Do we want that?

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Very often than not, we compare ourselves to another country and find reasons why are we so bad in everything. It is of no consolation that we are in good and even very good position in many-many things - and yes believe me, we ARE (or compare India to many of more than three hundred listed countries on Earth) - because as the tendency of an average Indian is, we very carefully ignore whatever is good to talk about. Oh yes, I know only too well that when you criticize India you do not mean to harm her, but by analysing negatives you are only helping to improve state of affairs. I have no right to comment on your sacrosanct intentions but I urge you to critisize for bad but commend for good as well. I am sure you will agree that if you do not reward a kid for his good work but punish for bad, his/her motivation for doing good will be result of desire of avoiding punishment and not of accomplishment, which wouldn’t be strong enough and wouldn’t last long. For country, it simply translates to motivation of its policy makers and public.



In any case, even before you jump to critisize it is wise decision to analyse the facts and information which negative Indian media is filling you continuously with. India is often compared to China, for we were in nearly similar situation, while China has controlled its population and grown real super power economy and otherwise while India is still ... (you can fill in here)



I often asked myself this question that capitalism as it is in US is really good for society? I do not proclaim myself any knowledgeable on various forms of society but the question is this: if the results are good then can a bad method be justified? I didn’t know this till few months before that Chinese govt. does not permit any couple to have more than one child. I know, that this rule of "one child" applies only in cities and "two children" are permitted in some rural areas and there are other nuances of the law. But, I was literally shocked. Oh I know now, how come Chinese population is stablised and we are still flourishing. Whatever be the reason, I do not think that a government has any right to confine parental pleasures of a couple. Control of population should be by assent of people not by force. I feel really proud that we are democracy and such thing cannot happen in India. I know that large population is bad for country and that 25% of our people are very poor and about one-third are illiterate. I know that if we do not control than there will be serious consequences (deformed sex ratios, unemployment, hunger deaths etc.) but please, government’s duties should be to make people aware of this and then let them choose. If they choose to multiply blindfolded and suffer, they have right to. But how can one coerce someone to decide how many kids they can have? The idea itself is equivalent of dictatorship. Follow this article for more details on "success of China" compared to India and then decide for yourself.

Behind China's anti-poverty success

While the US claims itself mightiest nation of Earth and a great democracy, I just wonder that how can educated public of US reelect Bush (as the likely case is) to office even after his massacre in Afghanistan and Iraq? Is US public completely insensitive to human life? Isn’t this act of attacking any country for no reason whatsoever (Daddy why did we attack Iraq?) utter terrorism by itself? Even though Uma Bharti roams around in name of Tiranga Yatra and even though we have Laloo Prasad Yadav as our Railway Minister, I feel that we are one of the wonderful democracies on Earth. Things are slow in India but at least people will not spare a conspirator of genocide. Our illiterate and poor people are more sensible than "educated" people of US. Isn’t it simply wonderful that we have NEVER attacked any country in last 10,000 years? Gloating on the past not necessary hampers the progress of the future.



Question is do we want the population control by coercion or economic success by raging wars, or would be prefer to be a little slow but go by genuine means. Are we fair if we critisize based on results without considering means? Do we want that?

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Indian Hostage Relived from Iraq

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A simple note. Chronology of affairs relating to kidnapping and release of three Indian workers in Iraq.



Three Indian people decide to go to Iraq to earn money by paying thousands of Rupees to illegal employment firms for foreign placement even after repeated instructions and orders by Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India advising not to travel to Iraq. They work for some time. And then, unfortunately they are kidnapped by radical Islamic group. They ask for help from Govt. of India to release them. Government forms a special committee, and contacts a negotiator in Iraq to talk to terrorists. Foreign country, brutal and unknown kidnappers, uncooperative Iraq government, mess of police and military in Iraq, and the negotiation continue. Natwar Singh issues a statement every other day. India media cry foul over lackluster approach of government and indifference towards the public lives. It is claimed that if a relative of minister would have been kidnapped, things would have been different. Relatives of kidnapped person issue statement of "not trust in the government". Things stretch for about forty days and surprisingly Indian hostages are relived. Special plane of Air India picks up these people for free-ride back home to be received at Airport by Hon’ble Minister with lots of fan fare. Media publishes lots of pictures and interview with these people. Relatives of the kidnapped people thank guru Govind Singh (there was some big ceremony in Amritsar around that time) for releasing their people. Things keep moving.



Moral of story: If things go wrong, blame the government. If things turn out right, thank the God. Of course, critisize any minister for whatsoever reason anytime.



Couldn’t we be a little more negative?

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EVM & Fuel Efficient Cars [NEWS CLIP]

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Comparision of Indian electronic Voting Machines (EVM) with American ones: Power of simplicity!

http://techaos.blogspot.com/2004/05/indian-evm-compared-with-diebold.html



Check out most fuel efficient cars of the century!

http://us.rediff.com/money/2004/jul/03motoring.htm?headline=The~6~most~fuel~efficient~cars

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Identity Theft

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Who are you?



Philosophically speaking you are a set of principles and values, morals and emotions, opinions and viewpoints, goals and karma.



Biologically speaking you are nothing but lots and lots of interconnected cells and tissues along with numerous chemical reactions going on.



Materialistically speaking you are your name, your home, your address, your people, your past and your plans for future.



What about legally? Especially in this computer age! You are your name, your Social Security Number (SSN), your Personal Identification Number (PIN), your Credit Card Number, your address and your signature. You are what lots of legal documents which you have been required to complete beginning even before your birht and till after your death tell about you. No please, no scope of identity based on hopes and aspirations, personality and character, meanings and existence. I am not blaming anybody here; after all it is not possible to include these non-measurable characteristics into your definition. Not as long as current technology enhances to that extent.



Some sample of progress in this area is visible now itself in form of finger printing, retina scans, voice recognition etc. That is merging of your biological identity with your legal identity. But much of the work in this area is in inception stage.



So now what? Whoever has all those documents that describe you legally is you! So simple and yet so powerful and revolutionizing crime of new millennium: Identity theft.



In simple (and little modified) form this crime has been occurring in India in last couple of years. The Idea is this: if you are your documents, then you are nonexistence if there are no documents! That lays the foundation of Mritak Sangh that Ig-Noble Peace Prize 2004 winner Lal Bihari Mritak leads. Result of conspiracy between greedy relatives and corrupt bureaucrats, many people are declared dead even if they are alive. And his or her property is distributed among them! After that you do whatever you want: you are dead (practically) forever! You go to official and say that you are you, but hey, what is the proof? Funnily Lal Bihari has tried committing crime and getting arrested, fighting, attracting contempt of court, getting widow’s pension for his wife and organizing his own funeral – just to let the world know that he exist, but it took him more than 17 years of fight to reincarnate!



And now lets turn towards the West. Increased use of computers and Credit Card makes you even more venerable to the identity theft. As the physical interaction in transactions reduces (online tax-filling, eShopping, etc.) you need not even be another human being for all you know! May be some computer software is replacing you! Though government and other agencies are fighting with this crime as well but, I think, this will continue as long as humanity lives.



Now a little off the track for the same topic. What about South Asian Nationals living in USA? At least my experience at MIT shows that Pakistanis and Bangladeshi are finding it increasing difficult to preserve their separate national identity. They are more often than not mistaken for Indian due to our similar physique and over exceeding number of Indians in US. And believe me, Pakistanis do not want to be called Indian, as much as Indian wouldn’t want to be declared Pakistani (which is apparently more riskier after 9/11 episode). Being an Indian, it is of no trouble to me, and perhaps it is even pride in a way, but I pity those poor folks!

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