Commentary: ‘Quantum Theory and Other Pleasures of Life” by Musafir

(Warning: Somehow Facebook doesn’t recognize superscripts. Therefore formulae below are not correct, but you get the idea)
The social media is full of political acrimony. Our social life is full of friends who only enjoy talking about their half-cooked theories in politics, economics, finance and international affairs. I consider that a total waste of time. In the same breath, I consider discussion on religion rancorous and dividing.
No one seems to be interested in pursuing real knowledge. I am no better than others. The other day, a friend of mine posted a topic on Quantum computing on Facebook (he is an exception). It was very basic and was supposed to familiarize laymen with Quantum banking which may be in our future. I must confess that I couldn’t grasp the concept completely. I studied physics and higher math for nine years (starting in eighth grade until the final year of engineering). Since I have been indulging myself with my friends in trifle, superficial and passionate discussion on politics and pseudo economics, I have lost it all. Yes, What a loss!
I have decided now, at the age of 72, to reacquaint myself with math and physics. I think that a string of numbers and letters in mathematical formulae can evoke a greater excitement in my life than indulging in harsh and scathing discussion on politics, economics or religion
. A large number of areas of the brain are involved when viewing equations, but when one looks at a formula, it activates the emotional brain. I am going to reacquaint myself with Euler’s formula. It comprises the five most important mathematical constants – zero (additive identity), one (multiplicative identity), e and pi (the two most common transcendental numbers) and i (fundamental imaginary number).
Do you know how GPS is used in pinpointing locations? It is done with the help of Pythagorean Theorem: a square+b square=c square. The equation is at the core of much of geometry, links it with algebra, and is the foundation of trigonometry. Without it, accurate surveying, mapmaking, and navigation would be impossible.
I remember solving problems with imaginary number used to be such a thrill: i(square)= -1. How can that be? Think and also remember, most modern technology, from electric lighting to digital cameras could not have been invented without them.
The list goes on and on. Let’s not forget the most recognized and popular formula of all time: e=m*(c square) . E
instein followed up on this insight with his famous concept of relativity in 1915.
I want to understand the joy of Quantum Theory. Few scientific concepts are as weird as the quantum theory. It predicts that future events could influence the past. And, it states that particles that might be found anywhere have a zero probability of existing in one particular place! Is this not mind boggling?
I want to learn more about speed of light. Why is it always stuck at approximately 186,282 miles/second, no matter who’s observing it. Why can’t anything move faster than light? How time dilation can be possible which states that the faster you go, the slower time passes for you? Is this not entertaining?
I am excited. While I am going to discover math and science again, you can refresh yourself with history, psychology, arts, general knowledge, world geography, fine cuisine, fashion, language, sports or any subject of your choice instead of wasting your time arguing about politics and religion. Believe me, it will not only give you pleasure, it will make you and people around you better human beings. Make use of time while enjoying life. We are not here forever.

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Current Affairs: Double Standard

Early every newspaper around the world covered the history making event. On Thursday, 3 January, two Muslim-American women were sworn into the United States House of Representatives. Together, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib became the first Muslim women in the history of the US to become two of over 400 House representatives. Cameras followed the two everywhere, from the moment they arrived in the capital, to the time they along with their families celebrated after the oath of office was administered. One wore a colorful Somali headscarf, in a nod to her Somali-American roots; the other, Rashida Tlaib, wore a maroon Palestinian thobe. Such was the excitement about her thobe that a Twitter hashtag, #showyourthobe, asked other Palestinian- American women to also display their own embroidered traditional garments. Many did.
This, however, was not how the hubbub over Rashida Tlaib’s swearing in would end. The cameras that had been trailing the newly elected representative followed her to a reception held that evening by the progressive organization MoveOn.org, which has long opposed President Donald Trump and his policies. When asked to take the microphone, Representative Tlaib recounted a conversation she had previously had with her son. “Bullies don’t win,” her son had told her. Tlaib said she responded with, “Baby, they don’t. And we’re going in there and we’re going to impeach the Mother Fu%$#@].” Applause followed and Tlaib quickly gave up the microphone.
I didn’t see much reaction on social media by my liberal friends. Imagine if someone used the same slur for Obama or any other Democrats. Such is the partisanship for so called social reformers. The House majority leader, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, said she would not have used such words herself but that Tlaib’s words were certainly “nothing worse than [what] the president has said”. Other Democrats, particularly those belonging to the prim and trite “when they go low, we go high” Obama- Clinton camps, who have long insisted that they must stand for civility and not bow to the depths Trump plunges to, were also silent.
For her part, Tlaib refused to apologies. She stood by her words; she had said exactly what she had intended to say, and what she had meant to say. Many agreed with her; a hashtag echoing her call for impeachment trended on Twitter for hours as angry Democratic supporters rallied in favor of Tlaib.
The Tlaib episode is notable for several reasons. For starters, while she may have been criticized by certain news media outlets and Republican politicians, she did not face any actual consequences for her use of indecent language. She was not officially censured; the US government did not begin any proceedings against her. Threatening Republican mobs did not gather outside her house, and while Trump did say that her comments were “highly disrespectful” and that she had “dishonored herself” when specifically asked, he too was powerless to actually stop her from using similar language in the future.
Tlaib’s statement also reveals the turn that minority women will have to take in the years to come. Minority organizations, many that balk at giving women leadership positions within their own organizations and boards, have been eager to embrace the two new emblems of minority women leadership. Tlaib’s use of inappropriate language is far beyond the narrow codes of decency that are viewed as permissible to most.
If we don’t criticize them as we do to Trump for much milder language, we are not a nation of reasonable people. This country is certainly going down the hill.

Winter 2018 Issue of TheThinkClub

The Winter 2018 issue of Thethinkclub is ready for your reading pleasure. Please click on http://www.TheThinkClub.com to read the stimulating articles.

“On Turning Seventy-two” By Musafir

“On Turning Seventy-two” By Musafir

When growing up, I wanted to be important and famous. Many a time I’d fantasize becoming the prime minister of India with millions of followers admiring me. I fancied to be like other important people with great prowess. In my late youth and middle age, when the reality set in, I regretted and brooded over not being famous and important.

I didn’t realize that those who become famous in any field work towards their goals with exceptional resilience; face rejections and disappointments but never quit. Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outlier mentions that it needs at least 10,000 hours of practice to master any skill. The athletes, musicians, politicians and all famous people do that. I realized very late that I neither had a clear goal nor the dedication and concentration to do what famous people do. I felt that I was a failure because I was not famous and, thus, considered myself irrelevant.

I studied lives of some of the greatest icons of our time and was amazed at their goal setting, dedication and training that made them excel in their chosen fields. We only look at the glamor, wealth and fame that comes with the territory. We also need to know about the grueling routine and rigid discipline they maintain.

Mohammad Ali was the greatest boxer of our time. We know him as someone who was famous; was a champion and a showman. Casual observers of boxing might not realize this, but fights aren’t always won in the ring. More often, they are won in the gym, where creaking bag stands, rhythmic taps of the jump-rope and crashes of leather on skin are requirements long before the final bell on fight night. Muhammad Ali knew this and acted on it. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit.’ Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion,” said Mohammad Ali. Any successful person can tell you, talent gets you nowhere fast unless you’re prepared to put in the work to nurture it.

Beethoven rose at daybreak, no matter what season, and went at once to his work-table. There he worked until two or three o’clock, when he took his midday meal. In the interim he usually ran out into the open two or three times, where he also “worked while walking”. They never varied with the seasons and neither cold nor heat were noticed.

Beethoven was a sick kid to his dying day. Throughout his life he would suffer from deafness, colitis, rheumatism, rheumatic fever, typhus, skin disorders, abscesses, and a variety of infections, inflammatory degeneration of the arteries, jaundice, chronic hepatitis, and cirrhosis of the liver. Despite his limitations, Beethoven always worked hard to ensure a comfortable living by giving piano lessons, writing work commissioned by wealthy Viennese residents, and, of course, working on his own music.

The name Walt Disney is now synonymous with iconic film characters and the world-famous theme parks that bear his name, but in the early days, he was just a man with an artistic itch. He wanted to show the world what happens when you mix elements of fantasy with reality. His goal was always to mold the impossible in with the possible, and he defined his progress more by how each individual felt and reacted to his creations than by general perception. Between 1931 and 1968, Disney was nominated for 59 Academy Awards, winning 22 of them. That’s the second most nominations out of anybody else and the most wins ever.

According to him, “the only reward of going through the process of work is more work. While there is a notion in our culture that sees work as something to be done until you don’t need to do it anymore, the truth is that, if you truly respect and value whatever your work is, the real benefit of working is actually the ability to continue to do more of it.”

Narendra Modi was the most effective chief minister of Gujrat and is the prime minister of India. He worked towards this goal relentlessly from his youth. He was drawn to politics in his early teens. During the 1960’s India-Pakistan war, even though he was only a young boy, he volunteered to serve soldiers traveling through railway stations. As a youth, he became a member of student body involved in anti-corruption. After working in trenches, he was nominated as a representative in the BJP (the present ruling party of India). Narendra Modi has come from a humble background. He has a reputation of being a workaholic and introvert.

As I turn 72, I feel that the notion of irrelevance or unimportance is actually a state of mind that stops us from appreciating ourselves. We should learn from the lives of important and famous people without envying them. At the same time we should occasionally take an account of successes we have achieved in our own lives. It is very vital for us to create a permanent source of importance for ourselves. Such permanent importance can come only by continual investment in our relationships and in the development of uplifting qualities in our personality which eventually lead us to the growth of our eternal consciousness.

Recently I have mended many broken relationships. This is something that is I am proud of. In fact, the real sense of importance and relevance comes from helping the helpless and earning their admiration and gratitude. Heartfelt appreciation and admiration from the people around us is the real intoxicant or aphrodisiac. However, helping others with a selfish motive is said to be spiritually degrading. Lord Krishna in the Gita says that we should indulge in duties without any expectation, but I am not perfect yet. That gives me something to look forward to.

I have achieved the greatest gift of life by shedding old grudges and forgiving others. I enjoy spending more time with my relatives and friends, learning new things, upgrading my skills and enjoying others despite their imperfectness. Instead of crying over spilt milk I spend quality time in rediscovering myself to enjoy the present moment in the divine company of my friends, colleagues and family members. This uplifts me spiritually to the next world or dimension when I finally expire. As John Milton said in his sonnet, On His Blindness, “They also serve who only stand and wait.”

Reminiscence: “Christmas on Park Street” by Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’

Reminiscence: “Christmas on Park Street” by Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’

“The past is a candle at great distance: too close to let you quit, too far to comfort you.” ― Amy Bloom
I have lived in the States for almost 45 years of my life. I enjoy the Christmas season, the festivity, lights, decors and the beauty and glamor of the season. But nothing feels like Christmas on Park Street in Calcutta (now Kolkata). As they say, ““You can go other places, all right – you can live on the other side of the world, but you can’t ever leave home”
Occurring at the peak of the city’s mild winter, Christmas is celebrated throughout the city of Calcutta (for me, Kolkata will always be Calcutta), but Park Street, in the middle of all this, becomes the hotbed of the warm, fuzzy festivity. Park Street had a major concentration of the Anglo-Indian community. Many of them have migrated to Australia and UK, that’s what I hear. One of them was my friends in engineering school. We called him James. He asked me to accompany him to Calcutta during the Christmas. The year was 1963. I had just turned 17. James’ family lived on Free School Street (the hub of Anglo-Indians) which connected to Park Street.
Park Street was full of glamor, the remaining glory of British culture and romance not far from St. Paul’s Cathedral and the South Park Street Cemetery, famous tourist attractions, among many. Park Street had an eclectic collection of great restaurants. I can’t forget eating cake and sipping Darjeeling tea at Flurry’s, a world class cake and pastry shop.
Home to some of the city’s famous fine dining restaurants, cafes, bookstores and other places of attractions, Park Street was a warm haven of celebration and smiles. Restaurants like Trincas, Flurry’s, and Moulin Rouge were Calcutta’s prime festive hideouts. Adding to that were the brightly lit buildings and the entire faux roof of the street, all of which combined to make Park Street a bright, sparkling dream world – the epicenter of Christmas in Calcutta.
A short stop from Flury’s was Trinca’s night club. I remember the enthusiastic band and the lead singer playing ‘Lipstick on Your Collar.’ Those of you who remember, Connie Francis was the heart throb of the music world then.
James insisted that I must visit Moulin Rouge where the beautiful young singer was rendering, “Shheshe se pi, jee diwane” a Bollywood number that meant Drink you romantic and live your life.
Christmas is a festival of fellowship and warmth, of carols and cakes, and of gratitude and love. Park Street caught this spirit beautifully, and everyone was feeling it in the air together. Park Street appeared at her beautiful best, like the locket in the necklace Calcutta wore to dress up for Christmas.
I have not visited Calcutta or Park Street since my last visit there in the late eighties, but my friends tell me that there is no place like this place during Christmas even today. Everyone joins the season´s spirit. Even non-Christians buy cakes and bonbons and decorate Christmas trees.
I want to visit Park Street someday again. Christmas always “takes me down memory lane, to a time very much younger, a time more pure, more sane.” Meanwhile, “If you cannot hold me in your arms, then hold my memory in high regard. And if I cannot be in your life, then at least let me live in your heart.”
Merry Christmas!

Commentary: “Put All the Preachers and Fanatics to Real Work” By Anil Shrivastava, Musafir’

Commentary: “Put All the Preachers and Fanatics to Real Work” By Anil Shrivastava, Musafir’
I am tired of egoists, demagogues and hypocrites claiming religious superiority, interpreting religion to suit their intentions and mobilizing their followers to fight for their beliefs. My question to those preachers, zealots and fanatics is, “What have you done for humanity today?”
Don’t preach me religion; don’t claim being ‘holier than thou.’ Just do something to advance the lives of us homo-sapiens. Just do it and move on!
Go to the paddy fields instead and grow food to feed us. Become a construction worker and earn an honest living. Can’t do that? You are useless burden on society – a parasite sucking blood and infecting the masses with abomination and pungent cynicism.
Who gave these preachers and fanatics the right that they have the final word and we are not supposed to ever wonder or doubt them? I see them on busy intersections; I find them near parking garages yelling at people who are waiting for the crosswalk signal to say “walk.” It’s annoying to watch them screaming at passersby.
I find them in people’s houses performing illusionary miracles. I watch them on television programs running around the pulpit and curing the sick who, in reality, are paid actors who dance on their tunes. Together they put on a false appearance of religion – a shamming to believe what they are not.
These Satanic hypocrites have gotten much worse with their exposure to the Internet and social media. Now they can preach and mulct people from the comfort of their own mansions without any compunction. Even the Pope is an actor nothing more than a superstar on the world stage.
For them, religion is business and the business is booming. Untaxed land, untaxed contributions and business profits are making them rich. It’s no wonder religion is the biggest non-profit business all over the world. But what do they do with all that money? We forget that these are men and women just like us, and even those who stand on the pulpit can have greed and lust in their hearts. We often hear about the scandals surrounding those holy men and women almost every day. Many of them are involved in drugs, sex, and all the other sins they advise us to refrain from.
It’s time we put them to some real work. Send them one-way to Mars. We need to know what effect humans will have living in those circumstances. If they are so pious and eager to save us, make them guinea pigs for all new drugs and medical experiments. Ask them to give bath to homeless people and clean their feces on the streets of San Francisco. Send them to Afghanistan and other war zones to tame the enemies with their preaching. Somehow, get them out of my hair and from my life cuz I can’t tolerate them anymore.

Friday Fun: “Culture Shock V” By Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’

Friday Fun: “Culture Shock V” By Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’
I remember when Chirkut used live in the back seat of his heap, an old Ford Pinto. Those were the days when he wanted to bring peace to the world. Now he lives in Wyndemere Estate. His new neighborhood is one of those high security gated communities. The guard wanted to strip search me before letting me in frowning at my old Chevy.
The party was in full swing in Chirkut’s mansion. Chirkut’s new girlfriend who appeared clueless asked me, “Are you also from maharaja family in India like Chirkut? Do all Indians get born with silver spoons in their mouth?”
Before I could gasp, Chirkut interrupted, “Yes, I was because our gold-plated silverware was being polished at the time.”
“And what do you do? Are you a doctor?” Clueless turned to me.
“No, actually I am an inventor,” I replied in disgust waving my hand over my forehead.
“Wow! What did you invent?
“You see that little hologram of a dove on your credit card? That’s mine.” The clueless stood there with her mouth open. I didn’t want to cause pain in her orbicularis muscles, so I offered her another drink. She started licking on olive like a lollipop.
I wondered how Chirkut managed to live on road less travelled from the road still under construction in such a short time. Chirkut suddenly pressed a button and the curtains automatically opened to a panoramic view of Jacuzzi. “It’s so private that I can stand on my front porch and shoot and nobody will be killed.”
Clearing her throat, Clueless choked on her olive and asked me, “Are all Indians bright and smart like you guys?” she asked me.
“Of course! You can find millions with Chirkut’s IQ back in the old country.”
Suddenly, a middle aged Indian woman walked up to Chirkut covered with gold from head to toe – a walking Fort Knox. Everyone called her aunty.
“Beta (son), it’s so nice to see you still maintaining our Indian culture and exposing our values to these Americans,” aunty hugged Chirkut almost throwing him on the floor.
“How are Chintu and Kuntu? I haven’t seen them since years together. We haven’t even conversed with them on the phone for a very long time,” asked Chirkut.
Chintu is doing engineering. His college is so good that he will be placed at a very big company. He has a potential to earn like you”
“And you know Kuntu got married to this brilliant guy from Silicon Valley. I have a grandson now who just turned four. We have planned a big celebration. Her in-laws gave him a gold chain as a present. They just keep doing this. On his first birthday, they gifted a bike, second birthday a plot of land….blah…blah..blah,” she continued.
“I hope they don’t live long enough to run out of options,” I commented.
Suddenly Nandita walked in with her two year old son. She came directly to aunty and touched her feet lifting aunty’s sari (Indian skirt).
“Oh beti (daughter) Nandita, how are you doing and what is your son going to be when he grows up?”
“He got a seat in the best private school. You know, the tuition alone is 50 thousand dollars per year. The other similar schools were a bit cheaper, but we wanted only the best for our little boy. He’s so special. He’s so intelligent. Come on, son say some rhymes.”
That “so special” boy began to recite “Ba ba, black sheep”, while his adoring mother and aunty react like he won Nobel Prize.
“You are so smart. You should start preparing for spelling bee right away,” aunty complimented.
Glancing one last time over them, soon I made a screeching sound as I wanted to burn rubber down to my modest abode.
Next week I watched on TV that Chirkut was arrested for healthcare fraud writing two million prescriptions for painkiller pills. My curiosity was over.

American Scene: “Whiling Away” by Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’

I have been absent for some time as I was sitting on my hands idling away time. I love random pleasures that make me smile no matter what is going on in my life right now. Sometimes we need to stop, slow down and just do nothing to get back in touch with our true selves. I feel that its’s cleansing of mind; some call it unloading.
As fate would have it, I happened to be in in Comal County in the state of Texas. There I saw, for the first time in my life, the origin of a river. It comes out of an underground spring gushing out of rocks in a pristine atmosphere. The water is so clean and unpolluted that it looks like a clear glass top. Comal River is one of the shortest rivers in the world. The locals affectionately call it the “longest shortest river.” Comal River is only 2.5 miles long, a tributary to Guadalupe River. “It was a phantom of delight that gleamed upon my sight, a lovely apparition, a moment’s ornament” (apology to William Wordsworth).
Moving on I went to Guadalupe River State Park near Bulverde TX. The area sits in the lap of nature and is a delight to the eyes and ears (chirping of beautiful birds). I forgot all my worries looking at the turquoise colored river flowing aside limestone rocks. I truly wandered as a cloud that floated high over that limestone hill.
Lo and behold! All of a sudden, I saw John Newcombe’s Tennis Ranch. John Newcombe really? I followed Newcombe (an Australian) in the 60s and 70s.He was from the golden era of tennis along with Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Fred Stolle and Ramanathan Krishnan. How did he decide to start a ranch 50 years ago (in 1968) in New Braunfels TX? I decided to go inside where I had a nice talk with Lisa, the manager of the gift shop. Her husband is a coach at the ranch. He was the 42nd ranked tennis player in the world at his prime. Lisa’s daughter and Ramesh Krishnan’s son (Ramesh is the son of great Ramanathan Krishnan) studied together at John Hopkins and were ladies’ and men’s captains respectively.
Lisa has met all the tennis greats of today and yester years and knows them personally. She asked me to visit the ranch in October when all the tennis greats of yesterday including Laver and Newcombe will gather there. For me, the visit was like a kid going to the candy shop. Lisa let me float around the tennis courts where I happened to see the current 19th ranked player practicing his game.
One of the items on my bucket list is to cover all the 50 states and their capitals, so I decided to take a bus from Austin (capital of Texas) to OK City (capital of Oklahoma) with a change of bus in Dallas. That nine hour bus ride was an eye opener. Only two kinds of people seem to avail of the bus facility, poor blacks and young white college girls (no idea how the boys travel). Contrary to the popular belief, the buses run on time. Passengers, both black and white, young and old are very courteous and they mind their own business. The seats are equipped with 110V outlets and free Wi-Fi. All the passengers were decent, observed the rules and were very considerate towards their co-passengers.
On coming back home, I turned on the cable and read the pile of newspapers and magazines to catch up with current events. I was shocked to realize that the world was full of racists, demagogues, jingoists and egoists. We are all here to spread hatred towards each other. Every action we take is full of micro aggression and bias. Women are on streets to protest against sexual harassment and abuse. I didn’t see any of those in the real world when I reached and touched both nature and humanity on my tour. Which one is the true universe, the one I travelled or the one that is created for me by the media and politicians?
All in all, it was good for my health to slow down, both physically and mentally. A calm mind leads to a calm body. I don’t feel guilty for doing nothing. I have to be strong in the face of social conditioning and stare down the people who look disapprovingly at society while I watch the flowers or wander aimlessly down a country lane. It’s well worth it.

Essay: “President Trump’s Foreign Policy” By Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’

There is a constant criticism of Trump’s foreign policy by media and ultra-liberals. They constantly remind us that his policies are not moral and ethical. Whether it’s the trade dispute with China, his pushing North Korea to scuttle its nukes or his demand that NATO members spend more on defense, the headlines sound the same: “Trump inflames. . . Trump escalates . . . Trump doubles down . . . Trump risks . . .”
We forget to realize that “politics is a slippery ground; they that wish to walk on this ground must walk with due care.” Those who demand ethics and morality in foreign affairs should realize that we are dealing with brute forces and nasty intentions of our enemies and allies alike who don’t care about morality and ethics when it comes to their ‘pound of flesh.’ They look for opportunities to take advantage of us and beat us if we are not careful in dealing with them. Busy attacking Trump, the critics also ignore the fact that his efforts are bearing fruit.
We cannot judge the consequence of foreign policies on a day to day basis. It takes time for actions of a leader to materialize. The fact is that in almost two years of his presidency, the world hasn’t ended and since we’re not dead yet, I humbly suggest it’s time to take a deep breath and consider the other side of the story.
Though he is viewed by his critics as a jingoist, the chances of war with North Korea have diminished. There are no more missile testing or firing them across the Sea of Japan by Kim Jong–un anymore.
The critics often comment about his European policy by blaming that Trump is tearing the NATO alliance apart by publicly airing dirty laundry, including his blast at Germany for spending billions to buy energy from Russia. In reality, the European Union has agreed to buy more energy from America and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has credited Trump for pushing a “clear message” that members need to speed up defense hikes. He said Trump’s effort led to higher spending this year. We should also keep in mind that the European countries paid billions to America in past due amount.
Machiavelli wrote The Prince to serve as a handbook for rulers where he claims explicitly that he is not interested in talking about ideal republics or imaginary utopias, as many of his predecessors had done: “There is such a gap between how one lives and how one should live that he who neglects what is being done for what should be done will learn his destruction rather than his preservation.”
The Art of War was written by the Chinese strategist Sun Tzu in 500 B.C., and is still considered a gospel for war and strategic thinking in organizations and politics around the globe. His analysis is that success very simply is advancing our position, improving our market share, if you will, while avoiding costly direct conflicts. By using strategy, as opposed to brute force, we can advance our position in such a way that people do not want to attack us and, ideally want to join us. In warfare and marketing, this means finding openings where we can go around the competitors rather than battling them directly. That’s how Mr. Trump keeps on baffling China, Korea, EU, Canada and Mexico.
Jawaharlal Nehru, then prime minister of India was an idealist. He wanted to deal with India’s neighbor, China on moral grounds. He even accepted China’s claim on Tibet to keep peace in the region. The Chinese ran up to the 1962 Sino-India war. The war remains one of the most humiliating defeats for India that affected the Indian morale and damaged India’s efforts to present itself as an emerging power. China considered India to be a long term threat and the Chinese leadership wanted to deliver a major blow to India’s political and military leadership, and demonstrate its big power status. Later, the Chinese President was heard saying: “The attack had taught India a lesson and that for future Nehru and the Indians must be taught that they cannot change the border status quo by force.
Ironically, India’s greatest political thinker, Chanakya (23 BC) had a different idea. He suggested four principles while dealings in politics, namely, ‘Sama’, ‘dama’, ‘bheda’ and ‘danda (meaning conciliation, bribing, division and punishment respectively – Chanakya’s Arthshastra). Though Mr. Trump is often criticized as an unstable leader by his critics for changing his behavior from considerate to ruthless towards the leaders of other countries, we fail to realize that different situations and circumstances require different treatments. Mr. Trump demonstrates this quite well in his dealing with other nations.
Media and ultra-liberals who oppose anything that Mr. Trump embarks on and whose only motto is to get rid of Trump by hook or crook should understand that there is a way to get rid of him. That is called the presidential election. Meanwhile, let him do his job and let us do ours.

Friday Fun: “My Conversation with A Store Clerk” By Anil Shrivastava ‘Musafir’

600-03069406 © Kathleen Finlay Model Release: Yes Property Release: Yes Store Clerk in Gourmet Food Shop Talking on Cell Phone

“Hello! How may I help you?”
“I’d like to return this made in China GPS unit.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“I cannot update the maps.”
“Well. Have you tried to synch it with updates on their website??”
“Yes, I tried several times, but it won’t synch.”
“What happens when you try to do that?”
“It asks for the serial number. When I enter the serial number, it says product not recognized.”
“Did you register the product when you first bought it?”
“No.”
“Okay. Do you have the receipt?”
“No. I can’t find it anywhere.”
“Then I can’t give you a refund.”
“Oh no, you misunderstand. I don’t want a refund. I just want to update the maps on my GPS.”
“Okay. Do you have the original packaging?”
“No. I threw it away.”
“I can’t help you without the original packaging.”
“I don’t understand. Why do you need the packaging?”
“You may find some pertinent information on the packaging.”
“Is the serial number of the product not a pertinent information?”
“Not according to our company policy.”
“Then why do you have a serial number? Moreover, I don’t think that updating map should be that difficult?”
“To do anything I need some proof of purchase.”
“So you’re telling me you can’t do anything to help.”
“Ah well, that’s a problem. How did you pay for it? Cash or card?”
“Cash.”
“If you’d paid on card you could’ve gotten a statement from your bank proving you’d made a purchase here and on what date.”
“Well, I paid cash.”
“Our exchange policy is twenty-one days so you might be out of warranty anyway.”
“I bought it last year sometime. I don’t remember the exact date. So now I just have a useless GPS system forever?”
“Well, you could send it off to the manufacturer with a letter explaining the problem.”
“Well, the manufacturer is in China. I don’t think it’s worth the cost and hassle. Can I speak to the manager, please?”
“The manager’s off today.”
“Then can I speak to whoever’s in charge?”
“You already are. Can I help you with anything else today?”
“I doubt it.”
“Okay. Would you like to open a credit card? It’s completely free and you get five percent off every purchase.”
“No thank you.”
“If you open one today you get a free gift.”
“What’s the free gift?”
“A made in China GPS system.”