New Post (35) : One yard stick for giving, another yard stick for taking.
I AM UNABLE TO RECONCILE THIS DOUBLE STANDARD.
News item 1. (Current)
The main reason why the Tata group failed to start a private airline about 15 years ago surfaced on Monday when Chairman Ratan Tata said a bribe demand had scuttled the venture.
Speaking at a function in Dehra Dun on Monday, Mr. Tata said he didn’t re-enter the airline business, which was to be in a joint venture with Singapore Airlines, as he was not comfortable with the idea of bribing Rs 15 crore to a minister.
“We approached three prime ministers also. But an individual thwarted our efforts to form the airline,” Mr. Tata said, recalling how he spurned the suggestion. “A fellow industrialist had said: ‘You are stupid people. The minister was asking for Rs 15crore. Why didn’t you pay the money? “
News item 2. (Archive)
Telecom minister on Friday denied any corruption in the awarding of new licenses to telecom companies in the country last year after a raid by federal police on his ministry. Federal criminal investigation agency raided the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Thursday on suspicion that mobile phone network licenses were awarded to companies below the market rate.
Telecom Minister A Raja denied any "irregularities" during the sale while speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Friday.
"Licenses were issued in accordance with the law. I had no external pressure to deviate from the law," he said.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered criminal cases against unnamed officials working in the department and company executives for conspiring to keep prices down, CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal said.
Bhal said investigations had revealed the sale of the licenses in 2008 was conducted on a "first come, first served basis" at 2001 prices without competitive bidding or an auction.
The DoT also put a cap on the number of applicants, against the advice of the industry regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, he said.
YOU CAN DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS (from the above).
As this observer sees it :
On the one hand a Rs15 crore bribe “allegedly” requested 15 years ago by one minister is --- (now after all these years) claimed to have been refused to be paid for reasons of “discomfort”. Even going public with the story.
That's ONE yard stick for "giving" ................! ! !
On the other hand mobile phone network licenses were obtained “comfortably” and “free of any guilt”, from another minister way-way-way below the market rate. The collective loss to the Government of India is being estimated by some at Rs1,73,000 Crore. (as one observes no one is, not at least as yet, disputing the fact of the loss or the number)
If this is indeed so---quite understandably “all” telecom players must have benefited equally from this cartelized-manipulation, i.e. if at all there was one.
That's ANOTHER yardstick for "taking" ...............! ! !
Are you able to see this glaring “contradiction” ! Are you ??? Seriously ??? I can.
I AM UNABLE TO RECONCILE THIS DOUBLE STANDARD.
In concluding…
One would have expected an application of greater discretion from Mr.Ratan Tata, “the industrialist who is looked up to by even his peer industrialists”…………not to speak of the common man in India, who holds him in the highest of esteem.
We are ALL naked in the public bath !
Charlie Brown
Monday, November 15, 2010
WWW : W.orldwide W.ater W.ars
New Post (34) : WWW : W.orldwide W.ater W.ars
Nothing quite like good old fashioned humour to lighten up i.e. before introducing a serious subject.
I was intrigued by this…(shocking as it is ?)…set me thinking…
Quote (open)
Water Wars is a game or competition…here is how you play it: Opponents go to opposing battle stations with buckets of water balloons. Each battle station has a water balloon launcher. Place a balloon in the launcher, pull down on the handle, aim, and fire! Your balloon soars high through the air and comes crashing down on your opponent's battle station. There are strategically placed slots and holes in the structure that allows the water to come through. You might get sprinkled, sprayed, or saturated, but watch out, retaliation comes quickly....!
Quote (close)
That said…
There is another kind of “Worldwide Water Wars” that is around the corner.
Actually, it’s already well upon us where pitched battles for a days requirement of water are waged at every dawn in the glitz and glam shrouded urban cities in the 3rd world.
Rural dwellers in large parts of the world trudge (walk) miles up and down each day to “fetch a pail of water”. (mostly women and children bear the burden of this daily duty)
Raging disputes on water rights both, between states within countries …and between countries are a “reality” that’s already upon us.
Gilding the lily will just not do. Anymore. That's woefully myopic.
How much longer before the “Worldwide Water Wars” will be unleashed.
Water (…after AIR) is the 2nd most vital resource that needs “active” managing.
Sometimes ...a picture can say it better than a 1000 words.
So picture this...
Imagine the Niagara falls ...(but) ...without the water.
If that does not shock, nothing will.
The message: "Conserve and recycle---like never before in human history".
Charlie Brown
Nothing quite like good old fashioned humour to lighten up i.e. before introducing a serious subject.
I was intrigued by this…(shocking as it is ?)…set me thinking…
Quote (open)
Water Wars is a game or competition…here is how you play it: Opponents go to opposing battle stations with buckets of water balloons. Each battle station has a water balloon launcher. Place a balloon in the launcher, pull down on the handle, aim, and fire! Your balloon soars high through the air and comes crashing down on your opponent's battle station. There are strategically placed slots and holes in the structure that allows the water to come through. You might get sprinkled, sprayed, or saturated, but watch out, retaliation comes quickly....!
Quote (close)
That said…
There is another kind of “Worldwide Water Wars” that is around the corner.
Actually, it’s already well upon us where pitched battles for a days requirement of water are waged at every dawn in the glitz and glam shrouded urban cities in the 3rd world.
Rural dwellers in large parts of the world trudge (walk) miles up and down each day to “fetch a pail of water”. (mostly women and children bear the burden of this daily duty)
Raging disputes on water rights both, between states within countries …and between countries are a “reality” that’s already upon us.
Gilding the lily will just not do. Anymore. That's woefully myopic.
How much longer before the “Worldwide Water Wars” will be unleashed.
Water (…after AIR) is the 2nd most vital resource that needs “active” managing.
Sometimes ...a picture can say it better than a 1000 words.
So picture this...
Imagine the Niagara falls ...(but) ...without the water.
If that does not shock, nothing will.
The message: "Conserve and recycle---like never before in human history".
Charlie Brown
The impending / imminent “clash of the titans” !
New Post (33) : The impending / imminent “clash of the titans” !
The world is made up of --- meddlers, peddlers and fence-sitters.
Always has been.
We have been witness to a collapse of one major bi-polarity and are now witness to the unfolding re-creation of another one.
One brought about by the dissolution of the Soviet bloc and one in the process of being created by the rise of China.
If we are to learn anything at all from the recent history of the past century it’s prudent for all nations of the world to stand away from being sucked into one or the others “influence”.
Satellite nations eventually stymie their own personalities and true potential for development/growth. Ending us as !!! banana!!! states.
A multi-polar world is in everyone’s enlightened self interest.
The more multi-polar---THE BETTER !
The (recently in evidence) jockeying by the 2 “aspirants-for-supremacy” in seeking the affections of “buddy” nations in the South East Asian geography (in particular) is somewhat “disturbing”.
This time around matters are more complex. Given the (unique) creditor/debtor relation ship between the 2---USA & China.
It’s time to watch out and …keep out of the way of their “crossfire”.
Charlie Brown
The world is made up of --- meddlers, peddlers and fence-sitters.
Always has been.
We have been witness to a collapse of one major bi-polarity and are now witness to the unfolding re-creation of another one.
One brought about by the dissolution of the Soviet bloc and one in the process of being created by the rise of China.
If we are to learn anything at all from the recent history of the past century it’s prudent for all nations of the world to stand away from being sucked into one or the others “influence”.
Satellite nations eventually stymie their own personalities and true potential for development/growth. Ending us as !!! banana!!! states.
A multi-polar world is in everyone’s enlightened self interest.
The more multi-polar---THE BETTER !
The (recently in evidence) jockeying by the 2 “aspirants-for-supremacy” in seeking the affections of “buddy” nations in the South East Asian geography (in particular) is somewhat “disturbing”.
This time around matters are more complex. Given the (unique) creditor/debtor relation ship between the 2---USA & China.
It’s time to watch out and …keep out of the way of their “crossfire”.
Charlie Brown
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