Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Quick notes: Giving back, Tired Jaitley...

  • Giving back: Anil Agarwal pledges 75% of his wealth to charity


  • Arun Jaitley: Serious health issues. Burdened by three key ministries.


  • Anand Kumar: Super 30 founder to speak at MIT and Harvard


  • Gross: Fried cockroach found with French fries in McDonald's Bangalore.
    Grosser: Choosing to go to McDonald's for your daughter's birthday.


  • Bill Clinton: "GDP growth doesn't lead to growth in median incomes because company after company takes more of its profits and spends it on dividends, stock buybacks, management increases ... and less on sharing it with the employees broadly."


  • Abandon all hope: Hopelessness from a spiritual point of view can also be termed choicelessness,ie. having no other choice than to honor the present moment completely and gracefully. As Eckhart Tolle describes in The Power of Now, “Waiting is a state of mind which makes you want the future, not the present. You don’t want what you have got, and what you have is what you don’t want. With every kind of waiting you create conflict between your here and now, where you don’t want to be and the projected future where you want to be. This greatly reduces the quality of your life making you lose the present.”

    So when we embrace hopelessness we cease to look for exit routes, and instead honor, acknowledge and accept the now as it is. We let go of our inner resistance and surrender to the moment with complete acceptance.

Mars in Full Glory - Courtesy of MOM

MOM has snapped a picture of Mars in its entirety, from a distance of 74500km out:

http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c25/Imagegallery/mom-images.aspx#2


A large dust storm can be seen in the upper left of the image. Because of MOM's unique elongated orbit, majestic pictures of the entire planet can be taken routinely - something which none of the other orbiters sent from Earth are able to do. The details in this image are superior to images provided by the Hubble Space Telescope.



Sunday, September 28, 2014

hemu was killed, and a battle was lost

similarly, 90 year old rama raya was killed in the battle of talikota, which led to the utter defeat of vijayanagar.

here this story suggests that hemu's freak accident caused his defeat at the second battle of panipat.

this shows a dangerous dependence hindu troops have on one commander. there must be a succession plan in place. 

MOM's First Snaps of Mars

Here are the first pictures of Mars taken by India's Mars Orbiter Mission, using its Mars Colour Camera(MCC):






And what region have ISRO and MOM chosen to snap in the first picture? The Indus Vallis, of course.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

modi at UN general assembly

gave a good speech, did not shy away from pakistan issue. told them patronizingly (and this is aimed at the US too) that there is no such thing as a good terrorist vs. a bad terrorist. 

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jayalalitha bites the dust

100 crore fine, 4 years jail, 6 more years barred from active politics, in disproportionate assets case. 

tamil nadu will be in flames.

pretty sad for the south. the telangana mess. congress misrule in KA and KE. now this in TN. sigh. investors better migrate northwards. 

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Friday, September 26, 2014

Quick notes: White House dinner, Solar opportunity...

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Fwd: China failed to capitalise on Xi's Delhi visit+ Keeping China at bay is key to protect Lanka+Daniel Twining: India, the global swing state for US and China


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sanjeev nayyar


1. Research in China by Claude Arpi 24/9/14 http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/research-in-china/
 
2. China failed to capitalise on Xi's Delhi visit by kanwal sibal 23/9/14 http://www.indiandefencereview.com/china-failed-to-capitalise-on-xis-delhi-visit/
'India's willingness to endorse China's Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor has been puzzling, as it risks propelling our northeast into China's orbit. Modi has added a caveat by declaring "our efforts to rebuild physical connectivity in the region would also require a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment. As a condition for opening Nathu La for the Mansarovar Yatra, we seem to have yielded to China's cajolement to indirectly accord recognition once again to the Tibetan Autonomous Region being an integral part of China through an awkward and peculiar formulation. Almost all the "agreements" signed during the visit, including on railway cooperation, are non-binding MOUs.
 
3. Liberalise border trade practices Myanmar can be the gateway of India to the East by G Parthasarathy http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140925/edit.htm#4
'Or border trade regulations are crafted by mandarins in North Block and Udyog Bhavan, New Delhi, who have no idea either of the ground situation along the India-Myanmar border or the pragmatism that China shows in treating the markets across its land borders with its neighbours, not as foreign markets, but as extensions of China's own markets.
Moreover, the "Kaladan Multimodal Corridor" linking our north-eastern states to the Bay of Bengal through the Port of Sittwe in Myanmar will be useful only if Sittwe becomes the key port for India-Myanmar trade.
In the mid-1990s Myanmar offered us hydro-electric projects across rivers near our borders. We took over a decade to scrutinise these projects, which companies in South Korea had earlier offered to construct. After nearly two decades, we backed off. Our private companies similarly have not been able to avail offers of land for agriculture across Myanmar. India was offered hundreds of acres of land with bamboo plantations for making paper pulp'.
 
4. Keeping China at bay is key to protect Lanka 23/9/14 by Pearl Thevanayagam http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2014/09/keeping-china-at-bay-is-key-to-protect.html
 
What is the SC trying to become. What are the issues of law in the flood situation. They should focus on clearing backlog of cases.
 
'A China-India axis would tilt the balance of power against the United States, calling into question the future of its alliances with nations like Japan, and the ability of the U.S. to lead globally. By contrast, a U.S.-India partnership would make it more difficult for China to challenge American leadership in Asia and the world.
As one Indian strategist put it: "We didn't seek a strategic partnership with America because we thought you'd go into decline but because we expected you to remain strong -- and to lead." Obama should heed this message when he meets India's prime minister.'
 
'Xi has also either selected, or approved the selection, of senior PLA commanders. Particularly, the commander of the Lanzhou military region which includes the Ladakh region in its overall area of responsibility, was promoted by Xi and has publicly expressed fealty to him. The political commissar of the Lanzhou region has also benefited from a promotion given by Xi this July.'
 
 
Warm Regards
sanjeev nayyar
https://twitter.com/sanjeev1927
To unsubscribe write back



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Fwd: Mr Modi goes to Washington


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Atanu Dey
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2014 at 7:40 AM
Subject: Mr Modi goes to Washington
To:


Jacques Rousseau wrote in The Social Contract (1762), "To yield to force is an act of necessity, not of will; it is at best an act of prudence." 

I see Modi's visit as an act of necessity and prudence. My blog post http://bit.ly/1pt3tjL on the subject.

Regards,
Atanu


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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
 US:     +1-330-282-6833
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .
 









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GSLV Mark-III to Fly in Oct/Nov

India's next-generation rocket, the GSLV Mark-III will be making its maiden flight sometime in late October or November:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/gslv-mark-iii-test-flight-before-december-114092500031_1.html

The rocket will be carrying the new Indian crew capsule on a suborbital flight.


Meanwhile, here is the full speech given by PM Narendra Modi at ISRO congratulating its scientists on the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission:

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Mangalyaan Reaches Mars!

A few minutes ago (although actually more like 15 minutes ago, when you subtract the lightspeed delay), the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft ('Mangalyaan') successfully inserted itself into Mars orbit. Jai Hind!





https://twitter.com/MarsOrbiter


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

ISRO's Mars Orbiter Wakes Up, Fires Engines Successfully

After sleeping for 300 days, India's Mars Orbiter spacecraft awakened to successfully test-fire its engines, in preparation for its main insertion maneuver on Wednesday, which will place it into Mars orbit:


If all goes well, ISRO will become the 4th space agency to successfully put a spacecraft into orbit around Mars - the first to do so on a maiden attempt. (Technically, since the European mission was launched by a Russian Soyuz rocket, India would be the 3rd to succeed all-indigenously).



With the awakening and test-firing out of the way, one of the key hurdles has been crossed. Various previous attempts by others had seen their spacecraft fail to awaken after such a long dormancy, given the cold conditions of space and the dangers of cosmic rays.



Meanwhile, NASA's Maven spacecraft has arrived in Mars orbit a couple of days ahead of ISRO's, with both teams giving each other best wishes. Both teams have formed a joint panel to look at possible cooperation between the 2 missions. ISRO's MOM will likely reach Mars with fuel to spare.


Saturday, September 20, 2014

satyajit ray's charulata turns 50; a chat with the leads

madhabi mukerjee and soumitra chatterjee.

it is almost certainly ray's best film, and quite possibly the best film ever made in india. i used to think ray a typecast poverty porn filmmaker until i saw charulata and realized he was a genius. 

i saw the entire ray oeuvre decades ago at the boston museum of fine arts: there was a retrospective; and it was awesome

- the apu trilogy
- charulata
- the calcutta trilogy: jana aranya, pratidwandi, seemabaddha

several of them absolute masterpieces, especially charulata.

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sent from samsung galaxy 0note, so please excuse brevity

Fwd: The Meaning of Latest Chinese Transgression in Ladakh, Ahead of Chinese President’s Visit to India+Chinese footprint in India+Tibet: the Real Issue


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sanjeev nayyar


Any deal with China that involves legally giving Aksai Chin or COK to the Chinese would require prior approval of the J&K State Government since the area formed part of the Princely State of J&K which became part of India thru the Instrument of Accession.
 
 
2. Chinese footprint in India 19/9/14 – gives full details of Chinese business presence and imports by China. If u want PDF file can mail u. http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/chinese-footprint-in-india-114091900036_1.htm
 
3. The Meaning of Latest Chinese Transgression in Ladakh, Ahead of Chinese President's Visit to India by d s rajan 18/9/14 http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1617. MUST READ
'The following post-1997 data, given in chronological order could be relevant to what has been said above: Gives details of each intrusion. To understand the framework, what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping said (Speech delivered at a party Politburo Study session convened on 28 January 2013) are important. He declared that "China will never pursue its development at the cost of sacrificing interests of other countries …. We will never give up our legitimate rights and will never sacrifice our national core interests. No country should presume that we will engage in trade involving our core interests or that we will swallow the 'bitter fruit' of harming our sovereignty, security or development interests". India therefore needs to obtain official clarification from China whether the PRC accepts Ladakh as part of India. There is a possibility that the intrusions can expand further and lead to a India-China 'local war'. Border talks could go on endlessly, but China cannot be expected to shed its consistent claim on the entire Arunachal Pradesh, being called by it as 'Southern Tibet'. India's response should therefore be based on a long term strategy aimed at strengthening its defence preparedness against any Chinese misadventure. India-China trust deficit still persists due to the issues dividing them strategically; suffice to point out that in the background of their different strategic outlook, New Delhi and Beijing may face an uphill task in establishing mutual trust. - See more at: http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1617#sthash.11k1Y2NR.dpuf
 
4. Tibet: the Real Issue by maj gen sheru thapilyal 2007 art republished 18/9/14 http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/tibet-the-real-issue/
'Historically Tibet has never been a province of China. It has been autonomous over the centuries. China had loose control over it under Manchu Tributary system similar to the one it exercised over Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan where their rulers paid tribute to China and possessed Chinese official rank. Not many people may be aware that in AD 763, Tibet conquered large parts of Western China and the then Emperor of China was forced to marry Princess Wencheng to the Tibetan King Song Tsnen Gam Po.
Around the ninth century, Tibet came under Buddhist influence and by the thirteenth century, almost entire Tibet converted to Buddhism. The hand that held the sword was now supporting a prayer wheel. The concept of the Dalai Lama, which was Mongolian in origin, also came into being during this time. Tibet's troubles seem to have started with the Lama getting used to ruling with foreign support.
By the beginning of the twentieth century Tibet had become the Great Game pawn between China, Britain and Russia. On the pretext of sending a trade mission to Tibet, British troops entered Tibet, resulting in the conclusion of a Treaty in 1904 between Tibet and Britain. Obviously the Treaty was concluded on unequal terms. China played the role of a bystander totally ignoring her responsibility, if any. The treaty was bilateral and clearly signified the independent status of Tibet. The Manchu court refused to countersign the Treaty as it failed to recognize Chinese suzerainty over Tibet. On protracted negotiations, China concluded a treaty in 1906 with Great Britain which prevented Tibet from concluding direct negotiations with any foreign power without the consent of China.
From this geo-political perspective, the building of a road through the Aksai Chin area gained salience. The road through Aksai Chin area comprised one of the three main routes to Tibet from the rest of China. It was also a route which was open year-round and least hazardous and in turns also least expensive. Therefore, control of Aksai Chin was perceived as essential in Chinese strategy to control the whole of Tibet.
Tibet and Tibetan ethnic areas are endowed with the greatest river system in the world. Its rivers supply fresh water to 85% of Asia's population and approximately 50% of the world's population.
It may be noted that China uses the Tibetan plateau for the development of its nuclear bombs.
Chinese cannot accept Indian claims to Aksai Chin since the strategic Western Highway passes through it and captured area provides depth to the Western Highway. The point to note here is that after the 1962 War the Chinese withdrew from Eastern Sector, but, not from Ladakh.
In the Eastern Sector, if the Chinese agree to the Mc Mahon Line as the boundary, it will amount to a tacit admission that in 1914, Tibet was an independent country which negotiated the Mc Mahon Line with the British. This weakens the entire Chinese case that Tibet has always been a part of China. China cannot afford to grant autonomy to Tibet since its Western provinces, especially the ones with Muslim majority may seek the same status. This may become the trigger for break up of China one day.
 
5. What China must do to get India on the silk route by dr rahul mishra 17/9/14 http://www.rediff.com/news/column/what-china-must-do-to-get-india-on-silk-route/20140917.htm
'At the substantive level, however, MSR is conceptualised to serve two purposes: to re-energise relations with neighbours through effective use of naval diplomacy and; to respond to the US' rebalancing towards Asia in diplomatic terms. '

6. Great Game South Asia – dangerous portends by lt gen prakash katoch 17/9/14 http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/great-game-south-asia-dangerous-portends/
 
7. China to import more from India to balance trade 19/9/14 by Xinhua http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/882185.shtml
 
8. China India agree to cooperate in the Railway sector 18/9/14 http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/882184.shtml
 
9. Chinese dream is closely tied to dream of India 19/9/14 http://english.people.com.cn/n/2014/0918/c90883-8784575.html
 
Warm Regards
sanjeev nayyar
https://twitter.com/sanjeev1927
To unsubscribe write back



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Fwd: Farting feedlots a necessity, dead Pagans a nuisance?


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: K


http://pubs.acs.org/doi/ipdf/10.1021/ez4000669

You might want to send this to some of the engineering types who can compare this with, say
1.  Feedlot methane emissions
2.  Worldwide 'new year' fireworks
3.  July 4 fireworks





--
sent from samsung galaxy note, so please excuse brevity

Quick notes: Bullet points, Nizamiyat revival...

Friday, September 19, 2014

Xi Jinping spins the Charkha!


Xi Jinping spins the Charkha at Sabarmati ashram. I wonder if he chanted the Dhimmi mantra: "All ideologies EQUAL EQUAL; All ideologies teach the SAME THING"? 

Communism, Nazism, Fascism, Marxism, Maoism, Capitalism, Socialism, Libertarianism, etc. They are all EQUAL and teach the SAME THING - according to the Dhimmi Gandhians, right?

richard rahul verma to be new us ambassador to india

i hope richard rahul verma is not another bobby piyush jindal type turncoat.

alas, he is likely to be anti-india and anti-hindu, given that he was part of the hillary clinton team (let us note that hillary's right-hand-woman is huma abedin, a pakistani-american whose ancestors were indian hyderabad razakars iirc). no wonder, given the way the previous amb nancy something was towards india. (btw, nancy was the butchest diplomat i have ever seen. don't you agree?)

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Thursday, September 18, 2014

Scotland On Eve of Secession Vote

As the people of Scotland prepare to vote on independence from Britain, everyone recognizes that regardless of outcome, the vote will change the UK forever. Even if the independence vote fails, London has committed to devolving more powers to Scotland if it stays in the UK.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/17/9-big-questions-before-scotlands-big-vote-on-independence/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11102126/Scottish-referendum-Alone-Scotland-will-go-back-to-being-a-failed-state.html

What will happen to the economies of Scotland and the remainder of the UK? What will happen to the well-known British flag, which is a composite of English and Scottish flags? Will the remainder of the UK remain intact? What will happen to British nukes? What about UK's permanent seat on the UNSC? What will happen to the EU? What will be the effect on numerous separatist movements around the world, including those trying to separate from India?

Since a huge share of Labour MPs are elected from Scotland, its secession from the UK would leave the UK Labour Party in the political wilderness, while the Conservatives would have an easy lock on power. Whatever short-term satisfaction they might gain from assisting a separatist movement, UK-based Kashmiri separatists are likely to see their influence diminish in a UK sans Scotland.

The separatist leader Alex Salmond has presented a very breezy picture of Scotland achieving independence without serious costs, and turning into a dreamy Scandinavian type of society, courtesy of the North Sea oil reserves off the Scottish coast. However, some oil-rich Scottish territories may be whispering of seeking independence from Scotland, should it secede from the UK.


http://online.wsj.com/articles/as-scotland-votes-on-independence-shetland-islands-ponder-own-fate-1410967801

Where's Mountbatten when you need him?



Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Canada Selling Sovereignty to China in New Treaty

China has managed to get Canada to sell a portion of its sovereignty in a new treaty that's raising eyebrows:

http://www.newsweek.com/new-treaty-allows-china-sue-canada-change-its-laws-270751




Better not let the Congress Party hear about this, or they'll be signing many such treaties with China.

Canada's ruling party claims this treaty is beneficial for the country because by lowering the risk to Chinese investments, it will encourage more Chinese money to flow into Canada. That's literally their sole argument.

Meanwhile, China gets the opportunity to fight cases in Canadian courts to overturn laws they find inimical to them, without any requirement for the case to be disclosed to the public while it's being fought. China in no way cedes any new market access to Canada. Chinese investments will face no public scrutiny or foreign investment review. Such investment deals may even be allowed irrespective of obligations to aboriginal communities.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

top univs producing entrepreneurs who raise vc funding

IITs (together) are number 4 in the world. pretty impressive, until you realize most of this happened in the US.

http://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2014/08/27/top-universities-for-vc-backed-entrepreneurs-pitchbook-ranking/

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Fwd: (Assam) Muslim Tries to Sell Off Hindu Teen Neighbour as Slave, Arrested in Tamil Nadu


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ravi
Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 12:50 AM
Subject: (Assam) Muslim Tries to Sell Off Hindu Teen Neighbour as Slave, Arrested in Tamil Nadu
To:


http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Man-Tries-to-Sell-Off-Teen-as-Slave-Arrested/2014/09/13/article2428725.ece


Man Tries to Sell Off Teen as Slave, Arrested

By Express News Service

Published: 13th September 2014 06:03 AM

Last Updated: 13th September 2014 11:14 AM

  • Moinul (left) and Manik
    Moinul (left) and Manik

CHENNAI: A 25-year-old man from Assam, was arrested on the charge of attempting to sell a teenage boy, here on Friday. The teen was rescued after a tip off from an auto driver.

Police said Moinul (25) of Guwahati had got his neighbour Manik (18) a job at a tea shop back in Assam. But, the latter registered a complaint against him over poor wages. However, Moinul convinced the boy's parents to withdraw the complaint, promising to place the teenager in a better place in Tamil Nadu. He first found Manik a job at a timber shop in Tiruchy six months ago, but the teen again complained of meagre wages. According to police, Moinul was irked by the police complaint and decided to exact vengeance, and brought Manik to Chennai.

After reaching here, Moinul made him wait inside CMBT at Koyambedu and went out looking for prospective buyers. Police said he negotiated with a tea shop owner nearby, but could not get Rs 3 lakh that he wanted.

In a last ditch effort, Moinul approached the auto-rickshaw and taxi stands, and offered commission to anyone who could find a buyer willing to pay Rs 3 lakh for the boy. Some of the drivers there noted down his number, and an auto driver among them, Dinesh, alerted the local police. Police officials called Moinul pretending to be prospective buyers, and asked him to wait near the auto stand. A team of plain clothesmen offered Rs 3.50 lakh. To gain his trust, they showed him Rs 50,000 advance money.

Moinul readily agreed and fetched the teen from the bus stand and handed him over to the cops in disguise. The personnel immediately disclosed their identity and took both Moinul and Manik in their custody. Manik told the police that he was under the impression that Moinul was looking for a job for him using his contacts and had no clue about his intentions.




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the economist? racist? you bet. and proud of it, too

Fwd: Vietnam visit by Indian President strategically significant+China and Modi’s relationship building with Japan+ China’s Finger Problem – Will President Xi cure+Pranab visit to Vietnam


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sanjeev nayyar

cultivating vietnam as india's pakistan aiming at china's soft underbelly? sounds good to me.


1. Vietnam visit by Indian President strategically significant by dr subhash kapila 15/9/14 http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1613
'Vietnam's long outstanding requests to India for sale of the Brahmos Missile need to be honoured and other missiles too. If China could assist Pakistan with nuclear weapons build-up and a wide variety of ballistic missiles with strike reach to the Indian heartland, what holds back India to assist Vietnam?
 
2. China and Modi's relationship building with Japan by col r hariharan 15/9/14 http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1614
'Such comments in the op-ed showed China's difficulty in coming to terms with Modi's readiness to improve India's relations with China to do business while showing equal keenness to improve strategic cooperation with Japan. One of the key objectives of President Xi's talks with Modi will be to wean away India from the lure of Japan. So it is not surprising Beijing is holding out a carrot of $ 100 billion Chinese investment in India. And the huge delegation of leading lights of Chinese business and five major banks accompanying the Chinese President underscores President Xi's serious efforts to win over Modi.[v][v] But the reported Chinese troops' intrusion into Indian territory in Ladakh (in Demchok sector) on September 11, even in the midst of all media hype on Xi's visit, exposes the soft underbelly of India-China relations. And this is where Japan has an edge over China in dealing with India.'
 
3. China's Finger Problem – Will President Xi cure by lt gen prakash katoch 15/9/14 http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/chinas-finger-problem-will-president-xi-cure/
'From the above it can be seen that Indian territories were once right up to the Hindukush Mountains, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, parts of Burma, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Portions of Tibet too were annexed by India. Not many would be aware of the captured Chinese flag brought by Maharaja Ranjit Singh that adorns the officer's mess of an infantry battalion of the Indian Army. Then, Indian troops of British India were posted at Yatung. The Chinese may need to read up on India's history and whether going by Chinese standards, India should start claiming all these territories?
But in the case of Tibet and India, China's stratagem is based on Mao Zhedong's statement endorsed by Deng Xiaoping, in saying, "Tibet is the palm of China and Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and NEFA are its fingers".
Logically, if China wants India to sign on the dotted line of 'One China' policy, it should do likewise accepting 'One India' including 'recognizing the accession of the State of J&K to India on 26 October 1947'. Sure that would make Chinese occupation of the Shaksgam Valley and Aksai Chin illegal but that can be negotiated between the special representatives of both countries charged with negotiating the border.'
 
4. Xi's on Modi's turf: a Strategic perspective by col danvir singh 15/9/14 http://www.indiandefencereview.com/xi-jinping-visit-a-strategic-perspective/
'But a word of caution, don't prick the dragon so soon. The defence apparatus of our country needs to be strengthened many folds before any such display of confidence'.
 
My take – China will settle the boundary dispute from a position of strength when it can dictate. India will have to build economic and military strength – it has little time.
 
6. India should not get strangled by China's bear bug by kanwal sibal 16/9/14 http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/NjBZflKVZRfcFHehSQ3EiM/India-should-not-get-strangled-by-Chinas-bear-hug.html.
'Modi's challenge would be to clasp China's extended hand to the extent it serves India's purpose.'
 
7. The NDA govt has given a big impetus to bridging the infrastructure and connectivity deficit in North-East to both mainland India and to South-East Asia. 16/9/14. Table has useful data http://www.livemint.com/Politics/jYkigBltcZDkfh6uLZrAwJ/The-Yin-and-the-Yang.html
 
8. CCEA clears Rs 4758 crs power transmission lines in Arunachal and Sikkim. 16/9/14 http://www.livemint.com/Politics/vq8JVQ9hgvFi1iyPslg6QN/CCEA-clears-power-transmission-projects-in-Arunachal-Pradesh.html
 
My take – there was no need for the media to rub it in the Kashmiris of the Valley that the Army whom they maligned saved them. Sometimes Silence pays.
 
'Pres Sang affirmed that Vietnam is a key pillar in India's 'Look East' policy, as well as in its relations with ASEAN, and India wants to broaden this strategic partnership with Vietnam. Presidents Sang and Mukherjee noted with satisfaction the effective cooperation in national defence and security between the two countries in recent times, saying this is a key pillar in bilateral strategic partnership. They said the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Indian provision of US$100 million in credit loans for Vietnam's defence sector will open up new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in the area.'
 
11. Pics of Hiuen Tsang memorial in Nalanda Bihar by sanjeev nayyar. Does China have a memorial for Dr Kotnis or to India for her cultural contribution to China. http://www.esamskriti.com/photo-detail/Hiuen-Tsang-Memorial.aspx
 
12. Chinese targetted by Phillipine nationalism editorial global times 16/9/14 http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/881623.shtml. 'A Chinese citizen sustained life-threatening injuries after being shot in Meycauayan in Bulacan Province of the Philippines on Saturday. He is the third Chinese citizen to be targeted in the Philippines in the space of five days after two Chinese nationals were abducted on September 8 and 11.
My take – Chinese learning from the Muslims, first attack be aggressive, when other party says something then play victim card.
 
13. SC asks Centre, State Govt to focus on areas other than Srinagar 16/9/14 http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/sc-asks-centre-jk-focus-districts-srinagar/
My take – the SC is supposed to interpret law, not give instructions to the Govt on what it should do. SC should focus on clearing backlog of cases in the SC and reducing corruption in the Judiciary.
 
14. The continuity in Japan's India policy is desirable by ashok desai 16/9/14 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140916/jsp/opinion/story_18840110.jsp
 
Warm Regards
sanjeev nayyar
https://twitter.com/sanjeev1927
To unsubscribe write back



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Using Multiculturalism as a Defense of Rape

A Pakistani from Britain claims that if more from his community had been part of the police force, then the rape of so many children would not have been tolerated:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/opinion/multiculturalism-and-rape-in-rotherham.html?_r=0

In other words, "society failed us and that's why child-rapes occurred."

As China Arms Pak, India Arms Vietnam

With the Chinese leader's visit to India looming, India prepares messages of its own:

http://blogs.reuters.com/india-expertzone/2014/09/15/chinas-wmd-cooperation-with-pakistan-looms-over-xi-modi-talks/

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/430576/india-plans-supply-vietnam-brahmos.html

Monday, September 15, 2014

Quick notes: Pink revolution, Small EVs...

  • Money from slaughter trade goes into killing us: India is killing more animals than ever to feed Bangladesh and the Middle East.


  • Steve J restricted kids' gadgets usage: “So, your kids must love the iPad?” I asked Mr. Jobs, trying to change the subject. The company’s first tablet was just hitting the shelves. “They haven’t used it,” he told me. “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” I’m sure I responded with a gasp and dumbfounded silence. I had imagined the Jobs’s household was like a nerd’s paradise: that the walls were giant touch screens, the dining table was made from tiles of iPads and that iPods were handed out to guests like chocolates on a pillow. Nope, Mr. Jobs told me, not even close.


  • Toyota's New Transit Idea: Not only do these small EVs make more sense than a full-sized gas-guzzling car for the lone commuter, the new system also helps make the idea of car-sharing more convenient and palatable. 

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Love Jihad - Ground Report Investigation by Headlines Today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-K7Ns8biV0

This appears to be a master stroke by Headlines Today reporters to present the facts raw where the conclusion is inescapable that Love Jihad is being systematically conducted in UP.

I think they cover that up with commentary to the contrary just to weasel out of any blame.

Quick notes: Dismal failure, Fructose havoc...

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Fwd: The 21 Sikhs of Saragarhi - a small body of Sikhs fought 10,000 Afridi n Orakzai attackers, 117th anniversary of heroic effort.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sanjeev nayyar


The 21 Sikhs of Saragarhi

A small body of Sikhs defended a vital North-West Frontier post against 10,000 Afridi and Orakzai attackers. Yesterday was the 117th anniversary of their heroic effort

 

Britain's Parliament interrupted proceedings and rose to give a standing ovation on September 12, 1897 to 21 valorous soldiers — all of them Indians, all of them Sikhs — for what was undoubtedly a tremendous act of collective bravery, and one of the greatest 'last-stands' in military history, the Battle of Saragarhi.

The North-West Frontier of undivided India, now a part of Pakistan known as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is a harsh place. Embroiled even today in bloody conflict, it has been home to a multitude of battle-hardened tribes for centuries. In this tumultuous region, between the forts of Gulistan and Lockhart, which were built by one of India's most proficient military commanders, Maharajah Ranjit Singh, is where Saragarhi is situated. As there was no visual contact between the two forts, Saragarhi was created as a heliographic communication post to signal between them.

Afridi and Orakzai tribesmen had started to revolt against British annexation of the area in the latter part of 1897, resulting in a multitude of attacks on both Gulistan and Lockhart, especially during the first week of September that year. Elements of the 36th Sikhs, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Haughton, had been moved to the area and had been successfully repelling attacks from the tough, hardy Pashtuns.

On September 12, the frustrated tribesmen changed strategy; they decided to cut off this vital communication link that was being guarded by a detachment of the Sikhs, having only been reinforced in the previous couple of days by Havildar Ishar Singh, and just 20 other ranks. At 9 am, no less than 10,000 tribesmen assembled to launch an assault on Saragarhi.

Haughton, who was based at Fort Gulistan, received a signal that Saragarhi was about to come under attack from a mammoth force. His reply couldn't have been anything but demotivating for the defenders; he was unable to send any immediate relief. The Sikhs, however, resilient and undeterred, knew quick, hard decisions were required. Ishar Singh and his men decided that they would fight to the last man. This was not just bravado. The tactic could, if successful, delay an attack on the forts, giving the troops there more time to prepare and for reinforcements to arrive. Fierce fighting ensued once the assault began and the Sikhs fought a series of delay tactics to ensure the fighting continued for as long as possible.


So much so, that as the battle was prolonged, and Afghan casualties mounted, commanders of the assault force tried offering the defenders favourable terms of surrender. That wasn't an option for the Sikhs. Attack after attack was repulsed. Ishar Singh and his men continued to stubbornly hold out, while inflicting a steady toll on the enemy, despite an acute shortage of ammunition which eventually ran out. The tribesmen made more than one attempt to rush the gates of Saragarhi, but this too was unsuccessful. Finally, a breach was made in one of the walls by a small body of tribesmen which was not visible to the Sikhs, having stealthily crept up using a blind spot and laboured at the wall for a while. By this time the battle had raged on for the better part of the sunlight hours.

One can only imagine the fierce and brutal hand-to-hand combat that ensued between these ridiculously lopsided forces once the wall was breached. A determined Ishar Singh ordered his troops to fall back into an inner layer of Saragarhi, while he distracted and held the attackers at bay — another classic delaying tactic. After he fell, the enemy managed to finally breach the inner layers, and except for Sepoy Gurmukh Singh, who was regularly communicating details of the battle to Haughton, his commander in Fort Gulistan, every defender had been killed. The determined Gurmukh asked his commander if he could now fix his bayonet, and an account describes him packing his equipment into a leather bag before doing so. The attackers decided to set fire to Saragarhi and according to Haughton's account, engulfed in flames, Gurmukh's last words were the Sikh battle cry: "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (Victory belongs to those who recite the name of God with a true heart)".
 
The courageous decision of Ishar Singh and his men had achieved the desired outcome. The battle had raged for over six hours and while there were a couple of patrols launched from Gulistan and Lockhart to distract the enemy, which reported there were around 14,000 attackers, the tribesmen had stayed focused on Saragarhi. The Sikhs, knowing very well what their fate would be, had held out against some of the most unfavourable odds for many hours, buying enough time for their comrades. Gulistan and Lockhart were saved from falling into Afghan hands and the lives of the vast majority of their regiment was saved too. For this extraordinary act of bravery and valour, all 21 Sikhs were awarded the Indian Order of Merit, which was the highest gallantry award given to Indians at the time. This remains the only instance when an entire body of troops has been given the highest award for the same battle.

When the relief party finally arrived at Saragarhi, there were over 600 dead Afghans and 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs along with one non-combatant — a camp follower and cook of the Sikhs who had been with them. Some of those enemy casualties are said to have been caused by artillery fire, after all the Sikhs had fallen; but in any event, for just 21 men to hold off the utterly overwhelming assault force of 10,000-14,000, this battle remains utterly remarkable and among the most heroic last-stands, ever — something akin to the Battle of Thermopylae fought between a Greek alliance and the Persian Empire in 480 BC.

The 36th Sikhs survive to this day. They were re-designated as the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment — which is, unsurprisingly, the most highly decorated regiment of the Indian Army. Now 20 battalions strong, the entire regiment remembers the heroic and selfless sacrifice of these soldiers by commemorating Saragarhi Day as their Battle Honour Day each yea


 
Warm Regards
sanjeev nayyar
https://twitter.com/sanjeev1927
To unsubscribe write back



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sent from samsung galaxy note, so please excuse brevity

must read: From Huawei to Xiaomi: Why Narendra Modi should do a hard bargain with Xi Jinping by Yatish Rajavat in Firstbiz. GD READ


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sanjeev nayyar <sanjeevnayyar108@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Sep 13, 2014 at 2:58 PM
Subject: From Huawei to Xiaomi: Why Narendra Modi should do a hard bargain with Xi Jinping by Yatish Rajavat in Firstbiz. GD READ
To: esams Nayyar <esamskriti@suryaconsulting.net>


From Huawei to Xiaomi: Why Narendra Modi should do a hard bargain with Xi Jinping by Yatish Rajavat in Firstbiz 13/9/14
 

The government is seized with the issue of lopsided bilateral trade with China. As against the general perception that imports are of cheap consumer items, the figures show that the largest imports from China are that of engineering goods, electronics and electrical equipment. Over the last three years, China has sold almost $30 billion of engineering goods to India, almost $10 billion a year.

During the same period, $43 billion worth of electronic and electrical equipment, both for industrial and consumer use, has also found their way into India from China.

... deleted

indiachina


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sent from samsung galaxy note, so please excuse brevity

the economist makes it usual casual racist spiel, then does abject surrender

the guys at the economist are young men pretending to be wise and old. their cavalier racism got them in serious trouble this time, it appears. 

if we hold them to account and nail their asses to the wall, they will apologize for insults to hindus too.

this is a page from their current issue.

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sent from samsung galaxy note, so please excuse brevity

Monday, September 08, 2014

ISIS atrocities: *****WARNING: EXTREMELY GRUESOME, DISTURBING*****

note: i have removed the images as they were far too disturbing.

note 2: in case you still want to see them, they are available at this website: http://www.mpolska24.pl/blogi/post/6737 thanks to reader swamijyoti

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Avadhuth Kakodkar




2014-09-04 18:48 GMT+05:30 Colonelrajan Srinivas

Let us NOT close our eyes. The barbarians would soon be at our door.


Caution! Very graphic scenes! Not for the faint hearted!


THE HOLOCAUST BY THE ISLAMIC JIHADISTS


VERY GRUESOME PICTURES- SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED BY CHILDREN.

"FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS BUT I WAS NOT A JEW AND SO I DID NOT PROTEST...THEN THEY CAME FOR THE CATHOLICS BUT I WAS NOT A CATHOLIC AND SO I DID NOT PROTEST......THEN THEY CAME FOR ME AND THERE WAS NOBODY LEFT TO PROTEST" - MARTIN NIEMOLLER,GERMAN PASTOR DURING HITLER'S HOLOCAUST.
 

Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1)

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__,_._,___




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sent from samsung galaxy note, so please excuse brevity

US to Undertake 3 Years to Destroy ISIS

The United States is commiting itself to an effort to destroy ISIS which may take 3 years:

www.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/world/middleeast/destroying-isis-may-take-3-years-white-house-says.html

Sunday, September 07, 2014

Happy onam to all kerala Hindus

Happy onam. Hope attachment comes through. Lately have been experiencing trouble with attachments

Quick notes: Ungrateful Shias, Stolen idols...

  • RoP ingratitude: For weeks, Kurdish fighters had joined an unusual alliance to free Amerli, a dusty highway town besieged by IS. Shiite militias, Iranian trainers and U.S. military pilots had all contributed, finally wresting the city from Sunni extremists and saving the 15,000 residents from starvation or brutal slayings.  But on Friday, as the Kurdish pesh merga fighters approached the city to greet the residents they helped save, they were treated less like liberators and more like intruders. “Pesh merga forces are not allowed to enter this city!” yelled a Shiite militiaman with Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi group. He waved his rifle at them and the pesh merga retreated.  “We fought for three months here, and now we have to fight these bastards,” said one of the pesh merga, who regard this area as part of their territory. “If this continues, we’ll have another war.”  “They are just like animals,” said a second pesh merga fighter. “They are mules.”


  • Australia to return stolen Hindu idols to India... Dealer Subhash Kapoor is accused of looting statues and other antiquities worth millions.


  • Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the "father of modern yoga", demonstrating the practices of yoga in 1938 at the age of 50... Hanuman Chalisa by Bhagavan Das in the background.