No Longer a Dilemma

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

Today is the 30^th of January 2017.  It is ten days since we have sworn in a new president of the USA.  None of the democrats in leadership have had anything new to say in the last ten days, except a tearful Chuck Schumer on television.  It is the republicans and their money bags that are of the opinion on the Shakespearean dilemma “To be or not to be”.

As a child I loved to read anything I could find in the school library, or whatever I could buy with every penny I had.  Shakespeare to Kushwant Singh and everything in between and every language were all invited into my reading time.

Till today, whatever I have read definitely form my opinions of what I hear and somehow try to associate with the written words of many men and women I have had the pleasure and insight into their minds and thinking.

Perhaps one of the greatest of thoughts is written by none other than William Shakespeare.  Perhaps the dilemma of mankind before and after his time, and here is the reference to the entire text in reference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_be,_or_not_to_be

Please look thru the entire content of the recital in the link, and if you are a literature enthusiast and have yet to read Shakespearean works, its time to open you’re reading minds to him.

I have my thoughts with the American republicans past few days.  I have completely blocked out Trump’s staff and his family and people he is surrounded with.  They are now dealing with alternate facts, and I still have not found the meaning of that.

What about the Republicans?  Although most of them were not enthused prior to the election, and after Trump’s Electoral College win, they have been kissing-up to Trump after the election and through the inauguration.  But what is the deal now?  Its only ten days, and what will they do now?  Fiscal discipline, reducing budget deficit, health care reform, immigration overhaul, tacking terror, and whatever was their manifesto at stake for the public consumption, and Trump have his own agenda.  Now he is simply acting on what he said he will do when he gets to the White House.

The three parties to the question, Trump, Republicans with him and the opposing Democrats, what to do next?  Democrats would simply push their agenda to their vote bank, and unless they get another Obama (who certainly was not the run of the mill presidential candidate USA had) or another strong woman candidate like Hillary Clinton.  Both Obama and Clinton will not be available to run for the presidential office in 2020.  It is probably too early to look for a Democratic candidate, but it is not the quandary for democrats right now.

The decision now is for Republicans and their money bags on what to do now?

My personal opinions of Trump’s election manifesto are immaterial.  My state of Illinois voted for democrat Hillary Clinton for president in 2016.  Even my congressional district and both our state senators are Democrats.  But the nations Electoral College voted Trump in and he is our president at least of next four years. So, I don’t count on support for my state at least for the next four years.

I love politics as much as I love to read.  Watching the immigration and airport chaos over the weekend and trying to think of the great wall of America, and whatever else that is crossing my mind, I start the new week thinking like a Republican, what the @*$%.  God Bless America.  I know the allegiance to the Republican Party needs a huge prayer, except that the Republicans definitely have a much thicker skin than the Donald, and they have snake oil on their greasy hair.  It is the grand Shakespearean dilemma for the GOP, go figure if they can clearly think of what’s happening?

Only In America

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

One of the most endearing and fascinating aspect of the American democracy is the peaceful transformation of power after each presidential electoral cycle.  When Trump was sworn in as 45^th President of the USA on January 20, 2017, the democracy was in full display.  Watching the living past presidents (with the senior president Bush and Barbara Bush unable to attend due to illness, and writing a wonderful welcome letter to Trump), President and Mrs. Carter, President and Mrs. Bush, President and Mrs. Clinton, and the newest entrant into the select group of past presidents, President and Mrs. Obama; all of them in the most exclusive club on earth walking into the inauguration and participating in the swearing in ceremony of a man who they did not support.  Their respect is for the ceremony and respect to the constitution in peaceful transfer of power, and the 1/20/2017 ceremonies in Washington DC were something that is true to the American democracy since its inception.  Before I type anymore, I am not sure if this will be the norm after Trump and his time as the president of the United States.  As before the election, and while getting elected, and during transition, Trump and everyone who is around him, are really out of the ordinary individuals, each without remorse or any sense of humility or decency while speaking of anyone else in the world.  With what the public know of these people and what they have displayed so far, there is no reason to expect anything else.  They simply attack, blame and bitch about Obama or Hillary or everything else as dishonest.

Trump is the president and the country and its electoral process made him the president.  For four years he is the president until something unconstitutional is attributed (which requires a very high degree of abuse of power), and people who put him there and people who did not put him there will have to hail to the chief.

Americans are referred to as “the Ugly American”, in general reference around the world (me belonging to the ugly American) but it is more in the attitude because of the superiority of the nation on global stage, rather than a personal reference.  Trump and people surrounding him are fantastic examples of the universal belief, they personify the fact how the world sees us, Americans.

While we honor the election and electoral process, Trump is really surrounded by the biggest bigots in America.  To start with Ryan, McConnell, Republicans in house and senate, governors, his opponents in the primaries and their supporters, his VP, and all the republican smiling faces around him, standing with folded hands behind him after his election are the biggest negatives for Trump.  The Democratic Party is ideologically opposed to any Republican president and they are now in the minority, just as the Republicans were when President Obama was elected the first time.  The political ideology is always going to be prevalent, just that the hypocrisy of the Republicans is on full display.  Trump is only guilty of exploiting every negative aspect of the Republicans in the country, and just achieving what he started out to become the President, and he did.

The country runs primarily on work, hard work and democratic way of life.  There is a sense of change when power changes hands between Democrats and Republicans and now it is the turn of the Republicans.  They will push their agenda just as the Democrats would, and there should be no surprise.  The president has a great influence on the tone of the political agenda, and if the President and the congress belong to the same party, then the imprint of the party platform is on for two years, or until people voice opinions against the government.  This time Republicans and Democrats have their own agendas, and Trump has his own.  Welcome to a new America, but the country will survive and will do what is best for the nation.  President, Congress, Senate and even the Supreme Court, and any elected and appointed institution is temporary, the nation and people are paramount.

Although very unusual for America, the democracy was in full display on January 21, 2017, Saturday, just one day after swearing Trump as the President, millions of people around the country, in this case around the world took to the streets protesting the policies and rhetoric of Trump and his people.  Trump and his team in the mean time keep blaming everyone for their success.  What is heartening is the day after millions marched voice support for their rights, and they were all peaceful and they were all simply stating their rights in a democracy.  Trump and his cohorts were simply hurling insults at everyone and playing hurt about the media coverage.  The beauty of today is that whatever we say is etched in stone (especially if you are a politician who loves to tweet), and it only becomes obvious when you contradict yourselves.  The next almost four years will be full of these, no doubt.

We will be fine, we will survive this and any other administration and we will continue to lead the world.  Democracy has a way of self correction and self indulgence, and no matter how individuals try to deviate the democracy, it will follow the course of freedom.

Citizen Obama

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

President Obama is completing him final term in office on January 20, 2017, this coming Friday.  Most of my last ten years have been nursing back to health and only a single trip to India to visit my mother in 2016, but plenty of time in understanding politics and global directions.  Both India and USA have been quite active in pushing democracy and development, and some brotherly love between Modi and Obama.

To draw simple parallels, since Modi became the PM of India, Obama was already some way thru his second term as president of USA.  Both men got along really well, and even addressed each other by Barak and Narendra.  A gesture to me was a special connotation of friendship between leaders of the largest and the oldest democracies, and the friendship between the leaders continue to the end of term of president Obama.

Before delving into retirement of Obama, the parallels that can be drawn between Obama and Modi are their beginnings as men in community development and their humble beginnings and their reach out to the underprivileged.

As President Obama rose in politics from Chicago, obviously he is our home town hero.  When I first met him (the only time) he was running for the senate seat (not too long ago, about ten years ago).  Shareef bhai had organized lunch in Chicago (I believe India House) and Satish and myself along with a couple of others had an Indian lunch with Obama and one of his associates.  Although I don’t remember everyone at the table, it was a small fund raising lunch, and when I saw his last interview on 60 Minutes yesterday (January 15, 2017), he looked and sounded the same. We all know he loves Indian food, and his affinity to the community.  I really think Obama has an affinity to every culture and obviously every food.  He was a man with quick intellect (he certainly was curious and well versed) and with quick wit and a very quick smile.  He still is after what he has done in the last ten years.

The most powerful office on earth will become a private citizen in a few days, and his reflections are stark to the day’s reality.  Obama clearly admits to his inability to work together with republicans.  It is glaring that the politicians can be of such different opinions and philosophies.  In his time in office, the acrimony of his opposition was obvious.  Republicans despised everything Obama, and it did not matter what he did.  From his birth to every policy was dealt with such acrimony, it is hard to believe that these people were representing the people.  Obama readily admits to the animosity to him as a person, and also clearly admits to his inability to work with both sides of congress.  It probably will never get easy for the next president and the one after.

Obama’s will walk away from the white house with great dignity and absolutely no scandal, along with two little girls grown-up and well mannered just like their parents.  To me, it doesn’t matter what the Obama’s looked like, or what their politics were, but they were great role models for families and friends, and to people in general.  Obama, was part of the change, and will always be remembered for his path-breaking political life.  He is still young and will have a long list of contributions to make to the society and the world.  I am sure glad he will be back to Chicago and I sure hope to have another Indian meal with him.

I am happy that Obama Presidential Library will be in the Chicago area.  While they build it and after they open it to public, I intend to be a part of it.  Although every president of the USA is a special person, as 43 men before President Obama, he is special.  A man with simple will to achieve what he did, and the simple plan of what he wishes to do after being the leader of the free world. He just wants to be Citizen Obama, spend time with his wife, see his daughters grow up, and yes, he would like to teach.  God bless him and his family and may he be a source of inspiration to the world. “OBAMA OUT”.

Another Year

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

We are already running thru another new year.  2017 is here and we are sleep walking thru the days quickly.  We are still far away from home, ten thousand miles away and journey home is still very arduous and the same as it was more than a generation and half ago.  Nothing has changed with the nation, its reception and of course my people.  No one has changed.  We all just got a lot wiser.

The music lovers of India will remember the song by Pankaj Udhas.  “Chitti Aaayee Hai” from the film “Naam” fro 1986.  Nostalgia and love for your home never fades.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSrNiZas_hw Listen to the song here, its still heart warming and heart touching.  Those were the days when you really wrote and waited for a letter to come back.  In living almost all of my life away from home, nothing depicts the love for home, for your people and your own everything from your birth place; irrespective of how many years you have been away.  It was the time when the mobile. Internet and instant communications were linked to star trek.

Today we are constantly or Skype or Facetime, text and instant messaging, emailing and calling, and use every device available to be in touch.  Hearing a distant voice or watching a screen to see the person on the other side is a part of normalcy.  We still can’t touch and feel, but hear and share.  A thousand new ways to be in touch, really still far away.  I have no complaints about what we have done in just a few years to communicate and be in touch, simply the missing factor is touch and feel and smell of home.

The journey and the time and process have not changed much.  It takes as long as it was 30 years ago, with millions more traveling from here to home.  Don’t ask me where here is, as where ever you are there are us.  In reality we are a lot more crowded today on the road, in the bus, in the train, in the air port, on the plane, actually everywhere.  It will be a fairly long column if we discuss the etiquette, so we simply focus on another year and the same distance from home.

The minute we start to make the trip home, we are impatient, and impertinent.  Really don’t think of what surrounds us when at home.  The standing in line and waiting disappears as soon as we get into boarding area at the airport.  We become a local without delay, but with an attitude of an NRI in India.  Strange as it might sound the accent that really is not there and the impatience that should never be a part of life, appear out of no where.

What really matters is reaching the destination I would point out, but not the arduous journey.  Many trips to the same destination but still each one is as precious as it was the first.  Here is another year and I would imagine it will be the same as last one, home still far away and still wonderful.  Happy New Year everyone, make this one a bit easier than the last.

Forgotten Reality

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

Peace and Happiness to everyone in 2017. 

At the dawn of New Year 1/1/2017, India was reporting that 90% of the 500 and 1000 Rupee notes were back into the banks as the process of demonetization comes to an end.  From 11/1/2016 to 12/31/2016.  Getting 90% of the old currency out of circulation is not just a very good effort, and for a nation that is plagued with corruption and fakes, this is somewhat a super human result.  There was a Times of India column recently that said the expectation of a wind fall for the government doesn’t seem real because 90% of the old notes are already redeemed.  This is a disingenuous claim by TOI and the news channels, which already reported that money being burned, thrown thru the train toilets, thrown into the rivers, thrown into the trash cans, and simply being left everywhere and being donated everywhere.  Assuming all the old notes that were legal were only 90% accounted for, it is still a 10% wind fall of the entire money that should have been in circulation, and if 10% of the entire value of printed high value notes is not a windfall, the reporting agencies must be on dope.

First the difficulties still being faced by the normal citizen are real, and 50 days of long lines to exchange money is hard to endure.  It is obvious that the normal citizen is the one who is most effected in the demonetization process as the list of requirements needed to exchange old notes and/or deposit them, and long lines they continue to endure is just for common man, and the rich and the crooked have already got into the action of getting their hands on unreasonable amounts of new currency and have already started the new ways of hording new currency.  To a large extent the India’s corrupt will find ways to get their hands on whatever process the government can think of to curb corruption.  There will be no 100% proof of avoiding the illegal hoarding of money.  The demonetization simply forces everyone to reveal the old bills, and what comes from new notes is something to deal with.

The government, the news channels and the citizens complained that Pakistan and others printed Indian currency to promote terror in India.  The special reference to fake Indian currency coming from Pakistan to promote terror in Kashmir, and other areas of India was constantly highlighted.  Indian banking system did not have a full proof system to validate currency, but once the demonetization was announced, the streets of Kashmir are quiet.  The news channels don’t high light this anymore.  Also, the greater good is that all the fake notes are now worthless.  In reality a 10% windfall of real Indian currency and also 100% curbing of fake notes, is more than a financial windfall, but it is also a security apparatus that immediately helped with curbing the terror and violence, and also eliminating fakes from the banking system.

The banks also report billions being deposited into the banks, or exchanged.  While Indians like to hold their money in cash, the demonetization has encouraged new deposits into the banking system.  Even if this adds a 25% new value to the currency in deposits, it is a windfall for the banks with new resources available for investments.  So, once again reporting the value of new deposits should have been given the front pages.

Perhaps the greatest effect f demonetization is that the unreported income, all of a sudden is taxable income.  The government continues to actively take steps to encourage people to deposit money with the banks, and also report any unreported income.  If the new reports are to be accurate, the IT department has been very busy with people and businesses reporting massive amounts of new income (and paying taxes and penalties) and also the IT raids yielding mega money that was unaccounted for.

What is the windfall that the news agencies were expecting that the Indian government has not achieved?  It is true that the process might not be perfect, but it has certainly eliminated the hoarding, hawala, terror and anti-social and anti-national activities.

A combination of all the after effects of demonetization is such a windfall of the Indian economy to allow for TOI of any news outlet to start piecing together 100% of the after effects of the demonetization, and they will certainly come-up with a thesis that will show a multitude of economic and societal value, while the long lines and loss of life are unacceptable.  But India being what it is, it would have been impossible to announce a long term demonetization and still achieve the listed objectives.

We Believe In Fables

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

It is perhaps sub-conscious, but all human beings have heard, read, dreamt and thought of Arabian Nights, mythology and Disney Land.  From early childhood we are trained to believe in a land that is far away, full of fulfilled aspirations and desires.  Our religion, our literature, our societies, our families, our friends, our teachers, our surroundings, and in general everything around us allow us to look at things (both material and spiritual) that are at some point of time in the past described as what we should aspire for. It is with time and opportunity the individual aspirational attitude is driven.  Gone are the days when people aspired to join the independence movement and becoming a public servant. Now becoming a doctor or engineer (still in some communities), or a software engineer is probably in thoughts of most young ones, and also perhaps the last days of aspiring to travel or move to the USA for work.

There is no doubt that every generation will aspire to become more financially independent than the past generation.  Being financially independent and taking care of the family is the paramount aspiration for every one, and finding a place where that is afforded is the preferred destination.  Perhaps the definition of what is right/wrong might not differ with generations, but certainly our aspirations will be driven by what the rest of the world is doing and what opportunities exist for financial security at any given time.

After the World War II, and the Indian independence, pretty much wiped out the British, Spanish and Portuguese dominance with colonization of vast territories.  The initial days of the world exploiting the internal combustible engine fostering easy travel, societies and people have become mobile and willing to move from place to place seeking work and freedom.  The advances in telecommunications, internet and mobile communications have certainly created a new environment to work from where ever you are, while automation and internet have been combining to create a new work place.  As the old saying goes, expect change, it is constant.

For over a hundred years of internal combustible engine, the world (especially the western countries) have gotten used to high rates of employment, high wages along with great mobility.  As all good things begin and end, the manufacturing, farming and heavy industry have seen the transformation to more automation and information technology jobs, along with globalization and cost effective business management.  The large public enterprises continue to look for efficiencies and profitable balance sheet, and the work force changes are as drastic as the technology changes.

The last 30 years of television, telecommunications and Internet have heavily influenced the new age employment.  The global population explosion constantly puts pressure on employment and opportunities, while the transformation of work force is not in parallel.  There is pressure on job and wage growth from exponential population growth.

The comfort factor that had set in with the jet age, all of a sudden is faced with wage stagnation and employment displacement for the developed societies, while the poor nations look for opportunities to jump on the employment band wagon offering cheap labor.  Although the Chinese flourished for a generation of cheap labor, they have come under increasing pressure on economic tactics and exploited opportunity.  The western societies have seen heavy industry disappear, and wages stagnant while facing increasing global competition to their production plants.

The fable of perfect societies is really that.  Things constantly change with life and industry and economies.  The mindset of the western/developed societies has suddenly been put to danger with cost/opportunity for business and employment. A combination of globalization, cost and benefit to the industry, the shift to a technology industry from heavy manufacturing, automation and available work force; all factors make industry reposition and reshape.

While the developing nations vie for more opportunities to participate, the developed nations struggle to find the opportunity for their heavy industry and high wages.  The struggle for opportunity and cost management is more than ever as there are internal pressures within the nations to protect and preserve the economies of the last generation, while the opportunities are in a very different landscape.

  
The fables will remain the same and opportunities ever changing.  For a way to better and more comfortable place/s the changes and adoption to the changes is the only way to participate.  If we don’t choose learn the new world dynamics and to participate in the rapid advancements, we will still speak of the fables but will not participate in their outcome.

Up Side Down

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

2016 holiday season is here.  Christmas is coming this weekend, and Santa for sure is coming.  Chicago is once again under polar vortex, really freezing and lots of snow on the ground.  Chicago Bears Keep loosing every week, and all Bears gear already in storage for this year, and Cutler is still with the bears, but injured and on the sidelines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Bears. The Chicago cubs in 2016 won a World Series championship after 108 years and probably the right spot for the year for Chicagoans, and die-hard fans world over https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Cubs.  Illinois has been going into the second year without a budget and no one seems to care (for those of you who care Illinois is our state), and actually people don’t see any reason to worry about the state budget, local services and whatever the government was supposed to be doing.

The country has a new president elect in Trump, president Obama is just about packing his bags and moving out of the white house, Hillary is enjoying her nationhood and her couch.  The Obama presidency if nothing else has been a good one for families with children, and full of personal and social meaning, along with being hassle and corruption free.  We Chicagoans are proud that the Obama’s are one of our won.

Trump and his supporters (even after the election, and winning the presidency) continue to tweet and air fascinating theories.  Trump’s selection of his support staff at the white house, really supports his election and thereafter tweets.  He really tweets.  Trump is a master of throwing things to the wall and let someone agree with him or something stick.  What facts and who needs them?  He has an abundance of material that no one else can think of tweeting, so the daily (nightly) soap opera continues, and for another four years it is certain we will either be entertained with conspiracy theories or can watch reruns on the television, and stop using twitter, may be the internet itself.  But as it has been for more than a year and half, the television has been one place to keep the remote handy, to keep flipping channels to escape the barrage of conspiracy theories.

Putin and Russia have all of a sudden become Trump’s favorite pals.  As the world watches in amazement, and while Russia continues to support the carnage in Syria, and has annexed Crimea and just about everywhere Russia fingers in dismantling democracies, Trump and his actions think otherwise.  His latest appointment of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, clearly points to his reaching out to Putin.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Tillerson.  He is a very accomplished CEO of Exxon Mobil now leaving the job to become secretary of state.  While an extremely successful oil executive, he is closely tied to Putin, perhaps can be viewed as his biggest asset according to Trump.

Despite the cyber attacks on the USA and its election process, specially targeting Democratic Party, Trump doesn’t publicly accept Russian actions against the USA, and keeps pushing his Russian agenda with every action that he has taken, fully contradicting global posturing towards Russian atrocities internationally.  The atrocities in Syria, Crimea, cyber attacks on the USA, and whatever else that have attracted global sanctions against Russia seem to be same as any other global reality for Trump.  There is nothing here to figure out as Russians wanted Trump to be in the white house, and he is now getting ready to move in.  Neither Russia nor the USA can spin their politics by 100 degrees without causing massive global disruption, but Trump is capable of doing what he feels (tweet) at any given time of the day, and it will not be anything close to conventional for at least next four years.

The largest trading partner of the USA, China is at odds with Trump, and this is a twist that probably unplanned for anyone in the political or diplomatic circles. New game show as Trump embracing Russia, and constantly tweeting (tweaking) against China, as China is the largest trading partner with USA.  Since President Nixon started diplomatic channels with China, each USA administration has threaded very carefully with China, both politically and diplomatically, but Trump tweets otherwise.  China is a powerhouse by itself, and doesn’t follow anyone else’s rules but it’s won, and even before Trump gets into the White House, he has been tweeting perhaps about revisiting pre-Nixon times.  But, there is nothing to figure out as China remains what it is and USA has come to the time of Trump.

We have yet to see the real political, diplomatic, economic, international and domestic turbulence.  The USA can certainly become isolationist and redraw its priorities as simply USA.  There is nothing wrong with domestic policy making to simply be a stand alone nation.  The funny part of Trump’s domestic agenda will force him to shut down all his dealings out side of the USA, and it is a good bet to make that he will never put anything first, but his own name.  When Trump says America first, we have to believe him as he is right, all his assets are American.  Unless he will standup and show us his taxes, and then whatever his interests are will certainly tie with his national interests.

There is some sensibility in his choice of support staff.  Christie, Gingrich and Giuliani are no longer going to be in his cabinet, and new players have come in their place, but conspiracy theories are still abundant and will be huge material for writers and commentators and story tellers for years to come.

God Bless the USA.

Wasting Time

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

The Indian movie makers have run out of ideas for quite a while.  They willfully ignore (all most all the time as they have not made a movie that is worth watching in many years) the audience and ticket purchasing innocents, and keep throwing the same stuff (being very kind with my words) at the audience each week.  Granted that some movies are minor exceptions which deviate from the glory of a few men on screen, but even the exceptions really don’t stop from the clichés of the age old story line.

Barring a few exceptions, most movies fall into two categories; dishoom and dishoom, and the new trend of showing western style relationships in an Indianised context.  There is really no nativity to displaying what happens in New York or London or cities outside of India, and people fake speaking in funny accents and show casing life that is not a normal to the Indian way of life.  Granted that many Indians ape on western societies, but life of a movie going Indian really has not changed in generations, irrespective of where they live.

The regional movies have continued to glorify the really short guys, with heavy make-up as super humans, and super smart guys who in every movie do the unthinkable, unimaginable and unbelievable stuff in just about every movie.  Common man watches the movie of uncommon gory and glory.  With each passing movie the production costs and payments to heroes has continued to shoot-up, irrespective of their box-office outcome.  The vast majority of the Indian movies end-up being a flop or disaster, but we keep churning out boat loads of movies every week.

We can perhaps ignore the wafer think storyline, which continues to become thinner with each week.  The heroes and generational attitudes have continued to bank of the same logic, fight, beauty, locations and illogical two and half hours.  Lucky for the audience the so called big heroes in all languages don’t make many movies these days, and the moviegoers are spared the experience mostly to one or twice a year.  If the today's stars release movies as did the the yesteryears heroes, we might have simply stopped going to the theater.  By limiting the number of releases the big stars are really sparing the audience and also the producers the distress of lost money and aspirin.

The love for movies is really escapism.  Fortunately the fantasy, action, thematic, potter, Disney, Star Wars, and many variations of English and foreign language movie take the viewing space (now a days in many of regional languages), and you can just throw in a local language movie in the middle.  But what is still missing is the fell good movies that probably were the staple of life a generation ago.  The experience of watching a movie with 500 or more people in a theater, and enjoying the simple melodrama for almost 3 hours has become a difficult commodity.

But the logic of a moviegoer has never been too good.  We still want to see the movies, and we still want to see the song and dance, and action with a few tears thrown in.

The old saying goes “Time is Money”.  I did not want to emphasize that I was wasting money, just whiling my time away watching movies.  Enjoy the show and for a few months really cold weather in Chicago.

Right to Steal

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

The process of demonetization by Modi government in India is first commendable.  Trying to bring the society to be honest (at least try to be civil to each other and to the country) is a promise that Modi spoke of while canvassing to become the PM of the largest democracy in the world.  To force the cheater’s to stop hoarding ill gotten wealth, and also stop the terror and antinational activities from faking the currency and funding atrocities on Indians on Indian soil, all of this is effort that should have been national priority from 1947, but now it is becoming a reality.  Just demonetizing currency might not be the only way to stop tax cheaters and anti-nationals, but it certainly is one of the effective ways to curb the actions that hurt the country.

The effects of demonetization are immediate in brining all the 500 and 1000 notes back into the accounting, and weather the money is white or black, the Indian banking system can now account for how much of the money legally in circulation is exchanged, and also identifying and destroying fake currency that essentially funds terror in the country.  Both accounting all the legally issued notes and eliminating the fake notes, in one go is necessary for the national security.

If even a small portion of the existing currency is not returned into the banking system (which is being destroyed in many ways) the country benefits from the liability.  The country essentially eliminates the terror funding by demonitizing the fake currency.  Both add to the positive balance sheet of the nation.  At the time of writing this column, the terror funding has completely stopped, and at least a 10% to 30% of all 500 and 1000 notes might never be back into the system from the cheaters and hoarders, adding a big positive to the national treasury.  Also, all the declared currency, and the income tax and penalties that are derived, definitely adds to the positive national balance sheet, and also millions of accounts all of a sudden have money in them instead of zero balances.  However you look at it the demonetizing flushes out a lot of back money, completely eradicates fake currency and wind fall for income tax authorities, and new money in the banking system.  Irrespective of the political hoopla by the opposition parties, this is an economic maneuver that was long overdue by India.

The long lines in front of the banks to exchange and the difficulties faced by common man in doing daily chores are real.  The government did not plan well to tackle the demonetization and exchange of notes.  But announcing the demonetization ahead of time would have simply defeated the very purpose of eliminating black money and fake money from the economic cycle.  For politicians in opposition this is a short term political opportunity, but for general public it’s a nuisance that is temporary, and for people who don’t use banking it is of non consequence.  For middle income families the demonetization has become a daily soap opera, watching and wondering about why India is still with poor people ad shanty towns, and without toilets.  The ill gotten wealth is thrown into rivers, burnt, dumped in garbage or on roads, flush down the toilets, and every which way it can be thrown away, but not given to some cause that really needs help.  While the public watches the destruction of money with irony, the attitude towards the ill-gotten wealth.  The money could be declared with a fine, given to charity, given to armed forces, given to places of worship, and many a worthy causes, but the persons/s who obtain wealth illegally seldom think of society and others around them.  The money was and is still being destroyed, the very fabric of the people who accumulate massive and ill gotten wealth.

India for several centuries has seen looted and the looting is engrained into the fabric of life of both people in power and the common man.  No matter at what level of life, society just steal is the motto, and corruption is a way of life.  India is a country with millions of places of worship, holy men and women in every corner and religion as a way of life, but stealing without abandon is a part of routine; such irony.

Even with a few weeks into demonetization, the intelligence bureaus are still unearthing vast amounts of old notes, and also freshly minted notes.  How is it possible to already stash new notes in such short order, with restrictions imposed on individuals?  Is the banking system itself engaged in corruption, how is Modi going to watch the keeper’s who are supposed to stop the corruption?  Modi certainly needs the next level of controls to stop the banker’s from engaging in the continued looting.

While the country goes thru the drama of demonetization, the NRI folks were offered clear directions on how to exchange their INR.  First and foremost the US Banks and currency exchanges were less than welcoming to take the INR.  There are very few Indian bank locations in the USA for most Indians to drive and exchange their INR.  The idea to send the INR to India with proof of residency, and authorization letter to someone who can deposit of exchange money in India was also a good proposal, considering most NRI will have some money in INR with them.  Sending money to India with authorization for a local person to transact them was a affording the folks to not to throw their money away, rather get it back into the banking system.

A personal story here; I did follow the instructions on sending money to India.  I prepared an affidavit to the bank, attached a copy of passport and drivers license, provided the Indian bank details and also included in my communications the local persons contact details and included the INR by airmail, and sent it to India.  I double checked the process with my contact in India, and sent it off.  Did not think of the mail and money for about four weeks, and I got a message from India.  Everything I sent to India was received but the currency was missing.  I was shocked, and now have no way of tracking the money lost in sending it to India.  Here I am, followed every instructions given by Indian authorities to account for my money to India, but someone simply decided to take my money, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.  I just wasted a lot of time, effort and my money in the process.  I wanted to do the right thing, but with India nothing right is really the right thing.

Indian systems are built to steal.  I simply can’t imagine how many people went thru the same process as I did, and wanted to follow the guidelines but got their money stolen.  With India and Indian systems, you really can’t win by following the rules.  Modi is no messiah to make people respect other people’s space and resources.  The country is so used to stealing at every stage and every place, and no amount of government regulations will take the cheating out of their system.  I am not venting here, but in every instance in dealing with India, this experience of people stealing is a norm.  It’s sad, but it is very real.

While I wholeheartedly support the demonetization which has eliminated the fake notes, and support to terrorism, and to a good degree brought a majority of money back into circulation, Modi can’t affect the mentality of India from stealing.  Indian’s believe that it is their right to steal, and at every chance they get.

Modified or Tughluq

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
Vasuredddy@aol.com

It has been a couple of years since BJP and Modi took over the governance of India from INC.  As with most NRI population, I too voiced great opportunism with the election of Modi to lead India.  Not withstanding his managerial abilities, his public persona, his pronouncements, his attitude, his work ethic, and whole lot of qualities and mostly his stance on cleaning-up India’s entrenched political and bureaucratic looting, was all in his favor.  I wrote many times that Modi did not need money for himself (I still strongly believe this) and thus makes him the best candidate to root out corruption.

Modi constantly spoke against corruption and black money in Indian political and commercial system.  The country is 100% dependent on baksheesh.  Everyone has a handout to do anything.  From very simple thing to complicated decisions are based on paying for the services, and Modi rallying against this was perhaps the most politically attractive rallying cry against the incumbent government, and rightfully so.  I fully supported the initiative to root out and stop public and political corruption.  Even our temples encouraged the people who gave money get preferential viewing of the good lord.  Once again Modi had no one at his side, and his family and friends were kept away from his circle of governance, thus eliminating the need for graft.

Since 2014, the initiatives with the international agencies, aligning with receptive governments with constant emphasis on rooting out the black money have certainly yielded results.  Public might not see the daily activity, but Modi’s government have been proactive to find and expose the unaccounted money, and bring some semblance of accountability to international hoarders.  It is unlikely that we can catch everyone in the world and expose or make them account for hoarding the money overseas, as many options are available to legally hold money overseas.  However Modi’s government has been putting pressure and getting people to fess up.  The most glaring of the ineffectiveness can be identified with at least a couple of individual instances, where the Indian government has not been able to bring the British to send back Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi, who are both enjoying their time in the UK.  But there is steady progress with the Panama papers and Swiss and other off shore havens exposing the hoarders.

Within India, many steps have been taken to allow people to declare their horded assets, and also ill gotten assets by declaring and paying appropriate income tax.  The initial opportunity was simple and straight forward, there were no questions asked, just declare everything and pay taxes, and that’s it.  You had a clean slate.  There were clear guidelines and various schemes announced so that people did not nee to fear the authorities, simply show the money and pay the tax.  This also yielded some fairly large declarations of wealth, which again added to the international pressure to bring back the black money.  Modi’s government took various steps, prior to the latest November 8, 2016 demonetization of 500 and 1000 Rupee notes.

We could see further measures to get majority of the economy into a transactional process rather than hording, and Modi might still have a lot of measures that might be forthcoming.

But the problem with India is that the whole national wealth could be vastly under reported simply because of historical way of life in India.  Indians hold wealth in land, property, gold and silver and immovable assets, while many hold cash as the transactional way of life.  Banking, credit, debit, ATM, internet commerce and many of the last 20 years of global commercial developments while being introduced and accepted in India, the country still has its holdings outside of the banking/commercial systems.  So, while the looters and hoarders might use cash only as the way to stash their ill gotten wealth, 99% of Indians who are genuine keep their assets and cash the way they are used to, and are not guilty of any financial crimes.

The demonetization certainly added to the woes of ill gotten wealth.  People destroying, dumping, burning and simply throwing their money away are a reflection of ill gotten wealth and disregard for how it was acquired.  These guys could have simply given the money to temples and charities instead of destroying the money, even better they could have simply given the ill gotten money to army or other government organizations without destroying, but again looters really don’t think about anything positive.

While we applaud Modi’s continuous initiatives to curb corruption, the value of the way of life of Indian society and how 99% plus of Indians have their set ways of life.  Why do I, a tax payer and a law abiding citizen have to wait for hours to get my money, and also why do I have to even exchange or identify the money that I already accounted for?  Why not find the looters and tax dodgers, with ways and means available to the intelligence agencies?  Is the government playing ignorance about who is looting or are they simply still holding out for contributions?

The inconvenience to the public could have been avoided with many measures, but the intent is being widely accepted.  For NRI, this is simply a most difficult process, but again the government is allowing measures to make amends to legitimate currency holders.  What amounts to a managed society is limiting someone to a certain amount of money that can be cashed or help, as this is not the way economies should work, and democracies should flourish.  If I choose to only deal with cash, I should be able to, and the government should no tell me how much to spend or keep with me.  If I am a law abiding and tax paying citizen, then it is my choice on how I conduct my life and business.  As long as Modi and the government doesn’t reach into personal life of Indians who don’t need help with how to live it, they can and should keep finding ways to curb corruption.  But let the common man be just that; a law abiding common man.

What If?

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

Donald Trump winning the presidential election in 2016 was in line with the US Populations current frame of mind.  If you look at 70's thru 2000’s there was little issues of race and religion, people were into globalization, mobility, technology and telecommunications, and definitely the Internet added the elimination of distance between people.

First, personally I really don’t like confrontation.  I really don’t like public display of acrimony and strife.  Especially after a certain age, people should respect each other, and if they don’t just keep quiet.  I really did not like the tome of the 2016 US presidential elections.  The election cycle was simply distasteful and disrespectful to the entire viewing and listening population.  I am glad the election is over, and also the general disbelief that Trump is going to be our next president.

Hillary Clinton’s defeat was not unprecedented.  But certainly Trump winning the Electoral College was a definite surprise to him and his team, and also to the rest of the population and pundits.  It should not have been to anyone as the common knowledge of the populations feelings on race relations.  No matter what anyone says, race and color remain in the fore front of how Americans deal with each other.  In this year there is no abundance of wealth or job creation as in the Regan thru Clinton eras, its hard times with little opportunity for the nation.  Race always is the easiest emotion to bring out the camaraderie for electorates.  Trump certainly knew the hot button issues to get enough people to listen to him, and Hillary did not play to the galleries.  The reality is that rhetoric to wake the racial issue is quite simple and quite effective.  Trump did not need to do much except sow the seeds of doubt about his opponents, the administration, Washington and almost all the rest of the world.  I doubt if he try to cast doubts on everyone on earth to make his point, and if you are the audience listening, there must be at least a small section that was listening to how their particular group was being let down/abused/ignored and whatever choice of words that was of absurdly pitted against them.  If you pick and choose the individual group, race, religion, country, and whatever that separates people (which is not noticeable or of importance until someone keeps reminding you of how you are getting screwed daily) and if you keep repeating the same negative and outrageous utterances, you will at least create a doubt.  Trump also might be using his real estate acumen of constant pitting and negotiation techniques with general public, and we did not know how he was manipulating our thoughts simply by raising issues that did not exist and thongs that have been dormant for more than a generation.  For anyone who opposed him or spoke against Trump, there was something that he could find that suited his purpose for getting elected.  No one stood a chance for countering, as his range of attacks was not just unusual but simply was not a part of standard politics.  Sixteen months is a long time to run for the office, but from a tactical perspective Trump could find enough people’s inner insecurities that are not a daily worry, to become a worry.  Trump instigated the decades of intolerance that was dormant in today’s world, and just enough of the population was willing to listen and believe that there was more than just man and women.

Now that Trump is going to be the next President, we should heed to President Obama’s directive.  Let’s not assume the worst as the country simply will not work on one person’s whims, and we actually should not forecast the worst, but give Trump a chance.  In reality there is no such thing as “Utopia”, and democrats and republicans have a 100% different view of the world.

What if Trump does all of what he said he will do in the election cycle?  All of his talking points some appeal to the republicans and some to the democrats.  Everyone says Trump is not a conventional politician, but he has said things that are offensive to all and appealing to all.  It’s 50/50.  Essentially meaning half of the population likes or dislikes every single thing he has said, and that’s just about the way electorate has behaved.  It is conceivable Trump is smart enough to realize that he can get what he said by simply throwing it back at the country, and achieve his political agenda.

The What if? Scenario is not impossible.  As from his “Building The Wall” to “Make America Great Again” to everything else requires a simple majority to move forward, or the Presidential pen in case if he gets resistance.  I would let him do everything he said he would do for Americans, and as at least 50% of us agree on everything he propagated, there is a possibility of seeing things that were said u Trump get implemented.  There is really no What if?  Trump simply pitted us against each other, and said everything that everyone wanted to say and could not.  If we ignore the hypocrisy and look into the foreseeable future Trump promises what everyone wants, and they will get what they deserve.  Each time the other 50% will complain, but nothing will be gained by companioning as only 50% will listen.  In reality Trump might just do what he said, as there is enough support fro every so called radical idea he has pitched, and enough people who believe that this is not a perfect state of the union.

It Would Have Been Kryptonite For Anyone Else

Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

Last Tuesday’s US Presidential election and Donald Trump acquiring the majority of the Electoral College needed to be elected President, was nothing but a fascinating political drama perhaps will be studied by political scientists and pundits for generations to come.  I have to admit that Trump’s victory was surprising and quite quick towards the unfolding evening, and probably fooled everyone on the planet.  The only thing that was clear was the racial and economic divide in states that constantly voted democratic, and in 2016 simply either did not care for what the democrats represented or simply did not vote, or even so split on racial lines.  It is easy to be a Monday morning quarter back, as we already know what happened.  Hillary although won the majority of the votes, fell short with the Electoral College.  Hillary Clinton still has a lot to offer to all the people of the USA with her long service to the communities and her fight to the finish to the presidency.  Simply, fell short just by a little, and could not garner a little more voter interest to go and VOTE.

It is simply amazing that Trump is the president elect.  After everything he said about his own party, Washington, women, immigrants and just about everything on earth, he still won.  Anyone else in his shoes would have faced what superman did with Kryptonite.  Again, every vote counts and every mind counts, and in Trump’s case and point the old adage of the “Ugly American”, once again came up the win.  For those who worked in business development before the time of the Mobile and Internet, the term ugly American in very familiar, and in 2015/2016 Trump has been true to this, and the Americans in enough number seems to like it.

In the astonishing result of 2016 election, Clinton did not do anything wrong, but two things that really cost her;

-         FBI announcing that they had more emails from her closest associate Huma Abedon’s estranged husband.  That was her Kryptonite.  It was probably the most damaging event just before a few days of the election, and perhaps the worst thing thrown in any democratic election on earth, ever.  People are not discussing much this action by Tomey, but the history books will show that this was the single biggest factor for the first women to lose the presidency in the last week of the election.

-         The smaller contributor to the Clinton loss is to underestimate the UGLY AMERICAN phenomenon that Trump has harbored all thru the campaign.  It is very appealing to Americans (who are really a few generational old immigrants) of their superiority over the rest of the world.  It is true as a nation America is a great democracy, but it is because of the fabric of the entire population, not one group or the other.  Hillary Clinton nor the Democratic Party never appreciated the hidden psychology of the Americans, and never could speak, act, behave and do what Trump did.  They were too civil to even come close to Trump.

Hillary lost, and was gracious in her defeat.  Once again a trait that is not of an Ugly American and Bill was also very gracious, along with much of the democratic leadership.  It was unexpected in 2016, but it is what it is.  There is nothing a human being can do with individual prejudices, as they are there and there is nothing that will stop them from coming out when in private.

Trump doesn’t really have a tall order to govern.  His four years can be like the Senior Bush or can extend to eight like the Junior Bush.  All he has to do is become a republican and he will survive his presidency.  But again its Donald Trump, and he can really build the wall (this should be an easy construction project with his back ground), crap on NATO, ban Muslim immigration, make huge tax cuts and balloon the deficit, declare bankruptcy, and whatever he has said in getting elected.  Many of these things can be done with executive orders and Trump only listens to Trump.  It might not be all that bad to put America First.  God bless America.

Is it the End of the Season of Acrimony?

vasureddy@aol.com
Vasu Reddy from Chicago

Whosoever is the winner of the 2016 Presidential election should not simply let go of the campaign rhetoric.  The winner should go on to establish their individual and unique credentials worthy of the American people’s confidence in electing to the highest office of the nation.  The winner should make every effort to address the negativity that came from the opponent to minute detail and let people know the truth behind each acquisition.  It is not to suggest look for revenge or getting even, but setting record straight.  For once, when such an acrimonious election ends, it also needs closure.  Closure only comes with closing the obvious and obnoxious accusations of the acrimonious campaign.

Clinton and/or Trump should save exchanging niceties of election night and focus on the people of the nation, and also one each other to bring a closure to what was said for 16 months or more of campaigning.  There is no need to call and offer any kind of consolation or acceptance with an after election phone call, but get to the bottom of each of the accusation that has been thrown at each other, and what was promised in the long electoral process.  Do what you said to get elected, and make sure whatever was thrown at you is responded in kind.  When the next election comes and same thing happens the, next president will have a precedent to make sure that SOS is not the way to run a nation like the USA.

Democracy and freedom of speech are being really tested to the extreme in 2016.  With each presidential election, the acquisitions mostly unsubstantiated have become the norm, and nothing of substance except negativity is coming from spending billions of dollars.  The republicans started out with a large scale invasion of candidates, and somehow Trump engineered his way as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.  There was nothing conventional with the Republicans primary process and Trump emerged as the last man standing to represent them.

Enough has been said and written about his style, mostly self proclaimed on how Trump got to be the Republican nominee, and amazingly how he continues to keep being close in the polls as we come to the last day before the 2016 elections.  Luckily tomorrow is 11/8/2016, Election Day.

For a fairly wealthy Trump, who is a man of his own style, behavior and speech?  Unfortunately for the American public, we have to listen to the gloating, and constantly.

Hillary Clinton has been in politics and public eye, just about all her adult life.  (I like Bill Clinton our past president and her husband).  Hillary is no saint, and not much can be done in covering anything that she has been involved with.  The major bone of contention in this election cycle has been her use of a private email server to conduct government business.  Hillary could have simply admitted to using it and accept the political outcry with an apology.  Being what she is and her history with politics and experiences with life, she waffled for a while and now her turn to defend the email server, and a tough election.  If the email business was not an issue in this election, Hillary would be in a non-contest in this election.

Now that the election is coming to an end, and we will have a winner declared tomorrow (11/8/2016), the winning candidate should make every effort to remove the stigma of the election immediately.  To start with take every allegation that were made and either disprove it or defend it.  The resolutions to the allegations made in the election cycle will put to bed the dirt, and also will make the next set of candidates be more aware of making same acrimony a part of the elections.

The two things the winner should do immediately;

-         Completely defend any acquisitions made by the opponent.  Highlight the inaccuracies/inappropriate and present appropriate response to put each such issue to rest to the public.

-          Find responsible positions to the opponent’s inaccuracies, promises, innuendos and all personal attacks and respond to each of them in kind.  Disprove the allegations with facts and responsible counters.

After all the new president of the USA doesn’t need a lot of time or resources to counter anything that is not accurate.  (Remember the Obama birth certificate issue?).  This was also started by Trump.  The opponents accusations should be dealt with a response befitting the allegations, and also establish a precedent for future elections and candidates that you simply can’t keep throwing dirt at someone who is going to be the leader of the free world.