With the world (rightly so) alarmed at the 18% rise in the Chinese ‘defence budet’ to $ 45 billion, it is good to look at this in perspective. At almost $ 500 billion, the US invests almost 50% of the total spending on Miltary might on planet earth. Given the state of our planet, no one can really afford it ….
Consider this :
The US spends approx $ 2000 every year for every man, woman and child in the US on it’s Military. And that does not include the cost of the invasion of Iraq or of Afganistan.
China will now spend almost $ 45 per every one of it’s citizens anually, and
India will spend almost $ 21 for everyone of it’s people annually,
Imagine what we could do in India with $ 21 per person, or $ 21 billion. At Rs 5/day, this sum could feed every hungry child in India for a year, if not more.
Shekhar
Spending $2000 every year for everyman..does not feed even one hungry kid…Rather these spendings make so many more kids hungry, homeless and refugee in all the parts of the world.How ironic is this that, religions what we created to save humanity is now became the reason of destruction of human beings..Is that what you call quest for power.In my view “kids hungry for food and naked for clothes are the biggest weapons of mass destruction for years to come…and with kind of money we are spending on war, we can save these kids before they turn into weapons of mass destruction in future.”I did try to make short film on this subject to please check that out at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4351121960144987205&q=sanjay+malhotra
Shekhar,
Stats dont tell the whole story . Money cannot buy food , in reality. Free Market Forces in some cases and Purple Market Forces in other cases can influence the price but to think that Rs 5 can buy a meal for eternity is doubtful !!
By the way, the present bunch of close-eyed Chinese communists will never give up power and only dig themselved into a corner – a Chinese invasion is not going to be welcome in any part of the world -their soft power is non-existant – hence the military muscle flexing.
Mother Nature seems to be colleting all the Rascals in the world in respective camps and preparing for a clearly foreseen great Purge not unlike the Akshauhini annihilation of the Mahabharata War.
For , the present problems in the world are entrely artificial and self-created .We need a just world government , or , the rumours of the Trilateral Commission may well come true and we will be administered by Un-earthly civilisations, if we dont get our house in order and in time !
Dear Shekhar,
I totally agree that our military money can be used to feed the hungry, but we are also a country surrounded by conflict coming from all our neighbors – hence the defense spending is also important. We definitely need peace first, for our country to sustain the growth. Also, as I had mentioned a few posts back, we do have 40 million tonnes of food surplus, but people are still not getting enough food. Just like in the Tsunami there was lot of aid, but it just didn’t reach the needy. The extra money will do wonders if used in conjunction with agricultural policy reform and better food distribution.
I am attaching links to 2 very interesting articles that address this:
1. ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and Millennium Development Goals: The Business of Hunger
http://www.mindfully.org/Food/2005/Hunger-Business-Sharma17jun05.htm
2.The real reasons for hunger
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,742147,00.html
Regards,
Himanshu – New York
It makes me so angry that this world is being ruled by fools of the highest order. Whatever happened to the United Nations! Will somebody put an end to the insatiatable greed of the world politicians and Defence Merchandise manufacturing companies! If I had the power to do it, I’d make all of those fools stand in a line and personally put a bullet in each one of their heads.
Cheers!
Navin
Shekhar,
You have a point but I don’t think by spending $45 and $21 per person annually china and India are doing anything wrong here. When you countries like US who wants to control everything and anything under the sun, we must prepare yourself to take them head on. This is not a war for land; this is a war for resources like petrol. US want to control all the energy resources in the world. They don’t care about people dying third world, why they are not bothered about Africa. Why Middle East is center of conflict. its the battle of Muslims and western civilization. Its just control of every resources making them so greedy.
As far as poverty in India and other developing countries is concern. I think It has to be a joint effort from Government and public. We need to control our population first. If we have less people to share of resources then people will get all the basic amenities. We need to generate self-employment opportunities by training non-skilled labours in specialized courses. If possible reform taxes system and laws for usage of energy resources e.g. a person should not have more than one house and one car. Something like that. I know its not a very realistic approach but we have to do something otherwise its going to be out of control situation.
I don’t think China has done anything wrong by raising there defense budget. you may defer but this what I think. Might is right and If have to do well for your people and provide them all the resources you have to fight it out with countries like US.
Cheers
Manish
UPDATE ON A PREVIOUS POST
Dear Shekhar,
I wrote sometime back about the film ‘The Secret’ that has been only distributed through the internet. The producers claim that since the movie was released simultaneously around the world last year, more than 150,000 people have viewed it online, and more than 700,000 copies have been sold in the United States.
With its $4.95 one-time viewings online and $29.95 DVDs, this translates to nearly $22m box office with hardly any marketing.
This according to me is a great achievement for a film solely on the internet. I think positive word of mouth, and featuring on Larry King/Oprah/Ellen have greatly helped in its success.
I don’t know whether this is a unique event, but it definitely indicates a healthy trend.
Regards,
Himanshu – New York
Navin ,
You raised a valid question: Relevence of UN. In many instances it has just proved totally ineffective – The security council is a club of Nuclear Rogues , who have assumed this mutually serving agenda.
It has now been revealed as an Open secret , that it was the USA – that votary of ‘spreading democracy’ and ‘Free market’ who Vetoed the candidature of the one and only Mr. Shashi Tharoor ,for the post of UN Sec.Gen. USA can only think of its myopic material interests.
‘Dharma’ is not on the side of USA – it had its oppurtunity and it blew it. Some trends are inescapably obvious – Rascals of all colours and denominations are being grouped by Mother Nature for a Great Purge.
Shekhar,
Isthere any movie in making on transcdental shift happening with in world
woud u describe the transcedental shift, Denis ?
If any one of you are interested in seeing a great movie about the plight of Africa see this one:
BAMAKO
2006-Mali/France-Drama
N.Y. Times Review by A. O. Scott
Critic’s Pick
REVIEW SUMMARY
I have never seen a film quite like “Bamako,” Abderrahmane Sissako’s seething, complicated and disarmingly beautiful investigation of Africa’s social, economic and human crises. It is a work of cool intelligence and profound anger, a long, dense, argument that is also a haunting visual poem. Mr. Sissako, a Malian director whose previous films include “Life on Earth” and “Waiting for Happiness,” does not try to engage the pity of the audience through sad stories or terrible images. Rather, he tackles the central question of the film — have the ostensible good intentions of the West, in particular the World Bank and similar institutions, contributed to the impoverishment and demoralization of the continent? — calmly and systematically, though with evident passion. — A. O. Scott, The New York Times
I think it’s mainly playing in major US centers right now, but if you can get a DVD sometime later just see it – it’s just amazing.
Himanshu – NY
yes I have heard about thsi movie, Himanshu and thank u, am going to try and get a DVD, shekhar
Dear Shekhar,
Was surprised to see you so active in the wired world. Sorry to use this page to respond to something else, as didnt find any other place to contact you. You are one of the Indian directors I truely admire. I always dreamt of making a film and just went ahead and made one. So that was a transition from Software Consulting to film making. Now rying to sell the film and as most Bollywood distributor say, there is no ‘S’ factor in the film, which is SEX, SONGS or STARS. I would love it to show it to you, its titled “Boomerang” and in English Language. You can watch the teaser of the film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ChGEuzfbzs and read a bit more about it http://www.mid-day.com/news/nation/2006/december/147980.htm
I wish you all the very best and am eager to watch your next film though Mr India ranks as my all time favourite.
Sorry once again to use this page to speak to you.
Peace Always
Mukund
I think Denis meant “the whole change this world is going through” by transcendental shift, Denis, I think that nothing is in transcendental shift…..Not even a single thing in this world. We are still there from where we began our journey. Fashions kept on changing..Techniqe of cinema changed, with the time, even taste in literature and way of writing is changed, But THE stories are still same,only change happened is the the way of telling them .Main motive of humans is still, To be powerful and be the fittest…what ever is happening now has happened many times on this planet zillions of people been killed since man’s journey into this world .The only transcedental shift we witnesed so far is the better and sophisticated ways and techniqes to kill more people with a push of a button. Don’t forget purpose is still to win people with terror like before, cause winning everyone with one philosophy is not possible . As they say “you can’t make everyone happy.” Nothing is changed and will never change, that’s why all those real books like Bible and Geeta still make sense.
following up the last post..”only thing we learn from our experienceses is that “we learn nothing from our experiences.” For that I’ would only say and refer to my video on you tube .check that out here.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP6qpvxo3E4.
thats what only we can do ..if you understand hindi …or next time i’ll subtitle it.
sanjay malhotra
NJ