The Black Wikipedia Day

‘Happy Black Wikipedia Day’

            Apparently Wikipedia (along with Google) doesn’t like the Internet piracy bill presented in the US Congress. The SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act)  & PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act), according to Wikipedia will impose unfair responsibilities on websites such as themselves to check that no material they host infringes copyright. Under current laws if websites remove pirated content when they are notified by the copyright holder they are not liable for damages.

            Wikipedia is the 6^th most visited website in the month. The daily Wikipedia users equates to the population of London, Beijing & Moscow, combine. SOPA was proposed by Texas congressman Lamar Smith in October with the support of a bipartisan group of Democrats and Republicans but was immediately set upon by opponents who claimed it violated America's First Amendment, which guarantees the right of free speech.

            But then question arises where does the right being and piracy end? Free flow of information is good, but should it come at the cost of the owner of the material? Watching a family video posted by an amateur is free fun that doesn’t harm anyone, even the owner, but watching a multi-million dollar movie free of cost, without the consent of the owner is harmful.

            I do agree with respecting the copy rights and especially the government secrets. I don’t know how this bill confronts the issue of releasing the state secrets, but I hope it tackles it. I didn’t like what Julian Assanage did with the help of wikipedia, releasing the US embassy cables and other ‘state secrets’. Free information is not the same as sabotaging information. It’s nothing different than a hacker publicizing the credit card information he/she stole from the internet in the open market, arguing ‘freedom of expression’.

             Also, just a small note…it is expected that there won’t be any assignment or home work submitted in schools & colleges today since Wikipedia is down!!

Oops We Did It Again…

            What else, the US Congress once again remains deadlock...

            The recent ‘on again off again’ agreement on the issue of the 2 month extension of the Pay roll tax cut has once again brought into light the deep fractions between the two parties. Funny thing is the current point of fraction is not between the two parties but between the Senate and the House. On Tuesday Republican-led House refused to accept a Senate-passed version of the bill, which passed with 89 votes and the support of all but seven Republicans. The honorable speaker of the house Mr. John Boehner wants Senate to bring some changes to the bill. And don’t forget this is ‘just’ for 2 month extension. The drama will be repeated again come February!!

          

           It’s hard for me to believe that this is the most stable democracy in the world; or may be this is the future of a democratic society- ‘A controlled chaos’. Let’s not kid over selves, a civilized disagreement, by peoples representative on a national stage is lot better then open, violent altercations by the people on the streets. Not that I want to be a part of any of the current congress debates, but I guess as the nation matures and citizens become more aware, the issues will definitely have microscopic discussions. Or may be the current structure of Congress is just broken, only time will tell.

            Tell then enjoy the show and a special note to my American friends, please keep your fingers crossed before you open the January pay stub!

In God We Believe…?

            

            So yesterday I saw the news of how the scientists at CERN, the huge research facility near France and Swiss border are close to finding Higgs Boson aka ‘The God Particle’. Higgs boson is the elusive theoretical particle that’s believed to have played a key role in the formation of the universe. I tried to go into the details but it was just too much for my little cranium; plus, I still had to catch up on my Bollywood news.

            Later, I started thinking, would this mean that what Prof. Stephen Hawking, the famous English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, said was true. His theory on the creation of universe says that Universe was created because of the laws of science and not because of the will of God.

            I am certainly not going to argue with Mr. Hawking here but then how would he explain the functioning of the great nation of India? I mean, come on, everyone within and outside India know that it’s not running because of the government or the opposition for that matter!!

            Coming back to the point in question; if the scientists really prove that the creation of universe was because of Science, would your faith in God remain intact? Is there someone up there who looks (or sometimes doesn’t look) upon us? Would you still go to the temple and be religious?

            As far as I am concerned, I definitely believe in God, not just because I was raised in a religious family but because the way my life has turned out to be. If it was ‘only’ up to me, I won’t be were I am today, for sure. So for me God is definitely up there.

            Be religious or be an atheist, one thing that I noticed is that Science shows us the ‘How’ behind the functioning of the things and Religion gives us the ‘Why’.

India – Commingling of Past, Present and Future!!

           No matter how much you believe in the ‘India story’, one thing is for sure, Mumbai airport still stinks…literally!! But story outside the airport is full of confidence and promises. ‘India has changed’ will be an understatement.

            Past decade has really changed the psyche of the Indian’s. I think now Indians have started believing in themselves. You see the confidence on the face of the recent graduate. Gone are the days when a student was scarred to graduate for he/she will have to face the nightmarish reality of standing in the long queues of prospective job interviews, if they were lucky enough to be called. Now, the job demands are almost outstripping supplies of the graduates, thanks to the booming economy.

            For the limited travel that I have done, I can say that India is the only place where the past, present and future lives side by side. You still see bulls dragging the carts, on the road full of pot holes, right next to an Audi A6. You see people getting lunch from the Thai restaurant and sipping tea from a roadside tea stall the next moment.

            Its true that India’s social fabric is still broken, but as far as the ground realities are concerned, I think India is the most tightly held society in the world. India might not have the ‘911’ emergency service, but they do have neighbor’s who care for each other 24/7. They might be lacking AAA road side assistance, but they do have friends who are always on call. Agreed, just like any other developing society there are still some shortcomings which cannot be ignored or presented nicely in a poetic way, because they are real problems which have to be solved. But hey, they know how to live life. They know when to stop in the race of life and take a deep breath to enjoy that moment. No matter how big socio-economic problems they have a win in a cricket match against Pakistan, will lift the BSE Sensex the next day.

            India…is just different. It’s not a country but a huge diverse, community. They might get Wal-Mart’s and Reliance Fresh, but they will always love to buy from the road side vegetable vendor. No matter how wealthy they get, they will always bargain. They might go to the Michelin star restaurant, but they will always have that hunger for the ‘pan’.

I think everywhere else people live there lives, in India you live each Moment.

PS: I am still jetlagged, and might have been a little too philosophical…

Democracy or something like it…

             It seems like the ‘Anna Wave’ has lost its mojo. Corruption wins in India, again.

             Let’s put some things in perspective.

           

            We have a Prime Minister who is very well educated and has an impeccable personal reputation. He is trusted on the international platforms and demands high regards from across the political spectrum. As far as his political skills are concerned, there is no doubt that he is not wired for it. He has, and is been played along. I wonder how he would be feeling; knowing that he most certainly can fix the issues, if only he had the ‘power’ that comes with his post.

            I really think that if it was some one else holding the premiership of the nation, he/she would have certainly been booted out by the opposition and public, because of the recent corruption scandals. It’s funny how things work in the so-called Democracy. Majority of the People are against corruption and hence oppose the ruling party, but the same majority also like the Prime minister of the corrupt ruling party. Given the major political parties we have, and there leaders, it’s like picking your poison, either way common man is going to suffer!!

            If this is democracy do we really need one? Should we look for an alternative political system?

            India has tremendous potential and the world knows it, but democratic politics is hindering her progress. Both, economic and social lives are affected because of political leaderships. Should we go for constitutional change?

            This might sound foolish, crazy and stupid but desperate times need desperate measures! I propose to appoint Mr. ManMohan Singh as PM for a two year period and demolish the current constitution for that period. Mr. Vajpayee (another person with an impeccable reputation) should be the President. Criminal proceeding against the political leaders and government officials should be put on fast track. Bureaucrats should be given final authority on any public project and should be personally liable. I understand there will definitely be a major international backlash, but it will be manageable as we will have the time table to get back to democratic values. Domestically it will not be easy, as our great corrupt political souls will get-together to defeat this motion.

            This might be just a ‘dream’ but when present is so troubled there is no harm in closing your eyes for a moment and live in world that ‘could have been’…

US – China: The Big Fat Global Wedding

           With the recent debacles in Congress it’s no surprise that the US Congress has an approval rating of 14%. Even lower then the IRS, which historically has been a darling of American hatred.

            Recently a bill was proposed in the House that threatens punitive duties on Chinese imports in the absence of more rapid appreciation of China's currency, the Yuan (Reminbi). Policy makers have shaped this bill as a ‘Jobs Bill’. The argument is that imposing duties on Chinese imports will reduce US trade deficit and hence lead to job creation in US.

            There is some similarity between now and 1980’s. Back then Japanese goods were killing the US jobs and industry. So to decrease the influx of Japanese goods, US ‘pressured’ Japan to appreciate its currency, to increase US exports. The Plaza Accord of 1985 worked in favor of US but not for Japan. Everyone knows that, including China. Besides, I think US policy makers have there math wrong.

            First and foremost, simply enacting legislation is not going to make China accelerate its currency at a faster pace. Instead, the threat from US is more likely to prompt China to do the opposite, to project its sovereignty and strength.

           

             Secondly, recent history doesn’t support the inverse relationship between the value of Yuan and the bilateral trade deficit. Globalization and the advancement in the transnational supply chain means that far more ‘Intermediate’ goods are traded than in the past. This has softened the impact of currency values on the ‘Finished’ goods that are exported. Only about half of the value of Chinese exports to the United States is actually Chinese value. The other half comes from components produced in other countries that are processed or assembled in China. Yuan appreciation reduces the price of intermediate goods to Chinese producers and assemblers, who can then reduce their prices for export to preserve their market shares abroad. Between July 2005 and July 2008, the value of the Yuan increased by 21% against the dollar. But the bilateral deficit increased by 33%, from $202 billion to $268 billion.

           

           Now consider the scenario where China would impose retaliatory duties on U.S. exports. Chinese government has already stated on several occasions that the currency legislation would incite a trade war. In 2009, in response to U.S. duties on Chinese tires the Chinese government imposed duties on U.S. chicken and auto parts, which reduced sales and employment in those U.S. industries.

           

            I don’t think either of the two can live without one another. If US need cheap Chinese goods to keep its inflation in control, China also needs US consumers to sell its products to. For the last thing that Chinese communist party wants is a revolution because of economic depression. 

 

Is India complicated?

           

                     Recently I spoke with a friend of mine, Hiruta Hiromichi from Tokyo, Japan. I had met him when I was volunteering in a kibbutz in Israel in 1996. Then, I had asked him how will he like to visit India? I vividly remember his answer, “India is so crowded, I am afraid I will get lost” he said. He did visit me in India while going back to Tokyo. Since that time, India has changed…a lot, for better. I repeated my question to him, “will you visit India with your family?” His answer was “Yes”. A very enthusiastic ‘yes’, I must say. But then after a pause he added, “But things are still complicated in India”.

That made me think, is India complicated?

  

First of all what is India?

            We have over 1.2 billion people or 17.5% of the world’s population, living in the seventh largest country or 2.4% of the world’s land area. We have more arable land area than any country except the United States, and more water area than any country except Russia, Canada and the United States.

Now, let’s focus on India’s languages-

            How many languages are spoken in India? Chances are that no one has the accurate answer- the country’s authority’s account for 234 languages spoken by 10,000 speakers, and a total of 1,600 languages and dialects. In other words, every 50 miles you drive, you will encounter a different culture with a different dialect or a language.

            On the Economic front, India’s macro economy is doing fabulous but you start focusing on the micro structure and you encounter all the things that are wrong with India’s present. Except for some western pockets, roads and rails are the story of misery. Electricity is still an issue. 24 hour water supply is still considered a luxury.

            On the Social front, Law and order is for the selected few. There are some improvements in the social fabric of the nation but then again they are in few and selected places. Elections are still manipulated and are won by short-sightedness. Literacy rate of 71%, I think, is the only bright spot in social India. Most of the judicial cases are still settled outside the courtrooms. Justice is still delayed and denied.

Does all this makes India complicated or this is what India is? The jury is still out.

My professor of economics once told me “One is optimistic on India till the time they arrive in India”