I promised myself

not to get caught up with all the hustle bustle of my job. But over the last 2 weeks I failed to keep my promise. It comes crashing down on you very quickly. The foremost thing is for me to be happy. I need to remember that. The negativity spreads everywhere, especially more so on to the people you care for. I hope I can control the pressure better!

What more can you say?

Finally, this government lacks the willpower to deter potential tax evaders—the big fish that is. The surest way to do so will be to disclose the names of evaders that are available with the government. Given that our politicians are sure to figure on such a list, confidentiality of agreements with other governments and, hold your breath, human rights of tax evaders (page 68 of the white paper) come in the way of public disclosures. This is difficult to believe.

The ridicuoussness of India's ruling class and their arguments! Full piece here

An interesting article

on Mike Proctor part of the great South African side during the time South Africa was banned. 

Most interesting excerpt!

Is it hard for you to reconcile yourself to the fact that you lost what may well have been a fantastic career as an international cricketer?
Not, it's not. Yes, I lost a Test career. But what is a Test career compared to the suffering of 40 million people? Lots of people lost a great deal more in those years, and if by missing out on a Test career we played a part in changing an unjust system, then that is fine by me.

Thats quite nice!

Will somebody listen

to Raghuram Rajan

Rajan ended his speech with a clear warning. “The history of development is replete with countries that grew strongly for a while, only to stutter and stop as their leaders and their people started taking growth as their birthright. Somewhat paradoxically, it is only when we are paranoid about sustaining growth that we will continue achieving it. We need to become paranoid again, as we were in the early 1990s, and perhaps then we will achieve the full promise of Manmohan Singh’s reforms.”

Full piece here. I am not sure!

The forgotten murders

The most conveniently forgotten murders from the last century. The cases still go on nearly after 30 years! I don't see any of the secular intelletuals talking about this. 

What the hell?

I am no expert on juducial matters, but the recent RTE ruling by the Supreme Court is genuinely out of place. I mean the concept that private institutions can be ordered to do what the Governement wants them to do is quite adhoc. I understand imposing rules on aided schools but to impose restrictions on unaided schools is infringing on the freedom. The biggest problem I have is not the fact that private schools have to follow this but that minority private schools need not follow this. I mean if a Christian Organization sets up a school for "rich" christian families and denies admission to "Disadvantaged Christians" it is perfectly ok according to the Supreme Court. It just wants to ensure "Hindu Schools" do not do this. Either you have a unfiorm rule system on everybody or do not force that rule on anybody. This is just blatant padering! Just as a segment of the population should not be penlaized because they are a minority it is not right to impose restruictions on the segment that happens to have a large share of population. And don't get me started on "disadvanatged". It is not just poor. It is our India's very own contribution to the world. The great undefinable 'distadvantaged' !

A nice piece on this here

Mamata Banerjee

This is outrightly autocratic