ALL-THAT-MATTERS Page in The Sunday Times of
India
dated 27-APR-2008
Shashi on Sunday carries a startling caption – Are North, South heading for a Cold War? He sees a deep dichotomy between the approaches adopted by the developed north and the developing south to China’s sensitivities over its sovereignty in the context of Tibet. The hosting of Olympics by China and protests by Tibetans have imparted high visibility to these differences. While leaders from the North are vocal and overt in their criticism and boycott, those from the South – including India that has provided asylum to the Dalai Lama - have been deferential to the Chinese feelings. However the professed commitment of the North to Human Rights has not prevented it from having economic ties with China. Similarly the anti-colonial approach shared by the South with China and their respect towards Chinese feelings notwithstanding, their hearts are with the pacifism of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans. In fact despite the leadership role cast upon China, it is not the natural leader of the South. This diametric opposition in the overt and covert stances adopted by both North and South gives the lie to fears of a new cold war between the two.
India needs McCain as US President is the caption in the Swaminomics column. Indians’ sympathies at large may be with the two Democratic hopefuls, one a woman and the other a black, rather than with the white Vietnam war hero McCain. However, Swaminathan feels that the policy stances likely to be adopted by McCain in the matter of nuclear deal and free trade will better suit Indian interests. McCain is also more likely to offer concessions on agricultural subsidies in Doha negotiations.
Chidananda Rajghatta in Indiaspora talks of Grain Drain as US, the land of Milk and Honey, rations rice, and India and China overtake it in the production of milk and honey respectively. And yet the problem remains that of obesity in US and of malnutrition in India. This is essentially because our huge gains in production have been accompanied with population growth and also improved consumption. Thus India, after making a dramatic transition from a food grain deficit nation to a surplus one, recently slipped back a notch to be barely self sufficient with a recent need for importing wheat.
Shobha De has come out with Cheerleader’s diary under Politically Incorrect as they are hounded by the moral police that find their acts obscene. Cheerleaders don’t know a thing about cricket and find that crowds too are more interested in stars and them rather than the game. They also get a complex as they find local movies too hot, Indian chicks way too wild, and Indian men too sex starved.
Jugular Vein zeroes in on World Gourmet Summit ( WGS) at Singapore that highlights its efforts to imbibe cultural vibrancy after making the transition from a place of ‘Chinks, stinks and drinks’ to an international hub of trade, commerce, shipping and IT.
Bachi in Erratica reminisces about Parasi agiaries (temples), and their old time grandeur getting eroded over time.
(This summary is published by the author (anil.upadhyaya@gmail.com) every week on Shvoong.)