Spending money on satellite based systems

Technological development is welcome but sometimes it lands ordinary people like me in difficult circumstances. As I thought that 3G Internet connection is less economical than 2G one, I went in for the latter a few days back. Since then I consistently experienced connection problems until my ISP restored my 3G on my request. I am well aware that I will have to spend more.  

Our Government's budget on Space Research should be aimed at developing systems and mechanisms such as those on weather forecasts and cost effective communication systems instead of on Mars Mission etc.

It is high time that our Space Research is geared toward satellite based Internet that will help common folk.  I think that we need to learn a lot from experience in other countries including the US and develop our policies considering local needs.

Madhwa Navami

Yesterday was an important day for Maadhwaa people who observed the day as Madhwa Navami.

What we know and what we do not know

"What we know is palm full; what we don't know is world full". So goes a Tamil saying. 

This morning when I was watching "Dharma Sandehaalu" on Bhakti TV, I came to know of a very interesting info: King Yaso Varman who was ruling Khaambhoj province (present Cambodia) of ancient India (known as Bharatha Kanda at that time) had a son inflicted with some disease; this was because in his previous birth he did not do any good deeds though born in a Brahmin parentage with Dhaarmic value systems. In his attempts to get his son's disease cured, Yaso Varman let the prince observe Ratha Sapthami Vratha. This cleared the prince's disease and he became a monarch later.

Oddly enough, our school textbooks never mention any thing about contributions by Indians of ancient India.

Outburst and confusion

It was a great pleasure to view Poojyashree Bhupendrabhai Pandya jee on Ashta TV channel this morning.

He was explaining the concept of 'outburst' while delivering a vaishnavite discourse on the opening scene at Kurukshetraa. Arjuna was filled with confusion and outburst of attachment for his cousins for all the evils they stood for. Many years passed by as Paandavaas suffered.  Lord Krishnaa had to enter the field to wipe away Arjun's problem. Rest of the epic is obvious.

Mamane's message

It was nice to hear from Boubakar Mamane (whom I mentored at Teachers Without Borders) about the secondary school he founded and his career mission. He is an ambitious educationist from Niger. Best wishes once again, Mamane.

We need several like minded educationists with passion at a global level. We also need to revamp our k-12 systems such that moral values are not sidelined.

By the way, as TWB seems to reorganize itself to meet growing demands, the concept of individual mentoring has been replaced by more appropriate mechanisms (which still does mean however that those who used to be mentored by me and other mentors would be remembered by educationists such as Mamane and we would continue working for TWB in different capacities to share its lofty objectives).

Racial discrimination

This morning's news on our TV channels about the racial attack on an African student in Bengaluru reveals how nastily some of our fellow country folk behave. Hope that such incidents don'the happen again. I join numerous fellow country folks in hoping that our police department is corruption free, just and punish the culprits at least from now on, after several years of independence from the British rule. I am one of numerous Indians who worked in Africa and had no experience of any racial discrimination; in fact we Indians were respected a lot and I understand that it continues to this day.