Spandan

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Indecision 2009 - Reindecision 2008 And Beyond

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Health Care Crisis

Empress: A Novel

2009-10-27T10:38:00.005-04:00

One could say that I have become rather adventurous with 'history' books since my encounter with 'The White Mughals.' Recently I came across a fascinating novel by Shan Sa about the Chinese Empress Wu Zetian, or Heavenlight as she is know in the book.

'Empress: A Novel' is the story of the Chinese Empress who rose from a humble background to establish her own dynasty, the Zhou dynasty. Though I was initially skeptical about the monologue format of the book, the uniqueness and historical significance of its central character demands that we understand Heavenlight. A regular novel format could not have given us a proper insight into the mind of such an intelligent and shrewd ruler. Shan Sa's prose-like writing opens up a portal into the mind of Heavenlight and takes us through a journey of a China some 1500 years ago. It is almost a 'Being John Malkovich' feeling. We glide through the highs and lows of Heavenlight's life, her years of servitude and lordship. The insider's view of her intelligence and potential, the hardships of her childhood, the longing of her adolescence help to justify her almost despotic rule. Though she would like us to believe that she never desired power, once she knew she could have it the Empress showed little mercy. She plotted against and killed her family members and could not give up power even in her 70s.

But Shan Sa continuously shows the Empress being apologetic about her actions. There is a undertone of remorse and regret. This works both in favor and against the novel. One can understand that a truthful depiction of a woman in the 600- 700 AD who had numerous lovers and sexual encounters, and who killed her family members requires the apologetic tone. But looking at it as an outsider in the 21C one wishes that the author had done more justice to her courage. It was not only destiny, but also the strength and intelligence of the woman that bestowed upon her the distinction of being the only female monarch of China.

The book is a fictionalization of history and one has to read it as that. It introduces us to a fascinating woman and a gorgeous China all those years ago. As a woman it makes you reflect upon your life and the status of women today. It makes you wonder if we have really come a long way in being equal. Or if a woman like Wu Zetian would have to be apologetic even today.

The boy who harnessed the wind'

2009-10-09T10:29:00.001-04:00

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

William Kamkwamba

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Ron Paul Interview

Awesome!

2009-10-01T10:04:00.003-04:00

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Deep Space Naan

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Ron Paul Interview

Everything can be outsourced.

2009-09-28T11:33:00.001-04:00

Even murder.

Optional

2009-08-27T16:51:00.000-04:00

CBSE kids can rejoice.

TED talk by Ashraf Ghani

2009-08-20T10:55:00.002-04:00

A very interesting talk by Ashraf Ghani, currently in race to be Aghanistan's next President.

How exactly does this help??

2009-08-05T12:22:00.005-04:00

People stand in queue for swine flu check up outside a hospital in Pune.
(A picture from the Indian Express)

Aai mala pan fugaaaa

2009-08-05T11:59:00.002-04:00

Kasab's desire to have someone tie him a rakhi as reported by the ToI makes him sound like a child who wants something colorful and shiny that the others have.

"He expressed his desire after he saw several people in court sporting colourful 'rakhis' during the day's proceedings," his government-appointed lawyer S.G. Abbas Kazmi told mediapersons."

Clothelines in the US

2009-08-04T11:49:00.005-04:00

Having heard stories of warnings by apartment landlords for hanging clothes to dry in the open, clothesline spotting has become one of my favorite pass-times. My husband never seems to see any, though as the passenger I have spotted quite a few on county roads. When I was new to this country it seemed absurd that people would spend so much time, money and energy drying clothes in a steam dryer that reduces garment life. I took it as one of those things that 'Americans do'. So now this story (and the comments that follow) in NYT only makes me laugh in disbelief.

Poor pedestrians

2009-08-03T16:07:00.003-04:00

Why does Vivek Moorthy generalize that pedestrians are "poor and illiterate" and so "cannot take legal recourse?" Though the number of vehicles on Indian roads has increased dramatically it does not mean that only the poor walk. Educated, middle class Indians also walk on the same roads and have to face the same hazardous conditions. It seems like he got carried away by his idea of the "walking class" and could not resist attributing an income level to it. I appreciate and support his appeal for better urban planning with safe walking conditions. But making pedestrians seem like some poor and illiterate beings unable to stand up for themselves just kills the piece for me.

A letter to Mr Thackeray

2009-07-23T10:43:00.004-04:00

Mr. Bal Thackeray,

Really, are you out of your mind completely? You want him to be hanged publicly at the Gateway of India? Though Kasab deserves to die for what he did, the Gateway of India does not deserve to go down in history as the spot where he was hanged. You want it to be a big spectacle with people cheering and the 24 hr news channels telecasting it live for the world to see? You really think that would deter other terrorists from attacking India? Or do you wish to immortalize Kasab's death so that it can be used as fodder for other terrorists-in-training? You known it favors politicians' electoral interests when the country is under attack from external forces? Are you sure you speak only out of a desire for justice?

Just so you know, we are not barbarians. We are a country of decent people who would be outraged by such displays. We are not terrorists. We do not go about killing people because we are told that they have wronged us. We allow the judiciary to determine guilt and provide justice. A fair trial, as is currently underway, is what you need to send a message to the millions of Indians that the state machinery can protect them. The judicial system is capable of bringing terrorists to trial and punishing them without outraging publicly decency. We do not attack lawyers for serving their country. We stand by them. Maybe you could too.

Kasab is a terrorist. He does not need to die a martyr.

My posts at FPA blogs

2009-07-21T16:04:00.003-04:00

I now write for the Foreign Policy Blogs, a production of the Foreign Policy Association. The FPB network has around 50 blogs that discuss global developments across all continents. The Foreign Policy Association is a New York based think-tank established in 1918 to spread awareness and understanding of foreign policy issues.

Check out my posts on Indian foreign policy at their India blog.

Something to cheer about

2009-07-19T12:02:00.005-04:00

While Gulam Nabi Azad made us laugh, the latest news on population policy will make you smile. A detailed National Population Policy formulated in the year 2000 set out to achieve a total fertility rate (TFR) of two by the end of 2010. Now the union health ministry reports that 11 states and three union territories have achieved that target of two children per couple two years before the deadline. Most Indians are used to a large number of government projects missing their deadlines. To see these states work efficiently fills my heart with optimism. All we need now is for the good work to continue uninterrupted and become a norm.

The National Population Policy had rightly identified education, women's empowerment, and communication and awareness about the benefits of family planning to be some of the ways of achieving the targets. (Azad should have taken a cue from the policy and made the argument for more televisions as the means of spreading family planning awareness.) Interestingly, the National Family Health Survey (2007) reports the literacy rates for most of the 11 states as being above the Indian average of 67.6 percent. The statewise literacy rates are as follows: Goa (83.3), Himachal Pradesh (81.3), Karnataka(69.3), Kerala (89.9), Maharashtra(77.6), Punjab (74), Sikkim (76.6), Tamil Nadu (74.2), West Bengal (71.6) and Andhra Pradesh (63.7). Either it is sheer coincidence, or higher literacy rates and decreasing FTR seem to be co-related.

'Horn'less drive

2009-07-16T16:51:00.004-04:00

The city police have taken up the noble cause of reducing honking. And they have even fined more than a 1000 people by now. However, the drive will continue only for the next few weeks. What happens after that? How has the drive helped if drivers know that they will not be fined in a few weeks time and can continue about business as usual? Maybe there is a serious plan in place here. Probably ToI doesn't think we need to be told about it though.

Televising our way to population control

2009-07-11T12:10:00.003-04:00

And I thought 'late night' television could put you in the 'mood'.

Apparently Ghulam Nabi Azad knows otherwise, "When light will reach (villages), 80 percent of population growth can be reduced through TV." That is why the UPA government will take up rapid electrification of villages (not because it is a basic amenity that governments are supposed to provide.) Then the electrified villagers can watch television and not engage in the "process of population growth." Just think of all the years lost believing that awareness and education helped control population. All we needed was to turn people into TV watching zombies.

Zardari admits to supporting terrorists!

2009-07-08T16:07:00.003-04:00

If this story is to be believed, then Zardari might just become India's most loved Pakistani President. However, it seems rather odd that he would admit that "Pakistan nurtured terrorism." So far Pakistan has vehemently rejected supporting terrorists. India shouted itself hoarse, but no one seemed to believe that the Pakistani State had anything to do with terrorism in India. That Pakistan pursued it as a standard foreign policy decision.

While I am skeptical about the story, it does raise various questions. The first being, what is Zardari playing at? Following in Musharraf's footsteps? Or does he have a bigger game up his sleeve, one where admission of sponsoring terrorism is a small price to pay? Does this admission mean that Pakistan will be termed a State sponsor of terrorism? Or is it not an "official" enough admission? Will it mean fewer dollars to help Pakistan "fight the war on terror?" Will Western countries finally see Pakistan for what it is - a sponsor of terrorism? I seriously doubt anything of the sort will happen. At best Zardari will claim ignorance or out of context reporting. And things will go back to being as they were.

While the story was reported by the Indian media, I have been unable to find any traces of it anywhere else other than the Telegraph. Maybe they will pick it up tomorrow. Or maybe they will choose to ignore.

Baba Ramdev supports Art 377

2009-07-07T16:42:00.008-04:00

My attitude towards Baba Ramdev can best be described as apathetic. Not that news surrounding him lacked spice, it just didn't matter enough. However, his decision to challenge the Delhi High Court verdict on gay sex makes me angry. One, because I believe that human sexuality is no religion's business. Two, I hate self-appointed self-righteous guardians of religion and morality. Three, Hinduism seems rather neutral towards the idea and we do not need to drag the religion into a debate it rather not be a part of. And four, Ramdev has a significant following and could undermine the cause of the gay movement in India.

The basis of his petition is that homosexuality is dangerous to "public morality," "public health" and would expose larger sections of the population to HIV/AIDS. Unprotected sex with multiple partners of any gender ups the chances of contracting a STD. Gayness has no direct proven relation with an increase in infection rates. Baba Ramdev also jumps on the protectors of Indian values bandwagon and thinks that the decision will jeopardise the institution of marriage and "offend the Indian value system." BS!

But the real gem is this... "Homosexual relationships, if encouraged, would bring population growth of a country to a halt and may deprive this country of its greatest asset of human resources," he said. As if homosexuality will turn off all the straight ones. As if we do not have too many people already. Why do these people want to perpetuate a lie that Indians are asexual beings? We are a sufficiently horny society like any other normal society. Not talking about it does not change it. Look at any guy on the street, or our films. Or even the Lifestyle section of ToI.

It is sad that religions across the world trample upon human dignity and freedom in the name of some archaic "value system." That how you choose to express your love requires religious sanction. The Delhi High Court's verdict based on protection of human rights was a mature way of discussing the issue. I think the Supreme Court of India should appreciate and uphold the ruling, as should the UPA government and scrap Article 377.

McNamara-India-China link

2009-07-07T16:30:00.002-04:00

This is something I never knew about McNamara. Though not entirely improbable, it seems rather an extreme stand at a time when India was viewed as being pro-Soviet. But then it was the Cold War!

A chance to change

2009-06-25T11:39:00.004-04:00

Nandita Sengupta makes a good argument about the futility of scrapping Class X examinations. I agree with her on the need for greater and better options after Class X. But scrapping the "traumatic" examinations could perhaps be conducive to it.

Simply because we are good at maths and science, or that it helps make more money, does not mean that everyone should be an engineer or a doctor. There could be other applications of these skills (e.g. the neglected pure sciences) that are equally important to the overall well being of the society. Not to forget the importance of Arts and Humanities that are unfortunately looked down upon due to poor monetary returns. In fact, compartmentalizing students at Class XI into Arts, Science and Commerce with very little chance of moving around needs rethinking. I think that Class XI and XII should expose students to all three (and more) areas and let them dabble with varied courses and combinations to their liking before they make up their minds. It would give them time to explore their interests, mature from teenagers to young adults and make better career decisions. It might even help increase respect for the social sciences and humanities.

Anyone who has been through the Class X to XI transition process knows that Class XI choices are mostly dictated by parents. The standard argument being that the kids are too young to know what's good for them anyways. If the choice is postponed to voting age (18 yrs) with a chance to know what they are getting into, the chances of voluntary decisions might increase.

Our education system (from pre-kg to PhD) needs rethinking and adapting to changing needs. And Sibal's plans are ambitious. At the very least he is talking about the right things, instead of catering to caste politics like his predecessor. Even if he succeeds in changing a couple of things, or getting the Right to Education bill implemented, he would have done a big service. And maybe he will.

Look at me!

2009-06-25T10:34:00.003-04:00

This is exactly how North Korea's behavior seems. As world attention shifts towards Tehran, Pyongyang's threats to nuke US territory get bigger, and fancier. Maybe they should consider having elections with more than one candidate per constituency to get everyone to look at them.

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Welcome to the Jong-il

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Jason Jones in Iran

Truck jala, bill ghatava!

2009-06-24T10:31:00.004-04:00

I understand outrage against expensive electricity. But how does that demand torching down a truck?

Creating false equivalencies

2009-06-12T11:07:00.007-04:00

Charles Krauthammer in this Washington Post piece criticizes Obama for "hovering above mere mortals" and "distorting history for political effect." While I agree that maybe Obama could have indulged in little less self-flagellation, considering the intended purpose of the speech it is not impossible to imagine why those words were chosen.

The problem I have is with Krauthammer's comments upon Obama juxtaposing U.S. sponsored government overthrow in Iran, and Iran's role in violence against the U.S.

"A CIA rent-a-mob in a coup 56 years ago does not balance the hostage-takings, throat-slittings, terror bombings and wanton slaughters perpetrated for 30 years by a thug regime in Tehran (and its surrogates) that our own State Department calls the world's "most active state sponsor of terrorism." "

For one, I doubt if Obama was trying to call it even. Secondly the "thug regime" that came into being in Iran and perpetuated the violence was in ways enabled by the U.S. coup against the democratically elected leadership of Mosaddegh. Just as the Taliban problem in Afghanistan had to do with U.S. supporting the Mujaheddin to fight the Soviets. It can reasonably be argued that had Mosaddegh been allowed to rule, Iran would have been a favorably different country. So it definitely does not balance things out.

*Disclaimer: I do not condone or support terrorist activities, whether sponsored by Iran or any other country.

Musharraf's Spiegel interview

2009-06-08T10:13:00.006-04:00

Did he really say that!?! Pervez Musharraf disclosed in an interview that the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) and the terrorists who bombed the Indian embassy in Kabul in 2008 are connected. That is a huge admission for someone who was at the helm of affairs in Pakistan for a long time. In the Spiegel interview he bashes India and the United States for Pakistan's problems all through history.

Though not surprising, it is definitely telling that Musharraf thinks "nothing can happen to Pakistan as long as the armed forces are intact and strong. Anyone who wants to weaken and destabilize Pakistan just has to weaken the army and our intelligence service, ISI..."No one would deny that the defense mechanism is a crucial aspect in the well-being of any country, but over and above that are strong functional political institutions. (China is a strong and stable country not simply because of its military but because of a strong functioning political system.) Pakistan has been in a perpetual state of crisis since its creation due to the military dominated governments. They had no interest in laying down strong foundations for democracy or other form of civil government. Pakistan's geopolitical importance particularly during the Cold War meant that foreign governments did everything they could to ensure a well-trained and -equipped army, rather than a stable government.

And so ultimately Pakistan mastered the art of exhorting billions in aid money, without any results to show for it. The country is still destabilized and its economy in shambles. It is no surprise that when asked about how they spent the money received over the last eight years, Musharraf replied, "But why do you care about that? Why, for heaven's sake, should I tell you how we spent the money? ... I also told the Americans that it has nothing to do with them. We are not obligated to give out any details. Maybe I should have said at the time: Ok, you want us to support you, give us $20 billion a year and don't ask what we are doing with it." One could think of it as a business transaction, payment for services provided. But in that cases the vendor is expected to deliver. I see a daylight bribery.

Musharraf does tell us that some of the money was a reimbursement for past services. And how it is not possible to segregate the spendings as those on "war on terror" only, because material bought with that money travels with the moving army divisions to the Easter (Indian) border too. In effect the money is being spent to secure its Eastern border and fight India. Of course it is no surprise that he considers that India should not be left out if one is serious about combating terrorism. Read together Musharraf is saying that Pakistan spent all the aid money fighting the "war on terror" against Afghanistan and India. No surprises there.

Capturing climate change

2009-06-03T13:11:00.003-04:00

Another talk on climate change but with some of the most beautiful pictures of its devastating effects.

Look out for more about the movie at website http://www.home-2009.com/us/index.html

Cleaning up our act

2009-06-02T10:44:00.004-04:00

This piece in NYT asks a question that almost very Indian has asked in some form; "why do governments that cannot manage the basics of public hygiene think that they can micro-manage an economy?" Edward Glaeser then proceeds to talk about India and Mumbai's urban development and water works management in particular.

For years I have wondered why our local governments fail to provide basic water and sewer systems, and maintain minimum levels of public hygiene. When my local municipal corporator turned a nala/open toilet into a beautiful jogging park people were immensely surprised and relieved. It transformed some 4 kms of the nala into a stink free, hygienic, serene, aesthetically appealing area. At the same time he also arranged for toilets to be build for those that were now deprived of their space. It was not an innovative undertaking but it was essential for the health of the neighborhood. That there must have been political and monetary payoff is another issue.

One reason for this apathy (I was told) for public hygiene is that we as a society lack a culture of public hygiene. And sometimes when I visit predominately South Asian neighborhoods in the US, or places like Devon Avenue (Chicago) I want to believe it. These places are so unclean you wonder if you are in the same city that has clean roads two blocks away. And I am sure this has nothing to do with discrimination on part of the local authorities. While in India you will find cleanliness fanatics whose houses are spotless, they couldn't care less about the buildings they live in. The same people are so disgusted by the garbage accumulating in their neighborhood that they will fling their garbage bags from a distance, whether it lands inside the bins or not is not their business. Even schools and hospitals cannot maintain clean restrooms. Spitting is a national pass-time that I have still to understand. Even temples make you cringe. With all the sovla/suddhikaran ideas ingrained in Hindu rituals, why is the God's house so dirty? How is that permissible?

I understand that public hygiene and water and sewer maintenance costs a lot of money. And many local governments are perpetually cash strapped. Yet it is not impossible to promote cleanliness and enforce existing laws and policies strictly. Most of the road cleaners can be seen chatting early morning when a lot of work still remains to be done. And then as the traffic increases they have a valid reason to not do their job efficiently. One can walk miles before finding a garbage bin on the road, and people consider this a valid excuse for disposing off their waste anywhere. Public toilets are feasting grounds for diseases. Pet owners do not own the shit, leaving it for people to step on and clean. The list can go on and on.

At the end of the day no matter how many malls we build or how much our average income increases, if the State cannot maintain basic public hygiene it has failed in more than one ways. Of course unless we develop a basic civic sense and responsibility for keeping our neighborhoods clean, no State action can ever be sufficient. There are sufficient decently clean people in India it is just a matter of applying the same principles to public life.

Big-B or Whiz-B?

2009-05-28T11:34:00.006-04:00

It seems that the multi-purpose national identity card (MNIC) for Indian citizens will be available by 2011. It is to be a smart card with an unique identification number that will store information about the citizens. This seems like a good project, and should eliminate the need for multiple address/identity proof documents for educational or business purposes. It could also be a useful tool in the electoral process which is still struggling with the voter identification cards. And maybe help its intended purposes of countering terrorism on Indian soil.

However, considering the scope of the project I think it will face the same fate as the voter identification cards. There are way too many people and far less infrastructure in place to create a comprehensive list and distribute cards. But the babus are on it.

The more serious concern however is that of privacy. Would having this smart card mean that the government will know what I do, buy, sell, learn, read...? Will I be required to carry it at all times and produce when requested? That is something one would associate with travelling to a foreign country. Will the government be policing our lives, instead of simply maintaining law and order? How will it ensure that the information is not abused by any government agency? I can definitely imagine a scenario where someone with influence uses it to bribe and tweak information in the database to make life difficult for someone. Can we be sure of the integrity of those with access to such crucial information? What about misuse by political parties like the MNS to determine the number of "outsiders"?

If the government can satisfactorily answer these and numerous other similar questions maybe the MNIC will be a good project. Till then I can think of nothing better than this episode of Yes Minister.

Do we have it to lose it?

2009-05-22T11:24:00.004-04:00

Today Anand Giridharadas asks if India will lose its "charm" as it becomes 'world class.' Coincidentally I have also been reading about the Indian "heart" in Shantaram as he ponders over how it is the "heart" that really matters in India, and how that 'charm' keeps the billions from killing each other. And each time I read that I wonder if it is only a romanticised version of India, or are we really are as charming.

If you are a Punekar you are well aware of the 'impoliteness' allegations made against us. In fact, Facebook's quiz would categorize you as "overeducated, underemployed, lazy, rude to guests and think customer service is for wimps." (This in spite of the fact that people in Pune are polite, kind and hardworking. ) We are also said to be one of the worst tourists, and neither are we the most courteous of drivers. Indian languages are rich with expletives and we use them rather freely. There are mean high school girls all over India, as there are rude rowdy boys. We don't necessarily respect our minorities, poorer classes and women.

Just like any other society we have our combination of all sorts of good and bad people. So why do books and Western accounts make us seem like some exotic creatures with hearts only of gold? I would love to believe that we are unmatched in our politeness, courteousness, friendliness, dildaari... But with all my love for India and Indianess, and my patriotism I don't think that is true. We know how to love another, we know how to care and be kind, but that is just part of the story.

Saudi ban on women drivers

2009-05-08T10:34:00.003-04:00

Very few people today can claim to be oblivious to restrictions imposed on freedoms in Middle Eastern countries. And yet sometimes stories like these can take you by surprise. A driving ban! I am no scholar on Islam, but I am sure there is nothing in the holy book that calls for a ban on women driving. I understand that curbing women's mobility is just another way of controlling them, and yet it is difficult to comprehend such laws. We are used to taking so many of our freedoms for granted, that it is difficult to imagine people living under restrictions. I hope the Saudi government realizes what it is doing and lifts the ban soon. In the meanwhile you can support and participate in the discussion at http://www.n7nudrive.com/about.php

Breakfast with TED

2009-05-06T11:25:00.003-04:00

Up until a few months ago I was oblivious to the existence of TED. But thanks to my ever curious husband weekend mornings soon became 'Breakfast with TED.' Now everyday I look forward to a new talk, a new idea, a new speaker. The idea of TED is at once simple and profoundly enriching. And I regret not having known about it all these years.

While I pride myself at being an avid reader, the sheer variety of subjects that a few TED talks can expose me to is amazing. I have never picked up as diverse a variety of books, and neither can I see myself doing it. But listening to a 20 minute talk on war, and then neuroscience in the next 20 seems like a piece of cake. It is a small investment of time. It is something I can do even as I check my email. Reading a book on neuroscience would be rather time, energy and will-power intensive, and with poor interest rate that would be a rarity. But this is doable.

Not only are the ideas worth spreading and sharing, the speakers are too. Sarah Jones, Ken Robinson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jill Bolte Taylor were wonderful orators with great ideas and messages. But even the not so great orators like Iqbal Quadir with his baldness and paunch is a speaker worth sharing. His work, his ideas and the results are inspiring. It shows a selfless man who could give up a good job in the US to help his country fight poverty. But not one of those blind romantics who forget they need to feed their own families too. People like him make good examples for reformers and entrepreneurs in developing or underdeveloped countries, where grass-root homegrown efforts are crucial to progress.

TED does an applaudable job at enriching minds and I wish it grows stronger and farther in years to come.

There is a method to the madness

2009-05-04T11:06:00.004-04:00

A very new and interesting analysis of modern war data. The results are surprising and could perhaps even provide clues to ending conflicts like Iraq. As Sean Gourley presents his 'number of attacks - people killed' graphs, they seem to defy logic. How can the number of people killed increase as the frequency of attacks goes down? The remainder of the talk provides a good explanation, and the pattern displayed begins to seem almost obvious.

Beta, mujhe sharminda maat karna!

2009-04-28T10:43:00.004-04:00

The swine flu scare and more

2009-04-28T10:32:00.002-04:00

Snoutbreak '09 - The Last 100 Days

M - Th 11p / 10c

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Economic Crisis

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Mistakes on a Plane

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Economic Crisis