Egypt after Tunisia has perhaps laid the precedence for all countries in the world to overthrow their governments, who fail to deliver. Egyptians , though quite late in time, yet they have again shown that when standing united ,the people can overthrow Dictators.
The Egypt model is exact replica of the Philippines model, where " Marcos" had to give way to its people`s unity. Indonesia also saw the same Change. However, only when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. Iran saw the same change. But the bigger question today is not about overthrowing of the dictators. But, did the governments subsequently installed made the nations anyway better then their dictators. Going by Philippines, Indonesia, Iran, the answer is " No" . There may have been far better Human Right Conditions and freedom of speech, but when it comes to governance, these are very poor exhibits of a nation which have shown maturity of serving its own people. It was practically going from " Frying Pan to Fire" Very little changed, when it came to Governance. Egypt has to learn from these failed models and come out with the best model which will take their country to the most successful and developed nation in the world.
If Egypt really wants to come up as the most unique and exemplary democracy . Then the first thing, it needs is to throw away its constitution and write a new constitution . It may be worth researching constitutions of countries like Norway, Denmark, Finland, UK, France, US and similar countries. Invite scholars and professors and judges from the top universities and debate the " Institutional Building " , which give fair, just and progressive system of governance . It also ensures that the ultimate power is always vested with the people and any bureaucracy that tries to exploit the system into corrupt practices is under an automatic supervision of the people themselves. These checks and balances left to the government have miserably failed , even in countries like US , UK and France.
I am reminded of the book " The Idea of Justice" of Amritya Sen , Nobel Laureate, wherein he has very elaborately debated the most effective form of Governance and has vivid examples including from the ancient Indian history . Where Ashoka builds the Niti ( Policies ) and Nyaya ( Justice) form of Governance, after being humbled by his own victory in the Kalinga war . He has quoted many a global philosophers on this issue in his book and is a good place for any country to refer, when it is on such a crossroad.
It is now or never again a chance for Egypt for its Reincarnation. Good Luck Egyptians!
Blogging Birds
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
UNO : The Big Black Hole!
UNO succeeded League of Nations. Practically it was formed to ensure that the nation members would behave sensibly and rationally with one another . Security council was to ensure peace and stability, because though World War Ended, the new War was the Cold war. With the Korean war still in place, the world was divided into US aligned or Soviet Aligned . Till the Soviet collapsed and China and India became the emerging new super powers.
UN is a classical story of a Club, where each nation flirted without any accountability and responsibilities. Depending upon its affinity , the countries voted for issues which mattered most to the Veto Block. At any given time, if you happen to see the UN security council assembly, it will show none of the members interested in listening to the other member state speech. The only time alertness is shown, when a sanction or war or similar issues needs to be voted. At such time, it becomes clear that "You are either with us or you are against us" Most countries abstain for fear of the long stick , others who vote against the sanctions generally do it for economic reasons, then rational reasons. Rationality or Fairness was never the key goal of the Veto Powers. It was always the support for a nation, no matter how belligerent and misplaced it would have been.
UN currently has become a Holiday High Paid Job. Absolutely zero work, read a speech or two , once in a while. Lobby for support once in a while and enjoy the tax free perks and great life in a city like New York, Geneva, Vienna , Nairobi etc.
The irony is not just one security council of UN, where nations put their bureaucrats, but also to one dozen other sham organizations, where bureaucrats are deputed . Eg ; International Atomic Agency based in Vienna. All 192 members will put one officer in this agency, who will attend only one meeting in the full year and do nothing. Who pays for it. Our Taxes! Same is the story for other arms of UNO.
Look around yourself and see, what UNICEF has done or world food program has done or World Bank has done. Identify one single project around you and there is none. However, these organizations with millions of dollars budgets routinely make nice reading reports, work alongside corrupt governments and happily each bureaucrats spends his term in these plush positions and retires.
The World bank loans which should have otherwise gone for development of the impoverished countries went actually in projects with conflicting interest. Billions of dollars were sucked away. However, the tax payers of these nations had to still pay back the world bank.
The most Hilarius part of UNO offices is that though they were meant to be for the development of the worlds poorest nations, however, were based in the worlds richest nations. This by itself is a very big corruption. Who is paying for such high overheads in these most expensive cities of the world. Why should the UN offices, not be located in the worlds poorest nations, where anyway they have all the work?
Visit any office of UN and see, how taxpayers money is being used. Salaries are tax free and the perks to envy the best MNC paid executive. Are these the standards of servicing the poor nations.
The bigger question is , whether such an organization is required at the first place. If yes, it still does not need a permanent secretariat in New York with ambassadors posted from around the world. It can still meet once in a while in any developing country. The other arms of UNO have to go through the system of Accountabilities and Deliverable ,which are internationally approved. They cannot be left to the governing bodies of these multilateral agencies.
UNO should have laid out the basis of good governance for the whole world. It would have laid out model bureaucracy which countries had to embrace to service its nationals. It should have been extremely strict with Human Rights Violations and would have arrested the ministers and head of nations and tried in International Court of Justice. It would have made mandatory that any army which coups and takes over as dictatorship will then face arrest and life sentences, if fails to restore democratic order within 6 months. It would openly make nations with corruption to be taken over by neutral agencies, same as peace keeping force, it would be bureaucratic force . The sovereignty of nation would be defined as the one, which excels in servicing its people and not the one where the corrupt manage the nation and seal the nation against good order in the name of sovereignty. The excuse forwarded generally is that it has no power. Well, if it has no power, then let the Secretary General first empower the organization or simply shut the organization. We dont want a Big Black Hole sucking away everything in the name of UNO.
The only place, where UNO has been effective is during Relief work, peace monitoring and some other areas. But this does not need such a huge set up.
largely, it is a Big Black Hole which even sucks away the finest ray of light. It is about time, when UNO has to be made a Shining Sun then a Black Hole.
UN is a classical story of a Club, where each nation flirted without any accountability and responsibilities. Depending upon its affinity , the countries voted for issues which mattered most to the Veto Block. At any given time, if you happen to see the UN security council assembly, it will show none of the members interested in listening to the other member state speech. The only time alertness is shown, when a sanction or war or similar issues needs to be voted. At such time, it becomes clear that "You are either with us or you are against us" Most countries abstain for fear of the long stick , others who vote against the sanctions generally do it for economic reasons, then rational reasons. Rationality or Fairness was never the key goal of the Veto Powers. It was always the support for a nation, no matter how belligerent and misplaced it would have been.
UN currently has become a Holiday High Paid Job. Absolutely zero work, read a speech or two , once in a while. Lobby for support once in a while and enjoy the tax free perks and great life in a city like New York, Geneva, Vienna , Nairobi etc.
The irony is not just one security council of UN, where nations put their bureaucrats, but also to one dozen other sham organizations, where bureaucrats are deputed . Eg ; International Atomic Agency based in Vienna. All 192 members will put one officer in this agency, who will attend only one meeting in the full year and do nothing. Who pays for it. Our Taxes! Same is the story for other arms of UNO.
Look around yourself and see, what UNICEF has done or world food program has done or World Bank has done. Identify one single project around you and there is none. However, these organizations with millions of dollars budgets routinely make nice reading reports, work alongside corrupt governments and happily each bureaucrats spends his term in these plush positions and retires.
The World bank loans which should have otherwise gone for development of the impoverished countries went actually in projects with conflicting interest. Billions of dollars were sucked away. However, the tax payers of these nations had to still pay back the world bank.
The most Hilarius part of UNO offices is that though they were meant to be for the development of the worlds poorest nations, however, were based in the worlds richest nations. This by itself is a very big corruption. Who is paying for such high overheads in these most expensive cities of the world. Why should the UN offices, not be located in the worlds poorest nations, where anyway they have all the work?
Visit any office of UN and see, how taxpayers money is being used. Salaries are tax free and the perks to envy the best MNC paid executive. Are these the standards of servicing the poor nations.
The bigger question is , whether such an organization is required at the first place. If yes, it still does not need a permanent secretariat in New York with ambassadors posted from around the world. It can still meet once in a while in any developing country. The other arms of UNO have to go through the system of Accountabilities and Deliverable ,which are internationally approved. They cannot be left to the governing bodies of these multilateral agencies.
UNO should have laid out the basis of good governance for the whole world. It would have laid out model bureaucracy which countries had to embrace to service its nationals. It should have been extremely strict with Human Rights Violations and would have arrested the ministers and head of nations and tried in International Court of Justice. It would have made mandatory that any army which coups and takes over as dictatorship will then face arrest and life sentences, if fails to restore democratic order within 6 months. It would openly make nations with corruption to be taken over by neutral agencies, same as peace keeping force, it would be bureaucratic force . The sovereignty of nation would be defined as the one, which excels in servicing its people and not the one where the corrupt manage the nation and seal the nation against good order in the name of sovereignty. The excuse forwarded generally is that it has no power. Well, if it has no power, then let the Secretary General first empower the organization or simply shut the organization. We dont want a Big Black Hole sucking away everything in the name of UNO.
The only place, where UNO has been effective is during Relief work, peace monitoring and some other areas. But this does not need such a huge set up.
largely, it is a Big Black Hole which even sucks away the finest ray of light. It is about time, when UNO has to be made a Shining Sun then a Black Hole.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Third World : Survival of the Richest.
The second world war saw the end of colonization of many a countries. However, most of these colonies, which then became large independent countries did not really know themselves the democratic way of society.
Almost one and all copy pasted the constitution of their colonial masters with a little change here and there. But the biggest irony was that almost all of them copy pasted the laws , which their masters had framed to enjoy rule over the colony.
The result was that soon after independence, the new formed bureaucracy now started enjoying powers ,which were earlier vested with the " White Skin " master. Not only that, it furthered itself to use these powers and the oppressive laws to now obstruct the natural flow of goods and services to its own people. It soon realized that the best position was to keep everything under suspension and use it for lining their own pockets. Corruption , which was unheard of during the colonial times, now became the normal way of life. Interestingly , it was all across the third world, systematic abuse of power took place and corruption then became a way of life. Today, it is the only way to get around most government offices across third world countries. It was such a shame on the Developed countries and the rest of the world that none of them vouched for UN sanctions against governments and politicians which oppressed and sucked its own people in the name of governance. The sanctions are only against countries, who are not willing to toe the line of western interest. But again sanctions have to mean arrest of corrupt politicians/ bureaucrats,de- recognizing the parliament of such countries and not debarring of trade and penalizing the already oppressed population.
The army in most of these countries believed that , it was the natural successor of the colonial rulers and was the rightful ruler of the nation. Hence could bypass a civic society and have budgets and benefits that would be envy of a king. Many of these nations were quickly overtaken by the dictators, whether it was Argentina or Chile or Libya or Uganda or Pakistan and you can count most of them. The army then systematically looted the nation of its own wealth. It was no ones business. Developed nations would continue doing business with these nations. Multinational companies enjoyed the situation, because all it required was the blessings of an army and they would monopolize the business. Most oil companies and mining companies were the biggest beneficiaries of this situation. The whole of middle east oil was largely in the hands of Western MNC. The mining in Africa was again in the hands of western MNC.
The remnants of an already sucked nation by their colonizers was now being sucked away by either the army or by the bureaucrats and politicians. The population of these nations, was still fighting illiteracy, diseases, poverty, lack of employment opportunities etc and for the corrupt , these were the very cause of opportunities for making their wealth. Each and every nation had its own heroes to glorify for their independence movement , but it was not long, before that these heroes were only an academic subject and the nations were taken over by its own corrupt politicians. Who saw that it was much easier to manipulate large mass of illiterates and capture votes and remain in power. The educated, intelligentsia was no different from the elimination it has seen in the Cultural Revolution in China. Only that , here, they were marginalized and not eliminated.
Retrospectively, one looks behind and only feels that if he has successfully managed his life out of all this messy situation, then it was already a great job. Not many were so lucky. It was always a struggle to survive. It was never more then hand to mouth for most of the population in these nations.
30 to 40 years after the second world war, the people in these nations were getting enlightened, were now better educated and some semblance of economic order had returned to these countries . The dictators and politicians got questioned. Only the other day, I was watching the Davos BBC debate and the world bank and politicians were taking pride on uplifting millions out of poverty in the last 20 years. Factually, it is this world bank and politicians, who are responsible for keeping the world under poverty for the first 40 years and to a great extent till date in most developing nations. It is only today , after 65 years that a nation like Egypt is celebrating the departure of yet another dictator.
When I talk to my western counterparts, they say, no wonder your countries were colonized, because you are anyway a bunch of tribals, who work and behave coherently only under a barrel of gun. And sometimes, I think , this is not too much wrong. How many of our nations actually return politicians who are worth governing their countries. Don't we return politicians ruling the tribals ?
In countries like S.Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, they successfully wiped out corruption and became some of the richest economies of the world. It was as easy as that, if actually the politicians wanted. All it takes is mass sacking of hundreds of officers in one single day and the next day, the whole country is free of corruption. But this needs a powerful , righteous and strong leader.
If India and China, today boost of growth, then it is very little to do with the governments there, but largely to do with the private sector and the middle class. Both these nations at least had invested heavily into education and the people in both these countries were very proud of their Tertiary qualifications. Which finally started resulting into Economic Output and Value Velocity, as soon as the capital got freely available. For China, it was easier, because when you start with a very low number, then growth numbers always look nicer. Say, growth from 100 to 200 is 100%, but growth of 10 million to 11 Million is only 10%. China had this numeral advantage. Both the nations are responsible for keeping their economies locked for 40 years and exploiting their own nation.
Did Japan and Europe not come our flattened from the second world. Was it not the open economies of these nations and the world bank/ Aid, which took them to such an enviable position today. Why is that Europe , Japan and US not turn to corruption. They were simple human beings like us. Perhaps, this shows that within human beings itself it is not everyone is equal. History and Sociology are reflections of how certain group of people from certain lands were always more progressive then the others, only on account of freedom and fair society. Only an open, fair, transparent and innovative society progresses. Whether it will live in peace and harmony is another debate. Others, will always fall in the hands of colonial/ political / corrupt masters.
The irony is that , everyone has moved to his comfort zone and does not care about the misgoverning anymore. Corruption of the order of million of dollars is considered a normal routine affair. Capitalism is now fully embedded in each society. The survival of the Richest is the new Darwin's Theory in the modern world.
Almost one and all copy pasted the constitution of their colonial masters with a little change here and there. But the biggest irony was that almost all of them copy pasted the laws , which their masters had framed to enjoy rule over the colony.
The result was that soon after independence, the new formed bureaucracy now started enjoying powers ,which were earlier vested with the " White Skin " master. Not only that, it furthered itself to use these powers and the oppressive laws to now obstruct the natural flow of goods and services to its own people. It soon realized that the best position was to keep everything under suspension and use it for lining their own pockets. Corruption , which was unheard of during the colonial times, now became the normal way of life. Interestingly , it was all across the third world, systematic abuse of power took place and corruption then became a way of life. Today, it is the only way to get around most government offices across third world countries. It was such a shame on the Developed countries and the rest of the world that none of them vouched for UN sanctions against governments and politicians which oppressed and sucked its own people in the name of governance. The sanctions are only against countries, who are not willing to toe the line of western interest. But again sanctions have to mean arrest of corrupt politicians/ bureaucrats,de- recognizing the parliament of such countries and not debarring of trade and penalizing the already oppressed population.
The army in most of these countries believed that , it was the natural successor of the colonial rulers and was the rightful ruler of the nation. Hence could bypass a civic society and have budgets and benefits that would be envy of a king. Many of these nations were quickly overtaken by the dictators, whether it was Argentina or Chile or Libya or Uganda or Pakistan and you can count most of them. The army then systematically looted the nation of its own wealth. It was no ones business. Developed nations would continue doing business with these nations. Multinational companies enjoyed the situation, because all it required was the blessings of an army and they would monopolize the business. Most oil companies and mining companies were the biggest beneficiaries of this situation. The whole of middle east oil was largely in the hands of Western MNC. The mining in Africa was again in the hands of western MNC.
The remnants of an already sucked nation by their colonizers was now being sucked away by either the army or by the bureaucrats and politicians. The population of these nations, was still fighting illiteracy, diseases, poverty, lack of employment opportunities etc and for the corrupt , these were the very cause of opportunities for making their wealth. Each and every nation had its own heroes to glorify for their independence movement , but it was not long, before that these heroes were only an academic subject and the nations were taken over by its own corrupt politicians. Who saw that it was much easier to manipulate large mass of illiterates and capture votes and remain in power. The educated, intelligentsia was no different from the elimination it has seen in the Cultural Revolution in China. Only that , here, they were marginalized and not eliminated.
Retrospectively, one looks behind and only feels that if he has successfully managed his life out of all this messy situation, then it was already a great job. Not many were so lucky. It was always a struggle to survive. It was never more then hand to mouth for most of the population in these nations.
30 to 40 years after the second world war, the people in these nations were getting enlightened, were now better educated and some semblance of economic order had returned to these countries . The dictators and politicians got questioned. Only the other day, I was watching the Davos BBC debate and the world bank and politicians were taking pride on uplifting millions out of poverty in the last 20 years. Factually, it is this world bank and politicians, who are responsible for keeping the world under poverty for the first 40 years and to a great extent till date in most developing nations. It is only today , after 65 years that a nation like Egypt is celebrating the departure of yet another dictator.
When I talk to my western counterparts, they say, no wonder your countries were colonized, because you are anyway a bunch of tribals, who work and behave coherently only under a barrel of gun. And sometimes, I think , this is not too much wrong. How many of our nations actually return politicians who are worth governing their countries. Don't we return politicians ruling the tribals ?
In countries like S.Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, they successfully wiped out corruption and became some of the richest economies of the world. It was as easy as that, if actually the politicians wanted. All it takes is mass sacking of hundreds of officers in one single day and the next day, the whole country is free of corruption. But this needs a powerful , righteous and strong leader.
If India and China, today boost of growth, then it is very little to do with the governments there, but largely to do with the private sector and the middle class. Both these nations at least had invested heavily into education and the people in both these countries were very proud of their Tertiary qualifications. Which finally started resulting into Economic Output and Value Velocity, as soon as the capital got freely available. For China, it was easier, because when you start with a very low number, then growth numbers always look nicer. Say, growth from 100 to 200 is 100%, but growth of 10 million to 11 Million is only 10%. China had this numeral advantage. Both the nations are responsible for keeping their economies locked for 40 years and exploiting their own nation.
Did Japan and Europe not come our flattened from the second world. Was it not the open economies of these nations and the world bank/ Aid, which took them to such an enviable position today. Why is that Europe , Japan and US not turn to corruption. They were simple human beings like us. Perhaps, this shows that within human beings itself it is not everyone is equal. History and Sociology are reflections of how certain group of people from certain lands were always more progressive then the others, only on account of freedom and fair society. Only an open, fair, transparent and innovative society progresses. Whether it will live in peace and harmony is another debate. Others, will always fall in the hands of colonial/ political / corrupt masters.
The irony is that , everyone has moved to his comfort zone and does not care about the misgoverning anymore. Corruption of the order of million of dollars is considered a normal routine affair. Capitalism is now fully embedded in each society. The survival of the Richest is the new Darwin's Theory in the modern world.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Idealism Vs Realism!
If today, someone was to ask me, what is your biggest " Regret " in life? And the only answer I have is that my pursuit of Idealism.
What naked eyes see is the realism. What the mind forces you to enact is the Idealism. Somehow, it is only after the age of 40, when you actually start realizing that the acts of idealism was more of story telling and feeling of heroism. Factually, life was quite far from the idealistic stage. Nothing in fact in nature follows the path of idealism.
If you have been brought up with idealistic values, gone to good public school and have a culture that reflects the sensitivity of your surroundings , then you are into the trap of " Idealism" and continuously fight conflicts in your mind.
Third world, where I spent most of my life is torn with shameless corruption, cheating, insensitivity , religious intolerance, black marketing, tax avoidance, incompetence, nepotism, and the list can go on and on.
In such an environment, if one is idealistic, then he perhaps has to only spent most of his life fighting the system . On the other hand, we with this idealistic brought up are such a victim of the system that it has made us impotent and cowards.
None of us has the strength to challenge the dirty business around us . Only for good order sake and to mind our own business, we have tolerated this nonsense for so long. However, this indifference has made the system brutally corrupt. I lately met a bureaucrat who had amassed a wealth of USD 20 Million plus and was searching for place to park his money.
The last sight, which repeatedly comes to my eyes is when I saw a very old man selling newspapers on a street corner to earn his livelihood and around the same corner, a cop, who stopped motorbikes and collected cash for some fault or other.
Here is a state of things, when an idealistic person in an old age is earning his livelihood by selling newspapers and a well paid cop is earning extra income from illegal collections.
Step in any office in most third world countries and you will find that the population has simply resigned to the fact that without illegal payments, they cannot get across with their legal rights.
Will it take another revolution for this autocratic corrupt bureaucracy to be wiped out.
What naked eyes see is the realism. What the mind forces you to enact is the Idealism. Somehow, it is only after the age of 40, when you actually start realizing that the acts of idealism was more of story telling and feeling of heroism. Factually, life was quite far from the idealistic stage. Nothing in fact in nature follows the path of idealism.
If you have been brought up with idealistic values, gone to good public school and have a culture that reflects the sensitivity of your surroundings , then you are into the trap of " Idealism" and continuously fight conflicts in your mind.
Third world, where I spent most of my life is torn with shameless corruption, cheating, insensitivity , religious intolerance, black marketing, tax avoidance, incompetence, nepotism, and the list can go on and on.
In such an environment, if one is idealistic, then he perhaps has to only spent most of his life fighting the system . On the other hand, we with this idealistic brought up are such a victim of the system that it has made us impotent and cowards.
None of us has the strength to challenge the dirty business around us . Only for good order sake and to mind our own business, we have tolerated this nonsense for so long. However, this indifference has made the system brutally corrupt. I lately met a bureaucrat who had amassed a wealth of USD 20 Million plus and was searching for place to park his money.
The last sight, which repeatedly comes to my eyes is when I saw a very old man selling newspapers on a street corner to earn his livelihood and around the same corner, a cop, who stopped motorbikes and collected cash for some fault or other.
Here is a state of things, when an idealistic person in an old age is earning his livelihood by selling newspapers and a well paid cop is earning extra income from illegal collections.
Step in any office in most third world countries and you will find that the population has simply resigned to the fact that without illegal payments, they cannot get across with their legal rights.
Will it take another revolution for this autocratic corrupt bureaucracy to be wiped out.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Devotional Entertainment- Religion
A friend of mine Mr A.T.Narayanan came out with a very nice Phrase " Devotional Entertainment "
God in its utmost obscurity, is fancied by almost everyone. The one and only " Hope " dispenser is like a free ATM machine installed as Fear and Reward broker in each homosapien.
Remove the centre and there is no circle, remove the centre of everything and there is no operational space of thoughts. This is what Jiddu Krishnamurthy calls it " Conditioning " More you walk away from the conditioning, the more free space you have in your mind for lateral and extra dimensional thinking.
Since time immemorial , God has made his way into society in one form or the other. More out of fear of compliance and less on account of a fairer next life.
For whatever it is worth, it still keeps the semblance of order in a society, who fears God more then the law of the land.
I have been largely atheist and for me all form of prayers and acts of pleasing God are unacceptable. God surely does not need prayers for its fullfilment. The best prayer would still be the service to mankind.
All the rituals and fancies are but the " Devotional Entertainment "
Thankfully, a large portion of society still finds its hope and peace with an abstract thought of " God "
In China, when I travel, they ask me, what is God, I dont see him anywhere, why should I believe in him. Have the Chinese not flourished over the years without a God taking care of them.
God in its utmost obscurity, is fancied by almost everyone. The one and only " Hope " dispenser is like a free ATM machine installed as Fear and Reward broker in each homosapien.
Remove the centre and there is no circle, remove the centre of everything and there is no operational space of thoughts. This is what Jiddu Krishnamurthy calls it " Conditioning " More you walk away from the conditioning, the more free space you have in your mind for lateral and extra dimensional thinking.
Since time immemorial , God has made his way into society in one form or the other. More out of fear of compliance and less on account of a fairer next life.
For whatever it is worth, it still keeps the semblance of order in a society, who fears God more then the law of the land.
I have been largely atheist and for me all form of prayers and acts of pleasing God are unacceptable. God surely does not need prayers for its fullfilment. The best prayer would still be the service to mankind.
All the rituals and fancies are but the " Devotional Entertainment "
Thankfully, a large portion of society still finds its hope and peace with an abstract thought of " God "
In China, when I travel, they ask me, what is God, I dont see him anywhere, why should I believe in him. Have the Chinese not flourished over the years without a God taking care of them.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Year 2011
Though I should have written on January 1, 2011 about the forthcoming year, yet it is not too late to make my predictions.
Year 2011, by way of numerology will be one of the bad years in the history of mankind.
One can easily expect all kind of natural disasters like Flooding, draught, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, fatal accidents and unforeseen disasters.
The Oil prices will again start shooting, commodities will again start moving up and inflation will rise. Food crisis might occur in many countries, Stock markets will fall and generally there will be a weaker economic index. Many governments will fall in this year. Corrupt officials will come under firing line. Employment index will fall. Dollar will fall and Gold will rise.
The only investments that would do good will be into Food and Allied Products and Technology. Both these areas will show good returns.
There is also a chance of war in the Middle East.
As a whole, the year is not too good for large investments and it would be wise to restraint yourself with any new venture.
By the last quarter of this year, things would start easing out and good order will return.
Take care in the year 2011.
Year 2011, by way of numerology will be one of the bad years in the history of mankind.
One can easily expect all kind of natural disasters like Flooding, draught, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, fatal accidents and unforeseen disasters.
The Oil prices will again start shooting, commodities will again start moving up and inflation will rise. Food crisis might occur in many countries, Stock markets will fall and generally there will be a weaker economic index. Many governments will fall in this year. Corrupt officials will come under firing line. Employment index will fall. Dollar will fall and Gold will rise.
The only investments that would do good will be into Food and Allied Products and Technology. Both these areas will show good returns.
There is also a chance of war in the Middle East.
As a whole, the year is not too good for large investments and it would be wise to restraint yourself with any new venture.
By the last quarter of this year, things would start easing out and good order will return.
Take care in the year 2011.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
GII > Government Intelligence Index
The GDP of a nation and its growth not simply depends upon the economic activity of the country, but largely on the Intelligence levels of its Ministers and Bureaucrats .
The competence of the politicians reflects the development of the state. The collective intelligence then reflects the probability of growth and development.
As I wrote in my last article on Democracy, the irony of democracy is that it returns politicians with mediocre competence . This is the major flaw of current form of democracy.
The net result is that Overall Government Intelligence Index is much below the global average and the nation suffers and falls behind in the quality of life index.
Unfortunately, UNO, who should have laid the standards for global development and bench marked good governance and defined politicians worth for taking the responsibility of the state . But UNO is a failed organization.
It is about time the Economist start capturing the GII number for each country and alarm the global communities that the risk of investing in that particular country is that the lawmakers intelligence levels itself will not allow the people to develop.
Further, the global communities have to keep reminding the nations that GII is the major indicator, which can bring change to the nation.
Automatically, people of that nation would be sensitive to the GII of their county and would return More Calibred people to the parliament.
The competence of the politicians reflects the development of the state. The collective intelligence then reflects the probability of growth and development.
As I wrote in my last article on Democracy, the irony of democracy is that it returns politicians with mediocre competence . This is the major flaw of current form of democracy.
The net result is that Overall Government Intelligence Index is much below the global average and the nation suffers and falls behind in the quality of life index.
Unfortunately, UNO, who should have laid the standards for global development and bench marked good governance and defined politicians worth for taking the responsibility of the state . But UNO is a failed organization.
It is about time the Economist start capturing the GII number for each country and alarm the global communities that the risk of investing in that particular country is that the lawmakers intelligence levels itself will not allow the people to develop.
Further, the global communities have to keep reminding the nations that GII is the major indicator, which can bring change to the nation.
Automatically, people of that nation would be sensitive to the GII of their county and would return More Calibred people to the parliament.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Digital Democracy ; The New World
It is about time for Digitial Democracy. If largely the job of governments was signing and stamping papers , the most of this has to be now done digitally. The time of Millions of Beurocrats and Miles of Red Tapism is over. Governments will have to offer all their services online and deliver it online.
On the other functions of policies and law making, the larger population has to be roped in. The older model of one person one vote and then choosing a leader etc was ok, when there were no other better methods of putting the choice of people into law and practises. However, with the advent of Online Submissions, each person now has his vote ready for any instant voting. Hence domocracy has to be revisited.
Democracy as a concept perhaps dates back to time immemorial. The voice of every person was factored in local decision and law making. The person was then the part of the community and the community would choose its head , office bearers etc. The rule of people via their votes was then the way of governance. Today, we further it blindly and fight for our rights , which otherwise should have been a natural give away by the formulated system.
However, as mankind evolved and a functional legal democracy got first established in US sometimes in the 17th century.
The system incorporated the principle of One Man , One Vote . So, the opinion of the person was cast via his vote.
Democracy was the Disproproportionate Distribution of wealth aligned to the power, intelligence , wealth, caste, race, colour and control.
The system has finally proven relatively better then any other known system of governance like communism or socialism etc.
But, the 21st century is the century of awakeneing. Democracy has to be redefined. The idea of one person one vote has to foregone forever.
No more is acceptable that a " Criminal " has one vote same as " Law abiding citizen " . The " Scientiest " with full life education and committment to serve the global community has One vote same as " Laborer " . An illiterate has the same vote as a Ph.D. A taxi driver has the same vote as the Manager of a company. Analogy can go on and on.
The system of one person one vote was ok , when knowledge and skill did not really matter. The fairness was about giving voice to everyone. But when a very large population of people are unfair to their ownself by not properly investing into their education and skill, the larger welfare of the society cannot be left to the votes accumalted out of illiterates or poorly educated to then make choices, which then ruin the whole country.
Politicians have well understood this phenomenon and more so in the Third World, that by only tapping on the large uneducated or poorly educated part of the society, they can still come to the power and use the power to suck the nation ,sometimes deliberately and sometimes indeliberately on account of poor competance.
Unless one man , one vote system is challanged and votes are given relative to the persons qualification, skill, knowledge and contribution to the society. The current system will only lead to weak and exploited states. There are many models which can be designed.
However, it is about time, when Democracy is revisited and Knowledge Based Democracy is delivered to the people. Democracy, wherin the government clearly
Defines the Deliverables to its people .
Delivers the Basic and Advanced requirments without any hassles.
Offers every service online and delivers semalessly.
Reports Transparently the progress each quarter and if after one year, the progress is non satisafactory, then the head of the state is automatically changed.
List can go on and on. But I am quite serious about starting a Debate on > No One Vote, One Person " Votes as per competency of the person.
On the other functions of policies and law making, the larger population has to be roped in. The older model of one person one vote and then choosing a leader etc was ok, when there were no other better methods of putting the choice of people into law and practises. However, with the advent of Online Submissions, each person now has his vote ready for any instant voting. Hence domocracy has to be revisited.
Democracy as a concept perhaps dates back to time immemorial. The voice of every person was factored in local decision and law making. The person was then the part of the community and the community would choose its head , office bearers etc. The rule of people via their votes was then the way of governance. Today, we further it blindly and fight for our rights , which otherwise should have been a natural give away by the formulated system.
However, as mankind evolved and a functional legal democracy got first established in US sometimes in the 17th century.
The system incorporated the principle of One Man , One Vote . So, the opinion of the person was cast via his vote.
Democracy was the Disproproportionate Distribution of wealth aligned to the power, intelligence , wealth, caste, race, colour and control.
The system has finally proven relatively better then any other known system of governance like communism or socialism etc.
But, the 21st century is the century of awakeneing. Democracy has to be redefined. The idea of one person one vote has to foregone forever.
No more is acceptable that a " Criminal " has one vote same as " Law abiding citizen " . The " Scientiest " with full life education and committment to serve the global community has One vote same as " Laborer " . An illiterate has the same vote as a Ph.D. A taxi driver has the same vote as the Manager of a company. Analogy can go on and on.
The system of one person one vote was ok , when knowledge and skill did not really matter. The fairness was about giving voice to everyone. But when a very large population of people are unfair to their ownself by not properly investing into their education and skill, the larger welfare of the society cannot be left to the votes accumalted out of illiterates or poorly educated to then make choices, which then ruin the whole country.
Politicians have well understood this phenomenon and more so in the Third World, that by only tapping on the large uneducated or poorly educated part of the society, they can still come to the power and use the power to suck the nation ,sometimes deliberately and sometimes indeliberately on account of poor competance.
Unless one man , one vote system is challanged and votes are given relative to the persons qualification, skill, knowledge and contribution to the society. The current system will only lead to weak and exploited states. There are many models which can be designed.
However, it is about time, when Democracy is revisited and Knowledge Based Democracy is delivered to the people. Democracy, wherin the government clearly
Defines the Deliverables to its people .
Delivers the Basic and Advanced requirments without any hassles.
Offers every service online and delivers semalessly.
Reports Transparently the progress each quarter and if after one year, the progress is non satisafactory, then the head of the state is automatically changed.
List can go on and on. But I am quite serious about starting a Debate on > No One Vote, One Person " Votes as per competency of the person.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Wikileaks
Why are so many people crying ' Foul ' against ' Assange' for leaking out the classified cables of US Diplomacy. And interestingly I find so many hotly debating that he has put the life`s of so many people in danger.
Whatever leaks I have read , I dont really find anything which was not already known to everyone. Other then now it is the most original form, reproduced word to word. May be Wikileaks has bought the Arab World views on Iran more on the front, but that is already making things so much easier and nicer for US. The Yemeni covering up the attack by US Army was also very well known to the whole world.
Yes, there will be a credibality loss for the US army, because whenever its missbombing is reported and then explained by the US Generals, no one would ever accept. However, this gives a chance to US Generals to not cover up any missbombing and at the first place , not try any such stunt.
Sweden, a country which stands for " Human Rights Values " has asked for the extradition. I use to think Sweden was perhaps the Best Country in the world for Human Rights, but now I would equate it to ...................?
Australian Foreign Minister was the only one who had the guts to stand up and say, it is not Assange, but the US Diplomacy, which needs to be blamed. US should know, how to keep its secure data. If wikileaks can look into US records, then any terrorist organization or for that matter any rouge country can break into Pentagon and break the whole system .
In an open world, there is no need for Hypocrisy. The talk and walk should be the same. One cannot say something to the public and hide the facts for keeping himself in power and position.
Arrest of One Assange will no way stop wikileaks to publish more and more classifed information.
Whatever leaks I have read , I dont really find anything which was not already known to everyone. Other then now it is the most original form, reproduced word to word. May be Wikileaks has bought the Arab World views on Iran more on the front, but that is already making things so much easier and nicer for US. The Yemeni covering up the attack by US Army was also very well known to the whole world.
Yes, there will be a credibality loss for the US army, because whenever its missbombing is reported and then explained by the US Generals, no one would ever accept. However, this gives a chance to US Generals to not cover up any missbombing and at the first place , not try any such stunt.
Sweden, a country which stands for " Human Rights Values " has asked for the extradition. I use to think Sweden was perhaps the Best Country in the world for Human Rights, but now I would equate it to ...................?
Australian Foreign Minister was the only one who had the guts to stand up and say, it is not Assange, but the US Diplomacy, which needs to be blamed. US should know, how to keep its secure data. If wikileaks can look into US records, then any terrorist organization or for that matter any rouge country can break into Pentagon and break the whole system .
In an open world, there is no need for Hypocrisy. The talk and walk should be the same. One cannot say something to the public and hide the facts for keeping himself in power and position.
Arrest of One Assange will no way stop wikileaks to publish more and more classifed information.
Manila
Last week, I was in Manila after 5 years. Not much really changed , other then the Green Belt shopping area.
Interestingly, why should shopping areas be called " Green Belt" ? But I see a a subtle change in retailing. The shops are being designed for visual attraction, but when it comes to the " Brands ", somehow the luxury is missing.
Any market in the world is largely Clothing based and most clothing brands have kind of lost clue on
Colours
Shapes
Sizes
Designs.
Over and over again, it is the same colors, same kind of designs and same presentation. There is a clear lack of Innovation. Though on the prices, everyone is trying to use rockets to place the prices on the moon.
Any garment you buy and after the first wash, the original crease is lost forever, the handle is no more the same, the appeal is faded . Simple, because the Finishing technology is so poor. Most of these brands try to source their fabrics from all kind of cheap producers , who do not have the required machines to get a lasting effect, nor the brands pay prices, where in the maker can use Top Quality finishes.
The biggest catastrophe is keeping uniformity of sizes . I bought two " Shorts " in the green belt in manila and both of the same size. One fits me fine and the other is way big. This is quality control.
I saw a pair of socks, wherein the design was embedded on the sole of the sox and the side which climbs the legs had no design. This is the mind of a designer.
Another jean of a top brand, the metal zipper did not work.
Being a Textile Technologist myself, these things dont digest easily. But the garmenting business runs practically with Merchandizers and Brand Managers, who have absolutely no clue of Textile Manufacturing.
Nevertheless, what I liked most about Manila was the Traffic. Perhaps one Capital City, where the traffic is not really bad. From one end to the other end of the city should not normally take more then 30 to 45 minutes.
As a whole, I liked Manila.
Interestingly, why should shopping areas be called " Green Belt" ? But I see a a subtle change in retailing. The shops are being designed for visual attraction, but when it comes to the " Brands ", somehow the luxury is missing.
Any market in the world is largely Clothing based and most clothing brands have kind of lost clue on
Colours
Shapes
Sizes
Designs.
Over and over again, it is the same colors, same kind of designs and same presentation. There is a clear lack of Innovation. Though on the prices, everyone is trying to use rockets to place the prices on the moon.
Any garment you buy and after the first wash, the original crease is lost forever, the handle is no more the same, the appeal is faded . Simple, because the Finishing technology is so poor. Most of these brands try to source their fabrics from all kind of cheap producers , who do not have the required machines to get a lasting effect, nor the brands pay prices, where in the maker can use Top Quality finishes.
The biggest catastrophe is keeping uniformity of sizes . I bought two " Shorts " in the green belt in manila and both of the same size. One fits me fine and the other is way big. This is quality control.
I saw a pair of socks, wherein the design was embedded on the sole of the sox and the side which climbs the legs had no design. This is the mind of a designer.
Another jean of a top brand, the metal zipper did not work.
Being a Textile Technologist myself, these things dont digest easily. But the garmenting business runs practically with Merchandizers and Brand Managers, who have absolutely no clue of Textile Manufacturing.
Nevertheless, what I liked most about Manila was the Traffic. Perhaps one Capital City, where the traffic is not really bad. From one end to the other end of the city should not normally take more then 30 to 45 minutes.
As a whole, I liked Manila.
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