Democrazy

Its not real. Its just a crazy demonstration. There are no rights, limited duties and most importantly, the answer must always to be the question "Ask not what your large corporations can do for you? Ask what you can get the country to do for the large corporations?".

Facing the Voters in 2012
Patrick Chappatte - International Herald Tribune

A whole bunch of fools, the crazy part of the democrazy, are going to vote, thinking they can make a difference. All the best.

7 Billion today

The world population will cross 7 Billion today. There is a lot of news and hype that the 7th billion baby will be born in India. The graph below (courtesy UN) shows why. In less than 10 years, India will be the largest, the numero uno with respect to population in the world.

Population Projections for India and China - United Nations

Below graphs show a bit more details, the different parameters related to the population metrics for India.

We have a long way to go, before we can control our population and turn this thing around.

So, explain this to me !!

This short news brief reported by AFP, was carried by a lot of news sites and papers. I read it first on the front page of the Economic Times, under their 'Suddenly Something' column, which is mainly some weird or funny news from around the world.

The whole news was rather weird, but the last line of the report made it even weirder, and left me dazzled at the brilliance of the whole initiative.

More than half of all male doctors in China smoke, but the government is now trying harder to get them to kick the habit in order to set an example for others, state media reported recently.

So here is my question, the point is to stop smoking or to encourage smoking? I am not sure if i should question the judgment of the Chinese government initiative or the the possible brilliance of the reporter who first caught the story. Something is wrong somewhere. No matter which, there is a lot of room for thinking.

News: No butts: China orders officials to smoke

Gold Haul at the Olympics

China scored a perfect 100. They showcased the best Olympics so far, and also scored in the sporting field. They had shown signs of taking over the sporting arena, since the split up of the erstwhile USSR into many smaller nations. In the period of cold war, the US and USSR had a competition about outscoring each other in the medal tally. The USSR lead the way many times, much to the accusation of the US, that it was not all through fair means. Today, China has taken the mantel from the old USSR.


It is important to realize that this sporting establishment that started by only supporting amateurs, today has become the most professionally managed sporting establishment. It requires consistent and long term planning of the state, corporate and willing individuals to put themselves through torture for many years to achieve the success they seek. No wonder, smaller nations, with priority in terms of daily bread etc, are not so appropriately represented in the medal table. Hmmmm!! That sounds like a nice refuge for countries like India to hide under.

2008 Olympic Games

My prediction for the medal tally

1. China
2. US
   
3. Russia

And, Germany, South Korea, Australia, Japan sharing the next few positions.
All the best. Rake in the gold.

More on Yahoo 360

To eat or not to eat

Recently Ms. Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State of the US, said that people from India and China are responsible for the food crisis.

Well, i, for one, had fully expected this. There are several truths here:
- there is a crisis - food price is up and there is shortage all around
- people in the new developed countries are consuming more, because they can afford it now
- people from the existing western world are feeling the pinch, slowly but steadily
- altho these people are not ready to share or consume any less

For all this, someone is to blame, question tho is who ?

The food consumption is only expected to increase, with the increasing population and one that can afford to buy and eat better and more food. The already developed, who have been leading a good life, is not about to give up their over luxurious life and reduce their consumption any bit. In all these years, when the oil prices have been going up, they havent moved a bit to reduce their oil consumption, so how can one expect something more personal like food habits.

The world is ever shrinking. All of us are being held up to the same standards now. Everyone will have to give up something, or else, we all can get ready for a big food fight. I somehow feel, knowing us humans, the latter is a distinct possibility.