Thoughts of yen

Autonomy To Kashmir . Why Now?

2005-11-22T06:48:00.001-08:00

Pakistan has recently proposed that both parts of Kashmir be given full autonomy
India has reacted saying Indian Kashmir is autonomous & the Pakistani side might have
to do likewise.
The timing of the proposal leaves me with a lot of doubts coming soo soonafter the earthquake & after the LOC opening proposal.

Is it that the economic cost of the quake is so great that Pakistan would like to foist it on the "Autonomous Kashmir Region " & leave them to fend forthemselves.?

Has Pakistan lost badly the hearts & minds of the Kashmiris owing to sloppy response to the quake, not accepting Indian aid & delay in opening of LOC points & hence has to make up- Has the tide turned?

Or am I just a doubting thomas

What is wrong with Linux?

2005-11-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

Linux has made a lot of ground on the desktop over the last few years , to
find out what linux is lacking check outthis article . I dont quite
agree with all the views expressed . I am a non-IT guy with rudimentary
knowledge using linux for the last 4 years & have had absolutely no issues
doing my mundane tasks. The article claims some difficulty with backups etc
( GUI). I have had no issue with mandriva & am using DrakBackup.
I often find people who tell me , what do I do if linux malfunctions & i am
not able to troubleshoot. I always tell them , even if you cant troubleshoot
you can always do what you do in windows - Reinstall!!! but make sure your
home partition is separate. Thats what I do if all else fails.
While on the subject I found another interesting analysis of the opensource movement

Don't Use Microsoft Word

2005-11-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

Shortchanged Citizens

2005-11-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

Subsequent to the Volker report & Natwars resignation , the PM has taken over
Foreign Affairs .Apparantly the deal is that Natwar can be back if cleared.
Many bloggers have commented on Natwar carrying on as minister without
portfolio & enjoying perks without serving any purpose, But what irks me most
is the attitude of the government of treating this as some personal jagir to
be kept for dear ol Natwar .
I for one believe that India deserves to have a full time Foreign minister .
I am sure good candidates exist & keeping the business of the Nation in
abeyance in order to satisfy old Gandhi family cronies is just not in order.

Who controls the Internet? - Opportunity in the ICANN Issue.

2005-11-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

The story so far.
The internet needs some one to allocate the country addressing systems &
maintain the root server from which the rest of the servers take their
addresses. Till 1998 this was done by a single person, However since 1998 the
US government created ICANN to do the same under its own supervisory control,
However since the iraq war & of late due to low confidence the world has on
the US & bush the world has been pushing for the US
to give up this control.which the US is reluctant to give up
you can get a more fearful view from cobolhacker
The opportunity
This is a very ticklish issue because for the first time , In my view the
world has a opportunity to set up a global entity whom they are dependant on
( unlike the UN). All institutions we have set up & which work are usually
national ones & the world has no experience of a institution which works
outside national confines.
We have , in my view the nucleus of a arguement for a world authority to whom
all nations would have to submit to & also collaboratively controll.
Its a opportunity to end a unipolar world & to enter a collaborative world
which I hope does not go abegging.

Cheers for OSS & Clam AV.

2005-11-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

I have used a linux (Mandriva) system for many years & have never ever bothered about viruses. Mispaced confidence I am told ,but I havent till date been hit by the fabled linux virus.
I started looking out for a AV package because all my office comps were infected ( I am not much of a computer guy). I did finally find the windows version of Clam & it worked like a breeze . Whats more its gpl'd hence u dont have to worry about licencing , you get updates daily but hey this is not inferior stuff , you can get details of a comparative test & how some Av vendors cheat you here. You can download the windows version from here & read a review here.
I am also now using this on linux & since I use this as a desktop only , I dont run any mail agent, evolution users can get a script to help at Chapeaurouge’s blog

I,Iran,Israel,India,Independant Foreign Policy,IAEA vote & the Imbecile

2005-10-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

I- Me Myself , the one with a view
Iran:- Cradle of a great civilisation, now fallen on bad times.
Israel:- Nation under Siege, Shoots first asks questions later
India :- A friend of both, Voted against Iran at IAEA
Independant Foreign Policy:- Indias fabled ability to stand up to international bullies, often mistaken to mean opposition for the sake of opposition by India's communists.
IAEA vote:- India votes against Iran.check informative post by amardeep
also check US-happy-iran-unhappy
Imbecile:- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , Made his nation a pariah. check smoothstones blog - israeli view?

Post the vote by India , I felt that the vote was because of US arm twisting & Indias need to get Nuclear energy,but by & by I realised that we needed to answer a few hard questions.
1. Can we continue with this sucking up to the "developing world" & standing up to the "developed world" if we intend to be a UNSC member, should we not be more objective? if So
2. Do we really think a oil rich state like Iran needs nuclear Energy so badly?
3. Is Iran really a stable state? Do we need a Nuclear Crescent - India,Pakistan,Iran with nukes
4.Dont we have to also handle our friendship with Israel? without compromising legitimate palestenian ambitions

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad however put me on sure ground with his raving & ranting , First his U.N speech made it very difficult for anyone to support him , For details check shot in the foot
His second statement on Israel really takes the cake ,no one really has said this over the last 5-10 years except Gaddahafi, who is now a reformed man, Can we really trust him with the bomb?
I think India too must do its best to prevent others from acquiring nuclear technology, smells of double standards but I see no better choice & India must vote again based on its honest assessment.
Check out a different view at cannonfires blog and a very pertinent view from Nathan Newman

Blasts in Delhi

2005-10-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Delhi seems to have been hit by terror yet again. This has completely dampened diwali.
Check out
eyewitness accounts
News Reports

Chennai Water Receeds

2005-10-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

I had to struggle to get to work yesterday due to the rains, & the knee deep water at points . We were just wondering what we would do if the same continued today, Was lucky to wake up to warm sunshine, On my way to work today it was surprising to see many points were now totally dry,We had some trees fall off at my workplace, Some trees were saved by some enterprising chaps who chopped off overhanging branches to prevent toppling of trees. Today the uprooted trees were put back- hope it grows again.The ground had got so soggy yesterday that we could see the ground shaking like jelly along with the tree when the wind blew.Seems like natural forces are working overtime- we had the mumbai floods,slush floods in gautemala, Katrina, The earthquake, wilma & the chennai showers- I remember reading somewhere that this has something to do with climate change ( except the quake of course) .
Yesterday was the only day in my chennai stay that I could use a blanket while sleeping - reminds me of my time in the north, where you get great sleep in winters .
Check out this blog ! for chennai monsoons.

The Earthquake :- Jihad beats McWorld

2005-10-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

One always thought the earthquake in pakistan & the amount of relief provided
by the west may actually soften muslim & esp pakistani impressions of the
west. This article in opendemocracy seems to indicate that due to bungling by
legit agencies jihadis might have seized the opportunity & actually have
gained a lot of brownie points ( should it really be called brownie). So much
for Bush winning hearts & minds of the muslim people.
For details see
http://www.opendemocracy.net/conflict-india_pakistan/jihadi_2941.jsp

Path For PSU Privatisation?

2005-10-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Privatisation in India has always suffered for political pulls & the refusal
of communist parties & Trade Unions to allow this to happen.
I recently read that Tata Tea has got rid of its Munnar estates by hiving this
off to its workmen . Like all Tata schemes this seems well thought out, Tata
has also restructured the Company by funding associated charitable
institutions & also helping it get out of maintaining offices all over the
country.
Seems like the Tatas have given the Co a reasonable chance of survival , while
at the same time allowing workers to chart their own destiny.
Could this be a methodology for privatisation of PSU's taking care of both
social & economic obligations??
Govt wouldnt get a great price but seems that it would atleast unlock the
resources of sick industries & allow it to prosper or be liquidated.

Crazy Ads/ instructions

2005-10-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

Just something someone mailed to me, No idea if its true & i dont recognise
some makes, but is worth a good laugh in any case.

On a Sears hairdryer -- Do not use while sleeping.
(Damn, and that's the only time I have to work on my hair).

On a bag of Fritos -- You could be a winner! No purchase necessary.
Details inside.
(the shoplifter special)?

On a bar of Dial soap -- "Directions: Use like regular soap."
(and that would be how???.....)

On some Swanson frozen dinners -- "Serving suggestion: Defrost."
(but, it's "just" a suggestion).

On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom) -- "Do not turn upside
down."
(well...duh, a bit late, huh)!

On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding -- "Product will be hot after heating."
(...and you thought????....)

On packaging for a Rowenta iron -- "Do not iron clothes on body."
(but wouldn't this save me more time)?

On Boot's Children Cough Medicine -- "Do not drive a car or operate
machinery after taking this medication."
(We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we
could just get those 5-year-olds with head-colds off those forklifts.)

On Nytol Sleep Aid -- "Warning: May cause drowsiness.."
(and...I'm taking this because???....)

On most brands of Christmas lights -- "For indoor or outdoor use only."
(as opposed to...what)?

On a Japanese food processor -- "Not to be used for the other use."
(now, somebody out there, help me on this. I'm a bit curious.)

On Sainsbury's peanuts -- "Warning: contains nuts."
(talk about a news flash)

On an American Airlines packet of nuts -- "Instructions: Open packet,
eat nuts."
(Step 3: maybe, uh...fly Delta?)

On a child's Superman costume -- "Wearing of this garment does not
enable you to fly."
(I don't blame the company. I blame the parents for this one.)

On a Swedish chainsaw -- "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands
or genitals."
(Oh my God...was there a lot of this happening somewhere?)
--

Indian manufacturing

2005-10-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Indian manufacturing seems to be on a high. I think manufacuring is the next indian boom. Indian technical expertise will help it do well vis a vis china, though we still do not have scale, I think in the future China will dominate mass manufacture & India speciality manufacture ie stuff thats customised , designed & manufactured with precision for you. This will levarage both our design & manufacturing capabilities.
I suppose manufacturing is the answer to our employment issues.
Newsweek has a article on indian manufacturing
Visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7037097/site/newsweek

Hi - First Post

2005-10-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely new to blogging.I recently read an article on the IIPM vs Bloggers issue & checked blogs for the very first time. This stuff looked nice - So I decided to take the plunge & get my thoughts on the net.
I suppose IIPM has done something good after all & introduced me to blogs. I suppose many others will now crowd into blogspace in order to see this & get fascinated & become bloggers.
In any case I veer towards the concept of freedom of speech & was impressed with the bloggers defense of the ideal.

Abt me :- I am an engineer In India, dont do very much, no great hobbies,I read a bit- anything I can lay my hands on.