– The Silver Platter Theory and the Victim Mentality

Last updated on: November 22, 2005 at 8:11 pm By Desh Kapoor

I have seen and met a lot of folks from all countries and a lot from India who keep talking of how BAD the other peson is! I have been following a discussion going on a topic called "Asian Nationalism" on Intentblog - where I put this comment on.. since this is one of my beliefs.. I wanted to put it down here too. No one.. NO ONE.. and NO society, country or group exists for the altruistic good of others. We, in India, also have institutionlized racism but in the reverse - We call it reservations (which is good for no one really). Read more

– Asian Nationalism and its inevitability

Last updated on: November 22, 2005 at 3:12 pm By Desh Kapoor

Rafiq Dossani writes about Asian Nationalism: There is little doubt that political activity in Europe in the 19th century and particularly during its last decades was, as Eric Hobsbawm puts it, ‘convulsed by the principle of nationality’. Despite its recognized risks of isolationism and suppression of minorities at one extreme and external aggression at the other, the desire for the congruence of nation and state (however theoretically impossible), turned out, at least for several decades, to be a better driving force for economic and social progress than other ‘isms’. Read more

– Strategic Group to counsel the PM

Last updated on: November 22, 2005 at 2:45 pm By Desh Kapoor

For a cerebral PM ... who is a quintessential intellectual.. this makes sense! It should have been done LOOONG back. Better late than never! The task force on 'Global Strategic Developments' to be headed by K Subrahmanyam -- a distinguished strategic affairs analyst -- has aroused a lot of curiosity because it reflects Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's political ambition. Dr Singh wants the Indo-US relationship, as envisaged in the July 18 agreement signed in Washington by him and US President George Bush, to move to the next level. The task force is likely to put the prime minister's thinking in perspective. Read more

– Medical Tourism in India

Last updated on: November 22, 2005 at 2:42 pm By Desh Kapoor

Its good that we are looking at the Medical Tourism.. but if I were a planner - I would create regions within various states.. with world class airports and great hospitals for the old from the Western World to make India their home.. which would be ideal for retirees - low cost medical attention, great weather.. etc. Thats a BIG pie. A friend was giving a stat to me.. 8000 people are moving to Florida .. .EVERY DAY!!! Thats the kind of level we are talking about! Imagine the boost to the economy of a country or region because of that! Medical tourism in India is likely to be a major sources of foreign exchange earnings in years to come, according to Vishal Bali, vice president (operations), Wockhardt, an associate hospital of Harvard Medical International. Read more

Wealth

Last updated on: November 22, 2005 at 2:36 pm By Desh Kapoor

Wealth is not his that has it, but his who enjoys it. Read more

– Talibanish Chennai

Last updated on: November 22, 2005 at 6:13 am By Desh Kapoor

Hey all the Chennai-walas - what is happening to you?? For a country and people who came up with Kamasutra and Khajuraho - isn't it sad that our hypocrisy now knows no limits!! Don't speak the truth in Chennai. And don't behave like you are living in a 21st century Indian metro. Movie star Khushboo did that and is now paying a heavy and heart-rending price for it. And just what did the actor do? She said, rather innocuously, that men should no more expect their brides to be virgins. She also said that when youngsters indulge in premarital sex, they should use protection. Anywhere else, Khushboo would have been called an anti-AIDS spokesperson and perhaps even feted but not Tamil Nadu with its insular politics and blinkered politicians. Read more

"Hinduism" and the HIndutva forces

Last updated on: November 21, 2005 at 11:35 pm By Desh Kapoor

This was one of my post on Intentblog... I liked it so I am reproducing it for you: I do NOT believe that there is ANYTHING called Hinduism in the original sense. Yes, if we look through the glasses that we have been imparted over so many years thru Mughal and British rules and Western thought.. we have one now. "Hinduism"'s greatest strength was its independence of thought. I can love Jesus, Buddha and Krishna.. and still be "Hindu". In my opinion Vedantic thought was the pinnacle of any spiritual thought and to-date it remains as such. The reason why, I think, it reached that height was because ANYONE could contribute to its ascent and not "dwarf" it by his/her own contribution (by creating packages of "truth" called religions within it.) Read more

– GM to lay off 30,000 and close 9 plants

Last updated on: November 21, 2005 at 3:29 pm By Desh Kapoor

So the day of reckoning is drawing closer for GM.. I think this is just tidying the deck of the Titanic really! General Motors Corp. will eliminate 30,000 manufacturing jobs and close nine North American assembly, stamping and powertrain plants by 2008 as part of an effort to get production in line with demand. The announcement Monday by Rick Wagoner, chairman and CEO of the world's largest automaker, represents 5,000 more job cuts than the 25,000 that the automaker had previously indicated it planned to cut. Read more

– Dont beg Saurav.. Score runs!

Last updated on: November 21, 2005 at 3:08 pm By Desh Kapoor

I agree with Kapil.. Saurav is best known for his arrogance.. the attitude change he brought in the team has been amazing! He always stood by his team mates... and nurtured the new kids.. basically because he didnt give two hoots to the BCCI establishment! Mohinder has been the role model for all "come-backers".. he was an amazing guy! Cricketing legend Kapil Dev on Monday ruled out any politics in Sourav Ganguly’s removal from the Indian team, and said the former skipper should strive to return to the national squad not by ‘begging’, but by making runs. Read more

Life

Last updated on: November 21, 2005 at 3:03 pm By Desh Kapoor

I like life. It's something to do. Read more