Starting this threat to document the theft of Indias natural resources which has accelerated since the late nineties.

We believe we are wealthier as a nation but in reality we are poorer.

The list of resources that are being siphoned away of destroyed by MNCs, politicians, nations and wrong are



Mineral - ores, diamonds

Water - control of fresh water sources; water poisoning because of fertilizers and pesticides - coke and pepsi

Land - Destruction of soil productivity due to extensive use of poisonous fertilizers

Forests - Rampant destruction of forests by mining comglomerates

Biodiversity - Monoculture related destruction





Please feel free to add more.

Only Once Every 12 Years: Kumba Mela



Kumba Mela is also known as the "Holy Dip" or "Sacred Bath" at the locations identified as especially sacred along the Holy River Ganges on the most auspicious times during this auspicious period.



Kumba Mela is the ultimate opportunity for salvation and liberty from the endless cycle of birth and rebirth.



It is considered to be the single most important pilgrimage astrologically, spiritually and logistically; a rare event indeed.



This is the prime opportunity to wash away energies/karmas/negativity/sins from the last 12 year cycle and cleanse the way to a pure, light, new 12 year cycle.



[size="5"]The Age of Aquarius:[/size]

Astrologically this event has a special timing. Kumba Mela takes place in years when the planet Jupiter enters Aquarius, and the Sun enters Aries. This combination does not happen every year. These planetary positions occur together only once every 12 years.



Spiritually, the positive energies created at this time actually medicate the river water of the Ganges turning it to nectar on these auspicious days making enormous purification possible.



Logistically, as this event attracts godzillions of people from all over the world wishing to participate in this once every 12 years event, it is no surprise that accommodations in the areas are over loaded, as are most planes, trains and automobiles to even get there.

I think 90% of indians are of the same stock (indic/caucasoid) belonging to the indid subgroups (northindid/indobrachid/grazilindid). The weddoid element in india is overestimadet in my opinion. I know of high castes (usually brahmins/jatts/kshatriyas) who think all low castes and especially southindians are weddoid but thats not true in my book. I think majority of indians are caucasian. Indians are Aryans (noble people) not the europeans and the aryan culture is native to the subcontinent, there was no aryan invasion theory, it is also false to say aryans have blonde hair and blue eyes and pale skin. Aryans have black hair and golden skin. There shouldnt be a divide in indians. Whats your opinion about race in india? And where do roma gypsies fit in racially?



deleted pictures...

Please post over all high level strategic security news and issues, which may not fit focused issue threads.



Members like ramana, Arun_S and Acharya, please post here or let me know, if such a thread exists here. Thanks.



[url="http://pragmatic.nationalinterest.in/2010/01/04/understanding-unutilised-defence-expenditure/"]Understanding unutilised defence expenditure[/url]

Quote:38 percent of the amount earmarked for new acquisitions was surrendered in 2008-09.

Most of us have noted — with great concern — that certain portion of the defence budget is returned to the government coffers unused every year. Those who go into slightly more detail are aware that this unexpended money is usually from the capital expenditure portion of the defence budget (for example, it was Rs 3500 crore in 2007-08).



Now let us look at it even far more closely. The capital expenditure is also divided into two broad categories: capital acquisition and other capital expenditure. Other capital expenditure consists of expenses incurred on items such as land, works, accommodation projects, ordnance factories, DRDO and other defence departments. This amounts to 20 to 25 percent of the total capital expenditure. The balance 75 to 80 percent of capital expenditure goes towards capital acquisition — the actual amount spent to procure military hardware and weapon platforms. The capital acquisition portion can be again subdivided into the one used to fund committed liabilities for items already procured in previous years and the other for new schemes.



Let us understand this better with a concrete example. In the last financial year 2008-09, the total defence budget (at the Budgetary Estimates stage in March 2008) was 105600 crore. Out of this, the revenue or running expenditure was supposed to be 57593 crore and the capital expenditure was to be 48007 crore. Now this was an unusual year where the total defence budget was actually increased by 9000 crore before the end of the financial year (called the Revised Estimates). This should have been a welcome move but it wasn’t so. For even this additional amount was not sufficient to meet the increased revenue expenditure due to implementation of sixth pay commission recommendations. The government actually reduced the capital expenditure by another 7007 crore and transferred it to the revenue head.



At the BE stage, the capital acquisition budget was supposed to be 37482.77 crore, which included committed liabilities of 17846.57 crore. When the actual capital acquisition budget finally spent in 2008-09 was 30000.42 crore, the expenditure on account of new schemes came down to 12153.85 crore from 19636.2 crore. Thus, the unutilised portion of 7482.35 crore that was returned was only from the amount earmarked from new schemes — over 38 percent. 38 percent!



This is a story which has been replayed year after year for last many years and is likely to be repeated in the current year, 2009-10 as well. The total defence budget for 2009-10 at the BE stage is 141703 crore, out of which revenue allocation is 86879 crore and the capital allocation is 54824 crore. The capital allocation portion for this year is 40367.72 crore which includes committed liabilities of 21248.98 crore and new schemes worth 19118.74 crore. Very interestingly, the allocation for new schemes planned this year, though more than actually spent last year, is actually lesser than what was planned for last year. So much for accelerated plans for military modernisation this year.



A detailed breakdown for defence budget of 2009-10 will be made available only after the release of a parliamentary defence committee report that reviews the grant of demands for defence ministry for 2010-11. But when the finance minister presents his next union budget to the parliament in March this year, watch out for the RE figure for capital expenditure on defence for 2009-10 [Demand number 27 of the Finance bill]. If that figure be X crore, then (54824 — X) crore will be the amount returned from the allocation of 19118.74 crore for new schemes in 2009-10. Let us see whether the figure will be less than 38 percent this year or more.

If you have followed the post so far, then you would have come to the conclusion that the genesis of the problem lies with the politico-bureaucratic lethargy and the tortuous acquisition procedures of the Indian government. But that is only a part of the problem. The bigger problem perhaps is with the way the budgetary allocation for defence is made every year by the government of India. That is where there is an urgent need in this country — to begin with — to study defence economics. And implement the lessons during the formulation of defence budget of this nation.

Hi All,

I am a hobby filmmaker. I made a music video recently, taking few issues that a common man regularly encounters here, and tried to show it in a different way.



Please watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq85wqy8kJ0



High Definitions versions can be downloaded from

http://www.weekendcreations.com/telugu_s...film_id=17

<img src='http://www.india-forum.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Wish You ALL HAPPY 2010

Five lakh people throng Puri for New Year

PTI 31 December 2009, 04:29pm ISTText Size:|Topicsuri

BHUBANESWAR: At least 5 lakh devotees and tourists from various parts of the country thronged Orissa's pilgrim city of Puri Thursday to usher in the

A majority of them have come to offer prayers at the 12th century Jagannath temple to begin their new year, while some arrived just to enjoy the year end and beginning of 2010 at the beach.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india...399612.cms

Why do the western countries need the subject of Linguistics

When did linguistics as a subject became a major project for the western countries.

[url="http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-19412.html"]link[/url]



Chidamabaram's perestroika irking babus? (Capital Buzz)

New Delhi, Dec 27 : Winds of change are steadily sweeping through the home ministry ever since P. Chidambaram took over last December. First he introduced the biometric attendance system in North Block to ensure punctuality. Then he began revamping the Intelligence Bureau by setting up the Multi-Agency Centre to analyse intelligence inputs on a real time basis.

This thread is to watch developments in South East Asia that could have geo-political bearings on India.



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[url="http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_Vietnam_ink_submarine_arms_deal_999.html"]Russia, Vietnam ink (Kilo)submarine , (Sukhoi SU-30MK2) arms deal[/url]



by Staff Writers

Moscow (UPI) Dec 21, 2009

Russia and Vietnam have signed a string of arms deals, including Hanoi's purchase of submarines and jet fighters from Moscow.



The deals elevate Vietnam to one of the top clients of the Russian arms industry and revive ties between Moscow and the former Soviet-era ally.



The agreements were signed during a recent visit to Moscow by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.



"Vietnam signed contracts for the purchases of submarines, planes and military equipment with the corresponding cooperation of the Russian side," the Vietnamese prime minister told reporters after inking the deals.



No details of the agreements were afforded by officials on either side.



Still, Russian news agency Interfax quoted unnamed sources as saying that Russia would sell Vietnam six diesel electric Project 636 Varshvyanka submarines for a total price tag of $2 billion.



The submarines are known within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization by the nickname Kilos.



The submarines are set to be built for the Vietnamese navy at a rate of one per year, Interfax reported.



The agency also cited unidentified Russian officials in claiming that Vietnam would purchase 12 more Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighter jets for $600 million.



Hanoi has already ordered and is awaiting delivery of eight similar aircraft from Russia in 2010.



The Russian exporter will be Rosoboronexport.



The arms deals also included an agreement for the construction of Vietnam's first atomic power plant, a lucrative -- and controversial -- project that has drawn the keen attention of the West and potential foreign partners.



Despite the global economic slowdown, trade between Vietnam and Moscow has flourished by an estimated $1.16 billion in the first nine-month period of 2009.



Concern, however, has primarily spawned from the latest arms deals between Russia and Vietnam.



The weapons purchases, in fact, have come at a time of increasing tension in the South China Sea, which Hanoi calls the East Sea.



The dispute focuses on the sovereignty of the oil and gas-rich Spratly and Paracel island chains for which Vietnam and China have competing claims.



Several other Asian countries also claim part or all of the Spratlys.



A regional defense analyst told the BBC that the rising tension in the South China Sea was "clearly a source of concern" to Hanoi.



The submarine acquisition would "increase Vietnam's negotiating power in the maritime disputes," the BBC reported quoting Professor Carlyle Thayer of the Australian Defense Force Academy as saying.



Earlier this year Vietnam demanded China investigate allegations that armed Chinese personnel beat and robbed Vietnamese fishermen who sought shelter on the Parcels during a typhoon.

Age of the Indian Renaissance - Kevat Shah



"Renaissance" was a word used to describe the scientific, artistic and cultural revolution which changed Europe from 14th to 17th centuries. Similar changes have been seen in numerous civilizations before and after. The most striking of these other Renaissances were the Age of Renaissance in Athens during the time of Socrates and Plato, as well as the Age of the American Renaissance, which began in the 17th century and still seems to be continuing today.



During these Renaissances, many new ideologies were introduced. These ideologies changed the way people thought and acted. For example, after the death of Socrates, people of Athens became less afraid to think independently, as evident from the writings of Plato. Likewise, in 14th century Europe, thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michealangelo challenged the popular belief system through novel innovations and artistic ideas. This allowed men like Gallileo, Newton and Copernicus to believe in what they thought was true. The same can be said about the Founding Fathers of America, the men who lead the American Renaissance. Benjamin Franklin refused to believe the widely accepted "facts" about lightning, allowing him to understand electricity. Therefore, we can safely assume that "thinking outside the box" and believing in your own ideas are an integral part of being a "Renaissance Man".



Another interesting fact to note is that all the Ages of Renaissance were preceded by a long dark age. In ancient Athens, a long war with Sparta preceded the coming of Socrates. The European Renaissance was also preceded by the "Dark Ages" full of war, famine and the black plague (10th - 13th centuries). The American Renassiance was preceded by 200 years of colonization of a wild land, as well as wars with the England, Spain and France and Native Americans. While the years preceding the Renaissance seem to be full of misery and seem to lack of stability, the years at the beginning of each Renaissance seem to be peaceful when compared to the years preceding them. In Athens, war against Sparta had come to a standstill and a period of peace had begun. In 14th century Europe, nations had begun unifying themselves as feudalism came to an end, ushering in an era of relative peace. In 17th century America, Americans had finally organized themselves into a nation allowing them to fight all other forces against them, which again, led to an era of relative peace.



Therefore, it follows that there are 2 things neccesary for an Age of Renaissance to begin. First, there need to independent thinkers not afraid to speak their mind. Second, and Age of Renaissance is almost always an era of peace preceded by an age of darkness.



For the last 1000 years, India has been torn by war. Of these, the last 400 years under Mughal and British Empires have been the darkest days India has seen. However, since gaining independence, India has become a relatively safer and more peaceful place. There is a movement in India towards education. Having a good education is considered the most important thing needed for success. As more and more Indians become educated, there will be more Indians, such as myself, who are not afraid to think of novel ideas or to speak their mind.



An age of darkness followed by an age of enlightement, along with the presence of independent fearless thinkers is what defines a Renaissance. According to that definition, a new age is just beginning in the history of India: The Age of the Indian Renaissance.



- Kevat Shah