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Krishna
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6 months ago
in You have the power on Almost As Good As Chocolate
Not paying your taxes and depositing them into a Counter Terrorism Action fund is still illegal. Taxes are currently not allowed to be contingent on getting what you want. It's not payment for services rendered (though it should be) but a hold up- a demand of "give me your money or else... (go to jail)".
Imagine if all rich libertarians in the US decided that they wanted a flat tax (or better yet, a sales tax!) and refused to fund the US Government until those demands were met, but agreed to deposit their money in a nationalised bank (wait! nowadays, any US bank would meet that criteria) ... They'd end up in jail (or as I'm sure it'll come to be known, The Gulag)
49-O is awesome but as Vidya points out the problem in India is a poorly educated, gullible populace- they'll vote for who ever promises them the most (see the DMK's promises in TN)- and all the "elites" in the world ain't going to fix that! (too small a population base)
Imagine if all rich libertarians in the US decided that they wanted a flat tax (or better yet, a sales tax!) and refused to fund the US Government until those demands were met, but agreed to deposit their money in a nationalised bank (wait! nowadays, any US bank would meet that criteria) ... They'd end up in jail (or as I'm sure it'll come to be known, The Gulag)
49-O is awesome but as Vidya points out the problem in India is a poorly educated, gullible populace- they'll vote for who ever promises them the most (see the DMK's promises in TN)- and all the "elites" in the world ain't going to fix that! (too small a population base)
1 reply
7 months ago
in Saving Languages on Almost As Good As Chocolate
But why is this additional diversity de facto a good thing? Isn't it a marketplace of ideas & values in which these are losing (for whatever reason?).The youngsters in the Adivasi community (and those responsible for their upbringing) have a choice- to follow their culture/values or choose another.
While I'm happy Mr. Devy does want to protect those traditions and that the Ford Foundation is funding him (to each his/her own), Isn't he just preventing the natural evolution (and sometimes extinction) of a community? In the competition for hearts and minds, some ideas (and memes) do better, nein? By ensuring they "remain steeped" in their tradition, isn't there a possibility he's denying them a better life?
While I'm happy Mr. Devy does want to protect those traditions and that the Ford Foundation is funding him (to each his/her own), Isn't he just preventing the natural evolution (and sometimes extinction) of a community? In the competition for hearts and minds, some ideas (and memes) do better, nein? By ensuring they "remain steeped" in their tradition, isn't there a possibility he's denying them a better life?
1 reply
ganesh devy
Dear Krishna,
Thanks for that comment. Had the competition been 'free', the situation would have been different. First, the land where Adivasis lived for centuries was confiscated by the colonial government and brought under the 'soveriegn domain', declaring the area as 'scheduled' -- which means 'having less legal freedom and secutrity'.
Then, when th elinguistic states were made in India, the speakers of Adivasi languages were denied any statehood, and their languages were denied the status of 'school languages'. This made learning their own mother tongues in a systematic way impossible.
Since, there is very little chance of them speaking their own language and getting into any meaningful occupation, they are under pressure to give up the language(s).
This cannot be called 'natural evolution' of a language. Since there is an external interference causing the decline of the languages, external support too will be required to save the fast disappearing stock of traditional wisdom in those languages.
Of course, at the Adivasi Academy, I have never prevented my collagues and students form learning English or French. One of them recently returned from the University of leeds after completing a Masters. But, I encourge them to use their own languages as well.
I hope you will appreciate my point of view.
Ganesh Devy
Thanks for that comment. Had the competition been 'free', the situation would have been different. First, the land where Adivasis lived for centuries was confiscated by the colonial government and brought under the 'soveriegn domain', declaring the area as 'scheduled' -- which means 'having less legal freedom and secutrity'.
Then, when th elinguistic states were made in India, the speakers of Adivasi languages were denied any statehood, and their languages were denied the status of 'school languages'. This made learning their own mother tongues in a systematic way impossible.
Since, there is very little chance of them speaking their own language and getting into any meaningful occupation, they are under pressure to give up the language(s).
This cannot be called 'natural evolution' of a language. Since there is an external interference causing the decline of the languages, external support too will be required to save the fast disappearing stock of traditional wisdom in those languages.
Of course, at the Adivasi Academy, I have never prevented my collagues and students form learning English or French. One of them recently returned from the University of leeds after completing a Masters. But, I encourge them to use their own languages as well.
I hope you will appreciate my point of view.
Ganesh Devy
8 months ago
in Congratulations President Obama on Almost As Good As Chocolate
Just as the overthrow of H.W. Bush's Presidency by Clinton signaled America's rejection of the last of its honourable veterans of WW II (in favour of a Pot smoking draft dodger), this election has seen the casting aside of the last of the heroes of the Vietnam War by a questionably financed and befriended, inexperienced candidate running on similar platitudes (Hope, Change)
Oh well, at least McCain offered to help the newbie out (better than Clinton's offer to him after the Primary). Sen McCain, your country and the world owes you a great debt. No one captured and tortured by a peoples has done more to mend fences between them. We will miss you sir!
One can only hope that he actually does better than his predecessor and his inexperience doesn't result in similar results for the world (remember Rwanda)! Not "Hope", Pray!!!
Oh well, at least McCain offered to help the newbie out (better than Clinton's offer to him after the Primary). Sen McCain, your country and the world owes you a great debt. No one captured and tortured by a peoples has done more to mend fences between them. We will miss you sir!
One can only hope that he actually does better than his predecessor and his inexperience doesn't result in similar results for the world (remember Rwanda)! Not "Hope", Pray!!!
1 reply
Shripriya
What about another honorable veteran - Kerry? He lost to the biggest idiot and the worst president ever. That was sad.
Let's judge people after giving them a chance. The expectations are high. If he can deliver against a majority of his promises, our country will be in a much better place.
Let's judge people after giving them a chance. The expectations are high. If he can deliver against a majority of his promises, our country will be in a much better place.
8 months ago
in Sarah Palin Punk’d by Montreal radio station on Almost As Good As Chocolate
Hardly a new phenomenon.
"French President Jacques Chirac took a call from Canada's newly elected leader only to find he had been fooled by a pair of radio pranksters known as the "Masked Avengers" in Montreal...after swapping diplomatic niceties during a lengthy chat, Marc-Antoine Audette of CKOI radio -- Canada's most popular station with over a million listeners -- let the 73-year-old Chirac in on the joke."
This prank is reminiscent of the 2003 phone call Miami morning team Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero. The DJs, from spanish-formatted WXDJ-FM, placed a phone call to the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. The F.C.C. fined them later."
http://radio.about.com/b/2006/01/29/canadian-ra...
Of course some liberals will make a big deal about it- if nothing else to mask the illegal donations Obama received from his illegal "Auntie" immigrant relative (Wow shades of Gore and the Chinese funds from the Buddhist temple). Wonder if the Democrats have a systematized illegal funding mechanism? FEC, FEC...?
As for Palin (who, for other reasons, I think is an idiot), if the French President called you and made a mistake, would you be rude and point it out or let it pass? This particular call proves nothing.
"French President Jacques Chirac took a call from Canada's newly elected leader only to find he had been fooled by a pair of radio pranksters known as the "Masked Avengers" in Montreal...after swapping diplomatic niceties during a lengthy chat, Marc-Antoine Audette of CKOI radio -- Canada's most popular station with over a million listeners -- let the 73-year-old Chirac in on the joke."
This prank is reminiscent of the 2003 phone call Miami morning team Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero. The DJs, from spanish-formatted WXDJ-FM, placed a phone call to the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. The F.C.C. fined them later."
http://radio.about.com/b/2006/01/29/canadian-ra...
Of course some liberals will make a big deal about it- if nothing else to mask the illegal donations Obama received from his illegal "Auntie" immigrant relative (Wow shades of Gore and the Chinese funds from the Buddhist temple). Wonder if the Democrats have a systematized illegal funding mechanism? FEC, FEC...?
As for Palin (who, for other reasons, I think is an idiot), if the French President called you and made a mistake, would you be rude and point it out or let it pass? This particular call proves nothing.
1 reply
Shripriya
Please lighten up :) This was posted as something fun and lighthearted. Was it fun at the expense of Sarah Palin? Absolutely. She was put in the campaign (by God? - lol!) to ensure everyone has some fun.
And please - Nailin' Palin and "uh huh, thank you"? Complete idiot. Thank you John McCain for picking her!
And please - Nailin' Palin and "uh huh, thank you"? Complete idiot. Thank you John McCain for picking her!
I agree on the poverty issue. BUT - everyone who won't sign up to this - give me a freaking alternative. Any alternative!! One of the reasons India never freaking moves forward is that all we have are people who shoot down proposals. Give me a proposal that works instead!!
Rational Human - the previous paragraph is not aimed at you. It is aimed at every smart person who can find holes in any plan but not actually propose a plan themselves.