Bitter Sweet Reforms | A Retail Foreign Direct Invasion in India ?

      
        This is a comment in response to an article on the Times of India The original post,


" How Sonia Gandhi was persuaded to back reforms. Read here: http://toi.in/lnWreZ "

Image Ref. http://tinyurl.com/9wv47se

My response,
                 And now, this is what the first surgical incision looks like ;)
Many of us who have followed the situation with reforms and FDI's for several years are fully aware of who exactly in terms of foreign groups and financial entities have been steadily lobbying, bribing and laying down the pressure to enter into the Indian market space and greatly gain out of it. It is important to note that it won't be easy for local players to even come close to tackling, competing or coexisting with the new competition, it won't be easy either to curb foreign investments from serving as instruments for parasitic economics that will over a period of time, perhaps less than a decade, drain capital permanently away from this country.

-----------------------------

Update as of 7th December 2012

          A comment in response to a post seen on cnn ibn,

" FDI now the law of the land, Opposition graceless in defeat: Anand Sharma http://ibnlive.in.com/news/fdi-now-the-law-of-the-land-oppn-graceless-in-defeat-anand-sharma/309386-37-64.html "

Find the original post here,

Image/Ref. http://tinyurl.com/atxxvtq

           

            Just give it 5-10 years; Parasitic economics and exploitation is nothing but an inevitable reality, it is the only tried and tested strategy that will make an entry with tapping into such a large, promising and unexplored market feasible and highly profitable. Over the last decade or so we have seen several examples of this across smaller markets and weaker economies in Europe. At an estimated $450 billion retail is large enough to guarantee a huge impact in India, especially for all those regional ethnic sub-economies that depend on it as a seasonal driver of growth and stability. I guess time will make it clear to all the naysayers that FDI stands for 'Foreign Direct Invasion' ( Represented by Agents of Economic Imperialism, Remember the East India Company? ) 

..as opposed to anything else.

-----------------------------

Update as of 9th December 2012

          A comment in response to a follow up on the story as seen on cnn ibn,

"Walmart spent Rs 125 crore on lobbying to enter India: Report http://ibnlive.in.com/news/walmart-spent-rs-125-crore-on-lobbying-to-enter-india-report/309563-7.html"

Image Ref. http://tinyurl.com/ajhy8v7

           Although it is safe not to know the Actual figures (vs. what can be disclosed), $25 million, even in relative terms to many Indians.. is still small change compared to the market space they hope to capture and dominate in the coming future. The big question concerns the impact it will have on 'All Things Local' when they employ their standards and practices out there. ( We've seen how well all the IBMs and Accenture's of the IT world have faired in India for a while now) Again, time will tell, but the interesting question that will remain unanswered and obscure is what exactly prevented them and made them take so long since 2008.  Sadly, I'm sure that for some time to come many of the affected and their families will have to dig deep to the very bottom of their hearts when they think of this large American Brand and those corrupt leaders, Both here and there, along with this rather cheap number, that makes all their miseries possible as their hardships come to life.


As a sincere and frank reminder, 

Dear friends (Concerned Citizens/ Journalists/ General Public), 

          Keep a close watch of this company's policies/ business practices, including discrimination, anti competitive practices, aggressive/predatory pricing, the corporation's foreign product sourcing, treatment of product suppliers, environmental practices, the use of public subsidies, low wages, poor working conditions, and the company's security policies. Do you know of retailers out there who would engage in product selection that promotes a new ideology/agenda or even subtly inject a propaganda into the masses. Here's a fine example of all this and a lot more in Walmart. Unfortunately over the years there has not been enough unity or fair democratic values or an essential sense of equality in opportunity among average Americans here to even conjure up or imagine a boycott, but I'd like to believe that this Spirit is still strong in a place like India.

Best Regards.

Sincerely,

Jai Krishna Ponnappan

Rich America ~ A Rich Idea Indeed. Does it Still Stand a Fighting Chance

This is a comment in response to a post on irishcentral.com.

The original message,
‎"Do you think the wealthy should pay more tax? Share your views

http://www.irishcentral.com/story/ent/manhattan_diary/mitt-romney-poster-boy-for-tax-havens---cayman-island-accounts-part-of-the-100-billion-lost-revenue-to-us-every-year-170958011.html "



My comment in response,

The Fruits of your Dreams Come Alive and Emerge Only through Toil and Labor

" We often hear of wealthy Americans investing overseas. Now, if we increase taxes for them we will start hearing of how they're either moving out altogether, forfeiting their citizenship or finding new loop holes and havens in ways the average person can never possibly fathom. Taxes hurt most of us, just think of what exactly are we paying for: Mismanaged funds? Wastage? Unwanted Excesses? Irrelevant policies and needless programs? Interventions that burn more of our hard earned money than anything else? If you cut taxes, you make it easier for the average enterprise, the smallest of contractors and subcontractors to breathe, stay alive and compete. By increasing the tax burden you put a weight on communities, businesses and the people of this Nation unlike anything they're used to bearing. This was never a Socialist Nation with a big government that needs loads of your money in taxes just to stay operational and then still manage to build these massive debts. It was a Nation where Free enterprises thrived and businesses supported other businesses and everyone else. Investors stop investing not because they started searching for tax havens and new and more promising opportunities overseas but because we fell behind at some point, all our fancy corporate upper management folks mismanaged and threw away the trust placed on them. Our education system has been dealt a sad and unfortunate blow that has necessitated the need for a highly skilled work force to be migrated in from abroad. There has been such poor planning and neglect when it comes to such things. We are seeing political deadlocks and even a needless crisis emerge like never before. To top it all of just observing and examining our health care system, some of its unethical practices that cater more to profiteering than saving lives explains just how many Americans chose to take and take without ever giving back or contributing to raising the bar for this Nation, its communities and people. Individuals and businesses ought to take pride in their work and strive to be the best of the best, there always has to be an ever ready and alive intent to compete. Only then will you get to see the fear disappear, the trust grow back and the funds flying in from every little tax haven that's out there. You can't fight with the choices the rich have but you can definitely work with them if you are sensible and open minded enough to understand how the global market place and economy functions.

Sincerely,
Jai Krishna Ponnappan

Always put Human Rights before Profits

                   The deeds done in good faith are never for approvals, gratitude, shallow and superficial vanity, vile self-glorification, thank-you's or recognition of any form whatsoever, but rather as a powerful means to impregnate what is good via duty and service. And to invoke our Higher collective Natures and our lost sense of Humanity, lost within our Hearts. It is a tireless effort meant solely to rescue, revive and rebirth  our true inner Natures and its many forgotten Truths that stand to be justified, redeemed and restored. 

       As long as people are persecuted for their political beliefs - like Aung San Suu Kyi, the members of Pussy Riot, and so many others - we know what we must do. We must act. 

Ref. Image  

In July 2012, Secretary of State Clinton announced the suspension of some long-standing economic sanctions on Myanmar (Burma). This decision enables U.S. businesses to invest and enter into new business arrangements in the country for the first time in 20 years. In this context, Amnesty International USA would like to emphasize the responsibility of business enterprises, wherever they operate, to respect human rights.

Amnesty International USA has drawn together guidance (click to download full PDF document), based on international standards and best practices, to highlight some of the key measures that businesses must take to comply with their responsibility to respect human rights. These international standards include the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (the so-called "Ruggie Principles"), adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2011. This guidance is a starting place, not the final word, for businesses to comply with their responsibilities.

This short paper discusses the current situation in Myanmar, including findings of Amnesty researchers who visited Myanmar in May 2012; the first formal human rights field assessment conducted by Amnesty International inside the country in nearly a decade.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/revised_guidance_on_myanmar_final.pdf

We have also attached some recommendations for how the U.S. government can better ensure corporate human rights accountability, above and beyond enforcing existing laws, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the relevant transparency rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The U.S. government should put in place and enforce an adequate regulatory framework to ensure U.S. business enterprises respect human rights wherever in the world they operate.

Myanmar (Burma) is Open for Business. 

But Human Rights Must come before Profits.

           In July the Obama administration lifted sanctions on the country, where several positive reforms were initiated late last year after decades of appalling human rights abuses. Now companies in the US Chamber of Commerce are moving in to capture a potentially lucrative new market. 

           But human rights must come before profits. Burmese freedom fighter and Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has raised the caution flag for corporations doing business in Myanmar -- despite recent reforms, the country remains a hard place to do business ethically. Political prisoners, forced labor, and lack of accountability for past and ongoing human rights violations are just a few of the human rights challenges that businesses will encounter. 

Just this week, Amnesty International released a set of recommendations to help businesses wade these murky ethical waters. 

Keep the pressure on big business. Urge President Tom Donohue of the US Chamber of Commerce to make sure US companies take Amnesty’s recommendations seriously, putting human rights first and doing business the right way in Myanmar.


Please add your name to our petition to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – and be another powerful voice demanding human rights in every corner of our world.

http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLQPAJiJUG&b=6645049&aid=518890&msource=W1209EASK2

           I am sharing with You All the original letter I received. Please join hands with us and lend your voice and support to this cause. 

"Dear Jai Krishna,

As I write this, I'm traveling to Washington, D.C. to see one of my personal heroes, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, accept the Congressional Gold Medal for her decades of work to promote democracy and freedom in Myanmar (Burma). Amnesty activists like you worked tirelessly on Daw Suu's case as she spent years under house arrest under a government with an appalling human rights record.

Daw Suu is now free, and is in the U.S. for the first time in over 20 years. The government of Myanmar is on a path to reform. 

But our fight for human rights in Myanmar isn't over yet. We still need your help.

Tell U.S. corporations that while Myanmar is now open for business, we expect them to put human rights before profits. 

Earlier this year, the U.S. government lifted some of the sanctions that barred U.S. corporations from doing business in Myanmar, after the government of Myanmar took some steps forward on human rights issues. 

Now, with U.S. companies moving in to do business in Myanmar, it’s our job to remind them that they have a responsibility to respect human rights.

Tomorrow, at Amnesty's historic Rights Generation town hall meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, I’m going to call on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to instruct U.S. companies to follow our advice for doing business responsibly in Myanmar. Our recommendations are basic common sense: corporations need to ensure that their operations are not causing or contributing to human rights abuses. 

Please add your name to our petition to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – and be another powerful voice demanding human rights in every corner of our world.

Thanks for everything you do,

Suzanne Nossel
Executive Director
Amnesty International USA

P.S. Watch tomorrow's town hall with Aung San Suu Kyi live on our website, starting at 11:30AM ET at amnestyusa.org/rightsgeneration. Hear Daw Suu answer questions from Amnesty supporters, and inspire the next generation of human rights activists!

P.P.S. Foreign Policy magazine just posted an article I wrote about Aung San Suu Kyi and prisoners of conscience around the world. I hope you’ll take a look and tell me what you think."

Stay Ever Vigilant and Present in the Truth. 

Never be blinded by greed or  the likes of it. 

             Do not let Myanmar become yet another planned and long awaited military outpost and a mere extension and image of the oppressive regime in China. Do not allow profiteering corporations and multi-national entities to utilize the present regime/military or setup and puppeteer a proxy presence as an effective instrument to control, regulate, oppress and exploit the forgotten people and Life that is Myanmar. Please help revive and reform this Nation in a manner that is respectful, fully transparent and considerate of the people of Myanmar and their pressing needs for Human rights, liberties, freedoms, protection and aid.

Sincerely,
Jai Krishna Ponnappan

Unchain the European Union

           
       I usually refrain from commenting or expressing my views about this. But as a personal principle I strongly oppose all forms of binding and depleting dependencies/ instruments of enslavement... The EU has had too much of this senseless incompetence. So here we go, this is in response to a post on Debating Europe ( via their Social Media Page )


The Original Post,

" State of the Union: President Barroso comes out in strong support of ECB President Mario Draghi’s move towards ‘unlimited’ bond buying and gets the biggest applause of the morning. What do YOU think?

ref. http://www.debatingeurope.eu/2012/09/12/liveblog-barrosos-state-of-the-union/"

~ The entire address is available in the video link at the bottom of their page.

The avoidable skepticism and crisis within the EU is owed primarily to the incompetence of some of its leaders and their inability to refrain from facilitating draining and parasitic economics.

Response,


 "They may say they are acting within the ECB's mandate but are they really acting to ensure the stability of the Euro? They are undermining and clearly exposing the capacity of member nations and their leaders to resolve the crisis at the earliest by doing what ever is necessary to initiate urgent reforms. This move is nothing but yet another incautious, conditional and risky leap of faith. It is really disappointing how they have exposed their inability to work with governments to ensure and guide an all crucial reform agenda.

P.S ~ Their cause for applause comes with strings attached. They are poised to enter into a vicious and self perpetuating addiction to the central bank while complacently stagnating their economies."

Sincerely,

Jai Krishna Ponnappan

P.S ~ I wish I had the time to debate this but yes this is just the beginning of what I really hope digging down to the root of this crisis should look like..... at least in the coming future.

The Fallen Warrioress will Rise Again

           
         This is a comment in response to yet another unique subject and personality that is a great deal different from what you'll hear within the spheres of mainstream Western feminism.

 Image Ref. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151024029712595&set=p.10151024029712595&type=1&relevant_count=1

The original post is an article and a movie review for the documentary film "Ozhimuri" written by my friend Dalton for the Deccan Chronicle in Southern India

Response,


         Really well written, Dalton. It is so true that very little has been publicly spoken, documented or portrayed about the very unique subjects and characters referred to as something comparable to any other everyday regular women from around the world we live in today. Commencing right from the beginning of repression in Colonial times, accompanied by instances of deliberated caste based communal hate and tensions, and during the period of post independence through to modern times, such pure and germane feminist strength inborn among many of Kerala's daughters has rarely on recent occasions shown signs of fully lighting and fighting its way back to its original lost glory. I am very proud of many of the matrilineal and matriarchal communties, particularly including the Nairs and several sections of the Ezhava diaspora. Equi-gender societies that honor and celebrate the rights, strengths and freedoms of both sexes are extremely rare pockets and islands of lost Humanity, very few if any comparable Martial traditions exist in today's world. Very few, not even as secrets. I have heard of many stories and lore from relatives, family texts and friends where a warrioress would have the right to choose(as in swayamvaram) or even discard a lover or fight him in a dual to settle disputes or all out wars. Such women capable of commanding whole armies and leading the charge  never die, they live on in us, their daughters and sons, there is strength in their flesh and their genes. Patriarchs in my opinion are false supremacists who have suppressed and impaired half of humanity for way too long with their baseless thinking and vile justifications. Yes, it is extremely hard to even begin to explain coming from a place where women were not only celebrated for their immense virtues, towering glories and beautiful and untainted feminism but are to this day worshiped as powerful divinities, entities and the Goddesses they truly have manifest and evolved to become. It would be shocking if you considered for a moment that even the Romans who enslaved Europe in chains honored and offered tributes and sacrifices to the likes of these along with their sailing vessels laden with gold.  A modern day divorce is like breaking free from the thick patriarchal ideas about marriage as enforced and prescribed by the West. These senseless chains and this burden is often too obvious to see but truly breaking free would require persistent, tireless and prolonged efforts along with a pinch of some much needed divine intervention and luck :)

Thank You, Dalton, for writing this wonderful review. I enjoy reading them all. And many thanks to the film making team who put it all together. I hope they continue making many more such films. These will surely serve us all in a great way, whilst nudging and encouraging us along in the right direction. Again, Yes it's very hard to describe or implore a servile Soul to imagine what it feels like growing up in an equi-gender lineage & family where women are both respected, greatly loved and also deeply revered.

Best Wishes & Regards,

Jai Krishna Ponnappan

The Fallen Warrioress will Rise Again 

So You Like Yoga, Do You know What it is ? Good. Now Leave it Alone

           I have heard stories of why people stopped subscribing from naturalnews.com
This is a comment in response to a cute, funny, amusing and ridiculous post on their social media page,

" Welcome to the Health Ranger's yoga class. Today's first pose is DOWNWARD DOG!

At least Yogi Dog is having fun and doing better than my Culture.

Ref.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151014677021316&set=a.169524336315.132923.35590531315&type=1&permPage=1 

Response, 

         Perhaps Downward Doggy Yoga was meant to be.... cute after all. When I last checked as per the untold history recorded by the Vedics and their Vedantis, Yoga was something strange, alien, something poorly recorded or understood. It was something treasured but hopelessly obscure practiced by a foreign Sabhya(civilized) sect of nomadic warriors who were exploring and gradually colonizing the Gangetic plains. They practiced these rituals along with 23 other parallel spiritual practices and philosophies in order to maintain, commune or commence uniting with God alongside performing all the other Karmas expected on the battle field and Life. Yoga is meant only for those who have already attained and entered into eternal super consciousness and that seek the permanence of Liberation and Love. A real man can't help but appreciate, adore and Love little children and the infantile who seek such spiritual goals as salvation from which one can still easily fall but he has no choice but to sympathize and set aside pity and grief for all those that fall and continue to fall like a lump of clay sinking to the bottom of a deep and dark well. It is important to note that it's cute, inane and easy to mock or trivialize something you'll never understand but it has been painfully hard for native cultures and many suppressed Human families to go underground and protect their identities, heritage and bodies of knowledge from the hate true of the ignorant and cruel at heart. Dear Naturalnews.com, As a kind suggestion, You don't practice Yoga for yourself, you are never alone in Yoga, and if you do or your dog does then give it another name. I don't understand why, just as many others have observed before, your Authors and staff seem to stubbornly mix the Sciences so clearly limited and defined in scope with such endless surpluses of deliberate and negative emotions, apparently aimed for your pleasure, recreation and entertainment. 

P.S ~ Time and again many of the men in my family have often advised and repeatedly warned and discouraged me from having anything to do with a public life or a profession that requires or demands any such thing. For hundreds of years now Native Eurasian cultures and people have been either admixed, suppressed, targeted, terminated  or virtually annihilated. I was surprised to have come to learn, discover and know of just how many such groups even like the Celts fled to the Americas just to escape the tyranny that labels them in  such a dehumanizing way. It is such a shame to know that secrecy is all they'll know as a refuge. Going underground gave them peace and hope. After all the Yogi's and Yoga in it self has been downgraded and condemned to the Dogs of this world, including shameless and fearless ones such as myself who could possibly give nothing more to you than these few lines in the hope that it may educate and enlighten you and bring you a step closer to such Truths as Love but more importantly a step removed and away from such things as hate.

Dogs are a Man's best friend indeed. They are also far better and more pure than most Human Souls will ever be. To all the Spiritual and the Yogis out there, you'll do very well to stay unflinching and away from the fanatical bigots and organised atheists of this world. Don't let the dogged distraction/adversities they create and their actions present ever faze or bother you.

May God Bless All Men condemned to living suppressed lives under such false and hateful labels.  

Sincerely,
Jai Krishna Ponnappan

May the Pulse of Freedom Persist, May it Reign Supreme

May the Pulse of Freedom Persist
May it Reign Supreme

May Freedom dwell in your hearts,

Protected by integrity

May it dwell in your hearts through faith 

May you find its strength rooted,

Nurtured, protected and grounded in Love. 

May this Glorious Spirit 

Dwell deep within you. 

And May its many struggles and Sacrifices be ever present

Ever Alive and remembered by all its resilient and brave Children.

~ Thoughts & Prayers ~

In Memory & Honor of those 

Who shall stay Cherished in our Resolve. 

For nothing you have given is lost

For All of Innocence and Truth 

Is Eternally Preserved.

You have found Home

Sheltered within 

that Glorious & Eternal Heart.

~ Jai Krishna Ponnappan 

The "Right Level of Taxation", An illusion in the Eye of the Beholder

This is a comment in response to a post on LibertyNewswire,

The Original post (I'm hoping this is just another case of the usual sarcasm),


" JFK was obviously an idiot.

God Bless JFK. God Bless America.

Ref. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4178904124415&set=a.2848278419604.133581.1638771825&type=1&ref=nf "

Response:

        The "right" level of taxation, if there is such a thing, is often purely so, only in the eye of the beholder. The most prominently stated reasons for tax reform are either wrong or dangerously oversimplified. The lower tax rate offsets taxes paid at the corporate level, encourages risk taking, investments and entrepreneurship, offsets the effects of inflation, and prevents "lock-in". 

P.S ~ So you think being allegedly 'idiotic' is why great and celebrated Leaders such as him have sadly had to pay with their priceless lives. Regardless of such tragic Truths, this will always remain a Free country, striving to remain free without the social burdens of excessive taxation on the one end and debt slavery on the other. Watch the republicans if they succeed in the coming weeks and many of these naysayers avoiding the obvious and the practical will probably choose to swallow  these baseless ideas that are against lowered tax rates. 

              The best way to reduce poverty is through stronger economic growth. Growth means more jobs, which is a surefire instrument in the fight against poverty and a painfully slow recovery. Building a strong economy means keeping taxes and government spending low.  For example, when a state has a low tax burden, economic growth is stronger. Economic growth delivers more job creation and higher per capita and higher median family incomes. Economic growth is always a powerful means to encourage and pull people and extract whole communities and local economies out of poverty. Although some policymakers seem understandably deluded and misguided in trying to justify high taxes for the sake of the poor, the higher taxes and related spending do little to reduce poverty rates. Rather it is proven and clear to see that states with healthier, investor friendly and more welcoming economic climates fair better and have much more success in lifting people out of poverty. 

             The socio-economic causes and circumstances of, and solutions to, poverty are very complex and numerous indeed, but one policy is clear: Low tax rates are a significant factor in achieving the universal goal of poverty reduction whilst simultaneously facilitating economic recovery and stimulating growth.

Sincerely,

Jai Krishna Ponnappan

Prime-time in No Time Politics !

         This is a comment in response to a post seen on United Nations For a Free Tibet,

"When Michele spoke, China was listening:

one said: “I’m not an American, so why, when I’ve finished listening to this speech, do I have such an urge to cry?”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/michelle-obama-speech-china_n_1862670.html?ir=Politics&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

Response,

         It's always very important to understand why you can put the Huffington post (its corporate owners), the DNC(some of its leaders) and the Communist Regime all in one basket without bringing the oppressed People of China into the picture. The regime has proved time and again, and knows all too well how to take down sites or censor the internet when needed, they are also just as good when it comes to pushing and promoting news and propaganda to impress sentiments that are in their best interest. That said the President here has faced obstacles mostly of a political nature and otherwise, these are beyond merely challenging. A lot of people here can share and relate to everything said in her speech and the President is just as deserving and likable when it comes down to that. But governance and politics in America is so much more than just what is within the capacity of one man even if it is the President. I wish all of the hopefuls well. The coming few months promises to be very interesting indeed.

Best Regards,

Jai Krishna Ponnappan

The Spirit of Freedom is The Spirit of Love

        Re-posting this interesting excerpt seen on Intellectual Takeout ,

"All riches must finally fall into the gap between thoughts and things. Governed by mind but caught in matter, assets must afford an income stream that is expected to continue. The expectation may shift as swiftly as thought, but things, alas, are all too solid and slow to change. The kaleidoscope of shifting valuations, flashing gains and losses as it is turned in the hands of time, in the grip of 'news,' distributes and redistributes the wealth of the world far more quickly and surely than any scheme of the state.

The belief that wealth consists not chiefly in ideas, attitudes, moral codes, and mental disciplines but in definable static things that can be seized and redistributed — that is the materialist superstition. It stultified the works of Marx and other prophets of violence and envy. It betrays every person who seeks to redistribute wealth by coercion. It balks every socialist revolutionary who imagines that by seizing the so-called means of production he can capture the crucial capital of an economy. It baffles nearly every conglomerateur who believes he can safely enter new industries by buying rather than by learning them. It confounds every bureaucrat of science who imagines he can buy or steal the fruits of research and development.

Even if it wished to, the government could not capture America’s wealth from its 1 percent of the 1 percent. As Marxist despots and tribal socialists from Cuba to Greece have discovered to their huge disappointment, governments can neither create wealth nor effectively redistribute it. They can only expropriate and watch it dissipate. If we continue to harass, overtax, and oppressively regulate entrepreneurs, our liberal politicians will be shocked and horrified to discover how swiftly the physical tokens of the means of production dissolve into so much corroded wire, abandoned batteries, scrap metal, and wasteland rot."

~ George Gilder, 'Unleash the Mind'

Response,

         Isn't it amazing how we fail to learn, or 'Unleash the Mind' as Gilder rightly put it, despite so many of these examples that remain lost and buried in the forgotten pages of history. The diverse values that make this country so unique and blessed, indeed are of a very personal Nature. Despite all the adversities including the shifting tides of globalization it is extremely difficult and close to impossible to shake or take something so personal away. Sadly, you only understand the meaning of what is dear and priceless when it is lost or when you have newly discovered what you have never had.....

    This is another article I wrote a while ago relating to the same subject. I wanted to share some of these deeper sentiments and thoughts from around the world,

The Spirit of Freedom is The Spirit of Love

    This is a response made to a very valid, interesting and mind opening note made by my friend Princess Erika de Krutova,

" I do not understand. America is so strong on freedoms. I have read your Constitution many times in an effort to incorporate some ideas and items into our country. How is it that freedoms can be taken away? Everyone in my country and almost all I know across Europe envy the American way of life and freedom it brings." - Princess Erika de Krutova


Here are some of the colorful and inspiring responses that were made.........

Sherry Lee: "Freedom cannot be taken away of heart mind and spirit but evil people empowered by satan want to enslave because that is the nature of the beast. They want to destroy happiness on the planet and light and fill every soul with terror. I have worked with these people. There is no logic, love or sanity in their universe. Only darkness. They create destruction. If they enslave a few they will enslave the world through advanced technology. I wrote a book about this. It is called 'In Satan We Trust'- Age of destruction. The devil gains whatever power he can. The foolish servants of the anti Christ dominate to get control. Anyone with half a brain knows this sick power won't stay in the hands of a few. It will spread and lead to world destruction unless it is stopped. This can't have a good outcome...."

Michael Scott:"Seems to be a combination of greed based economics and an evil need to change something established by a previous person in power. Freedom is a commodity it seems in so many ways and a country can go bankrupt in private and turn the tables of any constitution. There is much to say abou this. I am so glad you are asking. It is wonderful to hear you interest and passions......"

Simon Templar:"When considering American freedom you should start with the Declaration of Independence "We hold these truths as self evident..." Then move on to the Constitution. The Constitution is more of a document outlining how the national government should operate and the authorities it is granted. The first ten Amendments secure many of the freedoms that Americans enjoy. However, the power of big government is always a threat to those rights. The Constitution clearly states that those powers not enumerated within the document are reserved to the states and the people. However, the "New Deal" the federal government usurped many of those rights under the banner of the "Interstate Commerce Clause." The degradation of rights among the American people can be directly attributed to this one interpretation of the Constitution. Freedom is lost through fear. When fear enters our society the people willingly forfeit their freedoms so that they feel safe and secure. Therefore, you will always see some incident that creates fear in the people, economy problems, terrorism, etc. prior to the government removing rights and liberties. And always remember, there is the ideal of American freedom and the reality that those freedoms are always subject to a politician's interpretation........"


My comment and response to add to this excellent discussion,

        I agree with several of the valid points made by Simon. I strongly believe that this ' Ideal of American freedom' is still truly well within the reach of all Americans regardless of the political environment, primarily because this ideal and the very Spirit of it is something deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of almost every generation of Americans to date. You must never alienate the fact that the capitalism we have here and the economy it supports has thrived alongside this freedom. Perhaps most of the doubts, wider issues, corruptions, fears and the rest of the problems we face today stem from the inherent flaws of capitalism, whether it is the uneven distribution of wealth, opportunities or the current ill health of our economy. For better or for worse, with time change is imminent and inevitable. As far as the ideas of corruption, uneven distribution of power and abuse of authority are concerned we are still in the infantile stages as compared to some of the well established cultural norms and structures elsewhere in the world. As long as Americans can still vote, Politicians can and will be replaced. As long as Americans still have a voice and some of the brave and pro active journalists continue to do their jobs we will always question, expose and root out any and every form of high handed corruption that threatens our freedom and liberty. Freedom is a rare quality, with many facets and dimensions. This ' Ideal of American freedom' is more than just a sentiment; it is immaculate and has no hypocrisy or so called evil infiltrating its definition since its birth several centuries ago. This is something emotional, psychological and most certainly something beautiful and spiritual that every American carries deep within his heart and mind. Psychologically, yes, I agree that fear comes and goes but most certainly it has a role and a part to play in giving us the window of opportunity to weed and root out some of the flaws and socio-economic problems we face today. Unlike many resentful perceptions, this Freedom is something very obvious in almost every generation of Americans. If you compare an average American with let's say someone else there is something very obvious, unique and special in the way he/she is thinking, evolving and functioning, that sense of independence has a very strong personal side to it, which has been handed down from generation to generation and can rub off very easily on someone who is open minded and open hearted enough to accept the truth that is innate and germane to this freedom and to this nation. Perhaps the only serious threat that many of us overlook and side step is the fact that if what we face today continues to dwell and grow, creating an environment where corruption, high handedness and abuse of authority prevails and instills growing fears in the hearts and minds of our young working men and women, the youth of this nation and the new generation, then we risk creating a generational gap and may fail to propagate this gift of freedom to our children and to our future. This to me is very unlikely because of the level of awareness that is currently widespread among the educated, enlightened and bright minds that serve as the wheels, the engine, the fuel and the driving force of this nation. 

          On a broader economic context, capitalism has its cycles, and just as they did during the great depression, the Americans of today will face and overcome this test with the strength of our Spirit. They will never fail to surge this nation forward and this ' Ideal of Freedom' is certainly somewhat of an untainted divine gift that serves as their God given right to continue to face their fears, problems and strive forward into a future filled with socio-economic and cultural evolution, opportunities to growth and prosperity for all, and the many countless gifts that come with carrying the ideal of Freedom in your heart. The Spirit of freedom will never fail those who have placed their trust in it. That's what it takes to be an American. This, my opinion, is the Truth that I have had to live with, the Truth that I have observed and the Truth that I continue to study. 

        It doesn't matter where you're from or where you're going, this sense of freedom will stick and stay with your Soul no matter what. As they say Freedom isn't free but it is worth so much more than all the gold in the world, and we treasure it with all our hearts and all our lives.

     Many thanks to my friend Princess Erika de Krutova and her friends for providing such an insightful and eye opening discussion. I hope, pray and wish everyone the best of what the Spirit of freedom has to offer and give to all its children.

Love, Peace, Freedom, Best Wishes & Blessings to You All,

Jai Krishna Ponnappan :)

Aspire to Inspire before You Expire

This is a comment in response to a post on forbes,

"Sheryl Sandberg's 'Lean In' More Aspirational Than Inspirational: http://bit.ly/OJRHE8"



          

          "For many women, taking workplace advice from Sheryl Sandberg, who made $30 million in 2011, is like taking budget shopping advice from Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP--where a $471 Stella McCartney dress is a top-pick."

           
              Swallowing the pill can be understandably hard but the only quick way to really  benefit from modeling success in your own life is to observe and learn from the other person and replicate or try to incorporate skills , habits and lessons that may help you. Human beings were hardwired to learn through imitation. Humans learn best by imitating others. You learned to stand, walk, run and talk through modeling others. Many people take these complex skills for granted, but it’s through the wonderful powers of modeling that we all possess them. If a women chooses to perceive someone like Sheryl as her admirable role model then taking that challenging first step is definitely worth the rewards of being able to walk in her footsteps.

The Empowered Woman 

by Sonny Carroll 

The Empowered Woman, she moves through the world 

with a sense of confidence and grace. 

Her once reckless spirit now tempered by wisdom. 

Quietly, yet firmly, she speaks her truth without doubt or hesitation 

and the life she leads is of her own creation. 

She now understands what it means to live and let live. 

How much to ask for herself and how much to give. 

She has a strong, yet generous heart 

and the inner beauty she emanates truly sets her apart. 

Like the mythical Phoenix, 

she has risen from the ashes and soared to a new plane of existence, 

unfettered by the things that once that posed such resistance. 

Her senses now heightened, she sees everything so clearly. 

She hears the wind rustling through the trees; 

beckoning her to live the dreams she holds so dearly. 

She feels the softness of her hands 

and muses at the strength that they possess. 

Her needs and desires she has learned to express. 

She has tasted the bitter and savored the sweet fruits of life, 

overcome adversity and pushed past heartache and strife. 

And the one thing she never understood, 

she now knows to be true, 

it all begins and ends with you. 

 YOU ARE BLESSED TO BE A WOMAN

The Wise in the Storm

This is a comment in response to a post by Politicus USA,

https://www.facebook.com/PoliticusUSA

You can read it at the link below,
http://www.politicususa.com/angry-gods-wrath-falls-tampa-bay.html

“The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but deliverance from fear” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

     You have been blessed with the best of faculties, intelligence and abilities so that you may use it as creatively as your Life and its trials require of you. You can help yourself in the middle of any storm, that is how rich your innate gifts can be when you care enough to discover and use them.



Dear Politicus,  
                      You don't need a "wrathologist".. lol . If you really need to know or to write or.. to entertain your intrigues, inferences and ideas about God's Intelligence, know that whatever it may be it is just as Fair as it is Free. It is a latent witness that pervades anything and everything without exceptions or favorites. It is only in our limited Human perceptions that such a bias and illusion seems to exist. Open yours eyes and minds to the mysterious, things that you can't comprehend till you are humble enough to grow, to Love, to admire, to appreciate, to learn and to know. One needs an open heart to develop and cultivate such an endless understanding within ones mind and intelligence. Even an emotion as ineffable as Love can at best only get you remotely near the presence of the Truth.

P.S ~ Men Observe and Study the Laws that Govern and Regulate Nature. Their Knowledge of it is just as limited as their present Human Condition and its Intelligence. Men can only harness what they know, they can wonderfully create with it, but that does not mean that they created the Truth that blessed their desires, diligence and efforts.

“Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head.” ~ Mark Twain

"Faith begins when reason finds its limit and knowledge fails to express. Faith begins when belief  continues in its quest to build its bridges across to the Truth."

~Blessings & Best Regards,
Jai Krishna Ponnappan

Ref.http://kiranatma.blogspot.com/2012/08/om-tat-sat-getting-to-know-supreme-by.html

Freeing the Creative Flow ~ A Flourish at the Frontiers of the Human Condition

"If you have anything really valuable to contribute to the world, it will come through the expression of your own personality, that single spark of divinity that sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature." ~Bruce Barton


This is a comment in response to a post by my friend Nuria Fuente,

http://hedgemason.blogspot.com.es/2012/08/freemasonry-and-intellectual.html

Below is an Excerpt from the original entry,

"Radu Balanescu, a Grand Master of the Grand National Lodge of Romania, summed up what intellectuals do, why they are important, and what awaits any group that fails to generate them among its members, when he noted that "an elite intellectual, a thinker, is a person who restores to humanity its essence. This is the motive for the gigantic impact thinkers have had in the history of the world. This is the reason why collectivities deprived of great thinkers decay relatively quickly, pervert themselves and are eliminated toward the edge of human history."


Response,

'  Really well written, Nuria. Thank you for sharing this observation. 

"Imposing The Edge of Human history" 

as opposed to 

"Exploring and Expanding the Frontiers of the Human condition" 

The Reality of Redemption Requires Loving and Tireless hands 

     This curbing edge.. this limiting boundary is what is being defined in the United States of today. The trend has also had a more wider and adverse impact on the quality of life of the individual as it pertains to his/her Personal Freedoms and the most fundamental levels of both inner and outer Liberties.  Owed to several factors  both internal and external, many of the warnings that the founding fathers stated seem to have come alive to a significant extent. Sadly it is just a little too much to ask of such a collective to produce the likes of Jacques-Geoges Plumet, or Alain Bauer. The very Spirit of Creative flow has been hindered at its roots to create an increasingly dependent and servile society with an equally inhuman sense of social order. Every Human life is precious, meaningful, gifted and beautiful. Granting this boundless attribution and meaning to an individual is the only harmonious way to ensure the health, growth, evolution and significance of a greater collective comprised of such individuals. 

         Free men are attributed with an essential and kind sense of hospitality, mutual respect and a voluntary desire to preserve, collaborate and work towards a state of stability, prosperity and social harmony. Such words describe the nature of many more things that have been stripped off late from the free as they are forced to comply and conform to questionable standards, stereotypes, ideologies and schools of thought that serve agendas and personal interests more than anything else . It is a shame indeed to state the obvious but as I am sure people all around the world know, there is also a deliberation to slowly but surely crack down on instruments that can provide or ensure such a sense of individuality, independence and freedom. It should suffice to say that we live in an increasingly global society with its many entities that intend to exercise a greater influence in reshaping America and the American identity. Given these facts I personally feel it is not entirely fair to remark that America has failed or ceased to produce the likes of such Architects of Humanity, Thought and the collective Conscience that shapes us. It seems what we have or are in the process of building is a social machine instead. It may not impress as much and it may be a hallmark of what nullifies true Human Potential but it is still roughly comparable to a communist regime that works and extracts from its clearly designated set of parts. People are not parts, it is indeed a sad and hateful thing to enslave a person. It is kind of like capturing and fastening chains around a wild animal that was always designed and born to roam free. It is an unnatural act that is contrary to what makes us Human.

Your Life is a Gift. The Greatest Service You can do is to be Free and Fruitful in Living its Truth. 

       "There are one-story intellects, two-story intellects, and three-story intellects with sky-lights. All fact collectors, who have no aim beyond their facts, are one-story men. Two-story men compare, reason generalize, using the labors of the fact collectors as well as their own. Three-story men idealize, imagine, predict, their best illumination comes from above, through the skylight." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

            The most beautiful thing that we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.


          What You Believe in, Serves as your path. You are Entitled to the Truth, only if You are Free to Shape and Author your beliefs, lessons and experiences with the Life that you live. No one can do what is expected of You. Your path and these steps are yours alone to walk.  '

Love, Peace, Blessings & Best Regards. 

Sincerely,

~ Jai Krishna Ponnappan

P.S ~ The Cure is 

Within the Grasp of Every Man