An Ode to EmPower

Across seven seas, when you were born
Never so bright had the sun ever shone
As a little baby, you were given all care
To grow and give happiness everywhere
And your mothers searched all high and low
For the name that would light the happy glow
Empower, Empower, Empower, Empower!

We walked hand in hand with you
To catch little flowers with the morning dew
And when you ran all along the way
We ran with you, all night, all day.
Together we blazed a trial of light
Of knowledge that has shone so bright
They’ve asked for more, Friends old and new
You’ve stood by each time they’ve called out to you.
Empower, Empower, Empower, Empower!

This day our family is larger still
Brimming with joy our cups are filled
We’ll tell them all to call out to you
For the knowledge you will spread their way
You’ll take your place in a million hearts
And win such friends as will never part
As your name will ring across the world.
Empower, Empower, Empower, Empower!

By Sudhakar D R

Can Plants Read Our Minds?

One of my friends got himself a pet plant. It was a Dracaena. He was very happy with his newly found companion. He told me about it. The plant name made me think. Hadn’t I heard about it before? But where? Oh yes, I remember!

Modern world’s tryst with this plant started on February 2, 1966. Cleve Backster, who was an Interrogation Specialist (an experienced Polygraph analyst) with the CIA back then, had a Dracaena plant in the lab.

One day he was watering his plant and looking at its long green leaves. A crazy thought struck him suddenly (as always when something new is discovered). Instinctively he attached the end of a leaf to an electrode connected to the polygraph.

And lo, the pen started to scribble something on the paper! And to his shock, Cleve Backster noticed that the chart resembled a human response on a polygraph. He felt that it was so similar to a person taking a lie-detector test.

Lie detectors detect any abnormal readings when the subject responds to certain threats.The basic response would be towards “Fear.” So Cleve began to think about ways by which he could threaten the plant. First he tried placing a neighboring leaf in a cup of warm coffee. The plant didn’t show much response towards it. After a few minutes he imagined burning the leaf he was testing. He didn't say it aloud, touch the plant or the equipment. The only new thing that could have stimulated the plant was the mental image. Yet the plant sensed it and went crazy; this was indicated by the pen which jumped right off the top of the chart.

Immediately he understood that something that was previously unknown was going on. There were no other explanations. After this, Cleve talked to scientists from different fields, trying to get some answers. But they didn’t have any. It was new to them. So he started to design an experiment in greater depth to explore, what he called the “Primary Perception.”

Backster noted reactions in plants when even the smallest of cells like Lacto bacilli, were killed in front of it. He also noted that they remembered a person who had earlier done harm to another plant nearby.

Cleve Backster published his research in the International Journal of Parapsychology (Evidence of a Primary Perception in Plant Life, vol. 10, no. 4, Winter 1968, pp. 329–348).

This discovery brought about a craze among many housewives and secretaries and among the common people, who started talking to their plants, watering it and caring for it!

Despite the lack of any scientific support for the presence of plant perception, the idea was accepted by many as not only true but as having been verified by numerous scientific studies. In fact, after many years, parapsychologists coined a new term ‘the Backster effect’ – the power of plants to understand human thought by "reading" a human’s "bioenergetic field".

We Indians from time immemorial believe that plants are the personification of GOD. In the ancient texts it’s written that plants have life and can communicate too. A long time ago at the start of the 19th century, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose showed through his delicate instruments how plants had life.

The book The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher O. Bird is just amazing. I would suggest it to anyone interested in knowing more about the life of plants and different experiments carried out through out the world to prove it. It’s a wonderful book. Go read it!

The next time you see a plant with the dried up leaves, don’t just move on, it might be asking you for some water!

References:
The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher O. Bird
Wikipedia

By Guruvardhan

The Economics of Climate Change

The catastrophe of climate change is inevitable with the floods, tsunamis, irregular rains, cyclones and temperature rises that have been observed in recent years. Many lives were lost, crops damaged, and infrastructure destroyed as a result of the indirect effect of climate change. Studies by IPCC predict the average global temperature to change by 2.33–4.78°C because of the doubling of CO2 concentration. Stern Review puts the cost of failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions between 5 and 20% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Climate change poses an increased threat to the already burdened ecological and socioeconomic system of India due to increase in population, industrialization, and rapid economic development. Impact of climate change on the economy of India is very much prominent as many of the factors vulnerable to climate change correlate directly to its economic development.

Agriculture constitutes the single largest component of India’s economy. It contributed 22% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2003–04, and India’s agricultural activities fully depend on the weather. With the change in weather pattern due to climate change, crop yield may decrease, resulting in rise in price of essential food crop, thereby affecting the lower income groups of the society more adversely. Increase in surface temperature will also bring about plant diseases and pests, thereby further declining the crop yield. And since the farmers (both men and women) need to produce more crops as a result of the greater demand by the ever increasing Indian population, they will spend more hours toiling the farm. Women are responsible for around 65% of household food production, and due to reduction in crop yield, more time would be spent in gathering food that directly relates to lesser time for education, personal and family life, and her overall development.

The impact of climate change on water resources will affect the already water-depleted parts of India. Increase in surface temperature will lead to rise in the snowline, increasing the risk of floods in North India. The coastline erosion will happen due to rise in sea-level, resulting from melting of glaciers in the Himalayan and Hindukush ranges.

The major direct health impacts of climate change would be an increase in heart-related diseases and illness, thereby increasing the cost of heath and social well-being.

According to the estimates made by Fankhauser (1995), annual losses due to various factors would be around US$200 billion worldwide.

Solutions

Ever since human beings discovered fire, their need for energy has increased. India being on the verge of economic upliftment requires huge amounts of energy from all sources.

In the present context, India’s major energy need is being supported by its vast reserve of coal. About 74% of all electricity generated comes from thermal power stations fueled by coal. But coal is also one of the major green house gas emitters. So a need for a renewable source of energy becomes much more evident. Solar-, wind-, hydral-, etc. based power plants hold good promises for energy-starved India.

India imports almost 90% of all its fuel need that costs about Rs. 2,72,700 billion, and with rise in crude oil price, this amount may increase in the future. The rise in crude oil price is directly related to the cost of essential commodities, so a reality check on the same needs to be done. India cannot depend on imported fuel for long. It needs to come up with alternatives like biodiesel, algae-derived biofuels, and other transport-specific energy solutions.

The future of the Indian economy depends on the alternate energy and the Indian Youth should be the driving force behind the change so desperately needed by India.

By Gunajit

Is Print Media Dying a Slow Death?

There is a fundamental shift in communication and consequently in media as our daily mode of talking, writing and speaking has become increasingly dependent on computers. The fact that you are reading this on a computer endorses this change. The same is happening for businesses and enterprises as the news they get from the main stream media and newspapers is moving towards the online world.

The first act of a day for an analyst in an organization like ours is checking email, and opening up a browser. On this browser page, whether it be Yahoo, Google, or another, the news is one of the first things that they read. And slowly, we find our own ways to keep abreast of all the local developments through the Web – be it bookmarking our favorite news sites and subscribing to RSS feeds or alerts and customizing our preferences.

There is a silent but steady shift of viewership from traditional media to online media, blogs, RSS feeds, Newspaper and Television Websites. But still there is significant need of traditional media for certain industry verticals.

News headlines across the Web and print media flashed several announcements from leading news agencies and newspapers including USA Today, Associated Press, Gannett, Los Angeles Times, Star-Ledger, The Washington Post, and even The Wall Street Journal, about newsroom job cuts ranging from 10-20 percent of workforce. The job cuts reflect the huge losses incurred by the print business of these agencies which implies that traditional media is facing stiff competition from online/new media and losing some ground.

Contrary to above, there is interesting development in another communication realm where companies are increasingly investing intellectual capital in developing brand relationships and business-to-business marketing efforts – the Web 2.0 phenomenon. Blogosphere is suddenly turning out to be the most solicited place for corporate brand building. However, this will be a gradual transition, as people and companies have different learning curves for the social media.

Having said all that, I still have a strong feeling that people are tactile creatures, and they like to touch the newspaper and turn the pages, flip them over and eat and sleep on it. The sense of accomplishment that you feel once you have read the entire newspaper is unfathomable. For me, reading a newspaper is a different experience on its own and I have my own reasons for NOT staying away from it. My newspaper has never crashed. I can carry my newspaper or my favorite clipping anywhere while traveling, I do not need a WiFi connectivity or laptop. I don’t have to go through registration/signing in/customizing my newspaper. My newspaper is not made up of toxic un-recyclable material. And my newspaper provides correction updates with explanations, and it is not sneakily applied to the original story after I have read it. These characteristics of a newspaper would certainly reinforce my loyalty towards print media forever.

By Debanjan

An Ode to the Earth – My Home

I forget what it is to feel the first rays of the sun,
I live under the glare of artificial lights.

I forget what it’s like to feel the rain on my face,
I am too busy trying to avoid the next pothole.

I forget what it is to feel the earth beneath my feet,
I see only paved concrete wherever I go.

I forget how blue the sky can sometimes be,
I can’t see past the skyscrapers any more.

My flat is in the heart of the city,
My heart is still searching for my home.

I ache to be free from within, I ache to belong.
I want to feel in my soul, the bliss of being in my own home.

I lose you everyday in a thousand different ways.
And I can’t take it any more.

I will fight to keep you healthy, not for a coming generation or for a cause.
But because, you are me and I can’t let you go like this.

By A Geeta

Think about Yourself

What if you could think whatever you want to and whenever you want to? What if you felt joy, love and peace all the time, or even most of the time? Can you think of some old feeling that you would rather not be carrying around, or a behavior that you don’t like anymore and you would like to let it go? Now is the time. Your mind thinks as it was trained to. Over the years you have downloaded from your senses various thoughts, feelings, opinions and beliefs that rule over your life. Some of them may be quite helpful to you while others may be keeping you from realizing your full potential, or just being happy and prosperous.

You can consciously decide how you want your brain to work, and if there is something in your mind you no longer want to think about, you can now change it because it’s your mind and, of course, your thoughts. Your own mind may not believe this, and may even fear the idea, but if you would like to change what goes on in your mind and body the first step is in realizing that you can…absolutely. The other way you can do this is by accepting the things as they are rather than wishing that those would have been the way you wanted them to be. The second step in this process is in realizing what your thoughts and feelings are and how they are affecting your life. Which thoughts benefit you and which ones don’t? The next step is to consciously decide how you want to think and how you don’t. When I say this I also mean that we should give some priorities to negative thoughts in our life. Because every time one cannot have a bed of roses in one’s life, right???

The clearer your mind is as to what you want it to think, the easier it is for your mind to think about it. You would also make up your mind to face the negative things as well.

Once you have gained clarity in as to what you want your mind to think, it is simply a matter of programming your mind to think that way. Just like the way you learn a language, as you repeat ideas and feelings they become ingrained into your brain and are adopted into your own personality and behavior. Thought-forms can be created in your mind and firmly established so that your mind becomes the perfect servant to your own consciousness. Where there is a negative you create a positive, where there is fear you create courage and strength, where there is discord you create harmony. And believe me this really works. Though it sounds like forcing yourself to do this.

Look how enslaved most people are to their mental and emotional conditioning. There is absolutely no reason to stay in a contracted mental or emotional state; you can start shifting and reprogramming your mind once you decide to. This choice is the power that makes it happen. Your spirit is guiding you to make these choices, just as it guided you to read these words.

Emotionally, physically and mentally let us create those thoughts and feelings that bring greater prosperity, happiness and peace into our life. Why settle for anything else?

By Andrina Pais

Music to my ears

Some days back we had a small discussion on whether music distracts an employee while working.

Well, just thought of sharing a few thoughts on that.

I am one of those who are mild users (and I mean it in the true sense of the word) of music at work. The kind of music I listen to matters a lot too.

Having a research-oriented profile it’s important for me to concentrate and read between the lines. In case the music has nice lyrics and it’s one of my favorites, it will be difficult to focus on the task at hand. However, if it’s instrumental or heavy metal (No offence meant to Iron Maiden/Fans) there is no distraction. On the contrary it proves beneficial in keeping away all outside noise and allows me to focus on the project.

A nice gazal or a country number from John Denver (my personal fav…) will definitely go a long way in aiding your work. It helps you relax and soothes your already agitated nerves (Well ROD does that to you at times—wish I could be invisible at this point ;-) )

We generally have long days at work, which translates into a lot of yawns and sluggishness which reflects in our work. Well, besides a nice cup of coffee, peppy Punjabi beats or a Mambo No. 5 can lift your moods and WAKE YOU UP (Does this seem like an online diary already ;-) ?).

BY the way it’s scientifically proven that listening to music can reduce chronic pain and depression by up to a quarter (Source: Science Daily).

Well, enough said already, I guess it’s time to buy that attractive ear phone and shell some money for the iPod (even look alikes should do).

So at the cost of borrowing from a perky number … Get Jiggy with it people.

By Varun Kumar

Avalanche Biosphere Reserve, the Nilgiris

Date: September 20, 2008

Area: The Kundah East Forest (Madurai Range), Avalanche Biosphere Reserve (Estd: 2006), 10 km from Emerald and 36 km from Ooty near the Badaga Settlement

Temperature: 15–20 degree Celsius in the morning; 2–4 degree Celsius at night fall

Camera: Sony Cybershot with Zeiss M2B Lens Modifier DSC-H 50 10.1 MP, 18x OZ

Time: Early morning 5:00–7:00 o’clock; Late noon 4:30–6:00 o’clock; Late night 1:00–3:00 o’clock

Conditions: Drizzling, cloudy, misty and wind blowing at 40–60 miles/hr at the foothills

Height: 6526 Feet ASL

NOTE: This presentation includes the photos of a rare mountain tiger, a wild fox, a spotted deer (on the run) and a cliff vulture. © WWF-Ooty © The Nilgiris Wildlife and Nature Conservation Asscociation, Charring Cross, Udhagamandalam © Arunava Das (Fellow of WWF-Ooty).

I had been on a project visit to our base, called the Avalanche Biosphere Reserve, 36 km from Ooty. The place is named after the famous and the oldest hydel power plant of the Nilgiris, Avalanche Indo-Canadian Hydel Power Plant, strategically set up just on the steep foothills of the Doddabetta; it leads to the picturesque Avalanche Lake covered on all three sides by the Nilgiris dotted with Shola and Pine varieties of exotic plantations.

I am a part of the project entitled “The Study of Invasion of Exotic Varieties of Shola in the Nilgiris Grasslands” under Dr. Srinivasan from the University of Kentucky under the sponsorship of IUCN.

The temperature of the region was around 2–15 degree Celcius when I visited this place for research purpose. It is an untouched and unspoilt location in the Nilgiris. Here tourists are not allowed and that has come a long way in preserving the serenity of this area.



Fig: 1 A rare mountain tiger; I had shot this at the foothills of Doddabetta (Highest peak of the Nilgiri Mountain range). It had taken away a buffalo from the Avalanche Village (I was put up here) the previous day. There were little chances of finding it that day as it was already 2:00 o’ clock in the afternoon. Next day, at 5:00 o’ clock in the morning, braving the cold, mist, clouds and strong breeze, I set out for the forests. Luckily I saw the young male tiger in its early teens just a kilometer away from the dense undergrowth.


Fig: 2 The same tiger, getting finicky as I was approaching it.

Fig: 3 Sounded a roar, a warning as I went nearer.


Fig: 4 A wild fox shot at around 1:00 am on 21st September, 2008 on a Sunday.


Fig: 5 Cliff Vulture shot at dusk.


Fig: 6 A Spotted Deer on the run. Incidentally, it was being chased by a pack of wild dogs.

By Arunava Das

HAPLESS BENGAL, If Not HOPELESS

This is in response to the “Brilliant Article”, People!!! No Thank You by Vijai G, put up on the EmPower Research blogsite. Nice to know that Bangalore also had mills that were regarded as spearheads of industry yesteryears. I come from a place known as Chandernagore (It’s a French Town on the banks of the Ganges, 30 km upstream from Kolkata). It’s famous for Red Curd (Laal Doi) and once also boasted of the erstwhile Gondalpara Jute Mills that along with Tribeni Tissues was a common name in every household not only in Bengal, but also in India. Now the former has been shut down and the latter is running in the midst of losses.

Bandel, 20 km from Chandernagore and 52 km from Kolkata by train, once boasted of the world-renowned Dunlop Tyres and Industries. Now it is in shambles.

Perhaps you have heard of Hindustan Motors that manufactures the Ambassador, still the most sought after car for its hardiness and extra comfortability, which is also running under losses. It is located at Hindmotor, a place 19 kms downstream Chandernagore.

The people of Bengal are frustrated because whenever she (Bengal) has tried to stand on her feet, she has been pecked by unwanted political vandalism. First it was the CPM, then came the Congress, briefly, and finally it is now a tug of war between Trinamool Congress and CPM.

God has given us one earth and we had drawn lines on it and divided the land into entities that belong to you and me. I am thankful of the fact that the moon is the satellite of the earth and is far away from us. If it would have been on earth, we would have divided it too.

Such articles bring out the disgust that the people of Bengal are facing. Sourav Ganguly recently pointed out that he wants his daughter to grow up and settle in Bengal only, but is doubtful as he says “I don’t want Sana to grow up and see there are no jobs in Bengal”.

And CPM-led coalition government in West Bengal is dreaming out of no-where of Sourav becoming the BRAND AMBASSADOR of HAPLESS BENGAL, IF NOT HOPELESS.

By Arunava Das

Fade Away…

Drops pelting down a broken pane
Leaves falling down an empty lane

Green fading away, Black creeping in
Good wilting away, doors open to sin

Empty stomach, makes no sound
The hungry heart cries out loud

Cry no more, these walls don’t hear
Shout no more, No one’s near

A drop of water, a sea of blood
The smell of sweat, the taste of mud

Soul searching within a crowd ? Don’t
There’s no music, there’s just sound

People moving fast, out of sight
Days drowning away into night

Yes, there will come the day I fear
Yet I don’t move, I stay right here

Tears pouring down withered eyes
Body lives on, soul dies...

Niyad

We Will Miss You Michael!

Michael Crichton, the author of the best selling thrillers like Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain is no more. He was the one, who breathed life into something that we believed had gone forever. Michael created a world where life from a long forgotten past walks with the present. Thanks to Steven Spielberg, who made it on the big screen and we saw T-Rex walking on the street, very much alive and not just a pile of bone and rock.

As a teacher of anthropology, Michael believed that man should never play God and that everything has its space and time which must not be violated. He believed that nothing is gone forever, but if it is gone, maybe it is for a greater good.

As he is no more, I say, we will miss you Michael, but your vision will stay with us and will inspire us to think big and to believe that nothing is impossible.

By Arijit Goswami

Disabled!!! Nope, They Are Differently Abled

It is a misapprehension, if the handicapped are considered as disabled. They are not disabled in the true sense. By good fortune, they are blessed with some amazing capabilities and high spirits. They are perhaps unable to do things like a normal person. Nonetheless, they are capable of doing things in their own unique ways. They certainly are abled, but differently abled.

As a volunteer in an NGO (Non Governmental Organization), which provides accommodation and education to physically and visually challenged children, I felt several times that I am no better than any of them, though I am a normal person.

Handicapped people are mostly the ones who know exactly what sense and sensibility mean in real terms. Battling with physical impediments at every step of their life, they nevertheless come out eventually with the best of their abilities to withstand solely on their resoluteness to live on, come what may. They live with a sense of earnestness for a purpose in their life and at par with any other individual.

As a reader and scribe for blind students, I was really amazed when I noticed that they have a good capacity to grasp things and think strategically. Every time I greeted them, I would be delighted when they greeted me back addressing me by my name, merely hearing my voice. They can recognize a person by his/her voice when they meet him/her again, after a long time though. In fact, they have introduced me to a few places, which I didn’t know about before. When I asked them how they could make out a place without their eyesight, they said just by paying heed to the sounds that they hear in their surroundings. Incredibly, the NGO, where I am a volunteer, is run by three blind men with an able-bodied support.

They are fascinating and brilliant minds of whom one should feel proud. Although the handicapped suffer from physical deficiency, they usually are good in certain fields like music, dance, arts, sports and so on. They have their own efficiency. I have seen good singers, good dancers and a good cricketer among the visually challenged.

There are good artists among the physically challenged. Shekar Nayak, a visually challenged student of the organization, participated in Blind World Cup Cricket Tournament in Pakistan. Shekar was bestowed with ‘man of the match’ and ‘man of the series’ for his accomplishments on the pitch at the tournament held in 2002. He is considered to be a man of an amiable and cheerful spirit.

With the help of a screen reading software program called JAWS, the blind can easily access the computer as well. Since this program reads the text that is on the computer screen, the blind can manipulate it to an extreme, using a key board and external speakers. They can access the Internet as well as a normal person does. Trust me, I usually receive emails from them.

One of my close friends, Sharadha D, blind by birth, did her diploma in ‘Industrial Relations and Personnel Management’ after completing her graduation in arts. Recently, she has been appointed as Assistant Human Resources Manager by a firm in India. I am really proud of her.

She is the most amazing person I have ever met. She is someone with high spirits and optimism. Sharadha says, “I never feel down that I am blind. I am happy for what I am. Like every living being on earth has its own nature, this is my nature. I think that my disability is an opportunity for me to take my life as a challenge.” She is a good dancer too, and has given several group and solo performances in India and Australia.

These differently abled people stand as ideals for the able-bodied, who tend to give up on life, failing to cope with the mere obstacles of day-to-day life. They teach us how to live and love our life, getting over hard times.

I take pride in saying that another friend of mine named Sunil, who was abandoned as a child with crippled arms, is now running an NGO for orphans all by himself. Sunil says that he knows the pain of being forsaken. And he wants to give those abandoned children all the love and care that he never got from his parents.

They are equally trying their best to carve a niche for themselves in this highly competitive society. Yet, all their efforts often go down the drain in this snobbish and self-centered world. These poor people are regarded as vulnerable and subjected to social exclusion. They have been through life at its worst, facing thousands of rebukes and dismays, seeking one kind heart.

They are desperately in need of love, support and care from normal people like us. They need someone who can pat them on the back as a sign of appreciation, share their good and bad times and give them hope and courage to move ahead. If there is someone to inspire them with confidence, they will lead their life with cheers and reach higher peaks, for sure. One should help them feel good about themselves.

A loving hand and concern can ease the suffering and soothe the pain. LOVE is a wonderful sight which the blind can see, a language which the dumb can speak, a clear sound which the deaf can hear. A helping heart and loving soul gives meaning to one’s life.

I say, “Love doesn’t lie in beauty. Beauty itself lies in love.”

If you have a heart, help these people. Love them unconditionally. Make them feel that there is someone who understands and supports them in this world. But never belittle their abilities and hurt their feelings with rude words. Encourage them by cheering them.

The gratefulness they bestow upon someone who helps them is admirable. They express overwhelmed gratitude for any care and love we give them, and offer the privilege of holding a cherished position in their heart till their last breath.

Anytime, anywhere, be the first to give a hand to those in need of help, no matter who the person is. Helping someone in need gives immense pleasure. Offering help is a real worship of God, rather than attending rituals and contributing money to religious services.

An individual who cannot give love to others is a cripple, indeed – crippled of heart and soul.

By Padmashri Basineni

iPhone Nano – I can afford it!!!

This might become the news of the year for the iPhone buffs. iPhone might bring out a smaller version this Christmas.

Here is what Daily Mail had to say:

Apple is about to launch a ‘nano’ version of the hugely successful iPhone. It is expected to be in the shops in time for Christmas. The product will be launched in the UK at up to £150 for pay-as-you-go customers by O2, the mobile phone group owned by Spain’s Telefonica. ‘This will be a big one,’ said an industry source.

iPhone nano is expected to have all the features of its big brother iPhone, except the Internet access.

Another report on MaCNN says – One claim hints that the iPhone nano will feature a touch wheel on the back and display on the front so that numbers will be dialed from behind. Sources also speculate that “a cut-down version, with the candy bar shape of iPod nano music players, would be a huge hit as a Christmas gift.”

But for now, it’s just a rumor. There has been no official declaration from Apple related to the launch of iPhone nano.

By Ashok Subramaniam

Yamma Maahi

Like majority of the female population of this country, I am a huge fan of Mahi. No I don’t think he is great looking nor adore his locks. What I adore about him is his temperament.

My longest lasting crush was on Rahul Dravid whom I again adored for his temperament. But I think Dhoni goes a step further. While Dravid was cool and composed Dhoni is aggressive, cool and composed. Dhoni is proactive and takes his job seriously as a captain. He has no hesitation about voicing his opinion or offering advice to the legends of the game as he looks upon them as players whom he is expected to lead. In the recent Mohali match I was amused to see him walk up to Dada to tell him something during their long partnership.

Another adorable quality is he is objective and leads from the front. The fact that he promoted himself before the fab 3 in the second innings without even worrying about whether they would feel slighted goes to show that for him “the team indeed comes first.”

The third quality that impresses me is the way he handles the press conferences. His answers are as straightforward and crude as his shots. For instance in the post-match conference at Mohali when he was asked about how India had got the better of Australia in verbal volleying, he retorted by saying, “if we had to win the match on verbals, we would have hired a few people who were experts at that”. He is also refreshingly self-effacing and down-to-earth.

Lastly and to me the most important are his special “gestures”. It’s difficult enough to control the heady sense of victory and the adrenaline rush when we have won an important series. But captain cool does not just keep cool but goes beyond that. How? Remember when India won the One day series down under when people all around were dancing about in glee, Dhoni quietly headed towards the dressing room to find Sachin whose important innings had won India the match. Numerous other gestures like driving the bike no matter who won the man of the match, handing over the stump to Ganguly or even giving his shirt to a young kid on the boundary line.

In this modern age of at times dirty aggressive cricket, it’s nice to see these warm gestures which bring out the softer- humane side of our super-heroes.

By Pravda

Poverty

Poverty is a problem that the world is grappling with today. But when we refer to the word, we often tend to interpret the word in purely materialistic sense. The picture that springs up in front of our eyes is often that of homeless, malnourished destitutes. It is a serious and thought-provoking issue that despite achieving so much, man still has not found solutions to provide the basic necessities of subsistence to all human beings. But for me there is another kind of poverty that is spreading like an epidemic and that possibly could threaten the very existence of mankind.

This is the poverty of emotion, the poverty of patience and sensitivity towards other human beings and other creatures. Today we are so engrossed in this struggle for survival and this mad race that we don’t even pause to think whether our actions are affecting people around us adversely. We have become so insensitive that we don’t even feel the pain and the loneliness of those who are near us, leave alone the starving, malnourished children in some foreign land.

I have often wondered how journalists could go about filming a man who sets himself on fire in broad daylight without making even the smallest attempt to stop him. An entire village watching a man being lynched to death without one person coming forward to help or support. All this points to the poverty of our core feelings.

It is sad indeed that as we become rich materially, our souls become poorer.

By Pravda

Applying for a Loan? Check Your Responsibility Score

Banks may very soon rely on your school grades, driving habits, shopping habits and tax payments to appraise your capacity to borrow or absorb a credit. These nontraditional metrics apparently help a lot in judging a borrower’s behavior in the long term, according to industry experts. Risk analysts term these metrics as “responsibility” scores.

How are these scores arrived at? Let us see this example – A person who pays all his utility bills is more likely to follow his exercise regimen in a gym. This accomplishes his objective of weight loss and demonstrates his responsibility. A habit like this ranks him well in his responsibility score.

Nowadays, lenders harvest huge amounts of borrowers’ financial data to assess risks associated with credit, but the need for a broader read and more comprehensive social profile of people is imminent. Industry leaders like SAS are already working towards this by surveying a number of Americans in order to investigate and infer their behavioral patterns in daily life. Lenders may one day take into account lots of nontraditional metrics, such as whether the borrower has a good reputation on eBay or pays cell-phone bills on time before deciding whether to extend credit.

Borrower’s appetite for credit – not for their ability to afford the risks was something banks were glued into till now. However, the credit crunch has pushed analysts to paying more attention to newer risk models that call for more revenue projections from each borrower. In future, the responsibility scores may well earn you admission in a reputed college or employment in the same.

Social statistics would always be subjected to privacy laws and regulations. Even so, analysts are highly skewed towards introducing new risk analysis models. So, do we need to be a little paranoid with the thought of borrowing? Well, I would say…just act responsible!

By Debanjan

Give a Balanced Treat to Sachin – Please!

Newspapers splashing the recent achievement of Sachin Tendulkar across the world are a testimony to the fact that he is equally celebrated worldwide as he is worshipped in India. Sachin enjoys the distinction of enthralling cricket lovers not only with his immaculate strokeplay, but also with his dignified charm and humility off the field.

What I believe is that the connoisseurs of the game must take the responsibility of placing him in a position where the little master deserves to be, ignoring the emotional cravings that we Indians show for him. Not long ago (2002), very few remember that Kapil Dev was honored as the Wisden Indian cricketer of the century. The feat, well deserved by Kapil, is unique and stands out to be the best all round achievement of a cricketer. The former Indian captain aggregated over 5000 runs and over 400 wickets in tests.

An overdose of applause does come with its baggage of emotional outbursts that we Indians do express time and again. And that is well understood and taken in the right spirit always. But the debate regarding whether Sachin is the greatest cricketing mind will be carried on and on…without the possibility of reaching a consensus. Sir Gary Sobers, Brian Lara, Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border (leaving Sir Don apart) and current player Ricky Ponting belong to the same level or very close to it.

Little research will show that there is a lacuna in Sachin’s CV. A triple hundred, scoring centuries in each test innings, 750 test runs in a five-match series, 500 test runs in a three-match series are some of the elements that are missing from his aggregates. These achievements are considered common in the list of greats.

Being a cricket enthusiast myself, I believe that India can again produce someone close to a Gavaskar or a Tendulkar, but producing a great all-rounder like Kapil is next to impossible. There was no hullabaloo of hailing Gavaskar as the greatest when he crossed the hitherto unimaginable milestone of 10,000 test runs and similarly for Kapil when he reached the pinnacle of bowling glory by taking Mark Taylor’s wicket in the 1991–92 home series.

The achievement of Sachin is spectacular, after all not everyday does a batsman cross 12,000 test runs. However, I believe that the instead of going overboard, the media and the so-called experts should treat Sachin in a much more balanced manner, carefully examining his unique achievements.

By Debanjan

A Photograph that Shook the Satiated World

Whenever I think of poverty, there is one image that invariably pops-up. Yes! That photograph is the one you see below.

The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can survive. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child.

This photo was the “Pulitzer Prize” winner taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine by Kevin Carter. The picture depicts a malnourished child crawling towards a United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away.

Kevin Carter

I had seen this stomach-wrenching image before. But what startled me was when my dad gave me a paper clip on the story behind this photograph. This is what it said, “In March 1993 Carter made a trip to southern Sudan. The sound of soft, high-pitched whimpering near the village of Ayod attracted Carter to a young emaciated Sudanese toddler. The girl had stopped to rest while struggling to a feeding center, wherein a vulture had landed nearby. He said that he waited about 20 minutes, hoping that the vulture would spread its wings. It didn't. Carter snapped the haunting photograph and chased the vulture away.”

The photograph was sold to The New York Times where it appeared for the first time on March 26, 1993. On April 2, 1994 Nancy Buirski, a foreign New York Times picture editor, phoned Carter to inform him that he had won the most coveted prize for photography. Carter was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography on May 23, 1994 at Columbia University's Low Memorial Library.

Carter came under heavy criticism for just photographing — and not helping — the little girl.
On July 27, 1994 Carter drove to the Braamfonteinspruit River and took his own life by taping one end of a hose to his pickup truck’s exhaust pipe and running the other end to the passenger-side window. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning at the age of 33. Portions of Carter's suicide note read:

"I am depressed ... without phone ... money for rent ... money for child support ... money for debts ... money!!! ... I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain ... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners ... I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky."

Dan Krauss shot a documentary titled “The Life of Kevin Carter” which released in 2004.
I feel that people are ignorant of the fact that some of their fellow humans don’t even get a mouthful on many days. And when they see the truth in front of their eyes, they are LOST. Lost for words. Lost for actions.

By Guruvardhan

Recession Or Boom….Consumers Always Have Alternatives!

Recession is heading north as unemployment grows, energy prices soar and property prices nosedive. I had a strong feeling that during a recession, people tend to hold back assets than cash. However, the slump in property prices across Europe and its ripple effects in Asia have dented the confidence of investors in Asia. Consequently, consumer spending also took a beating in retail, services, entertainment and others.

An economic downturn represents breakaway growth opportunities for those clever enough to help consumers feel good about migrating to “inferior goods” by enabling them to justify their decisions in terms other than affordability. A status-conscious car owner would not feel bad about trading his/her Accord or Teana or Camry for a more economical Toyota Prius, because he can boast of saving the environment.

So, how does a common man like me, (provided he is aware of the global crisis and weighs its implications on an individual level) would have a shift in spending behavior? Basically, as a consumer, the following factors would prompt me to buy a new product:

1. Dissatisfaction with a current product
   
2. The Need/Want for a new substitute
   
3. Availability of the substitute
   
4. Market price
   
5. Utility factor of the new substitute
   
6. Post-buying evaluation

Among these factors (in trying circumstances), I would give utmost importance to the utility factor and see if the product is living up to my constantly changing set of expectations.

This shift of my buying behavior for different kinds of products and services is technically termed as preference for “inferior” goods. Well, I am happy with it, what else do I need? Whether it is “inferior” or “cheap”, I look into the utility of the product in the near-term, enough to weather away the recession storm. What is noteworthy here is that companies with smartly cultivated “inferior goods” in their portfolio will ensure repurchase of its premium products.

In these situations, marketing holds the key, because in an age of pressure consumption, insights and understanding of marketers can make all the difference. Sooner or later the economy will bounce back. So, with my amateur marketing know-how I would suggest that companies should remain focused on consumer behavior dynamics rather than blunt selling, for a consumer is the best judge.

Debanjan

Blood In The Name Of Religion

Sathish Andricks

It’s been more than 60 years since India attained independence and it is hard for me to digest that even today there is bloodshed in the name of religion. I am amazed at the fact that in a country which boasts of “Unity in diversity,” secularism is today just a word in our constitution. It is indeed an irony that India is being congratulated by the world leaders on the one hand for reaching an important mile stone by signing the nuclear treaty with the US, while on the other hand the same leaders are questioning our Prime Minister on the violence happening in Kashmir, Kandhamal and Karnataka.

Even though I am a Christian by birth I am not being biased towards what has happened to my brothers and sisters in the violence affected states, but I do strongly feel as a rational human being that by harming people from other religions you are not going to attain whatever your goal is. I do agree as a Hindu or a Muslim or even Christian one has a duty to spread the word of god to all people irrespective of their faiths but please follow the virtuous paths shown by the religious leaders of the past. These leaders were known for the services they rendered to mankind and not by their religion. Today’s religious heads unfortunately are busy in creating more controversies by throwing oil into troubled waters.

If these atrocities do not stop we may have more and more hot-blooded youth alienating themselves from mainstream society and taking to the path of violence and terrorism as is seen in the recent instances of “Jihad” in the name of religion. I know that luckily the majority of fellow-Indians share my sentiment and are secular in their outlook. But unfortunately this majority chooses to be passive and the small voices of sanity are drowned in the cacophony of violent slogans. I am raising my voice against the radicals from all religions, an issue which is threatening to tear the secular fabric of this glorious nation. Most of us have become so passive to the happenings around us that we don’t even bother to react to atrocities as long as they don’t directly affect us. In our busy modern lifestyles where we don’t have time for our families, where are we going to have time for others?

This is indeed a sad state as we do not realize that if we don’t unite now to tell these radical Indians that the majority of us do not endorse their views, it may be too late tomorrow. If India is to take its rightful place in today’s world, it has to be a united and secular country. O fellow Indians please raise your voice against atrocities committed against any religion because I personally believe that no religion in this world preaches bloodshed. It is people with vested interests who twist the preachings to suit their selfish needs and to gain money, power or even position. Ours is the only country in the world which does not have a national religion and boasts of people of all religions. So my dear Indians please believe in “Unity in Diversity” because India is not about Hindus or Muslims or Even Christians but it’s a a beautiful mixture of race, color and religion, - JAIHIND

People!!! No Thank You

Vijai G

With shrinking margins, it’s now the turn of IT & ITES companies to go the way all other industries have gone in the past---- Amused, yes that’s the truth

Bangalorean’s would probably remember the tale of the three great cotton spinning mills, which provided employment to thousands of people and helped many families to survive, but which are no more. They were Binny mills, Minerva mills and Raja mills, which were the Infosys, Wipro & TCS of yesteryears. But today, they are nowhere and most of us do not know what happened to these spinning mills

Even though it may seem irrelevant to make a mention of this information in this article, I feel it is important for you to know, how these mills were considered by people living in Bangalore. Landlords would be ready to lease their houses if the person was working in these mills, bridegrooms who worked in these mills would be preferred over others and would also be assured of all kinds of luxuries. Such was the clout that these mills had in the past.

As organizations conclude their mid year performance appraisals at work and revise their goal sheets for the year ahead for each of their employees, they are also keeping a closer watch on employee productivity and making strategic moves by doing more with less people, I mean, less resources

Bear in mind the downward spiral that the US economy is heading into…Lehman Brothers is gone…Goldmansachs and Morgan Stanley have other plans and the trust on US companies is slowly eroding…what would come next is always a question…every day there is some news that sends shockwaves down the spine

So, what would be the strategies servicing organizations would follow in these troubled times…?

“Lean” also called as “Lean Manufacturing” or “Lean Production” is the latest buzzword in the services-based organizations today. Few companies have already adopted Toyota motors’ renowned lean production concept to its services. Lean is about eliminating waste by continuously analyzing every step to see if it adds value to the end product. Toyota, the inventors of this method, is said to have even determined an optimum method for how bolts are tightened…surprising right, yes that’s the way they work

However, you might feel how this can be implemented into IT & ITES sectors, yes it can be implemented, remember the time-sheet, which we casually fill up, that is the Brahmastra of this production system. It would help the top level management, to pull out even daily reports

Then comes automation, which helps in reduction of 40 -50% of the usual time. It also helps in fewer defects from the team.

It is better for us to wait and watch and be alert to see what comes next…

Please comment on what you think of this

Women Empowerment

Women and empowerment do not exactly go hand in hand, at least not in India. A woman who dares to dream and is competent enough to achieve her goal is often looked upon with a mixture of admiration and skepticism. She is revered as the modern woman, the woman of today. She carries an aura of self assurance and confidence that is almost addictive, and most often, is admired unequivocally by friends and family. She is the fancy of every young girl and the source of inspiration to all women around! If she also manages to maintain the right balance between her household chores and her profession, she becomes the ultimate Diva!

While the society never fails to admire such women, it seldom recognizes the other section, the section of women who chose to stay in, so that their families can enjoy a hassle-free life. Without being judgmental on this count, let us try to envision the thought process that goes behind a woman’s choice to give up personal aspirations, with the sole intent to fulfill her other duties fastidiously.

Some might argue here that such a thought process might have more to do with idiosyncrasy than a logical requirement. But, I must say, in that case, we should learn to respect this idiosyncrasy which calls for such huge sacrifice and courage.

Experience tells us that it is always easier to tread on the treaded path; you take a diversion and countless questions will be hurled at you. Likewise, for the modern woman! A full fledged career outside the confines of her home is the accepted reality. The modern woman decides to sit back at home and take care of her family, and eyebrows are sure to be raised! While the majority might simply discard her as someone with questionable abilities, some might even link her decision to being bowed down by family pressure. Very few, if at all, would stand apart and applaud her for her own decision to live solely for her family and that is where we go tremendously wrong.

Let us accept the fact that it requires tremendous guts, self assurance and selflessness to say no to a career where accomplishments are tangible and instead, take up a 24/7 job with no set benchmarks to measure and appraise performance.

I am sure both categories of women deserve kudos for their own accomplishments; the modern woman who supports a career as well as home and equally, if not more, the modern woman who decides to stay out of the rat race and make her home her only work arena.

By Shyamalima

Terrorism Is Back – Who Is Playing God This Time?

Today, I was surprised to find myself reluctant to look at the newspaper. This is a first in my life because I’m a voracious reader and literally devour anything readable that I can put my hands on. I blame this on the return of terrorism to India.

I have had my fill of the battered, dying, or dead faces staring up at me every other day from the front page of the newspaper. I cringe inside when such images are thrust upon my consciousness. I am not the leader who will rally the nation around and do a Gandhi Act. I know too well my convictions and courage, and also the thinking patterns of the people of my country, to even attempt that. And I do not have a shield to prevent me from hearing my readers cry “shame” in denouncement of my meek acceptance of the situation. But, I can club myself with them and every other soul who dares not.

Yes, terrorism is back – and with a vengeance. In the past few months, repeated bombings and killings in several key cities have rocked the core of India and what it stands for. This time, terror is not nameless or faceless, or even difficult to identify. It has simply mutated itself into a hundred-headed demon, showing itself openly and feeding off the media. It is no longer the world against Osama. This is insane, but in today’s “modern India,” it is “high-caste” against “low-caste” as well. And of course, there is the latest twist to the saga of terrorism – Hindus against Christians!

It often seems to me that we are never lacking for reasons to die or kill. Isn’t it true that if there is no natural calamity facing us with the threat of mass deaths, we invent an excuse, sometimes as flimsy as a sneeze at the wrong time, and start killing our fellow human beings in the name of God? History is written and re-written every year and stands testimony to the brutalities we repeatedly inflict on our fellowmen for the sake of so-called Religion. We never learn, do we?

Some years ago, there was the incident of 9/11. Everybody unanimously agrees that America will never allow the world to forget that date. What about the recent bombings that killed so many in India in the past few months? Are we even thinking about these mass murders? They strike again and again – and again. With America, it was just one strike, for which it is exacting retribution to this day. What of India? What exactly will it take to shake us out of our apathy? I am horrified with the realization that the bomb blasts in Delhi have merely been on the front page for just a few days, because it shows how apathetic and meekly accepting we are of what a bunch of terrorists choose to do to us. And, just how foolish are we to allow anyone to think that there is such a thing as “Hindus” against “Christians” or for that matter even “Muslims.” I have yet to encounter a Muslim or a Christian or even a Hindu who actually wants to kill his neighbors because they belong to a different religion. Who then are these people who burn the cities and kill us all in the name of your religion and mine?

Can you hear the voice drumming in your head – “What if your neighbor lifts an axe against you? How do you trust anyone? Whom can you trust?” You tell yourself that you can trust your neighbor but the voice asks “What if…” And therein lays the catalyst that turns a small isolated incident to a civil war or a world war.

Whose voice is that? Who is urging us to mistrust and kill?

I say, let us destroy that nagging voice.

I say, this is WAR – The “Third World War” prophesized centuries ago and feared by us in every age and every era. What else do you call a situation where man rises against his fellow men with the intent to kill and destroy? Have you ever given a thought to what would be the result if everyone was a “staunch believer of their God” and started killing all those who did not believe in the same? Who could survive such a war?

I am a common Indian. So, I know that the common Indian does not have the time or resources to go help those ravaged by bombs or even natural calamities – nor can he do anything else but hide in his house when a riot is raging outside. That common man quietly pays tax to the government and goes about his business of saving money for his daughter’s marriage or his son’s education, and entrusts the job of keeping his home and loved ones safe to the government. He knows that his family depends on him. He hides, not because he is afraid of dying, but because he is needed by his family and that smothers his courage. I want to know who will stop this mind-numbing cycle of terrorism and mass murders. Who will finish off this saga for good so that terrorism becomes a nightmare of the past? Which government should I place my faith in? Which Indian political party can guarantee that I will return home safe tomorrow?

I believe that as long as there are petty distinctions, there will be unrest. I say that the Indian government should abolish all distinctions between Indians based on caste and religion.

These distinctions will disappear, sooner or later. I do not see myself growing old as a Hindu hating a Muslim or Christian. Neither do I see myself wasting time in useless defense of my so-called higher caste. Indeed, had I the power to do so, I would remove all distinctions, all differences, all traces of identity except one – that of being a human. One day, this will happen. Maybe not in my lifetime, but try I will – to make it happen at least for the coming generations.

My question is, do we – the common Indians – wait for a miracle to happen, or do we dare and send a message across to all those gloating “terrorists” out there – NOW? Do we dare to stop being a Brahmin or a Kshatriya or a Hindu or Muslim or Christian?

Do we dare to create a new identity for the entire human race?

By A Geeta

Feasible Emission Scenarios Identified that Could Keep CO2 below Climate Threatening Levels

(In response to news published by ANI on September 11, 2008)

NASA researchers have identified feasible emission scenarios that could enable keeping carbon dioxide (CO2) levels below the level considered dangerous for the climate by scientists.

When and how global oil production will peak or will decrease has been debated, making it difficult to anticipate emissions from the burning of fuel and to precisely estimate its impact on climate.

To justify how emissions might change in the future, Pushker Kharecha and James Hansen of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York considered a wide range of fossil fuel consumption scenarios.

For a better understanding of the possible trajectory of future carbon dioxide emissions, Kharecha and Hansen devised five carbon dioxide emission scenarios that span the years 1850–2100. Each scenario reflects a different estimate for the global production peak of fossil fuels, the timing of which depends on reserve size, recoverability and technology.

The first scenario estimates carbon dioxide levels, if emissions from fossil fuels are unconstrained and follow along “business as usual” growing by two percent annually until half of each reservoir has been recovered, after which emissions begin to decline by two percent annually.

The second scenario considers a situation in which emissions from coal are reduced first by developed countries starting in 2013 and then by developing countries a decade later, leading to a global phase out by 2050 of the emissions from burning coal that reach the atmosphere.

The reduction of emissions to the atmosphere in this case can come from reducing coal consumption or from capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere.

The remaining three scenarios include the above-mentioned phase out of coal, but consider different scenarios for oil use and supply.

Next, the team proposes to use a simplified mathematical model, called the Bern Carbon Cycle model, to convert carbon dioxide emissions from each scenario into estimates of future carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere.

The unconstrained “business as usual” scenario resulted in a level of atmospheric carbon dioxide that more than doubled the pre-industrial level and from about 2035 onward levels exceed the 450 ppm threshold of this study.

Even when low-end estimates of reserves were assumed, the threshold exceeded from about 2050 onwards.

The other four scenarios, however, resulted in carbon dioxide levels that peaked in various years but all fell below the prescribed cap of 450 ppm by about 2080 at the latest, with levels in two of the scenarios always staying below the threshold.

The researchers suggested that the results illustrated by each scenario have clear implications for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from coal, as well as “unconventional” fuels such as methane hydrates and tar sands, all of which contain much more fossil carbon than conventional oil and gas.

References
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/feasible-emission-scenarios-identified-that-could-keep-co2-below-climate-threatening-levels_10094687.html

By Arunava Das

L.P.M.

An illusive Dream,
Transcendental state;
The pleasure of Pain,
Dopamined brain.

The calm breeze,
Tranquility;
Immortality,
And Death.

Pink Floyd,
Adam's steroid;
Devil's win,
Sin?

By Jeshal (Gunajit Brahma)

A Few Wise Words

Tell all what you have to say,
But do not tell what you do not mean;
In Life, keep evil at bay,
But mind you, this will not help you remain clean;
Let in a smile to brighten your day,
But who said, the night has no sheen?

Eat good, work hard, sleep well,
Though the End will still not evade you;
Every time you fall in this Well,
Wrap your life in a Hope new;
You have a choice to make this Hell,
Though, Paradise, make a few.

By Shilpa Shri

Happiness…an Evasive Thing

Look for happiness,
Not in the money you earn,
Or the oil you burn,
In the smile of a child,
Or the treasure piled,
In the warmth of the Winter Sun,
Or blood of a nasty war won,
In the birth of life,
Or loss of your wife,
Hey! Look for it,
Search, just a bit,
In there, of you, it is a part,
Seated just inside your Heart!

By Shilpa Shri

Life…a Race???

Trampling over each other,
Once in a while, fixing a feather,
And polishing shoes of leather,
We are all running, know not where,
To find that out, we don’t care!

Money won is money lost,
Wearing wool just to get bitten in frost,
To see the future, an eye gear we wear,
But to face what may come, none of us dare!

We are born to die, we know that,
Yet between the two ends, we stunt a Director’s cut,
For us, Life is a game,
Reasons aplenty for blame, fame and shame!

By Shilpa Shri

A Child's World

The little babe toddled along,
one little finger in his mouth,
his tiny hand grasped in his mother's.

He tripped on a stone and stumbled,
and let out a long, indignant wail.

His mother gathered him into her arms,
and dried his tears with her kisses.

Then she stooped and hit the stone.
She scolded it hard for daring to trip her darling.

The child stopped wailing!
He climbed down back to the ground,
and slapped the stone with one tiny hand,
scolded it just the way mommy had.

And then, all troubles forgotten,
he reached back for his mother, climbed into her arms, and crooned,
one little finger in his mouth.

It is a child's world…
The world is His!

By A. Geeta

More Car Crashes Can Be because of Your Stars!

That might sound strange but that is exactly what is being claimed by an Australian insurance company AAMI, based on their AAMI Crash Index.

AAMI reviewed more than 212,000 insurance claims that it received nationally over the 2007 Zodiac year (Dec 22, 2006–Dec 21, 2007). The results are quite astonishing to say the least.

According to the index, Cancerian and Aquarian drivers had the highest claims incidence rate (CIR) of all AAMI-insured drivers.

Although Aquarians and Cancerians are protective, cautious and intuitive, when it comes to driving, their performances fall flat many times because of their moody and unpredictable nature, The Daily Telegraph quoted AAMI Corporate Affairs Manager Mike Sopinski, as saying.

He also said that of all the signs of the Zodiac, Librans and Virgos have the lowest CIR (14.9%) and are less likely than the average driver to have a crash-related claim, making them a safer risk from an insurance perspective.

On the flipside though the Librans car crash damage can be very high compared to other zodiac signs such as Aries whose average car damage claim was seen to be the lowest.

The review of the data by gender showed that Libran women are least likely to crash their car, while Cancerian and Piscean women are most likely to crash.

So all the Cancerians and Aquarians out there, next time when you hit the road…better watch out….

References
http://www.medindia.net/news/Aquarians-and-Cancerians-are-More-Likely-to-Crash-Their-Car-41534-1.htm
http://www.aami.com.au/

By Adwitiya Pal

Great Work by an Anonymous Artist

Now U.S. Wants to Explore the Arctic

Soon a scientific expedition will map the unexplored Arctic seafloor. Wondering why? Well, this will give the U.S. and Canada sovereign rights over mining, black gold and gas. The Arctic may hold 90 billion barrels of oil, more than all the known reserves of Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Mexico combined, and enough to supply U.S. demand for 12 years according to the U.S. Geological Survey. According to a report by AFP, there is 1,670 trillion cubic feet of Natural Gas in the Arctic.

In a joint exploration starting September 6, using two ships, the countries will use the data to pinpoint the outer limits of the continental shelf. The explorers will be much interested in the subsoil beyond 200 nautical miles which is of immense scientific interest and has a great potential for economic development.

One of the ships, Healy will utilize an echo sounder to map the seafloor. The multi-beam system will collect information from about 3 km wide along the ship’s path and create a three-dimensional view of the seafloor.

The Arctic Ocean has been receiving particular attention because it lacks the detailed undersea maps that other areas enjoy. Russia dispatched a nuclear-powered icebreaker to the Arctic Ocean last year to map a sub-sea link between Siberia and the North Pole.

Previous cruises have discovered many unique marine organisms. One cannot estimate the amount of damage this would cause to the fragile environment if they strike gold, Black Gold that is.

By Guruvardhan

Music or Books?!!

I am an avid reader, a voracious reader, my life WAS and IS books. As a kid, I would dream about studying in schools like Malory Towers or St. Claire’s, belong to super groups like the Famous Five and Secret Seven or just wish against all odds that the tree closest to my house would turn into the “Faraway Tree.”

As the Enid Blyton phase of my life got over, I entered the “Hardy Boys” and the “Nancy Drew” phase. My friends and I actually started believing that we were Nancy, George, and Bess (the three characters in the Drew series). And my friends still pull my leg over my crush on Frank Hardy (the elder of the two Hardy brothers).

As I grew up, the books changed and so did the authors. I ventured into the dark lives of the women protagonists of Sidney Sheldon, loved the way Jeffrey Archer presented the lurid details of the lives of politicians, reveled in the accomplishments of doctors in medical thrillers by Robert Cook, and basically just enjoyed reading the crime investigations and whodunit stories by David Baldacci and James Patterson, legal dramas by John Grisham, horror stories by Stephen King, and became a fan of “The Bourne Series” by Robert Ludlum. In between all this, I did try a few Mills & Boons. This I did only because high school girls have more curiosity than cats!!!

But, something changed in me. Like most people, I became a part of the “iPod generation” as we call it now. Books were replaced by music cassettes, music files, music CDs, MP3 players, and finally the much-desired and much-addictive iPod Nano. Music has always been an important part of my life (after books though), but I found myself losing the satiety I had for books. I have always been a fan of hard rock and metal, and with more and more bands coming up, and numerous concerts happening in Bangalore, books somehow took a backseat. The radio, too, contributed to this change in my attitude.

It was not that I stopped reading completely, I did read, but to a much lesser extent than what I used to. It was so much easier to put the ear phones on and lose myself in the “November Rain” or feel all kicked just listening to Enigma, U2, Led Zeppelin, Rammstein and Bruce Springsteen. I have, in fact given my dad heart attacks just playing “Phantom of the Opera” on the stereo. All he has to say even now is “You call that NOISE music??!!!” I just pretend I don’t hear him amidst all that “MUSIC.”

I used to tell myself that I would get back to reading, make it number one on my priority list of “things to do during leisure,” but let me tell you, iPod IS addictive, and I am slowly realizing that I am becoming a gizmo freak due to this. But, amidst all this chaos and confusion about which is the number one on the billboard list, I started reading “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts. I must admit at this point, that I have never read books by Indian authors, or books which featured characters based in India itself. But, this book was un-put-downable!! I totally identified with the characters, they were so HUMAN!!

Thus, I found my re-entry into the book world. I realized how much I missed books, how much I missed the debates I used to have with myself about certain views expressed by the writer, how much I used to laugh at the characters, how much I used to become a part of the story. I missed not knowing or guessing “what’s going to happen next in the murder investigations,” I missed the satisfied feeling after finishing a book and knowing FINALLY who the killer was!!

I, now, make time for both my passions – Music and Books (not necessarily in that order). I listen to music when I am reading!!! I have just realized that I can’t breathe without BOTH!!

By Hajira Farhin

More Brushwork by A Geeta

Ocean of Memories


Call of the Sea

Baby in the Light

Little Nurse – An Unfinished Portrait

The “Super Cyclone” that Devastated Orissa – October 29, 1999

Nav Ras – The Nine Sentiments of Life

In this painting, I have depicted the nav rasas – the nine sentiments of life. While there are several combinations and contemporary interpretations for these emotions provided in different texts, according to the original Sanskrit interpretation as well as that of the Odissi dance form, these rasas are [a] Shringaar, the romantic sentiment [b] Haasya, the sentiment of mirth [c] Karuna, the sentiment of pathos [d] Raudra, the sentiment of wrath [e] Veera, the sentiment of valour [f] Bhaya, the sentiment of fear [g] Vibhatsa, the sentiment of disgust [h] Adbhut, the sentiment of surprise/marvel and [i] Shaanta, the sentiment of peace. The way I see it – life is like an ocean. The myriad emotions that spring from these basic sentiments are like the constantly rising and falling waves ruled by the winds of change. But there is one sentiment that is different from the rest. That is the Shaanta rasa – the sentiment of peace. That one emotion is the basis for all the others – it is like the unfathomable depth that lies just under the turbulent waves, giving existence and sustenance to all the other emotions – never changing and unaffected by the winds that rule the waves. If this depth were missing or absent, then there would be no waves, and no ocean – just a dried-up and parched piece of land.

1 Hour of My Life!

To avoid the havoc cabs and cab drivers create (read showing up late, screaming obscenities, ripping like they are in a F1 race), I prefer commuting by my own vehicle to work. It starts early in the morning. I come early to office to beat the morning rush. But, I guess most of the working community thought of this brilliant idea of mine much much much before me. So it basically makes no difference if I leave home by 8.15 am or 9.00 am; I get to face the music anyways. The only thing that changes is the kind of people you would come across at different timings of the morning – parents dropping their kids to school, auto rickshaws and buses fighting their way to reach first is a common sight before 8.30 am. And post 8.30 am, you would come across the general office goers on their vehicles as well the very famous (or should I say infamous) cab drivers dropping the call center employees back from their graveyard shift at work (who by the way are oblivious to anything outside the cab as they are sound asleep!!).

All through the way, I am faced with a number of hurdles (death traps!!). It’s like the whole of Bangalore city is out to get me (and I am not exaggerating). Let me explain:

Pot holes – They pose a serious threat to my vehicle’s very existence! And with the Metro project coming up, they are everywhere.

Barricades – These are placed at all the wrong places. I find many placed right in the middle of a one-way street. Do they serve any purpose at all?? And to top it all, they are found fallen on the roads!!

Garbage dumpers – Found anywhere and everywhere, the dumpsters force me to block my nostrils to reduce the stench hitting my system.

Sidewalks or Pavements – “Un-paved” and often offering a trip-and-fall situation rather than a walking situation, these serve as the official “Roads” for cyclists and two wheelers alike.

Road humps – These are never visible, about 3 metres high (threatening to silence my vehicle’s silencer), pop up when I am least expecting them to.

Animals – Dogs, cats, cow, buffaloes. The Bangalore roads are their “home away from home”.

Jaywalkers – As the “Zebra crossing” is practically non-existent these days, I honestly don’t blame them for their crime.

Processions or Demonstrations – Ours is a democratic country. Constitution is not the only thing which is “of the people, by the people and for the people”. Roads are too!! For processions, mind you.

The roads are used as everything – dumping area, footpath, parking zone, hawker’s stop and of course “Road”!! Despite all these death traps (I guess the name-calling is justified now!), I somehow manage to reach office! With no broken bones (OK, I admit, just once!). Quite a HAPPENING 1 hour of my life, I must say!!

By Hajira Farhin

A Eurasian Curlew at Namkhali, the Sunderbans

Plate: 1 A

Plate: 1 B

Plate: 1 C
A Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) taking off and in flight at the Sunderbans (Namkhali). Photograph taken in April 2008.

By Arunava Das

Secrets of Your DNA: Fascinating Genetic Testing

Do you want to know from where your ancestors come? Which part of the world you belong to? What kind of gene you have in you? What are the probabilities of getting hereditary disease? What hereditary factor you have in you? Or do you know that you can compare your genes with your family members, with friends or with a celebrity – what’s common between you and them?

Is it not exciting!! Sounding strange?

Here is the answer…

There are social networking companies which test your gene, analyze and give the results which you are interested in.

Let’s see how this works – there are social networking Internet-based companies like Navigenics, 23andme, deCODE me, DNA Direct, etc…which collect your DNA sample and analyze it. All you need to do is order for the kit and send in a sample of spit. The company screens your DNA for interesting hotspots of genetic variation called SNP (Single Nucleotide Protein), and then gives you a private, web-based readout of what your results mean. They isolate your DNA and wash over a prepared chip that screens about half a million SNPs of note. Then they link the results with a risk assessment and available scientific information and make it available through a website for you to peruse. This is how you can know from which part of the world you come from and your ancestors belong to. Same way you can compare your gene with your family member, friends, sportsman, film stars or with any celebrity and you can know how much percentage of genes you share with them.

Each company has its own charges for genetic testing. 23andme is charging $999, Navigenics is charging from $2000 to $3000, likewise, other companies are charging thousands of dollars. It’s very costly as of now.

When compared, the general population has myriad diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, muscular degeneration, color blindness, etc. These genetic tests give you the probability of getting such genetic diseases. But many scientists say that whether the average person’s health will actually improve after they get the information will depend on whether they truly understand the results.

It is good to know the genetic risk so that people can take some precautions, but some people become scared after knowing that they have the risk of getting the disease. They mentally become weak. It’s up to them how they take it.

Fun part of this genetic testing is here. Suppose a girl or a guy proposes; neither of them accepts proposals so easily these days. People have started selecting their life partner on the basis of genetic testing. Before they get in to a relation they try to know what kind of genes he/she has, try to know the genetic risk which he/she carries and also compare with their favorite film stars. Then they decide whether to accept the proposal. Seems very strange, isn’t it?

Also, if you want to become a good sportsman, a wait lifter, you can test your gene. You can test your gene to know whether the muscle-building gene is there in you or know the gene which can help you in running fast, swimming, etc. You can also compare your genetic mapping with your favorite sports person so that you can know if you share the same gene.

Apart from genetic risks, ancestry you can identify a specific gene trait and make a portrait of that. DNA 11, originators of DNA art and pioneers in the industry have created the GenePak™ that makes the portraits of their customer’s gene. This kind of art is more in demand now. You can see the picture below.

Isn’t it very interesting!

I think reading individual's genome will eventually become very common, an important tool – but that it will take some time, may be a decade or two. As everything is depending on the technology, hope costs will also come down and then everyone can have their genetic test done, and have a DNA portrait in their home.

By Usha Gokak

Climate Change Can Trigger Wars, Warns Expert

An expert from the Washington State Intelligence Department has warned that climate change-induced damage to global ecosystems and resulting competition for natural resources may trigger wars and conflicts among nations in the future.

Jurgen Scheffran, a scientist at the University of Illinois, while reviewing recently published research, concluded that “the impact of climate change on human and global security could extend far beyond the limited scope the world has seen thus far.”

Scheffran is working with the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security and the Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research at the university. “The associated socio-economic and political stress can undermine the functioning of communities, the effectiveness of institutions, and the stability of societal structures. These degraded conditions could contribute to civil strife, and, worse, armed conflict,” he wrote.

Reality Bites

In fact, “large areas of Africa are suffering from scarcity of food and fresh water resources, making them more vulnerable to conflict. An example is Sudan’s Darfur province where an ongoing conflict was aggravated since droughts forced Arab herders to move into areas of African farmers.”

Other regions of the world – including the Middle East, Central Asia and South America – also are being affected, he said.

Scheffran’s review included a critical analysis of four trends identified in a report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change as among those most possibly destabilizing populations and governments.

They include degradation of freshwater resources, food insecurity, natural disasters and environmental migration.

In his analysis, Scheffran noted that the number of world regions vulnerable to drought was expected to rise. Water supplies stored in glaciers and snow cover in major mountain ranges such as the the Andes and the Himalayas also are expected to decrease, he said. “Most critical for human survival are water and food, which are sensitive to changing climatic conditions,” Scheffran said.

“The degradation of these critical resources, combined with threats to populations caused by natural disasters, disease and crumbling economic and ecosystems,” he said, “could ultimately have ‘cascading effects.’”

Response and Possible Steps in Ameliorating the Situation

“Although climate change bears a significant conflict potential, it can also transform the international system toward more cooperation if it is seen as a common threat that requires joint action,” he said.

One of the more hopeful, recent signs on that front was the 2007 Bali Climate Summit that brought together more than 10,000 representatives from around the world to draft a climate plan.

In addition to global cooperation, Scheffran believes that those occupying the earth now can learn a lot about the future by studying the past. The great human civilizations began to flourish after the last ice age, and some disappeared due to droughts and other adverse shifts in the climate.

The so-called Little Ice Age in the Northern Hemisphere a few hundred years ago was caused by an average drop in temperature of less than a degree Celsius.

“The consequences were quite severe in parts of Europe, associated with loss of harvest and population decline,” Scheffran said. “Riots and military conflicts became more likely, as a recent empirical study has suggested.”

These data point to an increasing dilemma that the world is going to face in the wake of fast climate changes that are already affecting the seasonal patterns of the world. It is leading to increased frequencies of flooding and cyclones that are rampaging different parts of the globe.

These staggering findings are a real threat to the very existence of mankind on earth and it’s high time that nations come together and try to solve this issue.

By Arunava Das