Recently, once again, Yahoo! has been for “helping China” by letting the Chinese government take a look at user’s personal data. Let me first say that yes, I believe that a user should have privacy. However, what most people (and the human rights groups) seem to forget, is that this was a government mandate on Yahoo!. This is not something Yahoo! decided to offer out of its good will for the Chinese government. The choice in China for Yahoo! is this: comply or leave. There are two points here:
It is more beneficial for the Chinese people to have access to the resources that Yahoo! provides them than not. The contact that Yahoo! provides them with the western world, helps more than it hurts. If Yahoo! simply decided to leave China, there would be more lost for the Humans Rights advancement in that country than not. A quote by a Yahoo! newsspokeswoman says: “The choice in China and other countries is not whether to comply with local laws. The choice is whether to remain in the country or not. We have a philosophy of engagement. We believe the Internet is a positive force.”
There are tons of other companies (including Google) that are forced to do the same thing. Why the Yahoo! bashing then? If you want to bash someone, go for the Chinese government.
So if you have read one of these articles recently, think about it twice. It is fun for the media to find a scapegoat, but the real cause of the problem are the policies of the Chinese government. I would hate to have been the person who made the decision to release information.
Meri Pyaari Mumbai…what happened! On Tuesday Mumbai was pounded with 37.1 inches of rain (over 3 feet) in one day. This was the wettest day in the history of record rainfalls in all of India. The thought is just scary.
The entire Mumbai is flooded…the trains and planes are not moving…neither are the cars on the roads. Today was declared a public holiday and Mumbai was shut down. Many of my relatives were one of the 150,000 stranded overnight in offices, train stations and other places away from home. I can’t even imagine the amount of damage this will cause when it is all gone.
What’s scary is that the rain is not expected to stop in the next 48 hours. Pray for the Mumbaikars that are stranded, make sure your relatives are safe, and hope that all those homeless and jooparpati people are doing ok…I’m sure so many of their homes are flooded. Read the for more info.
A few days back, I posted a silly proof I had found on the net, proving why girls are evil. This was of course just a joke…but there is a more serious issue at hand these days in India. Getting parents to realize that girls are NOT evil! There is a ridiculous trend going on in the world (especially in India)…even in the wealthiest and most educated communities. Couples bribe ultra sound doctors to find out the gender of their unborn baby, and then proceed to abort the child if it is a girl.
WAKE UP INDIANS. GROW UP. SHOW SOME RESPECT.
This is unbelievably ridiculous that even today, such cruel and horrible practices are going on. I actually know of some instances of this in MY relatives. I am sure you know of some in yours too (but you may not be aware, because of course it’s a taboo to talk about it).
The reason I write about this today, is that I read . In Punjab and Haryana, some of the best off states in the country, this problem is bordering an epidemic. In Delhi, “…the sex ratio at birth has dropped to 762 girls for every 1,000 boys.” This is alarming and shameful.
I plead to you to never support this horrible practice, and try if you can to stop your relatives from doing the same. Ok that is all about that topic!
My day at work was pretty good, going to make a technical presentation tomorrow so spent a lot of the day preparing for that. I have to go now to play at the Cerner tennis tournament’s first round. Wish me luck
Hearing of the recent which killed about 50 and injured almost 150 made me a feel a bit paranoid about riding on Indian trains for a few minutes. There are about 300 accidents every year on Indian trains (which is admittedly low when you take into account the fact that over 11,000 trains run everyday). Yeah, so it’s probably safer still to take a train than drive, but I guess we get more alarmed about these because they happen drastically and kill many at once.
For a more chilling read, here is a chronological list and brief description of all the . Scary stuff.
Here is a great post by a blogger about about international strategic communication, and more specifically Why muslims in the Middle East hate [Americans]. This report was filed in September this year, but was not released to the public till after the elections, in the end of November. Here are some highlights:
“Muslims do not “hate our freedom,” but rather, they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights…”
“Thus when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy. Moreover, saying that “freedom is the future of the Middle East” is seen as patronizing, suggesting that Arabs are like the enslaved peoples of the old Communist World…”
“Furthermore, in the eyes of Muslims, American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has not led to democracy there, but only more chaos and suffering. U.S. actions appear in contrast to be motivated by ulterior motives…”
Here’s a quick mid-day update. I just found out that –opening the way for people to tour space. Yahh! Now we can really have honeymoons on the moon! More than that, this bill introduces to us a brand new concept… Crazy stuff!
I found this out the other day and thought back to the little sticker/bracelet every kid in my ol’ Kentucky was wearing: WWJD? What would Jesus Do? Lets send one of these stickers to these TV execs. Three public TV Networks, ABC, CBS and NBC, have chosen to ban a 30 second TV Ad by the United Church of Christ that tells the viewers that anyone from any background is welcome in their church. “Jesus didn’t turn people away. Neither do we.” describes this ad:
In an effort to break through the commercial clutter that clogs the arteries of broadcast and cable television, the UCC ad features an arresting image: a pair of muscle-bound bouncers standing in front of a church and telling some people they can attend while turning others away. After people of color, a disabled man and a pair of men who might be gay are turned away, the image dissolves to a text statement that: “Jesus didn’t turn people away. Neither do we.” Then, as images of diverse couples and families appear on screen, an announcer explains that, “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.”
What a great way to get across their message! I don’t find this controversial at all. It celebrates and promotes respect for all, and a public tv network should make a stand and not ban this type of thing. Perhaps it was best put by one of UCC’s own Reverends:
“We find it disturbing that the networks in question seem to have no problem exploiting gay persons through mindless comedies and titillating dramas, but when it comes to a church’s loving welcome to committed gay couples, that’s where they draw the line,” explained the Rev. Bob Chase…
It is a shame that a message that is so important at a time like this is being blocked by politically influenced TV network execs.
I’ve been reading updates about the Kanchi Shankaracharya case in India. It is getting crazy and I am getting confused. There are people over this, and there are politicians denouncing his arrest and many many people . There are then those who . Where am I left after all of this? No where! All I have to go on are reports from people on the news and opinions of people.
Was there a political conspiracy behind this? Was Shankaracharya really involved in these crimes? Part of me cannot believe that this is possible, but then there is also a part of me that doesn’t trust the honesty of any powerful leader. It is just annoying for me to even follow this case! How do I decide what side to take?? I just can’t do it. I will just pray that justice is done somehow. Somehow.
Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati, one of the most respected Hindu saints in India was arrested on murder related charges a couple days ago. I’ve taken a lot of time reading about this case, and it is interesting.
I quote from from indiainfo.com:
Sankararaman [the man murdered] was reported to have had differences with Jayendra Saraswathi and had left the Mutt [the place he was an accountant for in the past and the place run by Shankaracharya] and worked as the Manager of the famous Vaishnavite Varadharajaperumal temple in Kancheepuram where he was murdered on Sept 3, 2004.
Early this year, writing under a different name, Sankararaman had reportedly sent a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department with details of alleged financial irregularities in the Mutt.
He had also later claimed threat to his life through anonymous calls. These letters were seized from his residence after the murder.
Based on the acussing testimony of 5 others already arrested for the case, Shankaracharya also became a suspect in the case. Supposedly he was arrested at night on Diwali because the police had reason to believe that if they had waited till the morning, he may have escaped. It is still hard for 3rd party Indians like me to believe either side because we know our government as well as our saints have turned to corruption many times in the past. The thought just scares me.
More than this, the larger question that arises in my mind. How should major religious figures like Shankaracharya be treated in situations like this? I think that though there must have been a strong reason for the arrest, there are better ways to arrest such major religious figures. You can’t arrest the most respected Hindu in the country on the holiest day on the Hindu calendar, Diwali. Perhaps (as a friend of mine suggested) he should have been placed on house arrest, and questioned there.
If he is found guilty, he should no doubt be given the same treatment as any other Indian citizen, however, the government should also realize that bringing justice in one case could fuel much more violence and anger throughout the country in a revival of Hindi Muslim tension.
My instincts tell me that saints would not do anything like this, but if we can’t trust in our own justice system to let the truth prevail, we are left no where anyway. Perhaps the best advice on this matter was from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from the Art of Living foundation. A statement made by the foundation read: “His holiness has appealed to the people to keep calm and not to make the present crisis that Hinduism is going through into a communal issue.” “Saints cannot even think of committing such a crime.”
