Posts
It's generally accepted that while the pending healthcare legislation largely solves the problem of coverage, it does little to address the other, (more important, in my view) problem: cost-control. Well, it's there that Atul Gawande comes in. He's got a terrific new article in The New Yorker, where he compares the numerous pilot programs in the current legislation to those that were tried (very successfully) to solve the agriculture crisis a century ago. Two thoughts:
1) I sure hope Gawande's analogy is right, and these pilot programs eventually solve the cost problem. I'm not so sure though, because two big differences now compared to a century ago are the extreme partisanship amongst Republicans (it's entirely conceivable they'd turn down perfectly good ideas just because they happen to be in a "Democrat" bill), and amount of power special interests have today (it's hard to imagine everyone who benefits from the current fee-for-service model meekly acquiescing to letting their fat margins be smoothed down just because it happens to be the right thing to do.)
2) The article is a superb piece of writing. You can see that there's actually been thought and research put into it, unlike so much of the mindless blather that passes for analysis nowadays (not only on the Right, which sort of goes without saying, but increasingly on the Left as well).
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Apologies
I feel like I owe an apology, not just to people who may have read this blog while it was active (I'm not going to be presumptuous and assume there were any), but to the blog itself, for not having posted for so long. (Yes, I know how that sounds). It's the nature of the beast I guess though, that when you don't have time to sit down and compose exactly what you want, you don't bother to settle for something good enough and just stop saying anything. But there's only so long you can go without saying anything before the restlessness starts to kick in.
Sigh, enough of the psychobabble. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm going try to keep posting at least a couple of times a week (hopefully more), no matter how much work piles up in the intray.
Sigh, enough of the psychobabble. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm going try to keep posting at least a couple of times a week (hopefully more), no matter how much work piles up in the intray.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
"While my friends went to Manhattan, I went to Mumbai"
A riveting anecdote from one of Andrew Sullivan's readers:
I'm an American in my early 20s, the ink on my Ivy League diploma not yet dry, plunging into my first job. I'm writing to say that I am doing just fine in the recession. My company is hiring, the economy is still growing at an impressive clip, and the hope and optimism that tomorrow will be even better than today is palpable.
I can say this because I didn't follow my fellow college grads to Wall Street in search of money that was so abundant and so certain that it seemed too good to be true (as it turned out to be). While my friends went to Manhattan; I went to Mumbai, opting for a management trainee program at an Indian conglomerate that is looking for Americans to bring fresh ideas into the company.
I would be lying if I said every day weren't a challenge in matters corporate, cultural, and even culinary. India is a sea of cultures wildly different from my own, and it is still a developing country that is rife with mind-numbing "Slumdog"-style poverty. Communal and class tensions simmer and occasionally boil over, exploited by greedy politicians for their own short-term gain. And I am getting paid Indian wages; while I live very comfortably here, the US government considers me to be living below the poverty line (which, as it turns out, doesn't stop my beloved alma mater from asking for money!)
And yet, in spite of all of this (perhaps because of it in some ways), my experience has been unrivaled. It is as exhilarating as it is enlightening to be here. Working in India, I stand on the frontier of the flat world, the Wild West in the East, watching what will soon surpass China to be the world's most populous nation drag itself, kicking and screaming, into modernity and prosperity, and the broad, sunlit uplands of its destiny as a superpower and a pillar of the Free World.
Judging by the flood of applications our company received from the Class of 2009 (a four-fold increase in applications over the previous year), it looks like the recession is compelling other students to look beyond their own country (and comfort zone) for career opportunities.
America may lose some of its best talent now, but in the long-term I know I will return to my home country, and I think America may gain from the small, but growing number of American's best and brightest who are learning first-hand the often-innovative business practices from other countries (you wouldn't believe how much more Indians have learned to do with less!), becoming more familiar with cultures of the world, and increasing the exposure of the world's people to real live Americans, who (much to their delight) are not like George W. Bush.
I'm an American in my early 20s, the ink on my Ivy League diploma not yet dry, plunging into my first job. I'm writing to say that I am doing just fine in the recession. My company is hiring, the economy is still growing at an impressive clip, and the hope and optimism that tomorrow will be even better than today is palpable.
I can say this because I didn't follow my fellow college grads to Wall Street in search of money that was so abundant and so certain that it seemed too good to be true (as it turned out to be). While my friends went to Manhattan; I went to Mumbai, opting for a management trainee program at an Indian conglomerate that is looking for Americans to bring fresh ideas into the company.
I would be lying if I said every day weren't a challenge in matters corporate, cultural, and even culinary. India is a sea of cultures wildly different from my own, and it is still a developing country that is rife with mind-numbing "Slumdog"-style poverty. Communal and class tensions simmer and occasionally boil over, exploited by greedy politicians for their own short-term gain. And I am getting paid Indian wages; while I live very comfortably here, the US government considers me to be living below the poverty line (which, as it turns out, doesn't stop my beloved alma mater from asking for money!)
And yet, in spite of all of this (perhaps because of it in some ways), my experience has been unrivaled. It is as exhilarating as it is enlightening to be here. Working in India, I stand on the frontier of the flat world, the Wild West in the East, watching what will soon surpass China to be the world's most populous nation drag itself, kicking and screaming, into modernity and prosperity, and the broad, sunlit uplands of its destiny as a superpower and a pillar of the Free World.
Judging by the flood of applications our company received from the Class of 2009 (a four-fold increase in applications over the previous year), it looks like the recession is compelling other students to look beyond their own country (and comfort zone) for career opportunities.
America may lose some of its best talent now, but in the long-term I know I will return to my home country, and I think America may gain from the small, but growing number of American's best and brightest who are learning first-hand the often-innovative business practices from other countries (you wouldn't believe how much more Indians have learned to do with less!), becoming more familiar with cultures of the world, and increasing the exposure of the world's people to real live Americans, who (much to their delight) are not like George W. Bush.
Your Dose of Tracy Jordan/Morgan
This clip shows once again why Tracy Morgan makes 30 Rock the best thing on TV.
Friday, March 13, 2009
50 days of the Obama administration
So it's been 50 days since Obama took office, and let's see:
He's hired qualified, competent people. (More than what one could say for his predecessor.) He's pushed through a massive and vital stimulus bill. He's set a time-table to get out of Iraq in a couple of years. He's overturned Bush's stem-cell ban. He's put forth an very ambitious budget that promises some much needed re-orientation towards health, education, energy and also removes many of Bush's ridiculous tax breaks and loopholes. He's brought access to health insurance to millions of kids. He's conducting foreign policy in a very smart manner, from healing relations with Russia to expanding bombing raids in Pakistan's tribal regions and sending subtle overtures to Iran. He's denied the barbarians the invaluable PR they were getting from Guantanamo, from the image of an America that tortures. Oh and he's promised to overhaul health-care and sign ground-breaking legislation on energy.
It seems to me that Obama has done more good work in 50 days than Bush did in 8 years. And if it's still not enough, we have 3 years, 315 days to go. Wait and watch.
He's hired qualified, competent people. (More than what one could say for his predecessor.) He's pushed through a massive and vital stimulus bill. He's set a time-table to get out of Iraq in a couple of years. He's overturned Bush's stem-cell ban. He's put forth an very ambitious budget that promises some much needed re-orientation towards health, education, energy and also removes many of Bush's ridiculous tax breaks and loopholes. He's brought access to health insurance to millions of kids. He's conducting foreign policy in a very smart manner, from healing relations with Russia to expanding bombing raids in Pakistan's tribal regions and sending subtle overtures to Iran. He's denied the barbarians the invaluable PR they were getting from Guantanamo, from the image of an America that tortures. Oh and he's promised to overhaul health-care and sign ground-breaking legislation on energy.
It seems to me that Obama has done more good work in 50 days than Bush did in 8 years. And if it's still not enough, we have 3 years, 315 days to go. Wait and watch.
"Below Par"
I've heard from a couple of Indian friends that they think Obama's performance has been below par. Their objections mostly center on either the fact that he hasn't bombed Pakistan into the stone age yet, or the coming trouble with H1B visas. With all due respect, Obama wasn't elected President of the United States to pursue Indian interests, he was elected to pursue America's self-interest. It's a little pathetic to expect the US to do our dirty work for us, and then curse them when they don't.
Having said that, for the record, Obama has been much more clear-eyed about the probem presented by our neighbour than Bush was, or Mac or Hillary would've been. And the H1B restrictions have broad support in the Congress; they would've been pushed through regardless of who the president was.
I appreciate that Obama has made mistakes, but the right metric to judge him on is not how well he's fulfilling the Indian wishlist, but how well he's doing the job he was elected to do. More on that in the next post.
Having said that, for the record, Obama has been much more clear-eyed about the probem presented by our neighbour than Bush was, or Mac or Hillary would've been. And the H1B restrictions have broad support in the Congress; they would've been pushed through regardless of who the president was.
I appreciate that Obama has made mistakes, but the right metric to judge him on is not how well he's fulfilling the Indian wishlist, but how well he's doing the job he was elected to do. More on that in the next post.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Your Dose of XKCD
Because I'm bored. And because I seem to be immersed in statistics (amongst other things) these days.
Guts.
Who would've thought that a political novice handpicked to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan by the sole virtue of his loyalty to the PPP would turn out to be the white knight for Pakistan? Nevertheless, that's exactly what Gilani will be, if he can manage to implement the following:
Gilani is devising a strategy that can make way to reverse governor’s rule in the Punjab. The PM is also looking into Constitutional action to undo the Supreme Court disqualifications of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif and options available to reinstate Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and other judges.
I know there's tremendous pressure on him from both Kiyani and the US, but I'm still amazed that he's showing the guts to stand up to Zardari, given the not-so-glorious track record of Pakistan's proxy Prime Ministers. His success in these initiatives is the only thing that can give Pakistan the stability it needs right now.
No prizes for guessing what I'm rooting for.
Gilani is devising a strategy that can make way to reverse governor’s rule in the Punjab. The PM is also looking into Constitutional action to undo the Supreme Court disqualifications of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif and options available to reinstate Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and other judges.
I know there's tremendous pressure on him from both Kiyani and the US, but I'm still amazed that he's showing the guts to stand up to Zardari, given the not-so-glorious track record of Pakistan's proxy Prime Ministers. His success in these initiatives is the only thing that can give Pakistan the stability it needs right now.
No prizes for guessing what I'm rooting for.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
No Line on the Horizon
I'd heard that U2's new album was good, but I had no idea it was THIS good. After a so-so How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, U2 bounces back with No Line on the Horizon, and shows why it's the greatest band in the world. Enough said. Go listen to it.
Their idea of Justice
An eye-opener for people who think they share the same values as rest of the world:
A 75-year-old widow in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 40 lashes and four months in jail for mingling with two young men who are not close relatives, drawing new criticism for the kingdom's ultraconservative religious police and judiciary.
Her crime? She asked them to bring her some loaves of bread.
Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
A 75-year-old widow in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 40 lashes and four months in jail for mingling with two young men who are not close relatives, drawing new criticism for the kingdom's ultraconservative religious police and judiciary.
Her crime? She asked them to bring her some loaves of bread.
Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan
Monday, March 9, 2009
Crystal Ball Gazing '09
The way things stand right now, it seems almost certain that the BJP has no chance of coming to power in '09 (Of course I'd love it if I were proven wrong). Equally, it seems likely that the Congress and some of its key allies such as DMK, Lalu and the Communists (yes, they're allies, no matter what they claim) will lose ground, thanks to anti-incumbency. What this does is pave the way for the regional parties to cobble together a dysfunctional 'Third Front' government, which will be supported by the Congress if that's the only way to keep the BJP out. The silver lining amid all this is that Advani has to step down, and that paves the way for Modi to step up. That, combined with the chaos and instability that are sure to follow once the Third Front government comes to power, mean that the BJP should be well placed for potential mid-term elections sometime in '11 or 12 (Somewhat similar to the way the BJP came to power in '98 following two disastrious years of the Third Front). I know this is awfully early to be making such far-reaching predictions, and until a few weeks ago I thought the BJP had a good shot this time too, but still, this seems to me to be the most probable path based on the current situation.
Podcasts
They aren't new, and I'm not the first person to say this, but it deserves repeating: Podcasts are awesome. I'm currently subscribed to ones from the New Yorker, the New York Times, Science, Nature, Scientific American, and for my required dose of Satire, HBO's Bill Maher and the Onion. They're all of exceptionally high quality, exactly as one would expect, and their big advantage over text (or video) is that you can let them run in the background and absorb their contents without having to look at your computer screen, while you focus on your work.
TOI stupidity watch
Major league douchebag Jug Suraiya in today's Times of India:
It is widely acknowledged that the best antidote to Pakistan's life-threatening malignancies is a health-restoring infusion of democracy.
Right. Because their current democratically elected government is handling things so well. And going back, didn't they have a democratic government when Kargil happened? And wasn't it a democratic government that created the Taliban? But no, all their problems are due to a lack of democracy. Perish the thought that there might be a deeper cause, such as inherent culture. If they only had democracy, all would be well. Never mind that the facts completely discredit the argument. It's a part of left-liberal ideology, so it must be true.
As much as Suraiya would like the comparison, this kind of thinking is actually reminiscent of Bush. Like Bush, this idiot reasons on the basis of ideology, not facts. Which is why he fits so well at the Times of India, I suppose.
It is widely acknowledged that the best antidote to Pakistan's life-threatening malignancies is a health-restoring infusion of democracy.
Right. Because their current democratically elected government is handling things so well. And going back, didn't they have a democratic government when Kargil happened? And wasn't it a democratic government that created the Taliban? But no, all their problems are due to a lack of democracy. Perish the thought that there might be a deeper cause, such as inherent culture. If they only had democracy, all would be well. Never mind that the facts completely discredit the argument. It's a part of left-liberal ideology, so it must be true.
As much as Suraiya would like the comparison, this kind of thinking is actually reminiscent of Bush. Like Bush, this idiot reasons on the basis of ideology, not facts. Which is why he fits so well at the Times of India, I suppose.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Friendless BJP, II
Things have gone from bad to much worse for the BJP over the last 24 hours. Far from patching up, the BJD has gone ahead and announced that it's joining the 3rd front, along with such luminaries as the CPM and Sharad Pawar. This is terrible news not just for the BJP, but also for the country. Odds are that India's next government will be formed by the 3rd front, supported from the outside by the Congress. If you're wondering how that will turn out, you need look no further than 97-98, when scum like IK Gujral and HD Deve Gowda became Prime Ministers. This time, it might be Pawar. or Mayawati. Hell, who knows, maybe Paswan. Or Karat. One thing's for sure, whichever of them wins, India loses.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friendless BJP?
First, there's trouble between the Sena and BJP in Maharashtra. Then, Nitish Kumar announces that he wants a (much) bigger share of seats in Bihar. Erstwhile ally Mamata Banerjee goes and hooks up with the Congress. There's trouble with the Akali Dal in Punjab. And now, to top it all, the alliance with the BJD in Orissa collapses, over a (relatively) trivial issue such as seat sharing. I don't know if the allies are just deserting a sinking ship, or if the BJP's forgotten overnight how to manage coalition partners, but seriously, with this sorry state of affairs, how the hell do they hope to get even a respectable score, let alone win?
Answer: Republicans
Question: Who's dumb enough to actually propose a spending freeze in the middle of a depression?
Lahore
Yes, I know, the attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers was a huge deal, and I should've written something about it way back. Still, for what it's worth, here's my two cents worth of analysis:
1) Is it just me, or was the Sri Lankan government absolutely idiotic in sending them there in the first place? And even more idiotic in allowing politics to influence such a critical decision?
2) We know NWFP and FATA are lost. But how long before Punjab falls? And Karachi? Already there are local reports about how there are hordes waiting in Karachi just waiting for a signal to overrun the city. And what follows after that?
1) Is it just me, or was the Sri Lankan government absolutely idiotic in sending them there in the first place? And even more idiotic in allowing politics to influence such a critical decision?
2) We know NWFP and FATA are lost. But how long before Punjab falls? And Karachi? Already there are local reports about how there are hordes waiting in Karachi just waiting for a signal to overrun the city. And what follows after that?
The situation in Bengal
This was one the most interesting stories of last week: the Congress and Trinamool have formed an alliance in West Bengal. Now, I think Mamata Banerjee is something of a joke, and I know she's caused plenty of harm to Bengal with her stand on Singur. But she's still infinitely preferable to the CPM for one simple reason: She's not imprisioned by a failed, dangerous, anti-national ideology. And while I dislike the idea that this might help the Congress, if the Congress does come to power, I'd rather that they were supported by Mamata than the CPM. So, all in all, I'm holding my nose on this one and hoping that Mamata succeeds.
But that brings us to the questions of whether she can succeed, and whether this alliance is the right way to go about it. I'm inclined to think that it won't be enough to allow her to wrest away a majority of Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha seats, but might just allow her to cut the CPM's current tally of 36 to about 25. But there's a compelling counter-intuitive article in the Pioneer about how the alliance might actually hurt her. Money quote:
In short, the anti-Left space must be hogged. People must be convinced that they’d be only helping the CPI(M) by voting for non-Trinamool candidates. Besides, what is Mamata’s stated strategic objective: ridding Bengal, and by extension India, of Communists. The Leftist scourge cannot be diminished through Lok Sabha seats. She can only do it by polarising Bengal.
But that brings us to the questions of whether she can succeed, and whether this alliance is the right way to go about it. I'm inclined to think that it won't be enough to allow her to wrest away a majority of Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha seats, but might just allow her to cut the CPM's current tally of 36 to about 25. But there's a compelling counter-intuitive article in the Pioneer about how the alliance might actually hurt her. Money quote:
In short, the anti-Left space must be hogged. People must be convinced that they’d be only helping the CPI(M) by voting for non-Trinamool candidates. Besides, what is Mamata’s stated strategic objective: ridding Bengal, and by extension India, of Communists. The Leftist scourge cannot be diminished through Lok Sabha seats. She can only do it by polarising Bengal.
Financial "Punditry"
I've been meaning to post something on how consistently and totally wrong all these investment bankers and financial talking heads have been proven when it comes to their predictions on the financial crisis, and I can think of no better way to put it than Jon Stewart does in this hilarious clip from a few days ago.
I don't think people realize just how dead finance is, and how long it's likely to stay that way. To everyone who's thinking of getting into the field, there's a pertinent warning: After the Great Depression, it took twenty years before investment banks and stock markets re-emerged. Apparently, that's the amount of time that had to pass before a new generation that was unscathed by the memories of the Depression emerged.
I don't think people realize just how dead finance is, and how long it's likely to stay that way. To everyone who's thinking of getting into the field, there's a pertinent warning: After the Great Depression, it took twenty years before investment banks and stock markets re-emerged. Apparently, that's the amount of time that had to pass before a new generation that was unscathed by the memories of the Depression emerged.
Friday, March 6, 2009
More good news from Obama
This really warms my heart: It seems Obama's finally going to ease Bush's bizarre restrictions on public funding for stem cell research. Private money has only been able to go so far, but there's reason to hope that with government backing in the form of the powerful NIH (National Institute of Health), we might finally see the revolutionary advances in curing diseases like Alzheimer's and Diabetes that we've been long promised. And on a deeper note, I'm deeply relieved to see an administration that not only seperates politics from science, but also seems to actively side with science on the never-ending war between science and organized religion.
And I'm back
Sincere apologies for the lull in posting the last few days, I've been obsessed with work. But I'll back to blogging at my normal pace from tomorrow. On a related note, I'm in LA for the weekend, and to someone who's been enduring the East Coast winter for months now, LA's weather is literally manna from heaven.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Monday Depressing News Edition
I never thought I'd see the day that India's growth rate slipped to 3%, but that's exactly what Morgan Stanley seems to predict today. And on the international front, a proposed $30 B bailout for AIG, in addition to the two it's received earlier. Most of the Obama administration's moves have been flawless so far, but when it comes to banks, credit, bailouts (everything Geithner's in charge of, in other words), I wish they'd show more balls, and do what needs to be done without worrying about the politics of it. Nationalize AIG, Citi and the rest of these bufoons, if only temporarily. Kick out all the management that got us here. Then maybe we'll see some genuine progress.
Thrown in the towel in UP?
This is a truly depressing article. It seems the BJP's completely given up any hope of a good showing in Uttar Pradesh this time, and has decided to just enjoy the coming mauling. What else would explain giving tickets to "everyone kith and kin of senior party leaders, businessmen, liquor contractor, wives of officers and engineers, singer, strangers and defectors, but the committed cadres", or "the rejected ones from the SP and the BSP" ? The thing is, it's not like they're defending a bunch of seats, they only won 10 out of 80 last time! Are things so bad for them that they cant even hope to better 10 this time?
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Blog Housekeeping Note
There are now three checkboxes at the end of each post which readers can quickly, anonymously use to give a shout-out to any post they think is funny, interesting, or cool (Or any combination of those). This applies to all the older posts as well.
Sunday Reading
"A reinvigorated Taliban ... is just a five-hour drive from Delhi (longer if they use the infamous BRTS)."
-Swapan Dasgupta, TOI.
MJ Akbar and Swapan Dasgupta are the two best Indian columnists of our time; I can't think of anyone else who'd write columns in newspapers as ideologically far apart as TOI and the Pioneer.
Akbar writes about the Congress' cynical calculations that India's youth will vote for Rahuul just because he's young and a pretty boy. Actually, Congressmen see him as "India's Barack Obama", that is, when they're not bestowing titles such as 'Yuvraj' on him. There's only one problem with this line of thought: Reality.
Rahuul hasn't been able to swing, let alone influence, a single state election he's campaigned in. Especially amongst the ones he bet his prestige on. Think UP and Gujarat in '07 and Karnataka last year. And after a blood-soaked year like 2008, is India's youth really dumb enough to be influenced by the parroted words of a clueless, incompetent cipher, compared to, say, Modi's spellbinding oratory? I'd like to think not. But I hope the Congress stays in denial, and if that denial gets them to do something even more stupid, such as contesting the elections outside the UPA, well, even better.
Dasgupta's Pioneer column is about an old classic that nevertheless holds relevance even today: The Congress' treatment of India's treasury as their personal election fund. To all those uninformed enough to think the NDA did the same thing when they were in power: No, they didn't. And what's really frustrating is that the Congress is willing to pour thousands of crores into a thoroughly useless scheme such as the National Rural Employment Gaurantee (Yes, it positively reeks of debunked Soviet era economics), but won't allow something as valuable as the Golden Quadrilateral project to be completed, simply because it bears Atal Behari Vajpayee's name.
On a lighter note, this joker uses his column to spout a bunch of negative figures about India. Too bad we don't have our neighbor's awesome statistics. Especially at stuff like beheading.
And finally, in the NYT, Maureen Dowd, in addition to painting a wickedly snarky picture of ex-Prez Bush wallowing in his misery, gives justified accolades to Obama for repudiating Bush's Iraq legacy so fearlessly by ordering the withdrawal of troops from there. Most importantly, she references Star Trek and Spock. A stunning redhead who writes fantastic prose and is also a nerd. Who knew such a creature existed?
-Swapan Dasgupta, TOI.
MJ Akbar and Swapan Dasgupta are the two best Indian columnists of our time; I can't think of anyone else who'd write columns in newspapers as ideologically far apart as TOI and the Pioneer.
Akbar writes about the Congress' cynical calculations that India's youth will vote for Rahuul just because he's young and a pretty boy. Actually, Congressmen see him as "India's Barack Obama", that is, when they're not bestowing titles such as 'Yuvraj' on him. There's only one problem with this line of thought: Reality.
Rahuul hasn't been able to swing, let alone influence, a single state election he's campaigned in. Especially amongst the ones he bet his prestige on. Think UP and Gujarat in '07 and Karnataka last year. And after a blood-soaked year like 2008, is India's youth really dumb enough to be influenced by the parroted words of a clueless, incompetent cipher, compared to, say, Modi's spellbinding oratory? I'd like to think not. But I hope the Congress stays in denial, and if that denial gets them to do something even more stupid, such as contesting the elections outside the UPA, well, even better.
Dasgupta's Pioneer column is about an old classic that nevertheless holds relevance even today: The Congress' treatment of India's treasury as their personal election fund. To all those uninformed enough to think the NDA did the same thing when they were in power: No, they didn't. And what's really frustrating is that the Congress is willing to pour thousands of crores into a thoroughly useless scheme such as the National Rural Employment Gaurantee (Yes, it positively reeks of debunked Soviet era economics), but won't allow something as valuable as the Golden Quadrilateral project to be completed, simply because it bears Atal Behari Vajpayee's name.
On a lighter note, this joker uses his column to spout a bunch of negative figures about India. Too bad we don't have our neighbor's awesome statistics. Especially at stuff like beheading.
And finally, in the NYT, Maureen Dowd, in addition to painting a wickedly snarky picture of ex-Prez Bush wallowing in his misery, gives justified accolades to Obama for repudiating Bush's Iraq legacy so fearlessly by ordering the withdrawal of troops from there. Most importantly, she references Star Trek and Spock. A stunning redhead who writes fantastic prose and is also a nerd. Who knew such a creature existed?
Schadenfraude
So after taking FATA and much of NWFP, it seems the barbarians are perfectly positioned to take Karachi whenever they wish. Good. Maybe there is such a thing as Karma after all.
Sebelius & Napolitano
After weeks of speculation, it's confirmed that Obama's tapped Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. I know that Obama's shown on innumerable ocassions that his ability to think several moves ahead is unparalleled, and what seem like obvious errors on his part in the short term usually turn out to be masterstrokes in the long term, but I still think he's absolutely wrong on this one.
Sebelius is that rare political creature: A popular Democratic Governor of an overwhelmingly red state, not unlike Former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who's now Secretary of DHS. Both of these women would've been formidable, even favored candidates were they to run for the Senate from their respective states. And if there's one harsh political truth we've seen this last month, it's that more than all the idealism and post partisan rhetoric, the crucial difference between good and historic legislation is a filibuster proof majority in the Senate (60 seats, for those unfamiliar with US politics; the Dems are currently at 59). It's possible that Sebelius and Napolitano are temping at their respective Cabinet positions and will run for the Senate at the earliest possible opportunity, but wouldn't Governorship be a much better launching pad for a Senate run than a Cabinet post in faraway Washington? And in the case of Napolitano, I know Obama was making a powerful peace offering by taking out McCain's most potent challenger for the '10 Arizona Senate race, but he should realize by now that McCain's obviously a bitter, defeated guy who's not likely to suddenly see the light and turn into an inspiring, stalwart ally. The 'maverick' is dead.
It's not too late to start plotting and encouraging a Napolitano run in '10, I wager her popularity will prove to be enough to offset the disadvantage of not being a governor anymore. Hell, should Obama's healthcare push be successful, as Secretary of HHS, Sebelius would also get to bask in the glow, and she'd be ideally positioned for the Senate. Obama should keep in mind that 2010 won't be a wave election like '06 and '08. Although the Republicans will still be in shambles, the Dems will have some unpopular candidates of their own to defend, and they'll need all the help they can get. Any one of these women might very well turn out to be the difference between 60 and something less than that.
Sebelius is that rare political creature: A popular Democratic Governor of an overwhelmingly red state, not unlike Former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who's now Secretary of DHS. Both of these women would've been formidable, even favored candidates were they to run for the Senate from their respective states. And if there's one harsh political truth we've seen this last month, it's that more than all the idealism and post partisan rhetoric, the crucial difference between good and historic legislation is a filibuster proof majority in the Senate (60 seats, for those unfamiliar with US politics; the Dems are currently at 59). It's possible that Sebelius and Napolitano are temping at their respective Cabinet positions and will run for the Senate at the earliest possible opportunity, but wouldn't Governorship be a much better launching pad for a Senate run than a Cabinet post in faraway Washington? And in the case of Napolitano, I know Obama was making a powerful peace offering by taking out McCain's most potent challenger for the '10 Arizona Senate race, but he should realize by now that McCain's obviously a bitter, defeated guy who's not likely to suddenly see the light and turn into an inspiring, stalwart ally. The 'maverick' is dead.
It's not too late to start plotting and encouraging a Napolitano run in '10, I wager her popularity will prove to be enough to offset the disadvantage of not being a governor anymore. Hell, should Obama's healthcare push be successful, as Secretary of HHS, Sebelius would also get to bask in the glow, and she'd be ideally positioned for the Senate. Obama should keep in mind that 2010 won't be a wave election like '06 and '08. Although the Republicans will still be in shambles, the Dems will have some unpopular candidates of their own to defend, and they'll need all the help they can get. Any one of these women might very well turn out to be the difference between 60 and something less than that.
Friday, February 27, 2009
So what, did he fly here? Or maybe teleport?
The latest bile to emerge from the Pakistani Foreign Office: Kasab and the others didn't get to Mumbai via sea at all. Somewhat puzzling is the very next statement: "The terrorist attacks reflect a complete failure of the Indian Navy." Huh? And of course, they don't let go a single opportunity to bring in some dispute or the other into any discussion: Patrolling the seas is diffucult due to the contested nature of Sir Creek. Really? A 56km long dried up creek makes it hard to patrol your 1000 km long coastline?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
I met the guy who invented :-)
Talk about an accomplishment that will be remembered forever. Here at CMU's Language Technologies Institute, I met Prof. Scott Fahlman, who in addition to doing some totally awesome research in the field of Artificial Intelligence, also basically invented :-) and :-( twenty seven years ago. He likes to play it down, but the fact is, he's added new letters to the alphabet of every language in the world. You can read his own, gripping account of how he came up with the smileys here.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thakeray, Modi and the BJP leadership.
In an interesting revelation, Thakeray claims to have saved Modi from being axed in 2002 after the riots. Considering the man's tendency to overstate things, I'm not so sure all credit is due entirely to him, but it seems plausible that he must've had some role to play in Modi's survival. And that raises the issue of Modi's relationship with the BJP elders. It's no secret that Vajpayee has been less than warm towards Modi since 2002, but Advani is a different, and fascinating case. His consistent, effusive praise for Modi over the years and his gratitude towards Modi for ensuring that his prestigious Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat has stayed safely in the hands of the BJP all these years seem to suggest that in addition to the BJP's rank-and-file and well wishers, Advani himself probably wants Modi to take over the BJP top spot once he retires. If that ensures a smooth succesion down the line, that's good news for the BJP and the country.
Yes, but who's their Jack Donaghy?
Here's a compare and contrast that 30 Rock fans will find spot-on (non 30 Rock viewers are also encouraged to check it out, it's hilarious): Bobby Jindal as Kenneth the Page. Sounds far-fetched? Just take a look. While we're on the subject of 30 Rock, it's another terrific but underappreciated sitcom, in the vein of Arrested Development. For anyone who thinks that television simply must do better than churning out lame, cliched, unfunny rehashes of Golden Era sitcoms such as Friends or Seinfeld (How I Met Your Mother comes to mind), 30 Rock is definitely worth a shot.
P.S. Apologies for the absence from posting, was travelling. First impressions of Pittsburgh: picturesque, with plenty of nice eating joints.
P.S. Apologies for the absence from posting, was travelling. First impressions of Pittsburgh: picturesque, with plenty of nice eating joints.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
TOI Stupidity watch
Something tells me this is going to be a pretty regular feature on this blog. You can't blame me though, TOI is the gift that keeps on giving. Anyway, spotted in today's edition, a question asked by its Resident Editor:
Seven years after the 2002 riots, can Gandhi's Gujarat give peace a chance?
Hmm...I wasn't aware that Gujarat's been without peace the past seven years. Seriously, why do we let our media get away with passing off their half-baked delusions as insightful analysis?
Jai Ho, Congress remix
When it comes to pulling crap out of their asses, no one can come even close to the level of expertise achieved by the Congress. The latest:
In an unmistakable resonance of the previous NDA government's `India Shining' slogan, Congress floated the idea of an `achieving India' and listed among the milestones the Indo-US nuclear deal, Chandrayaan, near 9% growth and the total sweep of the Oscars
And let's not forget the innumerable terror strikes, my dear Conressmen.
...party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi went a few steps ahead and termed Slumdog Millionaire "a film of India, for India, by India" and talked about the "conducive atmosphere with emphasis on good governance contributing to an achieving India".
Have you even seen the movie Mr. Singhvi ? It doesn't show "good governance" in Mumbai, it shows a complete lack of anything resembling mediocre, let alone good governance.
And the kicker:
"There are parties drawing us back to the dark ages," he said. Making the reference to the rival BJP clear, Singhvi targeted L K Advani for the "gimmickry of rath yatras and pumping iron before the cameras."
It seems to me that things like one family dynastic rule and cowering before foreign aggression are much better examples of India's dark ages.
(Hat Tip: Rahul P.)
In an unmistakable resonance of the previous NDA government's `India Shining' slogan, Congress floated the idea of an `achieving India' and listed among the milestones the Indo-US nuclear deal, Chandrayaan, near 9% growth and the total sweep of the Oscars
And let's not forget the innumerable terror strikes, my dear Conressmen.
...party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi went a few steps ahead and termed Slumdog Millionaire "a film of India, for India, by India" and talked about the "conducive atmosphere with emphasis on good governance contributing to an achieving India".
Have you even seen the movie Mr. Singhvi ? It doesn't show "good governance" in Mumbai, it shows a complete lack of anything resembling mediocre, let alone good governance.
And the kicker:
"There are parties drawing us back to the dark ages," he said. Making the reference to the rival BJP clear, Singhvi targeted L K Advani for the "gimmickry of rath yatras and pumping iron before the cameras."
It seems to me that things like one family dynastic rule and cowering before foreign aggression are much better examples of India's dark ages.
(Hat Tip: Rahul P.)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Why shouldn't Shitibank be bailed out?
This is why. No one this stupid should be allowed to run a roadside food stand, let alone a bank.
Oscars watch, II: Slumdog v TDK
A friend points out that it's absurd to consider Slumdog a better movie than The Dark Knight. Now, I loved Slumdog, and am pretty okay with it winning, especially considering the kind of movies that have won in recent years. But the fact is, TDK does kick Slumdog's ass. So why did TDK fare so miserably in the Oscars' sweepstakes?
a) It's beneath the Academy's "dignity" to be seen giving the award to an action movie, and a superhero one at that.
b) Although TDK was terrific, the West is no stranger to the genre. On the other hand, before Slumdog, how many people here had even heard of the word 'slum'?
a) It's beneath the Academy's "dignity" to be seen giving the award to an action movie, and a superhero one at that.
b) Although TDK was terrific, the West is no stranger to the genre. On the other hand, before Slumdog, how many people here had even heard of the word 'slum'?
Captain Obvious to the rescue.
So one of my friends sees the blog link and promptly says:
"nice name for the blog..
"nice name for the blog..
perfect adjective before your name...:P"
Witty.
Witty.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Oscars watch
As expected, Slumdog won in the best movie and best director categories. What wasn't expected was 8! (not 8 factorial, just 8!!) awards. Kudos to the entire cast and crew, but Danny Boyle in particular. And despite the fact that there's plenty to be displeased about in the movie's portrayal of India, the fact is, on a deeper level, it's a loving look at India, and when most western audiences leave the theaters, their predominant emotion towards the India shown in the movie is in one of affection, not judgement.
Update: Almost criminal of me to not mention Heath Ledger in a post called Oscars watch. Has there ever been a more deserving contender for an Oscar?
Update II: What is it with the Academy and straight dudes playing gay roles? Giving it to Sean Penn for Milk strongly reminds one of Tom Hanks and Philadelphia. (Not that there's anything wrong with it.)
Update: Almost criminal of me to not mention Heath Ledger in a post called Oscars watch. Has there ever been a more deserving contender for an Oscar?
Update II: What is it with the Academy and straight dudes playing gay roles? Giving it to Sean Penn for Milk strongly reminds one of Tom Hanks and Philadelphia. (Not that there's anything wrong with it.)
And also your clothes, shoes and vehicle.
Filed under the unintentionally hilarious dept:
Schwarzenegger To GOP Governors: Give Me Your Unwanted Stimulus Money
Conjures up the image of Arnold beating Sanford and Jindal silly till they start pleading "Here. Just take it and go".
Schwarzenegger To GOP Governors: Give Me Your Unwanted Stimulus Money
Conjures up the image of Arnold beating Sanford and Jindal silly till they start pleading "Here. Just take it and go".
Sunday Reading
It's that time of the week again: Sunday, when op-ed pages overfloweth with delicious opiniony goodness.
Kanchan Gupta has an excellent column in the Daily Pioneer about how India is as ill prepared to deal with the Taliban as Pakistan has proved to be. Money quote:
When the Government decides to reward the families of slain jihadis, it sends out a loud message to Muslims: Take up the gun, die in action, ensure a better life for your families. By casting aspersions on Delhi Police and accusing them of killing ‘innocent’ Muslims, the Prime Minister’s Cabinet colleagues encourage moderates to turn extremists. When madarsas are euologised and Saraswati Sishu Mandir schools are relentlessly demonised, the ulema feel sufficiently emboldened to include hate in their teachings. When the Government slyly allows the setting up of qazi courts, which dispense justice according to shari’ah, and lets them function without so much as a whimper of protest, it tells Muslims that India’s secular justice system is incapable of protecting their interests. When a wholly illegitimate All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is allowed to dictate how Muslims should run their personal lives, the state abdicates its responsibility to its citizens. As in Pakistan, here too the Government has come to believe that Islam is a substitute for jobs, housing and health services. Azamgarh to Alappuzha, Dibrugarh to Dharwad, a fetid swamp similar to that of Pakistan’s is spreading; the ‘Indian Mujahideen’ are the produce of this swamp.
The distance between Swat Valley and Islamabad is 160 km. Jamia Nagar is in Delhi.
Also in the Pioneer is a biting piece by Chandan Mitra about Marxist dogma masquerading as history in Indian textbooks. Highlight:
The mindset of Marxist historiography is besotted with demolishing popular faiths and beliefs. In their arrogance, these historians assumed that people knew nothing; that all they believed from legends and tales was erroneous; and they must be rescued from blind faith and superstition. This zeal is comparable to that of the white missionaries who came to India and Africa convinced they had to deliver the ignorant inhabitants from the Dark Ages. Take Romila Thapar’s book on the Somnath temple that I reviewed in February 2004 for India Today. The entire exercise, albeit scholarly, was undertaken to exonerate Mahmud of Ghazni of his criminal offence in ransacking the splendid shrine. She takes pains to point out conflicting contemporary accounts to suggest nothing so traumatic happened. I have no doubt that under the new dispensation, this is the kind of history that shall be prescribed in schools. Short of exhorting children to offer prayers to Mahmud of Ghazni, Mohammad Ghauri, Nadir Shah and Aurangzeb, our new textbooks will do everything to run down all indigenous achievements. Maharana Pratap, for example, finds just a one-line reference in the SCERT book and Aryabhata none!
Why does any of this matter? Because history is more than dry facts and dates. It shapes our perception of who we are as a civilization. And too often, Marxist dogma is used as a tool to try to make us feel ashamed of our (pre-muslim) past. I can understand the communist parties subscribing to such faux historians, it's entirely in keeping with their character. But what excuse does the Congress have?
More fantastic analysis by Dasgupta and MJ Akbar. I can't get over how awesome a newspaper the Pioneer is, and how woefully unknown it is in India, relative to scum like the Times of India. Reading TOI's op-ed pages is more painful than a root canal, and at least the root canal serves a purpose! (And the less said about NDTV or IBN the better) I guess I should be grateful it even exists, I don't know what I would've done without it.
Meanwhile, Friedman is creative, if a bit zany, and Rich is a tour de force. Nothing new there. More gratitude is in order, this time for the NYT.
Kanchan Gupta has an excellent column in the Daily Pioneer about how India is as ill prepared to deal with the Taliban as Pakistan has proved to be. Money quote:
When the Government decides to reward the families of slain jihadis, it sends out a loud message to Muslims: Take up the gun, die in action, ensure a better life for your families. By casting aspersions on Delhi Police and accusing them of killing ‘innocent’ Muslims, the Prime Minister’s Cabinet colleagues encourage moderates to turn extremists. When madarsas are euologised and Saraswati Sishu Mandir schools are relentlessly demonised, the ulema feel sufficiently emboldened to include hate in their teachings. When the Government slyly allows the setting up of qazi courts, which dispense justice according to shari’ah, and lets them function without so much as a whimper of protest, it tells Muslims that India’s secular justice system is incapable of protecting their interests. When a wholly illegitimate All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is allowed to dictate how Muslims should run their personal lives, the state abdicates its responsibility to its citizens. As in Pakistan, here too the Government has come to believe that Islam is a substitute for jobs, housing and health services. Azamgarh to Alappuzha, Dibrugarh to Dharwad, a fetid swamp similar to that of Pakistan’s is spreading; the ‘Indian Mujahideen’ are the produce of this swamp.
The distance between Swat Valley and Islamabad is 160 km. Jamia Nagar is in Delhi.
Also in the Pioneer is a biting piece by Chandan Mitra about Marxist dogma masquerading as history in Indian textbooks. Highlight:
The mindset of Marxist historiography is besotted with demolishing popular faiths and beliefs. In their arrogance, these historians assumed that people knew nothing; that all they believed from legends and tales was erroneous; and they must be rescued from blind faith and superstition. This zeal is comparable to that of the white missionaries who came to India and Africa convinced they had to deliver the ignorant inhabitants from the Dark Ages. Take Romila Thapar’s book on the Somnath temple that I reviewed in February 2004 for India Today. The entire exercise, albeit scholarly, was undertaken to exonerate Mahmud of Ghazni of his criminal offence in ransacking the splendid shrine. She takes pains to point out conflicting contemporary accounts to suggest nothing so traumatic happened. I have no doubt that under the new dispensation, this is the kind of history that shall be prescribed in schools. Short of exhorting children to offer prayers to Mahmud of Ghazni, Mohammad Ghauri, Nadir Shah and Aurangzeb, our new textbooks will do everything to run down all indigenous achievements. Maharana Pratap, for example, finds just a one-line reference in the SCERT book and Aryabhata none!
Why does any of this matter? Because history is more than dry facts and dates. It shapes our perception of who we are as a civilization. And too often, Marxist dogma is used as a tool to try to make us feel ashamed of our (pre-muslim) past. I can understand the communist parties subscribing to such faux historians, it's entirely in keeping with their character. But what excuse does the Congress have?
More fantastic analysis by Dasgupta and MJ Akbar. I can't get over how awesome a newspaper the Pioneer is, and how woefully unknown it is in India, relative to scum like the Times of India. Reading TOI's op-ed pages is more painful than a root canal, and at least the root canal serves a purpose! (And the less said about NDTV or IBN the better) I guess I should be grateful it even exists, I don't know what I would've done without it.
Meanwhile, Friedman is creative, if a bit zany, and Rich is a tour de force. Nothing new there. More gratitude is in order, this time for the NYT.
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