Bank Funding of Christianity in USA - WSJ.com

Some lenders believe more churches than ever have fallen behind on loans or defaulted this year. Some churches, and at least one company that specialized in church lending, have filed for bankruptcy. Church giving is down as much as 15% in some places, pastors and lenders report.

The financial problems are crimping a church building boom that began in the 1990s, when megachurches multiplied, turning many houses of worship into suburban social centers complete with bookstores, gyms and coffee bars. Lenders say mortgage applications are down, while some commercial lenders no longer see churches as a safe investment. (via In Hard Times, Houses of God Turn to Chapter 11 in Book of Bankruptcy - WSJ.com).

This is something that is beyond comprehension (at least mine). The US Govt., the Anglo Saxon bloc, specifically claims, (and the West in general) that it does not 'support' any religion.

By routing money through the Federal Reserve, (through excessive printing by 'Helicopter Ben') to the banks, does maintain the argument of separation between the State and the Church. But then, why cavil when the Saudi Government supports Wahabbist Islam?

Though one thing is clear - I cannot imagine going to an Indian bank for a loan to build a Hindu temple. I can hear hoots of raucous laughter - and screams of merriment. More ominously, I can hear bank managers making phone calls to the nearest mental hospital.

Foreign funds to Indian NGOs soar - The Times of India

Statistics released by the home ministry regarding 'foreign funds to NGOs' show that India, which has a total of 33,937 registered associations, received Rs 12,289.63 crore in foreign contributions during 2006-07 as against Rs 7,877.57 crore in 2005-06, a substantial increase of nearly Rs 4,400 crore (56%) in just one year.

The US, Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Italy were the top five foreign contributors during 2006-07. These five countries have consistently been the big donors since 2004-05. Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and France are the other countries which figure prominently in the list of foreign donors. (via Foreign funds to Indian NGOs soar, Pak among donors-India-The Times of India).

What does this mean ...

Rs 12,289.63 crore is roughly US$3 billion - based on average dollar value for 2008.

And it is a lot of money.

That is more money than what the US Govt. gave as aid to more than the 100 poorest countries. Till a few years ago, India annual FDI was US$ 4 billion - just a little more than the US$3 billion that India received as charity through various NGOs in 2008.

The total US Official Development Assistance to the whole of sub-Saharan Africa (more than 40 countries), in 2007, was "US$4.5 billion was contributed bilaterally and an estimated $1.2 billion was contributed through multilateral organizations".

What is the source of these funds ...

The rich, the poor and the middle class in these 'charitable countries' are themselves deep in debt. Where are they getting the money from? Why are they being so liberal towards India? What is the source of these funds?

Where this money going ...

Is it going as thinly disguised aid to Naxal affected areas - where some 'Christian' missionaries are working to save the tribals? Is it going towards publicity for causes which are thinly disguised trade issues - child labour (which is, in many cases, a system of apprenticeship for traditional skills).

Or are these NGOs promoting policy frameworks which are distorting India's scoaisl systems? The Population Myth /Problem /Explosion for instance was promoted for the first decade by Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation and USAID. Are they behind the NGOs which are promoting Section 498 laws as a legal solution - a solution that 'benefits' about 5000 women and creates about 150,000 women as victims.

These are laws and policies which are undermining the Indian family system. Which country in the world has a stable family structure with such low divorce rates as India?

The Clintons, The Gates, The Turners, et al

The 'progressive liberal' establishment in the West is viewed rather benignly in India - and seen as 'well wishers' of India. Many such ideas are welcomed in India without analysis. These ideas are viewed positively, as the source of such initiatives is seen as well-intentioned.

A 'tolerant' and 'open' society like India can be a complacent victim to trojan horses.

Western leaders turn to Catholicism ... What gives ...?

For centuries the monarch has constitutionally been the supreme governor of Church in England, the main emblems of establishment. Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, suggested that he could see a day when the British monarch is removed as head of the Church of England. It would not be "the end of the world" if the Church of England was "disestablished," he told the 'New Statesman' magazine. (via Labour party mulls ouster of Queen from Church of England).

A trial balloon ...?

Sometime back another trial balloon was floated - when,

Justice Minister Jack Straw said in March that the government was “certainly ready to consider” reviewing the “antiquated” ban on Catholic monarchs.

The Bill of Rights 1688, the Act of Settlement 1700 and the Act of Union 1706 state rules, that the monarch must be a Protestant, and any royal who marries a Catholic is barred from the line of succession. (from’Britain mulls allowing Catholic monarchs: report in Hindustan Times).

Conversion of Western political leaders to Catholicism ...

What was the reason for Tony Blair to convert to Catholicism? Is that ‘dog-whistle’ religiosity with a unified Christian army against the ‘evil forces of Islamic Fundamentalists?’ Jeb Bush, brother of George Bush has already converted to Catholicism - and will George Bush follow?

Daniel Burke writes Washington Post thus,

Bush attends an Episcopal church in Washington and belongs to a Methodist church in Texas, and his political base is solidly evangelical. Yet this Protestant president has surrounded himself with Roman Catholic intellectuals, speechwriters, professors, priests, bishops and politicians. These Catholics — and thus Catholic social teaching — have for the past eight years been shaping Bush’s speeches, policies and legacy to a degree perhaps unprecedented in U.S. history.

The British split from the Roman Church was definitely a political move. The Vatican's refusal to grant Henry VIII's a divorce was itself a political decision.

Is this another political decisions? What is the political logic behind this decision?

India will have to deal with Pak problem on its own: Pranab-India-The Times of India

Mukherjee, who was addressing a global conference of over 122 Indian envoys, said that India will have to "deal with this problem" on its own, since international action against Pakistan has not been enough.

On Saturday, the political leadership discussed the option of precision strikes against terrorist targets on Pakistan-controlled territory. This marked the end of India's restraint, in the face of Pakistan's assurances made under pressure from the international community, particularly the US and UK.

There were also indications that the US might be aware of India's readiness to strike targets across the border. (via India will have to deal with Pak problem on its own: Pranab-India-The Times of India).

Indian diplomats now need to start working - seriously.

Better late than never. At least Pranab Mukherjee understands that India is alone - and the Rest of the world cannot care for India's problems. They have enough of their own. India has to manage this initiative alone. There cannot be another way.

Options Indian can consider.

1. Zardari wants to export cement and sugar to India. India has a large market for both - and can easily absorb Pakistani exports. Tie these Pakistani exports to quantitative achievements in shutting down terror camps in Pakistan.


2. Pakistan precarious financial position does not allow it the luxury of an arms race with India. Pakistan has access to Western technology for - in defence for RDX, machine guns, PACs, etc. The world must withdraw all technology from Pakistan for all arms and ammunition. No RDX, no tanks, no F-16s, no APCs. Pakistan must be put on strict diet of military technology blockade by the world. No less.


3. Fake Indian currency notes are also allegedly coming out of technology supplied by Europeans. Close these channels. Pakistan’s suspected role in counterfeit currency operations must also be put under the scanner. Controlling Government’s of the 12 companies that dominate the currency printing business must be made to choose. Between India and Pakistan. If the German Government can arm twist their companies to suspend currency supply to Zimbabwe, there is no excuse for them to not to lean on dealings with Pakistan.


4. Pakistani Hindus (especially Dalits) are crucial to Pakistan. Announce a scheme for Hindu immigration from Pakistan to India. The loss of this 2% of Pakistani population can make life difficult for Pakistan. Facilitate their immigration to India.


5. Work with US, NATO, Afghan Governments to close down the Peshawar arms bazaar. This small time bazaar became the sourcing centre for terrorists all over the world. Initially, stocked up with arms from the CIA funded jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan, Peshawar, has become a problem that never ends. If required, there should be a UN mandate to send in a multinational force to surround, capture and destroy this centre for arms and armaments.


6. Pakistan is at the crossroads of a jihadi, terrorist, criminal elements who have joined together and created an incendiary mash-up. Fueled by a drugs trade worth billions, arms trade worth millions and respectability, as they are ‘carrying out a religious jihad’.
   

   The leadership of these gangs has to be de-fanged. LK Advani, as the earlier Home Minister, forwarded a list of ‘Most Wanted 20′ to Pakistan nearly 7 years ago. Not one has come to India. The US has not co-operated on this one important Indian requirement.

How can India make this happen

Pakistan’s (valid) security concerns should be met with a tripartite agreement between China, India and Pakistan which will guarantee Pakistan’s current borders. No disputes, no claims from Pakistan have any legitimacy any more. Let Pakistan take care of its current territory and people. POK will remain with Pakistan - and current LOC will remain unchanged. So, Pakistan will not lose.

It has to be realpolitik. India can no longer give away benefits without quid pro quo. Make P&G, ABB, Alsthom, Renault, Unilever, Siemens, Pepsi and Coke earn their living. The Indian operations of these companies pack a mean heft. They must join in to secure the markets they wish to exploit. The US has to deliver. Peshawar markets must close down. The Pakistan defence production cannot be used against India. Pakistan has to deliver the criminal elements - dead or alive.

Indian co-operation with the West on the new world financial system will be based on co-operation by the West. India should move to create systems which allow political and social stabilization a rule - and not an exception.

These strategic elements of using Indian advantages to gain our ends is the way to forge ahead.

The Real Price of Gold — National Geographic Magazine

In all of history, only 161,000 tons of gold have been mined, barely enough to fill two Olympic-size swimming pools. More than half of that has been extracted in the past 50 years. Now the world's richest deposits are fast being depleted, and new discoveries are rare. Gone are the hundred-mile-long gold reefs in South Africa or cherry-size nuggets in California. Most of the gold left to mine exists as traces buried in remote and fragile corners of the globe.

According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), there are between 10 million and 15 million so-called artisanal miners around the world, from Mongolia to Brazil. Employing crude methods that have hardly changed in centuries, they produce about 25 percent of the world's gold and support a total of 100 million people. It's a vital activity for these people—and deadly too.

At the other end of the spectrum are vast, open-pit mines run by the world's largest mining companies. Using armadas of supersize machines, these big-footprint mines produce three-quarters of the world's gold. They can also bring jobs, technologies, and development to forgotten frontiers.

Gold mining, however, generates more waste per ounce than any other metal, and the mines' mind-bending disparities of scale show why: These gashes in the Earth are so massive they can be seen from space, yet the particles being mined in them are so microscopic that, in many cases, more than 200 could fit on the head of a pin.

Even at showcase mines, such as Newmont Mining Corporation's Batu Hijau operation in eastern Indonesia, where $600 million has been spent to mitigate the environmental impact, there is no avoiding the brutal calculus of gold mining. Extracting a single ounce of gold there—the amount in a typical wedding ring—requires the removal of more than 250 tons of rock and ore. Lured by the benefits of operating in the developing world—lower costs, higher yields, fewer regulations—Newmont has generated tens of thousands of jobs in poor regions. But it has also come under attack for everything from ecological destruction to the forced relocation of villagers.

India produces very little gold of its own, but its citizens have hoarded up to 18,000 tons of the yellow metal—more than 40 times the amount held in the country's central bank. (via The Real Price of Gold — National Geographic Magazine).

The important points ...

The poor condition of the workers who produce the ore from which gold is extracted.

The production of gold in the last 50 years is equal to half of total production in mankind's entire history.

Blaming India for high gold consumption.

The missing points ...

India has the largest reserves of gold in the world - but has never been a significant producer except when British colonialists used 'captive' Indian labour to extract gold from the Champion Reef in Kolar Gold Fields during the 1875-1925 period, when a few tons hundred tons were extracted.

But India has the largest reserves of gold. How were these reserves acquired? Trade, labour, output, products.That is how.

Not loot - like the Anglo Saxon reserves. Not genocide - like in the cases of Canada, Australia or USA. Not slavery like in South African Apartheid regime, or in Ghana, Peru.

It is this lack of slavery in India, which stopped India from becoming a gold producer - ever, in history.

Spain Targets Sex Traffickers With Aid to Prostitutes

Every day about 1.5 million Spaniards and foreigners pay for sex in the country’s cities and border regions, according to Malostratos, a Madrid-based group lobbying to outlaw prostitution.

Eighty percent of Spain’s 400,000 sex workers come from places including China, Romania and Latin America, many coerced by gangs, Equality Ministry figures show. In response, the government will bring into force measures on Jan. 1 to shelter and aid prostitutes who break away from traffickers. (via Bloomberg.com: News).

Now Spain has a population of 40 million people. There are a 13 million of these between the age of 15-64 years. Assume that a quarter of these 13 million cannot 'qualify' to become prostitutes due to age, health, infirmity, deformity, appearance, etc. That leaves us with roughly 10 million 'eligible' candidates - of which 400,000, i.e. 4% are prostitutes. Spain is a part of the EU, the Developed World, the OECD, etc., etc.

Makes one think ...

The wonder that is the Anglo Saxon legal system ...

There are almost 10,000 Muslims in Britain’s jails— with 90 of them serving time for terror offences ... they fear more and more young lags are being converted and radicalised in prison. A ... source said: “You are talking about rootless young men at the bottom of society. They’re in jail and someone gives them some purpose. ”

In top-security jails such as Whitemoor, Cambs, 35 per cent of inmates are Muslim—and they have converted numerous other prisoners to Islam. (via MI5 spy chiefs are putting undercover officers into Britain’s jails | News | News Of The World).

Slice and dice ...

Britain has an estimated 1.6 million Muslims - a 2.8% of the British population. Of this a 10,000 are in prison - which means about 0.6% of the British Muslim population is in prison. India has 16 crore Muslims - which a 100 times higher population.

What if ...

India were to follow the British policy of imprisonment, the Indian Muslim inside prisons would be in 10 lakhs (or 1 million). India's total prison population ranges between 2.5 lakhs to 3.5 lakhs.

Of course, Indian society handles crime vastly differently. Technically, India could create a legal system which would ease the ability of the police to imprison people - and hide its social problems. Or they could handle this differently - and humanely. Which is what is happening.

Is there an alternative ...

Combine this with a low police-to-population ratio and low crime rates. What you have then, is a modern Indian conundrum. This is not supposed to happen. But then, in India, there is a 4000 year of history which makes low prison population, low police to population ratio and a low crime rate possible.

The other question is this wonder called Anglo Saxon system of justice, jurisprudence et al.

These nasty figures raise a 'orrific stink, dont they, my boy?

Oil at four-year lows near $40 despite OPEC cut

Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de-facto leader, said today the group will slash a record 2 million barrels from its daily production as of January 1, while Russia and other countries said they would remove hundreds of thousands of additional barrels from the market.

An official decision to cut 2 million barrels from output all at once would be a first for the organization. OPEC had cut that amount from its output four years ago, but that was done in two stages.

Also significant would be formal support from Russia, Azerbaijan and other non-OPEC producers. Mexico, Norway and Russia slashed production in the late 1990s, at a time oil was selling for about $10 a barrel. (via OPEC to cut oil output by 2 mn barrels a day).

These price cuts may be difficult to sustain for a simple reason that Oil revenues are a significant part of Government revenues in these countries. While oil revenues are on a down ward drift - Government expenses are trending upwards. Combine this the recessionary global outlook, and pump priming will increase Government's expense bills.

The US-OPEC nexus of increasing oil prices leading to greater dollar liquidity onto higher lending resulting in global overcapacity boosting asset prices in booming stock markets is now broken.

To recreate that cycle will take a decade - at least, if at all.

Fed readies for balance sheet tool as rate nears zero

The Federal Reserve may reduce its main interest rate to the lowest level on record and prepare for one of the boldest experiments in its 94-year history on Tuesday: using its balance sheet as the key tool for monetary policy.

The Fed’s Open Market Committee will probably cut the benchmark rate in half, to 0.5 per cent, according to the median of 84 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey. The central bank may also signal plans to channel credit to businesses and consumers by further enlarging its $2.26 trillion of assets. (via Fed readies for balance sheet tool as rate nears zero).

Japan has been there and done that ...

And the US asked the Japanese to be men enough and bite the bullet. Endure the pain. Let market forces work out the fat in the economy. Let the fat sizzle.

Lost these pearls of wisdom, eh ... Ben?

Nouriel Roubini suggests 'more of the same' medicine to cure global stag-deflation

With traditional monetary policy becoming less effective, non-traditional policy tools aimed at generating greater liquidity and credit (via quantitative easing and direct central bank purchases of private illiquid assets) will become necessary. And, while traditional fiscal policy (government spending and tax cuts) will be pursued aggressively, non-traditional fiscal policy (expenditures to bail out financial institutions, lenders, and borrowers) will also become increasingly important.

In the process, the role of states and governments in economic activity will be vastly expanded. Traditionally, central banks have been the lenders of last resort, but now they are becoming the lenders of first and only resort. As banks curtail lending to each other, to other financial institutions, and to the corporate sector, central banks are becoming the only lenders around. (via Nouriel Roubini: Has Global Stag-Deflation Arrived?).

The Prophet Who Foretold Doom

Is now handing out free advice. His pearls of wisdom? Government and public institutions should do more of the same. More printing of money, a more active Federal Reserve, more loans, more government intervention.

Did I tell anyone recently that Sanskrit, the mother language of most languages in the world, has no word for free? Words like मुफ्त are toxic imports and a fit case for anti-dumping.

'Free' advice is an oxymoron.

The oil price bubble - and its aftermath

Francisco Blanch, the Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst who called the $147.27 record crude-oil price nearly on the nose, sent markets into a tailspin with his forecast that the next move may be back to $25 a barrel in 2009. Such relief for consumers may be short-lived once the global recession ends, he said.

“If we reignite economic growth to a very fast level, we will have a shortage of energy again,” said the 35-year-old head of global commodity research at Merrill Lynch in London. Oil may rise to $150 in two or three years, said Blanch. World growth will reach 2.2 percent next year and rise to 4.8 percent by 2011, according to the International Monetary Fund. (via Bloomberg.com: Exclusive).

What's being trotted out ...

it was largely due to the surging middle class in India and China

Cant be true. India and China are still too small and consume too little of oil., still. India produces 30% of its own oil - and another 50% is tied up with long term supplies. The last 20% of this is tied to spot markets - which is where the oil prices yo-yoed.

it was price fixing by the oil companies

For how much and how long ... They no longer have the power or the reach to do that - the way they did earlier. Oil production, supplies and trading is now controlled by State Oil companies of OPEC, Russia, Norway and para-State Oil companies like BP. For them to do this for such a long time was not possible

others said the Enron loophole was largely to blame for high oil prices

How much difference can regulators make ... 'Irrational exuberance' did result in a few contracts - but they would have vaporised in a jiffy, with the coming of settlements.

Further I would draw attention that all these theories came from the Governments (US, Saudi, etc.) themselves - which immediately disqualifies them (in my mind).

I would draw attention to the following dots - which may paint another picture altogether.

1. The biggest shareholder of Citibank is a Saudi prince (HRH Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Arabic: الوليد بن طلال بن عبد العزيز آل سعود‎).


2. The housing and mortgage boom ran concurrently with the boom in oil prices.


3. Most of the petro dollars were invested back in the US funds


4. Many private funds (like Blackstone, Cerberus, etc.) came up on the back of this liquidity.


5. The Chinese appetite for dollar Treasuries and debt.

This spike in oil prices was designed by the US and OPEC to 'suck out' the excess 'dollar liquidity' from the world currency markets - to sustain high dollar exchange rates, to sustain the dollar hegemony. Since very few people were involved, the operation continued.

If you notice, every few months, there would be a supply disruption - like a fire on a rig, a boat would crash into a rig, a pipeline would undergo maintenance, etc. Not to forget the Iraq War, the Afghan War, the 9/11, etc.

All this was done to prolong the spike. As this situation, ground into an impossibly high bubble, it crashed. Likely architects - Citibank, Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, OPEC, and of course, our favorite, George W Bush.

Rothschilds Move To Bankrupt European Farmers « Aftermath News

Even with the transportation and duty costs, the Indian fruit and vegetables are likely to bankrupt the European and Japanese farmers. In Europe, most of these farmers are heavily indebted as the EU paranoid sanitary norms as well as the packaging requirements of the supermarkets have forced them to invest in expensive machinery and infrastructures.

When the Indian fruits and vegetables arrive in Europe, most of these indebted farmer families will have to say goodby to their farms which will be confiscated by the banks. Many of the still remaining independent European farmers are producing fruit and vegetables since the independent livestock and wheat farmers have already been decimated by the “market economy” making profitable only the giant exploitations in these sectors. (via Rothschilds Move To Bankrupt European Farmers « Aftermath News).

How much paranoid can the Europeans get?

When it suits them they can talk, from one side of their mouth, about free market - and at other times they get suspicious about small farmers from India.

An interesting situation exists in the food sector - especially in the US. Giant food corporations, killed buying competition with high prices (to farmers), direct buying from farmers (at higher prices), monoclonal seeds that destroy bio-diversity. And the US consumers are not getting the lower food prices that are being promised in India.

Farmers became dependent on corporate supplies of seeds (at high prices) and corporate purchases by the same corporations (at low prices). Today, an ‘efficient’ and ‘hi-tech’ agricultural farm sector in the US needs more than US$ 7.5 billion (conservative estimates, assuredly) of subsidies to survive. The US-EPA says, “By 1997, a mere 46,000 of the two million farms in this country (America), accounted for 50% of sales of agricultural products (USDA, 1997 Census of Agriculture data)” - and gobble up most of this huge subsidy that lowers Third World agricultural prices. These lower agricultural prices devastate agriculture in Third World countries, creating man-made famines. These man-made famines, of course, gives the West a false sense of superiority. (bold letters mine).

The Indian agricultural system, with nil subsidies, working with cost disadvantages, does not have giant buying corporations and monoclonal seed stock, is holding its own against subsidized agricultural systems of the West. And paid hacks of these Western corporations are trying to tell Indian consumers and policy makers that these giant corporations will reduce the costs of food In India.

These giant corporations are aiming for entry into India - promising ‘efficiencies’ in buying (which will give consumers a better price), and higher prices for farmers (which will increase farm incomes). Of course, this will last as long as there is competition. Once, these giant corporations, fueled by huge amounts of debt and equity, drive out competition, they will lower the boom on the consumers and the farmer - like in the USA.

Raj Patel, in his book, Stuffed and Starved, demonstrates how global food corporations are behind global food habits, imbalance traditional diets, creating disease epidemics (like diabetes) - and how India needs to be careful before crafting industrial policies that encourage these global corporations to destroy Indian agriculture. A book review extracts some key points as follows,

What we think are our choices, says Patel, are really the choices of giant food production companies. Millions of farmers grow food, six billion people consume it. But in between them are a handful of corporations creating what Patel calls “an hourglass” model of food distribution. One Unilever controls more than 90% of the tea market. Six companies control 70% of the wheat trade. Meanwhile, farmers across the world are pitted against each other, trying to sell these gatekeeper companies their produce. And if you think the consumer comes out on top because of all this competition, think again.

Rothschilds to use Indian farmers to supply EU with fruits and vegetables - Portfolio.com

China has 60 percent of the arable land of India, but it's 40 percent more productive because of technology. That India is the largest producer of fruits, No. 1 in the world, No. 2 in vegetables, and has only 1 percent of the export market. So, those are all really big factors that we know how to fix. You fix them with technology on the ground, with cold storage and infrastructure on the ground. And if the retail sector isn't ready to buy higher-quality fruit and vegetables, which I always thought they would be-but three years ago, it was less obvious than now-you could export them and be the lowest-cost exporter.(via An interview with Lady de Rothschild - Executives Column - Lloyd Grove - World According to ... - Portfolio.com).

Most interesting

The Indian farmer working without subsidies, with low technology, lower productivity has a cost edge over his European an American counterparts.

Giant food corporations, killed buying competition with high prices (to farmers), direct buying from farmers (at higher prices), monoclonal seeds that destroy bio-diversity. And the US consumers are not getting the lower food prices that are being promised in India.

Farmers became dependent on corporate supplies of seeds (at high prices) and corporate purchases by the same corporations (at low prices). Today, an ‘efficient’ and ‘hi-tech’ agricultural farm sector in the US needs more than US$ 7.5 billion (conservative estimates, assuredly) of subsidies to survive. The US-EPA says, “By 1997, a mere 46,000 of the two million farms in this country (America), accounted for 50% of sales of agricultural products (USDA, 1997 Census of Agriculture data)” - and gobble up most of this huge subsidy that lowers Third World agricultural prices. These lower agricultural prices devastate agriculture in Third World countries, creating man-made famines. These man-made famines, of course, gives the West a false sense of superiority. (bold letters mine).

The Indian agricultural system, with nil subsidies, working with cost disadvantages, does not have giant buying corporations and monoclonal seed stock, is holding its own against subsidized agricultural systems of the West. And paid hacks of these Western corporations are trying to tell Indian consumers and policy makers that these giant corporations will reduce the costs of food In India.

These giant corporations are aiming for entry into India - promising ‘efficiencies’ in buying (which will give consumers a better price), and higher prices for farmers (which will increase farm incomes). Of course, this will last as long as there is competition. Once, these giant corporations, fueled by huge amounts of debt and equity, drive out competition, they will lower the boom on the consumers and the farmer - like in the USA.

Raj Patel, in his book, Stuffed and Starved, demonstrates how global food corporations are behind global food habits, imbalance traditional diets, creating disease epidemics (like diabetes) - and how India needs to be careful before crafting industrial policies that encourage these global corporations to destroy Indian agriculture. A book review extracts some key points as follows,

What we think are our choices, says Patel, are really the choices of giant food production companies. Millions of farmers grow food, six billion people consume it. But in between them are a handful of corporations creating what Patel calls “an hourglass” model of food distribution. One Unilever controls more than 90% of the tea market. Six companies control 70% of the wheat trade. Meanwhile, farmers across the world are pitted against each other, trying to sell these gatekeeper companies their produce. And if you think the consumer comes out on top because of all this competition, think again.

The poor will pay for the Chrysler bailout - NYTimes.com

Last year, Cerberus and about 100 co-investors bought 80.1 percent of Chrysler for $7.4 billion from the German carmaker Daimler. It also bought a controlling stake in GMAC, the finance arm of General Motors. Since then Chrysler has eliminated more than 30,000 jobs and struggled to keep itself afloat while its sales have plummeted. Cerberus is pressing to have Chrysler merge with G.M., but G.M. has said a tie-up is off the table. Chrysler is asking the government for $7 billion to get through the next few months.

Cerberus, named after the mythical three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades, has a fierce reputation on Wall Street. Many bankers and investors are reluctant to talk openly about the company, which is renowned, even feared, for its hard-nosed deal-making.

But Cerberus is also pursuing its interests aggressively in Washington, where some lawmakers have questioned why the government should assist the privately owned Chrysler. In addition to Mr. Snow, the firm’s chairman, Cerberus’s Washington hands include Dan Quayle, the former vice president, and Billy J. Cooper, who has worked as partner at the lobbying firm Patton Boggs. (via Chrysler’s Friends in High Places - NYTimes.com).

This scandal is one big whopper - but for the next 15 minutes. Like, Andy Warhol said 40 years ago, in future everyone (yes even you) will get 15 minutes of fame. So, it is with this scandal.

Who will pay for this bailout is the important question. The NY Times, of course, does a good job in covering this up - and showing that the US will pay for the bailout of US Corporations. The American tax payer in the meantime moans as though he is paying this bill.

The truth?

The US Government, funded by the BRICS nations will use its printing presses to fund Chrysler - the bill for which, of course, will be seen by the poorest of the world - through the Bretton Woods mechanism.

When will we junk the dollar and the Euro?

Italy will fingerprint children | Human Rights Tribune - www.humanrights-geneva.info

According to Italian human rights organisation Opera Nomadi, approximately 160,000 Roma currently live in Italy. Most of them inhabit improvised camps on the outskirts of towns. Roughly 60,000 come from Romania, which has Europe’s largest Roma community, numbering close to 2.5 million in a population of 22 million.

The Roma are believed to have migrated to Europe from India since the 14th century.

Following several highly publicised reports of Roma, often from Romania, committing crimes in Italy, the Italian centre-right government declared a one-year state of emergency May 21 in relation to the settlements of nomad communities in the regions of Campania (capital Naples), Lombardia (Milan) and Lazio (Rome).

Ordinances accompanying the state of emergency allow the prefects of these regions to conduct identity screenings, involving fingerprinting, of all persons, even those not considered dangerous or suspected of crimes. Authorities in Naples and Milan have since declared their intention to fingerprint nomads, including minors, living in camps around the cities. (via Looking to Rome to escape the Roma | Human Rights Tribune - www.humanrights-geneva.info).

Why does Europe continue to demonize and persecute the Roma

Despite the immense contribution by the Roma Gypsies to European culture and life.

1. They have a different lifestyle - which is migratory and frugal. They do not wish to have permanent homes, too many possessions or jobs. They prefer living in wagons, with skills and trade that they possess.

2. They have not 'integrated' into the White, Christian, European social system. They wish to remain 'different'.

3. They stick out like sore thumbs - in a Europe where the Jews have been annihilated, where the descendants of Black slave populations have been exterminated and the Islamic population (past and present) is not tolerated. In such a situation, the Gypsies have not only survived, but have regrown (after Hitler's concentration camps killed them by millions).

Since when, are these qualities a crime.

Indian company (MCX) launches its 10th electronic exchange - in Africa

India's largest commodity bourse the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) is spreading its wings to Africa. It has set up a wholly owned subsidiary--MCX Africa--to take the futures trading in commodities to 53 African countries.

Last week, MCX founder Jignesh Shah and his team were in Botswana to launch a licence for MCX Africa to be domiciled under the Botswana International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gaborone .

Executive Director of MCX Africa Chris Goromonzi said time has arrived for Africa to determine its own destiny, saying there is no reason why agriculture and resource prices should be determined outside the continent.

Officials said MCX Africa envisages a level playing field for African stakeholders in global commodity markets, saying they are bringing to the continent modern financial instruments only seen in other regions of the world. (via MCX spreads global wings; sets up MCX Africa).

Earlier,The Hindu Businessline reported that

FTIL-MCX previously promoted Dubai Gold and Commodity Exchange (DGCX) in joint venture with Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre. DGCX, which began trading on bullion in November 22, 2005, had already spread its portfolio to currency (Euro, Pound and Yen) and is now planning to enter the energy segment with contracts on fuel oil (used in ships) and gasoline. It has also planned the launch of contracts on steel.

It is these kinds of exchanges and trading platforms which India has now become an expert in. FTIL is leading this Indian charge into the international arena - this being the 10th exchange FTIL is associated with.

The West is obviously worried that they could soon lose their dominant status in terms of setting commercial terms of trade. That power may soon pass on to the producers.

Couple that with the coming end of dollar hegemony, the doubtful start of the Euro, and what we have is a situation, ideal for the developing world to launch a third global reserve currency, which will benefit every country - without any one country being an undue beneficiary.

IPS man suggests that IAS should be replaced -The Times of India

Many feel that the duties of a home secretary, especially those related to internal security, would be better discharged by an officer from the IPS, who would be professionally better qualified because of greater exposure and experience in the field of law enforcement. Chances of enforcing the rule of law would be better, and therefore people's faith in democracy would be firmer.

It may sound radical, and pretty unpalatable for our administrators, but isn't it high time that the country thinks in terms of having the right and the best person for every position, the one most qualified and with the right kind of experience? This includes choosing the best candidate as home secretary who is responsible for the internal security of the country, be it at the Centre or state level. (via Cops to the rescue-Subverse-Opinion-The Times of India).

By extending this logic, Army Generals should be our defence ministers and bankers or businessmen our finance ministers. Valid points but bad logic.

Indian police manages with the lowest population-to-police ratio - and the lowest prisoner population. These two qualify the Indian police for more recognition - and less fault finding.

That the IAS is a calcified, ossified cadre with high corruption levels - and a bent of thinking that has not served India well, Mr.Periera should, fairly, be your target. India needs bureaucratic reform - and not loyalty to your own IPS cadre. That is the hallmark of the IAS cadre, that you are, in fact, criticizing.

Bankrupt ideas on Restructuring Indian education system - The Economic Times

Despite big increases in the education budget (the Eleventh Five-Year Plan has been called an Education Plan), government just does not have resources to fund expansion of the system rapidly enough to meet the growing demand, given other competing resource requirements. Even within the education sector, priority will be given — quite rightly — to primary and secondary education. Dependence on government funds will, therefore, exacerbate the quantitative mismatch between supply and demand for higher education.(via Restructuring the education system- Opinion-The Economic Times).

Kiran Karnik a well known Indian 'intellectual', writes this long article on the education sector. His entire focus on how to mold Indian education system on Western lines, misses a few points completely.

80% of India's population is excluded from higher education as Indian higher system is predominantly in English. Hence, this puts a premium on English - and discounts Indian languages in the educational sweepstakes. The negative effect this on Indian self esteem is not even a point of discussion here.

The principle of exclusion (a colonial idea) is a dominant marker of the entire Indian education system - rather than inclusion. British (and before that Islamic rulers') colonial practices supported foreign languages on the backs of the Indian taxpayers' contribution - and actively worked on destruction of local cultures.

For instance, in the erstwhile State Of Hyderabad (equal to about 10%-12% of modern India), ruled by the Nizam, a large non-British kingdom, 2000 year old local languages like Telugu and Marathi were considered uncouth and barbaric languages - compared to a 700 year old language like Urdu, which was supported by the State. Thus anyone without the knowledge of Urdu was excluded from the system. So it is now in India, with English.

This restricts 80% of India's population from contribution and access to opportunity. Without looking at it from an ethical point, but purely as an economic question means we should look at the cost of this policy.

How does this hinder India? India loses every year about 200,000 highly educated people to the West. These 200,000 people have been educated at subsidized Indian Universities at a considerable cost to the poor Indian taxpayer. What return does the tax payer get from this? Negative returns.

What happens when English stops being an important language in the global sphere? What use will India's investment in English be at that time? And this will happen sooner than we imagine - at a greater cost than we believe.

What is the cost of switching from English?

Assuming that a 100,000 essential books need to translated into local languages, at a cost of say Rs.100,000 per book, it still amounts to Rs.1000 crores. Is that a large sum of money for modern India. Hardly.

What is the loss to India? How much does this reduce India's growth rate by? Hard numbers - but defintely big numbers.

So why is India persisting with this policy. Because all the high and mighty, finally want their children to 'escape to the West', with a good education from India - at the cost of India's poor. This vested interest makes this policy go around.

And a lot of propaganda.

Rupee shoots up against US dollar - The Economic Times

In tandem with the upswing in equity markets, the rupee, after Monday's brief pause, on Wednesday shot up by 60 paise to end at a nearly 4-week high of 48.98/49.00 against the dollar on expectations of more capital inflows.

In fairly active trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the local unit opened sharply higher at 49.18/20 a dollar from the previous close of 49.58/59. (via Rupee shoots up by 60 paise vs US dollar- Forex-Markets-The Economic Times).

In the middle of the 26/11 terror in Mumbai, the increase in India's foreign exchange reserves got missed out. This may be an early sign of the dollar crash. For the last 6 weeks the dollar has been unusually strong - due to demand for dollars to meet redemption pressures in the US.

That redemption pressure are receding - and the reality is where will the dollars go? Stagnating Europe, geriatric Japan, despotic Middle East. The choice is BRICS (BRIC + South Africa). And amongst the BRICS, India is particularly attractive as a destination.

First sign of dollar reversal?

Robert D. Kaplan gives gyaan on India in NYTimes.com

Hindu-Muslim relations have historically been tense. Remember that the 1947 partition of the subcontinent uprooted at least 15 million people and led to the violent deaths of around half a million. Given this record, the relatively peaceful relations between the majority Hindus and India’s 150 million Muslims has been testimony to India’s successful experiment in democracy. Democracy has so far kept the lid on an ethnic and religious divide that, while its roots run centuries back, has in recent years essentially become a reinvented modern hostility. (via Op-Ed Contributor - Trouble in the Other Middle East - NYTimes.com).

Wishful thinking or ignorance Mr.Kaplan

Actually neither. It is propaganda.

The West has the lowest levels of religious diversity - and the way they have dealt with it is simple - genocide. Native Americans in Canada, USA, Native Aborigines in Australia are excellent examples.

India however, is exactly - and unfortunately, the only country of its kind. No country offers the freedom of religion that Muslims have in India - including Muslim countries. Christians cannot proselytize with as much freedom (and arrogance) in any other country as in India.

That is inconvenient truth (for the West) Mr.Kaplan.

History of Hindu Muslim Feud ...?

For starters, you must consider the Hindu Muslim fight for the overthrow of British colonialism from 1857 War to 1947. The Deoband Seminary, Sheikh Abdullah were all popular Muslim leaders - who did not wish for or support the formation of Pakistan. Allama Iqbal (now the iconic figure in Pakistan) converted to the a very nascent two-nation theory after his stint in England - circa 1909. Poets like Sahir Ludhianvi moved from Pakistan to India. MJ Akbar's family was another that moved from Bangladesh (then part of Pakistan) to India.

The two nation theory was a British creation - and remains a colonial legacy.

As for now ...

The root of the problem is the US intervention - and you are calling for more of it. My advice, Mr,Kaplan - simple and will not the cost the US anything.

Lay off.

More sex please, for Japan's economy

South Korea’s birth rate (1.2 children per couple) is the second lowest in the world after Hong Kong, according to a recent United Nations report. Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan all have lower birth rates than North Korea.

Such demographic trends are a widening crack in Asia’s potential. Nowhere is this issue more acute than in Japan. And if Rogers made Koreans blush, he annoyed some Japanese in 2006 when he said: “If the current birth rate, which is the lowest in the major developed countries, continues, there will be no Japanese. Who will pay the enormous debt?” (via More sex please, for Japan's economy).

Non-English speaking Indians were the only people in the world who did not follow this advice were the - who see isavaasya midam sarvam इसवास्य मिदं सर्वं (God resides in all) and believe vasudevaih kutumbakam वासु देवाय: कुटुम बकम (That we are all His family).

India's official population control efforts have been, thankfully, a total failure. China has rammed down these Western prescriptions of population control down its hapless population.

The tragedy - population control ideology still generates some respect, which it does not deserve.

Pakistan agrees to 48-hour timetable for action against LeT: Report

Pakistan has agreed to a 48-hour timetable set by India and the US to formulate a plan to act against Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) and to arrest at least three Pakistanis who Indian authorities say are linked to the Mumbai terrorist assaults, the Washington Post reported citing a high-ranking Pakistani official.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities, said India had also asked Pakistan to arrest and hand over LeT commander Zaki ur-Rehman Lakhwi and the former director of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Hamid Gul, in connection with the investigation, the Post said on Saturday. (via India Today - India's most widely read magazine.).

This may yet happen. The biggest beneficiary of this will be Pakistan. More than any other entity, it is Pakistan which retain its identity with these actions.

Failing which, it will invite that straw on the camel's back.

'Hoax call pushed Pakistan to brink of war with India' - The Economic Times

Nuclear-armed Pakistan put its forces on alert when its president received a threatening call from someone posing as Indian Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee following last week's Mumbai attacks, a media report said Saturday.

The caller, who was put through to President Asif Ali Zardari late Nov 28 without verification of his claimed identity, warned that India would take "military action if Islamabad failed to immediately act against the supposed perpetrators of the Mumbai killings."

According to the Dawn newspaper (via 'Hoax call pushed Pakistan to brink of war with India'- LATEST NEWS-The Economic Times).

Behind Pakistan ... is ...

A few months ago there was another hoax report about an "Indian' hacker who stole a list of Best Western Hotel membership list with credit card numbers - which a Scottish newspaper said could spark of a Europe wide crime wave. Turned out that the entire report was hoax.

This is another one ...

Sighted - the first intelligent comment on Mumbai 26/11

in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks I am beginning to hear ... middle-class murmurs and whines about the ineffectual ... democracy and the need for authoritarian government.

The first part of the argument is ... India’s politicians are greedy sods, incompetent buffoons who have let the country down ... The real heroes of 26/11 were the men in uniform, the navy commandos, the Army, the Mumbai police and the ATS. Therefore, we should put our faith in these people not in politicians ... Some talk openly about a benign dictator (a commodity on par with virgin prostitutes) and some demand an abridgement of the universal franchise that, they say, has led us to this mess. Many (and I’m sure you’ve got the text messages too) demand that we refuse to cast our votes as a gesture of protest: “We should refuse to cooperate with these bloody politicians.” ... Not only does it demonstrate that we have forgotten the lessons of the Emergency but it also shames the Indian middle class and shows up the cowards that are some of its most vocal members. (via Let’s recall the lessons from the Emergency - Lounge - livemint.com).

All is forgiven Vir Sanghvi ...

The first intelligent comment on the Mumbai 26/11.

All your superior sounding down articles, your snooty takes on food, wine and other inane stuff ... This one article allows you to continue with your mindless wanderings for the next few weeks at least. At least, I will not complain, about how you contribute to global warming by usage of newsprint for mindless pursuits ...

Covered in glory

The Indian media (especially English) and the India’s Westernized elite has been hounding for blood ever since the terrorist attacks on Mumbai’s upper class business centres for the first time. After the 26/11 attack on Mumbai prime centres, they have been able to force the resignation of Shivraj Patil, India’s Home Minister. Maharashtra’s Home Minister, RR Patil has also resigned. Maharashtra’s Cheif Minister is expected to be replaced also - soon.

While, busy going up the grease pole of ratings and rankings, the Indian media has not covered itself with glory on the analysis Mumbai 26/11 terror strike. They have stoked a feeding frenzy against the politicians - who are are accountable and should pay a price.

Glaring Omissions

They have NOT pointed any fingers against any bureaucrat(s) who have slept on the job. While they have extensively covered the visits, careers, deaths, heroics, funerals of Salasker, Kamte, Karkare and Maj Unnikrishnan, they have completely ignored the funerals of the foot soldiers and police constables - like Gajendar Singh. No politician has seen it fit to go the houses of the foot soldiers and police constables.

When the poor died, they were praised for the 'spirit of Mumbai' and asked to get back to work - as the rich would other wise suffer. Now that that rich are suffering they no longer want to talk about the spirit of Mumbai, but instead are questioning 'how long'?

Shame on you, Indian media, Indian middle class, Indian elite. Is it a co-incidence that they happen to be English speaking and Westernized?

Just who is reponsible, Mr.Musharraf?

Mush on terrorism: Stop the blame game:

"Speaking in a first television interview after his resignation from the post of President of Pakistan said, “Pakistan should not be held responsible for the Mumbai terror attack, it is a victim of terror itself.”

Parvez Musharraf feels that Pakistan is not responsible - even if these terrorists are recruited in Pakistan, trained in Pakistan, funded by Pakistan, use Pakistani soil to launch these attacks and go back to Pakistan.

Who then is responsible for these actions, Mr.Musharraf?

Pakistan Won't Cooperate with India - WSJ.com

if the U.S. wishes to bolster its growing relationship with India and demonstrate its seriousness in combating the global jihadi menace, it needs to call Pakistan's bluff. Only sustained American pressure designed to induce Pakistan to dismantle what Indian security analysts refer to as "the infrastructure of terror" will produce the right outcome.

Without this U.S. pressure, Pakistan and India will continue the same diplomatic dance that they've been doing for years, to little effect. The victims of the Mumbai bombings, and the city's terrified residents, deserve better. (via Pakistan Won't Cooperate with India - WSJ.com).

This is what is called analysis - when it comes to India. The closing argument is the 'victims (of another country) deserve better' is unlikely to make any Government in the world lift a finger. Such analysis is what creating environmental damage - trees are cut down, paper is made and such swill is printed.

The Indian Government must move - and prepare the world to move with it. India(ns) cannot depend on the goodwill of the Pakistani Government to take actions against the terrorists based on Pakistani soil. Or US pressure!

Real ideas, anyone?

Zardari asks India to 'resist striking out at his government'- Hindustan Times

Zardari asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to "resist striking out at his (Pakistan's) government should investigations show that Pakistani militant groups were responsible for the attacks", the Financial Times reported.

The president warned that provocation by rogue "non-state actors" posed the danger of a return to war between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

"Even if the militants are linked to Lashker-e-Taiba, who do you think we are fighting?" Zardari told the daily, referring to Pakistan's operations against Al-Qaeda and Taliban on the border with Afghanistan. (via Zardari asks India to 'resist striking out at his government'- Hindustan Times)

Zardari is the first Pakistani ...

Zardari is the first Pakistani leader who makes sense in the last few decades. While others (Pakistani and Indian leaders) have made pious declarations of peace, it has been Zardari who underpinned these declarations with logic. It is the overwhelming logic which appeals to me.

The Pakistan nation is actually 5 parts - The army, the ISI, the politicians, the 22 families and then there are the rest. No one in Pakistan talks to anyone. Each has contempt for the other four. And all five have separate agenda.

In such a situation, a lone Zardari may not be enough for Pakistan - or India.