2 million minutes
60X24 = 1440
1440X365 = 525,600
525,600X4 = 2,102,400
Wondering what are these calculations?...don't be surprised if this is the amount of time (in minutes) each high school student spends in the "most" crucial phase of their life...
2 million minutes (2mminutes dot com) is the title of a documentary made by Robert A. Compton an year ago and it compares the life of 6 high school grads in 3 countries - US, China and India and as Thomas Friedman in this Book the World is Flat..wrote about globalization and economic integration...Compton warns the US to "fix" the school system ..else...it will end in doom...he calls the movie a wakeup call for Americans...and I think that this wakeup call is much needed.
Congrats Bob! on your wonderful, insightful documentary....I think this documentary presents a very realistic picture of the scenarios in these countries... I disagree on certain aspects of the film...but would not crib about it here (in my personal blog)..rather...would like to comment on your website
All said and done...what have I achieved today?...hmm...seems nothing...or trivial....I always believe in quality time than quantity...I agree with Bob on his 2 million minutes and what best a person can make....this goes back to what I wrote in my previous entry on the 1000 days...its all about Time and its management....
But as Bob points out..that a decade ago many of the immigrants or otherwise came to US... earned their higher degrees and settled here...but today...most of the people want to return to their home lands, as there are equal or even more number of opportunities in there..this is a reality that US will have to grapple by the day...
I personally feel that the high intellectual discourses taking place in the US can not be found any where in the world...and the kind of integrity that the people of US exhibit is second to none...but this is also a place for people with highest greed and all that matters is GREEN..the bottom line...Enron is the best example as to what could be expected in future...I have personally witnessed many (unethical) practices of Enron are being duplicated in many of the organizations in the US and the worst of all even in government entities...
I think that as long as institutions be it public, private or even not-for-profit entities are run on "business" models....there is no solution to the complex problems the world is facing...if everything is measured in terms of $GREEN$...there will be no green (earth) to really take care of us...
On my social networking site, I watched a small video of a girl presenting at the UN..she was talking about her future and what are the "adults" of today doing to protect it...at the first instance I felt that she was probably over critical of the scenario...but as it sunk in...it was a reality...and we need to do something to stop the current trends...and the way we are managing our world....
On one hand...the developed nations are enforcing stricter rules and regulations to protect their residents and fellow country men...which is leading the relocation of any "pollution causing" industries in these countries to developing nations or underdeveloped nations...on the other hand the developed nation is worried about competition from the developing nations especially India and China and are following protectionist policies in Trade....which I think is clear a double standard...one "rule" for their country men and I don't care about others?...I am sorry!
The developed nations want other countries to open up market to corporate giants such as McDs and Starbucks..or even Walmarts... but are not ready to cut down on the subsidies to their farmers... the paradox is that...these Giants buy the "raw materials" at "throw away" prices from the developing nations...add "brand" value either in Developed nations/or in other nations where these products are manufactured (to ensure that all the profits are in their pockets)...and resell the products to the developing nations...at the prices controlled by them ..don't you think it is funny?
Coming to fun...can you imagine that President Bush actually blames India for the global rice shortage? He (ludicrously) remarks that it is because of the rising middle class of India "eating up" all the "rice" there is a shortage of the same...the other issue here is the rising global oil prices...any guesses as to who takes the blame? no points for guessing! it is India and China...
It seems to me that every thing happening in this world... is all driven by China and India..but when it comes to power game...they have little or no role.... for instance, some of the most important "development" agencies in the world who think they know everything about "development" are formulating policies to counter the world poverty...I agree that you need not be a beggar to talk about poverty...but how well does one know the "world" poverty scenario if their knowledge is depicted by millions of books they read (I suppose they do) and "official" visits...which are "made up" by the aid receivers? any way ....
Who heads World Bank? US representative...hand picked by US President
Who heads IMF? European representative...again hand picked by EU
Who heads WTO? European representative...I am not sure about the selection process..pardon me...
Who heads UN? Democracy!!! he he..yes...all the "third world nations" have to fight among themselves to find the best man on earth to be their secretary general...but don't be surprised...if US/Euro loyalists who follow their diktats are the most preferred...I am not "really" sure...but a hitch tells me this.... Kofi Annans' prompt (in)action during the Rwanda Genocide ...(He was the Head of UN peace keeping mission or something similar/high profile) earned him the Secretary General nomination...oh..who decides...? no guesses needed I suppose...
Not not mention the UN Security council in which India has been trying to negotiate a "permanent seat"...has really not been able to do so...for almost over 2 decades now (don't quote me on the time lines..they are NOT accurate, but just are here to put things in perspective)
these are just some of the most powerful institutions that are dictating how the "3rd"world needs to be run...whats the bottom line? $GREEN$
oops...its already over 60 minutes...if I subtract this from my 2,102,400 minutes...I have just 2,102,340 minutes..to make a difference in this world! so I better get back to my work...!
Chao
Avadhani
ps: This blog would not have been possible without a discussion with Subha my dear pal...Thanks! for pointing out to such a wonderful documentary...!
1440X365 = 525,600
525,600X4 = 2,102,400
Wondering what are these calculations?...don't be surprised if this is the amount of time (in minutes) each high school student spends in the "most" crucial phase of their life...
2 million minutes (2mminutes dot com) is the title of a documentary made by Robert A. Compton an year ago and it compares the life of 6 high school grads in 3 countries - US, China and India and as Thomas Friedman in this Book the World is Flat..wrote about globalization and economic integration...Compton warns the US to "fix" the school system ..else...it will end in doom...he calls the movie a wakeup call for Americans...and I think that this wakeup call is much needed.
Congrats Bob! on your wonderful, insightful documentary....I think this documentary presents a very realistic picture of the scenarios in these countries... I disagree on certain aspects of the film...but would not crib about it here (in my personal blog)..rather...would like to comment on your website
All said and done...what have I achieved today?...hmm...seems nothing...or trivial....I always believe in quality time than quantity...I agree with Bob on his 2 million minutes and what best a person can make....this goes back to what I wrote in my previous entry on the 1000 days...its all about Time and its management....
But as Bob points out..that a decade ago many of the immigrants or otherwise came to US... earned their higher degrees and settled here...but today...most of the people want to return to their home lands, as there are equal or even more number of opportunities in there..this is a reality that US will have to grapple by the day...
I personally feel that the high intellectual discourses taking place in the US can not be found any where in the world...and the kind of integrity that the people of US exhibit is second to none...but this is also a place for people with highest greed and all that matters is GREEN..the bottom line...Enron is the best example as to what could be expected in future...I have personally witnessed many (unethical) practices of Enron are being duplicated in many of the organizations in the US and the worst of all even in government entities...
I think that as long as institutions be it public, private or even not-for-profit entities are run on "business" models....there is no solution to the complex problems the world is facing...if everything is measured in terms of $GREEN$...there will be no green (earth) to really take care of us...
On my social networking site, I watched a small video of a girl presenting at the UN..she was talking about her future and what are the "adults" of today doing to protect it...at the first instance I felt that she was probably over critical of the scenario...but as it sunk in...it was a reality...and we need to do something to stop the current trends...and the way we are managing our world....
On one hand...the developed nations are enforcing stricter rules and regulations to protect their residents and fellow country men...which is leading the relocation of any "pollution causing" industries in these countries to developing nations or underdeveloped nations...on the other hand the developed nation is worried about competition from the developing nations especially India and China and are following protectionist policies in Trade....which I think is clear a double standard...one "rule" for their country men and I don't care about others?...I am sorry!
The developed nations want other countries to open up market to corporate giants such as McDs and Starbucks..or even Walmarts... but are not ready to cut down on the subsidies to their farmers... the paradox is that...these Giants buy the "raw materials" at "throw away" prices from the developing nations...add "brand" value either in Developed nations/or in other nations where these products are manufactured (to ensure that all the profits are in their pockets)...and resell the products to the developing nations...at the prices controlled by them ..don't you think it is funny?
Coming to fun...can you imagine that President Bush actually blames India for the global rice shortage? He (ludicrously) remarks that it is because of the rising middle class of India "eating up" all the "rice" there is a shortage of the same...the other issue here is the rising global oil prices...any guesses as to who takes the blame? no points for guessing! it is India and China...
It seems to me that every thing happening in this world... is all driven by China and India..but when it comes to power game...they have little or no role.... for instance, some of the most important "development" agencies in the world who think they know everything about "development" are formulating policies to counter the world poverty...I agree that you need not be a beggar to talk about poverty...but how well does one know the "world" poverty scenario if their knowledge is depicted by millions of books they read (I suppose they do) and "official" visits...which are "made up" by the aid receivers? any way ....
Who heads World Bank? US representative...hand picked by US President
Who heads IMF? European representative...again hand picked by EU
Who heads WTO? European representative...I am not sure about the selection process..pardon me...
Who heads UN? Democracy!!! he he..yes...all the "third world nations" have to fight among themselves to find the best man on earth to be their secretary general...but don't be surprised...if US/Euro loyalists who follow their diktats are the most preferred...I am not "really" sure...but a hitch tells me this.... Kofi Annans' prompt (in)action during the Rwanda Genocide ...(He was the Head of UN peace keeping mission or something similar/high profile) earned him the Secretary General nomination...oh..who decides...? no guesses needed I suppose...
Not not mention the UN Security council in which India has been trying to negotiate a "permanent seat"...has really not been able to do so...for almost over 2 decades now (don't quote me on the time lines..they are NOT accurate, but just are here to put things in perspective)
these are just some of the most powerful institutions that are dictating how the "3rd"world needs to be run...whats the bottom line? $GREEN$
oops...its already over 60 minutes...if I subtract this from my 2,102,400 minutes...I have just 2,102,340 minutes..to make a difference in this world! so I better get back to my work...!
Chao
Avadhani
ps: This blog would not have been possible without a discussion with Subha my dear pal...Thanks! for pointing out to such a wonderful documentary...!
posted by Avadhani at
7:50 PM
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