Open Thread — Say what you will

Time for you to speak up and state your opinions on whatever suits your fancy. If you wish to use the “lurker” login (password “lurking”), please do leave an identifier in the comment.

[Cartoon by Clay Bennett.]

On Failure and Imagination

Without having read a single word of the Harry Potter novels, I guessed that JK Rowling must be an extraordinary person. The possessor of an imagination so remarkable that it captures the hearts of hundreds of millions cannot but be extraordinarily talented.

But I am wary of objects of popular fascination — whether they be religions, politicians, movie stars, cult leaders, popular movements, fads and fashion. I have never been one to judge anyone good merely because millions of people hold him or her in high regard. I am extremely suspicious of the “wisdom of the crowds.” Indeed, whenever I come across a highly regarded public figure, my default assumption is that all cannot be quite right with the person. I admit that I am a cynic.

So while I guessed that Rowling was extraordinarily talented, I did not have an opinion on whether she was good. I am delighted to conclude that she is a good person. The evidence? Her Harvard University commencement address. Here, for the record, are some excerpts: Continue reading “On Failure and Imagination”

Laptops and Learning

Let me begin with an “I told you so.” For a few years I have been obsessed with the use of technology in education because it is my considered position that the smart use of technology provides the best hope of solving the problem of educating the hundreds of millions in India.

But a bit of thinking brought me to the (apparently contradictory) conclusion that laptops in the school learning environment is detrimental to learning. I love the idea of using technology in schools but totally distrust the idea of one-on-one laptop use in schools. In 2006 I wrote, “It is predictable that in the near future, good schools around the world will prohibit school students the use of laptops while in class, just as students are not allowed cell phones.”
Continue reading “Laptops and Learning”

Administrivia

I had to close registration for comments because of spammers. There’s a generic comment login: lurker and the password is lurking. I hope if you use it, do sign off with a real name or with a persistent pseudonym, please. Otherwise it is hard for others to refer to you in their comments.

If you wish to have a real user login for comments, email me atanudey at gmail and let me know what user name you wish to have.

Wish you a fun weekend but don’t be like the guy on the right.

Let’s regularize this, shall we?

I think it is high time the government of India took some action. This whole thing is becoming regular enough that its normality should be acknowledged by having a ministry in the government which would frame proper regulation and oversee the industry. I propose that they frame the right tax codes. People would like to know what the tax rate is for income arising from rewards earned from murdering people?
Continue reading “Let’s regularize this, shall we?”

Fuel Surcharge for Private Cars

In a piece I had written for the Indian Express (see “How we subsidize the rich“, Feb 15, 2008), I had advanced a tentative solution to the problem of how fuel subsidies benefit those rich enough to afford cars at the expense of the poor. Here I will address a few objections raised against the idea.
Continue reading “Fuel Surcharge for Private Cars”

Swami Ramdev’s Peculiar Beliefs

I don’t know who Swami Ramdev is. I have not seen him, read him, or heard him. My knowledge of who he is is limited to what I read about him in this Rediff article, “Swami Ramdev attacks the political system“, which says that he is “the iconic yoga guru with a phenomenal mass fallowing (sic).”

Evidently he is widely regarded as a spiritual guru. But however spiritual his claim to fame may be, I can’t help but wonder how can an adult who is clearly able to function normally be so mistaken about the nature of the world as to actually hold the positions that the article claims he does. Does spirituality or whatever it is that is his main calling so shield him from the everyday material world that he is totally and completely disconnected from reality?
Continue reading “Swami Ramdev’s Peculiar Beliefs”

Mr Lee and Mr Chee agreed to have a fight

The NY Times of 30th May reports (“Power and Tenacity Collide in Singapore Courtroom” — Thanks, Naman) on the clash between two personalities — one powerful and famous, the other powerless — in a Singapore courtroom. Former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, 84, met his political adversary Chee Soon Juan, 45, in court where the former is suing the latter for libel. In a newsletter published in 2006, Mr Chee had accused the Singapore government of corruption. Mr Lee takes charges of corruption seriously and refused to let Mr Chee’s accusation go unchallenged.

I suppose the court would figure out if Mr Chee’s charge is true or not. If the charge is false, I would be much relieved because I would hate to find out that the man I have very high regard for — Mr Lee Kuan Yew — has feet of clay.
Continue reading “Mr Lee and Mr Chee agreed to have a fight”

The Price of Oil and the Wages of Stupidity

I have argued in the past that India is poor by choice — not by necessity, nor by a heavenly compulsion, or a divine thrusting upon, or an enforced obedience of planetary influences [1].

“Of course, that does not mean that every poor Indian has chosen to be poor. Someone else in a position of power made choices whose consequences are evident. India’s leaders – past and present – have consistently made choices that have had, and are having, a disastrous effect on the lives of hundreds of millions of human beings.” [From a post made in June five years ago.]
Continue reading “The Price of Oil and the Wages of Stupidity”