The functioning of endemic corruption in the US and India — Having lived in four countries over the more than seven decades of my life I have concluded that corruption is endemic in all of them. I have lived in India for 22 years, Egypt for 4 years, Singapore for 9 years and USA for 43 years. …

The steady erosion of a unique human trait — When I was growing up there was no television or any other form of entertainment. Our entertainment was either from reading or telling each other stories. When friends congregated they told stories rather than stare at small screens. …

Cultural norms affect our group behavior — During the vice presidental debate of 2020, VP Kamala Harris smacked down Mike Pence when he interrupted her saying she was still talking. I cheered her quick repartee and wished more folks had the guts to do the same. In the culture I grew up in the tendency to interrupt…

My knee pain resulting from doing a simple task has made me question one of life’s challenges during my childhood — The other day I had to change the seat on the toilet to a soft seat as it was getting a bit uncomfortable to use a wooden seat. I checked on Youtube where I learn about how to do anything around the house and it seemed easy so I ordered…

The unrivaled feeling of joyous relief from scorching heat and stifling humidity — California is in the throes of another mulityear drought. The rainy season from November to March has been disappointing. In the Bay Area where I live the rainfall so far has been less than half the normal amount. Every time there’s a forecast of rain we gaze hopefully at the…

A fabulous underrated travel destination — Most Americans associate Mexico with drugs and crime. The reality is far different at least in Mexico City the capital of the country and the first globalized city in the world. For a historical perspective the book 1493 by Charles Mann is a treasure trove of factoids on how civilizations…

The US needs a national masking mandate immediately — The CDC director Rober Redfield told the Senate yesterday he believed face masks were “the most important, powerful public health tool we have” to combat coronavirus. “This face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against Covid than when I take a Covid vaccine” he said. When Covid emerged in…

I will miss the life affirming exhilirating experiences — I often recall gazing at a stock picture of the Golden Gate bridge on an old calendar on a cracked wall in our tiny apartment in Bombay at age 16 when I suddenly developed an urge to travel the world. I yearned to expand my limited view of the world…