Respect for one’s property

We need to respect one’s property. No matter when we find out the real parameters of a property, we should respect the official lines, the legitimate owner’s right to his/her own property-line.

Bangladesh, once termed ‘bottomless basket’ now an example of ‘growth’…

What a difference less than 40 years make. Bangladesh, once called ‘bottomless basket’ or ‘international basket case’, now a beacon of hope, an example of double-digit growth. What are they doing so right? Are the tables turning? Are there lessons for us?

To pursue money or to pursue passion – that is the question

My dear friend wrote to me, “…At the mo(e)ment, I do very little photography, no golf and no g(u)itar. Do you really believe in ‘follow your passion, the rest will fall in place’ stuff? In a materialistic world, I beli(e)ve, the money kills the passion u(n)less you(r) passion itself makes good money for you…”

I think, you can modify/customize the approach. To feel/be safe, if in the beginning, one chooses the pursuit of money, then, one can start by having a goal, and once reached – one can then follow one’s passion. Hopefully after a certain point, the pursuing of the passion itself starts to help in suppporting ones livelihood – a win-win situation.

If chasing money is more important, then, maybe, the chasing of money itself “is the passion”.

Need inspiration? I think I have one for us all…

Inspirational video: After watching this inspirational video that Suresh, my friend sent, I don’t think I have any more complaints about the not-so-important things in life…this person is my hero! What do you think!

Nobel Prize winner selection process – Should it change?

Wikipedia mentions that Nobel Peace Prize is socially prestigious and sometimes ‘politically’ controversial. What can be done to prevent the repeat of the 2009 type-controversy? Does anything need to change in the selection process? Should we have a say as to who is chosen as the winner or be able to vote for the winner? Or, is the current selection process adequate? I think one remedial option could be the introduction of a new-competing-prize (e.g. “Limbo Prize”, meaning, transitional prize). What do you think?

Neither a rightwing-er nor a leftwing-er be. How about being a midwing-er?

In one of my college economics courses we were taught that, economic-system-wise – no country in the world is totally a ‘capitalist’ or totally a ‘socialist’. We were taught that, most of the countries are from a mixed economic background. In theory, if the ‘capitalist’ system was on one side of the spectrum and the ‘socialist’ system is on the other, then, each country based on their mode of operation – falls somewhere in that scale closer to the system of their choice. Meaning, the degree of capitalism in the USA is different than that of UK or Germany; similarly, the socialist system of China is different than that of North Korea or Cuba, etc., hence on the capitalist-socialist scale, the difference in the degree of presence.

Similarly for political views, would it be prudent to say that one does not need to be labeled as a rightwing-er or a leftwing-er. One can be a midwing-er. What do you say?

Money – destination or an enabler?

There is a saying that goes something like: one will always have house payments and will always have car payments.

Is it true? Does it have to be true? What do you say?

Health and Longivity: Interesting way to look at it…

In order to live longer, medical science now tells us to watch what we eat, to stay lean, eat less, etc. My paternal grandmother was not formally educated, but, while alive she shared a thought with me that to this day fascinates me. In this regard, this was a total paradigm shift for me…she said something like this…when/as someone is born, with their birth God/the-creator gives/allots a certain amount of food for this person that is to be consumed during his or her lifetime. It is up to this person how soon they want to eat it all up. Meaning, if one wants to eat it all in 50-years then great, at the end of the food allotment the person will die at age 50. Conversely, if the person eats a little at a time and makes it last 90-years, then when the food is all gone in 90-years, then, the persons time is up – here in this world. It appears that in one respect my Grandma’s theory/observation is the same as the current medical professional and that is: if you eat less chances are you will live longer. What do you think?

Religion – Which faith-belief-philosophy is correct?

As a very young child this question came to my mind, “how do we know which religion is correct?”. As I could not come up with a satisfactory answer myself, after pondering for a while, I asked the question to a number of grown-ups. One person’s response still resonates with me…he said that all the religions are tying to accomplish the same thing. He continued by saying that people from various religions are all trying to reach the same destination and for this journey, some are going by bus, some by car, some on foot – but the destination is the same. I thought that was a good example. What do you think?

Love vs. Like – What is more important?

In any relationship in the long run, I think, ‘like’ is more important that ‘love’. We know what ‘like’ is. But, do we know what love is? Do we equate ‘love’ with ‘infatuation’? In 8th grade during a out-of-classroom conversation (a defining moment for me) with some of us students our esteemed High School teacher Rev. Brother Hobart (deceased) once said something to the effect that (out of a day) sex is a matter of 10 minutes, and you will also have to spend the rest of the 23-hours and 50-minutes with this person (your spouse), implying that, it is your brain that you will need to sustain this 23-hours and 50-minutes so ‘study hard’. What do you think?