Internal migration: Oriyas in Gujarat - The Economic Times

Through correspondents in Orissa they deliver remittances (which constitute as much as half of total earnings) to recipients back home within six to 48 hours, at a much lower effective cost than that the 5% charged by the post office on money orders (which can take two weeks). Bank drafts are much cheaper than money orders, and were indeed the preferred option, until the private operators emerged to obviate the need to open a bank account or lose precious earning time queuing up and doing all the paper work.

With the advent of these private operators the formal sectors’ share of the remittance market has shrunk to 10%. Other informal financial institutions that have proliferated are bishis (chit funds) and “committees” (informal credit unions) to cater to savings and credit needs. (via Internal migration: Oriyas in Gujarat- Comments & Analysis-Opinion-The Economic Times).

Western models and colonial mindset

This is where RBI, the IAS and the rest of the Westernized janata miss out on India. Desperate to 'modernize' and 'progress' on Western models, we miss out on Indian business models which are more cost effective and require less bureaucracy. RBI has (more than the British could) ground the traditional Indian finance sector into obscurity - by blocking access, creating entry and finally procedural barriers.

What India needs are solutions that Indians need for our requirements - and not what some 'vested' interests (read as Western nationals /educated) sahibs (Brown or White), who are more keen to preserve their status and power rather than do their job.

What needs to be done is the end of state support for English language higher education. This precisely what Indian power elites do not want to end, as it prepares them and gives tickets for opportunities in the West.

Roma Gypsy murder raises ethnic tension higher - BBC NEWS | World | Europe |

“The net is tightening around the perpetrators,” says Hungarian Police Chief Jozsef Bencze. “But our main enemy now, is time.”

The short time which passes, that is, before the next lethal attack against a Roma (Gypsy) settlement.

The Hungarian police are now investigating 18 such attacks in the past 18 months, some carried out with both firebombs, and firearms. (via BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Murder raises ethnic tension higher).

A few months ago, President Sarkozy was preaching to PM Manmohan Singh of India, about managing minorities. Can you, Shri Sarkozy, look at your own backyard.

A few months ago, the Italian police started a campaign of racial profiling and persecution of the Roma - based on an isolated murder of an Italian.

This disproportionate response against a community, to a crime (I am making an assumption of guilt) by a Roma individual, smacks of persecution, racism and pogroms. After all, this is how Hitler and Mussolini too started their campaigns.

The Government should something about this!

“The government needs to look at this,” Crowden said. “Budgets are being cut. If they don’t do something, it’s going to be a serious public-health risk.” (via Coming to a bin near you: rat pack takes Britain by storm).

As a child, growing up in Hyderabad, for every problem, there were two common remarks. One, “The Government should do something about this.” The second was, “It is not like this in foreign countries.” Whether it was overflowing drain or a pothole on the road.

Looking back, I can see that things have changed. Over the years, Indians use this phrase less and less. This phrase is now close to becoming either extinct or may even become a parody. It may make its way into Indian films as a joke.

The other thing was that the people who could do something, the educated, the elite, the Westernized used this phrase, hankered for this solution more than the poor or the desi and the dehati types. In all my years, I have never heard a desi say that “the Government should do something about this.”

Curious eh!

Coming to the Brits! Till they get up, and stop asking the Government to do something, the decline will not stop!

What’s right with Indian bureaucracy

Bhave resigned from the IAS in 1996, to take up what was then seen as a rather low-profile job — to create India’s first share depository, even though he had the option of going there on deputation. “The job needed full-time commitment from me and from the team I was recruiting. How would I get it, if I did not burn my boats myself?” he says. (via Lunch with BS: C B Bhave).

Colonial institutions

The RBI, the IAS and the IFS are three services which have remained colonial and have a complete choke on Indian policy framework. There is something about their structures which is not allowing them to shed their colonialism. The Railways have changed - as have many Governement organizations like Public Sector banks, Air India-Indian Airlines, etc.

And this extract confirms the conclusions made by 2ndlook and posted 1 year ago.

RBI, IAS and IFS

On April 1st, 1934, while the ‘Squeeze India’ campaign was under execution - choreographed by Montagu Norman, Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill (some sickness … some racism) Lord Willingdon, India’s banking authority was set up.

The objective of setting up RBI - this colonial money authority, was to devise a policy structure for creating a ‘money famine’ needed by colonial British masters. From that April Fool’s day till now, RBI character has not changed. RBI resorts to creating these money famines every few years - even today. The last RBI ‘money famine’ in 1996 saw inter-corporate interest rates shoot to 40% - and a recession that lasted for 4 years.

The IAS (a successor to the colonial ICS) and the Planning Commission are the other two. The IFS has been pre-occupied with diplomatically engaging the West, fixated with Pakistan, while India’s relations in neighbourhood are at a historic low. But the English speaking, Indian bureaucracy is another matter. Having dragged India to the bottom of global corruption pervasiveness ratings, they cover their owns misdeeds, under the ‘umbrella’ of the neta. This is one colonial institution that India has tried digesting, without succes. IAS (ICS during colonial times) a venal, corrupt cadre, has tied up India into knots - which have taken us decades to even start disentangling.

Compare the successful bureaucracies

Compare that with the brilliant track record of modern Indian regulators and organizations like the SEBI, TRAI. Or even the IPS. India has the lowest prison population in the world - and also the lowest police-to-population ratio.

Till 1990-95 Indian stock trading was largely done done through the open outcry system, physical paper settlements, long settlement periods - and rampant manipulation. Indian stock trading systems was a closed club - and did not attract any serious investors.

Between, 1900-1995, SEBI, NSE, BSE and NSDL designed and managed the transition from the physical platform with the open outcry system to a complete electronic trading platform of the NSE and BSE.

Today, the BSE/NSE trading system is the most advanced in the world - in terms of trade volumes, transaction volumes and automation.

By 2000, India had less than 4 crore phones. Most of the 100 crore (1billion) Indians were unconnected - and disconnected from the world. Governments monopolies, BSNL and MTNL, ruled the roost. By 2000, India had less than 4 crore phones. Most of the 100 crore (1billion) Indians were unconnected - and disconnected from the world. Governments monopolies, BSNL and MTNL, ruled the roost.

By 2001, the BJP led Government came to power. The telecom regulator in a series of bold moves, changed policies - and equations. Tariffs declined by nearly 5000% - from roughly 50 cents to 1 cent per minute. User base ballooned to 20 crores - from 4 crores. In 7 years more telecom users were added than in the previous 70 years. For the first time, the poor in India are beginning to benefit from technology.

It took a non-Congress Government in 1977 to change the face of Indian Railways. Prof.Madhu Dandavate, the Railway Minister in the 1977 Janata Government started the railway renaissance in India. 3rd class railway travel was abolished. Wooden-slat seats were abolished. Cushioned 2nd class seating system was made minimum and standard. Train time tables were re-configured. Reservation systems improved. Railways started getting profitable.

The de-colonization of Indian Railways began effectively in 1977 - 30 years after British departure. Symbolically, that was also the year that the Rail Museum was set up. The progress after that has been remarkable. Today for a US$5, an Indian can travel for a 1000 km.

All this when only 25% of Indians travel by rail at least once a year.

Smear the neta

From colonial times, the Indian neta has been a favorite target of smear campaigns, innuendo and propaganda. Colonial administration in India worked hard to undermine the credibility of the Indian ‘neta’ - for obvious reasons. Colonial bureaucrats (and their successors, the IAS) covered their incompetence and corruption with this lopsided image of the neta. Indians politicians are possibly as corrupt as any others in the world.

Reclaiming America’s Soul - NYTimes.com

For the fact is that officials in the Bush administration instituted torture as a policy, misled the nation into a war they wanted to fight and, probably, tortured people in the attempt to extract “confessions” that would justify that war. And during the march to war, most of the political and media establishment looked the other way.

For the fact is that officials in the Bush administration instituted torture as a policy, misled the nation into a war they wanted to fight and, probably, tortured people in the attempt to extract “confessions” that would justify that war. And during the march to war, most of the political and media establishment looked the other way.

It’s hard, then, not to be cynical when some of the people who should have spoken out against what was happening, but didn’t, now declare that we should forget the whole era — for the sake of the country, of course. (via Op-Ed Columnist - Reclaiming America’s Soul - NYTimes.com).

Paul Krugman in his true and real colours

I liked this Op-Ed peice by Paul Krugman. It shows him in his best colours - as a hypocrite, psuedo-moralist, with patently false concerns.

His concern is about the use of torture or 3rd degree methods, in a nation that "used to be, a nation of moral ideals". He wants to do this "not just for the sake of our position in the world, but for the sake of our own national conscience".

Much before the elections it was clear that all the three candidates were on the same side. Their wrangling was all a wrangling for the spoils of power.

A simple question?

Who exactly did the US of A use torture against? Reading Krugman, you cannot ever make-out that the victims were NOT American citizens.

Squeamish, or evasive? Or just a plain affliction of false delicacy? Krugman, you are not being escapist, are you? No "I" word at all. God forbid, but Krugman does not mention, not once - Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Islam, Muslim. Not even once. Good fer ya, Paul!

Krugman signing off ...

what we really should do for the sake of the country is have investigations both of torture and of the march to war. These investigations should, where appropriate, be followed by prosecutions — not out of vindictiveness, but because this is a nation of laws. We need to do this for the sake of our future. For this isn’t about looking backward, it’s about looking forward — because it’s about reclaiming America’s soul.

Says Krugman!

I dont know much about 'investigations,' 'America's Soul,' or 'the nations of laws' - but what I know is that the Rest of the World should do something about a rampant American gone horribly wrong.

And the answers are simple

Just do two things.

Go out and buy gold. If all the readers of this blog bought one kg of gold, the US dollar (and all other paper currency systems) will crash. Phoooos! Yes that the sound of escaping air from the punctured dollar.

Second!

Just stop drinking Pepsi and Coke - and dont step into a McDonald's. If Coke and Pepsi sales in China, India, Brazil and Russia collapsed, it will start a domino effect.

Just this!

Food journalist from Times of India & Economic Times

Matters came to a head in the 1920s over a grant by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to a school where two Brahmin students were given separate eating facilities. After much campaigning, when the Committee withdrew the grant, several Brahmins resigned, causing the first caste-based split. Curiously Mahatma Gandhi, who was otherwise firm on overcoming caste discrimination in all forms, was willing to be flexible in not forcing inter-caste dining. This perhaps reflected Gandhi’s dependence in dealing with Tamil issues on Brahmin lawyers like C Rajagopalachari (who, to be fair, was not as personally prejudiced), but it could also stem from his own fastidious eating habits. Gandhi and the Brahmins shared a powerful sense of bodily purity based on food. (via Meat Eating & Inter-Caste Dinners Continue To Be The Hot Topics Of Political Debate In Tamil Nadu BY VIKRAM DOCTOR).

Here is someone who writes about food seriously - and usually with serious insight. He is best when he is writing about Indian food. He is also sponsored by various farmer co-operatives in the West - and then he starts plugging Western food, where he ends up being rather trite and synthetic. He is worth a read on Indian food though.

Cuba in a Time Warp - The Atlantic

“The greatest achievements of Communism are health care, sports, and education. The greatest failures of Communism are breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” (via Cuba in a Time Warp - The Atlantic Food Channel).

Poverty in Cuba

The biggest reason for Cuban economic stagnation is the 100 year proxy war that the US has been waging against the former slave colony - which it ‘bought’ from Spain. Cuba’s problems started a 150 years before Fidel Castro.

Tales from the Caribbean

Almost unknown today are the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. These were slave islands - and part of the Caribbean group of islands which were used by the British Navy to run their slave colonies. These were ‘salt colonies’ - not as well known as the ‘sugar colonies’ of Haiti, Cuba, Demerra, Trinidad and other West Indian Islands.

After the original Native ‘Red Indian’ tribes were annihilated in forced labour camps, mines and slavery, these Caribbean islands were peopled by millions of slaves that were imported and subsequently died.

Apart from the momentous slave revolts of Haiti and Cuba, about 200 slave uprising and revolts in the USA before the Civil War, cleared the way for end to slavery in the the Americas. Similarly, more than 20 slave uprisings in the Caribbean, made slavery impractical - and not the Anglo-Saxon concern for human rights or the oozing milk of human kindness. It was this determined Black struggle for overthrow of slavery, the more than 20 slave rebellions between 1789-1833, in the Caribbean - one every 2 years, that ‘persuaded’ the West to abolish slavery.

Afraid that US slaves will follow the Haiti example, US did not recognise Haiti, till November 1864 - 60 years after Haiti declared Independence. Moreover, in 1826, at the Congress of American States, under US pressure, Simon Bolivar did not invite Haiti.

The British search and seizure of colonies enriched them - at the cost of the native populations. A significant benefit of the English language to the Anglo Saxon Bloc is the convenient white wash of history in English language media - and tarring of competitive economies and nations.

For roughly 250 years, the Iberian Empires were the most powerful. The slave rebellion of Haiti triggered a collapse of the Spanish colonies in South America. Simon Bolivar, aided by the Haiti’s rulers, initiated decolonization movements across South America - leading to the demise of Spanish Colonialism. The last nail in the Spanish colonial possessions was Cuba - which they lost after the Spanish American War. After the loss of Cuba, Philippines and the American colonies, and the end of slavery, the Iberians imploded much like other slave societies.

A little over a century ago,

125 years after Independence, USA by 1890 was developing colonial ambitions and had acquired a taste of colonialism. On the other side of the Atlantic, earlier the Berlin Conference, sparked of the scramble for Africa. After the Brussels and Berlin conference carved up Africa, there were few places left for America to colonise.

America, then created the ‘Monroe doctrine’ – supposedly an anti-colonial doctrine, a policy to create colonies in the American backyard. ‘Yellow Journalism’ was invented to whip up public sentiment. On April 25th 1898, the US Congress declared war on Spain. For the next 4 months, the US fought The Spanish-American War. On August 12th, 1898, Spain signed the peace treaty. On December 10th 1898, the treaty of Paris was signed.

As a part of the Paris Treaty between Spain and USA, the USA ‘bought’ Philippines from Spain, maintains Puerto Rico as a colony also Guam - and paid Spain US$2,00,00,000. Cubans were nominally declared free but with many conditions. The Cubans refused to honour this ‘purchase’ - for which the USA has waged a war against Cuba for the last 100 years. Of course, the ‘inferior’ populations of these countries - Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico were unfit for inclusion in the Paris negotiations about their future.

In 1915, again the Monroe doctrine was invoked to invade Haiti.And these interventions have continued. Haiti has been invaded many times. In the 1960s-70s, Chedi Jagan and his struggle to break from US domination (in the Caribbean) was sabotaged.

Having paid US$2,00,00,000 of the ‘US taxpayer money’, the US believes that they ‘own’ Cuba - and even today, continues to eye Cuba. It was such thinking that led to the ’sale’ of Cuba, Philippines and Puerto Rico by Spain to the USA. After the purchase, came a century of pain in Cuba, many hundreds of thousands of lives lost in Philippines and the forcible accession of Puerto Rico into the US. Of course, some of these islands have become colonies, of the USA, Britain and the people there continue to serve the interests of these Western nations.

Countries which wished to follow their independent future, like Haiti, Cuba, Granada have been made an example of by Britain and USA. For trying to make a country of themselves. A lot of such places would be quite happy without the Western attention they received - and subsequent ruin that they faced.

US antagonism …

The hostility of the US has its roots in this struggle - when US refused to recognize Haiti for a 60 years after the overthrow of the colonial French Government, which used the Haitians as slaves. US ‘bought’ Cuba from Spain - and hence this hostility. The US feels that they ‘own’ Cuba - and, of course, other and large parts of the world.

After Haiti independence, restrictions on slavery were discussed all over Europe and USA. The US placed restriction on import of slaves - which increased the price of existing slaves in the trade market. But slave traders like Jean Laffitte soon ran rings round this by smuggling slaves from Cuba.

For more than two centuries now, the US has been actively working with an agenda of ‘racial superiority’ which has resulted in slavery and then repeated interventions and manipulation in South America. They have used force and power to derail economies and politics of emerging countries. The example of Haiti’s failure and Cuba’s desperate struggle to survive drove Fidel Castro into the arms of Soviet Russia.

The US record against the growth and stabilisation of Cuba does not bear repitition. Having ‘bought’ Cuba from Spain (like Puerto Rico, Guam and Philippines), USA believes and feels that they ‘own’ Cuba.

In 1904, the US pressured Tomas Estrada Palma, a ‘puppet’ Cuban President, to sign the Platt Amendment. This allowed US intervention in Cuban affairs, if ‘vital’ US interests were at risk (meaning at at US will) - finally modified only in 1934. Under this ‘new deal’ ‘Cuba would be allowed to export 22% of the sugar the US imported, by paying 0.09¢, a pound tariff duty. In return, little or no duty would be levied by Cuba on goods imported from the USA.’

When the freed slaves of Cuba, led by Fidel Castro, tried to overthrow American-foisted dictator Batista, the US used the American Mafia, to attempt assassination of Fidel Castro.

Elephants in the room …

Western media and academia today glosses over Western record of slavery and colonialism. This ‘collective amnesia’ about the past is widespread and blatant. Other writers forget about the causes leading to abolition of slavery. Seminal events in Haiti, Cuba, Caribbean are ignored, white-washed or brushed under the carpet.

The USA and the West has been at war (or by proxy) with the Black Republics of Haiti, Cuba, Greneda for the last 200 years. Fuelled by a desperate desire to show White superiority. By a need to white wash history. To hide the origins of their misbegotten wealth - built on the foundation of the skeletons of dead and surviving slaves.

Haiti gave the world freedom. Not America - which claims itself to be a land of the free (as long as you are white).

Media ‘White-wash’

A recent article in the British Guardian is a case in point. Richard Gott (the writer of this post) claims that he is a history student … which makes this post very remarkable. In the entire post of 1150 words, he mentions the word slave only once - while the entire history of Cuba for the last 200 years has been about slavery.

He is surprised by the number of Blacks in Cuba - which was the largest slave colony in the Spanish Empire - after the fall of Haiti. The Cuban revolution began in Haiti more than 200 years ago - and Fidel Castro has but been one, in a long line of revolutionaries who tried to break free from their enslaved past. For a history student, can this be ignorance or a more likely attempt at ‘whitewash’ …?

Exactly why is the presence of so ‘Blacks’ so surprising, Mr.Gott …?

Why is Richard Gott so surprised …

It is the ‘white wash’ of history - and the ‘tarring’ of protagonists which is a matter of concern. Haiti’s (and also Cuba’s) crime - they refused to accept the racial agenda of the US. They (including a ‘White’ like Fidel Castro) wanted to build a ‘free society’ for people - without colour being a factor. Perhaps all Whites are not like Richard Gott.

And that is, perhaps, why Richard Gott is so surprised.

Cuba according to Gott

The Cuban revolution began 50 years ago … with its charismatic and bearded leadership descending from the hills, young men in their 20s brandishing guns and seizing the cities, and calling for land reform …

Castro began his epic quarrel with the United States - through the US abolition of the sugar quota, the arrival of Soviet oil, the CIA invasion at the Bay of Pigs, and the missile crisis of 1962 … Faced with the implacable hostility of the United States, Fidel decided that he had no alternative except to ally himself with the Soviet Union.

What struck me most was to find an island full of black people. The revolutionary leadership could hardly have been more white … Fidel’s enlistment of the black population was his astutest move, being echoed in the United States (where he stayed in Harlem on a visit to the United Nations) … The only political movement in Cuba that had enrolled black people … was the Communist party, and Fidel (long before his move towards the Soviet Union) had turned to the local communists for help in reaching out to the urban population, both poor and black. The white racist element in the Cuban population had tolerated a black president such as Fulgencio Batista, who had kept the black population under control; they were alarmed by a white man like Fidel who appeared to be mobilising the black people against them. (via Richard Gott: It’s time to let Cuba in from the cold, and Obama is the perfect man to do it | Comment is free | The Guardian-ellipsis mine).

The Future Of Oil Is The Caribbean

Bretton Woods-II, based on oil-dollar anchor, worked for another 35 years (1973-2008) till now. Oil exploration is a 5-10 year investment. Oil should be made another commodity. An easy option is to create a Republic of Pacific Islands - Haiti, Cuba, Grenada, and other West Indies. These islands can become vast oil production centres - that will help them raise their economies and can feed Asia with oil, peacefully.

Reeling under the curse of history, Western intervention and poverty, the Caribbean islands have been dealt a bad hand. Third World countries are paying through their nose to the OPEC cartel and for a dollar hegemony. Cuba, Haiti and the various Caribbean islands have been hit by poverty and Western intervention.

Oil can break this vicious cycle. Oil exploration in the Caribbean has been negligible. These are promising exploration blocks. A joint venture between ONGC (India), Petrobras, and the various islands could kick-start oil exploration and production - which will change the future of the world.

For one, it would immediately reduce Saudi funding of terror.

What happens to Russia if a new Pacific Republic (Cuba, Haiti, West Indies, etc) were to start drilling for oil? In 5 years, the world would be awash with oil - and Russia’s mineral earnings could evaporate.

Brazil takes the first step

On October 14, 2008, 2ndlook had proposed a BRICS-Caribbean accord for oil exploration in the Caribbean. Brazil has also taken the first step. ONGC was already in the game. As is Russia. With India, Brazil and Russia working on Cuban oil exploration, it is a promising first step to a prosperous Caribbean.

“I don’t understand why it took so long to sign this agreement,” said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who presided over a signing ceremony for the deal with Cuban President Raul Castro. That makes two of us, Mr.President!

Next stop, Haiti?

Europe wants to stay relevant

Europe which has a major say in the IMF and World Bank, after the USA, obviously wants to increase its role - and decrease US importance. To gets its way, it has gone on a major diplomatic offensive - to the extent of restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba.

Is that a sign of times to come?

Buffett could buy North Korea as gift for Obama - William Pesek

It’s tempting to fantasise about Buffett just buying the place. He has given away tens of billions of dollars. Imagine the good that could come from buying out the Kims and giving North Korea to Obama. It will never happen, of course, but one can dream of a Buffettland above the 38th parallel.

Hermit kingdom

Yet that really does put things in perspective. The second-wealthiest man in the world could buy Kim’s Hermit Kingdom and still have enough for Mongolia and Namibia, too. And here you have this nation that could easily be purchased by a single US investor essentially holding entire parts of Asia hostage. (via William Pesek: Buffett could buy North Korea as gift for Obama).

A little over a century ago,

It was such thinking that led to the 'sale' of Cuba, Philippines and Puerto Rico by Spain to the USA. After the purchase, came a century of pain in Cuba, many hundreds of thousands of lives lost in Philippines and the forcible accession of Puerto Rico into the US. Before that the Berlin Conference, sparked of the scramble for Africa.

Rome & India

Around 50 BC, fresh after crucifying some 8000-10,00 slaves on the Via Appia, Crassus decided to come India. The richest man in Rome, Crassus dreamt of conquering India, what Alexander could not do. Suren, the Indo-Parthian General from Gandhara, sent him back - with molten gold down his throat.

So, Billy boy, pride goes before the fall. As for you hubris ... beware!

Earlier Empires

Spain's national industry today is prostitution. Britain is floating on the sewage of the Bretton Woods bilge! After the multi-trillion dollar bailout, which has just begun, and with more than US$4 trillion with China, Japan, Russia and India, neither is the outcome certain nor is the outlook bright.

You may be very surprised when (and not if) other reserve currencies come into play. A tripolar-currency system will unwind Warren Buffet's wealth faster than Kim Il Jong's dictatorship!

Before your tall talk about buying other countries ... just check out your pockets, Billy boy.

Why Do Our Economic Models Keep Failing? - The Atlantic Business Channel

why economic models always fail us in crisis. That's a big question, so fortunately the professor has a really great historical analogy to start us off. A group of Swiss soldiers get lost in the Alps and the weather take a bad turn. One soldier realizes he has a map and they follow it until they find a town to take shelter. But when they explain what happened to their commander he realizes that's it's not a map of the Alps: it's of the Pyrenees. (via Why Do Our Economic Models Keep Failing? - The Atlantic Business Channel).

Amazing piece of propaganda!

The entire economic model was about printing money. Helicopter Ben was the first, in his celebrated speech, where he sneeringly (Did I imagine the sneer) openly spell out the US 'printing press' policy - and the aim to helicopter drops US dollar bills. Helicopter Ben was also the first to further pushed the boundaries by refusing to share M3 figures with the world - with a terse anouncement by the Federal Reserve Board. Of course, I must say, Ben was kind enough to to blame Asia for a ‘savings glut’ - which resulted in this global financial crisis.

Alan Greenspan chimed in with tupenny bit with 'the Fed did not cause the housing bubble' statement. Well, Chairman Sir! You didn't do it! Neither did I.

So who did?

All in all, Ben Bernanke, represents a new level of Western brazenness.

Eureka! It works ...

The US and the World economy is suffering from a surfeit of printed money which was channeled into 'supply side' economics. The model worked exactly as it should have!

The Chinese 'worker' and Indian 'coolie' worked his backside off. The American 'consumer' bloated up debt - and bought all the goodies. The debt mountain became just way too-oooo wobbly. It crashed. The Chinese (and Japanese, Indians and the Russians) have been left holding these pieces of paper, called American dollars.

As for you ...

Derek, if possible, be honest. Otherwise, keep quiet. Say nothing. At least, don't add to the cacophony of lies, untruth and cover-up.

Just don't get very clever about this, Derek.

Akamai State Of Internet report

Akamai Releases Fourth Quarterly “State of the Internet

-- India ranked #17 globally in terms of attack traffic, with 1.16% of observed attack traffic

During the fourth quarter of 2008, Akamai observed attack traffic originating from 193 unique countries around the world, up nearly 8% from the third quarter count of 179 countries. In the fourth quarter, the United States moved into first place for the first time in 2008, after placing second to either China or Japan throughout the year. Throughout 2008, the United States, China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan were consistently among the top 10 countries that generated the highest percentages of attack traffic. (via Zee News).

High Crime rates and USA

With a population of 30 crores (300 million), the US has a criminal population of 70 lakhs (7 million) - behind bars, on probation or on parole. US Government estimates a figure of 20 lakhs (2 million) people serving prison sentences.

What is behind such high levels of crime and prison population in the US?

Contrast that with India ...

The current status of Indian criminal system is a study in contrast. With a population of 110 crores (1100 million) India, has a prison population of 2 lakhs (0.2 million). The Indian National Human Rights Commission gives a figure of 3.5 lakhs as the prison population - including convicts and those who are undergoing trial. The UK Home Office survey of World Prison Population estimates Indian prison population at 2.5 lakhs.

With less than 25 people per 100,000 in prison, India has the world’s lowest imprisonment rate. Cynics may snigger at India’s ‘inefficient’ police or the slow court procedures as the cause for this low prison population. That can only mean criminals are at large and India must, therefore have the highest crime rate - which is not true.

Based on category, India has low or average crime rates. All the 5 indices (below) create a bias for lawlessness and rampant crime, in Indian society. With these five indices, namely: -

1. Police to population ratio (increase police force).


2. Prison population (put more criminals behind bars)


3. Capital punishment (kill enough criminals to instill fear)


4. Poverty (it is poverty which the root of all crime)


5. Gun ownership (more guns means more crime)

against a stable social system, how does India manage low-to-average crime rates.

How can India have such a low prison population, with a poor police-to-population ratio and a crime rate which is not above the average - in spite of a large civilian gun population.

History ...

The answer goes back 4000 years back in history - to Lipit Ishtar, Hittite laws, Hammurabi et al. More than 2000 years ago, Megasthenes a Greek traveller to India wrote,

Theft is of very rare occurrence. Megasthenes says that those who were in the camp of Sandrakottos, wherein lay 400,000 men, found that the thefts reported on any one day did not exceed the value of two hundred drachmae, and this among a people who have no written laws

Historically, trade in India is governed by शुभ लाभ 'shubh labh’ - and hence Indians have not been major players in drugs proliferation (unlike Japan, or the West, which traded Opium in Korea and China) or in slave trade. In modern times, though a power in computing industry, India is not a big player in spamming or in software virus.