Ethics over economy.

Finally, ethics wins over economics.

The above NY Times article reports how a large number of child porn portals have been shut down. This may only be a temporary setback to the sick folks out there, but at least it's a start. The web portals have shown some sense (and not economic mind you, quite the contrary I would think) to shut these off from their listings.

Political photographs...

Washington Post has a list of its best political photographs of 2005.

Actually the same popup also shows the best in other categories such as Metro, Nation, Sports, and the World.

Red Christmas ?

Apparently, 70% of the world's Christmas paraphrenalia originated in the officially atheist China !

Here are some interesting snippets from that article...

Even the White House now celebrates a Made in China Christmas. In 2003, seven of the trees adorning the US president’s residence were manufactured in China.

In fact more than two thirds of the world’s artificial Christmas trees are made in the single city of Shenzhen.

Well, the times they surely are changing...

Previous posts on "the times they are a changin'" series : 1, 2, 3.

Adjust...

Sumanta Sen writes an excellent article in the Telegraph, about bribery and corruption. And no, its not the same old rant..he is in favour of bribery, and makes a good case for it.

An excerpt from the article...

Thus Bofors made an issue without, as has now transpired, an iota of evidence against Rajiv Gandhi. In fact, no proper inquiry was allowed to be conducted into whether arms can be purchased without some cut money changing hands. It is the same about the oil purchase from Iraq. If the Iraqis had demanded, and received, extra payment they were just playing the game by its rules. Other countries obviously understand this and so the report has evoked little interest in Britain, France and elsewhere. But in India a holier-than-thou attitude must be adopted. For, aren’t we a society untouched by corruption and other such evils? Incidentally, neither in the case of the Bofors cannon nor that of the oil coupons was national interest jeopardized — the guns are good and the oil never posed any threat to the country’s security.

And in lieu of the latest "money-for-questions" scam, here is another interesting paragraph...

Some of the ‘exposed’ MPs have reportedly claimed that they accepted money for their party. Here the Indian political establishment can perhaps follow the Brits. Their political parties accept money from the rich and ambitious and in return, make them lords and knights. Why cannot the same practice be introduced in the country which has adopted the Westminster model?

Some of the Padma awards can be kept aside for the highest bidders. This will certainly bring greater transparency in the conferring of such awards and also explain how some of the funds that parties always have at their disposal make their way into their coffers. But try and suggest this to our leaders and immediately the collective hypocrisy will raise its head, screaming that this will be against Indian culture. Just as every crime is against our culture.

Also, as a friend of mine asked after the Volcker report and the Natwar Singh issue...

How does it really affect Indians and India if someone made some money off of the Iraqi dictator and his oil scam? They were enterprising folks and saw the opportunity for making a quick buck. Let them be.

Team India !

The Indian cricket team has become the most valued global brand in sports ! Here's why...

• Sahara India paid Rs 330 crores for displaying their logo on the players' shirts
• Nike paid Rs. 196.66 crores for kit sponsorship

So, the BCCI will receive $ 27.12 million per year for sponsorship alone !

Previously Juventus held the record at : $ 22.2 million per year.

Good...now if only some of that money would trickle down to improve grass-roots developement of cricket...and may other sports as well.

Secret Diaries.

A collection of secret diaries of characters from the Lord of the Rings series...hilarious to say the least.

Original link from Crystal Blur.

Mallu Blog.

Suryagayatri has a malayalam blog !

BBC's take on Hinduism.

The BBC's article on Hinduism is pretty interesting.

Particularly worth reading is what they write about the Aryan invasion theory. Excerpts from this article...

• There is now ample evidence to show that Muller, and those who followed him, were wrong.
• Modern historians of the area no longer believe that such invasions had such great influence on Indian history. It's now generally accepted that Indian history shows a continuity of progress from the earliest times to today.
  
• The changes brought to India by other cultures are not denied by modern historians, but they are no longer thought to be a major ingredient in the development of Hinduism.

Well, looks like the civilised world is waking up to the truth of the situation.

Of course, certain experts would like us to believe otherwise.

Original link from Varnam.

Other posts related to similar issues : 1, 2, 3.

Corpse Bride.

A corpse bride has been drawing attention in Chihuahua, Mexico. Named La Pascualita, local legend has it that the figure is actually the decades-old embalmed corpse of the former store owner's daughter !

There are also supernatural stories doing the rounds...

• visits by a love-sick French magician who is said to bring the dummy magically to life at night, and take her out on the town
• people say that her gaze follows them around the store
• she shifts positions at night in the darkened shop window to the surprise of passers by

Hello future...this is your past...

Now you can send an email to yourself, to be delivered at a future date !

An excerpt from their website...

it's sorta cool to receive a letter from yourself about where you thought you'd be a year (two years? more?) later. FutureMe.org is based on the principle that memories are less accurate than emails. we strive for accuracy.

Irony.

Akkaraipettai, in Tamil Nadu has a post-modern school, with the latest teaching facilities, state of the art computers and buildings, and has even received a visit from the President.

This is the same school that lost 53 school children in last year's devastating boxing day tsunami. Ironically, the school would never have received all of these facilities, but for the tremendous loss of life it experienced. It received nearly 1.4 crore in donations, which helped rebuild it and provide all of the facilities...

What was once a dilapidated building, where classes were held under a tree, now stand seven new buildings, spacious classrooms, steel desks and benches, an LCD projector and even computers where the students spend an hour every day. Even President A P J Abdul Kalam has gone visiting.

This is an interesting excerpt from the Indian Express article...

In fact, and this is the irony that many here mention when you ask about the school: Had it not been for the tsunami, a fisherman’s daughter could have never laid her hands on a computer keyboard. This village would never have imagined having a Rs 1.40-crore modern school.

Life has its little ironies it seems...

IIT developing rikshaws ?

Since Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattarcharjee has determined to take down the "inhumane" hand-pulled rikshaws of Kolkatta, a design engineer from IIT Guwahati has decided to step in and help out. The result : a nifty tricyle rikshaw !

Other posts related to this story : 1.

Textbook reform linked...

A recent post about Michael Witzel's attempts to block textbook reform, got mention on Desipundit and on the Bharateeya blog mela.

These are great for increasing the coverage for this issue on the blogosphere, and I believe that a concerted effort should be made to ensure that the reforms do go through.

Update on Dec 21, 2005 : Varnam also has a post about this and related issues and has been kind enough to link.

Killing India's "roots" ?

A good write up about the recent spate of name changes for citites in India, in a hurry to "get back to our roots", on Style Station.

I agree especially after the recent ridiculous decision to change Bangalore's name to Bengaluru.

Original link from Desipundit.

Who are the real experts ?

A debate has been raging and a proxy-war is being fought on a battlefront that one would least expect, but one that could have far-reaching consequences. It could affect the views of future generations and would demarcate between respect and derision. No, this is not fiction or a figment of my imagination. In fact, this is closely related to education - something that has been held in high esteem across all time and cultures. Education and what is taught in schools is being exploited as a weapon by certain vested interests, to override a rich, ancient culture and people and to paint them as pagan, right-wing anti-socials.

Educational boards across the United States, are actively involved in a process of textbook reform. They, along with parents, students and other volunteers to decide which books contain accurate information, so that they may be used in the school curriculums in their respective states. At the forefront, is the California board of education. Parents, students and host of other volunteers have been working with the California curriculum commission to pore over suggested textbooks to find and eliminate inaccuracies relating to India and Indian culture, heritage etc. After a lot of time and effort spent by a lot of people a list of suggested changes were approved by the commission. Most changes were related to historical and cultural inaccuracies about India, Hinduism, etc. Just as it seemed that the process was on the verge of completion, there was a large spanner in the works.

Enter Michael Witzel and his band of India-baiters. According to this group, all the changes that were suggested were done so at the bequest of pro-Hindutva groups to conform to their religious-political views! Apparently there is a hidden agenda involved in removing inaccuracies from text-books ! These academics (most of whom are not of Indian origin mind you) who seem to know more about India and its culture that Indians suggest that this process has more to do with religion and politics rather than ensuring that the next generation does not arrive into the world with a jaundice view of India!

Anyways, this gets more interesting...Michael Witzel sent a letter to the California state board of education on a Harvard letterhead ! Now the interesting question that follows is...

"does Harvard University support or even condone this particular viewpoint of one of its faculty members, since the letter has been sent on its official letterhead?"

Once would really appreciate their comments on this topic. But, none has been forthcoming. Was this a feeble attempt at trying to scare the school board with an officious letter (one from Harvard no doubt). Did these people have the official sanction of one of the older and most respected the universities in the world ? Why did Michael Witzel remove the link to the above letter as soon as word got out that he had used the letterhead without consent from Harvard ? Fortunately, enough people had copied and cached the original.

Adding spice to the this incident are the comments by Witzel and his coterie on the Indo-Eurasian list. Quoted below are certain excerpts from an email sent by Witzel on this list...

The Hindus in North America ( HINAs) are not just hiina, "lost, abandoned", but they (understandably) cling to their homeland in all manners they can come up with. "Reforming" our schoolbooks according to an imagined Golden Age (Ram Raj), hoary India is just one of the expressions we can observe.

Well, hiina, definitely has more connotations than just lost or abandoned. It means without, deprived of. It also means base and lowly and is probably one of the most derogatory words in the language. Doesn't Witzel, an Indian expert and his group of experts know this? Is this a deliberate attempt at trampling on the Indian community in the US ? Is it unacceptable for expatriates to want to feel at home and learn understand and stick to their culture ? Why is it made to sound like a crime ?

This particular excerpt...

They also tell their daughters to study Classical Indian dance (not exactly a highly regarded occupation back home)

This comment is shocking enough that I believe it doesn't warrant any further comments from anyone else.

More comments from the same list...

they build many temples and have Sunday schools (as many other ethnicities do). But, they hardly invest in Higher Education as other successful Asians have done. Nor allow their children to study items outside Law or Medicine, such as Indian Studies, --- the only way that members of their group could speak with real authority (for example, in school books).

Hmmm...people of Indian origin have probably among the most educated and well-placed people in the country. Indians are always involved in improving the community, and giving back. They just do not make that much of a noise about it. They are also the best behaved and law-abiding citizens and pay their taxes (all of which cannot really be stated about any other community in the United States). So, how is it that there is little or no opposition to the construction of synagogues, mosques, churches of various denominations and even temples dedicated to Satan ? Doesn't this personify hypocrisy at its worst ? And very few people dictate what their children to study what they want. Students typically pick engineering and medicine because these fields provide the best opportunities for career growth and income. Where would this country be without it quota of highly-qualified Indians? And why would any person of Indian origin wish to take up Indian studies, where eminent scholars like Witzel are bashing India at every nook and corner ?

And the trump card - caste !

Or at least, they look for a spouse within the same general Indian caste (jaati), or worse, class ( varna), or worst, among any Indians. They have seen too many of their children marry US people (whether of other Asian or of European descent; Blacks seem unthinkable).

What percentage of marriages in American are inter-racial ? And what percentage of the others are outside of the same economic strata ? These are really small, negligible numbers. They may be changing, but so are the thoughts/ideas of Indians. I think that Witzel and co. must put their own house in order before looking over the fence.

His knowledge about Indians in the US is summed up by this wonderful statement...

as they are NRIs ("non returning Indians" , as I just learned from a Hindi movie),

So, it seems that the incomparable Michacel Witzel picks up much of his authentic information from movies! Lest anyone has forgotten, doesn't NRI stand for Non-resident Indian ? Or is Bollywood the leading authority about India now ?

Another authority on the subject is Steve Farmer. He claims to be another expert on the matter. In his own words...

"I have read many of the ancient Indian texts, in translation. I have been working hard on learning Sanskrit the last few months"

What he seems to forget, is that a translation is somone else's opinion of the subject matter, at best! Also, people have spent entire lifetimes learning Sanskrit and ancient Indian textbooks and haven't gotten close to understanding it all!

the seriousness of the leaders of the campaign can be gauged by the following conversation thread that occurred in the Indo-Eurasian list...

Michael Witzel writes...
QUOTE
"Many short mantras (the later biija mantras) like oM have humble origins the Veda. Him (hiM) is used in the Veda to call your goat .. and your wife."
Cheers, Michael(Witzel)"

Steve Farmer replies
QUOTE
"What if you want to call your goat and your wife _simultaneously_, Michael? :^) "
Steve

Steve Farmer adds...
QUOTE
"I will try it on my girlfriend tonight."

Other issues that Witzel and his group seem to have has to do with how God is spelled in the textbooks, especially when relating to Indian Gods. While textbooks use "God" to refer to the other religons, they want the usage changed to "gods" and "godesses" (lower case) while referring to Indias deities!

If the reforms/changes suggested in the textbooks do not go through, then these changes wll remain in most US school books until 2012 ! And this would be a serious disservice to the culture and society that is India.

I believe that this is an active issue that Indians in the US and all over the world must actively pursue. At least until the reforms suggested go through, or Michael Witzel and his coterie back down and show respect to India and Indians everywhere. The fastest and most efficient way to do it is to utilise the power of the blgosphere and mainstream media. Although Sepia Mutiny had run a story regarding this issue, they seemed to have assumed that the experts were right. Most experts listed in Witzel's original letter are not of Indian origin! I think all of us on the blogosphere (whether of Indian origin or not), must express solidarity behind the parents and volunteers who have worked hard to make these changes and try to block out the unnecessary negativity caused by the involvement of Michael Witzel and group.

Another pro-active step is to write to the president of Harvard (Lawrence Summers) and complain about the misuse of the Harvard Sanskrit department's letterhead and ask for an explanation from the university.

Other necessary steps include writing to/contacting the the members of the California Curriculum commission...

• Alan Bersin, CA Secretary of Education. (Fax: (916) 323-3753)
• Karen Steentofte, Chief Counsel, State Board of Education (Fax: (916) 319-0176)
• Ruth Green, President, State Board of Education (Fax: (916) 319-0176)
• Sue Stickel, Deputy Superintendent of Schools
• Jackie Goldberg, Assemblywoman, (Fax: (916) 319-2145)

Science Political Action Committee (PAC).

Chris Mooney, writing on Sciencegate, anew blog started by the editors of Seed magazine, mentions an email they received from Bob Palmer (House Science Committee Democratic staff director) about a Science PAC (political action commitee). I am posting the email in its entirety below...it shows some interesting facts and the thinking of the political and scientific communities...

Hi Chris:

Thought I'd drop you a quick note providing some history relating to your postings on a "Science PAC". Please feel free to post or use these remarks in any way you'd like.

Politics is a contact sport which operates by reward and punishment. PAC's are the reward side. Corporate or collective PAC's distribute money to favored candidates. The logistics of organizing a large group of scientists to run a PAC are daunting indeed. Who researches the candidates? Who makes the decisions on distribution? How is the money actually raised without endangering anyone's tax-exempt status? Who organizes a group famous for its quirkiness and individuality?

Interestingly, a few years ago Vern Ehlers (R-MI) organized a "Science PAC" designed to funnel money to supposedly pro-science Republican candidates. Ehlers got some criticism for this. In the end I don't think it ever raised much money from scientists. My guess is that Ehlers got some contributions from the same corporate PAC's who would have donated to him anyway.

So a "Science PAC" has already been tried, albeit probably not in the same way or by the same parties envisioned by your readers.

How about the punishment side? One of the key techniques is the system used by nearly all interest groups (Christian Coalition, Sierra Club, ADA, ACLU, LCV, NARAL, NFIB) -- namely, rating voting records of Members of Congress. These ratings matter. They provide guidance for donors and they may influence voting patterns, especially when Members are informed in advance of a particular vote that it will be "scored" by a particular group.

Scientists have already entered this world of hard-nosed politics. In 1996 a group called "Science Watch" rated all the Members of the House of Representatives based on their Floor votes on 30 key issues affecting science and technology. The issues were selected because they did one or more of the following:

1. favorably or unfavorably impacted the quality review of science,

2. proscribed or prohibited specific types of scientific research,

3. eliminated or increased science needed for improved national decision-making,

4. promoted or curtail science education,

5. directly increased or decreased investment in science.

Science Watch's "Science Scoreboard" was unveiled at a press conference at the National Press Club on September 18, 1996. Science Watch was not a half-baked group. It included Dr. Roland Schmitt and Dr. James Duderstadt (both past Chairmen of the National Science Board), Nobel Laureates Dr. Ken Wilson, Dr. Gertrude Elion, and Dr. Leon Lederman, Dr. D. Allan Bromley (Science Advisor to President G.H.W. Bush), Dr. Eric Bloch (past Director of NSF under President Reagan), and Dr. Martin Apple (Executive Officer of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents).

Although the founding members of Science Watch were equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, the Scoreboard results did not treat the two parties equally. The average score for a Republican House Member, based on percentage of favorable votes, was about 35%. The average Democrat's score was about 75%.

The fall-out from the Scoreboard was predictable. The Republican Chairman of the Science Committee, Bob Walker, attacked the survey as "politicizing science" and noted that "The bottom line of the survey is that if you're a big spender, you get an 'A', but if you're an honest student, do your homework, and make the hard decisions about good science, you fail."

Ranking Democratic Member of the Science Committee, George Brown, said, "I think this is a very useful exercise if it is carried out to its full potential. It will be useless if the scientific community does not take in the information and act on it. The rank and file of people engaged in research aren't well represented and they need such a tool."

Brown's words fell on deaf ears. Establishment science organizations like the Association of American Universities questioned the appropriateness of the Science Watch survey, and the community as a whole never seemed to get the idea.

In the end, the most important legacy of Science Watch was probably to constrain future Republican mischief-making in legislation dealing with science. After the 104th Congress (1995-1996) far fewer contentious scientific issues surfaced in House legislation and far fewer votes were permitted on those issues that were ripe for political organization.

Bob Palmer

Sketching a woman.

An artist's progressive sketch of a woman. He starts from the skeleton and then works his way up. Fascinating !

Original Link from Crystal Blur.