jul 31st, 2009
yes, it is one of the fundamental rights of mohammedans: to drop babies 50 feet. didn't you know? it is clearly mentioned in their books.
but i am amazed that a mohammedan practice has been criticized by the "human rights" banshees, and even more that it has been reported by AP, and that too by a christist reporter. what happened to the cozy little christist-mohammedan conspiracy to only attack hindu practices?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jaYMYmbAOYSfLtFaqMoyukeuDCzwD99PPMKG2
Friday, July 31, 2009
the terminator among us
jul 31st, 2009
terminator and skynet amongst us already? the perils of super-smart artificial intelligences. http://bit.ly/cv0JG genes, memes and more
terminator and skynet amongst us already? the perils of super-smart artificial intelligences. http://bit.ly/cv0JG genes, memes and more
david kessler, former FDA head in the us: "the end of overeating"
jul 31st, 2009
the end of overeating: re the us, but all can benefit from a no to manufactured fast foods with their fat/sugar/salt http://bit.ly/lilHr
the end of overeating: re the us, but all can benefit from a no to manufactured fast foods with their fat/sugar/salt http://bit.ly/lilHr
godmen doing more conversion via their 'compassion'
jul 31st, 2009
"In Belarus, the authorities are hassling an independent protestant church, New Life, (which just happens to be popular with the country's downtrodden Roma minority)."
so the godmen are converting the gypsies through inducements and allurements. exactly as they convert tribals and harijans in india.
and how they created the LTTE in sri lanka.
standard godman modus operandi.
and soon you'll be hearing of roma terrorists, you mark my words. they will be seeking independent homelands goaded on by the church godmen (note that these are baptists or pentecostals or something, who are "preying upon my flock" as ratzy and his predecessor wotdzja are prone to whine.)
http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/europeview/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14119664&fsrc=nwl
"In Belarus, the authorities are hassling an independent protestant church, New Life, (which just happens to be popular with the country's downtrodden Roma minority)."
so the godmen are converting the gypsies through inducements and allurements. exactly as they convert tribals and harijans in india.
and how they created the LTTE in sri lanka.
standard godman modus operandi.
and soon you'll be hearing of roma terrorists, you mark my words. they will be seeking independent homelands goaded on by the church godmen (note that these are baptists or pentecostals or something, who are "preying upon my flock" as ratzy and his predecessor wotdzja are prone to whine.)
http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/europeview/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14119664&fsrc=nwl
a fable for our times: animal harm
jul 31st, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chris
From: Chris
Hi Rajeev,
Thought you may like this tale!
Chris
Once upon a time, in a nice little forest, there lived an orphaned bunny and an orphaned snake. By a surprising coincidence, both were blind from birth. One day, the bunny was hopping through the forest, and the snake was slithering through the forest, when the bunny tripped over the snake and fell down. This, of course, knocked the snake about quite a bit.
"Oh, my," said the bunny, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I've been blind since birth, so, I can't see where I'm going. In fact, since I'm also an orphan, I don't even know what I am."
"It's quite ok," replied the snake. "Actually, my story is quite the same as yours. I too have been blind since birth and also never knew my mother. Tell you what, maybe I could slither all over you, and work out what you are so at least you'll have that going for you."
"Oh, that would be wonderful" replied the bunny.
So the snake slithered all over the bunny, and said, "Well, you're covered with soft fur, you have really long ears, your nose twitches, and you have a soft cottony tail. I'd say that you must be a bunny rabbit."
"Oh, thank you, thank you," cried the bunny, in obvious excitement. The bunny suggested to the snake, "Maybe I could feel you all over with my paw, and help you the same way that you've helped me."
So the bunny felt the snake all over, and remarked, "Well, you're smooth and slippery, and you have a forked tongue, no backbone and no balls. I'd say you must be Manmohan Singh!
Thought you may like this tale!
Chris
Once upon a time, in a nice little forest, there lived an orphaned bunny and an orphaned snake. By a surprising coincidence, both were blind from birth. One day, the bunny was hopping through the forest, and the snake was slithering through the forest, when the bunny tripped over the snake and fell down. This, of course, knocked the snake about quite a bit.
"Oh, my," said the bunny, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I've been blind since birth, so, I can't see where I'm going. In fact, since I'm also an orphan, I don't even know what I am."
"It's quite ok," replied the snake. "Actually, my story is quite the same as yours. I too have been blind since birth and also never knew my mother. Tell you what, maybe I could slither all over you, and work out what you are so at least you'll have that going for you."
"Oh, that would be wonderful" replied the bunny.
So the snake slithered all over the bunny, and said, "Well, you're covered with soft fur, you have really long ears, your nose twitches, and you have a soft cottony tail. I'd say that you must be a bunny rabbit."
"Oh, thank you, thank you," cried the bunny, in obvious excitement. The bunny suggested to the snake, "Maybe I could feel you all over with my paw, and help you the same way that you've helped me."
So the bunny felt the snake all over, and remarked, "Well, you're smooth and slippery, and you have a forked tongue, no backbone and no balls. I'd say you must be Manmohan Singh!
Brahma Chellaney exposes PM's statements on Pakistan
jul 31st, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sanjeev
From: Sanjeev
http://chellaney.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!4913C7C8A2EA4A30!1057.entry
The fallacies behind India's Pakistan policy
Dangerous misconceptions
Brahma Chellaney
Even though India's extended hand has been slapped again and again by Pakistan, right-minded Indians still desire peace and stability on the subcontinent — but with dignity. Instead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's one-sided commitment to "go more than half the way" to make peace with Pakistan, India's correct position should be that it is ever ready to walk more than half the distance on cooperation or confrontation, depending on whether Pakistan wants peace or war.
... deletedsadhvi not 'terrorist', but that's not news?
jul 31st, 2009
of course it's not news. all of us knew that she was no terrorist. it was on the orders of the kkkangress that the ELM made the "mohammedan-hindu-equal-equal-terrorist" noise.
just like the kkkangress now says "pak-indian-equal-equal-victims-of-terror".
the ELM are the most evil characters in india, even more so than the kkkangress and the godmen.
of course it's not news. all of us knew that she was no terrorist. it was on the orders of the kkkangress that the ELM made the "mohammedan-hindu-equal-equal-terrorist" noise.
just like the kkkangress now says "pak-indian-equal-equal-victims-of-terror".
the ELM are the most evil characters in india, even more so than the kkkangress and the godmen.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sudhir
Where are the Ghoses, Slurdesais, Roys, Burqa's. When the Malegaon case initially happened, even a fart by a peon in the ATS used to be breaking news. ANd now this news - No mention on IBNLIVE, INDIATIMES. NDTV has it as a ordinary news item.
http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/31/malegaon-case-accused-get-respite.htm
"A special court in Mumbai [ Images ] on Friday dropped the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act invoked against Sadhvi Pragya [ Images ] Singh, Lt Col S P Purohit and nine other accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, saying none of them is part of an organised crime syndicate.
Designated Judge Y B Shinde, presiding over the special court, said none of the accused had more than one chargesheet filed against him or her for invoking provisions of MCOCA."
From: Sudhir
Where are the Ghoses, Slurdesais, Roys, Burqa's. When the Malegaon case initially happened, even a fart by a peon in the ATS used to be breaking news. ANd now this news - No mention on IBNLIVE, INDIATIMES. NDTV has it as a ordinary news item.
Malegaon case: Sadhvi, Purohit get respite
http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/31/malegaon-case-accused-get-respite.htm
"A special court in Mumbai [ Images ] on Friday dropped the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act invoked against Sadhvi Pragya [ Images ] Singh, Lt Col S P Purohit and nine other accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, saying none of them is part of an organised crime syndicate.
Designated Judge Y B Shinde, presiding over the special court, said none of the accused had more than one chargesheet filed against him or her for invoking provisions of MCOCA."
Francois Gautier speaks in new jersey on hindu holocaust, Aug 16 - Don't miss
jul 31st, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sunanda
Friends: Do not miss the following program, register now. Mark your calendar on Aug 16. Please forward to other friends and groups. thanks, sunanda
From: sunanda
Friends: Do not miss the following program, register now. Mark your calendar on Aug 16. Please forward to other friends and groups. thanks, sunanda
====================================================
Francois Gautier's lecture on Hindu Holocaust Museum |
Re: FW: Hindu Economics and Charity - instigated by Paul Beckett's WSJ article
jul 31st, 2009
good one, sarvesh.
i am delighted that sarvesh has been goaded into action by the WSJ's writing and rejoinder, which, when i last looked, hadn't been responded to. (m. patel, i did post a slightly enhanced -- and alas, typo-filled -- version of what was posted here to the comments section of the article.)
good stuff regarding traditional hindu charity.
i have no particular opinion on hindu charitableness, other than to note that what we donate to temples is siphoned off in the billions by the government and given to the christists and the mohammedans. i simply used the occasion to flog one of my hobbyhorses, the crude and offensive term 'hindu rate of growth'. i should actually have flogged 'nehruvian penalty' too. why, if raj krishna (prize ass) is a 'famous economist' for dreaming up the former, i should be a 'famous economist' for dreaming up the latter. [no snide comments about me being a prize ass, too, ok? i wield the moderator's baton -- 'off with his head' :-)]
good one, sarvesh.
i am delighted that sarvesh has been goaded into action by the WSJ's writing and rejoinder, which, when i last looked, hadn't been responded to. (m. patel, i did post a slightly enhanced -- and alas, typo-filled -- version of what was posted here to the comments section of the article.)
good stuff regarding traditional hindu charity.
i have no particular opinion on hindu charitableness, other than to note that what we donate to temples is siphoned off in the billions by the government and given to the christists and the mohammedans. i simply used the occasion to flog one of my hobbyhorses, the crude and offensive term 'hindu rate of growth'. i should actually have flogged 'nehruvian penalty' too. why, if raj krishna (prize ass) is a 'famous economist' for dreaming up the former, i should be a 'famous economist' for dreaming up the latter. [no snide comments about me being a prize ass, too, ok? i wield the moderator's baton -- 'off with his head' :-)]
On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 8:28 PM, Sarvesh Tiwari
Hindu Economics and Charity
Sarvesh K Tiwari on जुलाई 31, 2009
http://bharatendu.com/
In a recent article on Wall Street Journal, its bureau chief in New Delhi Paul Beckett has wondered why India's rich were not generous enough towards charity, has exhorted them to 'open their wallets', and implicitly made reference to the Hindu roots of the phenomenon.
His misguided opinion is a typical example of how the western journalists posted in India develop their views and spread the typical stereotypes about India, whose spirit they have never tried to, or succeeded in, grasping. His usage of the derogatory term "Hindu Rate of Growth" reminds us of a similarly stale and offending commentary on the growth of Indian Industry by another western journalist stationed in India, Edward Luce, in his 'In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India'. Unfortunately for them, these western commentators on the economics of India are prisoners of their cognitive cocoon, and while physically being here, they fail to understand the experience of Hindu Civilization and keep ignorantly applying the norms and standards of their own culture when commenting about India.
Rajeev Srinivasan has masterfully responded with his incisive reply to the ignorant premise taken by Beckett on the "Hindu Rate of Growth", and Dr. Koenraad Elst has dissected at length Luce's outlook in a recent article. Here we shall share some random thoughts from the historical perspectives on Hindu outlook to economy and charity, and try showing how, there is continuity even today, although latent, of the same outlook prevailing among the more traditional Hindu shreShThins of our age.
The very reason why industry is needed to flourish, according to kauTilya, is to spread dharma in society which alone can beget lasting and all-round happiness. artha, the economy, he says, is the most important function of society, as it is solely from this basis that both the fulfillment of dharma and pursuit of desires can be accomplished ("arthaiva pradhAnaiiti kauTilyaH arthamUlau hi dharmakAmau iti: AS 1.7.6-7). Economy is like a tree, further says kauTilya, if whose roots are rooted in dharma, it produces the fruits of happiness. Achievement of such dhArmika wealth further promotes dharma and produces more wealth and gives more pleasure. This is the achievement of all the gains. (dharma-mUlatvAt kAma-phalatvAchArthasya dharma-artha-kAma anubandhA yA^arthasya siddhiH sA sarva.artha.siddhiH AS9.7.81)
Creation of wealth for the welfare of society was considered so important that bR^ihadAraNyaka upaniShada relates that bramhA was compelled to create the vaishya-s skilled in industrial enterprise and organizing business, since the first two varNa-s proved incapable or disinclined in doing so. ("…sa naiva vyabhavat, sa viShamasR^ijat, yAnyetAni devajAtAni, gaNASha AkhyAyante…").
So, continuous creation of wealth is of absolute importance for the stability of society, which is required for the growth of dharma. kauTilya holds that if happiness is the objective and strength is the power, then wealth is one of the three types of those strengths to achieve it. ("shaktiH siddhishca | balaM shaktiH | sukhaM siddhiH | shaktistrividhA … kosha-daNDa-balaM…" AS6.2.31-34), and it is one of the reasons, why a government is needed, that is for prospering the society and spreading the dharma. A government is required for security of wealth, and once peace and industry is ensured (through a 6-fold policy that he enumerates), all-round wealth is automatically created. ("shamavyAyAmau yogakSemayoryoniH | shamavyAyAmayoryoniH ShADguNyam…" AS6.2.1&4).
However not only ensuring the right environ for society to generate and secure the wealth, but also the guarantee that the wealth really reaches the people, is counted by kauTilya as a basic prerequisite. ("…loka-priyatvam artha-saMyogena vR^ittiM… AS1.7.1). Therefore, the wealth of society is to not only be protected but also distributed. It is the people who are, for him, the center of good governance, and without attention to them a society, he says, is like a barren cow, useless and yielding no milk. ("puruShavad hi rAjyam; apuruShA gaurvandhyeva kiM duhIta… AS7.11.24-25")
Hoarding of wealth, without either consuming it or distributing it, is throughout denounced by all the Hindu thinkers and dharma-shAstrakAra-s. Traditional wisdom tells us that charity, enjoyment, and destruction, wealth is only destined to go in one of these three ways. One who neither spends in charity, nor enjoys it, his is sure to go by the way of the third, i.e. destroyed. ("dAnaM bhogo nAshastistrI gatayo bhavanti vittasya; yo na dadAti na bhu~Nkte cha tasya tR^itIyA gatirnAshaH — vikrama charita, Andhra, 3.86).
A more aesthetically presented view of the same thought, from another source: 'the wealth of those who simply hoard theirs, is eventually enjoyed not by them but by the others, like the honey collected through the industriousness of someone else is eventually consumed by someone else!' ("ati-saMchaya-kartR^iNAM vittamansya kAraNaM; anyaiH saMchIyate yatnAdanyaishcha madhu pIyate": vallabhadeva.474).
Another author intuitively compares unconsumed and hoarded wealth with daughters, who are lovingly brought up with care and affection by parents, only to eventually go off to someone else's household! (upabhogakAtarANAm puruShANAm arthasaMchayaparANAm; kanyAratnamiva gR^ihe tiShThantyarthAH parasyArthe: v.482)
One must also notice that while wealthy are appealed to spend towards their social responsibility throughout the wide array of shAstra-s, quoting which at length would amount to compiling several volumes, it is not the charity alone for which the wealthy are being exhorted for the welfare of society, but also simply for consumption and enjoyment of their wealth, thereby keeping money in circulation to ensure a wider and broader distribution of wealth. The circulation of money ensures the chain reaction of wealth-creation in society, as kauTilya says, wealth creates more wealth, like the roaming elephants procreate and gather more elephants ("arthair arthA prabadhyante gajAH pratigajairiva…AS9.4.27").
chANakya does recognize that the wealthy could easily grow a tendency of hoarding their riches and not share it with the commonwealth of the society, therefore not only does he warn the King to be cautious of such hoarding capitalists and keep them under watch, but in the spirit for which kauTilya is known, also suggests some innovative ways of how the King could justly rid such ones of some of their wealth when needed. One nice contrive he suggests is not devoid of some humour, although kauTilya must have been serious prescribing it. The King might employ a spy who takes the garb of a rich merchant, or even employ a real trustworthy merchant, who shall then go to the intended business and borrow the desired sum in gold or silver or some other costly or imported merchandise, and then having procured this loan, this spy can suitably "allow himself to be robbed", maybe at the same night!
So no wonder, another text informs the accumulators, that their wealth, unless they spend it more generously or conduct charities, will invite only the attention of crime and decay. 'One who neither enjoys his wealth nor donates it to those worthy of it, must rest assured that his accumulation would find its way either to the houses of the thieves or eventually rot in the belly of the earth'. (saMchitaM kratuShu nopayujyate yAchitaM guNavate na dIyate; tat-kadarya-pariraKShitaM dhanaM chaurapArthiva gR^iheShu gachcHati)
One well-known snippet of wisdom differentiates between the charitable rich and the shameless accumulators, by employing the simile of clouds and ocean, and says that 'the glory of donors always thunders from the sky like the clouds that generously give us water, while those who keep on accumulating wealth without returning, always rot at the lowest strata of rasAtala like the ocean which only knows to receive and store'. (gauravaM prApyate dAnAt na tu vittasya sa~nchayAt; sthitiH uchchaiH payodAnAM payodhInAM adhaH sthitiH)
Some of the popular aphorisms attributed to chANakya advise us likewise, that 'while a man must learn to be content with his wife, his wealth, and his food, he should never tire in zealously conducting these other three things: learning, recitations, and more charity'. (santoShas triShu kartavyaH sva-dAre bhojane dhane, triShu chaiva na kartavyo-dhyayane-japa-dAnayo : chANakya-nIti-darpaNa 7.4)
Another one points to the right and wrong ways of picking up fields for conducting charity: 'Feeding a man who is not hungry is as useless as clouds raining over the ocean, and donating to someone who is not needy is as useless as lighting a lamp in the daylight'. (yathA vR^iShTiH samudreShu tR^iptasya bhojanam; vR^ithA dAnam samarthasya vR^ithA dIpo divApi cha: CND5.16)
This reminds us of that famous benchmark of charity established in the bhArata, narrated by a mongoose towards the end of the ashwamedha yaj~na of the pANDava-s. The mysterious mongoose who had half of his body as golden, announced to an astonished yudhiShThira that all the donations and charities made by pANDava-s during the yaj~na for which they were proud, were useless and not equal to even one fistful of crushed barley (saktU) donated by the family of a certain brAhmaNa. He then went on to narrate a tale of how one side of his body turned golden by just witnessing the sacrifice of that family which had nothing to eat and was starving, and having found this little crushed barley after tedious effort, as they were about to eat it, a guest appeared and begged them for it, and this starving family happily decided to offer it to him. That is charity, says mongoose in the fourteenth book of bhArata, adding since then he is roaming around to see another charity of that magnitude to turn the rest of his body golden too, but not succeeding.
We are also reminded of that prayer of kabIra, a householder saint, 'sA.I itanA dIjiye jAme kuTuma samAya, maiM bhI bhUkhA nA rahUM sAdhu a bhUkhA jAya': (Lord grant us just enough so that my family may survive; just that much, in which we don't sleep hungry nor a sAdhu returns hungry from our doors.)
What about the charity with black money accumulated by the corrupt businessmen? Not acceptable, says this medieval jaina text that deals solely with the regulation of donations. 'Donating such ill-earned money is of as much benefit', it says, 'as the medicine to that patient who refuses to follow the restrictions of pathyApathya prescribed by his doctor!' (yo vahyAshArjitArthassann kurvansa bahudhA vR^iShaM; doShI vA~ncHAnniva svAsthyaM bhuktvaivApathyamauShadhaM : dAnopashAsanam.179). It sternly says that like an infertile woman can not conceive, even if she goes to bed with a thousand men, auspiciousness does never arise in someone with evil methods and ill-gotten money, no matter how much charity done. (sahastra-jana-bhogepi vandhyAyAM najuto yathA…101). The same work also says that, in contrast, only the charity from the honest money earned by the noble businessmen flourishes in the aid of dharma; it never exhausts, never meets loss, nor is ever stolen, since if charity of honestly-earned money serves dharma, dharma too protects such earning and such charity. (satpuruSho-rjayati dhanaM yat sakalajaneShTa-sAdhu-vR^iddhashchaiva syAt; tasya dhanasya cha hAnirnAnupahata-dharma-bala-suguptasyaiva. 180)
The prospective receivers of charity had a right to reject the donation too, and they did reject such donations on many occasions. Comes to our mind that instance related in the ancient drama mR^ichcHakaTikA where a brAhmaNa stoutly declines the invitation to partake of a lunch and receive donation from a householder. The jaina text referred above probably explains why. That, by receiving the ill-gotten money, earned through various sins, the receiver (dvija) of such charity has to also share with the donor those sins, and is verily destroyed. (nija-pApArjitam dravyam dvijebhyo dadate nR^ipAH; tairnaShTA rAjabhirviprA dAnam doShadamuchyate. 9)
Another very important aspect which might be hard for the secularized variety to fathom is that it is the temples and the maTha-s, vihAra-s and the jinAlaya-s which were and are the trustees of the charitable commonwealth of society, and giving to them meant returning to the Lord who can then multiply it and return it back. While it is a well known knowledge and demands citing no special evidence, what is interesting is to notice that business in ancient India did more than simply financial contribution to the religious institutions – they also regulated as well as facilitated such charities, and behaved as the responsible trustees also for the small private donations as a very organized activity. We can do no better than quote Prof. R C Majumdar at some length:
"…furnished by an inscription of huvishka at mathurA, dated in the year 28 (c. 106 AD), (the prashasti) refers to an akShaya-nIvI (perpetual endowment) of 550 purANa-s each to two guilds, one of which was that of flour-makers (comment: so that this guild will now use the interest from this money for the intended charitable purpose on behalf of the donor). An inscription in a cave at nAsik, dated in the year 42 (120 AD), records the donation of 3000 kArShApaNa-s by UShavadatta, son-in-law of the shaka chief nahapAna. The gift was intended for the benefit of the Buddhist monks dwelling in the cave, and the entire sum was invested in the guilds dwelling at govardhana in the following manner: 2000 in a weavers' guild, the rate of interest being one per cent per month, and 1000 in another weavers' guild at the rate of 0.75 per cent per month. It is clearly stated that these kArShApaNa-s are not to be repaid, their interest only to be enjoyed."
"An inscription at Junnar records the investment of the income of two fields with the guild at koNAchika for planting kara~nja trees and banyan trees. Another inscription at junnAr records investment of money with the guild of bamboo-workers and the guild of braziers. A third inscription at junnAr record the gift of a cave and a cistern by the guild of corn-dealers. An inscription at nagarajonikonDA, dated 333 AD refers to a permanent endowment created by a person for the maintenance of the religious establishments made by him. The endowment consisted of a deposit of 70 dInAra-s in one guild and 10 each in three other guilds, out of the interest of which specific acts had to be done. Only names of two guilds are legible, namely those of pAnika (probably sellers or growers of betel leaves) and pUvaka (confectioners)." "The Indore Copper-plate Inscription of Skanda Gupta dated in the year 146, i.e. 465 AD, records the gift of an endowment, the interest of which is to be applied to the maintenance of a lamp which has been established in a temple for the service of the Sun-God."
"We learn from an inscription of vaillabhaTTasvAmin Temple at Gwalior, dated 933 VS, that while the merchant savviyAka, the trader ichcHuvAku and the other members of the Board of the SavviyakAs were administering the city, the whole town gave to the temple of the Nine durgA-s, a piece of land, which was its (viz., the town's) property. Similarly it gave another piece of land, belonging to the property of the town, to the viShNu temple, and also made perpetual endowments with the guilds of oil-millers and gardeners for ensuring the daily supply of oil and garlands to the temple. This long inscription preserves an authentic testimony of a city corporation with an organised machinery to conduct its affairs. The corporation possessed landed properties of its own and could make gifts and endowments in the name of the whole town."
"Mention is made, by name, of four chiefs of the oil-millers of shrI-sarveshwara-pura, of four chiefs of the oil-millers of shrI-vatsasvAmI-pura, and four chiefs of the oil-millers of two other places, and we are told that these together with the other (members) of the whole guild of oil-millers should give one palika of oil per oil-mill every month (to the temple). Similarly, the other endowment was to the effect that the seven chiefs, mentioned by name, and the other (members) of the whole guild of gardeners should give fifty garlands every day."
Such was the public charity and maintenance of social wealth, through cooperative and democratic organization. Prof. Majumdar notes that, "the objects with which these endowments were made are manifold, and due performance of them must have required extra-professional skill. Thus one guild is required to plant particular trees, while several others, none of which had anything to do with medicine, were to provide it for the sick."
Several other inscriptions, particularly and more clearly from, although not limited to, the draviDa country reinforce this view. Prof. Majumdar notes how a combination of a village pa~nchAyata, democratically elected, organized the charity in draviDa country, and used to form the very basis of the economic functioning of the villages and to the spread the benefit of the commonwealth: "An inscription of rAjArAja choLa records the gift of a sum of money by a merchant, from the interest of which the Assembly and the residents of tiruviDavandai had to supply oil to feed a perpetual lamp. Sometimes these endowments involved two-fold banking transactions. We learn from a choLa inscription that a merchant made over a sum of money to the residents of taiyUr on condition that they should pay interest in oil and paddy to the Assembly of tiruviDavandai for burning a lamp in the temple and feeding 35 Brahmanas. There are other examples, too numerous to be recorded in detail, where the South Indian records represent the Village Assemblies as public trustees or local banks."
Temples likewise served as the repository of public wealth, and lent their money for public works in the time of its need like famine, floods or epidemic. "An inscription at ala~NguDI dated in the 6th year of rAjArAja refers to a terrible famine in the locality. The villagers had no funds to purchase paddy for their own consumption, seed grains and other necessaries for cultivation. For some reasons, the famine-stricken inhabitants could expect no help in their distress from the royal treasury. Accordingly the Assembly obtained on loan a quantity of gold and silver consisting of temple jewels and vessels from the local temple treasury. In exchange for this the members of the Village Assembly alienated 8314 velI of land in favour of the God. From the produce of this land the interest on the gold and silver received from the temple was to be paid. A Chola inscription also records that the Assembly borrowed money from temple treasury on account of "bad time" and scarcity of grains." Yet another one informs how "the Assembly received an endowment of 100 kAsu from an individual for providing offerings in a temple and for expounding shiva-dharma in the Assembly-hall built in the temple by the same person. They utilized the sum for repairing damages caused by floods to irrigation channels." [above quotes from R C Majumdar are from his masterpiece "Corporate Life in Ancient India"]
When the above was happening in the choLa country, a little while from now, rAjendra choLa's friend and ally in North India, bhojadeva the paramAra would be establishing new standards of charity for merchants in his own country. The collective Hindu subconscious remembers the times of Bhoja as much for his charity, as for his valour and scholarship. It is this impression which is reflected when the jaina AchArya merutu~Nga states that two commodities were always precious and in demand in the kingdom of bhoja: Iron and Copper. Iron because of the excessive consumption by his military, and copper for the prashasti plates for donations! We might probably add the construction of temples and schools to the list. It was not the royal charity alone, but also the works performed by the merchants of his kingdom, such as in the famous bhojashAlA university, its central figure the vAgdevI of dhArAvatI was commissioned not by bhoja, but by a jaina lady named soShA hailing from a merchant family of his capital from her own money.
We can still happily notice the continuity of the same thought, to a large extent, prevailing even today among the more traditional wealthy Hindus. It comes as no surprise to learn that the donations to temples far exceed the amount spent on "charity" as claimed on the Income Tax returns. According to the Finance Ministry, the businesses filing corporate income taxes had recorded a total expenditure of about USD 2 billion during the year 2007. On the other hand the annual budget of Tirupati shrine alone, for the same year, exceeded USD 500 million: almost all of which goes to the charitable activities managed by the temple trust, besides a portion for the maintenance of the shrines. Now add to this amount the donations received by the other important Hindu shrines all over India!
For Hindu society, charity is not the only outlet of financial contribution to the society. We also hear the stories of complete financial sacrifice in the cause of the nation, such as that by the great jaina shreShThin of mewADa, whose name is permanently etched in golden letters on the rocky walls of the fort of Udaipur: Seth Bhamashah Oswal. In a few years after the battle of haldIghATI, mahArANA pratApa siMha was not left with any resources to carry on his resistance against the moghal tyrant. Disheartened, he is said to have decided to give up, just when, apparently inspired by ekali~Nga mahAdeva in a dream, patriotic ShreShThin met mahArANA and laid down at his feet all his wealth. Seth Bhamashah, the guild leader of the merchants of mewADa and mArawADa, was no small man, nor his donation a small sum. With this financial sacrifice of patriotic businessman, mahArANA reorganize his senA and proceed to launch a renewed and rejuvenated tumultuous struggle. ShreShThin went further than just donating his money, and also advised mahArANA to attack and regain first the trade routes and stifle the supply chains of the moghals in west. It is by following this advise that in less than a decade, mahArANA quickly brought the imperial control to its feet and reclaimed almost entire mewADa. Seth also led from the front, leading a regiment of mahArANA's army, and fighting on battlefields along with an equally valiant brother of his, seTha tArAchanda oswAl.
Likewise, how can we forget the contribution of another great vaishya warrior, who a little before this time, rose to reclaim the Hindu independence in dillI by spending all his wealth on raising a senA to crush the foreigners and picking up a sword himself: himU, the son of a powerful merchant from mithilA. Moslem chroniclers use for himU the abusive epithet of 'bakkAla', a derogatory term for 'shopkeeper', alluding to his business background.
An important aspect which one notices is that the underlying principle, stressed by the traditions in the enterprise of charity, is humility. Charity was not a matter of show for the Hindu, as it is generally in the west and as the westernized Hindu corporate is now learning these days as it seems, but something which was to be done silently. shAstra-s teach one to conduct charity in such a way that while one's right hand donates, the left does not even get the wind of it. It is these who are called the real udAra-s and dAtA-s, and it is their charity which is considered the real charity. 'Among the hundred men born', says this well known piece of wisdom, 'only one is found to be brave and among thousands born only one could become a paNDita, among ten thousands born only one grows to become a good orator but truly rare and precious is the birth of such real donors, when they happen or don't happen, knows who!' (shateShu jAyate shUraH… dAtA bhavati vA na vA)
This reminds us of the well-known kiMvadanti about a friendly exchange between tulasIdAsa and abdur-rahIm. We know that tulasIdAsa was well-known within the circle of Akbar, with at least one copper prashasti discovered at kAshI in context of an endowment made by Todarmal which relates to his considering tulasIdAsa as his master. According to this well-known narrative, once an acquaintance of tulasIdAsa needed some money for arranging the wedding of his daughter, and asked tulasIdAsa for financial help. Todarmal who used to govern kAshI was away those days for some military campaign in North West, so tulasI sent this man, with a letter of recommendation to rahIma, the adopted son of Akbar and the symbolic head of the moghal clan, khanekhAnA, who was known to be wealthy and charitable. rahIma received the man with humility, returned him with more money than requisitioned for, and also sent a humble letter of thanks for tulasIdAsa. Hearing of rahIm's humility, and reading the letter, tulasI replied back with a dohA, saying: "sIkhe kahAM nawAbajU denI aisI dena, jyauM jyauM kara Upara uThata tyauM tyauM nIche naina" ('Wherefrom did our dear nawAb learn this mode of giving / Higher rise his arms in charity, lower turns his gaze in humility'). To this rahIma is said to have replied, "denahAra koi aura hai deta rahata dina-raina, loga bharama hama para dharahi tA te nIche naina" ('The giver is someone else, who keeps giving day and night / people confuse us to be the donor, causing us the embarrassment'). At one place, rahIma himself says that, 'we consider those not alive, who only live on alms, but we consider those even deader, from whom charity does not come'. ("rahimana te jana to muye je jana maMgahi jAya; unate pahile te muye jinate nikasata nAhi")
We are reminded of another great mArawADI ShreShThin from va~Nga, the father of bhAratendu harishchandra, seTha harSha chandra, whose name is still taken with respect in the city of kAshI due to massive investments he made in the service of sarasvatI. bhAratendu, his son, or shall we say sarasvatI's son, went further and practically spent all his wealth in reviving Hindu culture, especially its languages, at a time when it was most needed: setting up schools and printing presses, establishing journals and granting scholarships all over the North India, and leading the intellectual assault from the front himself.
We remember Lala Lajpat Rai, the scion of a well known wealthy family from panjAb, who decided to dedicate all his wealth in the cause of the freedom struggle. At one place we read in the memoir by the elder son of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the grateful reminiscence of the services that the legendary lAlAji silently did from his wealth for the freedom struggle. Shastriji's son recounted here that lAlAji used to send money orders every month to those countless families whose bread winners were either languishing in British prisons or had been martyred. He also contributed in a major way towards founding of the Hindu University at kAshI.
Talking of the Hindu University of kAshI, let this be reminded that it started and continued to operate its massive infrastructure, solely on the private contribution from the wealthy Hindu businessmen and royals from across bhArata. It is only later, post-independence, that the government began contributing to it.
Yet another important institution comes to mind that was started at kAshI for the Hindu revival even before this, the kAshI nAgarI prachAriNI sabhA, which made no small contribution in inflaming that flame of Hindu revival which now seems to have been all but extinguished. Even the functioning of that sabhA was the effort of the private Hindu charity effort.
Many years back, our father used to be in the employ of the shreShThin-kulabhUShaNa GD Birla's family for some years, and we are in intimate knowledge of how this family was and is committed to spending on public welfare, and especially for the spread and growth of dharma, much of which may not be known in public. We need not enumerate how this house is even today on the frontlines of charity, and doing so silently. We also remember the naidU shreShThI-s who founded the shAlA where we studied for a few years when living in the draviDa country. The wealthy founder of the institute had four sons, and the philosophy of this gentleman used to be to treat society as a fifth one and share the wealth among five, not four. Their attitude to philanthropy was also typical and somewhat peculiar. They used to impart Industrial Training to the needy and then finance the machine tools for them to become self-employed and be responsible for themselves.
Coming back to Beckett, we think he might be right when he said that charity was practically a competitive sport in US business. He probably had in mind the native Indians charitably pushed into the business of gambling and gaming? Or he probably meant the proposal of the State of California to make gambling legal in the state for charity purposes? Or maybe he had in mind the recent case of the State of Connecticut suing the charity founded by the NBA star Charles D. Smith, Jr. for spending away the funds collected for charity on cruise vacations, cars and beauty services!
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009
kashmiri mohammedans kill each other and blame the hindus
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/24/stories/2009072455111000.htm
Asra Ahmad Dar ---> skull crushed by his friend Imran Aslam Baba over an orkut friend!
Kupwara resident ---> happily bonking with Ashiq Hussain and likely killed by own brothers
Zahoor Ahmed Mir ---> overdosed on drugs
Shopian women ---> one likely happily bonking with someone not liked by family, likely killed by the other's husband and his family
Common thread – all alleged murder on Indian security forces
It is as I have said – never mind what the facts are, Kashmir’s India colony is to blame
Asra Ahmad Dar ---> skull crushed by his friend Imran Aslam Baba over an orkut friend!
Kupwara resident ---> happily bonking with Ashiq Hussain and likely killed by own brothers
Zahoor Ahmed Mir ---> overdosed on drugs
Shopian women ---> one likely happily bonking with someone not liked by family, likely killed by the other's husband and his family
Common thread – all alleged murder on Indian security forces
It is as I have said – never mind what the facts are, Kashmir’s India colony is to blame
rip: maharani gayatri devi of jaipur
http://www.dailypioneer.com/192438/They-still-call-me-Ma.html
A truly beautiful lady – and gutsy too. loved the way she stood up to that ogre indira and the rest of the kkkangress goon brigade. I also love the way she showed up jawaharlal stalin for the idiot that he was
The only thing wrong I can think of is the tiger hunting – but I guess you have to put it down to royal privilege.
A truly beautiful lady – and gutsy too. loved the way she stood up to that ogre indira and the rest of the kkkangress goon brigade. I also love the way she showed up jawaharlal stalin for the idiot that he was
The only thing wrong I can think of is the tiger hunting – but I guess you have to put it down to royal privilege.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
China Surpasses India on Major Indicators
China easily surpasses India on a variety of major economic indicators.
Gates arrest a delicate matter to hash out over beer
jul 28th, 2009
yet another way obama is revealing his true self: thuggish south-side-chicago racial/victim politics.
i think the cop was justified in arresting gates (i dont agree with shahyrar on that part). gates apparently berated the cop and despite warnings didn't stop. then the cop arrested him.
the cop, crowley, apparently teaches racial sensitivity classes at police academy. i suspect he went by the book, and gates, offended by the history of 'driving while black' etc. over-reacted.
and so did obama. he had no business dissing the police.
how like india's bleeding-heart liberals. as soon as any mohammedan has a problem (eg. shopian, where it turns out the girls were raped and murdered by mohammedan relatives) they immediately assume -- and propagandize -- that hindus were out to kill mohammedans.
yet another way obama is revealing his true self: thuggish south-side-chicago racial/victim politics.
i think the cop was justified in arresting gates (i dont agree with shahyrar on that part). gates apparently berated the cop and despite warnings didn't stop. then the cop arrested him.
the cop, crowley, apparently teaches racial sensitivity classes at police academy. i suspect he went by the book, and gates, offended by the history of 'driving while black' etc. over-reacted.
and so did obama. he had no business dissing the police.
how like india's bleeding-heart liberals. as soon as any mohammedan has a problem (eg. shopian, where it turns out the girls were raped and murdered by mohammedan relatives) they immediately assume -- and propagandize -- that hindus were out to kill mohammedans.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shahryar
From: Shahryar
| WTF? The POTUS has no other pressing work to do? Fire the stupid moronic cop who does not know how to exercise the power he is given when he is allowed to invade people's homes with a firearm! What use is the mf if he cannot use discretion in using his powers to arrest people on trumped up charges? |
Pak ready to work with India with full commitment and sincerity: PM Gilani
jul 28th, 2009
i wonder if gilani's nose has been having a pinocchio-moment.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shahryar
From: Shahryar
| This report is redolent with comedy potential! Who knew Pakistanis were so funny! Pak ready to work with India with full commitment and sincerity: PM Gilani ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan is ready to work with India with full commitment and sincerity towards opening of a new chapter in improving relations between the two countries. "The results of meeting with my Indian counterpart in Sharm El Sheikh, was a major breakthrough. I hold Dr. Manmohan Sign in high esteem and respect and consider him a statesman with the vision of peace and prosperity", he said while chairing a Cabinet meeting specially convened to discuss Strategic Trade Policy Frame Work 2009-12 and Trade Policy 2009-10 as well as Electricity crises in the country at the PM's secretariat here on Monday. Prime Minister in his opening statement briefed the Cabinet about his visit to Sharm El Sheikh and his meeting with the world leaders including the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the NAM Summit. He also apprised the Cabinet members of the status of IDPs. The Cabinet applauded the efforts of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Ministry to promote good neighbourly relations with India on the basis of equality, mutual respect and for resolving all outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir. The Cabinet appreciated the wisdom and statesmanship demonstrated by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to chart the way forward through dialogue. The Cabinet approved Strategic Trade Policy Frame Work 2009-12 and Trade Policy 2009-10. The Cabinet reviewed the demand and supply situation of electricity in the country. The meeting discussed ways and means to overcome power shortage by increasing electricity supply and adopting measures for energy conservations. The meeting congratulated the Ministry of Environment for setting up a world record by planting over 500,000 trees in a single day which has been duly recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. The Cabinet formed a committee to consider the resolution passed by the Senate regarding restoration of the Haj quota for the Senators. The committee headed by the Minister for Religious Affairs comprises Leader of House in Senate, Chief Whip in the National Assembly and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs. Speaking on the issue of IDPs, The Prime Minister said that nothing is more important than the safe return and rehabilitation of IDPs. It is a matter of great satisfaction that military operation in Swat and FATA is successfully meeting its desired objectives and peace is gradually returning to these areas. Prime Minister said that financial assistance to IDPs is being made in a transparent manner and phased return of IDPs has gradually picked up the momentum. He hoped that full return of IDPs will be completed in about a month痴 time in an orderly and peaceful manner. He extended his appreciation to all political parties, Federal and Provincial agencies and non-government organizations including the UN agencies for their support and extraordinary work for the IDPs. He further added that once the return of IDPs is completed, the task of rehabilitation and reconstruction will be undertaken as a national cause and the government will extend all necessary financial support for this phase. The Prime Minister reiterated that fight against terrorism would continue till complete elimination of the militants and return of peace and stability in the affected areas. He complimented the Defence Forces for the sacrifices they have made for the sake of national security. Talking on his visit to Sharm El Sheikh, the Prime Minister said that before proceeding to Sharm El Sheikh, he had extensive consultations with the political leadership of the country and took them on board. He expressed gratitude to them for reposing confidence and extending support in building a consensus view on the matter. This greatly helped in making exchange of views with the Indian Prime Minister on the entire gamut of bilateral relations, productive and substantive, on July 16th, he added. The Prime Minister said that during talks, he affirmed the importance that Pakistan attaches to working towards friendly and cordial relationship with India, based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and mutual interest. "I underlined the importance of early resumption of composite Dialogue process and Pakistan believed in the imperative of moving forward this process for confidence building which was the pre-requisite for resolution of all outstanding issues. We had a detailed discussion on the issue of terrorism and I apprised him of the efforts we had already undertaken to investigate the case of Mumbai attacks, he informed the Cabinet" Dilating on the Joint Statement issued after a cordial and constructive meeting with Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister said that it underlines the shared commitment of both the countries to chart a way forward for Pakistan- India relations. Besides meetings with the Indian Prime Minister, the Prime Minister added that Pakistan's main focus of bilateral interaction was on South Asia, manifested in the fact that he met five South Asian leaders i.e. Presidents of Sir Lanka and Afghanistan and Prime Ministers of India, Bangladesh and Nepal. On the issue of current electricity crises, the Prime Minister said that the country is in the grip of a severe electricity crisis. People across the country are braving long hours of load shedding in this hot and humid weather, men and women, children and elderly are suffering. Industry and Agriculture have been hit hard, economic output is down and jobs are being lost. "I understand when common people, traders and industrial workers come on roads to protest against load shedding. I share their concern and my sympathies are with them. However, I wish they understand that the crisis is not of our making. We inherited this crisis and it can not be simply wished away," he said. Addressing electricity crisis was our number one priority. It was part of the first 100 days programme of my government. Progress has been made. Implementation of new IPPs and Rental Power Plants is on track, he said. A committee of Ministers has been constituted to monitor the situation on daily basis. With improvements in oil and gas supplies and coming into system of power from Mangla this week, the situation has started improving, he added. He directed the relevant Ministries to do whatever is necessary to keep the existing power generation capacity running. He directed the Ministry of Water & Power to ensure commissioning of new IPPs and Rental Power Projects as per schedule. In the meanwhile, the Prime Minister appealed to the nation to bear with the situation of the present. He assured the nation that his government will stay focused, people will see visible improvements in the power supply situation and the deficit will be bridged. On Trade Policy, the Prime Minister said that it aimed at poverty alleviation, employment generation, and export-led growth to bring in greater benefits to common man in this country besides focusing on development of agriculture, Textile, SMEs and domestic raw materials. The Prime Minister further said, "we live in challenging times, economically and otherwise. We have no option but to succeed. And succeed we will, with the support of the Pakistani nation that is united like never before and firm in its resolve to make Pakistan counted in the comity of nations." End. |
manchurian candidate sings for his supper?
jul 28th, 2009
the sino-mohammedan candidate is paying back the hans for favors received?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/27/clinton-china-building-stronger-relationship-brick-brick/
the sino-mohammedan candidate is paying back the hans for favors received?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/27/clinton-china-building-stronger-relationship-brick-brick/
Monday, July 27, 2009
Convicted mohammedans to not hang as suzanne arundhati will write about our blood lust
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/2003-mumbai-blasts-all-accused-convicted-under-pota/494619/0
mammon-mohan to soon lose sleep over the poor souls. And Suzanne arundhati will be writing another opinion piece telling the world about the average Indians blood-lust in wanting them hanged. the assorted “civil society and ngo” types will demand immediate release.
an interesting list of names. No? I can almost hear the gentle Page 3 folk tell us that “Ladoowala” and “Batterwala” are not mohammedan. They are in fact Parsi. that’s right folks – we now have parsi terrorists just like we had that hindu terrorist lady some time back
the parsi’s did it. they were upset about being marginalized and stereotyped in india!
mammon-mohan to soon lose sleep over the poor souls. And Suzanne arundhati will be writing another opinion piece telling the world about the average Indians blood-lust in wanting them hanged. the assorted “civil society and ngo” types will demand immediate release.
an interesting list of names. No? I can almost hear the gentle Page 3 folk tell us that “Ladoowala” and “Batterwala” are not mohammedan. They are in fact Parsi. that’s right folks – we now have parsi terrorists just like we had that hindu terrorist lady some time back
the parsi’s did it. they were upset about being marginalized and stereotyped in india!
xena mufti: warrior princess
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/PDP-chief-Mehbooba-Mufti-throws-microphone-at-JK-Speaker/articleshow/4824560.cms
Kashmir’s theater of the absurd never ceases to amuse. Now that it is apparent that some of the murdered victims’ families may have been involved – elaborate role playing will replace debate. Remember xena had first said that the victims had “sindoor” applied on their forehead – a not too subtle way of alleging rape by hindus, for the express purpose of hinduising the women, which shows you what these valley types actually think of their girls!
It is a trusted formula with these agit-prop mohammedan kashmiri leaders. First say the hindus did it. when proved wrong – protest loudly. When proved wrong again – claim that the prophet has been maligned and …well, never mind you get the picture!
Kashmir’s theater of the absurd never ceases to amuse. Now that it is apparent that some of the murdered victims’ families may have been involved – elaborate role playing will replace debate. Remember xena had first said that the victims had “sindoor” applied on their forehead – a not too subtle way of alleging rape by hindus, for the express purpose of hinduising the women, which shows you what these valley types actually think of their girls!
It is a trusted formula with these agit-prop mohammedan kashmiri leaders. First say the hindus did it. when proved wrong – protest loudly. When proved wrong again – claim that the prophet has been maligned and …well, never mind you get the picture!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Delhi shuts out Uighur matriarch
jul 26th, 2009
cojone deficit acts up again.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Girish
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090726/jsp/frontpage/story_11283909.jsp
New Delhi, July 25: India has denied a visa to Rebiya Kadeer, the
Uighur matriarch exiled by China, on the advice of Beijing which
accuses the 62-year-old of inciting the recent violence in Xinjiang.
A former business tycoon whom China once toasted as a symbol of the
success of its multi-ethnic culture, Kadeer is now trying to mobilise
world opinion against Chinese oppression of Uighurs.
The mother of 11, who is backed by the US, had applied to the Indian
mission in Germany for a visa sometime early this year, before the
July riots. She apparently wanted to meet Indians sympathetic to her
movement.
Government sources said Beijing was worried that she might meet the
Dalai Lama in India. "We have an understanding with the Chinese
government that we will not allow Indian soil to be used for political
activities against China," a senior official said.
The Uighur diaspora call Kadeer their "mother". The tiny and fiery
matriarch, two of whose sons are in prison in China, recently told a
Washington rally: "I consider myself the voice of millions of Uighur
people. I consider myself as their tears."
kanchan gupta on going gentle into that good night
KanchanGupta
I pray, Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the
dying of the light.
I pray, Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the
dying of the light.
@kanchangupta
dylan thomas would agree that you are doing your bit of raging. But is
anyone listening? Fading of the light? Dubious elections, disregard
for nationall interest, dhritarashtra embrace of fading power,
appeasement.
India is surely going into that good night. The first large state in
history to voluntarily dismantle itself. To satisfy private greed.
Why have a figleaf of parliament and lots of little tin god MPs? Let's
admit this is an autocratic monarchy: the only socialist one
Saturday, July 25, 2009
"hindu rate of growth" is racist
jul 25th, 2009
to
paul beckett
bureau chief
wsj, delhi
dear sir:
i read your well-written article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124840931940378415.html on the sad lack of charitable giving in india.
i believe there are a couple of reasons for this shortfall, in addition to the fact that tax codes do not encourage philanthropy in india (it is likely that americans would also be less generous if there were no tax benefits -- note that as a nation, the US is far more stingy in its charitable funding abroad than most other rich countries).
one is the continuing legacy of a stalinist state: wherein a "shortage economy" is the norm. this also explains corruption, of course, as well as the senseless mayhem on indian roads -- people are, as it were, worrying the road will disappear, so they attempt to grab as much of it as possible. this is a rational reaction to a shortage economy, as is the great difficulty people have in queuing up at railway booking counters -- they are afraid things will run out before they get to the head of the queue.
since these are all remnants of the nehruvian mindset, you should be talking about the "nehruvian rate of growth", the much-loved 2-3% growth that nehru let us all 'enjoy' till recently. after all, nehru is gone and his rate of growth is also gone. this is additional reason for you to use this accurate term. after all, the hindus are still around, aren't they? so how could it be the "hindu rate of growth"? this was a racist and insulting term coined by a communist, raj krishna, for whom this is his 15-min -- and sole -- claim to fame.
as a paper that does not believe in equal-opportunity denigration of religions, you should stop using this horrible term forthwith. after all, i have read your paper for decades, and i have never seen you refer to pakistan's or somalia's growth rate as the "islamic rate of growth", or rwanda's or haiti's as "the christian rate of growth".
and we have good reason to believe (see angus maddison) that the historical and actual "hindu rate of growth" was the highest in the world -- after all, india was the richest country in the world till around 1700. in addition, let me point out that hindus (and buddhists) were highly philanthropic. the temples at tanjavur or sanchi, the remaining sculptures at hampi, the shelters for travelers constructed by asoka, the great universities at nalanda and taxila, the gau-shalas or shelters for cows -- all these bear inscriptions pointing to a tradition of giving not only by kings but also by rich citizens. the colonial loot of india by the british impoverished the society (the loot was of the order of $10 trillion in today's money), and the dirigiste stalinist state after independence actively prevented people from making money. after all, the state provides no social security, and it is up to individuals to hoard enough so that their children will be provided for.
therefore, it is unfair of you to ridicule the citizenry. the fault remains with the government and with the erstwhile thieves. india believed in butter, not guns. elementary mistake, because thugs with guns took all the butter away.
once again, let me request you to abjure the offensive phrase "hindu rate of growth" in your writing. it is demeaning, it is not historically accurate, and it is racist.
thank you
rajeev srinivasan
management consultant and op-ed writer (rediff.com, new indian express, the pioneer, mint)
to
paul beckett
bureau chief
wsj, delhi
dear sir:
i read your well-written article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124840931940378415.html on the sad lack of charitable giving in india.
i believe there are a couple of reasons for this shortfall, in addition to the fact that tax codes do not encourage philanthropy in india (it is likely that americans would also be less generous if there were no tax benefits -- note that as a nation, the US is far more stingy in its charitable funding abroad than most other rich countries).
one is the continuing legacy of a stalinist state: wherein a "shortage economy" is the norm. this also explains corruption, of course, as well as the senseless mayhem on indian roads -- people are, as it were, worrying the road will disappear, so they attempt to grab as much of it as possible. this is a rational reaction to a shortage economy, as is the great difficulty people have in queuing up at railway booking counters -- they are afraid things will run out before they get to the head of the queue.
since these are all remnants of the nehruvian mindset, you should be talking about the "nehruvian rate of growth", the much-loved 2-3% growth that nehru let us all 'enjoy' till recently. after all, nehru is gone and his rate of growth is also gone. this is additional reason for you to use this accurate term. after all, the hindus are still around, aren't they? so how could it be the "hindu rate of growth"? this was a racist and insulting term coined by a communist, raj krishna, for whom this is his 15-min -- and sole -- claim to fame.
as a paper that does not believe in equal-opportunity denigration of religions, you should stop using this horrible term forthwith. after all, i have read your paper for decades, and i have never seen you refer to pakistan's or somalia's growth rate as the "islamic rate of growth", or rwanda's or haiti's as "the christian rate of growth".
and we have good reason to believe (see angus maddison) that the historical and actual "hindu rate of growth" was the highest in the world -- after all, india was the richest country in the world till around 1700. in addition, let me point out that hindus (and buddhists) were highly philanthropic. the temples at tanjavur or sanchi, the remaining sculptures at hampi, the shelters for travelers constructed by asoka, the great universities at nalanda and taxila, the gau-shalas or shelters for cows -- all these bear inscriptions pointing to a tradition of giving not only by kings but also by rich citizens. the colonial loot of india by the british impoverished the society (the loot was of the order of $10 trillion in today's money), and the dirigiste stalinist state after independence actively prevented people from making money. after all, the state provides no social security, and it is up to individuals to hoard enough so that their children will be provided for.
therefore, it is unfair of you to ridicule the citizenry. the fault remains with the government and with the erstwhile thieves. india believed in butter, not guns. elementary mistake, because thugs with guns took all the butter away.
once again, let me request you to abjure the offensive phrase "hindu rate of growth" in your writing. it is demeaning, it is not historically accurate, and it is racist.
thank you
rajeev srinivasan
management consultant and op-ed writer (rediff.com, new indian express, the pioneer, mint)
kargil. never forget kargil
jul 25th, 2009
just like we must never forget jallianwallah bagh.
or the late victorian holocausts of 30 million starved to death in el nino-related famines.
or the battle of colachel.
or the burning of library at nalanda, an unparallel crime against humanity.
or the folly of chivalrous prithviraj chouhan.
just like we must never forget jallianwallah bagh.
or the late victorian holocausts of 30 million starved to death in el nino-related famines.
or the battle of colachel.
or the burning of library at nalanda, an unparallel crime against humanity.
or the folly of chivalrous prithviraj chouhan.
Letter to Dr. Michael Witzel from Sri Jay Battacharjee.
jul 25th, 2009
appropriate language for witzel.
glad someone else called farmer a sancho panza. i did this earlier in my 5-part series on witzel and farmer's lies (posted on this blog some years ago).
appropriate language for witzel.
glad someone else called farmer a sancho panza. i did this earlier in my 5-part series on witzel and farmer's lies (posted on this blog some years ago).
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: HARAN BR
Date: Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 10:53 PM
Subject: Letter to Dr. Michael Witzel from Sri Jay Battacharjee.
To:
JAY BHATTACHARJEE
M.A. (CANTAB), FCS
ADVISOR (CORPORATE LAWS & FINANCE)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Herr Professor (?) Michael Witzel
Harvard University
Cambridge (Mass)
USA
Witzel : 22 July 2009
Sandhya Jain was kind enough to forward to me her recent exchange of messages (E-Mails) with you.
Normally, I do not wade into debates and dialogues between third parties. However, your scurrilous and intemperate letter to SJ has prompted me to write to you, although I find it most distasteful to write to persons of your level and mental make-up.
Sandhya is quite capable of engaging in a debate with you, but what upsets me is the offensive and gutter language you have used. You have the chutzpah to cast aspersions on other scholars who do not share your warped, distorted, perverted and concocted vision of Indian history and culture.
The problem, my boy, is that you are a contemporary version of an SS Schütze (broadly the equivalent of our Sepoy / Aircraftsman).
These chaps were the lowest echelons of that horrendous band of murderers and goons - their speciality was mass murder and mayhem. They are the ones who actually carried out the massacres and then pleaded "Ein Befehl ist ein Befehl" ("A command is a command") or some such piffle. I am sure your level and your intrinsic capabilities would not have enabled you to rise higher than this bottom-rung..
If you want to know more about the principal contribution of your fellow - Germans to world civilisation in the recent past, kindly read your Harvard colleague Daniel Goldhagen's seminal book "Hitler's Willing Executioners". Professor Goldhagen has an infinitely better justification for being a Harvard professor than a crypto - Nazi like you. However, I will let that pass.
Why don't you crawl back underneath the woodwork from where you emerged and leave Indian civilisation and its roots to deserving scholars and researchers ? While you are about to do your Stalingrad surrender act, why not take your desi henchmen and henchwomen with you ? You are truly dégoûtant - there is no English equivalent that conveys the distaste that civilised people feel for characters like you.
I am dismayed that a university founded by an ex-Cambridge man should allow poseurs and frauds like you to flourish and spread your venom from its portals. You have recently had your derrière whipped in the California text-book case - why don't you take some rest and lick your wounds ? Only a complete yahoo like you will claim that the CAPEEM judgement was in your favour. This is because your basic English comprehension and grasp are poor - a German translation for you, perhaps ? That can be arranged.
I would strongly recommend some serious introspection on your part. The same goes for your desi acolytes. A propos Smt. (Kumari) Thapar, I had asked Malcolm Bowie, Professor of French Literary History and the former Master of my college (Christ's) in 2003, whether it was possible for a person who knew no Greek and Latin to become a Professor of Ancient European History in any normal educational system in Europe and North America.
You can guess what his answer was. He wanted to know the context - when he was given the details, he was sad. The man was a genuine Indophile, unlike some others.
Just spare us your garbage and vinegar - I can suggest many areas of research in Germanic history that will occupy you and your Sancho Panza, Steve Farmer, for years. ( A caveat - the clown may not know your native tongue, but that should not be a problem for you lot).
Jay Bhattacharjee
From: HARAN BR
Date: Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 10:53 PM
Subject: Letter to Dr. Michael Witzel from Sri Jay Battacharjee.
To:
JAY BHATTACHARJEE
M.A. (CANTAB), FCS
ADVISOR (CORPORATE LAWS & FINANCE)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Herr Professor (?) Michael Witzel
Harvard University
Cambridge (Mass)
USA
Witzel : 22 July 2009
Sandhya Jain was kind enough to forward to me her recent exchange of messages (E-Mails) with you.
Normally, I do not wade into debates and dialogues between third parties. However, your scurrilous and intemperate letter to SJ has prompted me to write to you, although I find it most distasteful to write to persons of your level and mental make-up.
Sandhya is quite capable of engaging in a debate with you, but what upsets me is the offensive and gutter language you have used. You have the chutzpah to cast aspersions on other scholars who do not share your warped, distorted, perverted and concocted vision of Indian history and culture.
The problem, my boy, is that you are a contemporary version of an SS Schütze (broadly the equivalent of our Sepoy / Aircraftsman).
These chaps were the lowest echelons of that horrendous band of murderers and goons - their speciality was mass murder and mayhem. They are the ones who actually carried out the massacres and then pleaded "Ein Befehl ist ein Befehl" ("A command is a command") or some such piffle. I am sure your level and your intrinsic capabilities would not have enabled you to rise higher than this bottom-rung..
If you want to know more about the principal contribution of your fellow - Germans to world civilisation in the recent past, kindly read your Harvard colleague Daniel Goldhagen's seminal book "Hitler's Willing Executioners". Professor Goldhagen has an infinitely better justification for being a Harvard professor than a crypto - Nazi like you. However, I will let that pass.
Why don't you crawl back underneath the woodwork from where you emerged and leave Indian civilisation and its roots to deserving scholars and researchers ? While you are about to do your Stalingrad surrender act, why not take your desi henchmen and henchwomen with you ? You are truly dégoûtant - there is no English equivalent that conveys the distaste that civilised people feel for characters like you.
I am dismayed that a university founded by an ex-Cambridge man should allow poseurs and frauds like you to flourish and spread your venom from its portals. You have recently had your derrière whipped in the California text-book case - why don't you take some rest and lick your wounds ? Only a complete yahoo like you will claim that the CAPEEM judgement was in your favour. This is because your basic English comprehension and grasp are poor - a German translation for you, perhaps ? That can be arranged.
I would strongly recommend some serious introspection on your part. The same goes for your desi acolytes. A propos Smt. (Kumari) Thapar, I had asked Malcolm Bowie, Professor of French Literary History and the former Master of my college (Christ's) in 2003, whether it was possible for a person who knew no Greek and Latin to become a Professor of Ancient European History in any normal educational system in Europe and North America.
You can guess what his answer was. He wanted to know the context - when he was given the details, he was sad. The man was a genuine Indophile, unlike some others.
Just spare us your garbage and vinegar - I can suggest many areas of research in Germanic history that will occupy you and your Sancho Panza, Steve Farmer, for years. ( A caveat - the clown may not know your native tongue, but that should not be a problem for you lot).
Jay Bhattacharjee
pchidambaram: "we have no interest in baloch"
jul 25th, 2009
just like jawaharlal signed away legitimate indian interests and rights in tibet, mammon-mohan is doing the same with baloch.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/we-have-no-interest-in-balochistan-india/97857-3.html
if we have no interest, just shut up and keep quiet. let the paks think we do have an interest.
just like jawaharlal signed away legitimate indian interests and rights in tibet, mammon-mohan is doing the same with baloch.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/we-have-no-interest-in-balochistan-india/97857-3.html
if we have no interest, just shut up and keep quiet. let the paks think we do have an interest.
Pak war hero honoured at India's recommendation
jul 25th, 2009
kkkangress eager to recommend pak guy for heroism. ("sher khan"? so we have mowgli recommending sher kan for bravery?)
meanwhile, saurabh kalia, tortured to death by pak, is not recommended for heroism by kkkangress. he ain't no folk hero, either. thank you, burqa dutt et al.
kkkangress eager to recommend pak guy for heroism. ("sher khan"? so we have mowgli recommending sher kan for bravery?)
meanwhile, saurabh kalia, tortured to death by pak, is not recommended for heroism by kkkangress. he ain't no folk hero, either. thank you, burqa dutt et al.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Naresh
It is the height of stupidity & ignorance on the part of Indian forces & the evil congi leadership which operates by remote control from abroad. No wonder our people have continuously been used as cannon fodder by the cunning firengees using our simplemindedness & immaturity as weapons against us. We need complete overhaul & re-education in our nation, particularly the armed forces. Enough of all that nonsense about being "same people". An enemy is an enemy, no matter what & that creature must be destroyed at all costs so our nation can survive. It is not a childish game but a matter of "Survival" for our culture, dharma, race and nation. These morons at the helm can play these shenanigans somewhere else but not in my country. No wonder we have been losing our territory piecemeal since time immerorial because of these kinds of misguided beliefs & practices, Otherwise how can one explain & justify that only four provinces of the "greater unpartitioned Hindusthan" can hold the rest of the nation hostage for so long at such an exhorbitant cost in resorces -human & otherwise. Our mantra must be to "HATE & DESTROY OUR ENEMY" mercilessly at all costs who that may be in any shape or form. Finally, It is going to be either US or THEM. That is the final deciding factor. We all must work together to destroy evil congis & that nonsense known as gandhiism which given our people nothing but "Bhookh, Nang & divisiveness"
Naresh Khanna
From: Naresh
It is the height of stupidity & ignorance on the part of Indian forces & the evil congi leadership which operates by remote control from abroad. No wonder our people have continuously been used as cannon fodder by the cunning firengees using our simplemindedness & immaturity as weapons against us. We need complete overhaul & re-education in our nation, particularly the armed forces. Enough of all that nonsense about being "same people". An enemy is an enemy, no matter what & that creature must be destroyed at all costs so our nation can survive. It is not a childish game but a matter of "Survival" for our culture, dharma, race and nation. These morons at the helm can play these shenanigans somewhere else but not in my country. No wonder we have been losing our territory piecemeal since time immerorial because of these kinds of misguided beliefs & practices, Otherwise how can one explain & justify that only four provinces of the "greater unpartitioned Hindusthan" can hold the rest of the nation hostage for so long at such an exhorbitant cost in resorces -human & otherwise. Our mantra must be to "HATE & DESTROY OUR ENEMY" mercilessly at all costs who that may be in any shape or form. Finally, It is going to be either US or THEM. That is the final deciding factor. We all must work together to destroy evil congis & that nonsense known as gandhiism which given our people nothing but "Bhookh, Nang & divisiveness"
Naresh Khanna
Pak war hero honoured at India's recommendation
Vishal Thapar
CNN-IBN
WAR HEROES: Colonel K S Khan's native village has been named after him.
New Delhi: Pakistan army's Colonel Karnal Sher Khan, who died during the Kargil war, is remembered with great pride.
The man who fought on Tiger Hill from Pakistan's side was given the Nishan e Haidar, Pakistan's highest gallantry award on the recommendation of the Indian Army.
Captain K Sher Khan's brother Sikandar Sheikh says, "Allah ka shukar hai ki humara dushman bhi koi busdil dushman nahi hai. Agar log kahen ki India busdil hai to main kahunga nahi kyuki usne aelania keh diya ki karnel sher hero hai (No enemy is a coward. I won't call India coward because it proclaimed Sher Khan as a hero)."
Captain Khan had led an assault to re-capture Tiger Hill soon after Indian troops had taken it and had lost his life in the process.
Ten years after Kargil, Karnal Sher Khan is a folk hero. His images visible everywhere, his native village has even been renamed after him.
Sikandar Sheikh says, "Ek game hai yeh. circikete ek game hai, Chakka mara..mara. Ye ek game hai. Cup milna hai bahadur ko. Cup Kernel Sher ko mila.aur wo bhi dushman ke kehe par (War's a cricket game, but the winner has got the cup awarded by the opponent)."
On the other side too, valour was prized but the culture was different.
Instances of the Indian soldiers tortured as prisoners of war (PoW) by the Pakistani army can't be forgotten easily.
However, captain Khan's family, unaware of the torture of Indian troops at Kargil, agree there must be a code of honour among warriors.
(With inputs from Vishal Thapar and Zahir Shah)
http://ibnlive.in.com/printpage.php?id=97858§ion_id=3
Christian Pastor convicted of child sex abuse says He's One of the Prophets
jul 25th, 2009
more on the good prophet/pastor.
excerpts:
U.S. Assistant Attorney Kyra Jenner said Alamo's conviction would end
his cycle of abuse, as he told his followers God instructed him to
marry younger and younger girls.
After Susan Alamo's death in 1982, Alamo began focusing his tracts on
bashing Catholicism and the Vatican. His ministry, built on the backs
of followers who worked in various businesses to support the church,
designed and sold elaborate denim jackets for celebrities.
comment: ah, yes, following in the footsteps of ayesha, i see. good "holy land" [sic] guy, the prophet was, equal opportunity for christist and mohammedan practices.
and i am glad to see the 'unity' that christists claim they are about.
bottom line: christist priest == pedophile, money-worshipping monster.
more on the good prophet/pastor.
excerpts:
U.S. Assistant Attorney Kyra Jenner said Alamo's conviction would end
his cycle of abuse, as he told his followers God instructed him to
marry younger and younger girls.
After Susan Alamo's death in 1982, Alamo began focusing his tracts on
bashing Catholicism and the Vatican. His ministry, built on the backs
of followers who worked in various businesses to support the church,
designed and sold elaborate denim jackets for celebrities.
comment: ah, yes, following in the footsteps of ayesha, i see. good "holy land" [sic] guy, the prophet was, equal opportunity for christist and mohammedan practices.
and i am glad to see the 'unity' that christists claim they are about.
bottom line: christist priest == pedophile, money-worshipping monster.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sri
Convicted pastor says he's 'one of the prophets'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_re_us/us_evangelist_child_abuse
TEXARKANA, Ark. – Tony Alamo, a one-time street preacher who built a
multimillion-dollar ministry and became an outfitter of the stars, was
convicted Friday of taking girls as young as 9 across state lines for
sex. Alamo stood silently as the verdict was read, a contrast to his
occasional mutterings during testimony. His five victims sat looking
forward in the gallery. One, a woman he "married" at age 8, wiped away
a tear.
... deleted
From: sri
Convicted pastor says he's 'one of the prophets'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_re_us/us_evangelist_child_abuse
TEXARKANA, Ark. – Tony Alamo, a one-time street preacher who built a
multimillion-dollar ministry and became an outfitter of the stars, was
convicted Friday of taking girls as young as 9 across state lines for
sex. Alamo stood silently as the verdict was read, a contrast to his
occasional mutterings during testimony. His five victims sat looking
forward in the gallery. One, a woman he "married" at age 8, wiped away
a tear.
... deleted
Jurors convict Arkansas evangelist Tony Alamo on 10 counts of sex abuse
jul 25th, 2009
standard operating practice for christist hustlers: invent a cult, prosper, rape lots of underage girls.
why is this such a pattern in christism? that was a rhetorical question. a crazy imperialist death-cult worshiping mammon and built on nothing but lies -- naturally this is the kind of person it produces.
i particularly liked this prophet blaming godman ratzy for his troubles.
standard operating practice for christist hustlers: invent a cult, prosper, rape lots of underage girls.
why is this such a pattern in christism? that was a rhetorical question. a crazy imperialist death-cult worshiping mammon and built on nothing but lies -- naturally this is the kind of person it produces.
i particularly liked this prophet blaming godman ratzy for his troubles.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shahryar
From: Shahryar
| Jurors convict Arkansas evangelist Tony Alamo on 10 counts of sex abuse
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, July 24th 2009, 2:32 PM Spendley/AP
Evangelist Tony Alamo is led from the federal courthouse in Texarkana, Ark., on July 17 following a day of testimony in his trial. Alamo was convicted on 10 sex counts Friday. Tony Alamo, a one-time street preacher who built a multimillion-dollar ministry and became an outfitter of the stars, was convicted Friday of taking girls as young as 9 across state lines for sex. Alamo stood silently as the verdict was read, a contrast to his occasional mutterings during testimony. His five victims sat looking forward in the gallery. One, a woman he "married" at age 8, wiped away a tear. "I'm just another one of the prophets that went to jail for the Gospel," Alamo called to reporters afterward as he was escorted to a waiting U.S. marshal's vehicle. Shouts of "Bye, bye, Bernie!" — Alamo was born Bernie Lazar Hoffman —came from a crowd gathered on the Arkansas side of the courthouse, which is on the Texas-Arkansas border. Jurors were convinced Alamo had had sex with the girls when they were underage, but deliberated for more than a day to ensure that they considered everything, jury foreman Frank Oller of Texarkana said. "That was the evidence. That was proven," Oller said. "We came up with a full decision that we are quite satisfied with." Defense lawyer Don Ervin said the evidence against the 74-year-old preacher was insufficient, and said the preacher would appeal. He also said Alamo's criminal history — he served four years in prison on tax charges in the 1990s — "will hurt him" at sentencing in six to eight weeks. "We believe he will face the rest of his natural life in prison," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyra Jenner. The penalties on the 10 charges total 175 years in prison, she said, and violations of the century-old Mann Act also carry fines of as much as $250,000 each. The five women, who are now 17 to 33, told jurors that Alamo "married" them in private ceremonies while they were minors, sometimes giving them wedding rings. Each detailed trips beyond Arkansas' borders for Alamo's sexual gratification. Alamo never testified. Though he announced to reporters that he wanted to, his lawyers told him he should not directly challenge their testimony. The attorneys argued to jurors that the girls traveled for legitimate church business. State and federal agents raided Alamo's compound last Sept. 20 after repeated reports of abuse. Defense lawyers said the government targeted Alamo because it doesn't like his apocalyptic brand of Christianity. Alamo has blamed the Vatican for his legal troubles, which include a four-year prison term for tax evasion in the 1990s. With little physical evidence, prosecutors relied on the women's stories to paint an emotional portrait of a charismatic religious leader who controlled every aspect of his subjects' lives. No one obtained food, clothing or transportation without him knowing about it. At times, men were ordered away from the compound, and their wives kept as another Alamo bride. Minor offenses from either gender drew beatings or starvation fasts. In the end, prosecutors convinced jurors in Arkansas' conservative Christian climate that Alamo's ministry offered him the opportunity to prey on the young girls of loyal followers who believed him to be a prophet who spoke directly to God. They described a ministry that ran on the fear of drawing the anger of "Papa Tony." "You really appreciate the courage that they showed stepping up to face their demons," said Thomas Browne, the special agent in charge of the FBI office at Little Rock. Alamo remained defiant during the trial. He referred to the Branch Davidian raid at Waco, Texas, muttered expletives during testimony and fell asleep at times — while alleged victims spoke from the witness stand and again as prosecutors urged his conviction. He had built his multistate ministry on the backs of followers who worked in various businesses to support the church. In the 1980s, he designed and sold elaborately decorated denim jackets, hobnobbed with celebrities and owned a compound in western Arkansas that featured a heart-shaped swimming pool. Federal agents seized a large portion of his assets in the 1990s to settle tax claims after courts declared his operations a business, not a church. Among items offered for auction were the plans for the studded jacket Michael Jackson wore on his "Bad" album. The Southern Poverty Law Center considers his ministry a cult. The woman considered to be Alamo's common-law wife, Sharon Alamo, and several other of his 100 to 200 followers missed the verdict, hustling up the courthouse stairs and entering an empty courtroom five minutes after court adjourned. |
what an eventful july this has been! remember kargil
jul 25th, 2009
sunday is kargil day. 10th anniversary.
see kanchan gupta's blog for some stories that have been forgotten already, but deserve not to be. see http://kanchangupta.blogspot.com/
and then we have mammon-mohan singh (hat-tip agworld) of "swiss-account" fame, burqa dutt and other jaichands of "we-have-piss-in-our-time-with-pak" fame, and the kkkangress of "evm fraud" fame.
what is a mere lt. kalia compared to all this?
what is the worth of bhagat singh and rajguru and kartar singh sarabha and vishnu ganesh pingale?
nothing. they will be dismissed by shekar gupta and vir sanghvi with the tired cliche "patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel". are swiss bank accounts the first resort? is subverting the democratic process the second resort? is spin-doctoring the third?
i also liked kanchan's writeup on sharm-el-sheikh http://www.dailypioneer.com/191566/Sharm-debacle-scripted-in-US.html
sunday is kargil day. 10th anniversary.
see kanchan gupta's blog for some stories that have been forgotten already, but deserve not to be. see http://kanchangupta.blogspot.com/
and then we have mammon-mohan singh (hat-tip agworld) of "swiss-account" fame, burqa dutt and other jaichands of "we-have-piss-in-our-time-with-pak" fame, and the kkkangress of "evm fraud" fame.
what is a mere lt. kalia compared to all this?
what is the worth of bhagat singh and rajguru and kartar singh sarabha and vishnu ganesh pingale?
nothing. they will be dismissed by shekar gupta and vir sanghvi with the tired cliche "patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel". are swiss bank accounts the first resort? is subverting the democratic process the second resort? is spin-doctoring the third?
i also liked kanchan's writeup on sharm-el-sheikh http://www.dailypioneer.com/191566/Sharm-debacle-scripted-in-US.html
Friday, July 24, 2009
India's 1st SSBN to be launched on Sunday
Courtesy-- India Today
INS Arihant(Destroyer of Enemies), India's first SSBN to be launched on Sunday July 26th 2009.
Here is another article from Business Standard on the same.
With this launch, we are really one of the Big Boys out there. We better learn to act like one.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Honor attack with acid on 'Asian' man in UK
jul 24th, 2009
i wonder what religion this 'asian' man belongs to. perhaps not mohammedanism, i conjecture, because neither of these articles specify it. i wish they would stop using 'asian' and specify 'indian' or 'pakistani'. (yes, virginia, we are not the same. the former are normal human beings, the latter are violent, bigoted thugs.)
but then mohdan-on-mohdan violence is pretty spectacular, although their worst is reserved for infidels. remember the 13 year-old hindu boy in india whose face was smashed in and skull bashed in with stones by two 15-year-old mohdan boys because he was "talking to a mohdan girl". she was not related to the killers, but they considered her a "sister" -- in the broader sense of the ummah.
of course, the media just buried this story. imagine if two hindu boys had murdered a mohammedan boy! imagine the breast-beating, even if that mohdan had raped and murdered a hindu girl!
obvious moral: it is mohdans' job to kill, it is hindus' job to be killed without demur. why, even the mahatma would agree.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/23/sulphuric-acid-honour-attack
i wonder what religion this 'asian' man belongs to. perhaps not mohammedanism, i conjecture, because neither of these articles specify it. i wish they would stop using 'asian' and specify 'indian' or 'pakistani'. (yes, virginia, we are not the same. the former are normal human beings, the latter are violent, bigoted thugs.)
but then mohdan-on-mohdan violence is pretty spectacular, although their worst is reserved for infidels. remember the 13 year-old hindu boy in india whose face was smashed in and skull bashed in with stones by two 15-year-old mohdan boys because he was "talking to a mohdan girl". she was not related to the killers, but they considered her a "sister" -- in the broader sense of the ummah.
of course, the media just buried this story. imagine if two hindu boys had murdered a mohammedan boy! imagine the breast-beating, even if that mohdan had raped and murdered a hindu girl!
obvious moral: it is mohdans' job to kill, it is hindus' job to be killed without demur. why, even the mahatma would agree.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/23/sulphuric-acid-honour-attack
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Swami
From: Swami
what's with you Malayalis? :-)
jul 23rd, 2009
fair question from telugu friend :-(
well, we have been talking about the ominous precedent of malayali preponderance at the center for some time. previous era, 1962 happened, and tibet was lost. in UPA I, nepal was lost. fully expect that arunachal and sikkim will be lost in UPA II.
it's like the eclipses and suchlike appearing. portents. bad.
my conjecture: malayalis have been so deracinated by christist indoctrination that they worship the usual christist god: mammon. and only mammon.
fair question from telugu friend :-(
well, we have been talking about the ominous precedent of malayali preponderance at the center for some time. previous era, 1962 happened, and tibet was lost. in UPA I, nepal was lost. fully expect that arunachal and sikkim will be lost in UPA II.
it's like the eclipses and suchlike appearing. portents. bad.
my conjecture: malayalis have been so deracinated by christist indoctrination that they worship the usual christist god: mammon. and only mammon.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: K.V.
Sashi Tharoor quote read on Bharat-rakshak:
"It's all very well for the people to say that somehow India's
interest compromised by few words on a piece of paper that is not a
legal document. It is a diplomatic paper that is released to the press
- different from the legal papers," said Tharoor.
Has Tharor no shame, spouting such incoherent rubbish? What does the
above even mean?
And then you've got Shivashankar Menon & his "bad drafting",
gawdhelpus, isn't he the grandson of Krishna Menon or something?
Last time someone looked out for India was when a golti (PVNR) was in charge.
:-)
India's only hope is Pakistani stupidity.
From: K.V.
Sashi Tharoor quote read on Bharat-rakshak:
"It's all very well for the people to say that somehow India's
interest compromised by few words on a piece of paper that is not a
legal document. It is a diplomatic paper that is released to the press
- different from the legal papers," said Tharoor.
Has Tharor no shame, spouting such incoherent rubbish? What does the
above even mean?
And then you've got Shivashankar Menon & his "bad drafting",
gawdhelpus, isn't he the grandson of Krishna Menon or something?
Last time someone looked out for India was when a golti (PVNR) was in charge.
:-)
India's only hope is Pakistani stupidity.
Shrine vs Swine
Swine Flu seems tailor-made to trigger the phobias of those with a centuries-old aversion for pigs and an equally old mania for group worship:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=8153047
You have to wonder what they'd do if there was a serious Swine Flu outbreak over there.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=8153047
You have to wonder what they'd do if there was a serious Swine Flu outbreak over there.
Agriculture: Secret of Modi’s success
jul 22nd, 2009
agriculture domine!
agriculture domine!
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Subject: Agriculture: Secret of Modi's success
To:
From:
Date: Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Subject: Agriculture: Secret of Modi's success
To:
|
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Rich Harvard, Poor Harvard
jul 22nd, 2009
wasn't it mostly harvard business school types who created the bubbles? poetic justice.
although i don't see much about the bschool in the following.
wasn't it mostly harvard business school types who created the bubbles? poetic justice.
although i don't see much about the bschool in the following.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shahryar
From: Shahryar
| I.V. League Rich Harvard, Poor HarvardOnly a year ago, Harvard had a $36.9 billion endowment, the largest in academia. Now that endowment has imploded, and the university faces the worst financial crisis in its 373-year history. Could the same lethal mix of uncurbed expansion, colossal debt, arrogance, and mismanagement that ravaged Wall Street bring down America's most famous university? And how much of the turmoil is the fault of former Harvard president Larry Summers, now a top economic adviser to President Obama? As students demonstrate, administrators impose Draconian cuts, and construction is halted on an over-ambitious $1.2 billion science complex, the author follows the finger-pointing.... deleted |
Sordid reality behind Dubai's gilded facade
jul 22nd, 2009
what, arabs mucking with limeys fornicators and deadbeats? no, that has to stop! quick, let's send a gunboat... er, what gunboat?
the slaves from the subcontinent, and the sexual slaves from the ex-soviet union are the ones left holding the bag.
what, arabs mucking with limeys fornicators and deadbeats? no, that has to stop! quick, let's send a gunboat... er, what gunboat?
the slaves from the subcontinent, and the sexual slaves from the ex-soviet union are the ones left holding the bag.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <shahryar
From: <shahryar
| From The Sunday Times July 12, 2009 Sordid reality behind Dubai's gilded facadeConstruction halted, westerners jailed for adultery - but prostitutes do wellRod Liddle Andrew Blair says he will pick me up from outside my sleaze-bucket of a hotel, give it 20 minutes or so, got some work to finish off. He has a job again, contracts apparently "coming out of his ears", which is good, because until recently he had earned a certain notoriety for not having a job and, more to the point, for the manner in which he went about finding a new one. He drove around Dubai, back in January this year, from the plug-ugly creek to the plug-ugly marina, in his white Porsche, with a sign in the back window saying he wanted a job; vroom vroom he went, gizza job. Scratch scratch scratch went the keys and coins along the side of his car whenever it was parked up. where the money comes from GDP in 2007: £23 billion Trading: 31% Construction/ Real estate: 22.6% Financial Services: 11% Oil/Petrol/Gas: 5.8% Dubai's foreign debt is well over 100% of its GDP Annual incomes Project manager, Construction: £57,576 Project manager, IT: £38,438 IT manager: £33,891 Construction worker: ± £993 Politics and human rights 1 No suffrage 2 Political parties illegal 3 Freedom of association and expression curtailed The UAE refuses to sign the following treaties: 4 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 5 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 6 Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families 7 Convention against Torture Crime and punishment 8 Death penalty by firing squad for several offences 9 Death penalty by stoning for adultery The people Population (Inc Migrants) Male 75.5% Female 24.5% |
India De-links Terror from Talks
So basically, the Indian govt are saying that terror attacks don't matter in our relations with Pakistan. And the Pakistanis are taking it further, now pretentiously asserting that they are victims of our terror, including the attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team, which was obviously originally intended to target the Indian team which bowed out at the last moment.
Let's face it, the Kaangress has sold out our national interests, in the hope of earning enough US patronage to keep itself in power for perpetuity, like Japan's now faltering LDP. Kaangress are the new big stooges in Asia for the Americans to dote upon. And worst of all - not enough Indians even care or know enough to do anything about it.
Kaangress is easily the weakest link by far, in the national security setup.
Why should we have pretensions to being a "shooparpawar" when we are clearly no better than any African country, with our politicians stooping to selling out so easily and so shamelessly? The Americans clearly see the ugly truth that we ourselves are unwilling to recognize or admit -- that we are just an African-style country whose leaders can be bribed at a moment's notice.
There's the story about a man who spends much time, effort and money barricading his front door, to secure his home, only to fall prey to thieves who enter by the unsecured backdoor and rob him blind.
We all spend so much time debating the finer points of national security, policy and strategy, and meanwhile the Americans have effortlessly bypassed any and all considerations by cutting right to the chase: they're dangling in front of Kangress the prospect of it being able to stay in power for perpetuity in a secure setup, like Japan's LDP, and of course the greedy blighters in the Kaangress are hungrily leaping across the table, making a beeline for that which they crave most.
"Joint statement with Pak? No problem!"
"De-link terror from talks? Willingness to suffer more terrorist attacks! No problem! We politicians get Category Z security anyhow! No skin off our noses!"
This is what I call a nation of beggars. No decent people would accept this, or remain silent to this. But we will - because we're not decent. And as indecent people, we deserve the fate that befalls all indecent people. We deserve the terror attacks we get. This is the comeuppance we have earned through our collective apathy.
For all our talk of national security and public policy, the reality is that India is nothing but an African-style country, run by corrupt crooks who can be bribed into anything at a moment's notice. We are constantly proving Macaulay right.
Let's face it, the Kaangress has sold out our national interests, in the hope of earning enough US patronage to keep itself in power for perpetuity, like Japan's now faltering LDP. Kaangress are the new big stooges in Asia for the Americans to dote upon. And worst of all - not enough Indians even care or know enough to do anything about it.
Kaangress is easily the weakest link by far, in the national security setup.
Why should we have pretensions to being a "shooparpawar" when we are clearly no better than any African country, with our politicians stooping to selling out so easily and so shamelessly? The Americans clearly see the ugly truth that we ourselves are unwilling to recognize or admit -- that we are just an African-style country whose leaders can be bribed at a moment's notice.
There's the story about a man who spends much time, effort and money barricading his front door, to secure his home, only to fall prey to thieves who enter by the unsecured backdoor and rob him blind.
We all spend so much time debating the finer points of national security, policy and strategy, and meanwhile the Americans have effortlessly bypassed any and all considerations by cutting right to the chase: they're dangling in front of Kangress the prospect of it being able to stay in power for perpetuity in a secure setup, like Japan's LDP, and of course the greedy blighters in the Kaangress are hungrily leaping across the table, making a beeline for that which they crave most.
"Joint statement with Pak? No problem!"
"De-link terror from talks? Willingness to suffer more terrorist attacks! No problem! We politicians get Category Z security anyhow! No skin off our noses!"
This is what I call a nation of beggars. No decent people would accept this, or remain silent to this. But we will - because we're not decent. And as indecent people, we deserve the fate that befalls all indecent people. We deserve the terror attacks we get. This is the comeuppance we have earned through our collective apathy.
For all our talk of national security and public policy, the reality is that India is nothing but an African-style country, run by corrupt crooks who can be bribed into anything at a moment's notice. We are constantly proving Macaulay right.
Kashmir: the Indian colony to pay for Islamic ‘education’
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/23/stories/2009072355700800.htm
Given the recent softening of oil prices, looks like the Saudis found a useful way to pay these fanatics their keep – get Kashmir’s Colony of India to fund madrassa education. That’s right – we will soon pay for their secession.
This Omar Abdullah is one up on his father. At least that man had the pretence of duplicity.
Where are the thapar, sardesai, dutt and vir sanghvi’s of the world? Remember the paroxysms of delight after that ‘passionate’ speech defending manmohan’s deal? I could hear the cash till ringing.
Given the recent softening of oil prices, looks like the Saudis found a useful way to pay these fanatics their keep – get Kashmir’s Colony of India to fund madrassa education. That’s right – we will soon pay for their secession.
This Omar Abdullah is one up on his father. At least that man had the pretence of duplicity.
Where are the thapar, sardesai, dutt and vir sanghvi’s of the world? Remember the paroxysms of delight after that ‘passionate’ speech defending manmohan’s deal? I could hear the cash till ringing.
Another Manmohan capitulation
The Times and other mouthpieces have not even reported this on the front page.
If this is how totally Manmohan and Co are selling us down the drain in a deal so simple, imagine how total the sell-out in the nuke deal, once the technical gobbledegook is removed, must be.
US inspectors would be given access to Indian military bases to inspect American military systems in service with the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, under the text of the end-use monitoring agreement agreed upon by the two sides on Monday during US secretary of state Hillary Clinton's visit to India.Other write ups in this newspaper have the "redoubtable" SM Krishna saying that there's nothing wrong in opening ones kimono WIDE (as in REALLY WIDE) to intrusive american inspections.
India does not have such an agreement with any other country
If this is how totally Manmohan and Co are selling us down the drain in a deal so simple, imagine how total the sell-out in the nuke deal, once the technical gobbledegook is removed, must be.
"america abounds in myths and superstitions based on christist mythology, like the cannibalistic eating and drinking of some guy's flesh and blood".
jul 21st, 2009
appropriate response to the crap this gent on AP is putting out:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iX8d-T09U9BY--80N9QWImFwW2ewD99JA6180
"americans celebrate a weird festival named easter based on a superstition about some fellow who died, was buried, and then was brought back to life in a cave".
"american abounds in myths and superstitions based on christist mythology. they actually believe that some guy was born to a virgin mother, who was impregnated directly by a god. skeptics claim she was actually impregnated by a roman soldier, and cooked up the virgin birth story to delude her husband."
appropriate response to the crap this gent on AP is putting out:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iX8d-T09U9BY--80N9QWImFwW2ewD99JA6180
"americans celebrate a weird festival named easter based on a superstition about some fellow who died, was buried, and then was brought back to life in a cave".
"american abounds in myths and superstitions based on christist mythology. they actually believe that some guy was born to a virgin mother, who was impregnated directly by a god. skeptics claim she was actually impregnated by a roman soldier, and cooked up the virgin birth story to delude her husband."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Editor of Leading Pakistani Paper: 'If, in Order to Resolve Our Water Problems, We Have to Wage Nuclear War with India, We Will'
jul 21st, 2009
pretty clear, isn't it? pak will use nuclear weapons.
they keep saber rattling at all times. they keep saying they don't mind if their country is turned into radio-active rubble so long as they take out delhi and mumbai.
but i have found that the only thing that shuts them up is:
"if, in order to silence pakistan, we have to wage nuclear war against a certain cube-like building in a third country, we will. this is the reason we are developing nuclear weapons and missiles".
pretty clear, isn't it? pak will use nuclear weapons.
they keep saber rattling at all times. they keep saying they don't mind if their country is turned into radio-active rubble so long as they take out delhi and mumbai.
but i have found that the only thing that shuts them up is:
"if, in order to silence pakistan, we have to wage nuclear war against a certain cube-like building in a third country, we will. this is the reason we are developing nuclear weapons and missiles".
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gautam
Date: Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Subject: Editor of Leading Pakistani Paper: 'If, in Order to Resolve Our Water Problems, We Have to Wage Nuclear War with India, We Will' – Water Disputes Between India and Pakistan – A Potential Casus Belli
To:
From: Gautam
Date: Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Subject: Editor of Leading Pakistani Paper: 'If, in Order to Resolve Our Water Problems, We Have to Wage Nuclear War with India, We Will' – Water Disputes Between India and Pakistan – A Potential Casus Belli
To:
But will the composite dialogue continue in the aftermath of a nuclear strike against Delhi? It is all very confusing for lesser breeds like us, but people with doctorates in languages from Cambridge or a PhD in economics from Oxford might care to explain!!
GS
Paper:
'If, in Order to Resolve Our Water Problems, We Have to Wage Nuclear War with India, We Will' – Water Disputes Between India and Pakistan – A Potential Casus Belli
To: tufailelif@yahoo.co.uk
To: tufailelif@yahoo.co.uk
Pakistan-India water dispute
India, We Will' – Water Disputes Between India and Pakistan – A Potential Casus Belli
| If you are having trouble viewing this page click here. | ||||
| Editor of Leading Pakistani Paper: 'If, in Order to Resolve Our Water Problems, We Have to Wage Nuclear War with India, We Will' – Water Disputes Between India and Pakistan – A Potential Casus Belli By: Tufail Ahmad * Urdu-Pashtu Media Project|#536| July 20, 2009 | ||||
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pitr-tarpanam: oops, a little late :-(
jul 21st, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rama
From: Rama
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gopal krishnan <sivaniish@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Subject: PITHRU THARPANA
To:
--
With pranams !
Dr. N. Gopalakrishnan,
M. A.; M.Sc.;Ph.D.; D.Litt.;
Director, IISH
From: Gopal krishnan <sivaniish@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Subject: PITHRU THARPANA
To:
May I request you all, (whether you are Hindu, Christian , Muslim or atheist ) to chant this mantra and offer little flower, water and a sincere devoted prayer on 21st July for your forefathers who gave you your body and life. They gave you the opportunity to come to this world and enjoy. Wherever you are, which ever part of the world you are chant this mantra and silently pray for a minimum five minutes
Manthra and its meaning for the pithru tharpana to be held on 21st July, during Karkitaka vavu/new moon day (karkitaka amaavasy)
Aabrahmano ye pitru vamsa jaathaa maathu thaththaa vamsa bhavaa madeeyaa:
Vamsa dwayesmin mama daasa bhootha bruthyaa thathiva aasritha sevakaascha
Mithraani sakhya pasavascha vruskshaa drushttaascha adrushtaascha kruthopakaara
Janmaanthare ye mama sangathaascha thebhya swayam pinda balim dadaami
Maathru vamsey mruthaaayescha pithruvamse thathaiva cha
Guru swasura bandhoonaam ye chaanye baandhvaa mruthaa
Ye may kule luptha pindaa putra daara vivarjitha
Kriyaa lopa hathaaschaiva jaathyanthaa pankavasthathaa
Viroopaa aamagarbhaascha jnaathaa ajnaathaa kule mama
Bhoomou datthena balinaa thrupthaayaanthu paraam gathim
Atheetha kula koteenaam saptha dweepa nivaaseenaam
Praaneenaam udakam dattham akshayyam upthishtathu
Avasaaneeyarghyamidam
Meaning of the above manthra
In this world those who were borne in the clan of my father and mother
And all those who are related to me directly or indirectly
Those who were my servants for the last two janmas
All those who served and helped me and depended on me
All those who were my friends and associates
All those plants and animals whom I depended for my life
All those who supported me directly or indirectly
All those who associated with me for the past many janmas
For all of them I myself offer this pinda, flower and water and prayer
For all those who passed away from the kula of my mother
And also from the kula of my father, gurus, relatives and in laws
For all those who were not fortunate to receive the pinda in the past
For all those who suffered without the support of wife/husband and children
For all those who could not do good to others due to many reasons
For all those who were borne, lived and died in poverty
For all those who were ugly and also who died prematurely
For all those who died in the womb of mother without seeing the world
For all known and unknown relatives of mine lived and died
For them too I offer this prayer , pinda , water and gingely with tulasi
I offer all these on this earth for making them immortal and happy in their own world
For all those who were living and for all the creatures and living beings
Existed /lived on the seven continents for many million years
I offer this pinda and water for the happiness of their soul to rest in peace
Let them be happy in their own world blessing all of us and the world
Let me offer once again a drop of water to you Oh ! my forefathers !
Inform your friends , relatives and all those who are connected with you to come and experience doing the pithru smarana in the spiritual research centre of Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage, Mazhuvanchery Mahadeva Temple, at Mazhuvanchery, near Kechery, in the Highway side to Trissur- Guruvayoor/Kunnamkulam on 21st July from 6.00 am to 11.30 am ( each batch 35 minutes)
I myself ( Dr. N. Gopalakrishnan ) will be leading this pithru karma by explaining the meaning and messages of each part of the aachara. If not possible to come to this place, we shall send you the brochure which explains the ritual. Perform the ritual wherever you are with your family , friends and devotees or yourself.
Pre registration or pre information is not needed, you can come to the temple after taking bath from your home)
Let this be performed in all temples, churches and mosques too at least in India, because remembering our forefathers is the mission of all religion.
Never violate the rules of the country where you work.
(Ph. 04885-240236 / 04885-272749 /09446361149 /09447097407 /09447081070 / 9847310663 / nhcmazhuvanchery@gmail.com
(Address : Director, National Heritage Centre, Mazhuvanchery, Near Kechery,
Trissur 680 501 )
Kindly spread the message to one and all
IISH COMMUNICATION TEAM
--
With pranams !
Dr. N. Gopalakrishnan,
M. A.; M.Sc.;Ph.D.; D.Litt.;
Director, IISH
kalam frisked by yank airline
jul 21st, 2009
yes, maybe the yanks were a bit crude in frisking kalam. but where was the outrage until today about something that happened in april? is this a diversionary tactic to move attention away from the shameful capitulation to pakistan and to the US? probably.
what's more of an outrage than kalam being frisked is that robert vadra (who he?) is explicitly named as a person who is not to be frisked
yes, along with the chief justice, president, speaker of parliament, one person is called out by name: vadra. he is exempt from frisking!
did someone say 'banana republic'? i am sure even in the other personality cult country, kim jong-il's son-in-law is not exempt
yes, along with the chief justice, president, speaker of parliament, one person is called out by name: vadra. he is exempt from frisking!
did someone say 'banana republic'? i am sure even in the other personality cult country, kim jong-il's son-in-law is not exempt
Hillary’s hideous vanity
this lady is a complete ignoramus
Of course – it is very easy to send a “message” when you are behind the protective cocoon of the best security service in the world. Why doesn’t she ride on the Mumbai locals?
Oh I forgot – that would not do. The trains are crowded and dirty. They are full of these native wogs. They get on Hillary’s nerve these people – with their oiled heads and exotic dabba walla boxes.
You have to hand it to Hillary – she is obnoxious even when appearing to be friendly.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/staying-at-taj-was-a-message-to-terrorists-hillary/492271/0
Of course – it is very easy to send a “message” when you are behind the protective cocoon of the best security service in the world. Why doesn’t she ride on the Mumbai locals?
Oh I forgot – that would not do. The trains are crowded and dirty. They are full of these native wogs. They get on Hillary’s nerve these people – with their oiled heads and exotic dabba walla boxes.
You have to hand it to Hillary – she is obnoxious even when appearing to be friendly.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/staying-at-taj-was-a-message-to-terrorists-hillary/492271/0
karkataka bali and eclipse
jul 21st, 2009
the amavasi in kartikatam (new moon in the month of cancer) is an auspicious time to do bali-tarpanam (offerings to the spirits of the ancestors or manes). this would have been the 22nd of july, but because of the inauspicious solar eclipse it was moved forward by one day, and so today in kerala lakhs of people went to the major temples like tirunelli in wynad, the island siva temple in aluva, papanasini in varkala, tiruvallom in trivandrum, etc. and did their offerings.
i am a little unclear how this is related to the karkitaka sankranti, ie the summer solstice, which as we know happened on jun 21st (the obverse of the makara sankranti, the winter solstice). i guess it is the first new moon after the sankranti? anyway we are now in the dakshinayana period, as the sun heads southwards towards the tropic of capricorn or makara.
well, hope you have an enjoyable eclipse.
the traditional explanation for the eclipse is that rahu or ketu (i forget which) has swallowed the sun/moon. rahu and ketu are included among the nine planets, even though they are metaphorical. my conjecture is that they were included as mathematical functions that would explain discrepancies in the orbits of the observed planets (budha/mercury, shukra/venus, chowwa/mars, vyazham/jupiter, sani/saturn). after all, indian astronomers were likely the most mathematically astute in the world -- note how aryabhata in 499 CE had already calculated the diameter of the earth, and how the kerala school of astronomy circa 1300 CE (madhava, parameswara and nilakantha) figured out that the earth moved around the sun.
astronomy and the related calendar and timekeeping have been core civilizational strengths of india. we were the ultimate star-gazers. after all, we actually observed the celestial configuration in 3102 BCE at the start of the kali yuga, when the europeans were literally swinging from trees. the limeys couldn't believe our ancestors could have observed these minutely. they claimed that the old observations were 18th cent CE fabrications (another case of judging others by your own predilections for forgery and fabrication).
the amavasi in kartikatam (new moon in the month of cancer) is an auspicious time to do bali-tarpanam (offerings to the spirits of the ancestors or manes). this would have been the 22nd of july, but because of the inauspicious solar eclipse it was moved forward by one day, and so today in kerala lakhs of people went to the major temples like tirunelli in wynad, the island siva temple in aluva, papanasini in varkala, tiruvallom in trivandrum, etc. and did their offerings.
i am a little unclear how this is related to the karkitaka sankranti, ie the summer solstice, which as we know happened on jun 21st (the obverse of the makara sankranti, the winter solstice). i guess it is the first new moon after the sankranti? anyway we are now in the dakshinayana period, as the sun heads southwards towards the tropic of capricorn or makara.
well, hope you have an enjoyable eclipse.
the traditional explanation for the eclipse is that rahu or ketu (i forget which) has swallowed the sun/moon. rahu and ketu are included among the nine planets, even though they are metaphorical. my conjecture is that they were included as mathematical functions that would explain discrepancies in the orbits of the observed planets (budha/mercury, shukra/venus, chowwa/mars, vyazham/jupiter, sani/saturn). after all, indian astronomers were likely the most mathematically astute in the world -- note how aryabhata in 499 CE had already calculated the diameter of the earth, and how the kerala school of astronomy circa 1300 CE (madhava, parameswara and nilakantha) figured out that the earth moved around the sun.
astronomy and the related calendar and timekeeping have been core civilizational strengths of india. we were the ultimate star-gazers. after all, we actually observed the celestial configuration in 3102 BCE at the start of the kali yuga, when the europeans were literally swinging from trees. the limeys couldn't believe our ancestors could have observed these minutely. they claimed that the old observations were 18th cent CE fabrications (another case of judging others by your own predilections for forgery and fabrication).
All about China and Nehru
jul 21st, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Radha
Date: Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Subject: All about China and Nehru
To:
From: Radha
Date: Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Subject: All about China and Nehru
To:
Dear all, three articles on Nehru and China of monumental importance - Sardar Patel's letter to Nehru in 1950 about China, Nehru's monumental blunder on China, a column in Time in 1962, Capt. Bharat Verma's column on China and the Chinese repsonse back to back with the column, all uploaded today on the Vigil website www.vigilonline.com. RR
(Sardar Patel's letter to Nehru, 7th November, 1950)
(Time column in 1962 written at the time of the war, Nehru's monumental blunder)
(Capt. Bharat Verma's column and the Chinese response to it)
eclipses and astronomical events in the mahabharata
jul 21st, 2009
unlike some other religious texts that i could name -- which are pure fabrications -- the mahabharata (and probably the ramayana) is historically valid and dateable via the precession of the earth's axis. astronomy domine, again. to put it simply, since the axis of the earth precesses, we can tell accurately in which year an event happened simply by looking at the night sky at the time. and this is where planetarium software comes into the picture. (simple example: polaris is the pole star today, but 14,000 years ago, the pole star was if i remember correctly the star vega)
unlike some other religious texts that i could name -- which are pure fabrications -- the mahabharata (and probably the ramayana) is historically valid and dateable via the precession of the earth's axis. astronomy domine, again. to put it simply, since the axis of the earth precesses, we can tell accurately in which year an event happened simply by looking at the night sky at the time. and this is where planetarium software comes into the picture. (simple example: polaris is the pole star today, but 14,000 years ago, the pole star was if i remember correctly the star vega)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sri venkat
Subject: Eclipse, astronomical events and the historicity of Mahabharata
To:
Of special interest is "In Mahabharata alone there are 150 instances
where worldly events are mentioned along with the planetary positions
in the sky. And, in addition to that, other astronomical events such
as occurrence of an eclipse, or appearance of a comet, or rare events
like shower of meteorites have been mentioned."
HISTORICITY OF MAHABHARATA WAR
http://www.indianresurgence.com/history1.htm
In January 2001, Indian History Congress was holding its Annual
Conference at the Alipur Campus of the University of Calcutta and at
the concluding session of the said Conference the Nobel Laureate
economist Dr. Amartya Sen, while addressing the delegates, said that
Ramayana and Mahabharata do not have any historical value. These two
epics are simply mythology and nothing but poets' fancy. He also said
that neither Rama nor Krishna was a historical personality and both of
them were simply mythical.
Gandhiji wrote two commentaries on Shrimadbhagavadgita, Anasaktiyoga
and Gitabodha, and in the introduction of the former work, he wrote,
"Generally Mahabharata is taken to be a historical work. But in my
opinion, it is not so. I cannot say that Ramayana and Mahabharata are
historical works. They are simply religious works. If you are still
inclined to treat them as historical works, then I should say that
they are nothing but the history of the Self (Atma). They do not
contain what happened thousands of years ago. On the contrary, they
are the reflections of what is happening today in every soul". About
Lord Krishna, he wrote, "Krishna of Gita is the embodiment of pure and
divine knowledge, but without having any physical existence. By this
the Avatar Krishna is not denied at all, but only it is said that He
is mythical".
It is not difficult to understand that all such utterances of Sen,
Gandhi and many other like minded Indians derive inspiration from the
Western interpretation of Indian history. Most of the Western scholars
firmly believe that our ancestors grossly neglected writing history
and what we claim to be our history is nothing but mythology. So M.
Winternitz in his History of Indian Literature writes, "History is one
weak spot in Indian literature. It is, in fact, non-existent. The
total lack of historical sense is so characteristic that the whole
course of Sanskrit literature is darkened by the defect". The renowned
German scholar Max Muller, in his History of Ancient Sanskrit
Literature, writes, "No wonder that a nation like India cared so
little for history". "With regard to history, the Hindus have done
really nothing but romances from which some truth may occasionally be
extracted", says another Western scholar Major Wilford. These scholars
refuse to accept Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas as historical
works as there are no mention of year and dates of the events
described therein.
But people of this country firmly believe that Ramayana, Mahabharata
and the Puranas are their history and not simply epics or poets'
fancy. So Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, the director of the Chennai based
Saraswati River Research Centre, says that the historicity of the
events described in Ramayana and Mahabharata is validated by two
evidences: one is based on tradition and the other is based on
jyotisha, or planetary configurations and other celestial events
narrated along with mundane events described in those epics, which may
be called sky epigraphs.
So far tradition is concerned, people of this nation believe that Lord
Rama was born on the day of Ramanavami and Lord Krishna was born on
the day of Janmastami and so on. In fact, there is a long list of such
traditional beliefs such as: Bhishma died on the Bhishmastami day, on
the day of Vijaya Dashami, Lord Rama celebrated the day, with His
army, as the day of victory after killing Ravana and defeating his
army just on the previous day, on the day of Deepavali, Lord Rama
returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and the people of Ayodhya
celebrated the day and decorated their houses by lighting lamps and
the tradition is still being continued; the War of Kurukshetra began
on the day of Gita Jayanti and so on and so forth.
It is really strange that the people of Western Garhwal,
now in the state of Uttaranchal, observe every year the Duryodhana
Festival. There also exists a temple dedicated to Duryodhana where
people offer their puja and many believe that the city of Varanavat,
where Duryodhana tried to burn the Pandavas alive, was situated in
that locality. It is also really striking that people of this country
offer water in memory of Bhishma during shraddha ceremony. The point
to be highlighted here is that, had all these been poets' fancy and
mythical, the traditions could not have been continued for such a long
time.
The aspect of celestial epigraph, or planetary positions
described in these epics, particularly in Mahabharata, undoubtedly
shows that the said epics do mention the dates of events described
therein, which the Western scholars failed miserably to understand. In
Mahabharata alone there are 150 instances where worldly events are
mentioned along with the planetary positions in the sky. And, in
addition to that, other astronomical events such as occurrence of an
eclipse, or appearance of a comet, or rare events like shower of
meteorites have been mentioned. A few of such examples may be
mentioned below
The Udyoga Parva of Mahabharata narrates that, just before the War,
Lord Krishna, in His final peace mission, went to Hastinapur in the
month of Kartika. He set out on the day when moon was at the asterism
Revati. On His way to Hastinapur, Krishna took rest for a day at a
place called Brikasthala, and on that day the moon was at the asterism
Bharani. The day on which Duryodhana turned down each and every effort
of Lord Krishna to make peace and made the war inevitable, the moon
was resting at the asterism Pushya. And the Lord left Hastinapura with
Karna, on the day when the moon was yet to reach the asterism Uttara
Phalguni. As mentioned above, Karna accompanied Him to some distance
to see Him off and he then described to the Lord the positions of
planets in the sky and expressed his apprehension that such a
planetary configuration stood for very bad omen: such as large scale
loss of life and drenching of blood. Vyasadeva narrated all these
planetary positions in as many as sixteen verses as if someone was
describing it after visualizing them in the sky. It is also well known
that during the War, Lord Balarama went on a pilgrimage to holy places
along the banks of the River Saraswati and Mahabharata describes the
position of the moon during the entire course of pilgrimage. For
example, He set out on the day when the moon was at the asterism
Pushya and returned on the day when the moon was at the asterism
Shravana.
The Mahabharata also mentions the occurrence of a solar
eclipse at the asterism Jyestha and a lunar eclipse at the asterism
Krittika, just before the beginning of the War. It also mentions the
appearance of a comet at the asterism Pushya, on the 8th day of the
bright half of the month of Magha, when Bhishma died. On that day the
moon was at the asterism Rohini and it was the day of Winter Solstice.
The day on which Ghatotkacha, son of Bhima, died, the moon appeared at
the horizon at 2.00 a.m. The epic also mentions the occurrence of a
very rare astronomical event that took place prior to the War: three
eclipses, two lunar and a solar, within a lunar month of 27 days.
There is also another continuing tradition in this country
that says that the beginning of the present Kali Yuga, Kurukshetra
War, death of Lord Krishna and coronation of Emperor Yudhishthira were
contemporary events. Famous astronomer Aryabhatta in his celebrated
work Aryabhatiyam had accepted the said tradition and used the word
"Bharatapurvam" in the said work very often and scholars agree that he
used the word to refer to such events that occurred before the
Mahabharata War. In 1991, Dr. D. Abhayankar and Dr. Ballabh of the
Osmania University calculated that the present Kali Yuga began on 7th
February, 3104 B.C. But it is now well accepted by the both Eastern
and the Western scholars that the present Kali Yuga began on the
midnight of 17th and 18th February, 3102 B.C. And hence it can roughly
be said that the Mahabharata War took place nearly 5000 years ago from
now.
Today, man has created a machine called computer which,
though most idiotic, can do mathematical calculations at an incredible
speed. According to a popular ad of a computer company, the
calculations which Johannes Kepler took ten years to complete, can be
done today within minutes, using a computer. It has therefore been
possible for the scientists, with the help of this fantastic machine,
to determine the dates of ancient events with unthinkable accuracy,
using the planetary configurations given in the Mahabharata , as
inputs. They have developed so many software for this purpose and to
name a few are: (1) Planetarium, (2) Ecliptic, (3) Lode star and
the(4) Panchang Software.
In 2003, a two day seminar was held on 5th and 6th
January, in Bangalore, on "The Date of Mahabharata War: Based on
Astronomical Data Using Planetarium Software", and a few of the
eminent researchers who submitted papers were (1) Dr. S. Balakrishna
of NASA, USA; (2) Dr. B. N. Narahari Achar, Department of Physics,
Memphis University, USA; (3) Dr. R. N. Iyengar, Department of Civil
Engineering, IISc, Bangalore; (4) Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Saraswati River
Research Centre, Chennai and so on. These scientists agree that there
does not exist any contradiction between any two descriptions of
planetary configurations given in the Mahabharata.
Dr. S. Balakrishna has studied the eclipses, both solar and lunar,
described in the Mahabharata and tried to find out the dates of those
eclipses using the Lode Star Software. Generally 240 solar and 150
lunar eclipses occur in a century and during the period from 3300 B.C.
to 700 B.C. nearly 6000 solar and 4000 lunar eclipses took place,
though not all of them were visible from India, or to be more precise,
fromKurukshetra. Out of them, 672 were eclipse pairs, or both solar
and lunar eclipses within a lunar month. Dr. Balakrishna studied the
eclipses those have been mentioned in the text of Mahabharata. In
fact, there are mentions of solar eclipses at 8 places in Mahabharata,
out of which three of them are very important. Firstly, the solar
eclipse that is mentioned in the Sabha Parva. The second solar eclipse
which is mentioned in the Udyoga Parva to which Karna tried to draw
the attention of Lord Krishna when He was returning from Hastinapur.
The third important solar eclipse has been mentioned in the Shalya
Parva, that occurred along with two lunar eclipses within a month.
Many believe that there was a total solar eclipse occurred on the 13th
day of the War, which has been allegorically mentioned as covering the
sun by Lord Krishna with His Sudarshan Chakra.
The epic Mahabharata has so many other aspects which
common people do not know. Firstly, the epic as we see it today
containing 100,000 verses was not the creation of Vedavyasa. He
composed what was then known as the Jai, containing only 8,800 verses.
Later on Rishi Vaishampayana enlarged it to contain 24,000 verses
which was then known as the Bharata. Finally Sauti, the son of the
suta (the chariot driver) Lomaharshana, gave it present form as we see
now, containing 100,000 verses.
It has been mentioned earlier that just prior to the
Mahabharata War, a very rare event of three eclipses occurring within
a lunar month took place: a lunar eclipse followed by a solar one and
then another lunar eclipse. According to the text of Mahabharata, the
solar eclipse occurred just 13 days after the first lunar eclipse. Dr.
S. Balakrishna of NASA, USA, has searched all eclipse pairs, a lunar
eclipse followed by a solar eclipse after 13 days, that took place
from 3300 B.C. to 700 B.C., using the Lodestar pro-software. He found
that nearly 672 eclipse pairs have occurred within the said period,
out of which 27 pairs have been found to have less than 14 days time
gap. And according to Dr. Balakrishna, the eclipse pair of 2559 is the
best match with the description given in the text of Mahabharata. But
according to Dr. Kalyanaraman, the eclipses occurred in 3067 B.C.- the
lunar eclipse on 29th September at the asterism Krittika and the solar
eclipse on 14th October at the asterism Jyestha.
Researcher Dr. P. V. Holay examined 6 planetary
configurations given in the Mahabharata and concluded that the War
began on 13th November, 3143 B.C. But Dr. K. S. Raghavan and his
coworker Dr. G. S. Sampath Iyengar, using the Planetarium software
came to the conclusion that the Kurukshetra War began on 22nd day of
November, 3067 B.C. (according to the present Gregorian calendar).
Professor Dr. Narahari Achar of the University of Memphis, USA, also
arrived at the same conclusion using the said Planetarium software.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman of the Saraswati River Research Centre, Chennai,
found the estimates of Dr. K. S. Raghavan and Dr. Narahari Achar
correct and, on that basis, calculated the dates of some other
important events of Mahabharata.
For example: Lord Krishna, on His final peace mission, set out for
Hastinapur on 26th September, 3067 B.C. when the moon was at the
asterism Revati. Lord Krishna arrived Hastinapur on 28th September,
3067 B.C., when the moon was at the asterism Bharani. The full moon
and lunar eclipse at Krittika occurred on 29th September, 3067 B.C.
The solar eclipse at Jyestha occurred on 14th October, 3067 B.C.
Lord Balarama set out for pilgrimage on 1st November, 3067 B.C.
The War began on 22nd November, 3067 B.C.
Lord Balarama concluded His pilgrimage on 12th December, 3067 B.C.
The winter solstice occurred on 13th January, 3066 B.C.
Bhishma died on 17th January, 3066 B.C.
The comet Mahaghora appeared at the asterism Pushya in October, 3066 B.C.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the said seminar officially
accepted that the Mahabharata War began, as mentioned above, on 22nd
November, 3067 B.C. So it appears that the Mahabharata War took place,
not in Dwapara Yuga but, in the 35th year of the present Kali Yuga. It
is not unlikely because according to the text of Mahabharata, the War
took place at the juncture of Dwapara and Kali Yuga.
Last year, (2005 A.D.), astrologer Arun Kumar Bansal, using computer
software, calculated date of birth of Lord Krishna and it was 21st
July, 3228 B.C. So it appears that during the Mahabharata War, age of
Lord Krishna was 161 years. At the first sight, it may appear to be
absurd. But it should be mentioned here that, according to Hindu
scriptures, the normal life span of human beings is 400 years in Krita
(or Satya), 300 years in Treta, 200 years in Dwapara and 100 years in
Kali Yuga. In fact, during the Kurukshetra War, most of the military
top brass of both Kauravas and Pandavas were more than 100 years old.
To conclude, it should be mentioned here that the discovery of the
ruins of the city of Dwaraka by the renowned archaeologist Dr. S. R.
Rao, under the Arabian Sea, provides another strong evidence that Lord
Krishna and the story of Mahabharata were a reality and not simply
poet's fancy.
From: sri venkat
Subject: Eclipse, astronomical events and the historicity of Mahabharata
To:
Of special interest is "In Mahabharata alone there are 150 instances
where worldly events are mentioned along with the planetary positions
in the sky. And, in addition to that, other astronomical events such
as occurrence of an eclipse, or appearance of a comet, or rare events
like shower of meteorites have been mentioned."
HISTORICITY OF MAHABHARATA WAR
http://www.indianresurgence.com/history1.htm
In January 2001, Indian History Congress was holding its Annual
Conference at the Alipur Campus of the University of Calcutta and at
the concluding session of the said Conference the Nobel Laureate
economist Dr. Amartya Sen, while addressing the delegates, said that
Ramayana and Mahabharata do not have any historical value. These two
epics are simply mythology and nothing but poets' fancy. He also said
that neither Rama nor Krishna was a historical personality and both of
them were simply mythical.
Gandhiji wrote two commentaries on Shrimadbhagavadgita, Anasaktiyoga
and Gitabodha, and in the introduction of the former work, he wrote,
"Generally Mahabharata is taken to be a historical work. But in my
opinion, it is not so. I cannot say that Ramayana and Mahabharata are
historical works. They are simply religious works. If you are still
inclined to treat them as historical works, then I should say that
they are nothing but the history of the Self (Atma). They do not
contain what happened thousands of years ago. On the contrary, they
are the reflections of what is happening today in every soul". About
Lord Krishna, he wrote, "Krishna of Gita is the embodiment of pure and
divine knowledge, but without having any physical existence. By this
the Avatar Krishna is not denied at all, but only it is said that He
is mythical".
It is not difficult to understand that all such utterances of Sen,
Gandhi and many other like minded Indians derive inspiration from the
Western interpretation of Indian history. Most of the Western scholars
firmly believe that our ancestors grossly neglected writing history
and what we claim to be our history is nothing but mythology. So M.
Winternitz in his History of Indian Literature writes, "History is one
weak spot in Indian literature. It is, in fact, non-existent. The
total lack of historical sense is so characteristic that the whole
course of Sanskrit literature is darkened by the defect". The renowned
German scholar Max Muller, in his History of Ancient Sanskrit
Literature, writes, "No wonder that a nation like India cared so
little for history". "With regard to history, the Hindus have done
really nothing but romances from which some truth may occasionally be
extracted", says another Western scholar Major Wilford. These scholars
refuse to accept Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas as historical
works as there are no mention of year and dates of the events
described therein.
But people of this country firmly believe that Ramayana, Mahabharata
and the Puranas are their history and not simply epics or poets'
fancy. So Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, the director of the Chennai based
Saraswati River Research Centre, says that the historicity of the
events described in Ramayana and Mahabharata is validated by two
evidences: one is based on tradition and the other is based on
jyotisha, or planetary configurations and other celestial events
narrated along with mundane events described in those epics, which may
be called sky epigraphs.
So far tradition is concerned, people of this nation believe that Lord
Rama was born on the day of Ramanavami and Lord Krishna was born on
the day of Janmastami and so on. In fact, there is a long list of such
traditional beliefs such as: Bhishma died on the Bhishmastami day, on
the day of Vijaya Dashami, Lord Rama celebrated the day, with His
army, as the day of victory after killing Ravana and defeating his
army just on the previous day, on the day of Deepavali, Lord Rama
returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and the people of Ayodhya
celebrated the day and decorated their houses by lighting lamps and
the tradition is still being continued; the War of Kurukshetra began
on the day of Gita Jayanti and so on and so forth.
It is really strange that the people of Western Garhwal,
now in the state of Uttaranchal, observe every year the Duryodhana
Festival. There also exists a temple dedicated to Duryodhana where
people offer their puja and many believe that the city of Varanavat,
where Duryodhana tried to burn the Pandavas alive, was situated in
that locality. It is also really striking that people of this country
offer water in memory of Bhishma during shraddha ceremony. The point
to be highlighted here is that, had all these been poets' fancy and
mythical, the traditions could not have been continued for such a long
time.
The aspect of celestial epigraph, or planetary positions
described in these epics, particularly in Mahabharata, undoubtedly
shows that the said epics do mention the dates of events described
therein, which the Western scholars failed miserably to understand. In
Mahabharata alone there are 150 instances where worldly events are
mentioned along with the planetary positions in the sky. And, in
addition to that, other astronomical events such as occurrence of an
eclipse, or appearance of a comet, or rare events like shower of
meteorites have been mentioned. A few of such examples may be
mentioned below
The Udyoga Parva of Mahabharata narrates that, just before the War,
Lord Krishna, in His final peace mission, went to Hastinapur in the
month of Kartika. He set out on the day when moon was at the asterism
Revati. On His way to Hastinapur, Krishna took rest for a day at a
place called Brikasthala, and on that day the moon was at the asterism
Bharani. The day on which Duryodhana turned down each and every effort
of Lord Krishna to make peace and made the war inevitable, the moon
was resting at the asterism Pushya. And the Lord left Hastinapura with
Karna, on the day when the moon was yet to reach the asterism Uttara
Phalguni. As mentioned above, Karna accompanied Him to some distance
to see Him off and he then described to the Lord the positions of
planets in the sky and expressed his apprehension that such a
planetary configuration stood for very bad omen: such as large scale
loss of life and drenching of blood. Vyasadeva narrated all these
planetary positions in as many as sixteen verses as if someone was
describing it after visualizing them in the sky. It is also well known
that during the War, Lord Balarama went on a pilgrimage to holy places
along the banks of the River Saraswati and Mahabharata describes the
position of the moon during the entire course of pilgrimage. For
example, He set out on the day when the moon was at the asterism
Pushya and returned on the day when the moon was at the asterism
Shravana.
The Mahabharata also mentions the occurrence of a solar
eclipse at the asterism Jyestha and a lunar eclipse at the asterism
Krittika, just before the beginning of the War. It also mentions the
appearance of a comet at the asterism Pushya, on the 8th day of the
bright half of the month of Magha, when Bhishma died. On that day the
moon was at the asterism Rohini and it was the day of Winter Solstice.
The day on which Ghatotkacha, son of Bhima, died, the moon appeared at
the horizon at 2.00 a.m. The epic also mentions the occurrence of a
very rare astronomical event that took place prior to the War: three
eclipses, two lunar and a solar, within a lunar month of 27 days.
There is also another continuing tradition in this country
that says that the beginning of the present Kali Yuga, Kurukshetra
War, death of Lord Krishna and coronation of Emperor Yudhishthira were
contemporary events. Famous astronomer Aryabhatta in his celebrated
work Aryabhatiyam had accepted the said tradition and used the word
"Bharatapurvam" in the said work very often and scholars agree that he
used the word to refer to such events that occurred before the
Mahabharata War. In 1991, Dr. D. Abhayankar and Dr. Ballabh of the
Osmania University calculated that the present Kali Yuga began on 7th
February, 3104 B.C. But it is now well accepted by the both Eastern
and the Western scholars that the present Kali Yuga began on the
midnight of 17th and 18th February, 3102 B.C. And hence it can roughly
be said that the Mahabharata War took place nearly 5000 years ago from
now.
Today, man has created a machine called computer which,
though most idiotic, can do mathematical calculations at an incredible
speed. According to a popular ad of a computer company, the
calculations which Johannes Kepler took ten years to complete, can be
done today within minutes, using a computer. It has therefore been
possible for the scientists, with the help of this fantastic machine,
to determine the dates of ancient events with unthinkable accuracy,
using the planetary configurations given in the Mahabharata , as
inputs. They have developed so many software for this purpose and to
name a few are: (1) Planetarium, (2) Ecliptic, (3) Lode star and
the(4) Panchang Software.
In 2003, a two day seminar was held on 5th and 6th
January, in Bangalore, on "The Date of Mahabharata War: Based on
Astronomical Data Using Planetarium Software", and a few of the
eminent researchers who submitted papers were (1) Dr. S. Balakrishna
of NASA, USA; (2) Dr. B. N. Narahari Achar, Department of Physics,
Memphis University, USA; (3) Dr. R. N. Iyengar, Department of Civil
Engineering, IISc, Bangalore; (4) Dr. S. Kalyanaraman, Saraswati River
Research Centre, Chennai and so on. These scientists agree that there
does not exist any contradiction between any two descriptions of
planetary configurations given in the Mahabharata.
Dr. S. Balakrishna has studied the eclipses, both solar and lunar,
described in the Mahabharata and tried to find out the dates of those
eclipses using the Lode Star Software. Generally 240 solar and 150
lunar eclipses occur in a century and during the period from 3300 B.C.
to 700 B.C. nearly 6000 solar and 4000 lunar eclipses took place,
though not all of them were visible from India, or to be more precise,
fromKurukshetra. Out of them, 672 were eclipse pairs, or both solar
and lunar eclipses within a lunar month. Dr. Balakrishna studied the
eclipses those have been mentioned in the text of Mahabharata. In
fact, there are mentions of solar eclipses at 8 places in Mahabharata,
out of which three of them are very important. Firstly, the solar
eclipse that is mentioned in the Sabha Parva. The second solar eclipse
which is mentioned in the Udyoga Parva to which Karna tried to draw
the attention of Lord Krishna when He was returning from Hastinapur.
The third important solar eclipse has been mentioned in the Shalya
Parva, that occurred along with two lunar eclipses within a month.
Many believe that there was a total solar eclipse occurred on the 13th
day of the War, which has been allegorically mentioned as covering the
sun by Lord Krishna with His Sudarshan Chakra.
The epic Mahabharata has so many other aspects which
common people do not know. Firstly, the epic as we see it today
containing 100,000 verses was not the creation of Vedavyasa. He
composed what was then known as the Jai, containing only 8,800 verses.
Later on Rishi Vaishampayana enlarged it to contain 24,000 verses
which was then known as the Bharata. Finally Sauti, the son of the
suta (the chariot driver) Lomaharshana, gave it present form as we see
now, containing 100,000 verses.
It has been mentioned earlier that just prior to the
Mahabharata War, a very rare event of three eclipses occurring within
a lunar month took place: a lunar eclipse followed by a solar one and
then another lunar eclipse. According to the text of Mahabharata, the
solar eclipse occurred just 13 days after the first lunar eclipse. Dr.
S. Balakrishna of NASA, USA, has searched all eclipse pairs, a lunar
eclipse followed by a solar eclipse after 13 days, that took place
from 3300 B.C. to 700 B.C., using the Lodestar pro-software. He found
that nearly 672 eclipse pairs have occurred within the said period,
out of which 27 pairs have been found to have less than 14 days time
gap. And according to Dr. Balakrishna, the eclipse pair of 2559 is the
best match with the description given in the text of Mahabharata. But
according to Dr. Kalyanaraman, the eclipses occurred in 3067 B.C.- the
lunar eclipse on 29th September at the asterism Krittika and the solar
eclipse on 14th October at the asterism Jyestha.
Researcher Dr. P. V. Holay examined 6 planetary
configurations given in the Mahabharata and concluded that the War
began on 13th November, 3143 B.C. But Dr. K. S. Raghavan and his
coworker Dr. G. S. Sampath Iyengar, using the Planetarium software
came to the conclusion that the Kurukshetra War began on 22nd day of
November, 3067 B.C. (according to the present Gregorian calendar).
Professor Dr. Narahari Achar of the University of Memphis, USA, also
arrived at the same conclusion using the said Planetarium software.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman of the Saraswati River Research Centre, Chennai,
found the estimates of Dr. K. S. Raghavan and Dr. Narahari Achar
correct and, on that basis, calculated the dates of some other
important events of Mahabharata.
For example: Lord Krishna, on His final peace mission, set out for
Hastinapur on 26th September, 3067 B.C. when the moon was at the
asterism Revati. Lord Krishna arrived Hastinapur on 28th September,
3067 B.C., when the moon was at the asterism Bharani. The full moon
and lunar eclipse at Krittika occurred on 29th September, 3067 B.C.
The solar eclipse at Jyestha occurred on 14th October, 3067 B.C.
Lord Balarama set out for pilgrimage on 1st November, 3067 B.C.
The War began on 22nd November, 3067 B.C.
Lord Balarama concluded His pilgrimage on 12th December, 3067 B.C.
The winter solstice occurred on 13th January, 3066 B.C.
Bhishma died on 17th January, 3066 B.C.
The comet Mahaghora appeared at the asterism Pushya in October, 3066 B.C.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the said seminar officially
accepted that the Mahabharata War began, as mentioned above, on 22nd
November, 3067 B.C. So it appears that the Mahabharata War took place,
not in Dwapara Yuga but, in the 35th year of the present Kali Yuga. It
is not unlikely because according to the text of Mahabharata, the War
took place at the juncture of Dwapara and Kali Yuga.
Last year, (2005 A.D.), astrologer Arun Kumar Bansal, using computer
software, calculated date of birth of Lord Krishna and it was 21st
July, 3228 B.C. So it appears that during the Mahabharata War, age of
Lord Krishna was 161 years. At the first sight, it may appear to be
absurd. But it should be mentioned here that, according to Hindu
scriptures, the normal life span of human beings is 400 years in Krita
(or Satya), 300 years in Treta, 200 years in Dwapara and 100 years in
Kali Yuga. In fact, during the Kurukshetra War, most of the military
top brass of both Kauravas and Pandavas were more than 100 years old.
To conclude, it should be mentioned here that the discovery of the
ruins of the city of Dwaraka by the renowned archaeologist Dr. S. R.
Rao, under the Arabian Sea, provides another strong evidence that Lord
Krishna and the story of Mahabharata were a reality and not simply
poet's fancy.
Monday, July 20, 2009
amb bhadrakumar: Intrigues in Central Asia
jul 20th, 2009
ironic that first-class ass brzezinski's nurturing of mohammedan terrorists will hurt his and obama's big pals, the chinese? not to mention this might eventually lead to the 'eurabia' syndrome as the soviets are not there any more to absorb chechnya and other mohammedan terrorists? that would be swell.
does this mean that n ram will now call uighurs 'splittists'? heavens, i am shocked, shocked.
india needs to listen to these scheming democrats like brzezinski, clinton and obama like it needs a hole in the head.
Who is/was fighting whom? Can you make out?
Islamist fighters on the Silk Road
Date:20/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/20/stories/2009072055470800.htm
M.K. Bhadrakumar
A steadily rising curve of Islamist activities is becoming visible in Central Asia.
In his book Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia, noted Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid describes how the United States' Central Intelligence Agency, Britain's MI6 and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence drew up a provocative plan in 1986 to launch mujahideen attacks in the Soviet territory, presently within Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The task was given to the ISI's favourite mujahideen leader, Gulbuddi n Hekmatyar. Of course, the idea itself — the use of militant Islamists as a geopolitical tool to lacerate the "soft underbelly" of the Soviet Union — belonged to the U.S. National Security Advisor, ZbigniewBrzezinski.
....
To be sure, a second post-Soviet wave of Islamism is appearing in the region. Islamist fighters are arriving on the Silk Road, poking Russia's — and China's — "soft underbelly" in a way that will do Brzezenski proud.
belligerent EC says: prove EVMs are flawed
jul 20th, 2009
well, qureishi, we will do exactly that as soon as you provide a few actual EVMs. at the moment, you are shadow-boxing. you say nobody has demonstrated EVM fraud on the actual EVMs. hard to do if you won't give us a few units or tell us the details. when we demonstrate proof of concept on other hardware you say, "it is not the same".
typical sleazeball behavior.
talk of red herrings and belligerent brazenness!
well, qureishi, we will do exactly that as soon as you provide a few actual EVMs. at the moment, you are shadow-boxing. you say nobody has demonstrated EVM fraud on the actual EVMs. hard to do if you won't give us a few units or tell us the details. when we demonstrate proof of concept on other hardware you say, "it is not the same".
typical sleazeball behavior.
talk of red herrings and belligerent brazenness!
EVMs rigged? Poll panel challenges doubters
Published on Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 21:39 in India section
Watch video: EC – EVMs can't be rigged; Hacking EVMs not easy
http://ibnlive.in.com/pix/sitepix/07_2009/evm-rig313.jpg Doubting Thomas? Come and prove. We will videograph the whole process, says Election Commissioner SY Quraishi.
New Delhi: The controversy over electronic voting machines (EVMs) has a new twist. The Election Commission has challenged a software developer to prove his claim that EVMs can be programmed to guarantee victories for particular candidates or parties.
Ripujit Nomthondam claims the software he has developed can be put into any EVM by activating an already existing secret loop to ensure that by default every fifth vote will go in favour of a chosen candidate.
"The software can give two different results: one is a correct count and the other manipulated. I have put one invalid key that can activate the secret loop in the programme code (of EVMs)," claims Nomthondam.
But the Election Commission points out that Nomthondam's software has been developed on a laptop and without access to EVMs. The Saigal brothers, Krishan and Omesh, who first talked about the software, reject the safety claims of the Election Commission's experts.
"We don't have an EVM so we have asked the Election Commission to give us a machine and give us 10 days. We will show it can be done (EVMs can be tampered with)," says Krishan Saigal. "It is amazing that for Rs 500 a young programmer in seven days can produce a programme which can rig elections."
Meanwhile, head of Election Commission's experts, Professor PV Indiresan, laughs off Saigal's complaints about the EVMs. "This is like asking Sita to prove her chastity by giving agni pariksha. That is all I can say," says Indiresan.
And along with Indiresan the Election Commission believes they have foolproof logic on their side and says Nomthondam is painting a rather simplistic picture.
It requires six bits of information to access one candidate on every machine and would require the complicity of a large number of officials if even a small section of the 12 lakh EVMs are to be manipulated. Besides, one has to know the source code of the EVMs to programme it to rig.
"The EVMs software programme is frozen and cannot be entered and it cannot be rigged," says Indiresan.
The Election Commission has challenged the Saigals and Nomthondam to prove their case. Sources tell CNN-IBN that the Election Commission is bringing in a powerful panel comprising experts and the two manufacturers of EVMs, Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd, to prove the EVMs' safety.
It has also challenged doubters to prove their suspicions about the machines.
"Come and prove. We will videograph the whole process—we throw a challenge. We are 100 per cent confident about the machines," said Election Commissioner SY Quraishi.
http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/97488/evms-rigged-poll-panel-challenges-doubters.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/printpage.php?id=97488§ion_id=3
http://sites.google.com/site/hindunew/electronic-voting-machines
can we write like this without being branded as a Hindu fundamentalist?
jul 20th, 2009
well, this don guy is a bit out there with his hyperventiation on 'judeo-christist' and 'english-only' and 'free-market' (especially the last, especially right now!), but yes, prakash has a point.
you are only allowed to say this sort of thing in india if you are a pakistani or a mohammedan terrorist. if you do, burqa dutt will invite you over to her show and lionize you as a great patriot. or, if you are a chinese fifth-columnist, in which case, prannoy roy will invite you and n ram will certify you.
well, this don guy is a bit out there with his hyperventiation on 'judeo-christist' and 'english-only' and 'free-market' (especially the last, especially right now!), but yes, prakash has a point.
you are only allowed to say this sort of thing in india if you are a pakistani or a mohammedan terrorist. if you do, burqa dutt will invite you over to her show and lionize you as a great patriot. or, if you are a chinese fifth-columnist, in which case, prannoy roy will invite you and n ram will certify you.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Prakash
From: Prakash
How to be a Patriot
By: Don Feder / GrassTopsUSA.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
By: Don Feder / GrassTopsUSA.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
A number of simple steps to increase national pride and become an infectious lover of country.
Patriotism isn't a seasonal occupation – something to be packed away with the flags and bunting until next year – not if you care about your country. Defending America is a year-round, 24/7 cause that requires knowledge, stamina, and commitment.
Especially in our hour of peril, with a doctrinaire leftist in the White House, now more than ever before, we need to raise up a new generation of patriots.
If you're wondering where to begin, you can start here:
1. Know your country's history – You can't defend America if you don't understand America. American history is barely taught in high school and rarely taught in college. A 2000 poll by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni gave seniors at elite colleges and universities a D or F grade on a high-school level history test. (Only 22 percent knew that "Of the people, by the people and for the people" came from the Gettysburg Address.) Read history by authors who believe in America – A History of the American People by Paul Johnson; America: The Last Best Hope (2 volumes) by William Bennett, and A Patriot's History of the United States by Schweikart and Allen. The more you read, the more you'll believe, and the more you'll want to fight.
2. Tell America's story – Especially to the young. And a glorious saga it is, from the Mayflower Compact to the Continental Congress, from Bull Run to the Bulge and Baghdad, from Washington's Farewell Address to Ronald Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech and beyond. Remind Americans that our national holidays mean something. Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving aren't there just to give them a three-day weekend, but to strike what Lincoln called the "mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone."
3. Stop the slander – The Left has made an art of defaming America, especially among the young and susceptible. Anti-Americanism is inculcated in public education, academia, and the entertainment and news media. The contagion is spread through multiculturalism, historical revisionism, magnifying our mistakes and ignoring our triumphs. The Left insists that we perpetually repent for slavery – an institution that existed everywhere for most of recorded history. America is the only nation that fought a Civil War (in which more than 600,000 died) to abolish this evil. Students won't hear that from the time-servers of the National Education Association, who are too busy sex-educating and global-warming indoctrinating to bother with Nathan Hale and Omaha Beach.
4. Defend the Constitution – Not the Constitution a la William J. Brennan, David Souter, and Ruth Bader-Ginsburg – the fantasy Constitution of judicial activists that permits late-term abortion but forbids public display of the Ten Commandments – but the Constitution that protects freedom of speech (whether or not the New York Times likes that speech), the right to profess a belief in God in public places, our right to keep and bear arms, and a government of limited powers. Speak out against hate-crimes laws, gun control legislation, efforts to socialize the economy, attempts to regulate speech on talk-radio and the internet, and the confirmation of Quota Queen and "wise Latina woman" Sonia Sotomayor.
5. Know that we are still very much "One Nation Under God" (Not Allah) – America was founded by Christians on Judeo-Christian principles – witness multiple references to God in the Declaration of Independence, in the words of Madison, Adams, et. al., and in lyrics from "in God is our trust" in the National Anthem to Mr. Berlin's "God Bless America." The Founders were inspired by a uniquely Biblical worldview: liberty, equality under the law, charity, and representative government. Because of this spiritual legacy, America had a greater impact on the last two centuries than any other nation. Without it, America makes no sense. A nation can't be strong – militarily or economically – if it's weak spiritually. The patriot should work for public display of religious symbols, the return of prayer to the public schools, and a public acknowledgement on the role religion played, and continues to play, in our national life. Whatever his faith, the patriot must counter the presidential big lie that we are no longer a Christian nation, but are deeply indebted to Islam.
6. Free the Market – There's a reason why Europe has stagnated in the postwar era while America has generally prospered. We believe in individual achievement, income-mobility, celebrating success and private property. They believe in class warfare, envy, resentment, "leisure" (as a life-goal), welfare, and collectivism. Now, we have a president who knows less about economics than national security and who is committed to the European model. As much as Judeo-Christian values and the family, capitalism defines who we are as a people, and why America has worked so well for so long.
7. Demand an End to Illegal Immigration – As Ronald Reagan noted, a nation that has lost control of its borders has lost its sovereignty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, immigrants (who accounted for one household in 21 in 1970) now represent one in 8 American households. How many immigrants can the country take in? With illegal immigration, we don't know who's coming here, and which of the intruders are hardcore criminals or terrorists. The man who loves his family will protect his home from invasion. The man who loves his country will protect it from invaders. That means opposing any more amnesties, in-state tuition. and drivers' licenses for illegals, and demanding enforcement at and beyond the border.
8. Insist on English – In 2007, more than 55 million people in the United States were living in households where a language other than English was spoken. There are powerful forces working to turn America into a bilingual (or multilingual) nation – including bureaucrats, business interests and ethnic lobbying groups. English is the linguistic glue that holds our country together. All of the documents on which America was founded were written in English. Without a common tongue, dissolution is inevitable. The patriot will oppose bilingual education, bilingual ballots, and language pandering.
9. Defend the Family – America can't be strong without strong families. The family is the incubator of civic virtues, including patriotism. Functional families are the foundation for a nation that works. Every social ill that afflicts America – drug abuse, crime, poverty, illegitimacy, etc. – has its roots in family breakdown. Families are the first line of national defense.
10. Support Israel – America and Israel are two countries joined at the heart – more intimately connected than any others, including the U.S. and the UK. America was founded on the vision first glimpsed at Sinai. Without ancient Israel, there would have been no America. Without America (circa 1948), there would have been no modern State of Israel. The same Marxists and Islamacists who would destroy Israel also have America in their sights. To betray Israel is to betray ourselves.
11. Don't despair – In the words of Winston Churchill: "Never, never, never quit." Don't say it's all hopeless because the all-powerful media serves as an adjunct White House Press Office, because Obama is subsidizing a partisan army from the Treasury, because the Party of Treason has 60 votes in the Senate, because billionaire Bolsheviks like George Soros bankroll groups like Move-On.org, because Michael Jackson-worship reflects the degeneration of American culture, or because many of our fellow Americans are too dumb or apathetic to understand what's happening. Consider the odds Washington faced in the winter of 1776, when the fate of the patriot cause hung by a thread. Imagine what it was like to be a G.I. wading ashore under withering fire on D-Day. With God on our side and a firm faith in the justice of our cause, we cannot lose – or, in the words of the Star-Spangled Banner, "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just."
Especially in our hour of peril, with a doctrinaire leftist in the White House, now more than ever before, we need to raise up a new generation of patriots.
If you're wondering where to begin, you can start here:
1. Know your country's history – You can't defend America if you don't understand America. American history is barely taught in high school and rarely taught in college. A 2000 poll by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni gave seniors at elite colleges and universities a D or F grade on a high-school level history test. (Only 22 percent knew that "Of the people, by the people and for the people" came from the Gettysburg Address.) Read history by authors who believe in America – A History of the American People by Paul Johnson; America: The Last Best Hope (2 volumes) by William Bennett, and A Patriot's History of the United States by Schweikart and Allen. The more you read, the more you'll believe, and the more you'll want to fight.
2. Tell America's story – Especially to the young. And a glorious saga it is, from the Mayflower Compact to the Continental Congress, from Bull Run to the Bulge and Baghdad, from Washington's Farewell Address to Ronald Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech and beyond. Remind Americans that our national holidays mean something. Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving aren't there just to give them a three-day weekend, but to strike what Lincoln called the "mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone."
3. Stop the slander – The Left has made an art of defaming America, especially among the young and susceptible. Anti-Americanism is inculcated in public education, academia, and the entertainment and news media. The contagion is spread through multiculturalism, historical revisionism, magnifying our mistakes and ignoring our triumphs. The Left insists that we perpetually repent for slavery – an institution that existed everywhere for most of recorded history. America is the only nation that fought a Civil War (in which more than 600,000 died) to abolish this evil. Students won't hear that from the time-servers of the National Education Association, who are too busy sex-educating and global-warming indoctrinating to bother with Nathan Hale and Omaha Beach.
4. Defend the Constitution – Not the Constitution a la William J. Brennan, David Souter, and Ruth Bader-Ginsburg – the fantasy Constitution of judicial activists that permits late-term abortion but forbids public display of the Ten Commandments – but the Constitution that protects freedom of speech (whether or not the New York Times likes that speech), the right to profess a belief in God in public places, our right to keep and bear arms, and a government of limited powers. Speak out against hate-crimes laws, gun control legislation, efforts to socialize the economy, attempts to regulate speech on talk-radio and the internet, and the confirmation of Quota Queen and "wise Latina woman" Sonia Sotomayor.
5. Know that we are still very much "One Nation Under God" (Not Allah) – America was founded by Christians on Judeo-Christian principles – witness multiple references to God in the Declaration of Independence, in the words of Madison, Adams, et. al., and in lyrics from "in God is our trust" in the National Anthem to Mr. Berlin's "God Bless America." The Founders were inspired by a uniquely Biblical worldview: liberty, equality under the law, charity, and representative government. Because of this spiritual legacy, America had a greater impact on the last two centuries than any other nation. Without it, America makes no sense. A nation can't be strong – militarily or economically – if it's weak spiritually. The patriot should work for public display of religious symbols, the return of prayer to the public schools, and a public acknowledgement on the role religion played, and continues to play, in our national life. Whatever his faith, the patriot must counter the presidential big lie that we are no longer a Christian nation, but are deeply indebted to Islam.
6. Free the Market – There's a reason why Europe has stagnated in the postwar era while America has generally prospered. We believe in individual achievement, income-mobility, celebrating success and private property. They believe in class warfare, envy, resentment, "leisure" (as a life-goal), welfare, and collectivism. Now, we have a president who knows less about economics than national security and who is committed to the European model. As much as Judeo-Christian values and the family, capitalism defines who we are as a people, and why America has worked so well for so long.
7. Demand an End to Illegal Immigration – As Ronald Reagan noted, a nation that has lost control of its borders has lost its sovereignty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, immigrants (who accounted for one household in 21 in 1970) now represent one in 8 American households. How many immigrants can the country take in? With illegal immigration, we don't know who's coming here, and which of the intruders are hardcore criminals or terrorists. The man who loves his family will protect his home from invasion. The man who loves his country will protect it from invaders. That means opposing any more amnesties, in-state tuition. and drivers' licenses for illegals, and demanding enforcement at and beyond the border.
8. Insist on English – In 2007, more than 55 million people in the United States were living in households where a language other than English was spoken. There are powerful forces working to turn America into a bilingual (or multilingual) nation – including bureaucrats, business interests and ethnic lobbying groups. English is the linguistic glue that holds our country together. All of the documents on which America was founded were written in English. Without a common tongue, dissolution is inevitable. The patriot will oppose bilingual education, bilingual ballots, and language pandering.
9. Defend the Family – America can't be strong without strong families. The family is the incubator of civic virtues, including patriotism. Functional families are the foundation for a nation that works. Every social ill that afflicts America – drug abuse, crime, poverty, illegitimacy, etc. – has its roots in family breakdown. Families are the first line of national defense.
10. Support Israel – America and Israel are two countries joined at the heart – more intimately connected than any others, including the U.S. and the UK. America was founded on the vision first glimpsed at Sinai. Without ancient Israel, there would have been no America. Without America (circa 1948), there would have been no modern State of Israel. The same Marxists and Islamacists who would destroy Israel also have America in their sights. To betray Israel is to betray ourselves.
11. Don't despair – In the words of Winston Churchill: "Never, never, never quit." Don't say it's all hopeless because the all-powerful media serves as an adjunct White House Press Office, because Obama is subsidizing a partisan army from the Treasury, because the Party of Treason has 60 votes in the Senate, because billionaire Bolsheviks like George Soros bankroll groups like Move-On.org, because Michael Jackson-worship reflects the degeneration of American culture, or because many of our fellow Americans are too dumb or apathetic to understand what's happening. Consider the odds Washington faced in the winter of 1776, when the fate of the patriot cause hung by a thread. Imagine what it was like to be a G.I. wading ashore under withering fire on D-Day. With God on our side and a firm faith in the justice of our cause, we cannot lose – or, in the words of the Star-Spangled Banner, "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just."
Bharat Verma's column on China and the Chinese Response
jul 20th, 2009
the han is shocked, shocked that we might think such a thing.
why on earth would 'peaceful' china attack india?
yeah, right.
i can tell you a good reason just like they were killing uighurs: they want empire, and they want lebensraum, and they want raw materials.
the han is shocked, shocked that we might think such a thing.
why on earth would 'peaceful' china attack india?
yeah, right.
i can tell you a good reason just like they were killing uighurs: they want empire, and they want lebensraum, and they want raw materials.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Radha
Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Subject: Bharat Verma's column on China and the Chinese Response
To:
Source: http://www.chinastakes.com
The 2000 km border between China and India has been a notable absence from press headlines in the years since then-Indian PM Vajpayee's 2003 visit to Beijing. Tensions, however, have risen again as India announced last month a plan to deploy two additional army divisions and two air force squadrons of Su-30 Fighter Unit, some 60,000 soldiers in total, in a disputed border area in the southern part of Tibet, which India claims as its state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Adding fuel to the flames is an article by Bharat Verma, editor of Indian Defense Review, predicting that China will attack India before 2012, leaving only three years to Indian government for preparation.
According to Mr. Verma, "growing unrest in China" due in part to economic downturn will leave the Chinese government looking for something to "divert the attention of its own people from 'unprecedented' internal dissent, growing unemployment and financial problems." China will also want to strike India before the latter becomes powerful, which is the reason for the 2012 "deadline." India, with its growing affiliation with the West, is yet weak under China's fire.
But a "China's attack" is not going to happen, and one wonders at the basis for Mr. Verma's thinking. First, although it is true that China's macro-economy has taken a hit from the global financial crisis, the extent of the damage is under control. Recent statistics shows China's economy grew 7.1% in the first half of 2009, while its foreign exchange reserve has exceeded $2 trillion. China's stimulus plan has been effective and given people confidence. China will survive the global downturn as well or better than the rest of the world's economies.
And even if China's economy was really all that bad, would the government try to distract "unrest" by taking military actions against India? Mr Verma's reasoning rests on a lack of documentation. Looking into the past 60 years, China has no record of launching a war to divert public attention from anything. Moreover, while Mr. Verma supposes the Chinese Communist Party has no cards to play other than "invading India," the Party, widely experienced in dealing with domestic disputes, will hardly in only three years have run out of all options facing potential social instability. Moreover, even if Chinese leaders considered such an option, they would certainly be aware that an external war would severely jeopardize domestic affairs.
Other reasons the author mentions in the article are also vague. The Western powers would not take kindly to a Chinese conflict with India, leaving China rightfully reluctant to use force in any case other than extreme provocation. US forces well deployed in Afghanistan and Pakistan could check any China's military action in South Asia. And then there is also the nuclear problem: there has never been a war between two nuclear equipped nations, and both sides would have to be extremely cautious in decision-making, giving more room for less violent solutions.
Further, it is important to realize there is no reason for China to launch a war, against India in particular. Economic development, rather than military achievement, has long been the consensus of value among China's core leaders and citizens. Despite occasional calls to "Reoccupy South Tibet (occupied Chinese territory)," China's decision-making is always cautious. It is not possible to see a Chinese "incursion" into India, even into Tawang, an Indian-occupied Buddhist holy land over which China argues a resolute sovereignty.
Last but not least, China's strategy, even during the 1962 border war with India, has been mainly oriented towards the east, where Taiwan is its core interest, while the recent Xinjiang unrest highlights China's growing anti-terrorist tasks in the northwest – both issues are more important than the southwest border. If China were to be involved in a war within the next three years, as unlikely as that seems, the adversary would hardly be India. The best option, the sole option, open for the Chinese government is to negotiate around the disputed territory.
However, there is one scenario where there is possibility for war: an aggressive Indian policy toward China, a "New Forward Policy," may aggravate border disputes and push China to use force – despite China's appeal, as far as possible, for peaceful solutions.
Consider the 1959-1962 conflict, the only recorded war between China and India in the long history of their civilizations. After some slight friction with China in 1959, the Indian army implemented aggressive action known as its Forward Policy. The Chinese Army made a limited but successful counterattack in 1962.
Now, it seems "back to the future". Mr. Verma asserts another war will happen before 2012, a half century after the last, regrettable one. India has started to deploy more troops in the border area, similar to its Forward Policy 50 years ago. Is Mr. Verma's China-bashing merely a justification for more troops deployed along the border? Will India's "New Forward Policy", as the old one did 50 years ago, trigger a "2012 war?"
The answers lie mainly on the Indian side. Given China's relatively small military garrison in Tibet, Indian's 60,000 additional soldiers may largely break the balance. If India is as "pacific" as Mr. Verma says, and is sincere in its border negotiation, China-India friendship will remain. After all, China shares a long and mostly friendly cultural exchange with India as well as other neighbors. Now China is seeking deeper cooperation, wider coordination, and better consensus with India, especially in the global recession, and peace is a precondition for doing so. China wants to say, "We are on the same side," as the Indian Ambassador did in a recent interview in China. Thus, "China will attack India before 2012" is a provocative and inflammatory illusion.
(Chen Xiaochen serves as a journalist of editorial and comments in China Business News.)
From: Radha
Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Subject: Bharat Verma's column on China and the Chinese Response
To:
Dear all, most of you would have read Capt. Bharat Verma's column on China. When wi wrote to him asking him if it indeed were he or his namesake, he affirmed it and also sent me the Chinese response to his column. I give you all the URL from the Vigil website where both columns are back to back. For those who already have Capt. Verma's column, i reproduce the text of the Chinese response as text. regards, RR
The Chinese Response
Illusion of "China's Attack on India Before 2012"
ByChen Xiaochen, Beijing,Published:July 17,2009Source: http://www.chinastakes.com
The 2000 km border between China and India has been a notable absence from press headlines in the years since then-Indian PM Vajpayee's 2003 visit to Beijing. Tensions, however, have risen again as India announced last month a plan to deploy two additional army divisions and two air force squadrons of Su-30 Fighter Unit, some 60,000 soldiers in total, in a disputed border area in the southern part of Tibet, which India claims as its state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Adding fuel to the flames is an article by Bharat Verma, editor of Indian Defense Review, predicting that China will attack India before 2012, leaving only three years to Indian government for preparation.
According to Mr. Verma, "growing unrest in China" due in part to economic downturn will leave the Chinese government looking for something to "divert the attention of its own people from 'unprecedented' internal dissent, growing unemployment and financial problems." China will also want to strike India before the latter becomes powerful, which is the reason for the 2012 "deadline." India, with its growing affiliation with the West, is yet weak under China's fire.
But a "China's attack" is not going to happen, and one wonders at the basis for Mr. Verma's thinking. First, although it is true that China's macro-economy has taken a hit from the global financial crisis, the extent of the damage is under control. Recent statistics shows China's economy grew 7.1% in the first half of 2009, while its foreign exchange reserve has exceeded $2 trillion. China's stimulus plan has been effective and given people confidence. China will survive the global downturn as well or better than the rest of the world's economies.
And even if China's economy was really all that bad, would the government try to distract "unrest" by taking military actions against India? Mr Verma's reasoning rests on a lack of documentation. Looking into the past 60 years, China has no record of launching a war to divert public attention from anything. Moreover, while Mr. Verma supposes the Chinese Communist Party has no cards to play other than "invading India," the Party, widely experienced in dealing with domestic disputes, will hardly in only three years have run out of all options facing potential social instability. Moreover, even if Chinese leaders considered such an option, they would certainly be aware that an external war would severely jeopardize domestic affairs.
Other reasons the author mentions in the article are also vague. The Western powers would not take kindly to a Chinese conflict with India, leaving China rightfully reluctant to use force in any case other than extreme provocation. US forces well deployed in Afghanistan and Pakistan could check any China's military action in South Asia. And then there is also the nuclear problem: there has never been a war between two nuclear equipped nations, and both sides would have to be extremely cautious in decision-making, giving more room for less violent solutions.
Further, it is important to realize there is no reason for China to launch a war, against India in particular. Economic development, rather than military achievement, has long been the consensus of value among China's core leaders and citizens. Despite occasional calls to "Reoccupy South Tibet (occupied Chinese territory)," China's decision-making is always cautious. It is not possible to see a Chinese "incursion" into India, even into Tawang, an Indian-occupied Buddhist holy land over which China argues a resolute sovereignty.
Last but not least, China's strategy, even during the 1962 border war with India, has been mainly oriented towards the east, where Taiwan is its core interest, while the recent Xinjiang unrest highlights China's growing anti-terrorist tasks in the northwest – both issues are more important than the southwest border. If China were to be involved in a war within the next three years, as unlikely as that seems, the adversary would hardly be India. The best option, the sole option, open for the Chinese government is to negotiate around the disputed territory.
However, there is one scenario where there is possibility for war: an aggressive Indian policy toward China, a "New Forward Policy," may aggravate border disputes and push China to use force – despite China's appeal, as far as possible, for peaceful solutions.
Consider the 1959-1962 conflict, the only recorded war between China and India in the long history of their civilizations. After some slight friction with China in 1959, the Indian army implemented aggressive action known as its Forward Policy. The Chinese Army made a limited but successful counterattack in 1962.
Now, it seems "back to the future". Mr. Verma asserts another war will happen before 2012, a half century after the last, regrettable one. India has started to deploy more troops in the border area, similar to its Forward Policy 50 years ago. Is Mr. Verma's China-bashing merely a justification for more troops deployed along the border? Will India's "New Forward Policy", as the old one did 50 years ago, trigger a "2012 war?"
The answers lie mainly on the Indian side. Given China's relatively small military garrison in Tibet, Indian's 60,000 additional soldiers may largely break the balance. If India is as "pacific" as Mr. Verma says, and is sincere in its border negotiation, China-India friendship will remain. After all, China shares a long and mostly friendly cultural exchange with India as well as other neighbors. Now China is seeking deeper cooperation, wider coordination, and better consensus with India, especially in the global recession, and peace is a precondition for doing so. China wants to say, "We are on the same side," as the Indian Ambassador did in a recent interview in China. Thus, "China will attack India before 2012" is a provocative and inflammatory illusion.
(Chen Xiaochen serves as a journalist of editorial and comments in China Business News.)
Fwd: Planning the destruction of Buddhism
jul 20th, 2009
the same treatment for hindus by the christist devils. the only difference is that buddhists themselves are not contributing to the demonization of their religion.
the same treatment for hindus by the christist devils. the only difference is that buddhists themselves are not contributing to the demonization of their religion.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sri
Planning the Demise of Buddhism
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items08/010708-2.html
Posted July 9, 2008
Peoples of the Buddhist World by Paul Hattaway, Piquant Editions, Carlisle, 2004.
Reviewed by Allen Carr
Some Western drug companies spend millions of dollars developing and marketing a new drug only to have the health authorities later discover that it has dangerous side-effects and then ban it. Needing to recover their investment and unable to sell their drug in the West some of these companies try to market their dangerous products in the Third World where public awareness of health issues is low and indifferent governments can be brought off. Some might say that Christianity is a bit like this.
... deleted
From: sri
Planning the Demise of Buddhism
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items08/010708-2.html
Posted July 9, 2008
Peoples of the Buddhist World by Paul Hattaway, Piquant Editions, Carlisle, 2004.
Reviewed by Allen Carr
Some Western drug companies spend millions of dollars developing and marketing a new drug only to have the health authorities later discover that it has dangerous side-effects and then ban it. Needing to recover their investment and unable to sell their drug in the West some of these companies try to market their dangerous products in the Third World where public awareness of health issues is low and indifferent governments can be brought off. Some might say that Christianity is a bit like this.
... deleted
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Can computers decipher a 5000 yr-old language? -- Smithsonianmag
jul 19th, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: S. Kalyanaraman
From: S. Kalyanaraman
Can Computers Decipher a 5,000-Year-Old Language?
A computer scientist is helping to uncover the secrets of the inscribed symbols of the Indus
- By David Zax (Smithsonian mag)
- Smithsonian.com, July 19, 2009
The Indus civilization, which flourished throughout much of the third millennium B.C., was the most extensive civilization of its time. At its height, it encompassed an area of more than half a million square miles centered on what is today the India-Pakistan border. Remnants of the Indus have been found as far north as the Himalayas and as far south as Mumbai. It was the earliest known urban culture of the subcontinent and it boasted two large cities, one at Harappa and one at Mohenjo-daro. Yet despite its size and longevity, and despite nearly a century of archaeological investigations, much about the Indus remains shrouded in mystery.
What little we do know has come from archaeological digs that began in the 1920s and continue today. Over the decades, archaeologists have turned up a great many artifacts, including stamp sealings, amulets and small tablets. Many of these artifacts bear what appear to be specimens of writing—engraved figures resembling, among other things, winged horseshoes, spoked wheels, and upright fish. What exactly those symbols might mean, though, remains one of the most famous unsolved riddles in the scholarship of ancient civilizations.
There have been other tough codes to crack in history. Stumped Egyptologists caught a lucky break with the discovery of the famed Rosetta stone in 1799, which contained text in both Egyptian and Greek. The study of Mayan hieroglyphics languished until a Russian linguist named Yury Knorozov made clever use of contemporary spoken Mayan in the 1950s. But there is no Rosetta stone of the Indus, and scholars don't know which, if any, languages may have descended from that spoken by the Indus people.
About 22 years ago, in Hyderabad, India, an eighth grade student named Rajesh Rao turned the page of a history textbook and first learned about this fascinating civilization and its mysterious script. In the years that followed, Rao's schooling and profession took him in a different direction—he wound up pursuing computer science, which he teaches today at the University of Washington in Seattle—but he monitored Indus scholarship carefully, keeping tabs on the dozens of failed attempts at making sense of the script. Even as he studied artificial intelligence and robotics, Rao amassed a small library of books and monographs on the Indus script, about 30 of them. On a nearby bookshelf, he also kept the cherished eighth grade history textbook that introduced him to the Indus.
"It was just amazing to see the number of different ideas people suggested," he says today. Some scholars claimed the writing was a sort of Sumerian script; others situated it in the Dravidian family; still others thought it was related to a language of Easter Island. Rao came to appreciate that this was "probably one of the most challenging problems in terms of ancient history."
As attempt after attempt failed at deciphering the script, some experts began to lose hope that itcould be decoded. In 2004, three scholars argued in a controversial paper that the Indus symbols didn't have linguistic content at all. Instead, the symbols may have been little more than pictograms representing political or religious figures. The authors went so far as to suggest that the Indus was not a literate civilization at all. For some in the field, the whole quest of trying to find language behind those Indus etchings began to resemble an exercise in futility.
A few years later, Rao entered the fray. Until then, people studying the script were archaeologists, historians, linguists or cryptologists. But Rao decided to coax out the secrets of the Indus script using the tool he knew best—computer science.
On a summer day in Seattle, Rao welcomed me into his office to show me how he and his colleagues approached the problem. He set out a collection of replicas of clay seal impressions that archaeologists have turned up from Indus sites. They are small—like little square chocolates—and most of them feature an image of an animal beneath a series of Indus symbols. Most samples of the Indus script are miniatures like these, bearing only a few characters; no grand monoliths have been discovered. Scholars are uncertain of the function of the small seals, Rao told me, but one theory is that they may have been used to certify the quality of traded goods. Another suggests that the seals might have been a way of ensuring that traders paid taxes upon entering or leaving a city—many seals have been found among the ruins of gate houses, which might have functioned like ancient toll booths.
Rao and his colleagues didn't seek to work miracles—they knew that they didn't have enough information to decipher the ancient script—but they hypothesized that by using computational methods, they could at least begin to establish what sort of writing the Indus script was: did it encode language, or not? They did this using a concept called "conditional entropy."
Despite the imposing name, conditional entropy is a fairly simple concept: it is a measure of the amount of randomness in a sequence. Consider our alphabet. If you were to take Scrabble tiles and toss them in the air, you might find any old letter turning up after any other. But in actual English words, certain letters are more likely to occur after others. A q in English is almost always followed by a u. A t may be followed by an r or e, but is less likely to be followed by an n or a b.
Rao and his collaborators—an international group including computer scientists, astrophysicists and a mathematician—used a computer program to measure the conditional entropy of the Indus script. Then they measured the conditional entropy of other types of systems—natural languages (Sumerian, Tamil, Sanskrit, and English), an artificial language (the computer programming language Fortran) and non-linguistic systems (human DNA sequences, bacterial protein sequences, and two artificial datasets representing high and low extremes of conditional entropy). When they compared the amount of randomness in the Indus script with that of the other systems, they found that it most closely resembled the rates found in the natural languages. They published their findings in May in the journal Science.
If it looks like a language, and it acts like a language, then it probably is a language, their paper suggests. The findings don't decipher the script, of course, but they do sharpen our understanding of it, and have lent reassurance to those archaeologists who had been working under the assumption that the Indus script encodes language.
After publishing the paper, Rao got a surprise. The question of which language family the script belongs to, it turns out, is a sensitive one: because of the Indus civilization's age and significance, many contemporary groups in India would like to claim it as a direct ancestor. For instance, the Tamil-speaking Indians of the south would prefer to learn that the Indus script was a kind of proto-Dravidian, since Tamil is descended from proto-Dravidian. Hindi-speakers in the north would rather it be an old form of Sanskrit, an ancestor of Hindi. Rao's paper doesn't conclude which language family the script belongs to, though it does note that the conditional entropy is similar to Old Tamil—causing some critics to summarily "accuse us of being Dravidian nationalists," says Rao. "The ferocity of the accusations and attacks was completely unexpected."
Rao sometimes takes relief in returning to the less ferociously contested world of neuroscience and robotics. But the call of the Indus script remains alluring, and "what used to be a hobby is now monopolizing more than a third of my time," he says. Rao and his colleagues are now looking at longer strings of characters than they analyzed in the Science paper. "If there are patterns," says Rao, "we could come up with grammatical rules. That would in turn give constraints to what kinds of language families" the script might belong to.
He hopes that his future findings will speak for themselves, inciting less rancor from opponents rooting for one region of India versus another. For his part, when Rao talks about what the Indus script means to him, he tends to speak in terms of India as a whole. "The heritage of India would be considerably enriched if we were able to understand the Indus civilization," he says. Rao and his collaborators are working on it, one line of source code at a time.
astronomy domine: Triple eclipse of 2009 -- disaster portents
jul 19th, 2009
'astronomy domine' (astronomy is lord) is an early pink floyd track.
extraordinary celestial events have often been correlated with wordly events, eg. the events in 3102 bce that mark the beginning of the kali yuga; halley's comet and the subsequent invasion of limey-land as recorded by early limeys in the bayeux tapestry (amazing they noticed this, considered the pretty primitive sky-watchers they were circa 1000 ce); the supernova in the crab nebula noticed by hans in 1054 ce; the eclipse (or comet?) after julius ceasar's death.
so none of you 'rational' non-believers in astrology need to pipe up. i have long argued that those with 'rational' faith in science are equally dogmatic about their own blind faith.
well, i can tell you what this celestial event means for india: it is dismemberment, thanks to the stolen 2009 election. manmohan singh and sonia nehru jai ho!
among other things, this means we will not mine our borders, and 250 million bangladeshis will simply walk in (that, is those few who haven't already moved in to india, thank you, thank you, kkkangress and communists) as their benighted land goes underwater with climate change.
'astronomy domine' (astronomy is lord) is an early pink floyd track.
extraordinary celestial events have often been correlated with wordly events, eg. the events in 3102 bce that mark the beginning of the kali yuga; halley's comet and the subsequent invasion of limey-land as recorded by early limeys in the bayeux tapestry (amazing they noticed this, considered the pretty primitive sky-watchers they were circa 1000 ce); the supernova in the crab nebula noticed by hans in 1054 ce; the eclipse (or comet?) after julius ceasar's death.
so none of you 'rational' non-believers in astrology need to pipe up. i have long argued that those with 'rational' faith in science are equally dogmatic about their own blind faith.
well, i can tell you what this celestial event means for india: it is dismemberment, thanks to the stolen 2009 election. manmohan singh and sonia nehru jai ho!
among other things, this means we will not mine our borders, and 250 million bangladeshis will simply walk in (that, is those few who haven't already moved in to india, thank you, thank you, kkkangress and communists) as their benighted land goes underwater with climate change.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: S. Kalyanaraman
From: S. Kalyanaraman
Triple Eclipse Series to frequent again starting July '09
- What does this mean for the world?
DK Hari and DK Hema Hari should be complimented for a splendid contribution to making everyone aware of a remarkable celestial event, triple eclipse of 2009. Veda Vyasa had remarked that triple eclipse within a span of 13 tithis in sequence is an unusual sequence of cosmic events. Veda Vyasa had recorded the sequence in the great epic Mahabharata which helped scholars like Prof. Narahari Achar to provide dates for the Mahabharata events using planetarium software.
Congratulations to Hari and Hema, again.
kalyanaraman
Synopsis of the Book - "Will History Repeat Itself? Triple Eclipse of 2009 - Ominous? Promising?" http://www.bharathgyan.com/latest.htm
This book – "Will History Repeat Itself ? Triple Eclipse of 2009 - Ominous? or Promising?", looks at the interplay among human beings, societies and civilizations of this world and the interplay between this world and the astronomical events in the cosmos, from a rational, logical, holistic, inter-disciplinary perspective.
To understand these various levels of interplay, the authors of the book, DK.Hari and DK.Hema Hari of Bharath Gyan, have used the Indian civilization and its global relationships as the backdrop in this book and the Triple Eclipse of 7th July 2009, 22nd July 2009 and 6th Aug 2009, as the trigger, to pause, look around and take stock of the current situations enveloping the world today.
What does this celestial phenomenon mean for the world? Does this astronomical event portend anything for us at all? These were the questions the husband and wife team of DK Hari and DK Hema Hari have discussed in their book using a holistic and inter-disciplinary approach that marries traditional knowledge of India with the developments in modern science.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, humanitarian whose Art of Living foundation has published this book says, "Everything in this world is connected. Everything affects everything else. The microcosm and the macrocosm are all interconnected. An analysis of this principle of cause and effect will open a new dimension in life."
So what is likely to happen as the frequency of occurrence of triple eclipses increases between July 2009 and 2020? The adage "History repeats itself" seems to be ominously true.
Elucidating on his research on triple eclipses, DK Hari said, "The first recorded triple eclipse in 3067 BCE (Before Common Era) coincided with the Kurukshetra war. The destruction of the city of Dwaraka coincided with another set of triple eclipse in 3031 BCE. More recently, the first half of the 20th century, with World Wars I & II, the Holocaust and the nuclear bombings in Japan, coincided with a higher frequency of triple Eclipses between 1910 and 1945!"
"The important concern for India today is that it is surrounded by many nations which are under the duress of internal political strife – such as Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The potential for this strife overflowing into India is high and we are again at the threshold of a period that coincides with frequent Triple Eclipses to occur starting July 2009 to 2020" say DK Hari & DK Hema Hari.
In the face of imminent wars and strife, this book discusses how ancient Indian society conducted their politics and drew out the essence for such situations.
Discussing about the disaster management capabilities of the world at large today, the authors have raised a provocative thought as to whether the nations today are prepared, flexible and open enough in heart, mind, politics and religion to accept refuge seekers - the way the ancient societies had in the face of large-scale migrations resulting from large man-made or natural calamities?
The authors further brought out how each of these tumultuous periods had also ushered in a ring of hope, and opened up for thought, the possible positive effect the triple eclipse season starting 2009 could usher in.
If we look at the same events of the past, we find that, along with each of these calamitous event, the world has received a new message or order. This book also examines what could be the message that the triple eclipse season starting 2009 could usher in.
Once we realize the interplay between the microcosm and the macrocosm, we will see that it is the cycles of nature which dominate our relationships, the evolution of civilizations and as to how this earth progresses.
This relationships and the nobility in their interplay has been expressed as Dharma, a traditional ethos as understood by the Indian civilization. In the future, as we look at one global world and one global family, espoused as the concept of Vasudeiva Kutumbakam or the world is one family, by our ancients many millennia ago, the factor that will be needed to govern the interplay among the peoples themselves and with nature, could well be "values and nobility", which is Dharma".
This Dharma, in turn is in sync with Rtha or the rhythm of the interplay in the universe. It is perhaps this understanding and the knowledge of our forefathers which has come down to us in the form of the oft repeated, global adage "History repeats itself".
"This earth is part of that sky" – a simple but profound statement from the authors, brings out the fact that we are all part of nature and the way going forward is to understand the role nature plays in our thought, action and lives and to shape our lives and actions to be in sync with nature.
Is this the message for the future? These and such other aspects have been interwoven in this book and brought forth as an interesting read for the common man and the thinker alike to relish, think and act appropriately.
Commenting on the relevance of DK Hari and Hema Hari's work, Sri Sri said, "While Astronomy / Astrology study the science of happenings, spirituality is the remedy. While Astronomy / Astrology indicate the powerlessness of human beings, spirituality brings to light the power within."
AICTE guy caught in corruption scam
jul 18th, 2009
why shouldn't these guys be corrupt? everybody above them is.
http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/17/ap-secretarys-arrest-brings-aicte-under-scanner.htm
The arrest of K Narayan Rao, member secretary, All India Council for Technical Education by the Central Bureau of Investigation while accepting a bribe from the owner of an engineering college in Andhra Pradesh has brought the unsavoury happenings in the apex body governing the technical education in the country under the scanner.
...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Hillary Visits India
Here's a pathetic but unsurprising anecdote from Hillary's visit to India:
Yet again, Amir Khan shows that he's pretty brainless in all ways. That's what to expect from morons born with silver spoons in their mouths. I think it's good for such moments to be captured on camera, and then played back endlessly to remind everyone what fools like him are all about.
Inevitably, some of these encounters are more successful than others. In the category of less successful was a panel discussion on Saturday afternoon on education at a Jesuit college, at which Mrs. Clinton appeared with Aamir Khan, a prominent Indian film star who advocates for better teaching.
While Mrs. Clinton offered an earnest discussion of teaching standards in Arkansas, Mr. Khan appeared to condone dropping out of school to pursue entertainment careers.
Friday, July 17, 2009
krepon: Avoiding One Pitfall in U.S.-India Relations (ah, roll over and play dead, right?)
jul 17th, 2009
so far as i can tell, krepon has been one of the big anti-india propagandists.
the clear sub-text: 'cap, rollback and eliminate' is the yankee mantra yesterday, today and tomorrow. india does not deserve to have nukes. but china and pak deserve to.
given the quality of 'leadership' (patsy-dom) demonstrated by UPA II in sharm-el-sheikh, he may be right that it is a great risk if india were to have nukes.
on the other hand, it would interfere with china's and obama's plans:
a) to 'teach india another lesson'
b) to declare victory in afghanistan and go home
very interesting comment by ghostwriter re china's plans: (sorry for repost on blog, bcc:ing some others):
Most scholars, starting with Roderick McFarquhar are agreed that China brilliantly timed its last attack on India to coincide with the Cuban missile crisis. because the Soviets (our ostensible allies) were busy sorting out their own problem, it prevented them from lending India a helping hand in our conflict.
This history is very relevant today. Bharat Verma has raised the alarm on a Chinese attack – in addition one has to ask – will China attack India as soon as 'surge, bribe and run' is completed in Af-Pak?
Consider the favorable circumstance
1. The Yanks (another of our ostensible allies – we have a lot of them) will be busy sorting out the economic mess, for which they need Chinese help
2. The Yanks will want to gracefully 'surge, bribe and run' out of Afghan theatre, for which they need Pak's help. Once they have run away they will outsource Afghan and Kashmir policy to the bearded Pak army – both regular and baggy trouser
3. For reasons 1 and 2 above – the Yanks will not be able to help us
4. The economic crisis has created a mass of testosterone-crazed, newly unemployed Han men – that have to be re-direct to some kind of violent enterprise
5. There is another spineless wimp neo-Nehru in the Indian PM's chair. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss etc.
6. there is a stealth Sino-Mohammedan candidate in charge of the 'free world'
7. Only last year, the ever perfidious Albion – had a change of heart regarding China's position in Tibet. err ….by the way – this may legally invalidate India's claims to it's north-east
8. The number of Malayali advisor's in the defense establishment is the same as 1962
it is – to use a Churchillian phrase – a Gathering Storm
so far as i can tell, krepon has been one of the big anti-india propagandists.
the clear sub-text: 'cap, rollback and eliminate' is the yankee mantra yesterday, today and tomorrow. india does not deserve to have nukes. but china and pak deserve to.
given the quality of 'leadership' (patsy-dom) demonstrated by UPA II in sharm-el-sheikh, he may be right that it is a great risk if india were to have nukes.
on the other hand, it would interfere with china's and obama's plans:
a) to 'teach india another lesson'
b) to declare victory in afghanistan and go home
very interesting comment by ghostwriter re china's plans: (sorry for repost on blog, bcc:ing some others):
Most scholars, starting with Roderick McFarquhar are agreed that China brilliantly timed its last attack on India to coincide with the Cuban missile crisis. because the Soviets (our ostensible allies) were busy sorting out their own problem, it prevented them from lending India a helping hand in our conflict.
This history is very relevant today. Bharat Verma has raised the alarm on a Chinese attack – in addition one has to ask – will China attack India as soon as 'surge, bribe and run' is completed in Af-Pak?
Consider the favorable circumstance
1. The Yanks (another of our ostensible allies – we have a lot of them) will be busy sorting out the economic mess, for which they need Chinese help
2. The Yanks will want to gracefully 'surge, bribe and run' out of Afghan theatre, for which they need Pak's help. Once they have run away they will outsource Afghan and Kashmir policy to the bearded Pak army – both regular and baggy trouser
3. For reasons 1 and 2 above – the Yanks will not be able to help us
4. The economic crisis has created a mass of testosterone-crazed, newly unemployed Han men – that have to be re-direct to some kind of violent enterprise
5. There is another spineless wimp neo-Nehru in the Indian PM's chair. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss etc.
6. there is a stealth Sino-Mohammedan candidate in charge of the 'free world'
7. Only last year, the ever perfidious Albion – had a change of heart regarding China's position in Tibet. err ….by the way – this may legally invalidate India's claims to it's north-east
8. The number of Malayali advisor's in the defense establishment is the same as 1962
it is – to use a Churchillian phrase – a Gathering Storm
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Krepon <mk@stimson.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 3:10 AM
Subject: Avoiding One Pitfall in U.S.-India Relations
To:
Avoiding One Pitfall in U.S.-India Relations
By Michael Krepon and Samuel Black
The L'Aquila Statement on Non-Proliferation, released at the end of
the G-8 Summit in Italy, received little notice – except in India.
Some in New Delhi took exception to one paragraph of the communiqué
that called on the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to make further
progress "on mechanisms to strengthen controls on transfers" of
enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies.
The Government of India has argued that the civil nuclear cooperation
agreement negotiated with the Bush administration and its subsequent
endorsement by the NSG permits such transfers to India. As long as
the transferred enrichment and reprocessing equipment is solely
dedicated to peaceful uses, New Delhi argues, it should be provided
along with nuclear power reactors and fuel deliveries.
As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits India, it would be
unfortunate if this issue becomes a source of contention between
Washington and New Delhi. The public record of the civil nuclear
cooperation agreement between the United States and India is quite
clear that the transfer of ENR technologies was not part of the deal
endorsed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush:
· In responses provided to the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee in November, 2005, Under Secretary of State Bob Joseph
stated, "We do not intend to provide enrichment and reprocessing
technology to India. As the President said in February 2004,
'enrichment and reprocessing are not necessary for nations seeking to
harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.' We do not currently
provide enrichment and reprocessing equipment to any country."
· In April 2006, Senator Lugar sought reaffirmation of this
policy from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who did so,
answering, "Thus, it was stated, without any qualifications or
reservations, that the United States would not export such
technologies to India."
· The "Hyde Act," in which the House and Senate agreed to waive
certain restrictions on nuclear commerce with India, contained
restrictions in Section 104 (d)(4) on certain types of commerce:
"exports, re-exports, transfers, and re-transfers to India related to
enrichment, reprocessing, and heavy water production." These
restrictions can only be waived if onerous provisions are satisfied.
· The House Foreign Affairs Committee Report endorsing civil
nuclear commerce with India included the following language: "Because
the processes of enriching uranium or separating plutonium for
peaceful or military purposes are essentially identical, they
inherently pose an enhanced risk of proliferation, even under strict
international inspections… In addition, the Committee notes that it is
well-established policy of the United States not to transfer sensitive
nuclear technology, including reprocessing or enrichment technology,
to any state… The Committee finds that no part of this legislation
should be interpreted to allow for any exceptions to this policy."
· The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Report endorsing civil
nuclear commerce with India reinforced this message: "The Committee
believes that the United States must work with other nations to
prevent the export of potentially harmful technologies. NSG
guidelines are not as strict as they ought to be regarding exports of
enrichment and reprocessing equipment and technology, and the
Committee supports the administration's efforts to achieve consensus
on tightening those guidelines."
· President Bush's transmittal letter to Congress of the 123
(Implementation) Agreement for the U.S.–India civil nuclear
cooperation agreement included the following language: "Sensitive
nuclear technology, heavy water production technology and production
facilities, sensitive nuclear facilities, and major critical
components of such facilities may not be transmitted under the
Agreement unless the Agreement is amended."
The Obama administration is not departing from the Bush
administration's position on ENR; nor did the recent G-8 statement
break new ground on this subject. The 2004 G-8 Summit communiqué
stated that enhanced International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of
all national nuclear facilities must be a precondition of ENR
transfers: "The Additional Protocol must become an essential new
standard in the field of nuclear supply arrangements. We will work to
strengthen NSG guidelines accordingly."
The reasons for such a clear and consistent U.S. policy toward ENR
transfers are compelling, and have become even more so with
developments in Iran and North Korea.
India is a responsible nation possessing advanced nuclear
technologies. Iran and North Korea, in stark contrast, have violated
numerous Security Council resolutions regarding their nuclear
programs, including those related to enrichment and reprocessing.
Success in dealing with North Korea and Iran requires, inter alia,
strengthened global norms against transferring ENR technologies.
Global norms matter because they increase leverage against bad actors.
Global norms are weakened when the United States or any other nuclear
supplier seeks permissive rules for friends.
Moreover, the pursuit of ENR technologies by India comes at an awkward
time. India is one of a handful of countries that has not signed the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and one of a very small number of
states that is increasing its stocks of bomb-making material and
growing its nuclear arsenal.
India has the sovereign right to test more nuclear weapons, produce
more bomb-making fissile material and build up its stockpile of
nuclear weapons. The United States and members of the NSG have a
sovereign right not to provide states with nuclear technologies of
particular sensitivity.
The Obama administration is unlikely to reverse the Bush
administration's policy on this issue. New Delhi can push on many
open doors for improved cooperation and trade with the United States.
Why push on one that isn't open?
Michael Krepon is the co-founder of the Stimson Center and the author
of Better Safe than Sorry, The Ironies of Living with the Bomb
(Stanford University Press, 2009). Samuel Black is a Research
Associate at the Stimson Center.
From: Michael Krepon <mk@stimson.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 3:10 AM
Subject: Avoiding One Pitfall in U.S.-India Relations
To:
Avoiding One Pitfall in U.S.-India Relations
By Michael Krepon and Samuel Black
The L'Aquila Statement on Non-Proliferation, released at the end of
the G-8 Summit in Italy, received little notice – except in India.
Some in New Delhi took exception to one paragraph of the communiqué
that called on the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to make further
progress "on mechanisms to strengthen controls on transfers" of
enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies.
The Government of India has argued that the civil nuclear cooperation
agreement negotiated with the Bush administration and its subsequent
endorsement by the NSG permits such transfers to India. As long as
the transferred enrichment and reprocessing equipment is solely
dedicated to peaceful uses, New Delhi argues, it should be provided
along with nuclear power reactors and fuel deliveries.
As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits India, it would be
unfortunate if this issue becomes a source of contention between
Washington and New Delhi. The public record of the civil nuclear
cooperation agreement between the United States and India is quite
clear that the transfer of ENR technologies was not part of the deal
endorsed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush:
· In responses provided to the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee in November, 2005, Under Secretary of State Bob Joseph
stated, "We do not intend to provide enrichment and reprocessing
technology to India. As the President said in February 2004,
'enrichment and reprocessing are not necessary for nations seeking to
harness nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.' We do not currently
provide enrichment and reprocessing equipment to any country."
· In April 2006, Senator Lugar sought reaffirmation of this
policy from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who did so,
answering, "Thus, it was stated, without any qualifications or
reservations, that the United States would not export such
technologies to India."
· The "Hyde Act," in which the House and Senate agreed to waive
certain restrictions on nuclear commerce with India, contained
restrictions in Section 104 (d)(4) on certain types of commerce:
"exports, re-exports, transfers, and re-transfers to India related to
enrichment, reprocessing, and heavy water production." These
restrictions can only be waived if onerous provisions are satisfied.
· The House Foreign Affairs Committee Report endorsing civil
nuclear commerce with India included the following language: "Because
the processes of enriching uranium or separating plutonium for
peaceful or military purposes are essentially identical, they
inherently pose an enhanced risk of proliferation, even under strict
international inspections… In addition, the Committee notes that it is
well-established policy of the United States not to transfer sensitive
nuclear technology, including reprocessing or enrichment technology,
to any state… The Committee finds that no part of this legislation
should be interpreted to allow for any exceptions to this policy."
· The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Report endorsing civil
nuclear commerce with India reinforced this message: "The Committee
believes that the United States must work with other nations to
prevent the export of potentially harmful technologies. NSG
guidelines are not as strict as they ought to be regarding exports of
enrichment and reprocessing equipment and technology, and the
Committee supports the administration's efforts to achieve consensus
on tightening those guidelines."
· President Bush's transmittal letter to Congress of the 123
(Implementation) Agreement for the U.S.–India civil nuclear
cooperation agreement included the following language: "Sensitive
nuclear technology, heavy water production technology and production
facilities, sensitive nuclear facilities, and major critical
components of such facilities may not be transmitted under the
Agreement unless the Agreement is amended."
The Obama administration is not departing from the Bush
administration's position on ENR; nor did the recent G-8 statement
break new ground on this subject. The 2004 G-8 Summit communiqué
stated that enhanced International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of
all national nuclear facilities must be a precondition of ENR
transfers: "The Additional Protocol must become an essential new
standard in the field of nuclear supply arrangements. We will work to
strengthen NSG guidelines accordingly."
The reasons for such a clear and consistent U.S. policy toward ENR
transfers are compelling, and have become even more so with
developments in Iran and North Korea.
India is a responsible nation possessing advanced nuclear
technologies. Iran and North Korea, in stark contrast, have violated
numerous Security Council resolutions regarding their nuclear
programs, including those related to enrichment and reprocessing.
Success in dealing with North Korea and Iran requires, inter alia,
strengthened global norms against transferring ENR technologies.
Global norms matter because they increase leverage against bad actors.
Global norms are weakened when the United States or any other nuclear
supplier seeks permissive rules for friends.
Moreover, the pursuit of ENR technologies by India comes at an awkward
time. India is one of a handful of countries that has not signed the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and one of a very small number of
states that is increasing its stocks of bomb-making material and
growing its nuclear arsenal.
India has the sovereign right to test more nuclear weapons, produce
more bomb-making fissile material and build up its stockpile of
nuclear weapons. The United States and members of the NSG have a
sovereign right not to provide states with nuclear technologies of
particular sensitivity.
The Obama administration is unlikely to reverse the Bush
administration's policy on this issue. New Delhi can push on many
open doors for improved cooperation and trade with the United States.
Why push on one that isn't open?
Michael Krepon is the co-founder of the Stimson Center and the author
of Better Safe than Sorry, The Ironies of Living with the Bomb
(Stanford University Press, 2009). Samuel Black is a Research
Associate at the Stimson Center.
Gathering Storm: China to attack India based on Obama’s ‘surge, bribe and run’ time-table?
Jul 17
Most scholars, starting with Roderick McFarquhar are agreed that China brilliantly timed its last attack on India to coincide with the Cuban missile crisis. because the Soviets (our ostensible allies) were busy sorting out their own problem, it prevented them from lending India a helping hand in our conflict.
This history is very relevant today. Bharat Verma has raised the alarm on a Chinese attack – in addition one has to ask – will China attack India as soon as ‘surge, bribe and run’ is completed in Af-Pak?
Consider the favorable circumstance
1. The Yanks (another of our ostensible allies – we have a lot of them) will be busy sorting out the economic mess, for which they need Chinese help
2. The Yanks will want to gracefully ‘surge, bribe and run’ out of Afghan theatre, for which they need Pak’s help. Once they have run away they will outsource Afghan and Kashmir policy to the bearded Pak army – both regular and baggy trouser
3. For reasons 1 and 2 above – the Yanks will not be able to help us
4. The economic crisis has created a mass of testosterone-crazed, newly unemployed Han men – that have to be re-direct to some kind of violent enterprise
5. There is another spineless wimp neo-Nehru in the Indian PM’s chair. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss etc.
6. there is a stealth Sino-Mohammedan candidate in charge of the ‘free world’
7. Only last year, the ever perfidious Albion – had a change of heart regarding China’s position in Tibet. err ….by the way – this may legally invalidate India’s claims to it’s north-east
8. The number of Malayali advisor’s in the defense establishment is the same as 1962
it is – to use a Churchillian phrase – a Gathering Storm
Most scholars, starting with Roderick McFarquhar are agreed that China brilliantly timed its last attack on India to coincide with the Cuban missile crisis. because the Soviets (our ostensible allies) were busy sorting out their own problem, it prevented them from lending India a helping hand in our conflict.
This history is very relevant today. Bharat Verma has raised the alarm on a Chinese attack – in addition one has to ask – will China attack India as soon as ‘surge, bribe and run’ is completed in Af-Pak?
Consider the favorable circumstance
1. The Yanks (another of our ostensible allies – we have a lot of them) will be busy sorting out the economic mess, for which they need Chinese help
2. The Yanks will want to gracefully ‘surge, bribe and run’ out of Afghan theatre, for which they need Pak’s help. Once they have run away they will outsource Afghan and Kashmir policy to the bearded Pak army – both regular and baggy trouser
3. For reasons 1 and 2 above – the Yanks will not be able to help us
4. The economic crisis has created a mass of testosterone-crazed, newly unemployed Han men – that have to be re-direct to some kind of violent enterprise
5. There is another spineless wimp neo-Nehru in the Indian PM’s chair. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss etc.
6. there is a stealth Sino-Mohammedan candidate in charge of the ‘free world’
7. Only last year, the ever perfidious Albion – had a change of heart regarding China’s position in Tibet. err ….by the way – this may legally invalidate India’s claims to it’s north-east
8. The number of Malayali advisor’s in the defense establishment is the same as 1962
it is – to use a Churchillian phrase – a Gathering Storm
Crucial insight on Taliban-Pak-CIA and its likely devastation of India
jul 17th, 2009
this is the most likely outcome of the "piss process". and it is something all parties -- obama, osama, manmohan, zardari, hafiz sayid, the saudi king, begum zia -- can agree to (oh, the nehru dynasty will decamp to italy at an expeditious moment and will be long gone before mughalistan actually happens).
i don't usually pay any attention to asia times, as it is funded by the chinese government, but this interview is on the money.
this is the most likely outcome of the "piss process". and it is something all parties -- obama, osama, manmohan, zardari, hafiz sayid, the saudi king, begum zia -- can agree to (oh, the nehru dynasty will decamp to italy at an expeditious moment and will be long gone before mughalistan actually happens).
i don't usually pay any attention to asia times, as it is funded by the chinese government, but this interview is on the money.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sanjeev
A forward.
An interesting interview and analysiswith serious implications for India.
sanjeev
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KG17Df01.html
Rajiv Malhotra wrote - The above review of a Harvard scholar's new book is important reading. It is in line with my thesis that when (not if) US walks away from the
Af-Pak conflict, it will outsource the war to Pakistan's army. Then the Taliban-Pak target will become India. In essence the US will save itself from Taliban (short term only) by deflecting them towards
India. I also see China supporting Pak through money, arms and keeping the tensions alive on the Indo-Tibet border. The endgame for Taliban-Pak -- recreating Mughalstan across north India from
Afghanistan all the way to Bangladesh, of which a map has been on display for some decades. See:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9268500/Mughalstann
From: Sanjeev
A forward.
An interesting interview and analysiswith serious implications for India.
sanjeev
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KG17Df01.html
Rajiv Malhotra wrote - The above review of a Harvard scholar's new book is important reading. It is in line with my thesis that when (not if) US walks away from the
Af-Pak conflict, it will outsource the war to Pakistan's army. Then the Taliban-Pak target will become India. In essence the US will save itself from Taliban (short term only) by deflecting them towards
India. I also see China supporting Pak through money, arms and keeping the tensions alive on the Indo-Tibet border. The endgame for Taliban-Pak -- recreating Mughalstan across north India from
Afghanistan all the way to Bangladesh, of which a map has been on display for some decades. See:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9268500/Mughalstann
Thursday, July 16, 2009
what empires do: kill
jul 16th, 2009
limey imperialists starved to death 30 million people in india, mostly in the deccan (mysore and madras) in the el nino years of 1877-1879.
how appropriate that 2009 is another el nino year.
if you read mike davis' "late victorian holocausts", you will never look the same at limeys. this was the most barbaric of all colonial regimes. eg. calories supplied in jewish death camps to inmates was greater than what was given to famine victims in india. this was called the 'temple ration' after a nazi named 'richard temple'.
oh, and we exported large amounts of grain to the uk while 30 million people were starving to death.
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Victorian_Holocausts
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/aug/16rajeev.htm
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/may/01rajeev.htm
limey imperialists starved to death 30 million people in india, mostly in the deccan (mysore and madras) in the el nino years of 1877-1879.
how appropriate that 2009 is another el nino year.
if you read mike davis' "late victorian holocausts", you will never look the same at limeys. this was the most barbaric of all colonial regimes. eg. calories supplied in jewish death camps to inmates was greater than what was given to famine victims in india. this was called the 'temple ration' after a nazi named 'richard temple'.
oh, and we exported large amounts of grain to the uk while 30 million people were starving to death.
see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Victorian_Holocausts
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/aug/16rajeev.htm
http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/may/01rajeev.htm
China is now an empire in denial
jul 16th, 2009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shahryar
From: Shahryar
China is now an empire in denialBy Gideon Rachman Published: July 13 2009 19:06 | Last updated: July 13 2009 19:06 When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, it suddenly became obvious that the USSR had never been a proper country. It was a multinational empire held together by force. Might we one day say the same of China? |
"piss process": 11/26 invasion by pak terrorists forgiven by manmohan singh
jul 16th, 2009
utterly shameful capitulation by manmohan singh to pakistan's gilani. undoubtedly the pakis are ROTFL.
i saw a video of the two. manmohan singh shaking gilani's hand with both of his, in the fashion of someone greeting a much-loved friend. this, when gilani is the voice of a terrorist state and its rogue army.
then manmohan singh sat (like a flunky) on the edge of his seat while gilani relaxed comfortably in his.
this is the PM of one of an incipient great power dealing with the puppet PM of a failed, terrorist state? next he'll be declaring "india loves you, [insert name of favorite mohammedan strongman here]"
the body language gives it away: manmohan singh is a servant.
much like jawaharlal was never able to see himself as better than white people, manmohan singh can only think of himself as a retainer and flunky of the americans and of the mohammedans. this cannot be for the paltry world bank pension: there must be mucho dinaro in his swiss bank account, thanks to the yanks and to the saudis. no wonder he doesn't want to go in that direction.
indians didn't elect this guy or the italians. they 'won' through massive fraud. and they have the esteemed navin chawla to stonewall all investigations of the fraud.
2009 is the tipping point: the year that india has gone over the edge into irrelevance. there are no historical parallels, not even romans falling to the barbarian goths, vandals etc. this is the first large state that has decided to voluntarily fall apart. by 2025, there will be no india, only 'mughalistan', 'christiststan1', 'christiststan2' and 'maostan', these being the territories formerly known as north india, south india, northeast india, and central india.
utterly shameful capitulation by manmohan singh to pakistan's gilani. undoubtedly the pakis are ROTFL.
i saw a video of the two. manmohan singh shaking gilani's hand with both of his, in the fashion of someone greeting a much-loved friend. this, when gilani is the voice of a terrorist state and its rogue army.
then manmohan singh sat (like a flunky) on the edge of his seat while gilani relaxed comfortably in his.
this is the PM of one of an incipient great power dealing with the puppet PM of a failed, terrorist state? next he'll be declaring "india loves you, [insert name of favorite mohammedan strongman here]"
the body language gives it away: manmohan singh is a servant.
much like jawaharlal was never able to see himself as better than white people, manmohan singh can only think of himself as a retainer and flunky of the americans and of the mohammedans. this cannot be for the paltry world bank pension: there must be mucho dinaro in his swiss bank account, thanks to the yanks and to the saudis. no wonder he doesn't want to go in that direction.
indians didn't elect this guy or the italians. they 'won' through massive fraud. and they have the esteemed navin chawla to stonewall all investigations of the fraud.
2009 is the tipping point: the year that india has gone over the edge into irrelevance. there are no historical parallels, not even romans falling to the barbarian goths, vandals etc. this is the first large state that has decided to voluntarily fall apart. by 2025, there will be no india, only 'mughalistan', 'christiststan1', 'christiststan2' and 'maostan', these being the territories formerly known as north india, south india, northeast india, and central india.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
fighting ghosts with shadows: arun shourie
this is the second and third part of the series that Nizhal Yoddha posted two days ago.
Shourie has taken the gloves off when it comes to Advani; but I wonder who else is in the gun sights – I sense Dhimmi Kulkarni and Astronath Singh for sure; but others are hinted at.
Is ‘clever strategist’ == Arun Jaitley?
What is meant by ‘As relatives and henchmen acquire properties on the sly, as they run businesses benami’?
I love the use of Khaldun, Ibn Insha, Toynbee and Zulu proverb’s - all in one essay. What a tournament of shadows!!!
it is a depressing, yet engrossing tale - reading this feels a bit like watching one of Kurosawa’s Shakespeare adaptations. They will likely kick him out of the party soon. maybe Shourie has another career in literature?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-end-of-ideology/489390/0
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/how-the-party-withers-away/489889/0
Shourie has taken the gloves off when it comes to Advani; but I wonder who else is in the gun sights – I sense Dhimmi Kulkarni and Astronath Singh for sure; but others are hinted at.
Is ‘clever strategist’ == Arun Jaitley?
What is meant by ‘As relatives and henchmen acquire properties on the sly, as they run businesses benami’?
I love the use of Khaldun, Ibn Insha, Toynbee and Zulu proverb’s - all in one essay. What a tournament of shadows!!!
it is a depressing, yet engrossing tale - reading this feels a bit like watching one of Kurosawa’s Shakespeare adaptations. They will likely kick him out of the party soon. maybe Shourie has another career in literature?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-end-of-ideology/489390/0
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/how-the-party-withers-away/489889/0
FT on china's string of pearls choking india
jul 15th, 2009
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/84a13062-6f0c-11de-9109-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=a6dfcf08-9c79-11da-8762-0000779e2340.html
the chances are that there will be a short, sharp war again with china attacking and walking off this time with arunachal pradesh.
history repeats.
the last time there was a malayali defence minister (v k krishna menon), malayalis bigwigs in foreign service (sardar panikkar as amb to china), malayalis as secretaries to nehru dynasty types (m o mathai), etc. india lost tibet and aksai chin.
this time it is even worse. india may lose arunachal, sikkim, and maybe the pasupati-to-tirupati corridor will become an international boundary. or the northeast with its pious christists, will secede and become 'greater nagaland'.
what joy is in prospect for india's 'strong' prime minister. who will then whine that he has lost sleep because the hans killed some mohammedans inadvertently while bombing bengal. (btw, why hasn't he already said he has lost sleep over the killing of uighur mohammedans by the hans? or is it ok because it is hans doing the killing?)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/84a13062-6f0c-11de-9109-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=a6dfcf08-9c79-11da-8762-0000779e2340.html
the chances are that there will be a short, sharp war again with china attacking and walking off this time with arunachal pradesh.
history repeats.
the last time there was a malayali defence minister (v k krishna menon), malayalis bigwigs in foreign service (sardar panikkar as amb to china), malayalis as secretaries to nehru dynasty types (m o mathai), etc. india lost tibet and aksai chin.
this time it is even worse. india may lose arunachal, sikkim, and maybe the pasupati-to-tirupati corridor will become an international boundary. or the northeast with its pious christists, will secede and become 'greater nagaland'.
what joy is in prospect for india's 'strong' prime minister. who will then whine that he has lost sleep because the hans killed some mohammedans inadvertently while bombing bengal. (btw, why hasn't he already said he has lost sleep over the killing of uighur mohammedans by the hans? or is it ok because it is hans doing the killing?)
brahma chellaney: china's next india war
jul 15th, 2009
a terrifying scenario, but quite plausible.
the yechuris and karats will get their opportunity to do the marigold garlanding pretty soon at the gateway of india.
when -- and it's 'when', not 'if' -- the chinese invade, i think some people -- you know who they are -- will use their foreign passports and decamp to those foreign countries. (or they may go hang out at their embassies).
http://chellaney.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!4913C7C8A2EA4A30!648.entry?wa=wsignin1.0&sa=716767734
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Australian slavery: pay to be a slave
Even the american south did not require slaves to pay for being slaves. Of course this is what awaits those Indian ‘students’ going to Australia. and if this is not enough – the Lebanese simply finish them off after they have put in their 900 hours of indenture. Regrettably there is the angle of diaspora indian business owners exploiting their own. They should all be locked up
The vermin UPA (alas Krishna & Tharoor) are happy to dismiss it as an “internal matter”
http://www.theage.com.au/national/foreign-students-slave-trade-20090714-dk6d.html
The vermin UPA (alas Krishna & Tharoor) are happy to dismiss it as an “internal matter”
http://www.theage.com.au/national/foreign-students-slave-trade-20090714-dk6d.html
African AlQaida Threatens China
AlQaida's alleged African arm has threatened China over its treatment of Uighur Muslims. China's aggressive push for Africa's natural resources, along with its military response to pirates in the Gulf of Aden, now followed by the latest troubles between Uighurs and Han Chinese, may be setting the stage for new confrontation between China and pan-Islamist militants.
Meh - works for me.
Meh - works for me.
Econophysicist Predicts Chinese Market Collapse
jul 14th, 2009
OT: une bonne "bastille day" pour mes ami(e)s francaises! aux barricades!
oh, and if you have some spare change, short the shanghai market, according to this article.
OT: une bonne "bastille day" pour mes ami(e)s francaises! aux barricades!
oh, and if you have some spare change, short the shanghai market, according to this article.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Girish
From: Girish
| The theorist behind this prediction is Didier Sornette at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, who has pioneered the study of market bubbles. The tell tale sign of a bubble, he says, is a faster than exponential growth rate caused by a positive feedback mechanism that generates this non-linear growth. |
Monday, July 13, 2009
shourie on decline of the system
jul 13th, 2009
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/on-the-way-down/488780/0
adha:patanam, that is descent into the netherworld.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/on-the-way-down/488780/0
adha:patanam, that is descent into the netherworld.
the euphrates is dying; so are india's rivers
jul 13th, 2009
water security is going to be one of our biggest headaches, esp. at a time of global warming and the disappearance of the glaciers, not to mention short-term issues like this year's presumed el nino.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/middleeast/14euphrates.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes
water security is going to be one of our biggest headaches, esp. at a time of global warming and the disappearance of the glaciers, not to mention short-term issues like this year's presumed el nino.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/middleeast/14euphrates.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes
aussie miscalculates and gets egg on his face: How Kevin Rudd has mismanaged Australia's relations with China
jul 13th, 2009
convict can suck up to hu jintao now in 'chaste' mandarin.
(off-topic, i have never understood what 'chaste' urdu is all about, given that urdu is not exactly a pedigreed language, being the child of many fathers, arabic, farsi, hindustani, maithili, bhojpuri, and god knows what else. it must be a product of the knee-jerk belief that everything mohammedan is good, so urdu is good.)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25769691-7583,00.html
convict can suck up to hu jintao now in 'chaste' mandarin.
(off-topic, i have never understood what 'chaste' urdu is all about, given that urdu is not exactly a pedigreed language, being the child of many fathers, arabic, farsi, hindustani, maithili, bhojpuri, and god knows what else. it must be a product of the knee-jerk belief that everything mohammedan is good, so urdu is good.)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25769691-7583,00.html
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brahma
From: Brahma
Glenn Milne | July 13, 2009
Article from: The Australian
ABSENT a swift, open and just resolution to the Stern Hu case, Kevin Rudd now has a China problem. And it is largely one of his own making.
Let us be clear here. Without the laying of serious charges against Hu, followed by a transparent and just trial process, China is in the wrong. Thus far this appears to be an unprovoked and unreasonable act that has the potential to open a significant diplomatic and trade rift between China and Australia.
The commercial, if not diplomatic implications are immediately clear and reach beyond Australia. Who will want to do business in China if local laws can be shredded to conjure a charge of state espionage out of the cut and thrust of robust business deal making?
... deletedReading links: more on nuclear “deal”
Three important links on the nuclear front
Vardarajan exposes manmohan hypocricy - http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/13/stories/2009071351090900.htm
Parthasarthy warns of danger ahead - http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/07/09/stories/2009070950280800.htm
Pratap Mehta senses buyer’s remorse on deal - http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-nuclear-games-begin/488710/0
Brutal fact is nobody cares. The cash tills in Switzerland are ringing as India will soon buy American reactors. thank you EVM’s. thank you chawla
The yanks are doing to us on nuclear front (enrichment and re-processing) what they are doing to China on the economic front (ever declining US treasury) i.e. selling a bill of goods they have no intention of honoring
Where are the deal huggers – eagerly lapping up US intentions to ‘make’ India into a superpower? Also where are the Obama automatons? No ‘hope and change’ – it is all “cap, rollback and eliminate”
Vardarajan exposes manmohan hypocricy - http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/13/stories/2009071351090900.htm
Parthasarthy warns of danger ahead - http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/07/09/stories/2009070950280800.htm
Pratap Mehta senses buyer’s remorse on deal - http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-nuclear-games-begin/488710/0
Brutal fact is nobody cares. The cash tills in Switzerland are ringing as India will soon buy American reactors. thank you EVM’s. thank you chawla
The yanks are doing to us on nuclear front (enrichment and re-processing) what they are doing to China on the economic front (ever declining US treasury) i.e. selling a bill of goods they have no intention of honoring
Where are the deal huggers – eagerly lapping up US intentions to ‘make’ India into a superpower? Also where are the Obama automatons? No ‘hope and change’ – it is all “cap, rollback and eliminate”
Sunday, July 12, 2009
India to Put 2 People in Orbit by 2015
India has announced its intention to put 2 astronauts into orbit by 2015. So in babu-speak, that would mean approx 2025.
so shopian rape was done by victim's relatives?
jul 12th, 2009
wouldn't surprise me in the least.
doesn't this remind you of the 'jhabua-nun-rape' case where it turned out the rapists were also christists, or the 'tribal-christist-girl-raped-and-murdered' case where it turned out that her christist uncle had done it? in all cases, hindus or army men or both were accused. and the evil media jumped on these and blew them out of proportion, because it fit in with their prejudices.
the ELM is the most evil entity in india.
What is your view on these charity orgs?
jul 12th, 2009
i don't know about this entity. anybody with first-hand knowledge?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sujoy
From: Sujoy
Hi Rajeev,
I recently received a flyer to donate money to an organisation, Vidya Daanam (www.vidyadaanam.org) which claims through its website to be an initiative by the Sanatana Dharma foundation. Sanatana Dharma Foundation, in its website (http://www.sanatanadharmafoundation.com/) looks to be a committed Hindu org and align itself with the views of people like Francois Gautier, Robert Spencer and Joe Kaufman.
Anyway, looking into the faq page on Vidya daanam (http://www.vidyadaanam.org/vidyadaanamfaq) I found this in question 7 -
7. Is Vidya Daanam a secular charity? Vidya Daanam is a 'Secular' Charity that is being run by 'Committed Hindus' ...
And this confuses me a bit, although it claims to be inspired by Sw. Dayanand Saraswati
You have previously suggested donations to SEWA and IDRF. Do you have any suggestion on this? I like the idea of donating for education, like in Ekal vidyalayas, but I was once duped into donating for ASHA when I was a "fresh off the boat grad student"; but now I'm being more careful and make sure I'm not donating to extreimsts like ASHA and AID.
Thanks,
Sujoy
Its God's responsibility to forgive the terrorist organizations
It's our responsibility to arrange the meeting between them and god."
- Indian Armed Forces
I recently received a flyer to donate money to an organisation, Vidya Daanam (www.vidyadaanam.org) which claims through its website to be an initiative by the Sanatana Dharma foundation. Sanatana Dharma Foundation, in its website (http://www.sanatanadharmafoundation.com/) looks to be a committed Hindu org and align itself with the views of people like Francois Gautier, Robert Spencer and Joe Kaufman.
Anyway, looking into the faq page on Vidya daanam (http://www.vidyadaanam.org/vidyadaanamfaq) I found this in question 7 -
7. Is Vidya Daanam a secular charity? Vidya Daanam is a 'Secular' Charity that is being run by 'Committed Hindus' ...
And this confuses me a bit, although it claims to be inspired by Sw. Dayanand Saraswati
You have previously suggested donations to SEWA and IDRF. Do you have any suggestion on this? I like the idea of donating for education, like in Ekal vidyalayas, but I was once duped into donating for ASHA when I was a "fresh off the boat grad student"; but now I'm being more careful and make sure I'm not donating to extreimsts like ASHA and AID.
Thanks,
Sujoy
It's our responsibility to arrange the meeting between them and god."
- Indian Armed Forces
what the hans will probably do: attack india
jul 12th, 2009
i had predicted some years ago that the chinese would attack a) russia to grab siberia, b) taiwan, c) japan using an electromagnetic pulse in the air (which of course they may get north korea to do), d) india.
they do have to kill off all those war-like, testosterone-fueled 30 million young men who will never find wives because they have murdered 30 million female foetuses. best bet is to go to war and have these young men killed while gaining some territory. easiest target is 'useful idiot'-filled india.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
VS Ramachandaran: neurology and the genius of the Chola bronze
This guy is absolute class – I heard him on the radio talking about the neurology of the mystical hindu experience (or Samadhi) and it led to this program. The art pieces start at around the 30 minute mark and go on for an hour. But you have to hear the first 30 minutes to understand the neurology.
Notice how he seems almost electrified when looking at the Nataraja.
The study by modern neurology of meditation practices is the most amazing frontier of science. Matthew Ricard had something like that. I am generally ignorant of Ramachandaran’s work – any fans of his around here?
Notice how he seems almost electrified when looking at the Nataraja.
The study by modern neurology of meditation practices is the most amazing frontier of science. Matthew Ricard had something like that. I am generally ignorant of Ramachandaran’s work – any fans of his around here?
Obama screws india over on nuclear “deal”
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/11/stories/2009071158290100.htm
one more step in “cap, roll-back and eliminate”. Interesting this comes the same week as Obama gave money o the pakis to kill more hindus with. this is how the yanks treat all strategic allies - by neutering them and making them utterly dependent on yankee largesse. where are the supporters of Obama and nuclear deals?
no word from Manmohan- the cash till is ringing in Switzerland. lady boos is happy
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/11/stories/2009071152701000.htm
one more step in “cap, roll-back and eliminate”. Interesting this comes the same week as Obama gave money o the pakis to kill more hindus with. this is how the yanks treat all strategic allies - by neutering them and making them utterly dependent on yankee largesse. where are the supporters of Obama and nuclear deals?
no word from Manmohan- the cash till is ringing in Switzerland. lady boos is happy
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/11/stories/2009071152701000.htm
Limey-land: the real ‘thugee’ at last!
I am always so amused to read the british administrators of the nineteenth century dream up all sorts of castes in india. They included many thousand backward castes of course. They also included ‘martial’ castes and – you guessed it – criminal castes and tribes
Wonder if the limey’s will set-up a “Thugee and Dacoity Department” to deal with their own losers. Of course – I am not surprised to see teenage crime in limey-land’ limey kids are good for not much else. They are only good for stealing and impregnating their teenage girls
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5796887/Teenage-robbery-crime-wave-sweeping-Britain.html
Wonder if the limey’s will set-up a “Thugee and Dacoity Department” to deal with their own losers. Of course – I am not surprised to see teenage crime in limey-land’ limey kids are good for not much else. They are only good for stealing and impregnating their teenage girls
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5796887/Teenage-robbery-crime-wave-sweeping-Britain.html
what? hans being dissed by limeys?
jul 11th, 2009
the checks haven't arrived from peking, or what?
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13988479&fsrc=nwlgafree
the checks haven't arrived from peking, or what?
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13988479&fsrc=nwlgafree