Retiring to one's strengths

While the European and US economy has been on the down slide, the economy around the globe is improving. China is returning to its old glory. A country that gave the world silk, tea, paper, etc is bound to come back to spot light again. India is also doing well again. More than natural resources it was people's skill that made China and India popular in the old world. Indian textiles, spices, and other food products have retained their quality over centuries. Eventually every one must return to their inherent strengths and goodness for the well being of this world.

Leading by example

In good neighborhoods one do not worry of theft as much as in bad ones. The idea is to make one's country and neighborhoods good. Piling of weapons for security happens in bad places. It is not natural when some one you are afraid of comes and tells you to throw away your weapons. It is more natural when you have good and strong friends that you feel there is no need for weapons. America's foreign policies in recent years have made many countries stop believing in diplomatic friendships.

The mirror

Nothing amazes one more than seeing some one has the same image of you as you have of yourself. Makes you believe some one was eavesdropping.

Documentation on the person

Instead of asking people to carry documentation like passports and green cards the government needs to spend some serious tax dollars in improving the border security. They have been spending quite a bit of tax dollars securing US in Iraq and Afghanistan without worrying about the Arizona, Texas, or California border for years. Or perhaps that is what we are supposed to believe dumb that we are. Carrying documentation all the time makes one feel like one is stuck in some airport for life. I do not understand why Americans are picking up fights with muslims, mexicans, etc etc. Some cantankerous people are in the office for sure. I do not understand how so many people can support this law in Arizona. Perhaps they do not understand that "every one" has to carry documentation because some one who looks American to one need not look so to another and that includes people from European shores too.

Dignity of labor

The hindu philosophy of karma determining your life is critical to save today's economy. As long as some jobs have lower status in society, any one who is doing that job feels miserable and wants out of it. Hierarchies of work is not logical as anything else is in this world. For example, children of farmers in India prefer being a driver than a farmer and the life of a driver is far more difficult than being a farmer. And so the farming industry suffers and so does society along with it. If schools made farming a huge priority (as they should considering we need food to exist), educated people would choose farming as a profession. And the job will be as far as your strength can take you. Though the brain has recently gained more popularity than brawn, strength sure is an asset which sustains. How about a star farmer along with a star ball kicker (a lot of sports is about hitting a ball with a stick or leg, they sure hate balls in sports) in schools? That will be the day.

Misogynists and fundamentalists

Fundamentalists hate women. Women are objects meant to be degraded and to be controlled for them. This hatred is a result of hatred fundamentalists have for themselves. Not surprisingly fundamentalists are loathsome to themselves. After all they live with their lies more closely than any one else.

Consumerism in America

American consumers until now are the goal of manufacturers. Though one might lament how consumerism has been bad for general health, those were the good times. Today its a global race and one country's consumers aint just enough.

Clothes and a French debate

Sarkozy's rant against the burkha brings back attention to fashion and what it really stands for. The naive theory is that weather determine fashion. Really a burkha that an Arab woman wears is not that different from what an Arab man traditionally wears except that the face is covered. Perhaps this dress is what best suits the harsh desert weather. But then why do women across the globe wear the burkha? Here comes the role fashion plays. Dominant cultures leave their memory of their dominance in what the people they once dominated wear. Islam was once the dominant religion of the world and hence you see the islamic wardrobe all around. It is the same as why men wear suits and pants all around the world regardless of the weather. The lungi is much laughed at in India and that is laughable. The women are usually subjected to uncomfortable fashion a lot more than men. Men usually prefer to identify themselves with dominant, current, and most importantly comfortable fashion whereas women in many parts of the world hang out in comfort zones and it does not matter what they wear. And their clothes get ridiculous.

Interestingly, the British when they ruled the world did not influence fashion as much as after world war 2 when they began to tend to their own business. So you saw African women dressed for the weather in early National Geographic magazines. The cameras and coverage expedited the covering of the African woman as much as it did the uncovering of her European counterpart. Hence fashion is imitation at a subconscious level and spreads more by words than swords.

Turn back the clock a few decades and we see a french politician raving about the state of undress of savages in Africa like Sarkozy now does about the state of over dressing in the middle east. No wonder French are leaders in fashion for their politicians are overtly interested in it.

The signs to look for

A school rocks when the students are more excited about what they learn than they are about their friends.

Something magical about Seattle

Amazon.com is among the few good news in today's US economy. The companies from Seattle have preserved the interesting qualities of old America (from a decade back). Even the alumni from the schools of Seattle achieve quite a bit without creating much ado about nothing. The bay area companies on the other hand are boisterous and have a pack mentality of spreading slander and gossip about competition.

The many facets of illegal immigration

People migrate to the US based on the dream or the promise of a better life. It is not necessarily true that these days illegal or for that matter legal immigrants or true blooded Americans are having a great time in the US but its the dream that keeps people hanging on to these shores.

Unskilled labor is a valuable asset. People ready to do any kind of work for a quick buck is necessary for most industry to survive. In history society has resorted to many tricks to make sure that they have access to cheap labor. In India it was caste system that made people believe it was the sins of their past birth that made them who they are and they had to pay for their sins in the present life by working hard for people who lived their lives better in previous births. America had slaves and Europe had colonies. In recent times illegal immigration has provided America with a much needed cheap labor force.

Its amusing in a macabre way that the lives of laborers are hard because of the work they do, moreover they have to contend with the contempt of society who benefit from their deplorable status. People who do not do manual work do not understand the concept of dignity of labor.

Immigrants have nothing to lose because their life is hard and they can survive in one place or another. Its people who had it easy who are going to lose if they do not mend their manners. The immigration debate is an election gimmick because a certain group has a particular favorite party while voting.

Turning point of the debate

Looks like the French are moving the focus of their debate from burkha to polygamy and women's rights. Burkha is fashion quite different from the french may be but reflecting on women's rights will shed some light on their own record. Women's rights are something that needs serious debate and welcome whether it is about Islamic women or others.

illegal immigration

Illegal immigration is a border patrol problem. It is embarrassing that so many illegal immigrants are already in the country. Makes American border security look weak which it is not. So illegal immigration was encouraged because of the obvious reason that there was a demand for workers from certain parts of the world. Randomly checking people on the street for their immigration status is a no no. Checks if done should be done more diplomatically, discretely, and with more dignity. Illegal immigrants are in America because there is a demand for them. It is best to make every one legal. More temporary workers permit may be a way to go. I suggest if Arizona does not want immigrants, California should get them. More money for California.

Genocide

Victims of mass killings or genocide must learn from the Jewish people. The Jewish people never forget their own and hence the world remembers. The Jewish people do not go about blowing themselves up. They seek justice with existing laws around the world and also document and share information of the tragedy they faced. Victims must form groups and use peaceful means of protests so that the victims themselves and the world can come to a better understanding of how to avoid such problems. In other words, victims of genocide must forgive but not forget.

Labor and prosperity

Immediately available plenty of labor not necessarily cheap labor is essential for prosperity. Dwindling labor force in India will become reason that will stunt the growth of India's economy soon enough. Laborers migrate from India big time and this trend can stop only when there is more dignity of labor. In America attitudes are going to stop the migration of people coming in for a quick dollar. Its best to know when the going is good and salvage what works for an economy.

The shenanigans of progress

Progressive countries in many regions of the world are also called westernized. That makes one wonder what progress really stands for? Is it adopting a particular way of dressing? In many cases that is as far as progress goes. Adopting or let us say aping western costumes and mannerisms is considered progress. It is questionable that the western world stands for liberty (considering how they propagated slavery and colonialism) but surely liberty spells progress to me. Adopting mannerisms without adopting liberty may make one westernized but not progressive. And once you adopt liberty, you are free to feel pretty in a burkha, a sari, or a bikini.

Smear campaigns

The scandal being blown out of proportion against the pope has political reasons. It is necessary to look for who is behind this scandal and why. Abuse of children is illegal and not just immoral and the police must be informed by anyone who witnesses it. I would think its beyond the jurisdiction of the church and the pope.

Culprits if any need to be punished but this looks like a smear campaign. Some people have created havoc around the world with smear campaigns. A smear campaign is a crime that is hard to punish. No laws deal with gossip. Moreover a sustained smear campaign over a long period of time can cause serious harm to the catholic church, an act the world can ill afford. With philosophy taking a back seat in today's curriculum, the catholic church serves as the back bone to moral health to millions of people who are not necessarily catholics.

Paparazzi providing sensationalism in news is the evils of modern times which the Vatican must learn and teach how to deal with. Lead the way is what I will say to the church. Prominent personalities, some awfully powerful people, have been harassed by the paparazzi time and again. The reaction is to defend when faced with a smear campaign. Perhaps attacks with libel suits would be a better strategy.

The shorting menace

In time stocks of major companies get attacked by shorts. The shorts or day traders sell for small profit and buy at small drops. So the shorts remain in picture through out the day. A company's stock is doomed when the number of shorts become high. Competition can kill a company by just using a shorting strategy.

The French burkha problem

It tickles my sense of humor that the french have a problem with burkhas. It is true that if you go to some developing countries every one is forced to wear a particular kind of dress and tempers flare at any suggestion of slight to culture. But the French one thought was broad minded. Not surprisingly, considering French history, it looks like the French have a long way to go before becoming comfortable in their own shoes. Or perhaps the French need to vote Sarkozy off. The French have no idea what hurts the dignity of a woman. Telling women what to wear surely hurts a woman's dignity and also fashion sense. By the way, a lot of so called progressive muslim countries ban the burkha too in universities, mainly because they fear that fundamentalism returns when burkha returns. Perhaps the french take their cue from westernized Islamic countries.

The state of Palestine

Its in every one's best interest to have a free Palestine. Looks like the demands of Palestine are quite fair now. A few decades back the existence of Israel would not be acceptable to Palestinians. That has changed and its a step forward. The only thing Israel will lose is dirt cheap labor and some kind of racial superiority which is a small price to pay for lasting peace. A peaceful Palestine will still provide a work force for Israel because of Israel's technical prowess but not dirt cheap like now. A small price to pay for peace. Moreover Palestinian people can truly make progress and breath free.

The words we need to hear

Economy is the only thing that matters now. Its unfortunate that Obama does not have the luxury of his predecessors because now that is all one tunes in to hear. Lets hear about what we can about economy. In the recent past American presidents had the luxury to make lasting decisions on foreign policies. Obama has no choice that foreign policy is on top of his agenda with American soldiers in two countries (a condition some people call war). But that is no longer top priority for Americans. Its all about the economy. In other words the mood more than ever is take care of America and the world will take care of itself. America was criticized in the past for being so self indulgent but I think its a character that suits her best.

A pope and the scandal

The pope cannot be qualified to head the catholic church if he is not morally disgusted when children are abused. Leaders need to react to injustices in a particular way as litmus tests to their leadership.

Purse money

The Indian rulers accepted purse money from the British and did nothing. They lived as ceremonial heads. Purse money reminds me of the Indians or immigrants in America who run after social security or unemployment benefits. Ceremonially qualified people who will exist for some reason. You are no king if you have no kingdom. I rest my case.

Propagating imperfection

The imperfect propagate imperfection so that they can survive. On the one hand I have nothing against imperfection and imperfections make people human. But drag everyone else down so that you can look good is a no no.

Tunnels in human tolerance

The tunnels in the Gaza strip to smuggle goods is mortifying and is worse than holocaust. People live with unjust conditions for a long time. Slavery, caste system, etc are conditions that existed forever till some decent people had enough of it. Question is when does modern injustice become intolerant to decent people?

In the support of religion

Religion forms a basis of rules formed by collective wisdom to make the society a happy one. Rejecting religion makes every individual struggle to come to the same understanding on their own which is a waste of time and energy. But on the other hand custodians of religion are not as smart as the ones that formed the religion and they tend to be intangible and punishing. Perhaps like the constitution, a country must adopt a moral code which can change with time but is under the scrutiny of scholars.

Sanctions!

The US and the West are always imposing sanctions on one country or the other for a multitude of reasons. Sanctions have never worked in the past. We do not remember a single instance where sanctions worked to achieve some goal but smart diplomacy surely works. America by isolating Iran is cutting itself off from a whole lot of other countries. More money to China the smartest nation today. China has so far been the second choice compared to the US for many but soon that will change with American attitude of shooting herself in the leg time and again. That China will agree to sanctions is very doubtful. Why would china withdraw from a market, it is establishing, to come back on a future date to compete with sanctioning nations? In the current scenario, Russia will make money on the sly, India will be assured future trade, while China will continue to flourish. It is not time for sanctions but a time for establishing markets.

The muck of democracy

So now Tharoor faces political muck. What did he expect? Power is quite attractive and attracts all kinds and mostly the wrong kind. A democracy is only as good as the people who form it.

The power of peace

Peace is so powerful that it can do great harm even. For example, colonization of the world by a tiny country like Britain would not have happened if it did not involve the church or schooling. It is said that Mughals got a grip over India because of peaceful sufi saints. Every one likes peace. So India became independent because Gandhiji asked people to choose peaceful resistance. This way the number of people participating grew exponentially and the nature of resistance changed. Never underestimate peaceful resistance because it sure brings down huge empires with more certainty than any other means of resistance.

Scales of unhappiness

Lack of money cannot make you as unhappy as mean people can!

Accomplishments

People who look down upon other people's accomplishments are invariably the ones who never accomplished anything themselves. It takes effort to understand another person's efforts.

Resistance without Hope

Suicide attacks are a sign of people who are objecting to something and reacting to it without the hope of gaining justice. In the freedom fighting of Africa you see people hanging themselves after breaking the law. But India in her fight for freedom used the existing judicial system. So the extremists hanged but they were hung by the British government and the jails were filled. Going to jail was quite a respectable thing those days and I believe a politician would not be taken seriously if they had not been to jail after India's independence. Communication is increasingly lacking among people. Justice cannot be gained without hope. Hopeless fighting no matter what the cause is useless.

The naxalite problem of India

States where major exploitation of poor people take place are breeding grounds for naxalites. States where villages have hamlets like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have long ill treated poor people. The attitudes people hold for hard working but poor people is appalling. States like Karnataka and Kerala do not have hamlets and there is more equity in society. In such states poverty is a result of personal karma as it should be and not exploitation. Poverty in states like Bihar is also karma but not of the person who is poor but the ones who are rich.

Naxalites love death and apart from providing a sense of revenge do nothing to solve problems faced by poor people. The laborers of India are ill served by their leaders. Labor leaders across the country are puppets of the rich and are mostly uneducated and ill informed. Other leaders who are from rich families but have soft hearts go about pitying poor people which is again stupid. Poverty is no terminal disease that cannot be fixed with right steps. Its like the poor people are lead by the blind. So they choose between violent groups or stupid groups and are stuck in a rut.

Communists as I have long maintained thrive on people being poor and so poor people cannot change their fates by becoming communists. Like why are there a few awfully rich people in China today that is supposed to be a communist country? Because they are awfully good at exploiting poor people. Dignity of labor and respect for life is what will save the day. When Gandhiji preached about abolishing untouchability he should have mentioned abolishing hamlets too. Hamlets are the embodiment of all that is evil in a feudal society.

Signing up

When did Indian (or for that matter Pakistani) women sign up that a marriage can be annulled by becoming fat? Shoaib Mallik must do the decent thing and proceed with a proper divorce settlement. Sania must watch out if she marries this guy that some day she gains weight he will deny that he married her. Considering that Indian women tend to put on weight as they grow older Sania is taking big risks by marrying a man who is overtly concerned about the weight of his spouse to the point of denying a marriage. I might say that Indian Pakistani marriages in the past have been plastic and this is quite a typical outcome of such a marriage.