Geeklog Site

Its time for global change and time for IMU

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:02:00 +0000

Historically US Dollar enjoyed the benefits of world Trading Currency, as it was considered a stable hard currency. Recently it has been falling in its value as result OPEC country finding it difficult to fix the price of barrel of liquid. Time is just right for the world to create new system to replace the Dollar as trading currency. I think IMF should introduce IMU (International Monetary Unit). IMF doesn�t need to issue any new currency notes, but it will be a Unit that will be used to hold Bank reserves/deposits for international commodity trading. All the world currencies would be pegged to IMU, and may fluctuate according to their global strength. It would stabilize the global financial system and its value would not depend on the economic conditions of anyone country. When a depositor needs to withdraw its deposit, IMU would be converted to any currency the depositor requires. IMU�s value would remain stable; there will be no fear of deposits loosing their value. Its time for global change and time for IMU. Avtarjeet Dhanjal

What Really Happened on 9-11?

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:12:00 +0000

The events of 9-11 are seared into the collective psyche of this generation. We have all been affected by the catastrophes of that fateful day, but what really happened on 9-11? Some people believe an outlandish conspiracy theory involving 19 Arab hijackers who allegedly: commandeered four commercial jets with nothing more than their cunning, wit, resolve, hatred of America, and some box cutters; then proceed to fly these aircraft around US airspace unfettered for a total lapsed time of over an hour; on three of the planes, pulled stunning flight maneuvers beyond the capability of even expert pilots; and, managed to cause damage to their targets � one of which just happens to have been the most heavily defended building in the world � so extreme as to be in clear violation of several well understood laws of Physics, Chemistry, and Thermodynamics. This amazing conspiracy theory is even more suspicious and bizarre in that it is the one proffered by the United States Government (USG) and the 9-11 Cover-Up Omission Commission. In the 9-11 Truth Movement we call it the Official Conspiracy Theory (OCT). Thankfully, despite the best efforts of the corporate-controlled media and virtually the entire US Congress, there are literally millions of people in this country and millions more around the world who do not believe that these 19 Arabs, as clever as they purportedly were, could have somehow suspended the laws of Physics on 9-11. Are There Competing Conspiracy Theories? We just observed that the official story of 9-11 is in fact a �conspiracy theory�� and a wacky one at that, one that happens to be physically impossible! There must be another explanation, one that doesn�t require us to rewrite most of Newtonian Physics. There is, in fact, another explanation that is supported by the empirical evidence, the observed events of the day. It is more than a �conspiracy theory� at this point. It has been sufficiently verified, tested, and refined to be rightly called a �conspiracy reality�. True, there are competing conspiracy �theories�, but they only compete with the OCT not the conspiracy reality, as they all have anomalies, inconsistencies, improbabilities, and out right impossibilities that will keep them forever in the realm of �theory� unsupported by fact. These conspiracy �theories� that eschew the OCT only to embrace other utter nonsense (like: planes didn�t hit the WTC, holograms and �video trickery� were used instead; the three WTC skyscrapers demolished on 9-11 were destroyed by exotic, space-based, directed energy beam weapons; a commercial jet really did hit the Pentagon) are in reality all part of a concerted COINTELPRO-style USG disinformation campaign designed to splinter and marginalize those of us who have solved the Rubik�s Cube of 9-11. These �theories� don�t compete with what is known to be true by the vast majority of the 9-11 Truth Movement, they are deliberate and elaborate disinformation campaigns designed to make those of us who do know the truth look foolish by association. What Is The Real Conspiracy? Here is a synopsis of what the best and brightest researchers around the world have gleaned over the past five-plus years from the best evidence available: * yes, 9-11 was a �terrorist� attack, but it was not perpetrated by �angry Arabs�, it was a State-sponsored �inside job�, a �false flag� operation planned, executed, and covered up by elements of the USG and operatives from at least two other countries� it was the greatest act of psychological warfare ever perpetrated; * the alleged 19 Arab �hijackers� were �patsies�, several are still alive, several were under the care and feeding of USG operatives and were being �trained� at CIA-operated flight schools; * FBI field agents who discovered the plot were told by their superiors not to investigate the �suspicious Arabs in flight schools�; * no interceptor jets were launched in a timely manner on 9-11 because of the five to seven overlapping war games � �games� simulating a simultaneous hijacking of several planes � that were taking place on 9-11; * the planes that hit the Twin Towers were most likely remotely controlled to their intended targets; * WTC 1 and 2 (the Twin Towers) and WTC 7 were all destroyed by preplanted charges � a combination of Thermate and high-powered explosives � in controlled demolitions; * the Pentagon was hit by a military drone painted to look like American Airlines flight 77, possibly in combination with a cruise missile; * the cell-phone calls allegedly made from the �hijacked� flights were not possible with the technology available on 9-11 from the altitude and speed at which the jets were traveling, these calls were faked to help sell the OCT; * the fate of United flight 93 is still up for debate at this time, it seems to have been intended to hit Congress and was likely shot down by a �rogue� air force interceptor, but some reports claim it landed in Cleveland (one way or another, all passengers are dead). Read full story at http://www.whodidit.org/index.html Other sources of information: http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/govknow.html http://www.mediamonitors.net/mosaddeq36.html http://www.emperors-clothes.com/indict/indict-1.htm

Preparing for the Next Century

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:04:00 +0000

Many people all over the world positively hope and intensely imagine that this magical time will make this world a better place to live. Though only less than half the world population is Christian, but for the sake of convenience and due to the colonial history, people all over the world use Christian calendar. In India, Vikarmi calendar, based upon the lunar cycle is much more logical and has direct relation to our cultural heritage as well as gave us precise timings for various activities such sowing and harvesting. Idea of millennium, that has created euphoria in the West, is only a date of this Calendar. There is no celestial event, such as alignment of certain planets or any other link to any natural phenomenon. It is very much like trying to draw a line on water of ever-flowing River of Time. At the same time, I can not deny the fact, that this very imaginary marking of time is creating an euphoria when many people all over the world sense that this time in history is special and our collective wish for brighter future for mankind may be fulfilled. It is not really important that Christ was really born on December 25th, but idea of Christmas, brings a sea change in the attitude of millions of people all over the world. All of sudden they become generous and caring. This mood normally last only for few days, but it is still worth it. Many people all over the world positively hope and intensely imagine that this magical time will make this world a better place to live. Or at least steps taken during the time leading to the millennium year would change the way we usually think. Signs are that we may possibly achieve some goals those were unthinkable till now. (I am one of those millions �born optimists�.) Javier Perez de Cuellar, ex-Secretary General of UN and Chairman of the World Commission on Culture in his Report �OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY�, says, �This truly exceptional time in history calls for exceptional solutions. The World as we know it, all the relationships we took as given, are undergoing profound rethinking and reconstruction. Imagination, innovation, visions, and creativity is required. International partnerships and interaction are an essential ingredient for creativity in problem-solving, a quality that requires a willingness to frame bold questions instead of depending upon conventional answers.� Serious pondering about the future of the mankind and the planet itself, is normal part of the process for many individuals and institutions. But the arrival of new millennium has created a sense of urgency in this direction. A substantial amount of material has been written and scores, if not hundreds, of serious debates are going on or are being planned for the next 2 years, leading up to the year 2000. First time in 1992, when I read in an airline magazine, about the arrival of the millennium and how thousands of Americans were booking their spaces in hotels and restaurants for the night of 31st December 1999. It added that some people had booked their flights to other end of the planet, nearest to the Date Line, where, they will be first ones to toast the New Year. At that time, this all seemed nothing more than flights of fancy for the rich Americans who have nothing better to spend their dollars on. I don�t think many people took any notice of such news. Nearly four years ago, �Royal Society of Architects� and �Public Art Forum� jointly invited a meeting of 50 or so architects and 25-30 artists in London that was chaired by Peter Plumbo, (then chairman of the Arts Council of England now Lord Plumbo). This special meeting invited ideas from the participants on How to celebrate the arrival of third millennium? I, only non-Christian participant, was wondering what this millennium was it to do with me or others living in non-Christian parts of the world. On second thoughts I joined the band-wagon, thinking that if this, or even any other pretext, can be used to achieve something positive, why not? Since then, in UK, The Millennium Commission has been set up to fund some very ambitious projects; ones couldn�t even be imagined a decade ago. The projects supported by the Commission are mainly symbolic, either major landmarks or building such as cultural centres. The famous and most ambitious project is the Millennium Dome at Greenwich. This mega Dome will house a mind-boggling panorama of light and digital images depicting British achievements in various fields using most recent technology and virtual reality, is expected to attract millions of visitor from all over the world. This, in turn, will show that Britain is still a major power that otherwise it is not sure of. On economic terms it is expected that millions of visitors will pay directly or indirectly the cost of creating this mega fun-fare and as a bonus Britain will improve its image and boost its ego. This is one way of celebrating as well as making the best of the opportunity that this moment in time has brought to all of us. In India, we are very slow grabbing these opportunities. We have just celebrated, (I would rather say not celebrated) the 50 years of country�s Independence. We could have used this opportunity to achieve so many dreams that our fore-fathers dreamt of at the time of Independence in 1947. This was the time to make citizens of India feel proud of their country and its achievements. This, in turn, would have elevated the morale of our people as well as created a positive image of the country abroad. This is the time in history, when the world needs another major country to take the lead to counter-act the Western domination in political and economic fields. India is the only developing country that has the capacity to do so in the above fields as well as being represented on world bodies such as the Security Council. It would have certainly helped in India�s efforts to gain a permanent seat on this world body that is, at present, dominated by Western powers. India could have also reaped additional benefits of securing increased orders for export and creating more business and prosperity for its own people. Global State of Affairs The first major event since the 2nd World War was the disintegration of the Soviet Union, which have had global implications. After decades of Cold War, this single event made you feel as if one morning you had woken up and heard the news that the earth had lost its South Pole and was left with only one, 'the North'. Imagine how much chaos it would create; the planet might lose its orientation and its annual cycle. Today, as a result of this one event in history, not only have alternative views of the world died a death, but also we are left with a �one party/one opinion� world. Whereas this change brought an end to the cold war, and as a result solutions to decades-old problems, such as South Africa and Palestine, became more achievable. Some unpalatable regimes, in countries those were strategically important for superpowers, have became less favourable. As a result of these changes, the super-powers, those were trying to out-bid each other, have started to pay little more attention to other problems such as the environment. The demise of the Soviet Empire made the West, and especially the US, feel that it had won the game. State Department policy maker Francis *censored*uyama made this claim in his celebrated thesis �The End of History and End of the World�. This very sense of victory has unshackled the US multinationals and they are spreading their operations all over the world as a pace that seems to know no stopping. The US is now determined to paint the planet in Coca-Cola colour. Only five countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Cuba, and North Korea) are for one or the other reason resisting this onslaught. These are the very countries now marked as enemies of the world by the powerful Western media. Undoubtedly, it was not that many people were fond of communism or the Soviet regime itself, but it at least provided an alternative view/concept of the life and the world, as opposed to liberal capitalism. Now, the idea of Socialism, at one time, was seen as an ideal future for many of the world�s disadvantaged people, as opposed to Liberal Capitalism. A large number of world�s artistic and academic circles saw it as an alternative that could give an opportunity for the disadvantaged to change their circumstances and an achievable paradigm for the future. Today, the word Socialism has become an anathema, and does not inspire any further debate. For example millions of workers in Britain who very sincerely gave their blood for decades to nurture the Labour Party at grassroots level. Today they are feeling betrayed by their own party leaders. These innocent and loyal souls did not foresee the in-coming sea change in the world politics and economic realities. The market forces, those cannot fight you on the ground, can seep/burrow under your very feet and one day you would realise that the ground, that you were standing on, is not yours any more. The same story is being repeated all over the world. We all are told again and again by the world�s most powerful media that there is only one option left open to all of us, to embrace the golden mermaid of market forces and liberal Capitalism beautifully packaged in Coca-Cola bottles. POSITIVE MOVES / GLOBAL INITIATIVES Fortunately, world bodies such as UNESCO and others are initiating and supporting projects those are really concerned about the good of humankind. * The first �World Assembly� for the �Progress of Humankind� was recently held in Brazil that was organised by the independent Swiss-based �Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation�. This initiative is supported by world figures like Mikhail Gorbachev. It is aiming for a multi-scale long-term programme for dignified entrance of humanity into the 21st century. * On the New Year�s Eve, 31 December 1997, Christian Aid came with a very imaginative idea, �Jubilee 2000�. Under this banner, churches, trade unions and economists, 50 agencies have formed a coalition and will launch a biggest campaign ever in UK. They will campaign to convince the Western Governments and Banks to cancel the backlog of unpayable debts of the 50 poorest nations by the year 2000. No doubt this is a hugely ambitious goal, but creditors do agree that these debts of these countries is unpayable and must be cancelled. �The Guardian� (London) argues in its editorial of 31st December 97, that the millennium could be the right time to achieve this, not only for the sake the governments but for the millions of people living in those poor countries. If the world fails to make this generous gesture, these poor people will continue to suffer well into the next millennium. * In 1992, UN and UNESCO appointed World Commission on Culture and Development under the chairmanship of Javier Perez de Cuellar, ex-Secretary General of UN. The Commission worked for three years and published its report �Our Cultural Diversity�. It is being followed up by the Intergovernmental Conference in Stockholm March/April 1998. * �The World Beyond 2000� is another global project set up in Britain, to look at the Role of Artists in Changing Histories and Imagining Futures. This project is aimed to examine how the artists and other creative people all over the world has contributed in making it a better place and what will be the role of these creative people in the 21st century. Though project is the brainchild one artist (author of this article) but it is gaining international support and has been lauded by world figures like Perez de Cuellar. UNESCO is only supporting the project but planning to take it further by bringing thinkers from other disciplines together following this proposed symposium in year 2000. (More about these global initiatives in parts 2& 3 of the series.) This is the first article in a series under the titles - 1. Millennium - A magical time to imagine a better future for Mankind. 2. Cultural dimension as important for a healthy future for humankind as Environment. 3. Role of Artists and Thinkers in Shaping Histories and Imagining Futures 4. Education as a tool for translation of cultural values and preparing for the future. 5. Can India Shake its Shackles of Indecision and Inactivity and face the future? The Tribune, Chandigarh, India Avtarjeet Dhanjal is a Panjabi sculptor settled in Britain, works, and lectures internationally. In 1997, Institute of International Visual Arts organised a survey show of his 25 years work in London and published a monograph. In September 1998, he is invited to show his work at Palais de Nations, Geneva to coincide with the UN celebrations of 50 years of signing the Peace Treaty. In 1996, he initiated �The World Beyond 2000�, that has received international support including UNESCO. The project held its first seminar at the Tate Gallery in September 1997 and is invited to run a seminar by Swedish Commission for UNESCO at the Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for the 21st Century to be held in Stockholm in March/April 1998. This series of articles is based upon the deliberations to take place at Stockholm Seminar.

Some people see it coming and some don�t

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:31:00 +0000

James Robinson wonder in the Media page of the Observer 12.10.2008 (p 11) �Why didn�t the City journalists see the financial crisis coming?�; except a lone voice of Gilian Tett of the FT. One would expect that papers like FT, who has the resources, envy of many others, would have someone who is not involved in the day to day manufacturing of the NEWS, but who sits back and just takes long term view of the markets and the system as a whole, where it is coming from and where it is heading to? I wonder why none of the journalists working for papers like FT, even the other broadsheet papers, couldn�t stand back and see the bigger picture; the media needs to think its role again. I was an occasional writer for a small publication AN (Artists� Newsletter) in 1980s and 90s, as an artist, I could see such a need to cast an overview of the humanity as a artist and creative person. I quote from one of the pieces I wrote in 1980s, �If we imagine, the whole of the humanity is a large caravan travelling with time. In this caravan most people are busy pushing pulling, carrying their possessions, sweating in a race of material achievements. It is the Artist, who disengages him/herself from this entourage; frees from this rat-race, runs ahead of the caravan, finds a vantage point to grasp/intuit an overview, where the caravan is coming from and where it is heading to? Then the Artist expresses this vision by singing a song, playing a piece of music, writing a poem, making a painting or a sculpture to share it with the world.� I commented again in 1989, when Francis *censored*uyama, made his big declaration of �End of History�, it was published in The Guardian Nov. 14, 1989, �In the cycle of history, every system grows and vanishes. Russia and its allies tried to hold on to the wheel of time, hoping they might stop it. That was a mistake they are paying for. Capitalism is not absolute system. Its only advantage is that with liberal mix, it leaves a lot of breathing points, so the system survives longer.� Now what we see now these breathing points what liberal Capitalism has grown so big that it exhausted all the energy, leaving a skeleton that came down like a carcass of a dead cow. Its not only the meltdown of the core (Wall Street) of the Western financial system, but it is exhaustion of an idea/system that West wanted to project as an example of the monetary system for the rest of the world to follow. As an outsider I could see it coming in 1995, when I wrote a proposal for a World Symposium to imagine a future in the 21st century. The second major event since the 2nd world war has been the disintegration of the Soviet Union, which has its global implications. This one event did make you feel, as if you wake up one morning and hear the news that the Earth has lost its South Pole and was left with only one 'the North'. Imagine how much chaos it would create; the planet may lose its orientation and its annual cycle. Today, as a result of this one event in history, it is not only that any alternative view of the world have died a death, but we are left with a �one party/one opinion� world. (This was the opening para in a paper I presented in a seminar, 'Shaping Histories - Imagining Futures' At UNESCO Conference on Culture & Development, March 31, 1998, Stockholm.) (Clink on this link to read the full paper) Now the real concern of George Bush, Gordon Brown other Western leaders, in not that few Banks have collapsed or they had to put trillions of dollars of public money to shore the system; the very idea/horse that they were riding to demolish all other kinds of ideas/systems in the world that very horse has collapsed. As a result they also lost the moral whip they used to most of the world. Now watch it the day, the OPEC countries switch over from Dollar as trading currency to Euro, the Dollar will be worth very little may bring another major crisis in the US economy, no one has imagined. There are already countries Venezuela and Iran tried to put the currency change issue on the table in the last OPEC meeting early this year; Saudi Arabia, who has invested most of its reserve in the US, and strong supporter of the US, brushed aside the idea of currency change. But this postponement would not go on for ever. Dollar, that was the choice currency at one time in the tourist trade in India, now the tour guides prefer to be paid in Indian Rupees that in Dollars. That is how the world values this currency now. Can you imagine the scenario if only one country, say Saudi Arabia, who has invested over $750 Billion in the US economy, decides to switch its reserve to Euro-zone, America would not have resources to pay in any precious metal or the other currencies? Saudis certainly threatened to so when families of US victims of 9/11 tried to sue for damages personally 4 members of the Saudi Royal family in 2002. This is the result of very arrogance of the US governments over decades since the 2nd World War, more so since the fall of the Soviet Union, it has become a bully/policeman of the world in a, what I called above the One Polar, world. World, including me, is curiously waiting to see where it goes, when the planet seems to have lost it�s the only pole, we were left with, when Soviet power disintegrated in 1989. I am an incurable optimist, still believes that world will be more balanced without one dominating pole, it was left with. Francis *censored*uyama swallowed back its claim �End of History�; I believe this is the beginning of a very interesting history is in the making in the 21st century. Keep watching!!! Avtarjeet Dhanjal

'Shaping Histories - Imagining Futures'

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:55:00 +0000

Keynote Paper read by Avtarjeet Dhanjal for the Seminar 'Shaping Histories - Imagining Futures' At UNESCO Conference on Culture & Development March 31, 1998, Stockholm Today we are gathered here in this room and I, as an artist, will invite you to join me in extending and expanding the boundaries of this room beyond it's four walls. We artists have the power of imagination to expand this space as far as we intend, enough even to accommodate the whole planet and beyond. That is the prerogative of creative artists. Before we take our position at the centre-stage of 'Shaping Histories and Imagining Futures', I would like to establish why we claim to have the right to take this unique position. Forgive me if I dare to stretch the parameters of my paper, only to illustrate a concept, which is the core of my thesis. We are all aware that there is a magnetic line running between the two poles of the Earth (the North and the South). Birds, animals, and other living species on this planet use this natural energy line to orientate themselves. At one time in history, we humans also were intuitively aware of this line, but our social up bringing has made us severe this connection. As human beings, we do draw our own maps on this planet disregarding natural energy lines, but we still need the North and South to read our maps. Otherwise we shall be completely lost. Using this example of magnetic line, I want to take you further and discuss with you a similar natural force, which is really the core of the whole universe. (A universe in which this planet 'Earth' is only a tiny dot.) It is the very force that has set the universe in continuos motion It also makes the Sun rise every morning, water flow down-stream, trees grow and flowers blossom and makes us, the human beings, get up every morning to face the world. This force is called the 'Evolutionary Force'. We all and everything around us what our eyes can or even not see, is part of the same evolutionay process that was set in motion from the time unknown. There was a time when all human beings were fully in tune with the evolutionary force, but at one time in history, when people developed the idea of ownership. The concept of ownership was followed by the human instinct of greed. This new development changed the future of mankind for good. That was the very moment in human history when we started to move away from our natural way of living and started to lose our direct connection with this life force. On the other hand, from the very time human beings have been searching for this missing link through meditation, artistic creations and through scientific discoveries. Today, in this room, if we can reconnect ourselves to this evolutionary force, we can not only expand the boundaries of this space but can also change the world around us. In our own individual ways, we are intuitively engaged in the same process, but most of the time the individual effort is like a mouse nibbling away a small part of the mountain. But if we collectively focus our intent and put all our imaginative/creative energy in a shared dream, I assure you today that we can shape the future of mankind to a more creative, positive and humane future. The world we have been handed by previous generations is a very complex world, where everything is distorted by the human greed. It is essential to look at the state of today's affairs in the world so that we may establish our position and be fully aware. In recent history, the greed of people from one part of the world has subjected people from other parts to colonial yokes. They have also made us go through two of the biggest wars in history, subjected millions to gas chambers, denied basic human rights to millions more under apartheid regimes and so on. Who were these people who perpetrated all this to satisfy their greedy instincts, these are the people of the so called civilised West. The same dominant West also wrote history and called these wars the World Wars, so that it need not to take the full blame for these barbaric acts. During the second half of this century, in the aftermath of these wars, humanity was further subjected to the continuos tension of the Cold War, and all the peace loving people of the planet were condemned as the "Third World". These peace-loving people were not only labelled as the 'Third World, but the West also took away their power to change anything of their own future without the consent of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council This traumatic century also gave birth to dominant opposing concepts of life, which are Liberal Capitalism and Socialism. It would be wrong for me here to go too much into the details of the two systems, but what was positive about this situation was that the two concepts worked as counter balance to each other, so that one system didn't go bezerk. Nearly a decade ago, when the Soviet system burst, because it tried to hold back the natural growth of human thoughts and aspirations. AS a result it made the other side feel as if it had won the argument. Now the satellite media of the dominant West is telling people all over the world that Coca-Cola and McDonalds is the solution to global problems. If you really think about it, it is like if we woke up one morning and heard the news that the Earth had lost it's South Pole. Can you imagine how much chaos it would create? As a result the planet may even loose its orientation and it's annual cycle? It wasn't as if people were fond of the Communist regimes of Eastern Europe, but the concept of Socialism gave a distant hope to thousands of down-trodden people and an alternative concept to intellectuals all over the world. Now we are left with one Pole - one opinion world, which is nothing less than a totalitarian regime. I believe that this is the time for us, the artists and thinkers together, to occupy this conceptual gap and to create a counter concept of life; one that is more in tune with the evolutionary force. So that this counter concept is not another econo-political ideology but a concept that is more creative and humane, more enduring. It is not only our prerogative but our duty to do so at this very juncture in history, and that is what fires me as sculptor. Just a little about the history of WB2000, it was originally a concept to bring artists, scientists, economists, social scientists and others together to imagine a collective future for the next century. The enormity of such an undertaking, for an artist like me, is nothing less than an impossible proposition. So I drew a proposal for a symposium for artists and thinkers from the Arts to come together to reflect at the last 50 years history and examine if we really have contributed towards shaping it. So that we may dare to imagine a future too. The good news is that since I made my presentation at UNESCO early 1997, UNESCO is seriously thinking of not only supporting this project for the year 2000, but to carry forward my original idea by organising similar symposia for scientists in the year 2001 and economists and others in the year 2002. Thank you Avtarjeet Dhanjal

After all Sculpture is only a 'THING'

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:18:33 +0000

At one time on this planet, there were only fish, animals, birds, and insects. There were also those animals that looked like humans but they were not different from the others either. They were all fighting, killing and eating each other. That made God very unhappy. God called a meeting of all his angels, and asked for an advice. It was decided to create loving, thoughtful and disciplined creature and call them humans. One morning God decided to follow the Sun with a bag full of new attributes as its gift to the animals that looked like humans. God picked up a country on earth that had the highest mountain, which happened to be India. God chose the best ingredients from his bag, the Feelings, Love, Passion, and Devotion. God continued showering these gifts till it reached Greece. Greeks had already heard of God�s coming and his gifts, so they set up a welcome party and consulted among themselves, what gifts to ask from God. God was very pleased with its welcome and thoughtfulness of the Greeks. Greeks thought that they were of different race from the dark people to the East and the South, so they deserve something special. After listening to their requests and a little bit of thinking, God said, �I shall give you the best attribute that I have got, �Thinking and Logic�. With this attribute you will create new ideas, theories; those will be followed by all of your kind.� God also warned that they would not expect that all humans on the planet would follow their theories, especially the people he had already given the Feelings and Passion. God also added when they did not obey the advice there will be destruction on this planet. Before God continued his journey around the planet, there was delegation from Africa, urging him not to ignore them. God said you have traveled far and I have to give you something which you already have shown to me; �Strength�; the physical strength. God assured them that no other people will be able to match them; as a result women from all continents would secretly long for you. The Sun had already reached on the other side of the planet, shining on Japan and China and other countries of the East; God just managed to catch up with the sun. God saw that the Japanese were a very different race. God was running out of attributes/gifts to distribute. While he was thinking hard to find new attributes, he noticed that these people were very polite and waiting patiently. God said, �I shall give you something no other people have got, the �Discipline and Dedication�. God added that with these two attributes they would be known all over the planet, they would work hard to make these attributes perfect. The most obedient people are since working hard and making everything perfect. ___________________________________________ Part II When I was attending St Martin�s School of Art in London, one of our lecturers used to take our weekly seminars; he would bring his written papers, and read to our Post-Grad class. These discussions were very varied, since almost half the students came from other countries, French, German, Turkish, Japanese, Singaporean and Indian as well, so it was very interesting how in the beginning of the year, all foreign students kept a low key in discussions as a sign of politeness and most of the British would toe the line of the paper�s presenter. One afternoon, paper�s title was �SCULPTURE IS A THING�; and the learned presenter spoke for over an hour about the �thinginess� of the sculpture. Some of the foreign students were getting edgy. What I discovered first time in my life that as long I was listening to the speaker, I was following the argument, but at the end of the reading if someone had asked me what the paper was about, there was nothing I could remember. So I faced the lecturer, told him politely but boldly that his arguments in the paper were like sand, that just filtered through my fingers and I was left with nothing to hold on to. Normally when one listens to someone�s argument for over an hour, whether one agreed with speaker�s point of view or not, at least you knew what the argument was? But in this case, there was nothing I could hold onto from the �thinginess� of the sculpture. In India, where I grew up, when some one told something very abstract, such as TRUTH, HONESTY; it was always illustrated with a story. At the end of the story the core idea became evident as shining pearl, as if it had just popped out of its shell, and was now sitting in full day light on your palm. That would leave you always amazed why did not you find this pearl before. Our learned lecture very firmly told me, that was not how things are done in Europe. �You are after pearls of wisdom, but we only use logic to build an argument. We do not need to be passionate about these things. After all Sculpture is only a Thing�.

SUNDAY - BBC 17 Feb 2008

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:17:44 +0000

Even the �Sunday� a supposed to be religious program does not want to left behind in condemning the Chinese human rights record and inspiring others how to disrupt the games. What an opportunistic move? CHINESE OLYMPICS: � Let us go back a little; last time American used Moscow Olympics to make political point against the Russian involvement in Afghanistan. I say involvement, as it did not invade Afghanistan, rather went there on the invitation of then Afghani government. Using he same yardstick, now the world knows than Britain and US has invaded the same country Afghanistan as well as Iraq, against the wishes of more than half the world and their own people. Why not British and American players should be thrown out of the Olympics? � Like everyone else, when you mention the Chinese trading with Sudanese government, who is supporting the ethnic cleansing in Southern Sudan. Sure terrible atrocities have been being committed in Southern Sudan, everyone should condemn it unreservedly, but the similar atrocities have been committed by the Chinese in Tibet, why that is not good reason to boycott Chinese Games. Fact of the matter is that British Prime Minister was happy to do big business deal with Chinese recently, why British didn�t use business boycott to tell Chinese for their human rights abuses. On the other hand Britain doesn�t care to condemn Sudanese Government, as it has business interest there. OTHER ISSUES: Muslim response to Danish cartoons of Mohammed, attacks on Christians in Turkey and Pakistan and big hoo haa created by the mutterings of Dr Rowan Williams are linked. � First of all, West has developed a democratic system of government over the centuries, that has made it possible for people of all faiths/cultural backgrounds to come and live here and enjoy the benefits what such a system provides. � I am a Sikh from India, I have chosen to live here for very same reasons, and have in return accepted the rules and law of the country. This system also allows me criticise the system openly without any fear or threat to my life. I consider joining the debate as my contribution to make this system even better. � The democratic system allow me to practice my religion/faith and have my own thoughts expressed openly, but if I start to dream of establishing a Khalistan/ exclusive Sikh homeland in this country, or expect that every citizen of this country to accept/follow my religious beliefs, I shall be abusing my welcome to this country. � I shall apply the same principle for any other faith/community, including Muslims to accept wholeheartedly the rule of law of their host country, may it be Britain, Denmark, France or any other where they have chosen to live. A democratic system allows its citizens to criticize, comment or even ridicule person/idea/religious thoughts openly without any one threatening the life of the commentator. If Muslims in the West are so unhappy the way the democratic system works, I would recommend them to go and live in Muslim country, where they might feel more comfortable. There is no one keeping them in the West by force. I think Dr Rowan Williams� hint of any inclusion of Sharia law into the British law is misguided thought. In that case why not some aspects of Hindu, Sikh, Bah�'� Faith also be included. Then where do you stop? � Britain has already shown a great tolerance and openness. The people of such a small island have welcomed people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds. If British public is ready to open its hearts and minds further then there should be an open forum where rules/ideas of all other faiths are equally considered and possibly included into British law. That will certainly set an example of the openness of a society. � In return this may also inspire Muslims in Pakistan, Turkey and others to be more tolerant of other religions, faiths and ideas. This wish to open up to the new ideas must come from the people of the country itself, it can�t be imposed upon by the barrel of the gun, as George Bush has chosen to do in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What Hold India Together

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 22:50:55 +0000

08 August 2007 Thanks to New Statesman for commissioning special features for the issue. India has many problems, just name the few: 1. Over population, that creates over-consumption of all the resources and opportunities, and creates corruption. 2. Education, its not only the lack of it, but those who can afford to get it, it gives them just enough to get a job, if one is lucky, but doesn't make them good citizens. This is the kind of education was created by the British, and no government has taken to challenge to change it. There is NO 'Social & Personal Education'; that would make them good citizens. I am not surprized that should the borders open to migrate to the West, I think half the population will leave India. On the other hand those who have already settled abroad, still long to be in India. Surely there is something India offers that can't be replaced by economic prosperity the West offers. It is not the cricket, not the English language, not the Hindi films, as Ramachanran Guha has counted, but deeper understanding of life, that un-written Indian philosophy, culture that is part of everyday life. It is the smell of the soil that connects us to the land where one is born, that is what holds India together and will continue to do. When I say half the population will migrate abroad, given the chance, but they will soon find out that what economic prosperity West offers is a big price, what money can't buy it. Avtarjeet Dhanjal

I WILL SURVIVE - 'Prospect'

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 09:42:39 +0000

Reading Michael Lind's article, that Prospect has given the status of Cover Story, puts forward such a blinkered view of the US problems. It seemed like a paid article to camouflage the real problems US would face in near future. I also read the other comments on this blog, it seems when live within a country/society is like seeing the house only from inside where live in, rather than from outsider's perspective. The whole house may on sliding down the hill, you may not even feel it when are living inside. What put the US on slipery slop is its decoupling of the dollar in 1972, as currency, from the gold reserves US is supposed to hold. It has allowed the US to print money like crazy. If any other country would have done it, no body would buy that currency. As a result, there are such big heaps of cash dollars in the world, especially in the oil rich countries. To add to this problem that no body know how many of these is fake currency. People relied on Dollar as solid money as it has been a trading currency for oil, gold and other commodities. Since Dollar has been a trading currency, so most of the oil money is deposited in US banks, that is what gave US a sense of well-being and prosperity, and it could afford to a launch uncalled for wars such as Iraq. The biggest threat US faces is, if tomorrow OPEC decides to switch from Dollar to Euro as its trading currency, the dollar will be worthless. There are already voices in the OPEC, those are asking for this switchover. It is the Saudis, as chair of the last OPEC meeting didn't allow this discussion to take place. One can understand that Saudis has invested all its reserves in the US, which is estimated to amount around 8% of the US economy. Considering when Euro was launched in 1999, Dollar value has dropped more than 30% percent. It is commonsense that OPEC countries would not like to keep Dollar as its trading currency. US government has aware of this danger and has made concerted efforts to de-rail Euro, or at least not to allow to be used as global trading currency. Some people believe that real reason for US attack on Iraq was not that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, but he has set a dangerous trend to sell his oil in Euro. According to Energy Bulletin - 2 Aug 2005 "It is now obvious the invasion of Iraq had less to do with any threat from Saddam�s long-gone WMD program and certainly less to do to do with fighting International terrorism than it has to do with gaining strategic control over Iraq�s hydrocarbon reserves and in doing so maintain the U.S. dollar as the monopoly currency for the critical international oil market." Energy Bulletin further adds "Similar to the Iraq war, military operations against Iran relate to the macroeconomics of �petrodollar recycling� and the unpublicized but real challenge to U.S. dollar supremacy from the euro as an alternative oil transaction currency." This is the real danger to US supremacy, which the pints Michael Lind pointed in his article. Imagine tomorrow Saudis decide to withdraw all its investment in the US, that is said to be trillions of dollars, how the US is going withstand sudden outflow of money from its economy. That will certainly be the end of the Dollar as international currency and US supremacy as global power. When the whole house edging on the slippery slop, is in danger of tipping over, what makes the difference how the internal furniture is arranged, that is what Michael Lind and other occupants of the house area talking about. Avtarjeet Dhanjal

When our next generation will look

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:12:00 +0000

Sarah Lucas� provocative sculpture and comments of several lorry drivers, say a lot about the state of the British Art. When successful artist is one who can make headlines in the media by creating something totally controversial, and not necessarily a good work of art. When Jean Tinguely exhibited a urinal pot in the Paris exhibition, he used it only as point of provocation, not really a work of art. During last 2 decades whole visual arts scene in Britain is taken over by the �headlines works� and it has created national heroes out of provocative works; when good contemplative works of art hardly get a mention. As a matter of fact, �visual arts� is such an area, where 3-4 people can decide the whole direction of art. You need one buyer, one art critic and a gallery director to decide who the most valuable artist is. Whereas in other areas such as music, literature or theatre, a creator needs to appeal of thousands of consumers, or even hundreds of thousands who would put there money. When our next generation will look at the contribution made by Damian Hurst or Tracey Emin, it will feel having been let down when they will find no substance under the headline works of art.