Trip to Dubai
Best and economical place to stay is at Sharjah the business headquarters for UAE.
We got a suite for only $80 which included a great breakfast and free parking. Note we got it so cheap as it was during Ramzan. See the hotel Al Maha hotel, King Faisal Street, P.O. Box 27776, Sharjah U.A.E. Live Life like Dubai Sultan another look at Al Maha Regency ( Just behind King Faisal Road and monument).
We booked the hotel via Kayak and car booking via car booking website in US, search car booking via Kayak. Got car for one day at $25.
It is only 12 miles from there to Dubai, but please rent a GPS, or load Dubai's GPS in one own GPS. Road in Dubai are hopelessly confusing. And the worst is asking a local for direction. There are too many construction and not really helpful direction. We started from our hotel at 5 pm and reached Dubai's Dubai Mall at 8 PM, took around 2 to 2.5 hours to reach back. :-)
Do see
Al Burj
Dubai Mall
In THe mall see the Jumerriah Beach and Burj Al Arab
Trip to Oman
If you really want to have areal arabian expereince visit Oman the land of enchantment and described in as a land of great natural beauty on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula. See for more info
VISA information
FOr US Citizen get Oman visa for only 16$ for 30 days, See the US State Dept of Travel website here
For Indian Citizens again the same cost of 30 days. See here
Monday, December 21, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Altruism Indian IT and hidden architect Sam Pitroda
One person who made it and certainly all of IT and people like us who are deriving benefits from it, shoiuld know this guy with the naive but most helpful PM Rajiv Gandhi(with his grandfather Nehru) - Sam Pitorda
His biggest stuff (remember he came to impress Indira Gandhi maybe her death lead to Rajiv's coming)
1. Deregulation of IT Laws also C-Dot
2. Creation of first outsourcing to Infosys when he got GE a contract to India. See article
3. Cellular Regulation creation of the world's largest people connected.
Videos on Him
A nice documentary from SkochConsultancy Sam Pitorda a Dreamer
A small interview with him See here Innovation 100
Voice of America video on him
His thoughts and his life in a Harvard article
His biggest stuff (remember he came to impress Indira Gandhi maybe her death lead to Rajiv's coming)
1. Deregulation of IT Laws also C-Dot
2. Creation of first outsourcing to Infosys when he got GE a contract to India. See article
3. Cellular Regulation creation of the world's largest people connected.
Videos on Him
A nice documentary from SkochConsultancy Sam Pitorda a Dreamer
A small interview with him See here Innovation 100
Voice of America video on him
His thoughts and his life in a Harvard article
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
How Political Landspace transforms Historical Events
What is in a name even if it is a Historical event, many times depends upon from which side you are looking but more importantly who wins the battle. One of the example of groing in recently got independent poorer India or 70s is the word Indian Rebellion of 1857 or Sepoy mutiny (depending whether you are a British or Indian. A freedom fighter is someone's terrorist, example of Azad and Indian Kashmir).Interestingly the terms Indian Rebellion and Sepoy Mutiny and changing of the term in the last 30 odd years is another example of how history is dictated by Politics rather than reality. Sepoy Mutiny was still common when we were younger or reading 1950s or 60s Indain hsitory But after Britain's failing importance in World and India' re-emergence, Sepoy Mutiny is now just an addendum to historical British Britanica and the word does not even come in the democratic Wikipedia.
Friday, September 18, 2009
American Health Care
The American Health Care is at crossroads..
See some good article etc
A Radio show that discusses how US system compares with other counties
http://www.onpointradio.org/2009/06/obamas-health-care-push
Some Solutions
Cleveland Clinic Way
Data Based Stuff - Time Jun 23, 2009 How to Cut Health-Care Costs: Less Care, More Data
After Health Care Bill was put
Why the "a government-backed public option to compete with private insurers, instead proposes funds to set up nonprofit cooperatives" might not work.
Democracy Now article on it Read/Watch it here
Look at other country how they do it well
India how preventive and low technology diagnosis and non lobby based system is providing better health care See economist article
See some good article etc
A Radio show that discusses how US system compares with other counties
http://www.onpointradio.org/2009/06/obamas-health-care-push
Some Solutions
Cleveland Clinic Way
Data Based Stuff - Time Jun 23, 2009 How to Cut Health-Care Costs: Less Care, More Data
After Health Care Bill was put
Why the "a government-backed public option to compete with private insurers, instead proposes funds to set up nonprofit cooperatives" might not work.
Democracy Now article on it Read/Watch it here
Look at other country how they do it well
India how preventive and low technology diagnosis and non lobby based system is providing better health care See economist article
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Pujo Assche
It all started with a small IM from an old Bong (Bengali college friend)
" Puja Assche ...:-) Phone Korris .. "
These words have some very deep seated meaning... Especially if you lived your most important part of your life in Calcutta or nearby.
And even the single phrase "Puja Assche" actually almost made my eyes moist.
Old memories just dwarfed in to my mind. Memories of childhood days and early youth. of Calcutta and Pujas....
Memories of the part of the year months in which Puja is set. The weather starting to cool the receding Monsoons and most important "PANDALS being erected"...
It all meant holiday and a cultural immersion like nothing I have seen, even with my vagabound years.
Durga Puja has some elements that can bring people from any background. That is the biggest charm to it and that is what makes is so special. The origin like any festival anywhere has an a religious element to it, but especially how how it originated (origin of Puja) , especially "Sarbajanin Durga Puja" which most Bengali identify Durga Puja now with is more a cultural event than religious. A event which is iconically Calcuttan and now the symbolic embodiment of Bengalis or even the "Bhadrolok" culture of 1800s and early to mid 1900s. And in it we can see why this small state has produced so many cultural behemoths and earlier the most important financial capital of British crown India and its capital Calcutta. Again why Calcutta to this day is still called the cultural capital of India.
But after being Probabsi for so long there is more to it than just the event and its symbolism. At a personal level I miss the social melange and phenomenon called Puja... Where you need not be Bengali or Hindu or even religious to enjoy it. Another reason why it still flourished in under 25 years of the only Rad state atheist.
This universal appeal of might because of how I would say un-religious abberation Durga Puja is. The Durga's killing Mahisasur which is the hallmark of Durga Puja has a lot of abberations. The date of the killing is not even mentioned in Durga Chalisa. Actually the religious significance of the last few days of Durga Puja (which most of us remember standing in front of pratima of Durga in a cultural edifice ie.e pandal) is not about Durga Mahisasura Bodhan but killing of Ravana by Ram. Ram worshiped Durga and by doing puja with 108 lotus symbolic of her 108 names to get powers to kill the most powerful king of Asura (Daemon), the powerful Ravana. Again why it is also called "Akal Bodhan" (A-Kal in Sanskrit is Untimely). Even the name Durga is not completely correct as though she killed Mahisasura the avatar was when the Bodhan ( killing) was done is actually Mahishasuramardini. Actually the the only thing which is authentic about Durga Puja is Mahalaya the first day of Durga Festivity and the Birendra Krishna Bhadra's AIR tranmission at 4 AM.
This is certainly one of the biggest anamoly one can see in any prominent religious festival besides Christmas. It makes even more puzzling as its origin were done by a more literate Zaminadars unlike origins of Christmas in which trying to "increase the folk" the Christian church sort of followed the pagan festivity of Saturnalia during the end of year for locals of Europe. I think the reason why this anomaly was done was the timing and the Goddess chosen. Durga Puja marks the end of Monsoon. And for an agrarian Zamindar (landlord) it meant it is time for summer harvest. A time when fields are filled with Kharif crop (monsoon season crops). The reason for origin of the first 'Baro-Yaari'Pujo( from Baro ie twelve or the twelve friends of Guptipara in Hoogly, West Bengal, who collaborated and collected contributions from local residents to conduct the first community puja) or even the earliest recording of Durga Puja by the zamindar of the Sharadiya(Autumn)Durgotsab in Bengal in c 1606.
The freedom Swadeshi movement and bringing people across the religious aspect was the rationale behind Sarbojanin Durgotsav. We see that in the aspect coming in and the first Sarbojanin of Bagbazar. The freedon stuggle element of the cultural festival is very similar to the origin of the the other festival of similar kinds i.e. Ganesha Chaturthy. It was also started around the same time by Lokmanya Tilak, when he tried to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins'. The requirement of the time to coalesce the people of British dominion into a more single form and creation of an nationalistic entity which we now call India. On a side track this trying to appeal to the melange of India with its different languages and religion and singular focus starting from the early Swadeshi movement and the later Indian National Congress was the big reason of success them compared to the non-singular goal orientation of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or Sepoy mutiny ( See my blog explaining how Political landscape decides historical events). Again all these elements have made the cultural phenomenon which Durga Puja has now become. A sort of religious festival celebrated in an Atheist Maoist Leninist state, ruled by these atheist who certainly encourage the festival for last 30 years!!.
And even besides these slight Religious abberation of Durga Puja at a personal level has the aspects that touches people in many a way. The timing is perfect. The long hard summer month is past and also the mercurian monsoon is gone. The brutal summers and downpours have now been metamorphosed into the cooler weather and bounty of harvest. The green paddy field with the wild Kash phool (actually Kash grass gives credence to the Sonar Sabuj Bangla (the prosperity of the Bengal including Bangladesh coming from the two huge rivers Ganga Jamuna and the result of it during the Karif harvest months). And before the fields become barren and money from this harvest disintegrate to the wait for the next monsoon the timing of the festival could not have been better. It sort of exudes the the optimism of the people and land. I suppose the biggest reason of the huge acceptance of the festivity.
It is a time of the year when people come out and see one of the finest cultural aspect of not only Bengal but India's melting pot. A cultural that has as much as aspect of Indianess as is the British influence. Be it the Swadeshi movement or the cultural elements that make up the cultural enlightenment of the Bhadrolok Bengali. A very interesting love and hate relationship of British by Indian, and no where was it more poignant than Bengal and no where you see the dichotomy more than especially Sarbojoni Durga Puja and its Swadeshi movement. A festival that was started by British supported Zamindar as sort of show-off but saw its crystallization in the freedom movement coalizing of normal people of different backgrounds.
The SMS message that started it all
Friend's new status message - online on blackberry 9:24 AM
me: But anyway how are you and how are things with you... Puja Assche ...:-) Phone Korris ..
I always prefer phone.. amar number ta change hote paare keep my google voice number 661-505-8009
Friend: yeah i know a bunch of em too but i guess i am still in the iron age:-) i like my full size qwerty...nischoi phone korbo..i have heard SF bay area pujo is by far the best in the US...have you ever been there?
Sent at 9:26 AM on Tuesday
me: unfortunately I hav not gone to any pUja in US...
sonehow always missed it or there was no puja near me..
but this year will go to one in LA, heard it is also big...
Sent at 9:28 AM on Tuesday
Friend: i want to pause for a moment and reflect on the sentence you said "Pujo Asche"...it's just two words but it means a lot to Benaglis....and it continues to amaze me that inspite of your roots not being bengali...the way you said it had all the essence and emotions that i can associate with those two words:-) makes me happy..and probably made my day...
Sent at 9:32 AM on Tuesday
me: It is true... that few lines you replied actually almost made my eyes moist, jsut brought back memories of days of childhood and youth, of Calcutta and Pujas.... And months ago the weather started cooling and Pandals used to start... and after being Probabsi for so long.. jsut miss the social melangee and phenomenon called Puja...
Will get an email which will capture it in a better way
Another short IM
Another friend: well i have just gone through your blog and it is indeed a very well researched piece of work
me: oh thanks
Sent at 2:13 PM on Tuesday
me: well sort of wanted to write a bit of stuff of what I make of the festival and especially after i moved out of Calcutta and India, it was a sort of trying to understand why I was so still moved by all of it. So basically what is it in it that still captivates me and emotionally moves me.
" Puja Assche ...:-) Phone Korris .. "
These words have some very deep seated meaning... Especially if you lived your most important part of your life in Calcutta or nearby.
And even the single phrase "Puja Assche" actually almost made my eyes moist.
Old memories just dwarfed in to my mind. Memories of childhood days and early youth. of Calcutta and Pujas....
Memories of the part of the year months in which Puja is set. The weather starting to cool the receding Monsoons and most important "PANDALS being erected"...
It all meant holiday and a cultural immersion like nothing I have seen, even with my vagabound years.
Durga Puja has some elements that can bring people from any background. That is the biggest charm to it and that is what makes is so special. The origin like any festival anywhere has an a religious element to it, but especially how how it originated (origin of Puja) , especially "Sarbajanin Durga Puja" which most Bengali identify Durga Puja now with is more a cultural event than religious. A event which is iconically Calcuttan and now the symbolic embodiment of Bengalis or even the "Bhadrolok" culture of 1800s and early to mid 1900s. And in it we can see why this small state has produced so many cultural behemoths and earlier the most important financial capital of British crown India and its capital Calcutta. Again why Calcutta to this day is still called the cultural capital of India.
But after being Probabsi for so long there is more to it than just the event and its symbolism. At a personal level I miss the social melange and phenomenon called Puja... Where you need not be Bengali or Hindu or even religious to enjoy it. Another reason why it still flourished in under 25 years of the only Rad state atheist.
This universal appeal of might because of how I would say un-religious abberation Durga Puja is. The Durga's killing Mahisasur which is the hallmark of Durga Puja has a lot of abberations. The date of the killing is not even mentioned in Durga Chalisa. Actually the religious significance of the last few days of Durga Puja (which most of us remember standing in front of pratima of Durga in a cultural edifice ie.e pandal) is not about Durga Mahisasura Bodhan but killing of Ravana by Ram. Ram worshiped Durga and by doing puja with 108 lotus symbolic of her 108 names to get powers to kill the most powerful king of Asura (Daemon), the powerful Ravana. Again why it is also called "Akal Bodhan" (A-Kal in Sanskrit is Untimely). Even the name Durga is not completely correct as though she killed Mahisasura the avatar was when the Bodhan ( killing) was done is actually Mahishasuramardini. Actually the the only thing which is authentic about Durga Puja is Mahalaya the first day of Durga Festivity and the Birendra Krishna Bhadra's AIR tranmission at 4 AM.
This is certainly one of the biggest anamoly one can see in any prominent religious festival besides Christmas. It makes even more puzzling as its origin were done by a more literate Zaminadars unlike origins of Christmas in which trying to "increase the folk" the Christian church sort of followed the pagan festivity of Saturnalia during the end of year for locals of Europe. I think the reason why this anomaly was done was the timing and the Goddess chosen. Durga Puja marks the end of Monsoon. And for an agrarian Zamindar (landlord) it meant it is time for summer harvest. A time when fields are filled with Kharif crop (monsoon season crops). The reason for origin of the first 'Baro-Yaari'Pujo( from Baro ie twelve or the twelve friends of Guptipara in Hoogly, West Bengal, who collaborated and collected contributions from local residents to conduct the first community puja) or even the earliest recording of Durga Puja by the zamindar of the Sharadiya(Autumn)Durgotsab in Bengal in c 1606.
The freedom Swadeshi movement and bringing people across the religious aspect was the rationale behind Sarbojanin Durgotsav. We see that in the aspect coming in and the first Sarbojanin of Bagbazar. The freedon stuggle element of the cultural festival is very similar to the origin of the the other festival of similar kinds i.e. Ganesha Chaturthy. It was also started around the same time by Lokmanya Tilak, when he tried to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins'. The requirement of the time to coalesce the people of British dominion into a more single form and creation of an nationalistic entity which we now call India. On a side track this trying to appeal to the melange of India with its different languages and religion and singular focus starting from the early Swadeshi movement and the later Indian National Congress was the big reason of success them compared to the non-singular goal orientation of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or Sepoy mutiny ( See my blog explaining how Political landscape decides historical events). Again all these elements have made the cultural phenomenon which Durga Puja has now become. A sort of religious festival celebrated in an Atheist Maoist Leninist state, ruled by these atheist who certainly encourage the festival for last 30 years!!.
And even besides these slight Religious abberation of Durga Puja at a personal level has the aspects that touches people in many a way. The timing is perfect. The long hard summer month is past and also the mercurian monsoon is gone. The brutal summers and downpours have now been metamorphosed into the cooler weather and bounty of harvest. The green paddy field with the wild Kash phool (actually Kash grass gives credence to the Sonar Sabuj Bangla (the prosperity of the Bengal including Bangladesh coming from the two huge rivers Ganga Jamuna and the result of it during the Karif harvest months). And before the fields become barren and money from this harvest disintegrate to the wait for the next monsoon the timing of the festival could not have been better. It sort of exudes the the optimism of the people and land. I suppose the biggest reason of the huge acceptance of the festivity.
It is a time of the year when people come out and see one of the finest cultural aspect of not only Bengal but India's melting pot. A cultural that has as much as aspect of Indianess as is the British influence. Be it the Swadeshi movement or the cultural elements that make up the cultural enlightenment of the Bhadrolok Bengali. A very interesting love and hate relationship of British by Indian, and no where was it more poignant than Bengal and no where you see the dichotomy more than especially Sarbojoni Durga Puja and its Swadeshi movement. A festival that was started by British supported Zamindar as sort of show-off but saw its crystallization in the freedom movement coalizing of normal people of different backgrounds.
The SMS message that started it all
Friend's new status message - online on blackberry 9:24 AM
me: But anyway how are you and how are things with you... Puja Assche ...:-) Phone Korris ..
I always prefer phone.. amar number ta change hote paare keep my google voice number 661-505-8009
Friend: yeah i know a bunch of em too but i guess i am still in the iron age:-) i like my full size qwerty...nischoi phone korbo..i have heard SF bay area pujo is by far the best in the US...have you ever been there?
Sent at 9:26 AM on Tuesday
me: unfortunately I hav not gone to any pUja in US...
sonehow always missed it or there was no puja near me..
but this year will go to one in LA, heard it is also big...
Sent at 9:28 AM on Tuesday
Friend: i want to pause for a moment and reflect on the sentence you said "Pujo Asche"...it's just two words but it means a lot to Benaglis....and it continues to amaze me that inspite of your roots not being bengali...the way you said it had all the essence and emotions that i can associate with those two words:-) makes me happy..and probably made my day...
Sent at 9:32 AM on Tuesday
me: It is true... that few lines you replied actually almost made my eyes moist, jsut brought back memories of days of childhood and youth, of Calcutta and Pujas.... And months ago the weather started cooling and Pandals used to start... and after being Probabsi for so long.. jsut miss the social melangee and phenomenon called Puja...
Will get an email which will capture it in a better way
Another short IM
Another friend: well i have just gone through your blog and it is indeed a very well researched piece of work
me: oh thanks
Sent at 2:13 PM on Tuesday
me: well sort of wanted to write a bit of stuff of what I make of the festival and especially after i moved out of Calcutta and India, it was a sort of trying to understand why I was so still moved by all of it. So basically what is it in it that still captivates me and emotionally moves me.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The great Books and Documentaries I have watched
Documentaries
Evolutionary Biology and the Intelligent Design
Start of the Evolutionay Biology
Evolutionary Biology - A must read for any biologist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene
Atheism and how atheism is fighting the war on science
By Richard Attenborough War on Science
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=war+on+science+duration%3Along&num=20#
By Richard Dawkins - (Top 100 greatest living genius by Telegraph)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_God_Delusion
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=god+delusion++duration%3Along&num=20#
By Bill Maher Religulous
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Religulous+duration%3Along&num=20#
How Computer Industry was born
Triumph of Nerds
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=triumph+of+nerds+duration%3Along&num=20#
How Protestant though and philosophy has transformed world
Protestant revolution BBC Documentary
http://exchristian.net/exchristian/2009/03/protestant-revolution.html
How Protestant Religion and its impact
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation
How one single family lead to Renaissance be it Arts Michelangelo or Science Galilieo. See what Wall Street of middle world gave to world
The Medici:Godfathers of the Renaissance: PBS Dynasty series
http://www.joost.com/2370002/t/The-Medici-Godfathers-of-the-Renaissance-Birth-of-a-Dynasty#id=2370002
A documentary on /non western civilization like Eastern Civilization especailly in context of first 1991 Iraq war. When Sumerian Babylon civilization and it then continues to Chinese and Indian civilization. A good comparision of western thought of life as vital counter point to western way of thinking.
Some series on Some Great Conquests
Alexander
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great BBC Series with Michael Woods. The best is the last paortion of how Alexander dead before his humility seeing himself not as Zeus (son og God) but as human.
How Consquistdors conquered the Americas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquistadors_(TV_Series)
Indian Diaspora
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Diaspora/diaspora.html
Indian Coolies (Porters) or slaves that went to West Indies, Fiji , etc
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/coolies.shtml
Indian Diaspora in Uganda - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indians_in_Uganda
Some statistics of Indians in other countries
Google Book on Indian Diaspora : The Indian diaspora: dynamics of migration
Good Indian Site about Indian Diapsora. http://www.indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter15.pdf
Immigration to North America including USA
A really good book detailing with respect to Hinduism
A place at the multicultural table: the development of an American Hinduism
History of India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India
Documentary on Indian History
The Story of India read about it here
See the video here
Watch it on Google Video
One done Jawaharlal Nehru's book Discovery of India - See some fo the Doordarshan Serial Bharat Ek Khoj here
Good books on Indian History
Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins. Dominique Lapierre is a great story writer who writes on history. His best book is certainly O Jerusalem!
Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru read aout it here
American Society
How American woman in workforce and its effect on Family
Two different takes on it funnily both were done in 2003. :-)
Looking into post WWII and how Feminist Movement was born or better why it was born.
Mona Lisa Smile
A Beautiful movie: Which really reminded of Indian young women in India when we were growing up, especially of why girls should get educated, to get a better match.
A Completely take on it after 40 years after Feminism movement.
A Great book:The Two Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke
MSNBC Article On it
CBS: The Early Show
Amazon: Customer Review on the Book
Obesity Epidemic
BBC: The Men Who Made Us Fat http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01k0fs0BBC: The
Men Who Made Us Thin http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b038913v
How the American
Epidemic is now ebcoming a problem all around - Globesity
- Fat's New Frontier
Hiostry of Science
Evolutionary Biology and the Intelligent Design
Start of the Evolutionay Biology
Evolutionary Biology - A must read for any biologist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene
Atheism and how atheism is fighting the war on science
By Richard Attenborough War on Science
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=war+on+science+duration%3Along&num=20#
By Richard Dawkins - (Top 100 greatest living genius by Telegraph)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_God_Delusion
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=god+delusion++duration%3Along&num=20#
By Bill Maher Religulous
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Religulous+duration%3Along&num=20#
How Computer Industry was born
Triumph of Nerds
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=triumph+of+nerds+duration%3Along&num=20#
How Protestant though and philosophy has transformed world
Protestant revolution BBC Documentary
http://exchristian.net/exchristian/2009/03/protestant-revolution.html
How Protestant Religion and its impact
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation
How one single family lead to Renaissance be it Arts Michelangelo or Science Galilieo. See what Wall Street of middle world gave to world
The Medici:Godfathers of the Renaissance: PBS Dynasty series
http://www.joost.com/2370002/t/The-Medici-Godfathers-of-the-Renaissance-Birth-of-a-Dynasty#id=2370002
A documentary on /non western civilization like Eastern Civilization especailly in context of first 1991 Iraq war. When Sumerian Babylon civilization and it then continues to Chinese and Indian civilization. A good comparision of western thought of life as vital counter point to western way of thinking.
Legacy - The Origins of Civilization BBC with Michael Woods.
See all of them here http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/legacy-the-origins-of-civilization/
Some series on Some Great Conquests
Alexander
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great BBC Series with Michael Woods. The best is the last paortion of how Alexander dead before his humility seeing himself not as Zeus (son og God) but as human.
How Consquistdors conquered the Americas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquistadors_(TV_Series)
Episode list
- The Fall of the Aztecs
- The Conquest of the Incas
- The Search for El Dorado
- All World is Human
Indian Diaspora
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Diaspora/diaspora.html
Indian Coolies (Porters) or slaves that went to West Indies, Fiji , etc
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/coolies.shtml
Indian Diaspora in Uganda - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indians_in_Uganda
Some statistics of Indians in other countries
Google Book on Indian Diaspora : The Indian diaspora: dynamics of migration
Good Indian Site about Indian Diapsora. http://www.indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter15.pdf
Immigration to North America including USA
A really good book detailing with respect to Hinduism
A place at the multicultural table: the development of an American Hinduism
History of India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India
Documentary on Indian History
The Story of India read about it here
See the video here
Watch it on Google Video
One done Jawaharlal Nehru's book Discovery of India - See some fo the Doordarshan Serial Bharat Ek Khoj here
Good books on Indian History
Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins. Dominique Lapierre is a great story writer who writes on history. His best book is certainly O Jerusalem!
Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru read aout it here
American Society
How American woman in workforce and its effect on Family
Two different takes on it funnily both were done in 2003. :-)
Looking into post WWII and how Feminist Movement was born or better why it was born.
Mona Lisa Smile
A Beautiful movie: Which really reminded of Indian young women in India when we were growing up, especially of why girls should get educated, to get a better match.
A Completely take on it after 40 years after Feminism movement.
A Great book:The Two Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke
MSNBC Article On it
CBS: The Early Show
Amazon: Customer Review on the Book
Birth of Neo-Conservatism and how
How Car Culture has changed American Soceity
THE END OF SUBURBIA: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream
The Military Industrial Complex
Why we Fight
Michaeil Moore's: Fahrenheit 9/11
No End in Sight
A really good documentary on why the Initial Days of Iraq war lead to many of problems are facing now, including sectarian violence and complete break of law and order and simple basic social amenities
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Internet Phenomenon
Well it all began by describing how internet works and then it took me to realise how the simple act by Tim Berness Lee lead of HTML tag and HTTP protocol so that people could share docs across the physics fraternity changes the whole world.
Also the difference of the Science vs Engineer ( Tim Bernes Lee vs Marc Andreessen of Mosaic/Netscape ), one is father of Internet and other a richer man. Life of Academics vs Industry
Also the difference of the Science vs Engineer ( Tim Bernes Lee vs Marc Andreessen of Mosaic/Netscape ), one is father of Internet and other a richer man. Life of Academics vs Industry
Monday, June 22, 2009
Self Moving FAQ
Well one of my friend wanted to move and the only choice meant that she had to drive across Fl and still would have to pay over $600 and $800 if she gets movers for a bed a dresser and few more stuff.
So I thought let me do research of it and then found what are options if a person wants to go self moving and moving besides the ubitquous UHaul
So here goes the options as of today, and as David Letterman said PODS has revolutionized moving, see the options
If you want to rent something and move yourself
Rent truck- A Simpel Kayak Search
Rent Trailers - Read this for what you need to do before you rent a truck
1. Off course U Haul
2. BudgetTruck
3. Penske Truck
4. http://www.ryder.com/
PODS idea of container given to your place you pack and they come and pick up your container after few days
1. The Original creator PODS
3. Companies like PODs of different Size and other benefits
1. UPACK.com
2. Door to Door
3. Units Storage
If you want even larger you can use the full rental Truck the full Daddy of 50 feet
http://www.helpumove.com/compare.htm
Well it seems these days besides offcourse the costly UHaul- though it is the easiest you have many options. So I think though without planning and research maybe UHaul is the easiest but maybe not the best if you want to plan and do a bit of research :-)
So I thought let me do research of it and then found what are options if a person wants to go self moving and moving besides the ubitquous UHaul
So here goes the options as of today, and as David Letterman said PODS has revolutionized moving, see the options
If you want to rent something and move yourself
Rent truck- A Simpel Kayak Search
Rent Trailers - Read this for what you need to do before you rent a truck
1. Off course U Haul
2. BudgetTruck
3. Penske Truck
4. http://www.ryder.com/
PODS idea of container given to your place you pack and they come and pick up your container after few days
1. The Original creator PODS
3. Companies like PODs of different Size and other benefits
1. UPACK.com
2. Door to Door
3. Units Storage
If you want even larger you can use the full rental Truck the full Daddy of 50 feet
http://www.helpumove.com/compare.htm
Well it seems these days besides offcourse the costly UHaul- though it is the easiest you have many options. So I think though without planning and research maybe UHaul is the easiest but maybe not the best if you want to plan and do a bit of research :-)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Things to do if going on Vacation
Things to take when by plane
1. GPS - to find where you are on the plane to find out what is that great stuff that you look down
2. Sleeping utilities - Airbag ear buds
1. GPS - to find where you are on the plane to find out what is that great stuff that you look down
2. Sleeping utilities - Airbag ear buds
Thursday, December 25, 2008
How English is different across Places
Some words that have different words for same words
British Indian American
Crib/Creche Nativity
Tuition Tutoring
Bonnet Hood
Dicky Trunk
Spectacles Glass
CellPhone Mobile
T on the Road Dead-End
Tire Puncture Flat Tire
Badmonton Shuttle Cock/ Birdie
Different Pronunciation
Alumunium
Some funny meanings that have different meanings in English and Hindi
Woh bahoot pee(water drinking) kaar pee karne ko gaya.
Woh Late (went to sleep) gaya aur late ho gaya.
Ek bath(say a thing) boloon, tum bath karlo.
Some Joking ones
Do have a rubber? asked by an Thai in an US University.
Are you single? asked by a public transit men to a women sitting on a single seat.
I would intimate you when I finish the report? An Indian says he will informs his boss when he finishes his report.
Another usage of this word see this post
Rediff India Posting
and see the text "Stallone came to the sets in his Ferrari, parked it himself, went to his van and asked me to intimate him just 15 minutes before the shot"
A conversation before a closed Gate late at night somewhere in Delhi.
An american comes to a closed gate "Ask where is the key to the gate".
Indian co-passenger "Need to ask the darwan(gatekeeper)"
American "Why do you not know the key"
Indian "It is always with the Darwan(gate-keeper)"
From Nimit
A person going to buy Badminton Shuttle Cock in Loiusana. Can not find it in Walmart so asks a by stander afro-american woman. Do you know where can I find cocks... With hand gesture of how one hits the shuttle cock....
As seen by the afro girl - Wants Cocks and moving his hand up and down. :-)
From Nimit
An Indian student wants to be more hipper.
Comes to know to be cool for a guy is to be addressed "Hey Dog"
So tries to improvives and calls a Afro chick "Hey Bitch"
Rationale - If a cool guy is Dog then hot girl is BITCH...
British Indian American
Crib/Creche Nativity
Tuition Tutoring
Bonnet Hood
Dicky Trunk
Spectacles Glass
CellPhone Mobile
T on the Road Dead-End
Tire Puncture Flat Tire
Badmonton Shuttle Cock/ Birdie
Different Pronunciation
Alumunium
Some funny meanings that have different meanings in English and Hindi
Woh bahoot pee(water drinking) kaar pee karne ko gaya.
Woh Late (went to sleep) gaya aur late ho gaya.
Ek bath(say a thing) boloon, tum bath karlo.
Some Joking ones
Do have a rubber? asked by an Thai in an US University.
Are you single? asked by a public transit men to a women sitting on a single seat.
I would intimate you when I finish the report? An Indian says he will informs his boss when he finishes his report.
Another usage of this word see this post
Rediff India Posting
and see the text "Stallone came to the sets in his Ferrari, parked it himself, went to his van and asked me to intimate him just 15 minutes before the shot"
A conversation before a closed Gate late at night somewhere in Delhi.
An american comes to a closed gate "Ask where is the key to the gate".
Indian co-passenger "Need to ask the darwan(gatekeeper)"
American "Why do you not know the key"
Indian "It is always with the Darwan(gate-keeper)"
From Nimit
A person going to buy Badminton Shuttle Cock in Loiusana. Can not find it in Walmart so asks a by stander afro-american woman. Do you know where can I find cocks... With hand gesture of how one hits the shuttle cock....
As seen by the afro girl - Wants Cocks and moving his hand up and down. :-)
From Nimit
An Indian student wants to be more hipper.
Comes to know to be cool for a guy is to be addressed "Hey Dog"
So tries to improvives and calls a Afro chick "Hey Bitch"
Rationale - If a cool guy is Dog then hot girl is BITCH...
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Getting used to going marketing from 1920's America to 2000's Market
Well it might sound hilarious but for an Indian who comes to US, like me it is a reality. India at least the one that I left behind we do the shopping the 1920's US way. Where shopping especially grocery is predominately by Mom and Pop stores and non self-service grocery stores and non-existent franchise system.
And so when one comes to US where in 2000 we come to the third generation of grocery and shopping by just taking the plane across. And it makes the effect of the wow effect, as it happened with me when I first visited my first Walmart. The economies of scale and the mere choice and prices are a "Knockout".
But it takes a while to come to know why there was a wow effect. US has already seen three generation of evolution from the 20's way of shopping to the todays shopping. It has gone a big way from the first supermarket's then revolutionary thougth of self-service grocery (Clarence Saunders and his Piggly Wiggly) to the next wave of discount retailers like Walmart to the most recent wave of warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam's.
The effect of the automation and effeciecy leads to choice and convienece which is unparralelled. And it opens mind to things which one can not have imagined. Where so many innovative ideas in production delivery and packaging can be seen in these shelves.
Yet it does not goes without it's drawback. Through it leads many choices in durable stuff it certainly lacks the one for non durable products especially food. A small Indian market can easily challenge the choices of food vegetable than a big Kroger's and all of them are freshly and locally grown. The selective medium term extinction of not so durable choices which people like us get to see after the glitter wanes off after sometime.
And so when one comes to US where in 2000 we come to the third generation of grocery and shopping by just taking the plane across. And it makes the effect of the wow effect, as it happened with me when I first visited my first Walmart. The economies of scale and the mere choice and prices are a "Knockout".
But it takes a while to come to know why there was a wow effect. US has already seen three generation of evolution from the 20's way of shopping to the todays shopping. It has gone a big way from the first supermarket's then revolutionary thougth of self-service grocery (Clarence Saunders and his Piggly Wiggly) to the next wave of discount retailers like Walmart to the most recent wave of warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam's.
The effect of the automation and effeciecy leads to choice and convienece which is unparralelled. And it opens mind to things which one can not have imagined. Where so many innovative ideas in production delivery and packaging can be seen in these shelves.
Yet it does not goes without it's drawback. Through it leads many choices in durable stuff it certainly lacks the one for non durable products especially food. A small Indian market can easily challenge the choices of food vegetable than a big Kroger's and all of them are freshly and locally grown. The selective medium term extinction of not so durable choices which people like us get to see after the glitter wanes off after sometime.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Angst of Indian Going Back to India for a vacation
So it happens that in last two weeks I meet with two of my friends who come back from their long awaited sojourn to India. And as for most immigrant Desis, it is a long awaited break from his newly difficult adjusting home in US. And so this vacation besides meeting his loved ones also carries with itself a big hope of finding something new. And especially fuiled by all the media hype about the NEW EMERGING INDIA that he immersed in the US media he in his heart hopes to find a better India than he had left. And as had happened with me the trip though brings happy memories it also brings bewilderment or as my friend put it puts him in a "CATCH 22 SITUATION", of not being very happy with life up here but not also happy of how things are shaping up in India.
India is going thorugh a phenomenal change not only in its econonomy which the whole world is catching with its breath, but more importantnly socially and enviromentally. This becomes even more poignant as this development means development of more than 1 billion people, which has increased by 200 million( almost the population of US) in last ten years. A high growth of 8% in GDP which India is acheiving, is a good thing economically but its other effects especially seen thorugh the eyes of visotrs like me and my freinds is not so rosy. much o
Another aspect is cultural change with respect to indian family system.
India is going thorugh a phenomenal change not only in its econonomy which the whole world is catching with its breath, but more importantnly socially and enviromentally. This becomes even more poignant as this development means development of more than 1 billion people, which has increased by 200 million( almost the population of US) in last ten years. A high growth of 8% in GDP which India is acheiving, is a good thing economically but its other effects especially seen thorugh the eyes of visotrs like me and my freinds is not so rosy. much o
Another aspect is cultural change with respect to indian family system.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Why we immigrant flock to America yet remain indifferent to this country of oppurtunity
It all started I suppose with an inquisitive question from a native about a degree of indifference to US by the immigrant population. And her question "then why do you all come here." On the onset it could be answered by simplistic answer, better opportunity, better pay or more money. But then when we try to have a macroscopic insight into it, one is made to think why do these things are not found in ones own country. Why this country is so attractive and why is so indifferent. And though there are so many reasons one can give, but it all comes from one word CORPORATION. Why this individual is very important. If there is one thing that US has perfected though might not have invented is corporation. And in no place has corporation become as big and influential as in US. And this age belongs to corporation as earlier
belonged to large governments or communism or industrial age. A true discovery done by American as Industrial revolution was done by British.
And the Mecca of Corporation is US. And if you want to be a part of this omnipotent force that is becoming a part of any part globe it is better to be part of it. If one believes part of it which better place than US. But corporation is unlike any other individual ( note corporation is an entity like individual made of chartered group of individual, having rights like people made especially relevant after 14 amendment). But this entity unlike other entities like government or other people have allegiance only to its only stakeholders i.e. shareholders, who are few (50% of shares are held by 1% and 80% own only 4% of shares). And this make things very complicated, especially as they become as they have become ( the top 20 companies in US is larger than US GDP). They are "no souls to save and no body to incarcerate". And unlike other entities like governments they are very selfish individual as people for whom corporation work are highly concentrated.
And to me that certainly which hits a person who comes to America. He finds himself bitten by this enigmatic but to a degree malicious entity called corporation. Being malicious as unlike other entities which live one earth, as one goal is profit and everything towards that pursuit is legitimate. And as anything that is important in larger perspective becomes externalities as it does not hits bottom line.
Here is where immigrant find it more difficult than a native American. People form Asia and Europe have meet more unselfish concepts like government and family system. These are less selfish as it has less externalities and more responsibilities. And as these individual and systems were more lenient and it was good to be selfless, changing to selfish individual just like John Nash's game theory is a anathema. And thus an enigmatic attraction.
Thus till America remains the Mecca of corporation it will be flocked by immigrants but like a mirage when he comes close he might see a very different picture thus his aversion.
belonged to large governments or communism or industrial age. A true discovery done by American as Industrial revolution was done by British.
And the Mecca of Corporation is US. And if you want to be a part of this omnipotent force that is becoming a part of any part globe it is better to be part of it. If one believes part of it which better place than US. But corporation is unlike any other individual ( note corporation is an entity like individual made of chartered group of individual, having rights like people made especially relevant after 14 amendment). But this entity unlike other entities like government or other people have allegiance only to its only stakeholders i.e. shareholders, who are few (50% of shares are held by 1% and 80% own only 4% of shares). And this make things very complicated, especially as they become as they have become ( the top 20 companies in US is larger than US GDP). They are "no souls to save and no body to incarcerate". And unlike other entities like governments they are very selfish individual as people for whom corporation work are highly concentrated.
And to me that certainly which hits a person who comes to America. He finds himself bitten by this enigmatic but to a degree malicious entity called corporation. Being malicious as unlike other entities which live one earth, as one goal is profit and everything towards that pursuit is legitimate. And as anything that is important in larger perspective becomes externalities as it does not hits bottom line.
Here is where immigrant find it more difficult than a native American. People form Asia and Europe have meet more unselfish concepts like government and family system. These are less selfish as it has less externalities and more responsibilities. And as these individual and systems were more lenient and it was good to be selfless, changing to selfish individual just like John Nash's game theory is a anathema. And thus an enigmatic attraction.
Thus till America remains the Mecca of corporation it will be flocked by immigrants but like a mirage when he comes close he might see a very different picture thus his aversion.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Nature at its menacing yet beautiful
Nature at its most menacing yet giving
Summer rain is making the roof create a music which can equal the grandiosity of Beethoven’s symphony num 6. Visibility has been reduced to feet. And the beaming and tormenting sun has been replaced by another life live dance on car tops.
It is raining and nature present itself at its most embellishing, dramatic and menacing form. The wind surfed sleets with the howling of the rain Gods makes a dramatic sight. Very emollient especially when seen through the windows. And as usual it bring to life the synapses in the brain as it is doing to the environment outside bringing back memories, thoughts and reinforcement of many facts. Rain and water cycle is certainly the most important ingredient of life on land, water with its magical properties of heat capacity and solvent makes the most dull and pale of landscape pristine and verdant. And in the cloudy terra incognito of the known landscape.
The bringing to life to dormant form also rubs on to the those dormant memories. The rainy days, the idyllic days not so long ago. And with each memory we see the enactment of life of past. Sounds sights suddenly come in front of eyes. The school days, the water logged roads. Wading through water with heavy bags in the murky water. Hot pakoras, tea, afternoon movies and tea. The incessant rain of university days of Goa. Where rain was considered so much of life that nothing stopped because it was excessive rain. [Some facts, Panjim gets 115 inches that more than twice that of Miami, which gets 48 inches annually. But more drastic is that it 80% of it in monsoon’s three to four months interestingly Cherrapunji gets 450 inches]. And from there to white pristine precipitation of snow capital of US. Where the snow bought everything to close except the best natural ice-cream you could make and before the weeks of slush the white pristine snow cover was the one of the best landscape eye could chance upon.
And as the terra incognito is replaced by terra cognito by the sudden disappearance of clouds, it bears upon the important task at hand. And soon the mind set changes from historic to tactical.
Summer rain is making the roof create a music which can equal the grandiosity of Beethoven’s symphony num 6. Visibility has been reduced to feet. And the beaming and tormenting sun has been replaced by another life live dance on car tops.
It is raining and nature present itself at its most embellishing, dramatic and menacing form. The wind surfed sleets with the howling of the rain Gods makes a dramatic sight. Very emollient especially when seen through the windows. And as usual it bring to life the synapses in the brain as it is doing to the environment outside bringing back memories, thoughts and reinforcement of many facts. Rain and water cycle is certainly the most important ingredient of life on land, water with its magical properties of heat capacity and solvent makes the most dull and pale of landscape pristine and verdant. And in the cloudy terra incognito of the known landscape.
The bringing to life to dormant form also rubs on to the those dormant memories. The rainy days, the idyllic days not so long ago. And with each memory we see the enactment of life of past. Sounds sights suddenly come in front of eyes. The school days, the water logged roads. Wading through water with heavy bags in the murky water. Hot pakoras, tea, afternoon movies and tea. The incessant rain of university days of Goa. Where rain was considered so much of life that nothing stopped because it was excessive rain. [Some facts, Panjim gets 115 inches that more than twice that of Miami, which gets 48 inches annually. But more drastic is that it 80% of it in monsoon’s three to four months interestingly Cherrapunji gets 450 inches]. And from there to white pristine precipitation of snow capital of US. Where the snow bought everything to close except the best natural ice-cream you could make and before the weeks of slush the white pristine snow cover was the one of the best landscape eye could chance upon.
And as the terra incognito is replaced by terra cognito by the sudden disappearance of clouds, it bears upon the important task at hand. And soon the mind set changes from historic to tactical.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
So India turns 60!!!!
Soon India turns 60, and with all the fanfare that surrounds the new emerging India, one becomes retrospective as well eager what future beholds. And being a part of at least the last 20 odd years of its life I find it interesting how all of this will play around.
I still remember the 1987, the "Mile sur mera tumhara", in a country coming out of the disillusioned of the late 70's and early 80's and inspired by fresh blood of Rajiv (was it is the teenage idealism but he was heck of a man). And this new blood and new ways to mend mistakes of the past was carried in this essense of this song. I would still say one song that still invokes so many passions in even people today.
Mixed with the so called "politically mistakes" of a politically neophyte PM, and changing global economic of the world India and world were soon going to be changed. Suddenly the disadvantaged country with 2nd highest graduates but still a third world country, could this huge number of educated mass its greatest enviable asset.
And two things which certainly made things make this turn for better at least economically were first Sam Pitorda. The self altruistic who came to pay back to his homeland and the PM who brought the biggest economic policy change without him knowing the significance of it (PV Narshima Rao, Gurcharan Das: India Unbound). And suddenly the dormant advantage both culturally ( more emphasis on intellectual than worldly Maya oriented) and its educational system ( by a true idealist and futurist Nehru, whom I still believe was the best India produced on equals to the "Mahatma: in its Hindi meaning" ).
And with the economic opening of world especially the early 90's and building of cheap fiber optic cable by telecoms companies (which would become their graves) suddenly allowed two ancient lands to rise. Suddenly India and China suddenly became a force of not the NEW OPEN MARKET of globalisation, as envisioned, but the predators interestingly becomes preys. I suppose no one at that time especially with all the low self esteem of Indian could have never have thought it could play to its advantage.
And suddenly the always sulken middle aged country has spring in its feet. But more importantly confidence, the one stuff we all Indians lacked for so long. And when the whole world beholds rise of these ancient cultures (including China) there is finally hope of alleviation of poverty from half of mankind. All must have been so apropos though a bit late to Nehru's speech on that night, Tryst of Destiny, "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom"
I still remember the 1987, the "Mile sur mera tumhara", in a country coming out of the disillusioned of the late 70's and early 80's and inspired by fresh blood of Rajiv (was it is the teenage idealism but he was heck of a man). And this new blood and new ways to mend mistakes of the past was carried in this essense of this song. I would still say one song that still invokes so many passions in even people today.
Mixed with the so called "politically mistakes" of a politically neophyte PM, and changing global economic of the world India and world were soon going to be changed. Suddenly the disadvantaged country with 2nd highest graduates but still a third world country, could this huge number of educated mass its greatest enviable asset.
And two things which certainly made things make this turn for better at least economically were first Sam Pitorda. The self altruistic who came to pay back to his homeland and the PM who brought the biggest economic policy change without him knowing the significance of it (PV Narshima Rao, Gurcharan Das: India Unbound). And suddenly the dormant advantage both culturally ( more emphasis on intellectual than worldly Maya oriented) and its educational system ( by a true idealist and futurist Nehru, whom I still believe was the best India produced on equals to the "Mahatma: in its Hindi meaning" ).
And with the economic opening of world especially the early 90's and building of cheap fiber optic cable by telecoms companies (which would become their graves) suddenly allowed two ancient lands to rise. Suddenly India and China suddenly became a force of not the NEW OPEN MARKET of globalisation, as envisioned, but the predators interestingly becomes preys. I suppose no one at that time especially with all the low self esteem of Indian could have never have thought it could play to its advantage.
And suddenly the always sulken middle aged country has spring in its feet. But more importantly confidence, the one stuff we all Indians lacked for so long. And when the whole world beholds rise of these ancient cultures (including China) there is finally hope of alleviation of poverty from half of mankind. All must have been so apropos though a bit late to Nehru's speech on that night, Tryst of Destiny, "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom"
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Clash of Two ideas and American Economic future
This thought came to me when I was watching the movie "xxx". An interesting movie that talks about how a guy, tries to make a Japanese run factory return to his hometown. Though a funny way, it shows the clash the two different cultures. The Western or more correctly American, where more emphasis is given on individual satisfaction and creativity, and the oriental where your society and the duty towards it (Indian "Karma"), is given more emphasis to. So where else on one side we have American families loosing their job but having better family life, on the other hand the Japanese Manager, who works his ass out, finds himself ridiculed by his wife comparing him with the American families. Though at this level things are fine, but at economic constraints, it brings an important question that has troubled me for most of my existence here. That of being how this country in the first hand became so rich and powerful, and what sort of suture entails this country. Geographic and mineral richness can not be the only reason, as India also has them and maybe so many other country that are languishing in poverty. I believe it is in history and more important culture. And for certain period my search in it has thrown some answers. One thing could be the entrepreneurial spirit or as others will say Capitalism, that this country encouraged. The classical example could be the putting railroad connecting California to the east, is a good example (see Ken Burns "American stories The West: The Grandest Enterprise under God"", I think PBS has always been enlightening especially if one comes from another country). As can be seen in these and other stories from past American power came from its creative people be it the people who settled in west or be it FDR's social reforms or Einshower's National highway act. All creative answers, to hurdles plaguing this relative new country.
But what future entails this country. Somehow I do not see some breaks in Economic Fundamentals. First the two aspects where American excelled at, people from other places are sort of doing better. In manufacturing atleast at large scale areas, China at simpler stuff and Japan at more complicated areas area are doing better. In scientific temper, years at stretch American student’s antipathy towards science and engineering are point of concern to organization like NSF. And it is no surprise that visionaries like Bill Gates are even questioning how US will fare in future (see the discussion on this matter by Bill Gates, Shirley Tilghman: President Princeton, David Dreier, U.S. Representative (R-California) ). So how will America fare in future? One of the thing which I found which I find could be the hardest hindrance is the change in culture. America was made by entrepreneurial and hardworking people. Unfortunately American today lacks it today. Americans because of years of prosperity have lost the hard working aspect of their forefathers. Also because of aspects like Insurance and especially the growth of middle class stereotypes as a socialist would call or suburban dysfunction, especially after 1950's among other things make more American avoid taking too many risks with their lives. And thus we are seeing people from other portions doing better than Native American born people. Classical examples are Asians who excel Native American even Caucasian whites both in education as well as in Economic terms. Especially with low labor gone to Spanish, manufacturing gone to China, Service and IT industry being outsourced to India and other countries what are then American’s doing. It is no doubt American are managing the show, but for how long. As we are seeing in IT, because of lack of American doing the lower level work, I do not think American can produce high class managers in future, if today’s young generation do not dirty themselves with manual work.
Though I do think it is as grave as I might be projecting. One of the aspects of America is its recover from its problem. The aspect of creation of "xxx" after the great dustbowl, FDR's workers plan to Einshower’s National highway act are classical aspects how American meet depressing time and turned it to an advantage. The other aspects are the intellectual might of this country as well as the premier university it has. And all this I suppose makes US what it is now.
But what future entails this country. Somehow I do not see some breaks in Economic Fundamentals. First the two aspects where American excelled at, people from other places are sort of doing better. In manufacturing atleast at large scale areas, China at simpler stuff and Japan at more complicated areas area are doing better. In scientific temper, years at stretch American student’s antipathy towards science and engineering are point of concern to organization like NSF. And it is no surprise that visionaries like Bill Gates are even questioning how US will fare in future (see the discussion on this matter by Bill Gates, Shirley Tilghman: President Princeton, David Dreier, U.S. Representative (R-California) ). So how will America fare in future? One of the thing which I found which I find could be the hardest hindrance is the change in culture. America was made by entrepreneurial and hardworking people. Unfortunately American today lacks it today. Americans because of years of prosperity have lost the hard working aspect of their forefathers. Also because of aspects like Insurance and especially the growth of middle class stereotypes as a socialist would call or suburban dysfunction, especially after 1950's among other things make more American avoid taking too many risks with their lives. And thus we are seeing people from other portions doing better than Native American born people. Classical examples are Asians who excel Native American even Caucasian whites both in education as well as in Economic terms. Especially with low labor gone to Spanish, manufacturing gone to China, Service and IT industry being outsourced to India and other countries what are then American’s doing. It is no doubt American are managing the show, but for how long. As we are seeing in IT, because of lack of American doing the lower level work, I do not think American can produce high class managers in future, if today’s young generation do not dirty themselves with manual work.
Though I do think it is as grave as I might be projecting. One of the aspects of America is its recover from its problem. The aspect of creation of "xxx" after the great dustbowl, FDR's workers plan to Einshower’s National highway act are classical aspects how American meet depressing time and turned it to an advantage. The other aspects are the intellectual might of this country as well as the premier university it has. And all this I suppose makes US what it is now.
The underdog phenomenon called Rocky
So yesterday I did with some anxiety went to see Rocky Balboa. And the movies brought in many varied emotions.
Rocky has like many of us born in that era envokes a nostalgia. Especially growing in India of 80's, the movie when I first saw, and with teenage curiosity and fascination menat the movie weaved the silver screen super hero wit elan. And when we saw the movie I could still see the magic of the dream in the middle aged women who saw the whle movie on he edge of her seat. And no doubt this movie as lot of others have also said it's the among the best sequel the epic Rocky.
But one of the enduring theme that this movie certianly catures is the cajoling the underdog feeling and then streaching oneself to achieve an almost impossible dream. The Rocky and its sequel gives a human perspective to this enduring theme. Everytime an ordinary mortal who is certainly is not an intelegencia ( "his comment about steps father's lineage being european as he is from Caribean"), and who comes in limelight not because he wants fame but because he has to prove to himself("as said to his son after the insecure son devours his insecurity of being brought up under the shadows of Rocky").
And all these appeals to the good portions of life. Living for something bigger. And as good and esecially poular movies are, one identifies with the movie and lives the Balboa vicariously. To some degree enamouring the the american spirit of "man for himself".
And so at the end even though one knows that movie certianly will be any masterpiece like a Kubrik Rocky will forever make a person feel happy when he comes out of
Rocky has like many of us born in that era envokes a nostalgia. Especially growing in India of 80's, the movie when I first saw, and with teenage curiosity and fascination menat the movie weaved the silver screen super hero wit elan. And when we saw the movie I could still see the magic of the dream in the middle aged women who saw the whle movie on he edge of her seat. And no doubt this movie as lot of others have also said it's the among the best sequel the epic Rocky.
But one of the enduring theme that this movie certianly catures is the cajoling the underdog feeling and then streaching oneself to achieve an almost impossible dream. The Rocky and its sequel gives a human perspective to this enduring theme. Everytime an ordinary mortal who is certainly is not an intelegencia ( "his comment about steps father's lineage being european as he is from Caribean"), and who comes in limelight not because he wants fame but because he has to prove to himself("as said to his son after the insecure son devours his insecurity of being brought up under the shadows of Rocky").
And all these appeals to the good portions of life. Living for something bigger. And as good and esecially poular movies are, one identifies with the movie and lives the Balboa vicariously. To some degree enamouring the the american spirit of "man for himself".
And so at the end even though one knows that movie certianly will be any masterpiece like a Kubrik Rocky will forever make a person feel happy when he comes out of
Sunday, May 07, 2006
The Enigma of Bengali Culture
Today I discovered some old songs, songs from Past with memories. Sonar Kella, Goopy and Bagha Byne. But what was interesting was how much it mesmerized me. So what is the charisma of these songs or attraction of Bengali music/culture to me? An attraction which still remains an enigma to me. It certainly is not the physical aspect of Calcutta or Bengal I saw or grew up in, but it the aura of a culture with its refined taste, of the evangelic desire of people. And funnily when I grew up or was growing up i.e. late or mid 80’s, the time when I could assimilate the world around me, much of the stuff which I admired had been or was being lost to the economical realities of times. But still the charm remained, propagated by the movies shown or Puja or trips to College Street or listening to Rabindra Sangeet or JibonMukhi.
But the decadence of an edifice which certainly repelled most of my close Non-bengali friends and relatives (including my brothers and cousins) never seemed to touch me. I always and have remained a staunch admirer of Bengali culture much to disbelief of many of my UPite friends, who felt I had very little allegiance to my other connection.
And though trips to the place (now that I am a visitor to the place however I would like not to be otherwise) I see all the decadence, the music, the films keep in me the charm of the disappeared “Bhadrolok” Culture.
But the decadence of an edifice which certainly repelled most of my close Non-bengali friends and relatives (including my brothers and cousins) never seemed to touch me. I always and have remained a staunch admirer of Bengali culture much to disbelief of many of my UPite friends, who felt I had very little allegiance to my other connection.
And though trips to the place (now that I am a visitor to the place however I would like not to be otherwise) I see all the decadence, the music, the films keep in me the charm of the disappeared “Bhadrolok” Culture.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Two Concepts that made America Cleverer and Stronger
When people see a country they sometime are profoundly moved by dominace and superiority of certain societies, and coming from developing nation like India it certaily was one of stuffs that piqued me about USA. And as I started looking more into sociological and historical reasons on the process of why it happened, it amazed me how small changes and some enterpreneurship made this society so much Cleverer (American produces more graduates than any other country) and Stronger (America wins more Olympic medals) than any other.
How America became Smarter
• The GI Bill and emergence of UC System, SUNY and Texas State College.
o Funding: especially Teaxas College which unlike the other state schools or private schools that depend to some degree on students fees gets its funding from “Oil Money”. Donors donated Oil field to these colleges and though in 1950’s or 40’s these oil were nothing but today and in near future it is almost like sitting on pile of Gold which you can bank whenever you are short of funds.
o Education for the Rednecks of the country: Unlike the private schools which elitist (costly as well by fraternity system made middle or lower middle class financially and sociologically out of bounds) it helped educate the mass of people.
How America become Stronger
• Free time and industry that has built around it
o Sports industry: A very recent phenomenon, mainly as after shot of industry looking into how to utilize two things that had come in American society, less working hours after Eisenhower’s 50 and then 40 hour week and mobility via cars, gave birth to people liking sports and lot of money being put into it. The after shot is the elaborate system of sports and people seeing it as an avocation, unlike few decades back when even the best Basketball player used to look for jobs inn off season. The magnanimity of it can be seen in the Career Dome of SU, when during football or basketball season it gets 10 K crowd every weekend for the games. Even a major city in India like Nagpur could feel happy to get that many people for once a year cricket One Day International game.
o Amusement Industry: Again after shot of the stuff. The enaction of cartoon characters and emergencies of amusement parks or concept of thrill like six flag which almost killed the old timers like the Atlantic city (was to a high degree marginalized in 79’s)
How America became Smarter
• The GI Bill and emergence of UC System, SUNY and Texas State College.
o Funding: especially Teaxas College which unlike the other state schools or private schools that depend to some degree on students fees gets its funding from “Oil Money”. Donors donated Oil field to these colleges and though in 1950’s or 40’s these oil were nothing but today and in near future it is almost like sitting on pile of Gold which you can bank whenever you are short of funds.
o Education for the Rednecks of the country: Unlike the private schools which elitist (costly as well by fraternity system made middle or lower middle class financially and sociologically out of bounds) it helped educate the mass of people.
How America become Stronger
• Free time and industry that has built around it
o Sports industry: A very recent phenomenon, mainly as after shot of industry looking into how to utilize two things that had come in American society, less working hours after Eisenhower’s 50 and then 40 hour week and mobility via cars, gave birth to people liking sports and lot of money being put into it. The after shot is the elaborate system of sports and people seeing it as an avocation, unlike few decades back when even the best Basketball player used to look for jobs inn off season. The magnanimity of it can be seen in the Career Dome of SU, when during football or basketball season it gets 10 K crowd every weekend for the games. Even a major city in India like Nagpur could feel happy to get that many people for once a year cricket One Day International game.
o Amusement Industry: Again after shot of the stuff. The enaction of cartoon characters and emergencies of amusement parks or concept of thrill like six flag which almost killed the old timers like the Atlantic city (was to a high degree marginalized in 79’s)
Monday, May 01, 2006
Changing Cricket
Changing Cricket
I still remember it was one of the heydays of Tendulkar. It was one of the games played in Sharjah where by the sheer might of his batting genius he was able to accomplish a victory. It was followed by more of them in test as well as ODI. And I always along with other Tendulkar fans all around the world felt happy to be part of witnessing a batting genius. The effortless force by which a person could walk as a Mammoth and making everyone look so pale in comparison was something everyone looked forward in every game. And one thought that came especially looking in cricket retrospection till then was that it might take ages before I could witness another batting extraordinaire like him.
And it came out to be so wrong as within a decade we all would witness episodes which would to a degree pale even Tendulkar’s batting demolition. Atleast when it came to runs scoring abilities. First Sehwag and then Dhoni. Both improving upon what others could do and others notably Jaysuriya, as they put the turf on fire. The recent score of 72 by Dhoni out of 42 balls is a glaring example.
But I suppose this is a part of a larger change in cricket of which Tendulkar was a part also. The redefining of cricket as a more aggressive game loosing the gentlemanliness or yesteryears and transcending it from an elitist British game to more populist game mainly of South Asian. And in that transition it also becoming as the second most watched game only after football/soccer.
And there are many effects of this transition; the biggest for sure is the batting abilities of the whole team. We now can not say anyone as tail. And as has been shown even in tests that now the tail can also score equal to sometimes even better than the top order. And the runs each
One of the biggest reason of it could be the diminishing role of bowlers. Gone are days when bowlers had a fear attached with them. These days even tail enders can smack a bowler like Akthar for a six. An unheard act sometime back. The biggest contributor being the bouncer restriction put in both types of cricket.
The other certainly is the emergence of fielding. Though many argue it is mainly because of the ODI effect, I would more correctly say it is glamorizing act of cricket which is making it so popular. A great catch or great save is as much a crowd puller as a great stroke by a batsman. Immortalized by Jonty Rhodes effected what is now a world famous run out of Inzamam-Ul-Haq it set a trend, and being teenagers then it suddenly made a lot of sense trying to “FLY AS JONTY” does. The cementing of this phenomenon was certainly done by the South African and then the Australin teams of the 90’s.
I still remember it was one of the heydays of Tendulkar. It was one of the games played in Sharjah where by the sheer might of his batting genius he was able to accomplish a victory. It was followed by more of them in test as well as ODI. And I always along with other Tendulkar fans all around the world felt happy to be part of witnessing a batting genius. The effortless force by which a person could walk as a Mammoth and making everyone look so pale in comparison was something everyone looked forward in every game. And one thought that came especially looking in cricket retrospection till then was that it might take ages before I could witness another batting extraordinaire like him.
And it came out to be so wrong as within a decade we all would witness episodes which would to a degree pale even Tendulkar’s batting demolition. Atleast when it came to runs scoring abilities. First Sehwag and then Dhoni. Both improving upon what others could do and others notably Jaysuriya, as they put the turf on fire. The recent score of 72 by Dhoni out of 42 balls is a glaring example.
But I suppose this is a part of a larger change in cricket of which Tendulkar was a part also. The redefining of cricket as a more aggressive game loosing the gentlemanliness or yesteryears and transcending it from an elitist British game to more populist game mainly of South Asian. And in that transition it also becoming as the second most watched game only after football/soccer.
And there are many effects of this transition; the biggest for sure is the batting abilities of the whole team. We now can not say anyone as tail. And as has been shown even in tests that now the tail can also score equal to sometimes even better than the top order. And the runs each
One of the biggest reason of it could be the diminishing role of bowlers. Gone are days when bowlers had a fear attached with them. These days even tail enders can smack a bowler like Akthar for a six. An unheard act sometime back. The biggest contributor being the bouncer restriction put in both types of cricket.
The other certainly is the emergence of fielding. Though many argue it is mainly because of the ODI effect, I would more correctly say it is glamorizing act of cricket which is making it so popular. A great catch or great save is as much a crowd puller as a great stroke by a batsman. Immortalized by Jonty Rhodes effected what is now a world famous run out of Inzamam-Ul-Haq it set a trend, and being teenagers then it suddenly made a lot of sense trying to “FLY AS JONTY” does. The cementing of this phenomenon was certainly done by the South African and then the Australin teams of the 90’s.
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