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Does Agriculture belong in a Democracy? Of course! Democracy is ecstasy, but you can't eat ecstasy.  Retiring William Dar is going out as Director General of ICRISAT based in India 4 days from now; New Year's Day is almost here; actually, he is not retiring, as he's coming in as President of the Inanglupa Movement based in the Philippines full-time. "The best is yet to be!" I always sign copies of my books – 7 so far published by ICRISAT (#8 in press) – that I give away with these words: "The best is yet to come!" It is both an exhortation (to hope for the best of the best in the receiver's life) and an exultation (and a hope for the best of the best yet from the giver). Here is where it's coming from, a variation of Robert Browning's  Rabbi Ben Ezra  that I memorized in high school yet: Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, For which the first was made: Our times are in His hand Who saith, "A whole I

Democracy. You can touch it and yet it's not real. It's real and yet you don't understand it. You understand it and yet you know it's not complete. What is it, really? "Democracy must in essence mean the art and science of mobilizing the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all" - Mahatma Gandhi ( mkgandhi.org ). "There is one quality, perhaps above all others, which is essential if a state is to be democratic and that is accountability" – Anonymous ( bullen.demon.co.uk ). "Majority rule is the heart and soul of democracy" – Yan Ming ( chinadaily.com.cn ). "Nonviolence is the Essence of Democracy" – Stephanie N Van Hook ( mettacenter.org ). "The essence of democracy involves a completeness of morals and intelligence, standing by and looking forward to the benefits of the public, not resorting to violence and ensuring that the people ar