Quality sperm is pricey: study

MONASH UNIVERSITY

"This study challenges the traditional view that sex, and sperm production, come cheaply to males." Image: Antagain/iStockphoto A new study shows the production of sperm is more biologically taxing than previously thought, and expending energy on it has significant health implications. In research published in PLoS ONE, Dr Damian Dowling of Monash University's School of Biological Sciences and Professor Leigh Simmons of the University of Western Australia have investigated the trade-off between sperm quality and immunity. The researchers used the Australian cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus to prove that the production of quality sperm is expensive and males are strategic about investing energy in the biological process. Dr Dowling said investigations into life history trade-offs - investment in reproduction versus future reproduction and survival prospects - have historically focused on females. "This study challenges the traditional view that sex, and sperm production, come cheaply to males. It is typically thought that females must invest heavily into reproduction, whereas males can freely produce millions of high-quality, tiny sperm on demand, with few costs," Dr Dowling said. "Here we show that the costs are in fact large, and these costs dictate how much effort a male will devote into any given sexual encounter." The crickets were housed either with sexually immature females, sexually mature females incapable of reproduction, or sexually mature females capable of reproduction. Sperm quality was measured twice and immune function once during the experiment. Dr Dowling said the male crickets were more likely to produce high quality sperm when housed with sexually mature females with whom they could mate, indicating a strategic investment of energy. The researchers also found that production of quality sperm appeared to have a negative effect on the crickets' immune systems. "Males that invested heavily in their sperm paid the price of being more likely to succumb to a bacterial infection. And we are not talking about STDs here - we are talking about how increased investment into the quality of the ejaculate corresponds with general reductions in immune function," Dr Dowling said. Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.

எல்லா நாளும் நல்ல நாளே...

சென்ற வாரம் நான் என் சகோதரி வீட்டிற்கு சென்றிருந்தேன். அங்கு உணவருந்தி ஓய்வெடுத்த பின் அவர்கள் நீண்ட நாட்களாக ஒரு வீட்டுமனை வாங்க வேண்டும் எனக் கூறி வந்ததை நினைவுபடுத்தினேன். எனக்குத் தெரிந்த ஒருவர் நல்ல இடத்தில் ஒரு வீட்டுமனை இருப்பதாகவும் விலையும் சற்று சகாயமாகவுள்ளதாகவும் கூறினார். அதைப் போய் இன்று பார்த்துவிட்டு வரலாம் என்று கூறினேன். உடனே என் சகோதரி இன்று வேண்டாம் அண்ணே என்றாள். நான் ஏன்? இன்று விட்டால் மனை கிடைக்காமல் போகலாம் வேகமாக விற்று வருவதாகக் கேள்விப் பட்டேன். இன்று ஏன் வேண்டாம் என்கிறாய்? எனச் சகோதரியைக் கேட்டேன். அவர் இன்று அஷ்டமி, நாளை நவமி என்றாள்.ஆகையால் நாளை மறுநாள் போய் பார்க்கலாம் என்று சொன்னார்.

நான் அஷ்டமி, நவமி என்றால் என்ன? ஏன் கூடாது என்பதற்குக் காரணம் என்ன? என்று கேட்டேன். அதற்கு என் சகோதரி எனக்கு விளக்கம் தெரியாது அண்ணே, ஆனால் எல்லோரும் அவை நல்ல நாட்கள் இல்லை என்பதால் நானும் கூறினேன் என்று கூறினார். 

நான் சிரித்துக் கொண்டே அஷ்டமி, நவமியில் நீங்கள் சாப்பிடுவதில்லையா? ரயில், பஸ், விமானம் ஆகியவை ஓடுவதில்லையா? மருத்துவமனை, வங்கிகள் மற்றும் அலுவலகங்கள் செயல்படுவதில்லையா? அவசர அறுவை சிகிச்சையைத் தவிர்க்கிறோமா? என்று கேட் டேன். 

அதற்கு என் சகோதரி போங்க அண்ணா நீங்க எப்போதும் இப்படித் தான் எடக்கு முடக்காகப் பேசுவீர்கள் என்று கேலி செய்தார். நான் இல்லையம்மா இதற்கு விளக்கம் கூறுகிறேன். நாம் ஓரளவு படித்தவர்கள் எதையும் அறிவுப்பூர்வமாக சிந்தித்துத் தெரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டாமா? என்று கேட் டேன். மைத்துனரும், என் சகோதரியும் நீங்கள்தான் விளக்குங்களேன் என்றார்கள். 

நான் பின்வரும் விளக்கத்தைக் கூறினேன். 

ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு அமாவாசை, ஒரு பவுர்ணமி வரும். அந்த இரு நிகழ்ச்சிகளும் பூமி மற்றும் சந்திரனின் சுழற்சியால் ஏற்படுவதை நீங்கள் அறிவீர்கள். நாட்களைச் சுட்டிக்காட்ட அமாவாசையிலிருந்து அல்லது பவுர்ணமியிலிருந்து எத்தனையாவது நாள் என்று குறிப்பிட்டுக் காட்டவே பிரதமை முதல் சதுர்த்தசி வரை 14 நாட்களுக்கும் பெயரிட்டிருக்கிறார்கள். பெயர் தமிழில் வைத்திருந்தால் விளங்கும். சமஸ்கிருதம் ஆதிக்கத்தில் இருந்தபோது தமிழ் வருடங்களின் பெயரை கூட பொருள் தெரியாத வடமொழியில் அல்லவா வைத்து விட்டார்கள்? நாமும் அதை மாற்ற மனமின்றி வைத்துக் கொண்டு திண்டாடுகிறோம். அதே போல் தான் நாட்களின் பெயர்களும் பின்வருமாறு வடமொழியில் உள்ளன என்று விளக்கினேன்.

1. பவுர்ணமி, அமாவசைக்கு அடுத்த நாள் பிரதமை பிரதமர் என்றால் முதல்வர் என்று பொருள். அதுபோல் பிரதமை என்றால் முதல் நாள். 

2. துவிதை என்றால் இரண்டாம் நாள் தோ என்றால் இரண்டு. துவிச் சகர வண்டி என்று சைக்கிளைக் கூறுவது தங்களுக்கு தெரியும்.

3. திரிதியை என்றால் மூன்றாம் நாள் திரி என்றால் மூன்று அல்லவா? 

4. சதுர்த்தி என்றால் நான்காம் நாள் சதுரம் நான்கு பக்கங்கள் கொண் டது.

5. பஞ்சமி என்றால் அய்ந்தாம் நாள் பாஞ்ச் என்றால் அய்ந்து எனப் பொருள்.

6. சஷ்டி என்றால் ஆறாம் நாள். 

7. சப்தமி என்றால் ஏழாம் நாள். சப்த ஸ்வரங்கள் என ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களைக் கூறுவதில்லையா?

8. அஷ்டமி என்றால் எட்டாம் நாள். அஷ்டவக்கிரம் என்று எட்டு கோணல்களைக் கூறுவதையும் அஷ்ட லட்சுமி என்றெல்லாம் கூறக் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம்.

9. நவமி என்றால் ஒன்பதாம் நாள் நவ என்றால் ஒன்பது என்றும் நவ கிரகங்கள் என்பதும் தங்களுக்குத் தெரியும். 

10. தசமி என்றால் பத்தாம் நாள் தஸ் என்றால் பத்து அல்லவா? தாரம் என்ற கடவுளின் அவதாரங்களைக் கூறக் கேட்டிருக்கிறோம்.

11. ஏகாதசி என்றால் பதினொன் றாம் நாள் ஏக் என்றால் ஒன்று தஸ் என்றால் பத்து இரண்டின் கூட்டுத் தொகை பதினொன்று. 

12. துவாதசி என்றால் பன்னிரண் டாம் நாள் தோ/துவி என்றால் இரண்டு தஸ் என்றால் பத்து எனவே இதன் கூட்டுத்தொகை பன்னிரண்டு ஆகும்.

13. திரியோதசி என்றால் பதிமூன் றாம் நாள் திரி என்றால் மூன்று + தஸ் என்றால் பத்து ஆகப் பதிமூன்று. 

14. சதுர்த்தசி என்றால் பதினான்காம் நாள் சதுர் (சதுரம்) என்றால் நான்கு அத்தோடு தஸ் என்ற பத்து சேர்த்தால் பதினான்கு என ஆகும்.

சதுர்த்தசிக்கும் அடுத்தது பவுர்ணமி அல்லது அமாவாசை ஆகி விடும். இப்படி நாட்களைக் சுட்டிக் காட்ட வைத்த பெயர்களில் என்ன வேறுபாடு இருக்கிறது? அமாவாசை அல்லது பவுர்ணமிக்குப் பிறகு வரும் எட்டாம் நாளும் ஒன்பதாம் நாளும் கெட்டவை என்பதற்கு ஏதேனும் அறிவியல் பூர்வமான விளக்கம் இருந்தால் கூறுங்கள்.  என் சகோதரியும் மைத்துனரும் வாயடைத்துப் போயினர். இந்த விளக்கம் கண்டு அவர்கள் மிகத் தெளிவு பெற்றனர். 

நான் மேலும் கூறினேன். அட்சய திரிதியையில் தங்கம் வாங்க அறியாத மக்கள் தங்கக் கடைக்கு ஓடுவதும் அறியாமையே என்றேன். என் சகோதரி மிகவும் ஆர்வமாக இதற்கும் விளக்கம் கூறுங்கள் அண்ணா என்று கேட்டுக் கொண்டாள். க்ஷயம் என்றால் தேய்வு (-க்ஷயரோகம் = எலும்புருக்கு நோய் அக்ஷயம் என்றால் வளர்ச்சி அதாவது வளர்பிறையில் அமாவாசையிலிருந்து மூன்றாம் நாள் திரிதியை என்று ஏற்கெனவே விளக்கிக் கொண்டோம். அதாவது வளர்பிறையில் மூன்றாம் நாள் இதில் என்ன சிறப்பு இருக்க முடியும்?  இது தங்க வியாபாரிகள் சேர்ந்து செய்த விற்பனை உத்தியே ஆகும் என்று விளக்கம் கூறினேன். 

மக்கள் எப்படி அறியாமையில் மூழ்கிப் போயிருக்கிறார்கள் என்று அனைவரும் பரிதாபப்பட்டோம். பிறகு அன்றே மூவரும் சென்று வீட்டு மனையைப் பார்வையிட்டு இடம் பிடித்திருந்ததால் முன் பணம் செலுத்தி பத்திர நகல்களை வாங்கி வந்தோம். அஷ்டமி, நவமி பார்த்துத் தாமதம் செய்திருந்தால் இந்த வாய்ப்பு கிட்டுமா என்று மகிழ்ந்தோம். 

“செய்யும் வேலைகளின் வெற்றி தன்னை நம்பி இல்லை, கடவுளை நம்பித்தான் இருக்கிறது“ என்று நினைத்து உருவாக்கப்பட்ட “நல்ல நேரம்,கெட்ட நேரம்“ என்ற பயங்கள் உலகெங்கும் மனிதனை ஆட்டிப்படைக்கின்றன.(நம் நாட்டில் கொஞ்சம் அதிகம்)

இந்திய அளவில் உள்ள பஞ்சாங்கங்களின்படி ஒரு மாதத்திற்கு எவ்வளவு கெட்ட நேரம் வருகிறது என்று கணக்கிட்டுப்பார்ப்போம்.

வாரத்தில் செவ்வாய்,சனி நல்ல காரியம் துவங்கக்கூடாது(10 நாட்கள்).

மாதத்தின் அஷ்டமி,நவமி நன்மைக்கு உகந்தது அல்ல(4நாட்கள்).

பாட்டிமுகம் நாளில் நல்லது செய்வது நல்லதில்லை(2 நாட்கள்).

ஒரு மாதத்தில் வரும் ராகு காலம், எமகண்டம்,குளிகை இவற்றின் கூட்டுத்தொகை (3 முக்கால்) தவிர கௌரி பஞ்சாங்கத்தின் படி நன்மை செய்ய தகாத நாட்கள் 2 நாட்கள்.

ஆக மொத்தத்தில் ஒரு மாதத்தில் 21 முக்கால் நாட்கள் நாம் நல்லது செய்ய பயந்தால் எப்படி உருப்பட...எப்படி முன்னேற...?

என்று தணியும் நம் மக்களிடம் நிரம்பியுள்ள அறியாமையின் மோகம்? 
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விரல்கள் என்னவோ - உன்
பெயரோடு விளையாடுகின்றன!

அர்த்தமானதாய்த் தெரிந்த
அந்த நேரங்கள் எல்லாம் - இன்று
அபத்தமாய்த் தெரிகின்றன!
அந்த நேரத்திற்கு அப்புறம்
அந்நியமாயிற்று அனைத்துமே..!

கல்லடிபட்டு பெயர்ந்த
கால்விரல் நகத்தின் காயத்தில்
அருகம்புல் மாட்டிக்கொண்டது போன்ற
வலியாய் உன் நினைவுகள்!

நினைவுகளில் எத்தனையோ
சூழ்ந்திருக்கும்
சுகம் துக்கம் எல்லாம்
எப்படியொன்று சொல்லிட
முடிந்திடவில்லை!

எழுத நினைத்தவையெல்லாம்
மனசில் நிறைந்துள்ளது!
எழுத எழுத
சுகமும் துக்கமும்
உன்னைச் சார்ந்தவையாகவே
சுழல்கின்றன.....

மரத்துப்போகவைக்கும் - உன்
போக்கினில்
மெல்லிய உணர்வுகளும்
மெல்லச்சாகின்றன!

மழைத்தண்ணீர் இல்லாத
கருவேலமரமாய்
இதயமும்
வறண்ட நிலையில்...!!

எத்தனை வெறுமைகள்
என்னுள் வந்து சேர்ந்தாலும் - உன்
பேறுகளைக் கேட்டு
பெருமையடைகின்றேன்...

உனக்கென்று இருக்கும்
வார்த்தைக்கலைகள்
என்னிடம் சிதைந்தபடி
சிலந்தியாய்ப் பின்னியுள்ளன!

நினைப்பதும், நடப்பதும்
வேறாக இருந்தாலும்
நினைவுகள் எல்லாம்
வேராய் நீண்டுகிடக்கின்றன!

கனவுகளை இழந்துவிட்ட
கண்களுக்கும், இதயத்திற்கும்
காலங்கள் எப்படியிருந்தால் என்ன??!! 

The Ingredients For Success

“O Prabhu, you fulfill all desires and give the four fruits of existence. Understanding that, I am fearful of what I could possibly give to you.” (Janaki Mangala, 22)
tumha prabhu pūrana kāma cāri phaladāyaka |
tehiṃ teṃ būjhata kāju ḍarau munidāyaka ||
The pious king knew that the exalted guest kindly received at his home came to ask for something. He wasn’t a resident of Ayodhya, so his visit had a purpose. For the king, there wasn’t much to give in comparison to what the sage could bestow. From proper wisdom comes the attainment of life’s ultimate goal, which automatically incorporates the four primary rewards that are delineated by the Vedas. The ancient scriptures of India identify the four primary rewards and go about describing how they can be achieved, and the lessons imparted are not bound by sectarian designations or specific time and circumstance. In the same way, the counsel and association of the saintly class is not restricted to any group. Just hearing about these saints many years later can provide so many benefits.
Why was this guest so exalted? How could he fulfill all desires? The plants in the garden produce fruits that can be consumed. The same goes for the farm in general, which produces the food that sustains life. In one sense, you could consider the plant to be a wish-fulfilling tree which grants our desires in life. Whatever it is we may want, it can’t be achieved unless there is vibrancy in life. The vital force within the body is maintained by food; therefore the plants serve as the sustenance, the source of the boons that life can grant us.
If someone were to give us land and the ability to grow crops, that reward would be greater than anything else offered. Someone may give us money or good fortune that is temporary in its manifestation, but the resulting benefits will be targeted. Getting the source of all enjoyment is more important, because from that source there are endless possibilities for rewards. Another way to think of it is to compare a prepared food dish to the actual raw ingredients. The dish can be enjoyed by those who have a taste for it, while the ingredients can be used to prepare many other dishes. Hence the possession of the ingredients is more valuable.
In the playing field of the material world, there are endless avenues for activity, with some leading to better conditions and others leading to worse ones. The Vedas declare that the human form of body is the most auspicious because of the potential it brings for achieving the four fruits in life: dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Dharma is religiosity, which immediately signals a departure from the animal species. Following regulative principles is only possible in a civilized society. From abiding by religious principles you get artha, or economic development. Without a profitable end to your ventures, what will you have to show for your work? Economic development affords the opportunity for kama, or sense gratification. And finally, after a life filled with enjoyment of the three rewards, there is the ideal boon of moksha, or salvation. Follow religious principles, profit in your work, enjoy the rewards, and then never repeat the same cycle again.
The brahmanas, or priests, can grant these four rewards through their association. Not to be confused with magic genies who suddenly arrive on the scene and give you what you want, the saints provide instruction so that mankind can follow the proper set of activities that will bring those rewards through work. Dharma, artha, kama and moksha apply to every single human being, regardless of religious persuasion or interest in spiritual life. Indeed, by following the guidelines laid down by the brahmanas, one doesn’t even need to know what the four rewards are or why they are worth attaining.
The spirit soul is the actor and the material bodies the playing field. The material elements as a whole can be considered the field as well, and with proper knowledge one will know how to succeed on that field. As the brahmanas provide this knowledge through their instruction, the value of their association can never be properly estimated. Whatever reward it is you want, whatever fruit you would like to enjoy from the tree of life, the Vedas provide the answer. Though the highest reward is to voluntarily escape from the playing field and find the constitutional engagement of loving service to God, the enjoyments derived from a material existence are not denied the follower of the Vedas.
Maharaja Dasharatha had only desires for divine association. His eldest son was an incarnation of the original person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the king was already living in the spiritual world, basking in the sweet vision of Shri Rama day after day. From that love for Godhead sprung natural affection for those who represent the Lord’s interests on earth, the brahmanas. Already taking care of and respecting many priests in his own kingdom, Dasharatha one day had the good fortune of being visited by Vishvamitra Muni.
After properly receiving his guest and getting his blessing, the king prepared for what the muni might ask. In the above referenced verse from the Janaki Mangala, the king offers the highest praise to Vishvamitra. The muni is addressed here as Prabhu, which means “lord”, and is praised for being able to grant any desire, including the four fruits of existence. One who attains dharma, artha, kama and moksha in a single lifetime is considered extremely fortunate, as the rewards don’t cohabitate very well with each other. Too much religiosity dampens the urge for sense gratification, and too much economic success makes following religious principles more difficult. In addition, if I am addicted to sense gratification, how will I get release from the cycle of birth and death? Moksha is specifically hinged on desire, what the consciousness is focused on at the time of death.
The association of the brahmanas thus becomes very important. They can put the proper guidelines into place, where the four rewards can cohabitate without a problem. Almost thinking out loud, Dasharatha here remarks how he feels that he can’t give the muni a proper gift. If someone gives you the four fruits of existence, what could you possibly give them In return? Ah, but Dasharatha did have something that any person would desire: God’s personal association. Vishvamitra had come to ask for this, the king’s most valuable possession.
What would you do in the same situation? Someone comes by your home to borrow the services of your son, who happens to be an expert bow warrior, though still of a young age. This son is your most cherished object; his vision every day makes your life worth living. You had gone many years without having children, and you fretted over whether or not the family line would continue. Only after having completed an important yajna, or sacrifice, did not only one, but four beautiful sons come your way. Now someone who doesn’t live in your community wants to take your eldest son? Why would you agree?
The reason for Dasharatha’s eventual acquiescence is revealed in the above referenced statement. As the brahmanas provide the most valuable information in life, their requests cannot be denied. Indeed, it was the brahmana class who had urged Dasharatha to perform the sacrifice that brought Shri Rama to his family. The ways of the Lord are so mysterious and perfect at the same time. Though God is never influenced by external action, He arranges events in such a way so that it looks like a specific behavior leads to His presence. It was a fact that Rama had desired to appear as Dasharatha’s son a while back and that the advice of the brahmanas was given to increase the value of their association, to show how much respect they deserve.
Lord Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana would be the reward for Vishvamitra’s graceful presence. Of course the exchange was not an even one, for the four fruits of existence cannot compare to the presence of Rama and Lakshmana. The two beautiful youths are splendid in their appearance, dedicated in their vow to protect, and most sincere in their efforts. Just being able to say the names of the two brothers is a boon that brings many auspicious merits. Vishvamitra didn’t ask for Rama’s protection as a means of getting even. He was having difficulty living peacefully in the forests, as the night-rangers had harassed many innocent sages. The brahmanas unable to carry out their religious duties, their protector, brahmanya-devaya, Shri Rama, would go to the forests and weed out the toxic influence of the ghoulish enemies of the saintly class.
By following the regulations advised by the brahmanas, the four fruits of existence can come to us, but this path is very difficult. On the other hand, through following the recommendation of pure devotion to the Supreme Lord, the four rewards become insignificant. Dasharatha felt like his life was taken away whenever he was separated from Rama, which shows just how cherished God’s association is. As the holy name is the best way to connect with that sweetheart who roamed the forests as a young child protecting Vishvamitra, the most recommended practice for spiritual upliftment is the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. The acharyas of the Vedic tradition have done so much for us that we really have no way of repaying them. Through dedication in bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, we honor their efforts and hopefully please them. The benedictions offered by the saints are meant to culminate in spontaneous devotion to God, so if we take up the processes of bhakti right away, their past tireless efforts will prove to be fruitful for us.
In Closing:
Four fruits of existence brahmanas give,
So that pursuing proper path you can live.
Follow dharma to get economic development,
Satisfy senses and hope rebirth to circumvent.
King meeting Vishvamitra felt hesitant,
For vipra can provide of desires attainment.
What possibly could king give in return,
Nothing of equal value was cause for concern.
King’s eldest son Rama of existence its source,
Chanting His name is life’s proper course.

To part with his son king did finally agree,

From Vishvamitra’s request, sages God to see.

Evolution of windows.(are you remember all these...?)

1985 Windows 1.0



The First Version of Microsoft Windows, Windows 1.0, with simple applications and the concept of multitasking on PC 

1987 Windows 2.0 


The Second Version of Windows, Windows 2.0 with some fixes and the Control Panel. 

1988 Windows 2.1 


The Second Version of Windows with some additions, and some fixes, Windows 2.1, the Paint software is seen in this one! 

1990 Windows 3.0 



The Third Version of Windows, Windows 3.0, featuring the File Manager and Program Manager, replacing the old MS DOS based File and Program Managers. 

1992 Windows 3.1 



The later released upgraded version of Windows 3.0, which had support for 32-bit Disk Access, Personalization options and had the Minesweeper game for the first time. 

1995 Windows 95 


Windows 95, the changed look, the new interface and the beginning of the form of Windows which we see now. Enhanced Graphics and better Communication Programs. 

1998 Windows 98 


Windows 98, one of the most successful versions of Windows till now, this version of Windows can still be seen in some PCs even today. With Extended Softwares, better Performance, this Version was the first milestone in the path of the development of Windows. 

2000 Windows ME 



Windows ME or Windows Millennium Edition, though not a very popular version of Windows, but still it had some better tools and performance than the previous ones in some cases. 

2001 Windows XP 


Windows XP, the Daddy of all versions of Windows, the most popular version of windows even today. Windows XP is still used today because of its unmatched performance, tools and interface. This has been the best version of Windows till the arrival of Windows 7. 

2006 Windows Vista 


Windows Vista, though it didn’t go so well in the public, but still its a good version of Windows specially for the interface the Windows Aeroâ„¢ Effect, making the Window Transparency work like magic. 

2009 Windows 7 


Windows 7, the best version of Windows till date. With the new and advanced features such as the Superbar, this version of Windows created another milestone for Microsoft after Windows 98 and Windows XP. Windows 7 features an unbeatable user interface, and powerful tools that makes it the best among the rest. 

2012 Windows 8 



Windows 8, to be released in the late 2012. The interface of Windows 8 as seen at the D9 Conference. A better version of Windows as proposed by Microsoft, with the changed User Interface

The rise of economic nationalism

Politically sweet music but ominous for long-term global prosperity

Identifying outsourcing as the villain

President Barack Obama, in his State of the Union Address delivered last Tuesday, made a hard-hitting attack on American companies that have shipped American jobs abroad by going pell-mell for outsourcing manufacturing jobs from countries like India and China in the last two decades.

He said that six months prior to his election to office in 2008, USA had lost four million jobs; within six months of his election but before his remedial policies could take effect, another four million jobs had been lost.

During the last 22 months, his country was able to create only three million jobs, meaning that there is still a shortfall of some five million jobs if USA is to restore its position to pre 2008 level. If it is to solve its economic woes permanently, it has to find jobs for some record 13 million people who are seeking jobs as at present.

Move to reclaim USA

Surely, his house is on fire and he should be angry because he has to make a re-election bid in November this year. Both poverty and unemployment levels in USA have risen to unprecedented levels: poverty above 15% of population and unemployment above 8% of the labour force by the end of 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Despite numerous stimulus packages, the US economy has not recovered from the worst recession with which it had been hit since 2007. Globally, there is growing fear that economic power is shifting from USA to emerging countries like India and China, a serious dent in American pride.

So, his prescription announced in the State of the Union Address is to reclaim the lost American power and value. To do so, he says that he will support American companies if they bring back jobs to American soils and will give further support if they sell American products in new global markets.

In other words, he has vowed to create an economy that produces in America but sells outside. Faced with this domestic economic turmoil, this was his plea to American companies and citizens, a kind of a new Political Social Responsibility or PSR akin to the Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR designed for private companies worldwide decades earlier.

Is economic nationalism the answer?

This is in fact re-emergence of the old mercantilism under which it was advocated that a country should export but not import. In today’s terminology, it is called ‘economic nationalism’ where a country should produce and consume locally produced goods but could sell to others if it has surplus.

Obama is not alone in preaching economic nationalism. Many leaders in other parts of the world, faced by chronic economic crises, have chosen to talk about variants of economic nationalism. Leaders in Germany and Japan which have experienced surging exports but low economic growth due to the economic ailment now known as ‘Bazaar Effect’ or becoming trading nations instead of being manufacturers, are under pressure to reverse the production process that have created jobs and incomes elsewhere.

In developing countries, imports, especially food imports, are considered as creating jobs and incomes abroad and there is pressure for curbing imports and settling for an import substitution policies at home.

Sri Lanka: produce foods locally and fill the trade gap

Sri Lanka has advocated economic nationalism for a different reason.

According to official statistics, Sri Lanka does not suffer from these types of economic ailments. Unlike Barack Obama or other leaders in developed or developing countries, its leaders can take comfort in a number of achievements which they claim that the country has made in the last few years: high growth rates, low poverty and unemployment numbers, tamed inflation and fast growing exports.

Yet it has a major issue in its external sector with imports rising much faster than exports, thereby generating a record trade deficit of $ 10 billion in 2011 and pressure for its currency to depreciate against other currencies.

The authorities have attempted to keep the exchange rate stable by supplying foreign exchange from its reserves to the market, but have lost a significant portion of reserves in the process. As at end of November, 2011, its official reserves have fallen to $ 6 billion from $ 8 billion five months ago.

Since November, according to market reports, another round of reserve loss has taken place driving the country’s foreign reserves now to a critically low level. Since the situation is going to worsen in 2012 with an equally high or even a larger trade deficit, the worried Sri Lankan authorities have tried to fix the problem by taking unconventional measures sans a proper adjustment of the exchange rate.

Voicing some aspects of these measures,   Sri Lanka’s top policy maker and reputed economist, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Treasury Secretary and Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development, is reported to have said in a recent media conference that Sri Lanka should step up its food production drive to  curb food imports and thereby help Sri Lanka rupee to strengthen in the foreign exchange markets, a measure that would help Sri Lanka to narrow its ballooning trade deficit (available at http://www.ft.lk/2012/01/26/govt-to-grow-out-of-import-trap/#more-68411).

Not all foods can be produced in Sri Lanka

The objective of this measure, according to the reputed economist, is to save foreign exchange which the country now spends on food imports, namely, wheat flour, milk products, fresh and dried fish and certain varieties of fruits. Since wheat cannot be grown in Sri Lanka, the strategy may be to cause a shift in the consumption pattern by weaning the wheat consumers away from wheat products and encouraging them to consume rice based products. At present, a Sri Lankan consumes on average about 110 kilograms of rice and about 38 kilograms of wheat flour based foods per annum. To cause this shift, it may also be necessary to invoke nationalist feelings among the Sri Lankans: why eat imported wheat flour when one can eat truly Sri Lanka produced rice? But it would certainly increase the demand for rice putting pressure for its price to rise in the market. Hence, to prevent its price from rising and thereby raising the cost of living of people, it is necessary to increase the production of rice while keeping the production costs unchanged.

This measure therefore involves the bringing back the old import substitution policy as a mainstream economic policy of the country and therefore can be categorised as a different form of economic nationalism. This is because it propels the wisdom that if Sri Lanka can grow foods, it should not import such foods from abroad and fatten foreign farmers. In other words, it is in the national interest of Sri Lanka to fatten the local farmers.

Some do not agree with economic nationalism

When Obama was fiercely attacking American companies for moving out and seeking low cost inputs, namely, labour, experts who were assembled at the World Economic Forum, popularly known as WEF, in Davos in Switzerland were debating how best the world could promote free trade, free enterprise and free competition.

Even the British Prime Minister David Cameron is reported to have sent a message to WEF urging European Union to think positively about the emergence of China and India as world economic powers. He has said that instead of treating as a threat, emerging nations like India can be of great help to Europe. He has advocated that Europe should go for bilateral trade agreements with countries like India and Singapore by the end of 2012.

High unemployment: the breeder of economic nationalism

When a country has high unemployment, there are always agitations by its citizens against any policy or practice that kills jobs at home but creates them in other countries and thereby raise the incomes of people in those countries. Hence, any policy announcement that aims at putting a stop to such practices is sweet music to people of any country.

Smart politicians in both developed and developing countries who understand the importance of moving with people by endorsing their popular views to win elections project themselves as pro-nationalist and anti-free trade champions. Obama or any other leader who exploits people’s sentiments in this manner cannot be faulted because their objective is to remain in power. If they lose power, then they cannot implement whatever the sound policies they think are suitable for their countries. In this sense, David Cameron is taking a huge risk by advocating for free trade agreements with economically hostile countries because those agreements are simply ‘give and take exercises’.

Apple’s alleged crime

The extent to which people in a country treat the loss of jobs in the home country as a crime and those who caused such losses as criminals was demonstrated when some Americans commented on the blogs that conveyed the demise of Steve Jobs, the hero of immense innovative spirits of Apple fame in modern era.

People outside USA hailed and appreciated the innovations which he endowed to the world. But some in USA did not see him in the same light and, while appreciating his innovations, found fault with him for shipping American jobs to China. This is in fact American way of looking at Steve Jobs’ employing some 700,000 workers and 30,000 engineers in Apple’s manufacturing units in China as reported by Walter Isaacson in recently released Jobs’ biography.

National minded Americans too prefer cheap goods

According to the biographer, Steve Jobs had justified his action when he had met Barack Obama in 2008. He is reported to have told Obama that he had to shift his production units to China because he could not recruit 30,000 engineers in USA to head those floor workers and could not hire 700,000 floor workers in USA at the salaries paid to Chinese workers.

The result was the production, for example, of the iPad designed by Apple in USA in Fox Conn Manufacturing Facility in China at a fraction of the cost at which it would have been produced back at home. So, iPad was made available at a competitive price and within one month, those nationalistic minded Americans bought two million units with no consideration whatsoever about the American jobs which Steve Jobs was alleged to have killed at home.

So, consumers were mindful of getting the best for themselves by buying iPad cheap. None of them showed signs of willingness to buy them at a higher price had it been produced by high cost fellow citizens in USA.

So, the plea of Obama when he asks American companies to produce back at home has two connotations: American companies should hire local labour at higher wages and American citizens should buy those high priced products because it leads to the re-claiming of that great nation now being lost to Indians and the Chinese. This is the political version of CSR designed for private companies: A Political Social Responsibility that promises the building up of a great nation by enforcing economic nationalism on its citizens.

Steve Jobs’ advice to Obama: produce skills locally or perish

Steve Jobs’ biographer also says that Jobs, whose ethic was to tell the truth to face however much it is unpalatable to his listener, has also warned Obama that he would be a one-term President if he does not take action to reform US education and produce the needed skills among the Americans; Jobs has even suggested that US should have a liberal migration policy and offer citizenship to those bright students from abroad, especially those from China and India, so that they could be hired by American companies.

After four years of Jobs’ suggestion, Obama has in his State of the Union Address has agreed to go only halfway this year: he has suggested giving citizenship to the children of numerous illegal immigrants because they had been born and bred in USA. But the beneficiaries under this scheme are the children of illegal immigrants from Latin America and they fall short of the category bright students from India and China whom Steve Jobs meant when he made the suggestion to Obama.

The ominous rise of economic nationalism

Economists wonder whether ‘economic nationalism’ could rescue USA. The global production integration is a process that has started and cannot be halted at this stage without grave consequences to a national economy. When mercantilism was at its height and ruining European economies, Adam Smith fought it valiantly in the late 18th century. Fortunately, Great Britain was wise enough to go along with Smithian prescription though it was not politically palatable at that time. Other European nations which did not do so had to suffer economically.

Today, there are many Adam Smiths throughout the globe advocating free trade, free competition and global integration of economies together as has been shown by the experts who had been assembled for WEF now taking place in Davos. The ground conditions in USA are not yet fertile for that country to create a massive number of manufacturing jobs there.

As MIT economist Daron Acemoglu has said in an interview with the journal The Region of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis in September, 2011, American workers should train themselves to handle new jobs that are emerging in new fields like services, innovation and designing if its chronic unemployment problem is to be solved. It is retraining and skills development and not economic nationalism that would rescue the USA.  It will therefore be a well-played political game for Obama to advocate economic nationalism, but it is ominous for creating long-term economic prosperity.

The same is true for any other developing country which too plans to practice economic nationalism, whether to solve chronic balance of payments problems or not, by divorcing itself from the new global production process.

(W.A. Wijewardena can be reached at waw1949@gmail.com.)

Saudi prince (Al-Waleed bin Talal) buys world's first ' Flying Palace '

Prince Al-Waleed signs on the dotted line to purchase his A380 at the Dubai air show        Inside the world's biggest private jet with 4-poster beds, a Turkish bath... and a place to park the Rolls!     In a space normally given to 600 passengers, the owner and his guests will enjoy a five-star treatment from arrival. After driving to his plane, he will have the car parked in the onboard garage.    According to Design Q's co-founder Gary Doy, a lift drops to the tarmac, and a red carpet unfurls, with downlights to 'give the impression of turning up at the Oscars'. The belly of the A380 has been turned into a relaxation zone, including a Turkish bath lined with marble only two millimetres thick to keep the weight down.   Next door is a well-being room, with the floor and walls turning into a giant screen showing the ground below. Guests can stand on a 'magic carpet' and watch the journey, a scented breeze blowing into the room.   If work is unavoidable, the boardroom is on hand with iTouch screens and live share prices projected onto the tables. For conference calls, a business partner on the ground can be virtually projected to the table to 'join' a meeting.    The five suites which form the owner's private quarters have king-size beds, entertainment systems and a prayer room featuring computer-generated prayer mats which always face Mecca . A lift shuttles between the plane's three floors, from the private quarters upstairs, down to the concert hall, featuring a baby grand piano and seating for ten, and to the garage below.        There are around 20 'sleepers' - the equivalent of First Class seats - for extra guests. According to the designers, the style is elegant curves and swirls of Arabic writing.        AND NOW THE LATEST NEWS!    Al-Waleed Spends $176 Million to Outfit His A380 After dropping nearly $320 million on his new Airbus A380 jet, Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia is spending another $176 million on ultra-lavish modifications, including a $60 million gold leaf paintjob. An unnamed German company is customizing the interior of the plane to include: A lounge to seat a travelling entourage of 25 trusted aides; A marble-panelled dining room with seating for 14; A bar with curtains to mimic tents of the Arabian Desert; A fibre-optic mosaic that will depict a shifting desert scene; A movie theatre with plush leather seats the color of sand dunes; A series of bedrooms linked to stewardesses by intercom; A gym with Nautilus equipment and running machines; and A large silk bed designed to resemble a Bedouin tent that will be the centrepiece of the plane’s interior. Reports speak of the decor as being Lawrence of Arabia meets Star Wars. Al-Waleed's A380 will be completed in two years, and in the meantime, he will cruise in his Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.