"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins

Just finished reading this extraordinary book, a tell-all tale of a guy who worked as an 'Economic Hit Man' (EHM) for the United States and went about helping the US screw countries like Ecuador, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Iraq and Venezuela (basically oil rich countries). He was trained to, and asked to make humungous growth forecasts for these regions and convince their respective leaders and world lending banks into letting the US infuse money in the name of modernization; wherein money was lent by US based organizations and the all round construction work finally granted back to a corporate from the US itself. 

Hence, lending and routing the money back to the US and in the process of which they would laden the region with debts that the latter cannot handle. Further favours would be granted to the US by these countries because of the debt and hence slowly US would try and take over the region itself or try to etch a deal which would solely benefit USA and its foray in being the most powerful country in the world.

 ..... Makes one imagine how less we know as naive citizens of other countries staring at the glossy image that media paints. Donno whether citizens in the US itself are aware of what happens in the political circles of their country, the inside details or are we all totally misled in just about every aspect of life. Leave alone the US, maybe all other countries are also up to such stratagems. Just about makes me more cynical, than I already am! 

Religion and me

My folks got me into a convent Christian school for my junior school studies, and hence before they could properly get Hinduism ingrained me, I was introduced to Jesus! :) Now, my folks are reverent to Indian Hindu gods and do their chants and prayers and ceremonies without fail etc. etc. but they are not obstinate with that at all... thankfully! So, though they encouraged me to know Hinduism, they didn't thrust rituals.... That let me free-float with what I thought should be my sort of god! ..... The initial days were a bit scary for my mom, I know. I would learn all Christian hymns and sing 'em out in front of Hindu gods such as lord Ganesha, goddess Saraswati, goddess Parvati :D and well a zillion more gods... I would be corrected by an 'almost' panicky mom but I am pleased to inform that she would more or less burst out laughing rather than cringing in non-acceptance!

With this leeway, I grew up observing and making notes on various religions and conclude towards my potentially final deity to follow ...... goes without saying, I am nowhere close to that! :)

Religion I would say got summed up in a quote I read which goes went more or less like this : Prayer may not cure a problem but it heals the soul. ( I am very sure I messed it up - the quote i.e. - but it was something like that).

Well, here is what I think about it : 

Religion is just something which holds us together and channelizes positive energy throughout our body, mind and soul! - Short but simple... only it seems nobody understands it, or tries to decipher the meaning. For this purpose we invent figurines, images etc. for the masses to comprehend it. But it is just not that now, is it?! People stick to the outer commodity, the story invented to make-believe the idols - The concept itself, not the meaning in it.... I am very sure, majority of the Hindu's in general haven't read the Vedas, nor have the Muslims read the Quran, nor have any Sikh read the whole Guru-Granth, neither the Christians read the whole Bible ............ So, how did they really make opinions on everything? - Answer: From hearsay and complete lack of brain usage!  - I am mentioning the majority, exceptions ARE there, and if they are, they would have already understood what my premise is!

But the ONE thing I think religions achieve to do (even if not understood in its entirety) is to get people focused. It is known, that concentration improves when we think on a single track. It also soothes our frayed nerves to know that apart from out own efforts, there are external forces helping us in our cause! - Now, that is a comforting thought! 

There was a time in Mumbai ( when I was working in that city in India) when I accompanied a dear friend and also my flat-mate to Church ( This was not my first time, my junior school had a chapel and I along with my sister have visited Churches in gen - no bias, just reverence in faith in gen and loads of curiosity). What I really enjoyed in the sermon ( majority of which was simple preaching) is the act of showing at least one acknowledgement to the person standing on left and right they do somewhere in the end of the sermon. That was really nice - its an act of acknowledging someone else with a positive move! 

I have also visited a "Gurudwara" which is a place of worship of the Sikh's in India. What I love about their culture is the fact that they worship  a book - not a person or an idol or something which is just a fable for all its worth. They revere a Book which tells them what is right and wrong!! I agree with it as well...

Buddhism is immensely attractive to me... but I should confess, I don't know much about it. But from the looks of it, simple meditation sounds a 1000 times better than anything else.

I conclude this by my eternal feeling of window-shopping for my sort of god... I'd rather watch from a distance than get in half-heartedly. Coz faith for me is just not disturbing a single other soul, its about protecting my interest without harming anybody else. Its also just simple believing in ME!... 

I also wonder, how would my personal concept of faith help me if someone tried to harm my loved ones or something very wrong befalls me. I guess the answer would be somewhere in the lines of being proactive and helping where I can positively, of holding myself together and being a force to stem the negative. Sounds too big aye?! :) I guess being smart and not stupid is a part and parcel of believing in oneself. I also should confess, the concept of revenge is something I am yet to sort completely in my head. Sitting passively is not in my book, but neither is simply harming someone who harmed me. I donno, I still have to think more on it ...

(PS: I know i acknowledged far few religions and gods in this post. But its just what came to my mind at this moment. I am sure, if I sit around and think about it, i will come up with more of them). - Again, hope none of it offends anybody :) Peace!

My splendid Easter holidays :) - Part 1

I have never thought much about Easter, considering i am not a Christian and hence for me it holds hardly/no significance (with all due respects and no offense to religious folks) except it used to be sometimes an off day from work... (sometimes = hardly/don't remember :D). In India, i did not get these offs considering how stock market companies mostly adhere to national holidays only and more often than not skip even those! So here in South Africa, where the obvious religion seems to be Christianity, Easter is a big thing and is sandwiched between "Family Day" and "Freedom Day" and "Labour Day" and many such happy happy holidays :P. One of the 2 long weekends and offs here in SA, we ( I and my husband) decided we ought to put em to good exploratory use, And we DID !! :D ... 

We explored the beautiful province of Mpumalanga ( name that means "East" or literally "the land where the sun rises" in Zulu, Xhosa and Swazi), situated towards the east of Gauteng ( thats where i live) and took approximately 4 hours drive to Nelspruit, which is the capital of Mpumalanga. In Nelspruit, we know of this lovely B&B ( Bed and Breakfast) place called 'Bavaria Guest House' and its very friendly and helpful hosts Roger and Louise Higham; where we decided to stay in. Roger is quite knowledgeable of sights to see and places to visit along with timings etc. He also provides maps and routes ( as perhaps many B&B in the area do). But he is a courteous person and takes personal interest in the needs of his guests which is quite nice to experience! ( By the way, i feel the whole B&B concept is a very smart business idea for people who have lavish housing and have numerous rooms; on a daily charge of Rand 500 per room per night with breakfast, it is a very very smart concept indeed if someone has say 6 rooms and is an ideal touristy location!!) 

View from our room - Bavaria Guest house, Nelspruit

Anywho, we spent day 1 lazing in the guest house considering we reached late evening and were tad sore from the drive. Our whole purpose of visiting the province had been to check out "The Panorama route" which is pretty breathtaking as the word goes. On day 2 though there were low clouds and mist, so checking out the view couldn't have happened. Hence, upon Rogers' reco we visted the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens. I imagined the place to have loads of well lined bushes, trees, grass and flowers etc with tags and names that i had tried memorizing in some Bio-chem lecture in college ( its an impossible task i think). Pleasantly it was anything but boring! It had water-falls and pathways made of wooden logs that i felt was out of a jungle movie! So lush green, typical rainforest, plush and Beeeooooteeefooool!!! :D Loved it.... Check out the pics, i had to select sparingly and still it is quite much!!

I think this post of mine would need a part- 2 ....

"Three Men in a Boat, to say nothing of the dog" by Jerome K Jerome

I must have re-read it at least 50 times (not an exaggeration... if i DID end up counting it would cross 50 for sure), it's one of the most hilarious stuff ever! For the unassuming, its the story of three men i.e. George, Harris and the author - along with the authors dog 'montmorency' down the river Thames, on which they decide and plan out a boat trip for some "relaxation" - which of course, its anything but!

If you ever feel incredibly down and out or caught up in really mundane routine and can do with a good laugh, you absolutely must have a go at reading this! 

"Test Pilot" by Neville Duke

Flying and flight is a heart-warming subject to me! I dug this novel out from Melville, 7th Lane (in Johannesburg CBD area) where you find these nice old and new book stores, one of which also sells used books at heavy discounts!! I mean where else can i find a Bernard Shaw at 13 Rand?!!! I mean i had to chuckle at that while buying it, and asked the shop-owner to "be rest assured" for seeing me come and buy again and again!!

Anyways, back to "Test Pilot" ....  it's an autobiography of a person who is a superb pilot and a great pioneer who tested the Hawker aircraft and broke sound barriers ( Mach levels) several times!! :) He had also played active role in testing many other new and modified supersonic fighters and dedicated his entire life to it!

He comes across as a reserved but jovial person heavily dedicated to his tasks, and an innate need to be in the pulse of things - rather than enjoying various accolades that came his way. I loved his potrayed persona!

The only thing that perhaps is a little weird, is the way the writer narrates everything - there is something very cold and impersonal about it. ( Atleast i felt so!) ... and he doesn't seem to be very overtly bothered about his parents and sister, neither they about him - although in all probability they might have been, but nothing of that emotional angle has been mentioned much.... I mean, the reason i even mentioned that kind of lack of feeling is because - if i were to imagine myself in his shoes... my mom and dad... along with my sis would have been breathing down my neck and asking me to "Be safe" a zillion times, until i am thoroughly bugged with their concerns! 

But what an awesomely informative read!!!... :) ( sigh!)