone at the top to incent people to do the right thing and to set up safety nets to catch people who make mistakes or do the wrong thing and correct those as quickly as possible. And it is working. It is working.”
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These were the words of Chuck Prince in September 0f 2006 at the height of the real estate boom. If only he had followed up his words with actual actions Citigroup would not have been in the place that it finds itself: "Bailed out by the Taxpayers".
Read the complete NY Times article on how Citigroup followed the path to self destuction
“Our job is to set a tone at the top to incent people to do the right thing and to set up safety nets to catch people who make mistakes or do the wrong thing and correct those as quickly as possible. And it is working. It is working.”
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These were the words of Chuck Prince in September 0f 2006 at the height of the real estate boom. If only he had followed up his words with actual actions Citigroup would not have been in the place that it finds itself: "Bailed out by the Taxpayers".
Read the complete NY Times article on how Citigroup followed the path to self destuction
Saturday, November 22, 2008
FDR's Fireside Chat with the Nation
During the height of the Great Depression, when scarcely a bank was open for business, FDR addressed the United States. His entire speech is available as a podcast on the FDIC website.
Though the current financial crisis is a walk in the park compared to the Great Depression, some of the key ingredients; i.e. irresponsible lending, speculation and lacks oversight, are the same that have caused the current financial crisis.
Fireside chat link obtained from Daniel Gross's column on Slate
Though the current financial crisis is a walk in the park compared to the Great Depression, some of the key ingredients; i.e. irresponsible lending, speculation and lacks oversight, are the same that have caused the current financial crisis.
Fireside chat link obtained from Daniel Gross's column on Slate
Bird and Fortune's Take on the Financial Crisis
Bird and Fortune provide a rather simplistic but accurate explanation for the financial crisis and the cyclical nature of the financial markets. "When there is more greed then fear in the market, the market goes up. When then is more fear then greed in the market, the market goes down".
Watch Bird and Fortune decipher the financial woes in their trademark satirical style.
Watch Bird and Fortune decipher the financial woes in their trademark satirical style.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Who Will Lead? Who Will Follow?
Harvard Business School is celebrating its centennial this year. This might have not come at a more inopportune moment, what with the financial crisis and all. Financial Times aptly puts this in context.
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There is no doubt that most HBS graduates leave the institution with a very clear sense of their own worth and capabilities. They are not set up to fail. And yet, equally clearly, HBS alumni were involved at the heart of the investment banking and strategy consulting worlds that now stand accused of destabilising the world’s financial system to the point of destruction.
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But this financial crisis offers an opportunity for 21st century leadership. And which place is better poised to grab this opportunity other then HSB, however ironic it may be. As they say "Leadership skills are formed at the time of crisis". After all we do have a alumni of Harvard, if not Harvard Business School specific, as the next President of the United States.
Read the complete Financial Times article here.
Also see my previous posting Leadership in the 21st Century where five Harvard Business School alumni discuss the leadership challenges for the 21st century with Charlie Rose
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There is no doubt that most HBS graduates leave the institution with a very clear sense of their own worth and capabilities. They are not set up to fail. And yet, equally clearly, HBS alumni were involved at the heart of the investment banking and strategy consulting worlds that now stand accused of destabilising the world’s financial system to the point of destruction.
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But this financial crisis offers an opportunity for 21st century leadership. And which place is better poised to grab this opportunity other then HSB, however ironic it may be. As they say "Leadership skills are formed at the time of crisis". After all we do have a alumni of Harvard, if not Harvard Business School specific, as the next President of the United States.
Read the complete Financial Times article here.
Also see my previous posting Leadership in the 21st Century where five Harvard Business School alumni discuss the leadership challenges for the 21st century with Charlie Rose
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
This Happens Only in India
A Dutch couple where in for the shock of their lives when a road side vendor charged them Rs 10000 ($200) for four samosas. The vendors claim for the high price tag, "the samosas were specially made of Indian herbs and had aphrodisiac qualities".
Read the full story at Samosas for Sale
Read the full story at Samosas for Sale
Pepsi Becomes Environment Friendly
If you are thinking "Did Pepsi give up Bottled Water or Bottled Gatorade?", you are hoping for too much. All Pepsi is doing is trying to save water as much as possible. Atleast that's a start.
Do We Care What Dhoni Owns?
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In the meantime, Dhoni's collection of collectibles has grown. Only on Tuesday, he added an old motorcycle Yamaha RD 360, gifted by his relatives in Ujjain, to his formidable list of possessions, which included an array of dogs, bikes and designer clothes.
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Do we really care that MS Dohni owns dogs, bikes, designer clothes and will be getting a 9mm pistol soon.... Shouldn't the media be worried about more important things.
In the meantime, Dhoni's collection of collectibles has grown. Only on Tuesday, he added an old motorcycle Yamaha RD 360, gifted by his relatives in Ujjain, to his formidable list of possessions, which included an array of dogs, bikes and designer clothes.
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Do we really care that MS Dohni owns dogs, bikes, designer clothes and will be getting a 9mm pistol soon.... Shouldn't the media be worried about more important things.
Monday, November 17, 2008
As If Reservation in Educational Institutions was Not Enough
As if the reservations in educational institutions on the basis of caste was not enough, the Maharashtra government has issued a resolution asking industries to fill 80% of their vacancies with local people.
So where does the buck stop. Have your say on this.
So where does the buck stop. Have your say on this.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Rice for Rs 3 per Kg and Wheat for Rs 2 per Kg
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Taking a cue from the Raman Singh government's Rs 3 per kg rice scheme in Chhattisgarh, the BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday released its poll manifesto promising wheat at Rs 2 per kg to families living below poverty line and salt at 25 paise per kg to people under Scheduled Tribes category.
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Its election time and there is no shortage of promises from the politicians from both the ruling party and the opposition. Rs 3 per kg for rice and Rs 2 per kg for wheat is great. But what these politicians will not tell the electorate is that these prices are subsidized. And somebody has to pay the difference between the market value and the subsidized price. And that somebody is the poor taxpayer.
Read more at Rs 2 Wheat
Taking a cue from the Raman Singh government's Rs 3 per kg rice scheme in Chhattisgarh, the BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday released its poll manifesto promising wheat at Rs 2 per kg to families living below poverty line and salt at 25 paise per kg to people under Scheduled Tribes category.
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Its election time and there is no shortage of promises from the politicians from both the ruling party and the opposition. Rs 3 per kg for rice and Rs 2 per kg for wheat is great. But what these politicians will not tell the electorate is that these prices are subsidized. And somebody has to pay the difference between the market value and the subsidized price. And that somebody is the poor taxpayer.
Read more at Rs 2 Wheat
Key Moments in the US Presidential Election
With the US Presidential election less then 4 years away, its time to look back at the last one. Listening Post on Al Jazeera does just that.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Government Definition of Poor
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The sharp erosion in the value of money and the spiralling prices of essential items may have played havoc with people's lives, making it difficult for them to maintain their living standards, but the government is stubbornly sticking to its definition of who is "poor".
In an astounding position before the Supreme Court, it has held that one has to earn only Rs 455 ($10) a month in urban areas and Rs 328 ($7) in rural areas to escape the poor tag.
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Which century is the Indian government living in?
The sharp erosion in the value of money and the spiralling prices of essential items may have played havoc with people's lives, making it difficult for them to maintain their living standards, but the government is stubbornly sticking to its definition of who is "poor".
In an astounding position before the Supreme Court, it has held that one has to earn only Rs 455 ($10) a month in urban areas and Rs 328 ($7) in rural areas to escape the poor tag.
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Which century is the Indian government living in?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Why Should we Bail Out the US Auto Makers?
Pressure is mounting on the current and the new US administration to bail out the US automakers to the tune of $25 Billion. This on top of the already $700 Billion of taxpayers money being spent on bailing out US financial institutions.
The US automakers have for years depended on a bad business model and maintaining a status-quo by building factory capacity for gas guzzling SUV's. These SUV's once the cash cow for the big three now have become a liability. And they cannot get rid of this liability fast enough and they do not have enough cash to innovate their way out of the mess that is their own making.
With the US big three burning cash at the rate of millions of dollars a day, the executives are doing the rounds of Capitol Hill asking for this $25 billion in loan guarantees so that they can use this money for innovation and build more fuel efficient cars. Where was the talk of innovation when they were making billions of dollars on the gas guzzling SUV's? Why weren't the profits from the sales of SUV's not reinvested back into R&D to develop better fuel efficient technologies? Who is to blame for all of this? Of course it is the management of these automakers which neither had the vision nor the werewithal to think far ahead into the future. Aren't the executives of these companies paid the top dollar for thinking ahead. Why should this incompetent management be trusted with $25 billion of tax payers money?
The US automakers have for years depended on a bad business model and maintaining a status-quo by building factory capacity for gas guzzling SUV's. These SUV's once the cash cow for the big three now have become a liability. And they cannot get rid of this liability fast enough and they do not have enough cash to innovate their way out of the mess that is their own making.
With the US big three burning cash at the rate of millions of dollars a day, the executives are doing the rounds of Capitol Hill asking for this $25 billion in loan guarantees so that they can use this money for innovation and build more fuel efficient cars. Where was the talk of innovation when they were making billions of dollars on the gas guzzling SUV's? Why weren't the profits from the sales of SUV's not reinvested back into R&D to develop better fuel efficient technologies? Who is to blame for all of this? Of course it is the management of these automakers which neither had the vision nor the werewithal to think far ahead into the future. Aren't the executives of these companies paid the top dollar for thinking ahead. Why should this incompetent management be trusted with $25 billion of tax payers money?
Monday, November 10, 2008
IT Destination of India?
For a state that claims to be a destination for anyting IT, the sorry state of affairs of some the Karnataka government websites is rather ironic. According to a recent report in the Times of India , some of the government run websites have not been updated for the last two to three years.
I did a little bit of digging myself on what actually is on some of these government websites. Below is an image of some Karnataka government websites which was are listed in the government e-strategy document.
If you are like me trying to find some of these webistes, good luck with that. Also the website www.bangaloreit.com (marked in red in the image) is a not a government run website. Such is the state of affairs in the IT destination of India.
I did a little bit of digging myself on what actually is on some of these government websites. Below is an image of some Karnataka government websites which was are listed in the government e-strategy document.
If you are like me trying to find some of these webistes, good luck with that. Also the website www.bangaloreit.com (marked in red in the image) is a not a government run website. Such is the state of affairs in the IT destination of India.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
An Artist in Exile Tests India’s Democratic Ideals
MF Husain may be known to many Indians as a painter and an artist. But very few realize that he is currently living in Dubai for fear that his life may be in danger for doing what he is famous for. He was forced out of the country by some Hindu nationalist parties because he painted some Hindu Goddesses, sometimes portraying them nude.
Below is an exerpt of an article printed in the NY Times.
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Freedom of expression has frequently, and by some accounts, increasingly, come under fire in India, as the country tries to balance the dictates of its secular democracy with the easily inflamed religious and ethnic passions of its multitudes.
The result is a strange anomaly in a nation known for its vibrant, freewheeling political culture. The government is compelled to ensure respect for India’s diversity and at the same time prevent one group from pouncing on another for a perceived offense.
The rise of an intense brand of identity politics, with India’s many communities mobilizing for political power, has intensified the problem. An accusation that a piece of art or writing is offensive is an easy way to whip up the sentiments of a particular caste, faith or tribe.
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For a country with such a rich diversity, in terms of its religions, culture and even the languages that we speak, and for a country which aspires to be one of the superpowers in the world, we have lot of work to do. If history is any guide, it is these petty differences in religions, beliefs, and views that were exploited by the British which resulted in them ruling us for almost 150 years. Its been almost 60 years since we won independence from the British and we wrote our own constitution. which provides us with a fundamental right of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion. It is high time that we stand up for these rights. Otherwise what is the difference between a secular India and some of the Islamic fundamentals who demonstrated against the publication of images of Prophet Muhammad in a Danish Newspaper.
Read the complete NY Times article on MF Husain
Below is an exerpt of an article printed in the NY Times.
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Freedom of expression has frequently, and by some accounts, increasingly, come under fire in India, as the country tries to balance the dictates of its secular democracy with the easily inflamed religious and ethnic passions of its multitudes.
The result is a strange anomaly in a nation known for its vibrant, freewheeling political culture. The government is compelled to ensure respect for India’s diversity and at the same time prevent one group from pouncing on another for a perceived offense.
The rise of an intense brand of identity politics, with India’s many communities mobilizing for political power, has intensified the problem. An accusation that a piece of art or writing is offensive is an easy way to whip up the sentiments of a particular caste, faith or tribe.
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For a country with such a rich diversity, in terms of its religions, culture and even the languages that we speak, and for a country which aspires to be one of the superpowers in the world, we have lot of work to do. If history is any guide, it is these petty differences in religions, beliefs, and views that were exploited by the British which resulted in them ruling us for almost 150 years. Its been almost 60 years since we won independence from the British and we wrote our own constitution. which provides us with a fundamental right of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion. It is high time that we stand up for these rights. Otherwise what is the difference between a secular India and some of the Islamic fundamentals who demonstrated against the publication of images of Prophet Muhammad in a Danish Newspaper.
Read the complete NY Times article on MF Husain
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Doomsday Scenario
With the financial crisis taking a toll on the world economy, PBS conducted a interview with Nassim Nicholas Taleb the author of The Black Swan and mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot.
According to them we have just seen the tip of the iceberg with the current financial crisis. The globalization of our world and financial system have interconnected us to such degree, that they have made the world more prone to risks. A problem with one bank or an financial institution in one part of the world can bring the entire system crashing down. This is what is currently happening or as in Nassim Taleb's words "We live in a world that is way too complicated for our traditional economic structure. It's not as resilient as it used to be. We don't have slack. It's over-optimized."
Read the entire transcript of the interview and watch it at Doomsday Scenario
According to them we have just seen the tip of the iceberg with the current financial crisis. The globalization of our world and financial system have interconnected us to such degree, that they have made the world more prone to risks. A problem with one bank or an financial institution in one part of the world can bring the entire system crashing down. This is what is currently happening or as in Nassim Taleb's words "We live in a world that is way too complicated for our traditional economic structure. It's not as resilient as it used to be. We don't have slack. It's over-optimized."
Read the entire transcript of the interview and watch it at Doomsday Scenario
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Africa is a Country - Any Takers?
Any child who is in fifth grade would know that Africa is one of the seven continent and not a country. But if you are Sarah Palin Africa is a country, you can see Russia from Alaska and that makes you a maverick (i.e. a person who thinks independently, a lone dissenter, a non-conformist or rebel) and qualifies you to run for Vice President of the United States.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Unity in Diversity
Times of Indiareports that the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu M Karunanidhi has criticizes the use of tilak as a symbol of Hinduism. This on a historic day when racial, ethnic and religious barriers were broken in another part of the world.
For a country such as ours which has such a rich history and tradition, such immense diversity, which makes us the most unique country in the world, when are our politician's going to learn that trying to divide the country on religious lines and trying to appease your votebank will not work. The constitution of India grants every individual freedom of expression and freedom of religion be it a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian or a Sikh. For a person who is elected by the people to serve the people, Karunanidhi who has taken to uphold the constitution of India, should be the last person to criticize the freedom of expression.
But alas, with elections fast approaching may be he is trying to score some political points in his vote base. When will our politicians stop dividing us in the name of religion and when will our electorate learn to see through these bluffs and call their bluff just as America did yesterday.
For a country such as ours which has such a rich history and tradition, such immense diversity, which makes us the most unique country in the world, when are our politician's going to learn that trying to divide the country on religious lines and trying to appease your votebank will not work. The constitution of India grants every individual freedom of expression and freedom of religion be it a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian or a Sikh. For a person who is elected by the people to serve the people, Karunanidhi who has taken to uphold the constitution of India, should be the last person to criticize the freedom of expression.
But alas, with elections fast approaching may be he is trying to score some political points in his vote base. When will our politicians stop dividing us in the name of religion and when will our electorate learn to see through these bluffs and call their bluff just as America did yesterday.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Once in a LifeTime
This is definitely a once in a lifetime event as the NY Times notes in its headline.
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America. For a man who 4 years ago was unknown, but to a few people in the city of Chicago, this has been a extraordinary rise and an ultimate coronation.
This at a time when there are a lot of uncertainties and challenges facing the new president. Just to name a few, the US and the world economy is in tatters, global warming is a concern, and two wars, one of which was a war of choice, have diminished the United States standing in the world.
Atlast, the American electorate has made the right choice. The last eight years have been terrible for the United States, but the next four years offer a lot of hope. Lets hope that Barack Obama will use this mandate of the people to correct the wrongs of the last eight years.
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America. For a man who 4 years ago was unknown, but to a few people in the city of Chicago, this has been a extraordinary rise and an ultimate coronation.
This at a time when there are a lot of uncertainties and challenges facing the new president. Just to name a few, the US and the world economy is in tatters, global warming is a concern, and two wars, one of which was a war of choice, have diminished the United States standing in the world.
Atlast, the American electorate has made the right choice. The last eight years have been terrible for the United States, but the next four years offer a lot of hope. Lets hope that Barack Obama will use this mandate of the people to correct the wrongs of the last eight years.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Will Your Vote Make a Difference?
With the US Presidential election just a day away, I am pretty sure this question is on all voters mind. "Will my vote make a difference?". So what are the odds that a single vote will decide the presidential election. Read this to find out.
Sorry State of the Indian Education System
If this story is anything to go by, we as a country are in trouble. It not only reflects the sorry state of affairs in the medical education but our entire education system.
The Indian education system places more emphasis on bookish knowledge where cramming for a test and passing it is more important. Who cares if you do not remember what you have learned after you have passed the exam. Even in an engineering education curriculum, which I went through, emphasis was always on getting theoretical knowledge and cramming for the tests at the end of the semester. Never was it explained how what I was learning would be useful in the practical world.
If our colleges and Universities are to compete with the Harvard's, MIT's or the Cal Tech's of the world, if we need to propel India into the future as the destination of research and development and not just some back office service center, we need to reform our education system from the grass root level.
And it starts with having best and brightest of teachers who are paid competitive wages, who are enthusiastic about teaching, who care about what their wards learn.
The Indian education system places more emphasis on bookish knowledge where cramming for a test and passing it is more important. Who cares if you do not remember what you have learned after you have passed the exam. Even in an engineering education curriculum, which I went through, emphasis was always on getting theoretical knowledge and cramming for the tests at the end of the semester. Never was it explained how what I was learning would be useful in the practical world.
If our colleges and Universities are to compete with the Harvard's, MIT's or the Cal Tech's of the world, if we need to propel India into the future as the destination of research and development and not just some back office service center, we need to reform our education system from the grass root level.
And it starts with having best and brightest of teachers who are paid competitive wages, who are enthusiastic about teaching, who care about what their wards learn.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
What if We Support Raj Thackeray?
A satirical look at what will happen if every state in the country followed Raj Thackeray's lead in demanding that preference be given to locals in jobs, education, and residence.
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1. We should teach our kids that if he is second in class, don't study harder.. just beat up the student coming first and throw him out of the school
2. Parliament should have only Delhiites as it is located in Delhi
3. Prime Minister, President and all other leaders should only be from Delhi
4. No Hindi movie should be made in Bombay. Only Marathi.
5. At every state border, buses, trains, flights should be stopped and staff changed to local men
6. All Maharashtrians working abroad or in other states should be sent back as they are SNATCHING employment from Locals
7. Lord Shiva, Ganesha and Parvati should not be worshiped in our state as they belong to north (Himalayas)
8. Visits to Taj Mahal should be restricted to people from UP only
9. Relief for farmers in Maharashtra should not come from centre because that is the money collected as Tax from whole of India, so why should it be given to someone in Maharashtra?
10. Let's support Kashmiri Militants because they are right to killing and injuring innocent people for benefit of their state and community...
11. Let's throw all MNCs out of Maharashtra, why should they earn from us? We will open our own Maharashtra Microsoft, MH Pepsi and MH Marutis of the world.
12. Let's stop using cellphones, emails, TV, foreign Movies and dramas. James Bond should speak
Marathi
13. We should be ready to die hungry or buy food at 10 times higher price but should not accept imports from other states
14. We should not allow any industry to be setup in Maharashtra because all machinery comes from outside
15. We should STOP using local trains... Trains are not manufactured by Marathi manoos and the railway minister is a Bihari
16. Ensure that all our children are born, grow, live and die without ever stepping out of Maharashtra, then they will become true Marathis
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Link obtained from Outlook magazine
More Raj Thackeray 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
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1. We should teach our kids that if he is second in class, don't study harder.. just beat up the student coming first and throw him out of the school
2. Parliament should have only Delhiites as it is located in Delhi
3. Prime Minister, President and all other leaders should only be from Delhi
4. No Hindi movie should be made in Bombay. Only Marathi.
5. At every state border, buses, trains, flights should be stopped and staff changed to local men
6. All Maharashtrians working abroad or in other states should be sent back as they are SNATCHING employment from Locals
7. Lord Shiva, Ganesha and Parvati should not be worshiped in our state as they belong to north (Himalayas)
8. Visits to Taj Mahal should be restricted to people from UP only
9. Relief for farmers in Maharashtra should not come from centre because that is the money collected as Tax from whole of India, so why should it be given to someone in Maharashtra?
10. Let's support Kashmiri Militants because they are right to killing and injuring innocent people for benefit of their state and community...
11. Let's throw all MNCs out of Maharashtra, why should they earn from us? We will open our own Maharashtra Microsoft, MH Pepsi and MH Marutis of the world.
12. Let's stop using cellphones, emails, TV, foreign Movies and dramas. James Bond should speak
Marathi
13. We should be ready to die hungry or buy food at 10 times higher price but should not accept imports from other states
14. We should not allow any industry to be setup in Maharashtra because all machinery comes from outside
15. We should STOP using local trains... Trains are not manufactured by Marathi manoos and the railway minister is a Bihari
16. Ensure that all our children are born, grow, live and die without ever stepping out of Maharashtra, then they will become true Marathis
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Link obtained from Outlook magazine
More Raj Thackeray 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Truly, A Great Speech
Below is an excerpt of a speech given by Prof UR Ananthamurthy at the Jamia Millia Islamia
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Every political party speaks of Development and the industrialists and multinationals know that a majoritarian state where dissent is curbed is the best site for development. No political party seems to speak of Gandhiji’s ideal of Sarvodaya, an economic policy that would even benefit the last poor person. The suicides of agriculturists are not taken seriously; their death does not affect the sensex.
Those of you who graduate today from this great institution should ponder over what we as citizens can do to combine development with the welfare of all. Development should disassociate itself from an unabashed consumption and its need of an authoritarian state where the majority can rule ruthlessly, suppressing every form of dissent.
Please don’t think of what I just said as a cliché ridden advice; the whole world is in an economic crisis following the American model of development and consumption; an ecological disaster is ahead of us arising from our greed-driven consumption; violence in our societies has never been effectively curbed by counter-violence.
Gandhiji’s faith in non-violence and truth being the same is not just an ideal; it is a practical and sensible path for not only individuals, as perceived conveniently by many of us, but for nation-states too.
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Read the full text of the speech at A Great Speech
Link obatined from Churmuri
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Every political party speaks of Development and the industrialists and multinationals know that a majoritarian state where dissent is curbed is the best site for development. No political party seems to speak of Gandhiji’s ideal of Sarvodaya, an economic policy that would even benefit the last poor person. The suicides of agriculturists are not taken seriously; their death does not affect the sensex.
Those of you who graduate today from this great institution should ponder over what we as citizens can do to combine development with the welfare of all. Development should disassociate itself from an unabashed consumption and its need of an authoritarian state where the majority can rule ruthlessly, suppressing every form of dissent.
Please don’t think of what I just said as a cliché ridden advice; the whole world is in an economic crisis following the American model of development and consumption; an ecological disaster is ahead of us arising from our greed-driven consumption; violence in our societies has never been effectively curbed by counter-violence.
Gandhiji’s faith in non-violence and truth being the same is not just an ideal; it is a practical and sensible path for not only individuals, as perceived conveniently by many of us, but for nation-states too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read the full text of the speech at A Great Speech
Link obatined from Churmuri
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