PDA

View Full Version : The Billion Dollar Home!



TatTvamAsi
17 October 2010, 01:26 PM
Namaste,

So India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, just had his 27 story house completed in Mumbai that reported cost $1.08 Billion!!:crazy:

Link: http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/10/14/billion-dollar-home-readies-for-housewarming/

What do you guys think about the ethics of this man building a billion dollar house?

Of course, every newspaper has been lambasting him because "India has poor people". LOL.. I wonder if there is a country where there are no poor people?

He continued building his conglomerate and made his money grow so he can do what he wants with it. Right?

In Sanatana Dharma, it is stressed that we should live in contentment and never become self-indulgent as that can make the ego grow uncontrollably. And, we should always help those in need and to the best of our abilities.

Honestly, most people including myself don't know what kind of charities Mr. Ambani helps or what he personally does to benefit society. I have heard his wife, Nita Ambani, is into charitable giving etc.

One can't help but think that there are millions of children in India who go hungry every night and for a man to build a billion dollar house is just a bit extreme.

Of course, the capitalist outlook is, Mr. Ambani is creating jobs! He is apparently using 600 servants and has a 160 car garage so he would need to hire more mechanics and use other businesses to keep the cars running well! :D

I am very glad for one reason though: the richest person in Asia is an Indian (Mukesh Ambani) and so is the richest person in Europe (Lakshmi Mittal).

I guess we just have to take over North and South America, Australia, and build an igloo in Antarctica and call it a day! ;)

Sahasranama
17 October 2010, 01:40 PM
One can't help but think that there are millions of children in India who go hungry every night and for a man to build a billion dollar house is just a bit extreme.

Many westerners will look at this and think the same. But they will look at Donald Trump and say that he is living the american dream.

Eastern Mind
17 October 2010, 02:16 PM
Many westerners will look at this and think the same. But they will look at Donald Trump and say that he is living the american dream.
[/font][/color]

Vannakkam:

Which westerners? I think a lot of people would like to see Donald's wig fall off into some murky slough. The Donald is the epitome of classless bigshots.

Money in bundles or the lack of it has little to do with what kind of person you are. The pauper's sincere prayers to you are far better than some rich dudes coin.

Aum Namasivaya

Sahasranama
17 October 2010, 02:40 PM
He has a lot of fans.

Eastern Mind
17 October 2010, 03:29 PM
He has a lot of fans.

Vannakkam:

Yeah, there I go, projecting my personal taste in people out on the millions of others. It's pretty sad commentary on the average American's consciousness, then, when Donald has some cult figure status.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
17 October 2010, 04:52 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Yet there are those that are quite wealthy that do good with their abundance.
The Gates foundation is one. Warren Buffett is another . He gave ~ $30 billion in stock to the Gates Foundation
for their use. This will occur over several years.

Top richest people:
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/10/billionaires-2010_The-Worlds-Billionaires_Rank.html

Note India in the top 10 of all richest people on the list. I hope all find ways to do good with their amassed funds.

By the way Donald Trump is 488th on the list.

praṇām

Eastern Mind
18 October 2010, 06:18 AM
Vannakkam: And here is a start in India:

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6648385.cms?prtpage=1)
NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 29, 2010: : For a few months now, Bill and Melinda Gates and have been wining and dining with the world’s richest, gently persuading over 40 US billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to fix the world’s ills. But no one from has yet been able to match that generosity. Very few have even shown an inclination to do so.

At least one Indian billionaire, Shiv Nadar, has taken a first step and is now daring others of his ilk to start making a meaningful contribution to society. The technology czar has committed to put aside well over 10% of his wealth for philanthropic ventures. These ventures, under the Shiv Nadar Foundation, span building and running free schools, a proposed university and a museum of art.

Mr. Nadar has been influenced by the deep philanthropic resolve of the Gates couple and Buffett, the world’s richest people, both of whom have pledged almost their entire wealth for charity. “My wife and I spent a whole evening with them (Bill and Melinda) and we talked about this,” he says. “When Buffett dies, there will only be a stone. It shows a very different aspect of life, about people and how they care.”

Aum Namasivaya

BryonMorrigan
18 October 2010, 08:08 AM
Q: Out of curiosity, did they mean a billion American dollars? Or a billion rupees? A billion rupees is substantial, but a far cry from a billion American dollars.

And why is it that nowadays, peoples' taste levels are often inversely proportionate to their wealth? Gods, what an ugly structure!

I currently reside in an old Victorian house which was constructed as a small mansion for a lumber baron's daughter in 1883. The artisans who built it filled the house with beauty, and even the doorknobs and hinges are covered in elaborate designs.

Mr. Nadar's building will become a joke, like many other "faddish" architecture of the 70s and 80s.

sm78
18 October 2010, 08:21 AM
Namaste,

Of course, every newspaper has been lambasting him because "India has poor people". LOL.. I wonder if there is a country where there are no poor people?



No other country has the 3rd highest number billionares and the highest number of poors (i mean really rat-eating poor) at the same time.

While only in India, Merc recorded a deal where 150 Mercs were sold in a single day in a single city, while at the sametime perhaves the largest number of dirt poor farmers commiting suicides everyday. The food index ranks India below most of the African nations - yet in the sprawling malls of the metros the educated MNC worker believes he is in America, refusing to talk with any other language to his 3 year old toddler other than accented English.

Yes I also feel like laughing on these facts like you, but we are probably lauging for different reasons.

sm78
18 October 2010, 08:23 AM
Q: Out of curiosity, did they mean a billion American dollars? Or a billion rupees? A billion rupees is substantial, but a far cry from a billion American dollars.
American Dollars. You will be surprized at the number people who are billionares or multi-millionares in India, yes in US dollars.

yajvan
18 October 2010, 11:59 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté sm78,

Can you help me with this Merc? I do not understand.



While only in India, Merc recorded a deal where 150 Mercs were sold in a single day in a single city, ....


EM writes

gently persuading over 40 US billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to fix the world’s ills. But no one from has yet been able to match that generosity. Very few have even shown an inclination to do so
This is the beginning of breaking the bonds of moha... for some it is a struggle.
The USA has many faults, more then one cares to count. Yet giving is not one of them . Of all the food that is given world-wide the USA offers from 49% to 51% of all donations offered. This also occurs in funding. One may say , well the USA can afford it.

Yet EM's post shows that others around the world do not part with their abundance so easily . The Gates Foundation and others are committing over 90% of their wealth to be distributed for worthy causes ( as they see it in their eyes).

I am in hopes others follow suit. Donate as one sees fit. But amassing money is like amassing manure from cows. The more you pile it up the more it stinks. The more you spread it around , the more you make things grow.

praṇām

BryonMorrigan
18 October 2010, 01:39 PM
Can you help me with this Merc? I do not understand.


I assume he meant Mercedes Benz. What's funny is that I never buy anything but Mercedes Benz automobiles. Not because I'm rich or anything, but because those pre-1985 diesels that they produced are the best cars in the world. They run forever and get better gas mileage that most new cars.

Eastern Mind
18 October 2010, 03:16 PM
Vannakkam:

Planetary ridiculously 'unfair' distribution of wealth and the human rights violations that maintain it are definitely of the kali Yuga, and need to be dissipated hopefully via religions such as ours and not the gun as in Marxism. Here is one small example: http://www.mfl.mb.ca/a15.shtml A search could get you 1000 more just like it.

Most of us have learned to look away.

Aum Namasivaya

sm78
19 October 2010, 02:30 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté sm78,

Can you help me with this Merc? I do not understand.





Maharashtra's Aurangabad district is now in the limelight for the affluence of its residents evident from the fact that they franchised 150 Mercedes Benz cars in one day.

A group of young entrepreneurs comprising builders, industrialists, doctors, and other professionals had booked these cars on a single day. These cars would be delivered to them together.

"They wanted to put Aurangabad in the big league and there is no better way than to buy a Mercedes-Benz in their individual capacity," said Wilfried Aulbur, managing director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India.

The proud owners of these luxury cars -- their prices ranging between Rs30 to 70 lakh -- said the objective behind acting in unison was to give the place a different recognition in the world.

The Indian arm of Mercedes-Benz expects to post double-digit salesowth this year from a year ago as it launched new models in Asia's fourth-largest auto market.

Mercedes-Benz sold 3,220 cars in India last year.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_150-mercedes-cars-sold-in-a-day-in-aurangabad_1452969

TatTvamAsi
20 October 2010, 12:59 PM
No other country has the 3rd highest number billionares and the highest number of poors (i mean really rat-eating poor) at the same time.

While only in India, Merc recorded a deal where 150 Mercs were sold in a single day in a single city, while at the sametime perhaves the largest number of dirt poor farmers commiting suicides everyday. The food index ranks India below most of the African nations - yet in the sprawling malls of the metros the educated MNC worker believes he is in America, refusing to talk with any other language to his 3 year old toddler other than accented English.

Yes I also feel like laughing on these facts like you, but we are probably lauging for different reasons.

Well I hope the number of billionaires keeps growing and the number of poor decrease but with such an enormous population, and most of whom are very poor, it is implausible to expect an equitable share of wealth when there isn't an equitable share of intelligence, perseverance, and business acumen.

Further, in line with the Malthusian theory, the poorer and more illiterate sections of society have more children. Too bad Sanjay Gandhi was killed for trying to bring about a solution to that problem.

It is funny how so many people jump on the bandwagon of denigrating rich and successful people. I can understand if that person just inherited his wealth and sat on it without stimulating the economy.

In Mukesh Ambani's case, he did inherit a portion of the wealth from his father but his business pursuits, education, intelligence, and keen business-sense helped him grow that inheritance exponentially. In the process, he has stimulated Indian business and, along with other Indian billionaire businessmen, put India on the map as far as foreign investment, privatization, and liberalization of the Indian economic policies (that stunted growth for many decades due to the idiotic Nehruvian socialist policies that were audaciously named "Hindu Rate of Growth") are concerned.

India must support business. Indians must support business. Just because a few frauds are there, it doesn't mean all of business, especially big business, is 'bad'. This socialist mentality must be purged from the Indian psyche. India was the richest nation in the world until 1830 due to the immense trade and business-centric economic principles it held. India must be careful, however, of not letting charlatans take control of the financial sector like they have in the US. And, with Indians' innate self-discipline, relatively speaking, that should not be a problem.

And Mercedes are middle class cars btw. You want rich? Look at the Bugatti Veyron which costs $1.8 million in the US but $4.5 million in India! There are three in India (Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai)! And the Bugatti dealership is opening in Delhi later this month! :D

Eastern Mind
20 October 2010, 05:12 PM
Of all the food that is given world-wide the USA offers from 49% to 51% of all donations offered.

Vannakkam Yajvan: Although I have no doubt the US gives a lot as a country, it can be misleading, in that "Just who is keeping track?" There is no record of the temples and ashrams and individuals in India (or elsewhere) that feed the poor, or the individuals that adopt needy families, etc. etc. There is a vested interest in appearing charitable. I would be more interested (I'm not actually that interested at all, as charity is what one can do as an individual, and what others do is really none of my business.) in percentage of wealth given rather that a straight up number. The same is true of individuals. 10% of a thousand earned is a way more than 1% of a million earned in my book.

The first two charts on this page illustrate my point. Although the US ranks first on Chart 1, Sweden is first on chart 2. I also find it fascinating that single individuals have given more that entire governments, including the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_charitable_countries#Official_Development_Assistance_by_country_in_absolute_terms_.28Ap ril_2010.29

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
20 October 2010, 05:41 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM.


Vannakkam Yajvan: Although I have no doubt the US gives a lot as a country, it can be misleading, in that "Just who is keeping track?" There is no record of the temples and ashrams and individuals in India (or elsewhere) that feed the poor, or the individuals that adopt needy families, etc. etc. There is a vested interest in appearing charitable. I would be more interested (I'm not actually that interested at all, as charity is what one can do as an individual, and what others do is really none of my business.) in percentage of wealth given rather that a straight up number. The same is true of individuals. 10% of a thousand earned is a way more than 1% of a million earned in my book.

The first two charts on this page illustrate my point. Although the US ranks first on Chart 1, Sweden is first on chart 2. I also find it fascinating that single individuals have given more that entire governments, including the US.

Aum Namasivaya

I would be happy to review the charts, yet I do not see them here.
Regarding the USA, the point offered is the USA is not stingy , at the government level nor at the individual level. The other point is not so much a cry that the USA is ranked 1 or for that matter in the top 10 givers, it is that overall it 'gives' and does so regularly.
So often people find fault with the USA, but at the same time take its generosity without embarrassment.

praṇām

Eastern Mind
20 October 2010, 05:46 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM.



I would be happy to review the charts, yet I do not see them here.
Regarding the USA, the point offered is the USA is not stingy , at the government level nor at the individual level. The other point is not so much a cry that the USA is ranked 1 or for that matter in the top 10 givers, it is that overall it 'gives' and does so regularly.
So often people find fault with the USA, but at the same time take its generosity without embarrassment.

praṇām


Vannakam Yajvan: Sorry about that. I fixed it. The other point I was making was unseen charity. Read the second paragraph under 'Tirumala temple' here. So one never knows. http://www.mypurohith.com/Pilgrimages/Tirupathi.asp

Aum Namasivaya

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
20 October 2010, 07:07 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM (et.al)


Here's another view beyond just money, but charitable behaviors.
This suggests giving money + volunteering time + helping a stranger.

You can view the 2010 report here if interested:
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-worlds-33-most-charitable-countries-named (http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-worlds-33-most-charitable-countries-named)

The report in PDF format is here , yet the link is eaily viewed in the page just mentioned above http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf (http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf)

praṇām

Eastern Mind
20 October 2010, 08:28 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM (et.al)


Here's another view beyond just money, but charitable behaviors.
This suggests giving money + volunteering time + helping a stranger.

You can view the 2010 report here if interested:
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-worlds-33-most-charitable-countries-named (http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-worlds-33-most-charitable-countries-named)

The report in PDF format is here , yet the link is eaily viewed in the page just mentioned above http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf (http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf)

praṇām

Vannakkam Yajvan: Actually I had seen this one before on another forum. Its based on % of people who give, not on what or how much they give. So although some countries say only 53%, it really depends on how you define charity, and who is providing the statistics. If the government is really the people, then anyone who has to pay any kind of tax is technically a giver, by one definition. So the whole thing gets very tricky. I found quite the irony on that list that Sri Lanka was so high when what some would see as a genocide is going on there. But supporters of the Sri Lankan government would certainly be quoting that report.

So in the end, I find it all very very complicated. Some would say that a donation to a temple for building it isn't really a charity. Others would say returning a smile is a charitable act, whilst others believe charity begins at home so all mothers would qualify, just by giving a pregnancy so some soul could be reborn again to further themselves on the path of destiny.

Then there is giving without thought of reward. Who among us can truly say that they don't expect some sort of acknowledgment at least, even if its in the form of a receipt, or a smile of 'Thank You' from the person you gave it to. I suppose an anonymous coin in a Hundi or donation box without anyone noticing might qualify. But still there is the thought of punya earned.

Aum Namasivaya

TatTvamAsi
20 October 2010, 09:36 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté EM (et.al)


Here's another view beyond just money, but charitable behaviors.
This suggests giving money + volunteering time + helping a stranger.

You can view the 2010 report here if interested:
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-worlds-33-most-charitable-countries-named (http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/the-worlds-33-most-charitable-countries-named)

The report in PDF format is here , yet the link is eaily viewed in the page just mentioned above http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf (http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf)

praṇām

Yajvan,

That report is obviously compiled by westerners.

But more importantly, as EM said, westerners are very good at publicizing their apparent charities. Indians, especially those who work tirelessly to help others, never point it out. In fact, by pointing it out as charity is NOT seva or real service.

And, most of the charities in the west are for converting people into christianity; billions are spent on this. They are cultural terrorist organizations; not charities.

American "charities", for example, "helped" victims after the 2004 tsunami in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Near the beach, they have built church after church and converted dozens of people to that corpse-worshiping cult under the guise of "humanitarian aid".

Of course, Bill Gates & Warren Buffett seem to be exceptions but we have to keep things in perspective.

There are many great people around the world who are selfless and give more than they receive. There are niggards in every corner of the globe as well. Yet, philosophically speaking, Hinduism is what impels true seva; that is, service without attachment to the result. This is the ultimate lesson in the Gita.

India gave 1/3 of her land to untouchable vermin (muslims) for a separate homeland. NO amount of 'charity' can even come near that kind of 'giving'.

AUM.

TatTvamAsi
20 October 2010, 09:40 PM
Please vote for CNN Hero Narayanan Krishnan, a truly inspiring person who has given his entire life to helping the needy:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive10/naryanan.krishnan.html