October 30, 2004
by atanu
2 Comments
I did not bother to vote in the US Presidential elections this time even though I did receive my absentee ballot. I am registered in California which is guaranteed to not go to Bush. My anti-Bush vote would not matter, … Continue reading
October 28, 2004
by atanu
7 Comments
The city formerly known in English as Calcutta (now known in all languages as “Kolkata” which is its Bengali name) is an unfortunate city. Its misfortune derives from two major sources primarily. Two of the world’s most destructive ideologies — … Continue reading
October 19, 2004
by atanu
11 Comments
Anant in a recent comment on this blog concluded with the seemingly wise statement “to revenge is pleasure, to forgive divine.” I say seemingly wise because it does not withstand any level of scrutiny. Forgiving an enemy may or may … Continue reading
October 19, 2004
by atanu
2 Comments
Economic development is a complex matter which touches every aspect of a society, public as well as private, domestic as well as foreign. One cannot seek to understand (and subsequently act to change) the existing order by narrowly focusing on … Continue reading
October 18, 2004
by atanu
9 Comments
Today’s edition of The Free Press Journal carries on its front page an interesting item, “Carry out attacks in India or perish: ISI to Dawood”. Dawood Ibrahim has the distinction of being labeled by the US as a “Specially Designated … Continue reading
October 17, 2004
by atanu
3 Comments
Over fourty-three years ago in January 1961, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his farewell address warned of the dangers of the “military-industrial complex”. In view of the upcoming US presidential elections and the global conflict that the US is … Continue reading
October 16, 2004
by atanu
14 Comments
A report by Josey Joseph in the Oct 14th Times of India warmed the cockles of my heart. The story is about the supply of military equipment from the US to Pakistan. Quote: … On the pipeline are more than … Continue reading
October 13, 2004
by atanu
5 Comments
Ever wondered why exactly India is an astoundingly poor overpopulated illiterate starving nation of a billion people? I do. It need not be one specific reason of course. It could be a combination of several factors. For instance, it could … Continue reading
October 13, 2004
by atanu
7 Comments
To me, one of the hazards of delayed flights is that I tend to read whatever I find lying around. A few days ago I found myself reading a discarded newspaper at an airport. I should not have but morbid … Continue reading
October 13, 2004
by atanu
4 Comments
For the past few weeks, I have been exploring what I call a modest proposal for making India 100% literate (parts 1, 2, 3, and 4). Here I will explore some aspects of my proposal. I had proposed that for … Continue reading
October 8, 2004
by atanu
10 Comments
Diogenes of Sinope lived in a tub in the marketplace. Since it was a long time ago, around the 4th century BCE (before the common era), the details are few. I feel a certain intellectual kinship to Diogenes because I … Continue reading
October 7, 2004
by atanu
7 Comments
Given half a chance, people cheat. Basic human nature. There is little gain in believing otherwise. Taking undue advantage of something to get ahead is part of the basic human DNA. (I admit to being an unabashed hardcore dyed in … Continue reading
October 5, 2004
by atanu
8 Comments
This is a continuation of my modest proposal for making India 100 percent literate within three years, Part 1, and Part 2. I am a firm believer in the use of technology for development, including information and communications technologies (ICT). … Continue reading
October 4, 2004
by atanu
6 Comments
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. Oh, alright. I was getting tired of posting only development related stuff. So I thought that I would intersperse stuff that I write with stuff that I like written by others. Here is a perspective … Continue reading
October 1, 2004
by atanu
5 Comments
Today I continue exploring my modest proposal for making India 100% literate. One may exclaim “How can a proposal which seeks to spend $60 billion be considered modest!?” It is a modest proposal considered in relation to the task at … Continue reading
October 1, 2004
by atanu
2 Comments
Reading some of the more outlandish claims about how India is an IT superpower is a surreal experience. The chest-thumping, right from the highest offices in India to the lowliest journalistic office, is a sight to behold and marvel at. … Continue reading