Surath Giri's Blog

Feb 4, 2010

Government preparing to ban import of inverters: Another farce of civil rights!

February 04, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

The recent news regarding government’s preparation to ban the import of inverters and other similar electrical equipments citing they are the cause of increased load-shedding entertained the citizens as intended maybe. Most of us pushed the matter aside considering it as another ridiculous policy that thankfully never gets implemented. Many others gave out a sigh and prepared themselves for another silent compliance and a harder life. No wonder, we have learnt to play the way it is meant to be played.

However, what saddens me is the fact that our government always manages to outrun itself in introducing more ridiculous policy. It saddens me to see the numbness of citizens that prevents them from feeling any indignation when the state run company fails to deliver electricity for 11 hours a day (sounds like 1800s , doesn’t it?), and blames the citizens for finding an alternative to reduce their hardships caused by the inefficiency of the state. I am surprised at the ignorance of the citizens who refuse to acknowledge the fact that in most of the countries in the world, private companies vying for customers are providing electricity at cheaper cost and more efficient way. And we would be better off without Nepal Electricity Authority.

If we analyze the recent decision of government to introduce such policy without embarrassment or reproach, we find that the reason for this is our concept of origination of power. As it has always been believed in our society that the power state has is inherent in itself, be it in the name of King or the so called democratically elected government. The power of an individual is thought to be a derivative of the power of the state. And hence, an individual’s right is something granted by the state and thereby can be taken away or awarded at the will of the state. When translated into recent context, it becomes that electricity is something that we don’t naturally have a right to even if we are willing to pay for it but instead it’s a privilege our state has granted us to and if the state thinks it’s not good for us to have electricity we shouldn’t have one. Our state thinks that we should be suffering power cuts of 11 or even 18 hours a day and that we should be doing it because electricity is something we got because we had a energy ministry and all blood suckers in it not because it was a commodity that makes life easier and anyone willing to pay for it naturally entitled to have it.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if someday the government decides to ban freezes, electric bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and our cell phones not for causing load shedding but for the very reason of being designed to run with electricity itself.

Empty frame and the missing picture

January 19, 2010 Surath Giri— min read

I should have known
And I would have;
Had I cared enough about
The empty frame
And the missing picture

The reluctant hurricane
Wriggling in pain
Passed away silently
With the indifference of the dying

I was too busy running
To care about my legs
Now it’s horrible
And yet inescapable
The invariable sense of loss

In the bonfire
Of the uprooted trees
I try to warm my heart
Too cold, too pained
However,
It is not as cold as it used to be
What a sad comfort!

-Surath Giri

Jonathan Livingston Seagull: A review

December 29, 2009 Surath Giri— min read

"The only true law is that which leads to freedom," Jonathan said. "There is no other."

Seeing this Richard Bach's existential novella among the top British fictions of all time finally convinced me that, maybe there is substance to all the praises and acclaim this book has been garnering all these years and I must read it! Hadn't known the book was so short. Finished it in one reading and in less than an hour and loved it!

"Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight--how to get from shore to food and back again," and hence ordinary and that's why the novella is not about them. It about a seagull among them called "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" who aims not to be the ordinary, but to be the ordinary extraordinary. Jonathan is plagued by the existential question of meaning of life and he is bored with the daily squabbles over food. He is dissatisfied with the restricted norm of life of his comrades, for whom it is not flying that matters, but eating. And that's all they care about in life. But Jonathan is different as flying matters more to him than eating. Seized by the passion for flying, he pushes himself, learning everything he can about flying, and keeps mastering the higher levels of the art of flying. His unwillingness to confirm to the social norm that seagulls don't fly and shouldn't care about flying eventually gets him banished from his flock. Being an outcast, Jonathan keeps yearning towards perfection. There is more to the story but I wouldn't want to spoil your fun…

Ultimately, the novella is about finding a higher purpose in life even if it doesn't confirm to the views of your friends, family or neighborhoods. I liked the simplicity of the novella. It's as simple as a story can be and yet quite inspiring and offering convincing explanations to questions of life and its meaning. Like the author says in the beginning that the book is to the real Jonathan living within us, it does force you to introspect. Limiting yourself is can be one of the worst you can do. The book inspires the readers to break the limits imposed upon them by the society, social norms and by themselves as well. It urges you to come out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself which as the author describes leads to perfection. And finding perfection is the best thing anyone can make out of their existence in this absurd and indifferent universe!

"Remember Jonathan heaven is not a place or a time, because place and time are so very meaningless.", "Overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is now." Bach's simplicity hasn't failed to convey the existential themes to the readers convincingly.

"It is right for a gull to fly, that freedom is the very nature of his being, that whatever stands against that freedom must be set aside, be it ritual or superstition or limitation in any form." "The only true law is that which leads to freedom," Jonathan said. "There is no other." Richard Bach emphasizes the importance of individual freedom. And of course, freedom I believe is the most basic of the fundamental rights any individual has. And freedom is what makes existence worth having, I believe.

A highly recommended reading! In some reviews you'll find the book being appreciated or criticized for bearing resemblance to Christianity though. Just ignore the BS, who cares anyway?

गरिबी कसरी हासिल गर्ने? केही उपायहरू

December 23, 2009 Surath Giri— min read

अहिले देशको स्थिती र समाजमा ब्याप्त सोचाइहरु देख्दा लिओन लाउ ले सन २००० ताका लेखेको "Strategies for achieving poverty" भन्ने लेख साह्रै सान्दर्भिक लाग्यो । तेही भएर यो लेख अनुवाद गरेर यहाँ प्रस्तुत गरेको छु । पढेर प्रतिकृया दिनुहोला ।

लेखन :लिओन लाउ
अनुवाद : सुरथ गिरी

गरिबी हासिल गर्न ध्यानपूर्वक योजना गर्न जरुरी छ । केही चिरपरिचित अत्याधुनिक रणनीतिहरु जसले गरिबी बढाउँछन् ती हाम्रो पहुँचमा छन् ।

सबै देशका राजनीतिहरु सम्रिद्धी रोक्ने नीतिहरु मनपराउँछन् र हामीले मान्नुपर्छ कि उनीहरु वा उनीहरुका सल्लाहकारहरु गरिबी चाहन्छन् । उनीहरुका लागि एउटा खुसीको खबर छः धन गरिबी-मुक्त स्वतन्त्र बजारहरु र हस्तक्षेपवादका कारणहरु अहिले यति चिर परिचित भएका छन् कि गरिबी बढाउने अत्याधुनिक रणनीतिहरु अब उनीहरुको पहुँच भित्र छन् ।

हुनत: हाल हामी नसोचिएको विश्वव्यापी आर्थिक स्वतन्त्रता र अन्तत् विश्वव्यापी समृद्धिको युगमा बाँचिरहेको छौं जसले गर्दा गरिबी-प्रेमीहरुलाई समस्या परिरहेको छ । प्रविधि सूचना र सम्रिद्धीले गर्दा सम्पूर्ण जनसंख्यालाई गरिब बनाउन गाह्रो छ तर अझै यो सम्भव छ ।संसारका सबैभन्दा महान् गरिबी हासिल गर्नेहरुसँग हामी के सिक्न सक्छौ त ? मेरो लेख "गरिबीको चमत्कार" मा मैले व्याख्या गरेको छु किन गरिबी आधुनिक सरकारहरुको सबैभन्दा ठूलो उपलब्धि हो भनेर । सरकारहरु सिपालु र दृढ हुनु जरुरी छ । संसारकै चिरपरिचित गरिबी निर्माताहरु जसले कुनै समयका चीन य तान्जानियालाई गरिब बनाएरे छाडे उनीहरुसंग सिकेर सराकारहरुले आधुनिक आर्थिक चमत्कार गरिबी हासिल गर्ने सर्वोत्कृष्ट अभ्यासहरु प्रयोगमा ल्याउन सक्छन् ।

अर्जेटिनाका लागि नरुनु

अर्जेटिना सबैभन्दा अचम्मका पूरना आर्थिक चमत्कारहरुमध्येको एक थियो । तुलनात्मक रुपमा बजारहरु स्वतन्त्र राखेर र आफ्ना उब्जनशील जमीनमा उत्पादित गेडागुडी र मासु युरोपमा निर्यात गरेर यो देश सन् १९२०को दशकमा विश्वकै नवौं धनी राष्ट्र बनेको थियो । सर्वसाधारण जनताले बढी मात्रामा भौतिक वस्तुहरु प्रयोग गर्नपाएको, राम्रो स्वास्थ्य स्वच्छ वातावरण तथा आरामदायक काम गर्ने अवस्था तथा वातावरण पाएको अवस्था देखेर गरिबी समर्थकहरु स्तब्ध भएका थिए । भाग्यवश १९३० पछि सिपालु सैन्य तानाशाहरुले अर्जेटिनाको सत्ता आफ्नो हातमा लिए । उनीहरुले पहिले नै प्रयोग गरेर प्रमाणित गरिएका जुक्ति लगाएः देशलाई घुँडा टेक्न बाध्य बनाउनका लागि ।

युद्धपश्चातको पेरोनको सत्ता सबैभन्दा राम्रो थियो । यसले लगानीकर्ता र जागिर-प्रदायकहरुको खर्चमा युनियनहरुलाई मजबुत बनाउने काम गर् यो र अन्ततः तलब-भत्ता तथा अन्य सुबिधालाई बजारमा चलेको भन्दा माथिको दरमा बढाइदियो ।यसले जमिन तथा अर्थतन्त्रमा राम्रो योगदान पुर् याइराखेका उद्ध्योगहरुलाई राष्ट्रियकरण गर्‍यो , विदेशी लगानीकर्तालाई निषेध गर्‍यो , विनिमय दर नियन्त्रित गर्‍यो,कृषिजन्य उत्पादनमा कर लगायो, सेवा तथा मूल्यहरु नियमन गर्‍यो र अभिव्यक्ति स्वतन्त्रता हनन् गर्ने काम गर्‍यो ।

पछिल्ला सत्ताहरुले पनि अघिल्लो सत्ताका सफलतामा साथ दिँदै घाटामा बजेट चलाए र मुद्रास्फ्रीती मुल्यब्रिद्धीलाई निरन्तरता दिइरहे । मजबुत बनाइएका युनियनहरुले पेरोनवादी बजारविरोधी नीतिहरुलाई साथ दिएर ठूलो योगदान दिए । सरकारी खर्च कटौती गर्न तलब-भत्ता व्रिद्धी रोक्न र मुल्यव्रिद्धी रोक्न गरिएका प्रयासहरुलाई दबाउन पनि युनियनहरुले सहयोग गरे । अर्जेन्टिनाका समर्पित नेता तथा राज्य व्यवस्थापकहरु विश्वकै महान् आर्थिक अवनति हासिल गर्न सफल भए । उनीहरुका आर्थिक नीतिहरु र नागरिकको हक हननले घातक बन्द-विरोध िहंसा र आतकंलाई प्रेरणा दियो । सन् १९७० मा आइपुग्दासम्म अर्जेन्टिनाको आर्थिक स्वतन्त्रता वैदेशिक व्यापारमाथिको प्रतिबन्ध, विनिमय दरमाथिको नियन्त्रण, मुद्रा आपूर्ति मुल्यब्रिद्धी ,उच्च कर र जागिर-प्रदायक विराधी श्रम कानूनका कारण मरणासन्न अवस्थामा पुगिसकेको थियो । वितिय सेवा ,अनौपचारिक व्यापार ,खनिज पदार्थ, विद्युतिय व्यापार जस्ता क्षेत्रहरुमा सानातिना नियमनहरुको सन्जाल नै शुरु गरियो जुन दक्षिण अफ्रिकाको भेदभाव युगको शासन भन्दा भिन्न थिएनन् ।

पूर्वी जर्मनीको कायापलट

अर्को महत्वपूर्ण पूराना आर्थिक चमत्कार युद्ध पश्चातको पूर्वी जर्मनी थियो । जर्मनीको प्रविधि उद्योग प्राकृतिक धन तथा बौद्धिक वर्ग पाएको पूर्वी जर्मनीले सम्रिद्ध होला कि भन्ने डर थियो । भाग्यवश यसको प्रजातान्त्रिक सरकारले प्रयोग र प्रमाणित गरिएका पूराना साम्यवादी जुक्तिहरु काममा लगायो जसले गर्दा धन-वृद्धि रोक्न सफल भयो । आर्थिक जीवनका सम्पूर्ण पक्ष राष्ट्रियकरण गरियो वा नियमन गरियो र पूर्वानुमानित फल पनि प्राप्त भयो ।

चीनको महान् प्रतिगामी बुर्कुसी

अध्यक्ष माओले चीनमा अहिलेसम्मकै सबैभन्दा सफल गरिबी कार्यक्रम आयोजना गरे । उनको महान् अग्रगामी बुर्कुसी (The Great Leap Forward) अहिलेसम्मैको सबैभन्दा ठूलो प्रतिगामी बुर्कुसी हो । साँस्कृतिक क्रान्ति साँस्कृतिक घृणाको भव्य उत्सव थियो । उनले दुष्ट पुँजीवादी उपकरणहरु जस्तै शौचालय,डसनाको जमेर विरोध गरे।उनको वृहत कर्मचारीतन्त्रले हङकङमा भएका उनिहरुका दाजुभाइहरुलाई दु:ख दिइराखेको भगुवा सम्रिद्धीको डटेर सामना गरे ।

जटिल रोजगारी कानूनले कसले के काम गर्छ भनेर छुट्याउथ्यो । जमिन सफल व्यवसायिक किसानहरुबाट खोसेर अव्यवसायिक किसानहरुलाई बाँडियो । फुलेका सरकारी निकाय भन्दा बाहिरका औपचारिक व्यापार तथा उद्योगलाई नियन्त्रण गर्न सहकारी तथा सामूहिक सन्जालहरु खडा गरिए । ठूला-ठूला सरकारी कारखानाहरुले उद्योगहरुका निमित्त सामग्री उत्पादन गर्थे सरकारले तोकिदिएको परिमाणमा ; उपभोक्ता वा अरुको मागलाई ध्यानमा राखेर होईन। ग्रामिण समुदायहरुलाई औद्योगिक सामग्रीहरु उत्पादन गर्न लगाइन्थ्यो, खाद्य सामग्री उत्पादन गर्न होइन् । यसकै परिमाण स्वरुप भोकमरीका कारण दुई करोडको मृत्यु भयो दशकौंसम्म ऋणात्मक व्रिद्धिदर अर्थात आर्थिक अवनति हासिल भयो । जीवनस्तर ५० प्रतिशत भन्दा बढीले झर्यो । कतिपय उद्योग तथा कामहरु नै हराएर गए । माओले बुद्धिमतापुर्वक चलिआएका कलामाथि प्रतिबन्ध लगाए । शेक्सपिएर ,पिकासो तथा विथोभनका सृजनाहरु प्रतिबन्धित गरियो ताकि मानिसहरुले आफुले कमाएको गरिबीमा विना रोकटोक रमाउन पाँउन ।

अन्य राम्रा अभ्यासहरु

नयाँ आर्थिक चमत्कारका लागि तान्जानियालाई लिई हेर्नुस न्क्रमाले अफ्रिकामा पहिलो पटक उपनिवेशबाट स्वतन्त्र भएको समृद्ध देश घानालाई अपाङ्गमा परिणत गरेका थिए तर न्यरेरीले त उनलाई पनि जिते। उनको एकल दिमागीय तान्जानियाली अफ्रिकी समाजवादको प्रयोगले देशमाथि विशाल समाजसेवाको बोझ र दिमाग शुन्य कर्मचारीतन्त्र लाद्यो । बैंक तथा उद्योगहरु राष्ट्रियकरण गरियो र ग्रामिण भेगका जनतालाई सामूहिक खेती गरिने "उजमा" गाउँहरुमा पुर्नस्थापना गरियो । सफलता तुरुन्त प्राप्त भयो । कृषिजन्य निर्यात आधी घट्यो र औद्योगिक उत्पादन तीन-चौथाइले । सडक व्यवस्थापनलाई यतिसम्म हेला गरियो कि हजारौं माइल राम्रो सडकहरु कच्ची बाटोमा परिणत भए ।

न्यरेरी जसलाई प्रशंसकहरुले महानताको कदर गरेर "म्वालिमू" भनेर सम्बोधन गर्थे उनले प्रति व्यक्ति आयलाई वार्षिक १२० डलरसम्म गिराएर छोडे । यसरी उनी तान्जानियालाई सबैभन्दा धेरै प्रति व्यक्ति वैदेशिक सहयोग पाउने मूलुक हुनुका बाबजुद विश्वकै सातौं गरिब मूलुक बनाउन सफल भए । उनले पहिले कहिल्यै नसोचिएको स्तरमा साम्रगी खाद्यान्न तथा पाटपूर्जाको अभाव हासिल गरे । र साथमा मुद्राको कालो बजारीलाई प्रसय दिए ।अनुपादकत्व र भ्रष्ट्रचार जस्ता मिहिन कलामा निपुणता हासिल गरियो । "अफ्रिकी समाजवादका पिता" ले धेरै तान्जानियाली जनतालाई गरिबी बनाइ छाडे् । र आफ्नो उपलब्धिका बारेमा वर्षौसम्म घमन्ड गर्दै आफ्ना भाषणहरुमा आफू "सङ्घर्ष नायक" भएको बताउँथे जुन सुनेर जनताहरु हर्षले ताली बजाउँथे ।

घरनजिकै हामीसँग अर्को नयाँ आर्थिक चमत्कार "जिम्बावे" छ । यो अत्याधुनिक चमत्कार हो गरिबीको। जिम्बावेले गरिबी हासिल गर्नमा आफ्नो उत्तरी भेगको छिमेकीको अनुसरण गर्दै उछिन्ने काम पनि गरिसक्यो ।स्वतन्त्रताका बखत जाम्बियासँग मलिलो कृषियोग्य जमिन र खनिज धन थियो जसलाई उसले माक्स्रवादीनीतिहरु जस्तै रास्ट्रियकरण प्रयोग गरेर तहसनहस गर्‍यो ।

ढिलो आइपुगेका मुगावे भने तुलनातमक रुपमा असफल ठहरिए । उनले माक्स्रवादको कुरा त गरे तर आफ्नोअल्छीपनले गर्दा सबै नीति लागु गरेनन् जसले गर्दा जिम्बावेको अर्थतन्त्र शुरुका दिनमा फैलियो । आफ्ना पछिल्ला वर्षहरुमा आएर उनले आफ्नो गल्ती महशुस गरे । उनले कौन्दाको उदाहरणीय प्रस्तुती बल्ल ख्याल गरे ।यसरी ढिलै भएपनि मुगावे गरिबीको चमत्कार हासिल गर्न लागि परेका छन् । उनले चालेका कदमहरु र नविन सृजनात्मक रणनीतिहरु प्रमाणित भइसकेका हुन् र यी कति सफल छन् भन्ने कुरा हामी जिम्बावेलाई हेर्दै थाहा पाउँछौ ।

सफलताका सुत्रहरु

त्यसोभए गरिबी स्थापनाको चमत्कार हासिल गर्नका लागि सबैभन्दा विस्वस्त सुत्रहरु के-के हुन् त ? स्पष्टै छ यदि तपाई गरिबी चाहनुहुन्छ भने तपाई धन उपार्जन के गरि हुन्छ भनेर त जान्न जरुरी छ । उदाहरणका लागि तपाईले बजार पुँजी उद्यमशिलता तथा सीपविकास जस्ता कुरालाई बिर्सेर पनि बढावा नदिनुहोला । यदि दिनै पर्‍यो भने पनि सधै परिवर्तन भइराख्ने खेलका नियमहरुले बाँधेर राख्नुहोला । यसैगरी तपाईले जातियता,राष्ट्रियता, धनी विदेशी बहुराष्ट्रिय कम्पनी ,पुँजीवादी महाशक्ति जस्ता कुराहरुप्रतिको डाहयुक्त घृणाको भने मजाले प्रयोग गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ । तर ध्यान दिनुहोला सुनियोजित रणनीतिहरु प्रयोग गर्नुहोला जनताको ध्यान अन्तै मोड्न ताकि आन्तरिक परिणामको दोष आन्तरिक नीतिमाथि नपरोस् ।

गरीबीको शिखर कसरी हासिल गर्ने

एउटा चाखलाग्दो प्रश्न के हुनसक्छ भने गरिबीको शिखर हासिल गर्ने निश्चित एउटा बाटो छ कि धेरै विकल्पहरु छन्। संसारको अनुभवले हामीलाई के सिकाउँछ भने धेरै विकल्पहरु मध्येमा केही साझा कुराहरु छन् जुन अपरिहार्य छन् । आखिरमा तपाईले जुनै नीति लागु गर्न खोजे पनि उक्त नीति प्रयोग गरेर सफल भएको देशहरु हामीसँग थुप्रै छन् -जस्तै उदाहरणका लागि जर्मनीको श्रम बजारमाथिको तीव्र नियमन हेर्नुस जुन आफैमा अपुग भएको छ जर्मनीको विशाल अर्थतन्त्र ध्वस्त गर्न । गरिबी हासिल गर्नका निमित्त दर्जनौ नीतिका बाबजुद युरोपको अर्थतन्त्र विकास भइरहेको कुराबाट पनि सचेत हुनुहोला । यसबाट तपाईले सजग र सचेत हुन जरुरी छ एकदमै दृढ रुपमागरिबी हासिल गर्न खोज्ने नयाँ आर्थिक चमत्कारलाई पनि नचाहेको आर्थिक वृद्धीले धक्का पुर्याउन सक्छ ।

र हार नमान्नुहोला । यदि केहि गरि आर्थिक वृद्धी भइहाल्यो भने पनि सृजनात्मक रुपमा हस्तक्षेप गर्न तपाईले प्रशस्त बाटो पाउनुहुनेछ । "गरिबी" की परी प्रायः जसो सानातिना कुरामा लुकेकी हुन्छिन् । उदाहरणका लागि यदि कुनै कारणवश तपाईले आयात माथि कर बढाउन पाउनुभएन भनेपनि तपाई जहाजहरुलाई ढिलो सामान खसाल्न दिने, खर्चालु न्यूनतम गुणस्तर लाद्ने, भंसारको काममा ढिलाई गर्ने ,आफ्नो भूमिमा वैदेशिक लगानीमाथि प्रतिबन्ध लगाउने, जागिर-प्रदायक विरोधी श्रम कानूनी लगाउने, वित्तिय सेवालाई खर्चालु र गाह्रो बनाउने ,विद्युतीयव्यापारमाथि नियन्त्रण गर्ने, खनिज पदार्थहरुलाई राष्ट्रियकरण गर्ने, दक्ष र उत्पादक विदेशीहरुलाई बाहिरै राख्ने, उपभोक्ता सुरक्षाको नाममा उद्योगहरुलाई शिकार बनाउने र वर्षैपिच्छे नयाँ नयाँ नियमहरु लागु गर्ने जस्ता कामहरु गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ । संसारका ढलमलाइरहेका अर्थतन्त्रहरुले के देखाउन भने यी उपायहरुले काम गर्छन ।यिनीहरुलाई लागु गर्नुस गरिबी अवश्य प्राप्त हुन्छ ।

Call of the entrepreneur: A review

November 27, 2009 Surath Giri— min read

Most of the societies in the world haven’t looked upon the entrepreneurs with the respect and support they deserve. The negative connotations of greedy, vicious, selfish, apathetic to others benefit seems to be attached with entrepreneurs everywhere. Nepalese society too isn’t very kind to entrepreneurs and businessmen. The same negative labels plague Nepalese entrepreneurs as well although if we look at our history Nepal had once been a prosperous country. And the main reason behind it was the environment where tradesmen and entrepreneurs flourished. Nepal, being the trade route between India and Tibet in the earlier centuries, enjoyed an immense benefit of trade between them. Along with the trade prospered our art, our culture and our living standards. But with the political turmoil began the downfall of this once prosperous country which reached the worst point in the autocratic Rana Regime I believe. The hostile attitude towards them continues even today in a democratic Nepal. No wonder Nepal is still one of the poorest countries in the world despite of having tons of natural resources.

Call of the entrepreneur is a documentary about three entrepreneurs, a merchant banker, a failing dairy farmer, a refugee from Communist China. One risked his savings. One risked his farm. One risked his life. Why are their stories important and what’s there relevance to our society? Because how a nation views its entrepreneurs and businessmen… as greedy or altruistic… as virtuous or vicious… matters immensely! It is one of the factors that determine whether a country prospers or not?

The Plot: The entrepreneurs in the documentary are Brad Morgan, Frank Hanna, and Jimmy Lai. Morgan, a dairy farmer from Evart, Michigan discusses his journey from a struggling dairy farmer to the owner and operator of a million-dollar dairy and Compost Company. Hanna, a merchant banker in New York City, explains how financial engineering not only makes credit more widely available to entrepreneurs today but also played a crucial role in the discovery of America. Lai talks about his childhood in Communist China and his move at twelve years old to Hong Kong where, he founded Giordano, a retail outlet, and later Next Media.

The documentary also contains information from experts in the field of economics, including Rev. Robert Sirico, founder and President of the Acton Institute, Dr. Samuel Gregg, Dr. Jay Richards, George Gilder, and Michael Novak.

A highly recommended documentary to those interested in having a greater understanding of the entrepreneurship, its importance in the prosperity of a nation.

Running Time: About 60 Minutes!

Rich is a Religion by Mark Stevens: A review

November 15, 2009 Surath Giri— min read

Though almost put off by the title of the book, (I hope you have known me to be an atheist) its tagline “Breaking the timeless code to wealth” induced me to skim through the book at least. I presumed it to be another book about get-rich-quick-schemes that preach you to death but was pleasantly surprised to find it a bit different. The book focuses on shifting your attitude towards money rather than telling you how to earn money. Though lying in the similar patterns of teachings of Robert T. Kiyosaki, Mark Stevens here does a decent job of presenting the code and breaking it.

Like Kiyosaki, the author advices you to invest in appreciable assets and not depend on monthly paychecks to run your life. He also suggests not owning things that own you by making you work and earn just to maintain them. It’s desirable to save and invest your earnings in things that appreciate or things that generate you wealth. The author goes on saying that material possessions don’t make wealth and has done a good job of proving his points by providing examples of many millionaires and billionaires as well as failures. Examples include Warren Buffett, Sam Walton, Norman Mailer, Bill Gates, Bill Simon, author’s own father and his neighbor. The stories are well illustrated and enjoyable.

According to Stevens, the basic tenets of Rich is a religion is the need to respect money and handle it with discipline and a sense of fiduciary control avoiding the view of money of just something to spend and impress others. He recommends eschewing the undue risk towards a person’s home, family and livelihood and learning the techniques of smart management i.e. “making money while you sleep”.

Overall, an enjoyable and worthwhile read (175 pages) that helps you shift your paradigm regarding money and wealth. The author doesn’t promise to make you rich but the principles expressed are universal and make sense which will help you at least live better financially.

The height of a mountain

November 03, 2009 Surath Giri— min read

Don't inquire
why the mist rises
above the clouds
and yet melts into the sun?
Finding you in my eyes
had melted me!

Don't ask
why the rocks trample
the hills
and yet crumble into the sea
Your touch
had crumbled something inside me!

Ask me
If it was all worth the pain
Dragging along the ridges
in a wild wet rain?
Was there anything
to be gained?

"In your love I have attained
The height of a mountain!"