tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67620121571251069472024-03-13T14:16:46.901+05:30Beta Sector: unformattedA geek's view of everyday things ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-26258251027361689582013-12-05T11:34:00.000+05:302013-12-05T11:34:05.813+05:30Rights, gender, violence, Imbalance ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have been watching the trend of converging <b><i>feminist</i> </b>and <b><i>modernist</i> </b>movements. Equal status across genders and immunity to (or protection from) violence is called for in a nation wide movement.</div>
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<b>A call for stopping violence (of any kind)</b> - <b>is what we need</b>.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">"<b>The World did not see the deaths of civilians in Syria as victimization until the '<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>red line</i></span>' of usage of conventional weapons deploying chemical weapons began.</b>" This has almost created a perception that conventional forms of violence are acceptable. Thereby the world has almost condoned, rather than condemned the violence in Syria.</span></div>
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In modern work environments, water-cooler/cafeteria conversations of women may center on multiple topics including men. Equally, men go about comments in their vocabulary on women who work with them. Yet, it is more frequently published that men <i>'talk dirty</i>.' This is an observation (<i>of published text</i>) and never a generalization.</div>
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I have been in the company of colleagues who have seldom made comments on colleagues who are women or of the opposite gender (to theirs) in any form. <b>Rewarding cultured behavior is seldom done. </b>All focus of media is on abhorrent atrocity. Why?</div>
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The focus too, as someone pointed out is on the demographic that provides stronger readership or viewership (for Television).</div>
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Evolution has differentiated male and female genders, in physiology, neurology and every way over several billions of years. Is this so difficult to accept, that instincts and perceptions are different even amongst humans across genders?</div>
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UNHCR reports record sexual violence is inflicted in perhaps equal amounts on both men and women in interviews. (This includes several scenarios - police-states, civil-conflict, civil-war and inter-state warfare.)</div>
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<u>What is this media-frenzy that focuses on making the streets safer for women?</u> Are we preferential to violence that is equally mediated across genders or mediated exclusively on those who are not women?</div>
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We must work to cessation of violence and violent behavior. <i>This is no small task for a species evolved originally as a predator</i>. Solutions are never as simple as censorship and police-patrols which may be initial steps toward solutions.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-86272067701322603342013-12-02T06:00:00.000+05:302013-12-02T06:00:01.831+05:30Apocalypse 2012 - What was it about?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Many friends received emails highlighting a cataclysmic end to the world; esp. human life as we know it this year (2012). Some of them asked my opinion on the subject. I had then decided to answer them after the year was complete. My earlier entry (on the topic) was titled "<a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2011/05/ends-of-world.html" target="_blank">End(s) of the World</a>" written on May 20, 2011 as a rebuttal to the failing voice of Harold Camping.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYgP1ey5p13Pxotizhw9vpSn4WB7niy1Xz-7RpZfop7DlrZltbIpU9-MwHngPYvnRKHUziYkGXwVaqat1Zf1e8H0hyphenhyphenkfOPS5SWJ4Q566y9JAm5tcXq7_KclITCtUEhKrH79OLYiV7odM/s1600/end_of_the_world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYgP1ey5p13Pxotizhw9vpSn4WB7niy1Xz-7RpZfop7DlrZltbIpU9-MwHngPYvnRKHUziYkGXwVaqat1Zf1e8H0hyphenhyphenkfOPS5SWJ4Q566y9JAm5tcXq7_KclITCtUEhKrH79OLYiV7odM/s320/end_of_the_world.jpg" width="320" /></a>The world did not end in 2012, or several dates marked prior to this where cults waited on hilltops or committed mass suicide. It is an unlikely event. Historically the most disastrous event we know is heavy volcanic activity forcing many people of the Minoan civilization to relocate.<br />
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Atlantis is a legend, perhaps even a fictional residue of a multitude of events as much as Troy of the Illiad. There is little proof to support existence of civilized life over 5,000 years ago. Although, there are those who believe that 10,500 BCE held some special civilization composed of hybrid homonids or only homo-sapiens (It would be only 2,500 years after the Neanderthals vanished en masse.) <br />
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Despite several massive extinction events in the past, including the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KT_event" target="_blank">K-Pg or K-T event</a>, life has never left planet earth nor has an entire genus been wiped clean. </div>
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Before we confront the unfounded fears or subconscious "needs" of mass-destruction, let's take a look at the theories that spawned and turned out to be nothing ...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Who were the Mayans?</b></span><br />
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A Mesoamerican culture with an oldest known settlement in 1800 BCE are identified as the Mayans. The earliest written inscriptions of the Mayans are between 200-300 BCE. Between 250CE and 900CE Mayan culture reached its peak. Thereafter it lent itself to stagnation leaving the only historical records from the 900CE to the Spanish conquistadors arriving during 1500CE.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPE7X9myEUMnTsHmnrHbBUf0cjwqXYuEK6W6QEak5y51RvyL_aKC1T3AJU9rskJZa9W15RZxA8A_FN-F1QSsFdNM3qyGJEpTbjtz6Quke8kHk5hdHltjOChm7U_JTTkPYDIGI2N5KrHw/s1600/mayanruins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPE7X9myEUMnTsHmnrHbBUf0cjwqXYuEK6W6QEak5y51RvyL_aKC1T3AJU9rskJZa9W15RZxA8A_FN-F1QSsFdNM3qyGJEpTbjtz6Quke8kHk5hdHltjOChm7U_JTTkPYDIGI2N5KrHw/s640/mayanruins.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Their fall seems to have been brought by a systematic self-destruction of the very ecological systems within which they existed. The resultant droughts and famines induced a cycle of destruction that finally brought down, what was once a thriving civilization. This is still under <a href="http://spacefellowship.com/news/art14059/the-fall-of-the-maya-new-clues-revealed.html" target="_blank">scientific research</a>.<br />
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In comparison to the Mayans, the earliest Greek written historical
record is during 700-600 BCE. The Egyptians are at least another 500 years earlier in having invented writing. The Sumerian and Harappan civilizations have hieroglyphs dating earlier than 1500 BCE making them yet older in pre-classical historic record.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Europe interaction with Mayan Culture</i></b></span><br />
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When the Spaniards met the Mayans in the 16th century CE they existed as a hierarchical cluster of city-states, much like ancient Greece before the time of Alexander (the Great.)</div>
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All civilizations that were disconnected from the European mainland were "<i>presumed</i>" to be less advanced during initial interactions. These interactions usually resulted in actions of the '<i>self proclaimed betters</i>' to exterminate the native culture. The same was done systematically to the Mayans - especially when all written material in their possession was labeled heresy and burnt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuLXn3lIU6oAEhJtoaC1UYeswiZgAZW-aGAr9tzHE5rOKfxZkcH_CXrFQmRxOqNpsvimbl0r0BS45XyhlvEfWVHai7DGWoId-bXucwSKF9hJVjU-PknRHYWMaXcu5pAR_4SNnwqE2E4g/s1600/mayanlongcount_numbers.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuLXn3lIU6oAEhJtoaC1UYeswiZgAZW-aGAr9tzHE5rOKfxZkcH_CXrFQmRxOqNpsvimbl0r0BS45XyhlvEfWVHai7DGWoId-bXucwSKF9hJVjU-PknRHYWMaXcu5pAR_4SNnwqE2E4g/s400/mayanlongcount_numbers.gif" width="400" /></a>It is ironical that we turn to their calendar (after having burnt their subsequent works written on 'reed' paper [perhaps no one thought to read them then]) to refer to their short-count calendar as a definition for a large-scale hazard event in which they do not have any major stake.<br />
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The long-count calendar does go much farther suggesting that the Mayans did improve their time-keeping techniques at a later stage or simultaneously.<br />
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With all their records not being preserved, this only reminds me of how Nostradamus, the Jewish physician's hobby of hallucinated looks into the future became used by both Allied and Axis sides during World-War-2 as propaganda.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Nibiru</b></span></i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47pP0TwNoQpSb955k7BtD8rEuFFzB7DqnLtx0cmHjJBRbaB7cfQiyCP57iG8bAH_qxpyW_5BrnUO01SAYexFe19IgYFmckRkWr1irnUyJUgiRVb88mtnLjl0mw73b-Ay2He35_ytxeo8/s1600/An-shamshi-adad-v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47pP0TwNoQpSb955k7BtD8rEuFFzB7DqnLtx0cmHjJBRbaB7cfQiyCP57iG8bAH_qxpyW_5BrnUO01SAYexFe19IgYFmckRkWr1irnUyJUgiRVb88mtnLjl0mw73b-Ay2He35_ytxeo8/s320/An-shamshi-adad-v.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"An" (Babylonian god)</td></tr>
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Most doomsday-prophets who (continue to) refer to the end of the world ought to watch more of the 'James Bond' movies for less sillier Natural extinction level events. Anyone who has watched "Moonraker" would have received a crazier yet more realistic idea.<br />
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The idea of associating the name 'Nibiru' from an ancient Babylonian legend (all of which are almost impossible to comprehend considering our cultural anachronism relative to them) with a planet and thereafter one in a collision course with the earth is merely bad astronomy.<br />
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Recently a few objects from the Kuiper belt, got caught up in the Sun's gravity and headed like missiles for a straight collision. One object even managed to explode on impact with the Sun's Corona. Thereafter the comet ISON, also suffered a similar fate, something that seems common during the solar climax.</div>
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Most people have no knoweldge of Babylonian gods - like Nebo who later arose to prominence although originally conceived as a Sun-God. El, Enki, Ba'al are all part of the same pantheon and were once ranked higher. Nebo-ru, is a substituted perspective of "Nebo" for those who have at least skimmed through Babylonian mythology.<br />
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To the right is a carving of a Babylonian-Sumerian-Akkadian cognate, "An", who later became either overshadowed or contextually overwritten by 'Nebo' (the Sun God) [after whom, Nebuchadnezzar - <i>cup bearer of Nebo</i> was named.] An, does have other names including "Anu", "Annunaki" (originally a different diety) and his consort for 'Ishtar' (the fertility Goddess, and the origin of the festival literally named after her 'Easter'.) </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Solar Climax, Pole Shift</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVzv5Dt7gGsVi6YlC5JdORTN7x6suhuNSsquND31UftUIQcUeDb-BBoJfUJQdClLrkZlYfh38nx8mMHIHBDyq03pgnNLy-cT2tXDbyyK0ALptcfN2UhUpSPyvIuhVM3FcueNk1sLKqHs/s1600/SolarCycle24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVzv5Dt7gGsVi6YlC5JdORTN7x6suhuNSsquND31UftUIQcUeDb-BBoJfUJQdClLrkZlYfh38nx8mMHIHBDyq03pgnNLy-cT2tXDbyyK0ALptcfN2UhUpSPyvIuhVM3FcueNk1sLKqHs/s640/SolarCycle24.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Yes, the sun has a climax every 12 years (...no, it doesn't have a partner.) The sunspot cycle took some time to be identified but has been identified accurately. Several events of astronomical significance have already taken place in 2012. All of these teach us more about space and our situation in relevance. The earth's magnetic poles have reversed at least twice before when life existed and nothing strange has been correlated to it - especially not an extinction event or a mass extinction event.<br />
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The Sun's magnetic field (in conjunction with this cycle) reverses every 23 years ( twice the sunspot cycle duration. ) This has a strange correlation with weather patterns, a theory spotted by Kieratov who was researching world socio-economic trends. He created the K-Wave whose harmonics (both super-harmonics and sub-harmonics) seemed to coincide with major shifts in socio-economic welfare which was a direct byproduct of multiple natural events that coincided with the 11.5 year K-Wave.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Global Warming</b></span><br />
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The cause of global warming is ill understood. Recent papers (c. 2012, 2013) have at least confirmed that water vapor is the most voluminous greenhouse gas with maximum heat capacity as opposed to Methane or CO2.<br />
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I have written a post that puts together the <a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2013/11/global-climate-change-solving-jigsaw.html" target="_blank">jigsaw of Global climate change</a>. <br />
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It is known that the volume of green house gases was much higher during prehistoric times, though it has only left little evidence of a phenomenon such as global warming as we witness it today (which I have explored in another post.).<br />
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While human beings are quick to blame ourselves - we could also deem that conclusion premature as all attributed reasons are inconclusive. Oceanic salt concentration creates a balanced cycle to preserve climatic cycles in the event of heavy dilution of oceanic water by melting glaciers and ice shelves. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Galactic Vortex</b></span><br />
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It is only with our present knowledge of astronomy that we are certain (at least within the past 2 to 3 thousand years) that we are most likely passing through a part of the universe we have never been through before. This part of the universe is being transcended by the Milky Way, not the Solar System in isolation. Our understanding of Magnetars and Dark Matter is nascent and gaining access to a region of the universe which we by our own travel technology could not have achieved could only give us knowledge to preserve ourselves from any hazards predicted in space. Hence passing through a Galactic Vortex is unlikely to swallow us to extinction. Our understanding of the Universe has been slowly increasing.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Nuclear war</b></span><br />
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While everyone has their own Nuclear war deterrents, Nuclear war alone is unlikely to cause complete extinction of mankind. It would definitely set us back by several centuries, slow down the rate of growth we have achieved and make life and livelihood extremely difficult. However, such a "difficult" phase might improve evolutionary prospects and therefore provide us with all necessary mutations to survive such a situation in the future. War has always been a key element in human evolution that has induced major changes to society. The social aspects have indeed been bitter and despicable. Yet, the net result on evolution (looking at population difference from World War 2 until today) is positive. Hence this would create setbacks, but not necessarily drive all life to extinction. This continues to be a looming prospect, but most nations have chosen to avoid such a confrontation as there are more powerful socio-economic disruption tools that cause less devastation being employed as strategic weaponry. The "Arab Spring" was definitely not an uprising from the people, but had been seeded in the minds through newer strategies of geopolitical warfare.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Alien Invasion</b></span><br />
There have been multiple discussions of having first contact and debates that any "self confessed: advanced" alien settlers would attempt to neutralize the native inhabitants. This too can be understood as social pressure which would undoubtedly erupt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g1s9yY3wKSj_CncCHmqGHTkMrgj3yKKvyph3-JvOiCsjA7tRBU09BFoIsDgG3frGdWa9pGjNB1ektGTaI0rvA8KjQJyihuuzuLC4KYMVHjcvh3z4rpt8uE8pCciv3uxklRaedUby1pc/s1600/waroftheworlds_artwork-6769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5g1s9yY3wKSj_CncCHmqGHTkMrgj3yKKvyph3-JvOiCsjA7tRBU09BFoIsDgG3frGdWa9pGjNB1ektGTaI0rvA8KjQJyihuuzuLC4KYMVHjcvh3z4rpt8uE8pCciv3uxklRaedUby1pc/s400/waroftheworlds_artwork-6769.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Although, evidence of existence of another intelligent sentient life form - or a non sentient space faring life form would only change our outlook towards life, that effect might not be as accentuated as believed. Native populations of all conquered continents during the colonial period did survive and there were specific reasons. The dumb assumption that all "Native populations" which are less advanced in technology were enslaved is a rather naive, although during the 'Age of Naval Exploration', this happened in more places.<br />
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Historical expeditions under the Ming Dynasty by China undertaken by a Eunuch to Africa shows evidence of no such dominance. The Arabs who had maximum contact with multiple continents, did not subjugate entire civilizations. They did participate in every kind of trade, including morally questionable slavery and assassinations at one time (practiced by specific groups within them.) <br />
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Although cooperation would be more preferable, this is less likely irrespective of the level of understanding achieved by whatever alien life form we come across. Any form of alien sentient life may be so different from our physiology that interactions may never be possible at least for the current century itself.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Climate Nightmare</b></span><br />
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The Earth has had levels of climate unrelated to human or biological intervention of any sort that may force us to have to adapt very quickly to completely new patterns. Our original purpose for creating calendars was to predict such climate changes, but most attempts at creating long term periodic calendars that coincided with climatic changes (not seasonal changes) were met with disappointment. Hence this is one subject on which we do not have any accurate modeling and need to respond in the immediate. An unexpected coronal mass ejection from the sun which happens without us being able to monitor, predict or notice it might create problems.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1NXE1IIcHh8ZJO19lrMk_SRLSFHunp1uZIWv8J8Jj0Lk1dY5qvbvy635t31i6xJ5bHH7EL0KOAFJkG00GWFGXQEyCjLRj7RRM4KQBi1GoN239sjPCTtY_op2bL8SN_W1srW0eOG5iTM/s1600/londonflood_1364681a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1NXE1IIcHh8ZJO19lrMk_SRLSFHunp1uZIWv8J8Jj0Lk1dY5qvbvy635t31i6xJ5bHH7EL0KOAFJkG00GWFGXQEyCjLRj7RRM4KQBi1GoN239sjPCTtY_op2bL8SN_W1srW0eOG5iTM/s1600/londonflood_1364681a.jpg" /></a>In simple words, all life forms on earth can, at any point of time, be wiped out by a 'Cosmic' accident (an accident from our perspective.) There is nothing that pins this calendar time to the possibility of an extinction level event as much as it could have fallen on any other date.<br />
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The dinosaurs too weren't busy thinking of a possible event, and were taken in by accident. Some did survive by evolving into birds (a product of evolutionary pressure) with reduced average size per life-form. Any singular catastrophic event will only affect evolutionary pressure and therefore cause changes in us that would become evidence of the original cause. <br />
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The ongoing Holocoene extinction is another process that humanity merely stands witness to. We can accelerate or try to slow the process down, but this process actually permitted human dominance.</div>
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<b>Glossary and Terminology</b><br />
CE - Common Era (earlier referred to as AD on Anno Domini)<br />
BCE - Before Common Era (Earlier referred to as BC or Before Christ) <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-14576043843335609672013-11-29T06:36:00.000+05:302013-11-29T06:36:03.769+05:30Identity: Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The first part (<a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2013/11/identity-part-1.html" target="_blank">Identity - Part I</a>) of this blog post discussed the parameters of our Identity that are either difficult or impossible to change. Exploring alternate parameters defining our Identity by our actions and behaviors can lend us more control in how we are perceived. A crisis is slowly creeping into such actively defined parameters of our Identity as political and social orders try to extend their control over people.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iG3Xyn2s8fFEIJKOXQ8spK825nnQ7rwYBkEVloPxXS0nqpLXOOBNOSRDM06aBvBn0S8uPQTD7HJWc8sz9Bvdr05UDJJy441333Qa_Os7w7HE46nkgZmjRg-MLaZ6nTxQqjZvbfssfu8/s1600/digitalidentity_clipart-src-tx_rlmpofficelib_6306e5cc94.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iG3Xyn2s8fFEIJKOXQ8spK825nnQ7rwYBkEVloPxXS0nqpLXOOBNOSRDM06aBvBn0S8uPQTD7HJWc8sz9Bvdr05UDJJy441333Qa_Os7w7HE46nkgZmjRg-MLaZ6nTxQqjZvbfssfu8/s640/digitalidentity_clipart-src-tx_rlmpofficelib_6306e5cc94.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IDENTITY: Part 2</td></tr>
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We can actively shape our behavioral traits, manners, body-language, spoken-language-accents, dress-sense, health-consciousness and intellectual-prowess. The economic wherewithal, geopolitical and social environment will help us achieve this at varying (personal) costs. This opportunity-cost makes it easier or less easier depending on parameters we do not control.</div>
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<i>Read on for a deeper analysis and discussion of 'Identity' we can shape, for the most part ...</i><br />
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"<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1837/1837-h/1837-h.htm" target="_blank">The Prince and the Pauper</a>" (Mark Twain) illustrates this contrast in a different age and time. Two similar characters having entirely different parameters in terms of environment, yet differing far lesser in physique and looks fall prey to their curiosities, ending up with mistaken Identity. The conclusion of the story also shows how a behavioral trait finally helped them restore their identities.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Grooming</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"<i><b>Presentation</b></i>" (of ourselves) helps build our identity. People perceive us in comparison with stereotypes. A certain level of refinement and stereotyping in body-lanaguage, manners, dress-sense, spoken-language (communication skills) as part of our <i>presentation</i> can be learned. This is almost a skillset, where we contend the genetic lottery that selected our features, complexion, height and looks - by either emphasizing some of those traits, or rendering them less profound.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2fc42VjVpswwlDdy2DecOLl67o58vCQnecwvZsze9DzVJ5fvqAGqXfeovvcZ6RIM-7Qrf0snxxWox9w_7RlBvCxdbPsMQ9BR4jsYavOervc6XQuZKbRFB-IMb2LcsBNML6lb0j_2BVw/s1600/professional-dressing-variance-IMG_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2fc42VjVpswwlDdy2DecOLl67o58vCQnecwvZsze9DzVJ5fvqAGqXfeovvcZ6RIM-7Qrf0snxxWox9w_7RlBvCxdbPsMQ9BR4jsYavOervc6XQuZKbRFB-IMb2LcsBNML6lb0j_2BVw/s320/professional-dressing-variance-IMG_0295.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A realistic look at identites and self-presentation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We shape with the assistance of Company (of individuals) [<i>active environment</i>] with collective mannerisms preferred in most parts of the world today. 'Scholastic education' provides us with this collective opportunity. Interactions at home, parental care helps us define our '<i>presentation</i>' with ease. Differentiating mildly or radically from established stereotypes renders us unique or memorable or likeable.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sadly, there exist geopolitical regions where changing our '<i>presentation</i>' is less permissive. A group, culture or environment that forces women to wear a Burqa, denies them the right to education, imposing gender bias may exponentially increase the cost of the opportunity to refine ourselves. Afghanistan has a controversial political environment in which <a href="http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/item/afghan_women_risk_lives_to_write_poems_20130925" target="_blank">writing poems might cost lives for women</a>. '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar" target="_blank">B R Ambedkar</a>' who was key in drafting the Indian constitution had to pay a high cost to acquire education himself. Education was unavailable to him merely on account of his caste (a discriminative trait that society yet isn't rid of.)<br />
<br />
Ethnic, Casteist or Racial discrimination where education, dress-code
are defined by the ladders of society will also increase the opportunity
cost in refining our '<i>presentation</i>'. Increased opportunity-cost in modifying our '<i>presentation</i>'
to control our identity in some geopolitical and socio-economic
conditions might be prohibitive. Addressing this collective problem of
society is imperative for the growth of humanity itself. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Skills, Interests and Hobbies</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Skillset often establishes identity. People were named after their profession during historic periods, including those dominated by feudal hierarchy. Acquisition of skills is easier today with more opportunities in most parts of the world. Naming someone by their profession is no longer possible primarily because our Identity has become '<i>flexible</i>.' </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaxuoxu_t1Zh850us_Wf6gfRpibB3bpbeP8kjwrdW27Si5xgnGqKeN6R4IIBc7bQwjm2IZQFYrT6MuGpIJDie6R3AxQglBKRNdsYyYwMVDoMsFDOkPJseCfI8OtP9SWE8AR6D0SbhPyU/s1600/a_life_skills_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaxuoxu_t1Zh850us_Wf6gfRpibB3bpbeP8kjwrdW27Si5xgnGqKeN6R4IIBc7bQwjm2IZQFYrT6MuGpIJDie6R3AxQglBKRNdsYyYwMVDoMsFDOkPJseCfI8OtP9SWE8AR6D0SbhPyU/s320/a_life_skills_2.jpg" width="320" /></a>'<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange" target="_blank">Julian Assange</a>' has associated himself with the act of computer '<i>hacking</i>' (more appropriately *cracking*) and with WikiLeaks. '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson" target="_blank">Richard Branson</a>' is distinguished as an Entrepreneur. '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs" target="_blank">Steve Jobs</a>' is identified with the company he spent most of his time with, "<a href="http://www.apple.com/" target="_blank">Apple</a>" and its products. '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher" target="_blank">Margaret Thatcher</a>' is identified with strong political leadership. Any celebrity or popular personality is most likely associated with a skill, subject or special-capability. Using every opportunity presented or carving new opportunites can help cultivate skills.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are life-skills that define our personality and can be acquired in our pursuit of other skills and hobbies. Our identity is also heavily influenced by our life-skills which later improve our ability to acquire newer skills, or change perception of ourselves amidst others and unto ourselves.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hobbies assist in defining our uniqueness. Hobbies need inclination, devotion and skill. '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gul_Panag" target="_blank">Gul Panag</a>', essentially a model, actress and activist from India spends time on fitness, running marathons, testing race-bikes, frequenting 'Twitter' - the social network making herself unique.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Political and Administrative Records</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
International socio-political structure is shaped by Nation states. Each Nation state grants citizens and temporary residents a set of rights. In return, they collect a vast amount of information from each individual. Originally this eased collection of taxes primarily for land-ownership rights. This information/record-keeping has thereafter increased to include detailso of our professional lives, personal lives [especially marriage, parenthood], civil law and criminal law violation record. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These records are essentially designed to empower the state to exercise control over its citizens. The volume, quality and metrics of information held by the government or administrative authorities of nation-states affects perception of identity. Today, organizations and commercial/industrial companies also keep detailed records both in accordance with law and their own policies. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ease of Record-keeping in the "Information Age"</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Advent of the "<i>Information age</i>" has spurred the movement of these records to shared digital and networked storage media. The result is easier access and susceptibility to abuse - either by learning identity without permission, falsifying identity or identity theft. A commercial, trade-driven market economy (built on top of capitalism) has begun to use such information to target customers, thereby discriminating on the basis of economic wherewithal.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkopPE3QPUvOMuF6aEvWbVK7bCTHuEzq8D7on0hQYX4iShLuc_9gF3A_Jcgq1G4FycAvRQ1EOq8hk5nbbL9s-5FtzRdeDQkwomzWX7qxE5uU4512oLqhvJfmEYpJsyVSg4zIk6HPVY-Q/s1600/NJ2-data-center.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkopPE3QPUvOMuF6aEvWbVK7bCTHuEzq8D7on0hQYX4iShLuc_9gF3A_Jcgq1G4FycAvRQ1EOq8hk5nbbL9s-5FtzRdeDQkwomzWX7qxE5uU4512oLqhvJfmEYpJsyVSg4zIk6HPVY-Q/s320/NJ2-data-center.gif" width="320" /></a>In India, the <a href="http://www.nic.in/" target="_blank">National Informatics Center</a> preserves such information together with other governmental bodies including the Bureau of Registries and Records. Sufficiently advanced nations have more resources to store such information. This information is used during employment, grant of licenses for simple tasks such as driving vehicles or specific trade activities. Civil security agencies like the police force also maintain records on criminal activity to provide better social security. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These large data-storage facilities are termed "Data Centers." Typically the volume of data stored in such data-centers exceeds several Trillion bytes or Terabytes. That would represent at least a billion fully illustrated copies of the all volumes of 'Encyclopaedia Brittanica.' The sheer volume of data, and specialized means to access what is necessary at one's request empowers several applications (that are useful, including some that are utilitarian.) The same capacity also helps in maintaining daunting volumes of records of our personal activities on the Internet.</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Identity Instruments</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJYXWeg2msBkboEC2mt0xFf-BZn3nO5CcM9FxkBSCBzjvtq0gjdgwJA6WLbivBeQZMwvRPZp0bwYRch8moPgbYQVDMEzXx6FfcEMQSP1dgW71LZUlg0A5d0JGizzigNfECHr8ug9_sUk/s1600/identitycardexample.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJYXWeg2msBkboEC2mt0xFf-BZn3nO5CcM9FxkBSCBzjvtq0gjdgwJA6WLbivBeQZMwvRPZp0bwYRch8moPgbYQVDMEzXx6FfcEMQSP1dgW71LZUlg0A5d0JGizzigNfECHr8ug9_sUk/s1600/identitycardexample.png" /></a>'Identity Cards', 'Passports', 'Voter IDs', 'Driving Licenses', 'PAN Cards', 'Credit/Debit/Cash Cards', 'Social Security Numbers', 'Insurance Cards' are distributed in an effort to collect this information. There are other purposes like permission to avail certain rights, health care and the like. Yet, misuse of Identity Instruments continues despite measures to secure them. These Instruments are susceptible to duplication, forgery and theft.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Each task we do leaves an imprint which can be recorded today. Privacy is afforded and availed both as a right and by personal choice in being able to perform tasks without having them recorded. Extremely intrusive state agencies like the infamous East German '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STASI" target="_blank">Stasi</a>' listened in on almost every deed, depriving citizens of much needed privacy. This was before the advent of the information age where the cost of listening on citizens in much lesser.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shaping Instruments of Identity and Records</b></span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These records need to be fed information in a manner that positively affects our identity. Partly, this depends on the identity instruments we choose to use which in turn depends on our intended activities. Some may prefer to limit the identity instruments they use to acquire more privacy. Others may prefer to keep their daily activities more open. Avoiding violation of the laws of state will usually help us stay away from negative records that will undermine our identity. [<i>Some corrupt Nation-states falsify or misuse information as a discriminative measure on its citizens. This can only be rectified by strong activism which often requires a heavy personal cost.</i>]</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Digital Identity </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8WeyibFJuTln-aFImsDu6ChR9vbayw-1Ln8R1UDV-2AJJlS-U3bgzD_uvpVtReEDK5r5Wnkz3HzvK735ZJeRKEEaYVhBvEnm6GqCkupdpRtAfjLrWp8DUgYAOQuOegCt3XC6ixonE4/s1600/canvas_of_digital_identity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8WeyibFJuTln-aFImsDu6ChR9vbayw-1Ln8R1UDV-2AJJlS-U3bgzD_uvpVtReEDK5r5Wnkz3HzvK735ZJeRKEEaYVhBvEnm6GqCkupdpRtAfjLrWp8DUgYAOQuOegCt3XC6ixonE4/s400/canvas_of_digital_identity.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Internet, as a global communication medium was originally created as an open, anonymous network where ideas and expressions could be shared. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Commercial capitalist market driven socio-economic drives has disturbed this trend "fencing" the Internet in a manner that, this requires too many identities. It is not merely access to the Internet that is controlled and recorded by the state, but our very activities - including what we read, perceive, express and communicate. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />Today we have a rise in '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship" target="_blank">Digital censorship</a>' - which has taken ugly turns in several nations. "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking_service" target="_blank">Social Networking</a>" (service) companies have made such information collection easier for governmental agencies (who can acquire the information from such companies with simple legal provisions.) There are several articles on sites such as '<a href="http://www.lifehacker.com/" target="_blank">Lifehacker</a>' advising what should be shared on our social network posts, web logs and any shared digital diaries.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Personalized identification instruments that can be designed and controlled by us include 'Business Cards', 'Resumes' [e.g. <a href="http://visualcv.com/" target="_blank">VisualCV</a>] and the like. These are easier to circulate in the digital age.<br /><br />In addition to censorship, some agencies including both nation states and other organizations (inclusive of private/public entities) collect information without our express permission. Although this space has strong legal frameworks, imposition of control and means to ensure that our activities are not 'snooped' into by unauthorized agencies are presently slim or almost non-existent. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Privacy on the Internet</b></span> </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are measures including encryption, anonymous usage of Internet resources that can help. The extent of privacy they can offer remains limited. One example is "The onion router" (<a href="https://www.torproject.org/download/download" target="_blank">Tor</a>) project which intended to provide anonymous access to the Internet. As online activities become easier to snoop, privacy encryption services like 'Pretty Good Privacy' (PGP) and alternatives like GNU Privacy Guard (<a href="http://www.gnupg.org/" target="_blank">GPG</a>) emerged. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Misuse and unauthorized manipulation of digital images or photographs we share with our friends including those shared privately can result in "tarnishing our identity" or "misusing identity." This has become a new avenue for con-artists.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Celebrities are haunted by circulation of 'Paparazzi' photographs, and infamous 'Sex Tapes'. Misuse of these instruments is acutely harmful. The psychological effects or wrongful perception due to misuse of one's digital identity are also a major health concern today.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Conclusion</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Activism today to grant us more privacy by reducing recording & regulation of parameters that help us shape our own identity beyond those parameters that are outside our control sphere is an absolute necessity. We also need to maintain and secure control of our digital identities with every possible measure. These may include use of encryption, secure passwords, frequently auditing our digital security (just as we might check the locks to our house.) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our experiences in the real world, will have strong effects on our perception. We would have to distil this perception before deciding to use a specific experience to mould our identity and/or personality. Behaviors can be copied or learned in a systematic environments. Mannerisms also need to be inculcated in the same way behaviors can be. Language, both written and spoken variants of them usually require a systematic environment to learn them. However, for pure communication purposes, interacting with people who speak a different language or listening to tapes or watching movies in an alternate language can help us acquire that language as part of our communication skills. Learning will define our identity only if it is reflected in what we create, hence "content creation" as artists or engineers or doctors will help us build a more comprehensive and socially accepted identity.</div>
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<b>PS</b>:<i> If you haven't yet read <a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2013/11/identity-part-1.html" target="_blank">Identity - Part I</a>, I would urge you to run through it at first to understand why finding modifiable parameters that can shape our identity is extremely important.</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-10102083448844110892013-11-28T07:50:00.000+05:302013-11-28T07:54:43.986+05:30Identity: Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Everyone living in this world in any time, has had to face their "Identity." This two-part blog post is an exploration of both physical and digital identities, and how they have come to drastically change the way we build our identity.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml34fexqEUcY4AKi4waix8HZMf29KZZhS-fdnApHNRu08JGTX8WCqd9UINQKYWFXwueObE87QRvTrwf38eTVWlhZmlSbx111DMcwQXq-p9oQmhiF1jGKdb0DezPKtrFOA0ErMva8dUZQ/s1600/identity_00_1a233f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml34fexqEUcY4AKi4waix8HZMf29KZZhS-fdnApHNRu08JGTX8WCqd9UINQKYWFXwueObE87QRvTrwf38eTVWlhZmlSbx111DMcwQXq-p9oQmhiF1jGKdb0DezPKtrFOA0ErMva8dUZQ/s400/identity_00_1a233f4.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One part of our Identity is thrust upon us, leaving us with little or no choice. Another part of our identity is something we can build and increase our control over. Today, the societies permissivity to free ourselves from the 'identity' that was thrust upon us is (in the first part) is far greater, than several centuries ago. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Several unchangeable parts will cling on to ourselves until we find ways to exercise change and control over it if necessary. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
The second part of our identity (covered in the follow-up to this) will be one that we can shape and control even today or perhaps at any point historically. It is that part that has to overshadow the former and help us define us far better by action rather than circumstance & causality.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>What follows is an exploration of key parameters that differentiate us, with viewpoints borrowed from different sources to help us understand "identity" better ...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Identity Parameters that are outside our Sphere of Control</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
In the physical world, identity starts the day we are born:</div>
<ol style="text-align: justify;">
<li><b>Gender </b>- The most <i>significant</i> differentiating factor that affects us lifelong is never selected by us. Whatever opinions of egalitarianism across genders float, the female brain is evolved differently than the male brain. This ends up offering distinct set of capabilities, advantages and handicaps either which way. Physical appearance, physiology, susceptibility to disease are strongly linked to gender. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidX7hBkXb2j-Ea2jk-vDS4LXoR14ND4DwTkoSSLkp8TG_QNQBu3V8hvY4avb6YTpOwAmzasmxXNtVrNxXQ65_acjQPrL3kkg19lMY2nRTUy4qJfa2bBWYVDgNkSwfTItiQX-TYgcEaRQ4/s1600/gender_identity.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidX7hBkXb2j-Ea2jk-vDS4LXoR14ND4DwTkoSSLkp8TG_QNQBu3V8hvY4avb6YTpOwAmzasmxXNtVrNxXQ65_acjQPrL3kkg19lMY2nRTUy4qJfa2bBWYVDgNkSwfTItiQX-TYgcEaRQ4/s200/gender_identity.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gender [Female / Male]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />This one factor would force a man to never be able to experience being a woman, The converse would also hold. This would ensure that you can never put yourself in another person's shoes to think from their perspective with any level of accuracy.</li>
<li><b>Color </b>- Although racial tendencies are strong in some places, weak in others, color helps us either blend in, or stand out. Here too, there is little that we can do about selecting pigmentation. This also shows up in the eyes, the texture of our skin and hair colors, collectively establishing a label for us that we have very little control over.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxdW6JTd3Xq7tAkSoemWB0Asg9GHJVQ62Iib9rXdZRG1LGKcGAism-iOzJ3Fahl0w5yGPfzkkDTsvD47EsgyQE8-DVH8Tc7FArkBD1V7CaWdBZzMnffx_w7qlARyAm5V1CJz8swW-ZmM/s1600/united-colors-of-benetton-fw-2011-by-josh-olins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxdW6JTd3Xq7tAkSoemWB0Asg9GHJVQ62Iib9rXdZRG1LGKcGAism-iOzJ3Fahl0w5yGPfzkkDTsvD47EsgyQE8-DVH8Tc7FArkBD1V7CaWdBZzMnffx_w7qlARyAm5V1CJz8swW-ZmM/s640/united-colors-of-benetton-fw-2011-by-josh-olins.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(src: 'United Colors of Benetton' Ad Campaign)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><b>Build </b>- Being tall or short, or broad or lean, for women: being appealing to look is a genetic lottery. (Model '<i>Cameron Russel' </i>does an insightful, short TED-talk about what this lottery throws in.)</li>
<ul>
<li><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://embed.ted.com/talks/cameron_russell_looks_aren_t_everything_believe_me_i_m_a_model.html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="560"></iframe> </li>
</ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Language </b>- This is often labeled '<i>mother tongue</i>' as most children first communicate with their mothers and thereby learn a language that their mothers are most conversent with. Of course, different situations might make one fluent in a specific language - also working as a lottery.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPnY2N1GlJRR-guPlzhMb_rWNnT3MWQKhsFRT3-bvd8lZYCYhPMx4lGdXf2GFZ6k5HGsEjdzLhSEBb4aCdcwbi3i0gV3Ywi0fetybINbmcvA6p709n9JBd881lwkUHokNeNZFMTTyLyI/s1600/languages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPnY2N1GlJRR-guPlzhMb_rWNnT3MWQKhsFRT3-bvd8lZYCYhPMx4lGdXf2GFZ6k5HGsEjdzLhSEBb4aCdcwbi3i0gV3Ywi0fetybINbmcvA6p709n9JBd881lwkUHokNeNZFMTTyLyI/s400/languages.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
There are studies indicating that the ability to speak multiple languages also helps one develop a stronger cosmpolitan identity. This of course, along with the other groups of society with whom interaction is possible will decide whether a person begins to develop egalitarianism and altruism or separatism and extremism. </div>
</li>
<li><b>Geography </b>- The <u>place of our birth</u> and the <u>place we are brought-up</u> in (the latter being a stronger identity label) is something that will go on to identify us in the modern world for a long time. This combined with the first language, color, build and ethnicity might establish a core part of our identity that we carry all our lives without the ability to change it.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eQh8FfMWI0vpZyMsRCdp-9vgOGpVxbMLILAA0HLfHD9q7LCD7F3afza9HTgQAWeBeXmAf-cNFL8ec1F29WHr8TdD4-g2V22d8btQ_z4fz6E_B_keyWbtpBR7u53PBjdia95EkCSEiBI/s1600/winlektripel-political-theworld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eQh8FfMWI0vpZyMsRCdp-9vgOGpVxbMLILAA0HLfHD9q7LCD7F3afza9HTgQAWeBeXmAf-cNFL8ec1F29WHr8TdD4-g2V22d8btQ_z4fz6E_B_keyWbtpBR7u53PBjdia95EkCSEiBI/s640/winlektripel-political-theworld.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World Geopolitical Map: 20th Century, Winkel Tripel Projection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
<li><b>Parentage </b>- Another part that controls our identity, if we have parents or for those unfortunate to not have parents, this hinges on as a very strong part of the identity over which we have little or no control. It is left to our parents though to give us the ability to develop ourselves in dimensions and areas that can be controlled. However, their own identity casts a mark on us. <br /><br />Someone born to a "Sports Legend" will have society set high expectations for them. Someone born to a '<i>convicted criminal</i>' will have an unfortunate dark spot that will affect them for the rest of their life. This too works like a lottery, with the actual birth rendered unable to control what transpires. The identity our parents held, (which they could not control) also decides our "ethnicity" over which we have little control.</li>
<li><b>Religious Affiliation</b> - The 'religion' we belong to begins to affect our identity in more ways than we think. This too is decided by our parentage. Free thinkers on one side of the spectrum, with Orthodox thinkers on the other side. Our very window to the world begins with a socio-religious affiliation (or the complete lack of it [based on circumstances.]) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzunGfboiFosPw2CD9S9yxVyZgot_WRNKm9vBatp7Xz1yyFPLZBOVrDmgl0DwApNuK33_9KoZveE-FW0yVbIwsABsQ50-YbJUJoEeC5-O11ZXPW-6v9fT_dQl2LvDJktxEzfQ5zrN5ANs/s1600/religious-symbols.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzunGfboiFosPw2CD9S9yxVyZgot_WRNKm9vBatp7Xz1yyFPLZBOVrDmgl0DwApNuK33_9KoZveE-FW0yVbIwsABsQ50-YbJUJoEeC5-O11ZXPW-6v9fT_dQl2LvDJktxEzfQ5zrN5ANs/s320/religious-symbols.png" width="312" /></a></div>
It is a pity that this identity is used to classify children even as they move through schools. We can choose not to follow this religion, yet will be identified forever as a 'Muslim' or a 'Sikh' or a 'Jew' or a 'Christian' is not something that we have much choice over as we grow up.<br /><br />Scientific thought has also spurred spiritual cults claiming to use "scientific reasoning." A good example would be 'Scientology' which appeal to those who would like to be seen as rational thinkers. The lack of older religious belief systems to cater to modern identity crises has given rise to cults, some with rather disastrous consequences like the infamous "Heaven's Gate." </li>
<li><b>Time </b>- This, strange as it may seem also ends up affecting our identity. The year in which we are born, introduces us to science, technology and ways of life that perhaps are improvements from before or degradataions from earlier [e.g. Taliban controlled society is an example of degradation over time.] <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkH0beIZL3ebH5lWtqV4ZeyuDCJzw7jXx3b5JOBkg5WqMgiFtKk3X1SnGQ-Y3qAeMMqY2k7d01XttBHpPiv-unJfv1LJb3FFokn8uQ19mPt2XMIxpq9tBCucdoAj2hKcNm_TuwvQ29AAs/s1600/binderCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkH0beIZL3ebH5lWtqV4ZeyuDCJzw7jXx3b5JOBkg5WqMgiFtKk3X1SnGQ-Y3qAeMMqY2k7d01XttBHpPiv-unJfv1LJb3FFokn8uQ19mPt2XMIxpq9tBCucdoAj2hKcNm_TuwvQ29AAs/s400/binderCover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Without much choice, the mannerisms in which we make choices, perceive reality depends a lot on the year of birth. <br /><br />The month of our birth decides a lot of factors along with the "geography" introducing us to a specific seasonal climate or weather pattern. Strangely, this also gives us a ticket to join mainstream primary education sooner or later in our life. <br /><br />I have a cousin born in the same year as mine, but set a few months apart, he had to end up one class lower. This is something over which we have little control over, yet becomes a decider of the groups of people we blend with and our perception of 'good weather' or 'bad weather' based on the geography.<br /><br />Those born during wartime or conflict with lesser reserves tend to cultivate stronger survival instincts as compared to those born during peace-time or prosperous times who tend to use comfort zones. This "identity" that time/place/circumstance imposes is a massive deciding factor in what a person goes on to do with their lives.</li>
<li><b>Economic Class</b> - One of the most deciding parts of modern society is based on "wealth" of our parents, and also of the socio-economic capabilities of the society we are born into. We could be born into a family or Rich Lawyers or Industrialists or Blue Blooded Aristocrats or Servile, Ill-treated groups of society with lesser economic wherewithal. Capitalism, Marxism, Fascism - each has a top-down structure that inherently carries within it imprints of fuedal structure. Here is a congressional fuedal system, that is embedded, yet less apparent when choices for the lowest rung and the highest rung are high.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiykIB6o1vzG9Tmy9xMPFEP0_8UVY2EZILCGp2GpPn_PPjNOSOGCHSWXjx3GX_Kp80Kb0hoDXi92R7u0o6vkAF1niJbd6yY3EDbpadj_BrjSqE6241PS6NuEFCiGKOz7uiFdcB-nmrdqI/s1600/feudal-system.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiykIB6o1vzG9Tmy9xMPFEP0_8UVY2EZILCGp2GpPn_PPjNOSOGCHSWXjx3GX_Kp80Kb0hoDXi92R7u0o6vkAF1niJbd6yY3EDbpadj_BrjSqE6241PS6NuEFCiGKOz7uiFdcB-nmrdqI/s320/feudal-system.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This will unfortunately decide a strong part of our outlook toward the rest of the world. The more buffered the 'economic class' is, one may develop an easier philanthropic outlook. In the absence of such a buffer, if one is pushed into an extreme where society distinguishes heavily between haves and have-nots, that would get ingrained into our identity and if we aren't groomed right, or cannot be groomed well [circumstances are harsh deciders], even our behavioral tendency. <br /><br />Although visibly "Feudal structured society" has seemingly vanished, these factors still exist in the backdrops of society, painting pictures of people. This even decides our choices, including that of a life-partner should we choose to have one<b>. </b>This discrimination, or rather choice is rather subtle, but transcending religion and caste would indicate another common attribute such as geography, area-of-work or interests rather than the absentia of economic compatibility in entirety.</li>
<li><b>Name </b>- Strangely what we are named has a very strong effect over us. This is chosen by our parents or guardians or whoever grooms and brings us up. Yet, we have little choice but to accept the name that was given to us. Changing this at a later time, still does not let the childhood "tag" of our name disappear. As an individual, you might ask, "What's in a name?" - the answer today is complex. Many who have never interacted with us make the very first judgment of us through our name. A person with a name that sounds Greek or English or German or Chinese might be mistaken even if they are truly not of that origin. Names also help form our nicknames. Nicknames are sometime related, at other times unrelated to our name (though nicknames are built more from all the above as well as our behavioral disposition.) <br /><br />Authors have explored this in building characters. Pip [Pirrip Phillip] of '<a href="http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/greatexpectations/" target="_blank">Great Expectations' </a>is perhaps an illustrative construct by Charles Dickens, beginning with the name and then moving on to all factors that affect identity. There's a movie "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433416/" target="_blank">The Namesake</a>" (2006, Mira Nair), which also shows how a person's own perception of their name affects themselves, thereby affecting the reflections from those they interact with.</li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Identity and Civilization: Why is it significant Today?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Civilization itself derives a collective identity from the group of people within and reflects this identity back into that society. This would give rise to impressions of prosperous/technologically-advanced nations/poor nations in perspective. This may only be a projection of collective identity, while facts and statistics may spell otherwise. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">For us, humanity collectively to improve, we need to reduce the number of factors outside the sphere of influence of an individual that control identity. Genetic or hereditary traits also help shaping identity, but they are easily changed by grooming patterns. Here is what could help reduce the above to a bare minimum thereby truly freeing each human irrespective of the parameters:</span></span><br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>World Economic Reform (A goal of the World Bank)</b> - to eliminate or reduce poverty to below 8% of the world's population.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Religious Reform</b> - especially to help conceal one's religious identity in certificates enabling each person to have their own system of faith. Identifying people in the name of religion has to be reduced. Build more schools/colleges/medical-centers/civil-protection-setup[police stations]/communication-centers/administrative-centers rather than places of worship to reduce identification by religion.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Peaceful Geopolitical solutions</b> - Reduce instances of war, civil-war and regions of conflict at a global level. Terrorism as it is labeled is not a singular unitary phenomenon, but one arising out of malcontent - especially the inability of many to express themselves of experience freedom or prosperity.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Marital Reform</b> - Marriage based on ceremonies strongly tied with religion, sometime caste and societal groups (even Mormons, Samaritans, Jews, Yiddish) and race as a strong component encourage these uncontrolled identities from perpetrating.</span></span> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Cultural Mixture</b> - Encourage and permit people to mix across cultures. In the truest sense, the gene pool has to diversify rather than be restricted to a closed system. This would the best way to ensure that we can deal with chronic or hereditary disorders. This would be possible only as long as "Racial" control is not imposed. Examples are requirements of 'Racial' information in "Migration forms", "State identification forms." The truth is most governmental and administrative agencies have racist discrimination. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Sexual Identity</b> - Sexual identity on the basis of gender as well as sexual orientation easily takes on as such groups begin representing themselves on the basis of gender and sexual-orientation. Feminism is in itself self-defeating as it forces women to be identified separate, yet asking for equalitarian status. The same would hold true for LGBT, whose lack of anonymity and identification is more due to repression by society. Social networks, Advertising networks all have collected data on sexual identity to target customers or plan. This data is the easiest source of discrimination. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Economic discrimination</b> - The opportunities available to a child to develop to adulthood need to be equated. Even meritocracies are discrimination - merely choosing a mind that is developed sooner rather than later. Equality, would have to be exactly that. This can be achieved only if nation-states join together in programs to provide education and even shelter as part of what a nation is obligated to offer its citizens. This does happen in countries, but too few and is heavily dependent on the economic prosperity of the nation, wealth distribution within that nation and such factors.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Commercial discrimination</b> - The choice of a certain stereotype of women and men for modeling or advertising is initself discrimination. When distributed by the media, these stereotypes tend to change individual's self-perception of factors they have no control over. This should either be regulated or stopped by those indulging in such discrimination to propogate their products. There is no dearth of products that can be sold, but discriminatory "Fairness creams" in a population where people have mixed colors is not a smart proposition.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Parental Discrimination</b> - This goes on to affect children who are orphans, children of those convicted of criminal activity. Such discrimination only furthers the existence of crime and reduces the ability for children to choose a better livelihood. Single mothers or parents with persistent drug abuse problems are also viewed as negatives for the children who rather than being pitied are themselves discriminated against.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>State-level or Multinational Ethnic Discrimination</b> - This is done in several ways - especially resulting in genocide or while granting displaced people refuge. Unless better systems and funding mechanisms are in place for this, such discrimination will continue. Often political leadership draws upon historical events to justify discrimination. Bringing discrimination upon a group of people, especially youngsters growing up just because several generations earlier that group was dominant and stood accused or ostracized by their deeds, only furthers hatred and differentiation. Geographical displacements, admixture of people to work with each other in a better climate is the best solution. States having separate laws for followers of different religion (advocating Catholics, Muslims to not follow family-planning) is a product of state-level discrimination. States further discriminate on the basis of caste (think: Malaysia's Bhumiputra scheme, India's Mandal Commission) while promoting officers, rather than on an equal basis that is required in that particular area of expertise. ( For most cases this is performance, rather than merely academic merit. )</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">In summary, Identity (physical uncontrolled aspects) is used as an instrument for discrimination and forced self-incrimination on that basis alone. The solution is to "engineer" society as we go into the future and invest sufficient resources, especially in terms of technology and science to achieve this goal.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Goals: Engineering "Society" to remove discrimination</b></span> <br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An important requirement of society is to grow into one that ensures that these parameters do not result in lack of choices, or oppression or preferential-treatment. As society, being a perspective of civilization itself, is 'artificially engineered' in most part to be against the laws of nature, in order to transcend all the above parameters, this 'artificial imposition of equality' in terms of choices and lack of discrimination is a strong socio-political goal. Otherwise, we are merely victimizing ourselves to the forces of nature which already affect us in building our identities.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Political and Social Scientists understand that allowing oneself to re-engineer or adapt their identities as they see fit is a key factor and metric in development. Societies that are less malleable - forcing one language, one religion, one ethnicity, one identity are less likely to experience development than those with a more cosmopolitan structure. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Many argue that learning in one's own mother-tongue and living among that ethnic group is a strong motivator for self-development. They could not have been more wrong. Countries with cosmopolitan setups, like India which for at least a millennium has had a rich composition of languages, ethnicities, colors of people living together in different geographic regions and migrating to-and-fro absorbing complex and malleable identity - are likely to spur intellectual development and reformist thinking. The USA being a recent society setup only with migrants also owes its prosperity to such thinking brought in by admixture of identities.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Capitalism or economic control can be used as an instrument to bring strong egalitarianism. There are those who profess that it is impossible to bring equality within humankind especially when it has been non existent for almost the majority of time recorded historically. Contrary to that, this is merely opinionated on the basis of lack of sufficient improvement in Socio-economic sciences (which unfortunately aren't driven by the need to accumulate wealth - a harsh highlight of capitalism, which is not fully representative of capitalist economic systems either.)</div>
<br />
<i><b>Identity: Part 2</b></i> (Brief)<br />
In the next part, I shall continue with the parts of identity that are controllable today, and how that can be used as an instrument to reduce discrimination brought on by factors that are uncontrollable or less controlled.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
</ol>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-89730940829308230272013-11-26T06:15:00.000+05:302013-11-26T07:19:39.700+05:30GNU/Linux: Is it immune to Malware?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd-ojSiN3VN7FBp3smqO-FPLKeS8zCwGgpVZ93oGfZrqFaed6g-MPaEw9Ha2aFX1cgdoVDU8mZTNC3TxzchnmVxHRBSzHLhi8CtbWQEgK2Cd-6R76WFt78tBzenqr4kvjbaKQbGNt25I/s1600/Tux-GNULinux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd-ojSiN3VN7FBp3smqO-FPLKeS8zCwGgpVZ93oGfZrqFaed6g-MPaEw9Ha2aFX1cgdoVDU8mZTNC3TxzchnmVxHRBSzHLhi8CtbWQEgK2Cd-6R76WFt78tBzenqr4kvjbaKQbGNt25I/s200/Tux-GNULinux.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When someone switches to GNU/Linux, one of the attributes assigned to GNU/Linux and other Open Source Operating Systems (that are free [as in freedom]) is that GNU/Linux is VIRUS or Malware free.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been answering (some of the misunderstandings in this respect) at multiple forums and lists, but here is the comprehensive answer. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The truthful answer is YES, <b>writing </b>and<b> enabling malware executing within
GNU/Linux is possible</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I prefer the term Malicious Software
(abbreviated Malware), rather than the obscure and rather obsolete term 'Vital Information
Resources Under Siege' (VIRUS that sounds like a poorly named movie. )</div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_DqGuHYzPlAY4iBVDm2_xoBIsXLAC8bRIUHu0GOK0Su3VOW8K9s1etncbPP4oQi7tHPTS06HAE7t71RYxFL_pbNzAhw6O4jdvMFJiegCivOnjGOHk8uAay9y4W_tVUnSm9ixAGPBv28/s1600/bug-icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_DqGuHYzPlAY4iBVDm2_xoBIsXLAC8bRIUHu0GOK0Su3VOW8K9s1etncbPP4oQi7tHPTS06HAE7t71RYxFL_pbNzAhw6O4jdvMFJiegCivOnjGOHk8uAay9y4W_tVUnSm9ixAGPBv28/s1600/bug-icon.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dissecting the malware situation for GNU/Linux and other Free or Open Source Operating systems may require a simple, yet unbiased approach.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These answers are not to deter you from using GNU/Linux, but to ensure that you, as a user, are informed of the facts without bias - either of the Proprietary OS community or the Free/Libre Software community.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most security experts know the answers to these questions and consulting one if you have a serious requirement is best advised. The following is a series of questions that are either frequently answered with bias or left unanswered to let you make an assumption. The answers here are to ensure that your assumptions can be based on facts rather than fads.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Frequently Unanswered Questions</b></span></div>
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Malware tries to render itself undetectable. Is this possible in GNU/Linux </b>? <u><span style="color: #274e13;">Yes</span></u>. (<i>It is less easier</i>.)</li>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>To spread Malware, one distributes code in obscure (proprietary/binary) formats - 'pirated software' being a favored medium which is far less common for GNU/Linux.</li>
</ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Can Binary-only packages be installed on GNU/Linux</b>? <u>Yes</u>. (<i>As long as we
use multiple sources for application packages, we remain vulnerable.
Not all of us run LFS or Gentoo</i>.)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Can GNU/Linux user-space and
kernel-space memory get fragmented beyond use</b>? <u>Yes</u> (permitting Worms.) -
{Yet, a secure init could help one restore a running system, at the
cost of having to signal all running programs. This wouldn't be too
difficult even for a newbie. Keep watch of all posts of recently
published exploits and patch regularly.}</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Can a user-space program
run with elevated privileges on GNU/Linux</b>? <u>Yes</u> (<i>lookup the setuid bit
and 'chmod a+s' infamy. Hijacking 'sudo' is done less often, but with
Ubuntu being used plenty, you can hijack the binary or the call itself</i>.)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Can
StuXnet, ZenNet, High Orbit Ion Canon, Low Orbit Ion Canon and such
"remotely activatable DoS-ware" (Denial of Service software) be deployed
in an exclusive GNU/Linux network</b>? <u>Yes</u>. (They'd show up a little
earlier [as Linux machines never respond to DHCP like MS/Windows
machines] - but only if you're looking for them.)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Can file formats
be used to piggy back malware in GNU/Linux</b>? <u>Yes</u>. (<i>This includes ELF and
DWARF - excepting if the Kernel used a secure executable identifier
mechanism</i>. <i>In many kernels building a kernel module and inserting is possible, only far difficult as kernel-version identifiers may easily prevent a module from being loaded.</i>)</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What does an Anti-VIRUS do?</b></span></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Recognize that there is malware attached to a file or a block in media.</li>
<li>Attempt to Identify the malware [Pattern Match]</li>
<li>Eliminate the malware leaving the original data (file or block) intact.</li>
<li>If safe elimination failed, attempt to eliminate the file or block.</li>
<li>If unsafe elimination failed, sound an alarm and announce that the situation seems irrecoverable.</li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: left;">
( <i>The tough part being [1,2,3] is why they end up as pricey software</i>. )<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>PS</b>:
The usual trick is to throw the malware into the AntiVIRUS "monitor"
app, and use it to infect the rest - easy piggybacking and privilege
levels. This piggy-back makes it far more difficult for an AntiVIRUS program to run realtime on most operating systems (especially Win32/64 which still dominates desktops and laptops.)</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Anti-VIRUS programs for GNU/Linux </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.clamav.net/lang/en/download/packages/packages-linux/" target="_blank">ClamAV </a>is shipped under GPL. <a href="http://download.bitdefender.com/repos/#" target="_blank">BitDefender </a>is decidedly not. It is provided on a 1-year free use license and is not open source software. I would not advise using proprietary binaries in GNU/Linux as they themselves perpetrate the possibility of such infection.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These programs can scan files, mails and network connections for infection on Win32/Win64 environments, and clean them with relative ease on GNU/Linux. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Malware targeted at GNU/Linux has fewer tools to detect, as the "open" nature of the OS can allow a fairly experienced user to identify a threat and take evasive action. There are however exploit malware available for GNU/Linux. Most can't detect infected code inside a kernel. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you run ClamAV or another antiVIRUS program inside an <b>infected</b>
GNU/Linux environment, they are sure to be rendered less useful or
useless. You can even
gzip an executable (while it remains executable) to make things a lot
more obscure to such a scanner, looking for files that are executable in
GNU/Linux environments. [We aren't even talking Windows here.]</div>
<br />
To safely pry contents of an "infected" machine, use "<a href="http://knoppix.net/" target="_blank">Knoppix</a>".</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You can take any of the "Rescue" distros from the list here -> <a class="ot-anchor" href="http://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Rescue" rel="nofollow">http://distrowatch.com/search.php?category=Rescue</a>
You also have Forensic distros
available specifically for intermediate levels of data recovery without
high end hardware equipment.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Sysadmin Checklist for Security</span></b></div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Partition your disk carefully. - ensure your /sbin /bin /usr/bin
/usr/sbin and all corresponding /lib folders, configurations in /etc are
read-only after your core-installation [easier said than done.]</li>
<li>Run your own kernel and disable modules after you have all your hardware
recognized. (If you have proprietary hardware like nVidia with proprietary drivers, don't use it unless you are sure that it is *free* of malware
- you need security, not convenience - you can't have both.)</li>
<li>Ensure that no executable files within your PC/ecosystem can get elevated privileges.</li>
<li>Run a highly secure "init" (your /sbin must already be read-only)</li>
<li>Send all your machine logs to a printer. [easy, but spends paper; dot-matrix with recycled paper is usually an affordable solution. If the intruder or malware cannot overwrite the logs, you will find it easier to determine an 'Incident'.]</li>
<li>If this is a server/router used for administration, get rid of
compilers and interpreters except for shells with low privileges. [ sash - stand alone shell, rsh - restricted shell are my preferences. ]</li>
<li>For workstation installation, you can use <a href="http://fedoraproject.org/" target="_blank">Fedora Core</a> or Redhat Enterprise Linux which has easier "Remote Administration" setup. (All other distros have it too, but enabling them during an installation is less easier.) </li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: left;">
All the above can help far better than any antiVIRUS program. <b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">No antiVIRUS program is a match for a skilled intruder.</span></b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Susceptibility of GNU/Linux to Malware </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The
openness of GNU/Linux, for a skilled user, would show symptoms sooner
with enough detail that things are amiss. Whatever renders malware more susceptible to detection is a significant deterrent. The fact that there are far less users of GNU/Linux has insofar not started a malware escalation for GNU/Linux. Further, GNU/Linux packages distributed in source for rebuild permit the user to perform multiple checks, rebuild new versions without having to depend on third party binary sources. This significantly reduces opportunities. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Users, especially the majority, are seldom looking
into the health of the Operating System which is the very reason malware
manages to exist and propogate using simple replication techniques. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is true that there are far less malware programs (<i>in volume</i>) on GNU/Linux and almost too few I know for FreeBSD and other BSD variants that make them ideal choices to stay out of malware</span><b><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Yet Google-Android is GNU/Linux with a Virtual Machine running on top of it. With "rootkits" and "mods" available, the malware availability for Android (and therefore GNU/Linux) is on a steady, but linear increase. This is stemmed partly by Google's verified App-Market. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Blaming the existence of Malware on proprietary software isn't correct, as that closed/proprietary nature is merely conducive to ease of distribution. I've seen many dismiss the very existence of malware or label the threat infinitesimal on
GNU/Linux too often. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Threat Increase</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Users need to know that malware can be written for Desktops/Laptops/Phones/Tablets/Routers and just about any device that can run an Operating System. Recently added equipment include In-Vehicle-Infotainment systems of Vehicles. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In many such scenarios, the "Embedded" Operating System in use is GNU/Linux or a variant, where the user has little option to exercise the "freedom" or experience the "openness", thus making it easier for malware to exist. Few of us have the time when we buy a new Surveillance Camera or a Wireless Router or DTH-Box to inspect the OS contained within and confirm that it is free of malware.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the "Embedded GNU/Linux" scenario, the onus to ensure that malware does not come prepackaged and cannot be added in as Over-the-air updates (App installs or upgrades) is with the Vendor of the device. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-76731735858244238602013-11-25T04:29:00.003+05:302013-11-26T04:59:26.638+05:30F1 Racing: Sebastian Vettel, the new Legend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiozAq0gSiUENEszp6n5flYMGIA5OxCBA09dYbx18gJLcyYnD-83QLgHLIoeRiO9HqsDmm8qGUwu3CpKR5TVlQCTPxqcRz9lDLnugf4bpomEXNVlB8vjVdqstlckm0hwa8jQT2WQ1WEk/s1600/brazil-gp-2013-vettel_2511getty_630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiozAq0gSiUENEszp6n5flYMGIA5OxCBA09dYbx18gJLcyYnD-83QLgHLIoeRiO9HqsDmm8qGUwu3CpKR5TVlQCTPxqcRz9lDLnugf4bpomEXNVlB8vjVdqstlckm0hwa8jQT2WQ1WEk/s1600/brazil-gp-2013-vettel_2511getty_630.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: Courtesy IBNLive (Brazilian GP 2013, Race Podium)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sebastian Vettel has now won 9 races, one after the other - a feat no other Formula 1 driver has achieved. He has equaled the Legendary Michael Schumacher's feat of 13 victories in a single year. He knew that with the car and performance, it was important to take the best out of it. There was no point sitting it out with content having already been crowned world champion two races prior.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="raceResults" summary=""><tbody>
<tr><th>Pos</th>
<th>No</th>
<th>Driver</th>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Laps</th>
<th>Time/Retired</th>
<th>Grid</th>
<th title="Points">Pts</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Sebastian Vettel</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Red Bull Racing-Renault</td>
<td>71</td>
<td>1:32:36.300</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Mark Webber</td><td nowrap="nowrap">Red Bull Racing</td>
<td>71</td>
<td>+10.4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>18</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
(data source: Race Results, FIA)<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
The results show you that Mark Webber made his final bow to the crowd
overtaking the Bullish Fernando Alonso, who has also driven one of his
best races fighting for the podium, perhaps gunning for the win, if not
second. While winners make it look easy, assuredly, such consistency is
no easy feat. Earlier when Mika Hakkinen (for McLaren Mercedes) drove
with a car built by Adrian Newey on his way to the championship, I
remember him throwing it away at Hungary into the sand trap - one gear
shift mistake, driver error most certainly, cost him the whole race.<br />
<br />
Sebastian Vettel had many critics as the year progressed. He was being criticized as the Redbull seemed to have a traction control form, absorbing energy as it took corners, giving it additional cornering speed and advantage that almost no other car had. Yet, the consistency of his performance display the grit and aggression hidden behind that mischievous smile.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNQRhVnv5_H_bJNpl-d62irrrkM8Kb1BPVPfW3LMcdl3IS18J9xCWj8QmZkQ1APkkbggllFbGtQhYrtnmathdePbluTfvHFT1TNEI6pzXlzEGsdjDxIsYBzEymHyczvxsbymNTkqterg/s1600/adrian_newey.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNQRhVnv5_H_bJNpl-d62irrrkM8Kb1BPVPfW3LMcdl3IS18J9xCWj8QmZkQ1APkkbggllFbGtQhYrtnmathdePbluTfvHFT1TNEI6pzXlzEGsdjDxIsYBzEymHyczvxsbymNTkqterg/s320/adrian_newey.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adrian Newey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next year, Ferrari will have a car to reckon with, having recalled Rory Burne, the South African car designer who made Michael Schumacher's legendary car that made F1 racing most uninteresting and let him make the 13 races in a season record in the first place. Adrian Newey (now of Red Bull) will have to bring out his best, knowing that he has one driver who will fight for glory. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfNgMJqkQS3GFBHqWWqKOBNYRi8iXRlJjR45xnzd6P91J7w7bzoQT-32krnfWDmvDAGddeg5E5THjdtGUug2gb1H138kEm9vBMKsmKwBSRDbcQf6L9xIXcA2gPtyNQHKWcha1UUU_O-0/s1600/rory_byrne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfNgMJqkQS3GFBHqWWqKOBNYRi8iXRlJjR45xnzd6P91J7w7bzoQT-32krnfWDmvDAGddeg5E5THjdtGUug2gb1H138kEm9vBMKsmKwBSRDbcQf6L9xIXcA2gPtyNQHKWcha1UUU_O-0/s1600/rory_byrne.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rory Byrne</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Alonso partnered by Raikkonen, and Mercedes with a better strategy than earlier should make it all the more interesting. This is a team sport, Engineers excelling, Pit crews dominating - Red Bull does its fastest pitstop in 2.1 seconds, fastest average in a race for any one of its drivers at 2.3 seconds (stationary) and at most 2.8 seconds - their longest stop for either of their drivers. Few Teams have achieved that perfection (after McLaren in their strongest days.)<br />
<br />
Should they continue this, Vettel will have a Race winning team with him, no matter what others have. A team that can beat itself in consistency and performance - a message we ought to take away, rather than mere domination of the one driver who makes it look so easy.<br />
<br />
Christian Horner seems to be a bag of nerves despite having the best
outfit in the pit-lane - will this work for him if both his cars are in
trouble? How will the Aussie, Daniel Riccardio perform when he drives
next season with a whole new car? <br />
<br />
More about the real Sebastian Vettel, youngest 4 time world champion and record holder, in another post. -- Till we meet again ...<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-80522124890085343102013-11-22T06:39:00.004+05:302013-11-22T07:19:48.062+05:30Literacy: Is it truly necessary?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_Sco2nmeGI9Rm4faZ3GbQGTTBpGn0ojh3uZuqd_l5BaIZrrhc-3kR6tGzZ8dWZSt4ckqR62gZzLzoD8v7gTTMHA0jGFHjysh3m7_tDFvZvtNTZ6wYziec8jcMvjR7i1TSV5WQVyp-TY/s1600/Primary_read_newsprint_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_Sco2nmeGI9Rm4faZ3GbQGTTBpGn0ojh3uZuqd_l5BaIZrrhc-3kR6tGzZ8dWZSt4ckqR62gZzLzoD8v7gTTMHA0jGFHjysh3m7_tDFvZvtNTZ6wYziec8jcMvjR7i1TSV5WQVyp-TY/s640/Primary_read_newsprint_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The letters are easy, yet read the names and words and see that their pronunciation and usage are anything but easy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many of us schooled in India, perhaps even elsewhere in the world have been told that a good percentage of the population of India is still illiterate. They are literally unable to '<i>write</i>'. Most of us (at least within the groups I have spoken to) have been taught that the "lack of schools" or the "lack of primary education" is the primary cause of illiteracy.<br />
<br />
Nothing could be further from the truth. Indian systems of writing were
extremely well developed and evolved. Evidence of a 7th Century CE
carving here, shows the "engineered" Grantha script - ('Grantha'
literally means script, and is a phonetic script that can ideally be
used to represent any language.) Those who made these carvings that
remain today are unlikely to be royalty or even priestly folk suggesting
that language was available to artisans and craftsman. Further written
scripts were to be taught after the fundamentals of speaking a language
was taught. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Phonetically ambiguous or dubious scripts </h2>
The "Abcedarium" (greek/latin alphabet) finally evolved into the English/Latin alphabet to comprise only 26 symbols. Although the symbolic version is quite easy to learn, the phonetics that can be pronounced, once written in this alphabet are not designed well.<br />
<br />
sounds - zh (could mean zh, or a stressed 'l'). As for 'cart', 'Caesar' - the English pronunciation of 'C' varies, Latin pronunciation remains 'k', and words like 'knife' further complicate it. Clearly learning and understanding this script did not impart the ability to comprehend a language with any certainty. The alphabets though are just 26 symbols that can be learned in sequence.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Phonetically Designed Scripts</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW60n5CyNf4xiKGHAWPwlBwQUcK_GyCJRZXpOyxswliK30z4-SjBwJeqzVyHZXj0uF-hdUK_QFhx8S5q2nvrEYGZeIeCTQUPN3hR7KcRPStzbJo0ShJVcshbhyCMUkNBzFgkJTKFNsVjY/s1600/grantham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW60n5CyNf4xiKGHAWPwlBwQUcK_GyCJRZXpOyxswliK30z4-SjBwJeqzVyHZXj0uF-hdUK_QFhx8S5q2nvrEYGZeIeCTQUPN3hR7KcRPStzbJo0ShJVcshbhyCMUkNBzFgkJTKFNsVjY/s320/grantham.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grantha Carving (7th Century CE)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This script is (even by today's standards) quite difficult to read if you don't have an understanding of the script and its design itself. It evolved from Indian "Brahmi" which has vague similarities to "Phoenician" that was the root of several semitic 'Abugida' scripts.<br />
<br />
Despite good design, these scripts aren't designed for a very young mind (think of a kid going to Kinder Garten) to digest. The simplicity is hidden in design and not form. The elegance of this design is the fact that you can learn it at any age, unlike many other writing systems that have to be learned with multiple phonetic aberrations. <br />
<br />
These scripts were designed to represent sounds that were present in different forms of Sanskrit (-rddhya, -rdhva, -rdhra ) with enough accuracy that anyone who knew the script could not mispronounce it.<br />
<br />
I find the "spelling bees" strange. They may be a test of comprehension of the word (in the second part), but you would find the pronunciation (the misleader) of the word or sometimes multiple pronunciations being ambiguous - and therefore the source of error. This is evidence of badly designed phonetic script.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Tulu: Derived from Grantha for Simpler Carving</h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZVX6hYNw7X8t0h3dVQi3V3dP_1Re9Z2wtmYyM0iEtBrRmGKGDwkbl3-BxPy1wu0ADI2E9AmTuSJgMzFxc56IzSbMEumsC1pGSKkoLkUrylNdhOMch_EIvlNOKMh6gCN6i8Xsulk6aqU/s1600/Tulu_glyphs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZVX6hYNw7X8t0h3dVQi3V3dP_1Re9Z2wtmYyM0iEtBrRmGKGDwkbl3-BxPy1wu0ADI2E9AmTuSJgMzFxc56IzSbMEumsC1pGSKkoLkUrylNdhOMch_EIvlNOKMh6gCN6i8Xsulk6aqU/s640/Tulu_glyphs.jpg" width="344" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tulu script (15th Century CE)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is a table of Tulu, a Grantha derivative. I would rather not delve into Grantha in one blog post as it's engineering finnesse would be lost.<br />
<br />
Devanagiri and similar forms came in later, when writing became easier. Some letters in Devanagiri are directly from the original Brahmi alphabet. It is far easier to learn an Indian script as a phonetic representation.<br />
<br />
The Grantha phonetic alphabet and its derivatives (like Tulu alphabet - 15th Century CE) were designed specially to be suitable for carving. Unlike Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Hieratics, these could be directly carved on stone or such surface without having to first use clay tablets. Modern 'Malayalam' script bears very strong resemblance to a hybrid version of Grantha and Tulu, while 'Kannada' script seems to have been re-engineered. There is also an individual Pallava script that was later rendered into present day 'Tamil' script while 'Telugu' is written in a variant of the 'Kannada' script (which has evolved.)<br />
<br />
Indian scripts were represented neatly as 'consonants', 'vowels', 'diacritics' and positional modifiers. Hence writing a complex vowel 'eau' would only require you to write the vowel of 'e' (as the main vowel) and below it the 'au' vowel as the modifier.<br />
<br />
Lingual sounds including 'r' (ra) were treated as vowels as their pronunciation in the beginning of a word and end of a word could cause significant difference in how it is pronounced or perceived, though the 'tongue' movement would remain constant.<br />
<br />
It uses a simple mathematical modifer system of symbols, elegantly designed (even the form of the letters are a hint as to whether the tongue is to touch or not, whether the mouth must first open or not, whether it should end with the mouth open or closed.) I've also found the source of the arabic numberals (also used in the 'South Arabic' script - which is in disuse today and replaced by a cursive script) in the Grantha script where there is no ambiguity between the symbols representing '6' and '9' (which could easily be misread.) <br />
<br />
Writing wasn't even taught to all the Temple High Priests (in India) until the 5th Century CE as a system to record writing over a long period of time was not invented. The investment of learning a concept was in rote memory, (in later Christian teachings they would label this as 'catechism') which can be later recalled verbatim to decipher its meaning. The meanings of sentences (especially in complex text like the Vedas) would be multi-fold. A simpler meaning to quickly memorize them, and a far more complex meaning after one learned enough sciences.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Semitic Writing Systems</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82mNH7WX4nCgqTM0_wUa7a8ClrNmRc0A0heaCEwIqCmv8qLdjr2GWeOYHRuS3LB2sgLrloOR4eJvIgd5263J_lXmhxcqwHHA1CAJjcp13UPPxGZ4IUCZECrWVXrDbreoKK-BH3Cxjkhw/s1600/newtestament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82mNH7WX4nCgqTM0_wUa7a8ClrNmRc0A0heaCEwIqCmv8qLdjr2GWeOYHRuS3LB2sgLrloOR4eJvIgd5263J_lXmhxcqwHHA1CAJjcp13UPPxGZ4IUCZECrWVXrDbreoKK-BH3Cxjkhw/s200/newtestament.jpg" width="163" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZja5bAODsnzCAlE0y-MbayFz8G4hrn-08GYI_Q_bqo-UH9MvPN_xm6VrsblWvlIN3uCPBsDtD7FcxN2PnPM4WO4fOM4-GmCqh_HlfFuX-vrxeMl1Unc1f0lNwjnoBwigKTtBUVFXxXlw/s1600/writing_paper%25282%2529_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZja5bAODsnzCAlE0y-MbayFz8G4hrn-08GYI_Q_bqo-UH9MvPN_xm6VrsblWvlIN3uCPBsDtD7FcxN2PnPM4WO4fOM4-GmCqh_HlfFuX-vrxeMl1Unc1f0lNwjnoBwigKTtBUVFXxXlw/s200/writing_paper%25282%2529_lg.jpg" width="152" /></a>These systems were far more complex to learn, because they had phonetic ambiguities and a mirror image of a symbol could easily result in dire errors. The result was to use "xiphos" (dubbed the ABBA encoding system), the (Atbash) folding cypher and the first use of checksums to verify writing. Here's a page in classical Hebrew (less ambiguous than a system like Aramaic scipt.)<br />
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To the right is the Greek writing system which would make anyone wanting to read it decidedly drop th idea unless perhaps they had no other choice. Modern Arabic attempts to maintain is comprehensibility by using tonal or sung representation used often in poetry. Early Greek was also "sung" before it was recorded in the same format it was sung as another technique to preserve it. These were patches (like software patches) to resolve the phonetic ambiguity and the fact that errors could creep into written text much faster than a picture or painting attempting to convey one or more meanings.<br />
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Hieroglyphs and Hieratics</h2>
Egyptian Hieroglyphs were also thus limited as their symbolic interpretation without a phonetic representation was most difficult. Hieratics were derived from the original Hieroglyphs and are yet more complex, because they make little sense without knowledge of the Hieroglyphs themselves.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJk7FSOTpr9la5UGUebeZ5JzY6Si6nfhk_Tfyxdm4wGQRE0C9rTCAj4Jq4AyNKNzWV-nEfcL0NVFdZ5fsw_JHL4Y84IzQL0eyZQJkNzsJuyEHOuP632qKxwz5GlR-CV8bozgubXxbUVc/s1600/hieroglyphics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJk7FSOTpr9la5UGUebeZ5JzY6Si6nfhk_Tfyxdm4wGQRE0C9rTCAj4Jq4AyNKNzWV-nEfcL0NVFdZ5fsw_JHL4Y84IzQL0eyZQJkNzsJuyEHOuP632qKxwz5GlR-CV8bozgubXxbUVc/s320/hieroglyphics.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egyptian Hieratic / Phonetic representation of Hieroglyphs</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Is Literacy as in Writing and Reading symbols necessary? </h2>
Is literacy necessary to communicate? For one-to-one communication and for lectures, strangely, the answer is a 'no'. Today our memory lies in disuse only because we take comfort in the fact that there is a written form (as a book or a textbook or notes or a reference table [mathematics esp.] that could be referred to.) For long distance communication where one must relay a message through multiple parties, a literate form may preserve the message but be open to disruption. This was in itself the reason for the invention of cryptography. Writing in itself was a form of information encoding. The usage however was limited, and even traders began using symbols and stamps of such symbols specific to their trade to avoid ambiguous interpretation.<br />
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If you have been part of the Boy Scouts or Girl Guides - you may have played a "Communication Game" - which shows that within 4-6 conveyors (of the same story), information can easily drift and get modified to the point of severe error. Hence written communication, if preserved, could be useful to avoid this lexical and semantic drift when multiple conveyors are present within the message.<br />
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The Revival of Audio/Video Multimedia</h2>
On the Internet, many of us prefer to watch videos or listen to Audio books for the same reason now, that reading/writing may no longer be such a necessity as they were at the time information had to be conveyed exclusively through books. Taking notes as pictorial infographics is therefore more sound. Recording a conversation directly as "Audio" that can later be transcribed (if necessary) is used often by Medics. <br />
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This would explain why demonstrative classes/lectures on "Youtube" hold far stronger value than <i>dictated</i> ones in a classroom. The human brain, designed to switch off upon hearing too much noise, naturally adopts a sleep state during such <i>dictate</i> lectures. However, most schools and higher education institutions are terribly short-staffed that none of the teachers can afford to spend time to avoid such lectures (which sometime to their own selves is known to be boring.)<br />
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The phenomenon of why movies appeal stronger than books to the present day younger generation would be a strong indicator of how our emphasis on <i>symbolic writing</i> and <i>symbolic reading</i> for conveying ideas may still be flawed.<br />
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The scout game dilemma can easily be resolved today by recording a play-acted version of the story and providing it to multiple parties. Although perspectives may vary, the final group can still play-act or screen the video to convey the information. <br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Measuring Literacy of a Population to grade its well-being</h2>
The folly of "Literacy" measurement lies in the premise that 'written symbolic forms' are necessary for the conveyance and import of knowledge. <br />
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It is far too easy to teach kids the 'abecedarium' (also known as the 'abracadabra') without truly imparting them any knowledge. Part of the error today is the adoption of English as a primary language with the teaching of the original Latin script without the 'classical' latin pronunciation ('c' - <i>ka</i>, 'k' - <i>ya</i> [seldom used]). Hence we see a quick switch to the Montessori system - where learning by practicing actual skills is instead adopted.<br />
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"Enforced" literacy is the same as forcing someone to eat when they are not hungry. Naturally, you see kids with poor grades and averages. Lexical disorientation is often symbolic and in some cases phonetic - a flaw that can easily be fixed if the technique of comprehending the symbol is changed. The next folly of the "Literacy" campaign is the 'one size fits all' paradigm, where everyone is expected to know one standard. This might at first look to be simple, unfortunately no two individuals can comprehend one symbol in the same manner.<br />
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The entire system of adopting a theory once it is accepted by a majority has the major failing in that the minority may yet have the true perspective. Such a theory of acceptance by majority (when Scientific theories are to be concretely accepted as proved or disproved) is against the very motto of our nation which says "<i>Satyameva Jeyate!</i>"<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Memory Atheletes</h2>
There are several people with memory records. If you have ever been to one of their demonstrations or coaching classes they would reveal that the usage of symbols involving color or audio to represent sequential data becomes their tool to remember volumes of information. <br />
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Before you ask me the question, "What then is the point of writing such a lengthy blog rather than record a video or symbolic infographic?" - Here's a video from BBC's "Sherlock" demonstrating his mnemonic mind palace:<br />
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The following is a 33 second video shared via Youtube and is from the newly conceived episode of the <a href="http://youtu.be/vmueuSRJrZc">BBC: Sherlock, "Hound of the Baskervilles"</a>. <br /><br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vmueuSRJrZc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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I had previously analysed <a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2013/11/literacy-is-it-truly-necessary.html">Stagnating education in India</a> in a blog post looking at reasons for the failure of the system. It would seem that I had missed upon this key point that <b>forced</b> literacy is a huge factor in stripping children of interest in education. There is also the idea of the <i>mother tongue</i>, though it is still founded upon literacy and has a higher probability of succeeding owing to early usage of such a language in a familiar and friendly environment.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Binary - the very break-down of Writing</h2>
Breaking all languages into the simplest form of two symbols '0' and '1' has been the best way to avoid symbol ambiguity. This in itself is the genius of the design. If there were more symbols and each machine or human could end up interpreting it in multiple ways, the same lexical/semantic drift would result in garbage. Yet, of course there are file formats and file interpretation techniques that can still cause lexical/semantic drift or obfuscation. We have therefore started out with complex and ambiguous systems of writing like the Latin/English alphabet or the Semitic alphabet or the Greek alphabet (Amharic, Arvantic, Ugaric and enough variants to keep you guessing including Russian) and ended up inventing the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA.) Further we have also published NATO phonetic codes for "Radio communication" to ensure accurate pronunciation. Morse was the first true "binary" representation based on a Huffman frequency distribution of symbol usage, although it was used to convey written language and not its spoken variant.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Conclusion</h2>
Memory, verbal communication, the ability to think, solve puzzles is sufficient for any population to grow in today's world with the availability of complex technology. Literacy of being able to <i><b>read</b></i> symbols and <i><b>write</b></i> symbols is therefore not a "necessity" but merely a diktat and a practice of society.<br />
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No longer does anyone have the power to command all of us on earth saying, "<i>To us is not to reason why</i>" - because asking "Why" for each and everything that is being fed to us as "basics" or "necessities" is a sure way to get rid of things that are <i>unnecessary</i> but being marked so.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-92209055015879154732013-11-19T07:45:00.004+05:302013-11-21T18:56:06.584+05:30Global Climate Change: solving the jigsaw<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle73muf-1i38WF5P4PW0AzxJOsGVqcFD6Gr6X5c-AEWC-X7213PxxtTtTY8ACeQakKVKb_Lw4P7xMLiP4slzoBGXcw_qyLaUFu8_81VSL-rwHibEtXfPrddBgP7KcZkUAwt5sjn8TChg/s1600/global-warming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle73muf-1i38WF5P4PW0AzxJOsGVqcFD6Gr6X5c-AEWC-X7213PxxtTtTY8ACeQakKVKb_Lw4P7xMLiP4slzoBGXcw_qyLaUFu8_81VSL-rwHibEtXfPrddBgP7KcZkUAwt5sjn8TChg/s400/global-warming.jpg" width="400" /></a>With the attention on the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming" target="_blank">Global Warming</a>" phenomenon, most people will be attributing this as the reason for "<i>freak weather</i>" and recently unpredictable <a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/" target="_blank">climate changes</a> (as the weather is not changing seasonally as it has been in the past century.)</div>
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Like most discussions on the topic, the illustration here jumps to explaining "cause." However, actual Global warming itself is an average increase of global temperature by 1 degree Farenheit. This would mean that the effect, despite specific points in the globe having upto 12 degrees Farenheit increase, the overall temperature average remains less altered. It is therefore too judgmental to pin massive climate changes on global warming itself.</div>
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<i>Read on for a deeper explanation of how and why the massive weather changes occur ...</i><br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Water World </h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdiuLfUIZuVOALzLmGsrEiUwaPHh2ZHHMefrIcXgrP9eezAgRDdnUU-3yvFNFsSPtFMBPkmOzQhAiYDvXx8b8JIK4j-wmoyS8BsJGzn6TgfPNH4SQz5vc41XlJ8l5Rlhe-flyyjtgS3c/s1600/Capture-GoogleEarthContinents.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdiuLfUIZuVOALzLmGsrEiUwaPHh2ZHHMefrIcXgrP9eezAgRDdnUU-3yvFNFsSPtFMBPkmOzQhAiYDvXx8b8JIK4j-wmoyS8BsJGzn6TgfPNH4SQz5vc41XlJ8l5Rlhe-flyyjtgS3c/s320/Capture-GoogleEarthContinents.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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To understand why "global warming" itself is not a good indicator of massive weather changes, we must recall the fact that the <i>earth</i> is covered by 70.8% of water and only the rest is land. With polar ice-caps melting, this number could change by a dangerous 5%, which is enough to sink 15% of all land.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuatWyk1_e_3144hxOf5YVOvAY2EDpFZGJ6zGwOc1DfGF8o7ZumrPIxomYgBtJfitvEzPGcMm1LBccEvDsDb1b0KxY5iClI-Ib_nAtk9MAzMr3jWcTFRu9nbJ1-hGN-OZb5diQ3DH6vCQ/s1600/Capture-GoogleEarthPacific.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuatWyk1_e_3144hxOf5YVOvAY2EDpFZGJ6zGwOc1DfGF8o7ZumrPIxomYgBtJfitvEzPGcMm1LBccEvDsDb1b0KxY5iClI-Ib_nAtk9MAzMr3jWcTFRu9nbJ1-hGN-OZb5diQ3DH6vCQ/s320/Capture-GoogleEarthPacific.PNG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Africa, Asia, Australia (with North America and the much larger landmass of South America out of the picture) - are all easily encompassed by the mighty Pacific ocean. Of course betwen Africa and America there's the Atlantic ocean too. Enveloped by Africa, Asia and Australia is the Indian ocean.</div>
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The size of the Pacific ocean is daunting to most of us. The images to the right are from "Google Earth" - showing you the relative size of the oceans. We must also remember that the North Pole is entirely an icecap with no landmass below it. Antarctica can be counted as a landmass, that would be the reason, polar ice-cap melting would only result in 15% of land-cover (in comparison to present land-cover) disappearing if the ice-caps melted in total. Yet, no unprecedented event excepting the very change of the earth's crust can completely submerge or remove all of earth's continents.</div>
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Heating of the oceans does little help to massively affect global temperatures, thereby reducing the actual impact of global warming to 1 degree Farenheit. Most geologists would tell us that we are actually experiencing an 'ice-age', and within the context of the ice-age, we are in an interglacial period (where there is much lesser ice-cover) on the planet. </div>
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The periods outside the ice-age are much warmer and less conducive to the "warm-blooded" life-forms, while cold-blooded life-forms would find it easier to use external heat for survival. </div>
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To put this in context, our Jurassic predecessors (reptiles) thrived in such a climate much better where the average temperature was much higher (also accounting for a larger number of life-forms) to have inhabited the oceans. This temperature was 5 degrees Celsius warmer throughout the globe - in context, the world would have been 41 degrees Farenheit warmer. A mere 1 degree F rise in world temperature is extremely disturbing to us, a 41 degree F change would easily wipe us out. The good news however is that the earth has been cooling since 200 million years ago, and reached the first icy land-mark about 65 million years ago - with a total of five ice ages following. Ice age glacial temperatures are also on an average 40 degree F lower (globally) - which would put the peak change on surface temperature at Antarctic levels. </div>
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"<i>Essentially global warming in an interglacial period is a good thing." </i>The onset of the next glacial period which is long overdue (by about 5,000 years - the interval is usually 10,000 yrs, but this inter-glacial period that has allowed humans to dominate is already 15,000 yrs.)<i> </i></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Warmer Land</h2>
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Temperatures on land are also regulated both by wind currents and ocean currents. Land has a tendency to reach a maxim faster and a minimum faster (which is effected by the sun) and the 'solid' nature of the land cover. That would mean average increases in land temperature are not the right indicators. The proper indicators that would show us "global climate change" would be daily changes in Maximum and Minimum temperatures surface air temperatures over land - which presently even in the tropics is becoming closer to continental climate where this number is high.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/20/model-data-comparison-daily-maximum-and-minimum-temperatures-and-diurnal-temperature-range-dtr/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9qThGWxPxMlPcteSe6dW2RMl05CzslJaupzeYtnCFsZDJS5UiYe9Qtnvmx8UpscOs60rNp3NOOssGDmdvokYXavR1_q8n07OReJ4bzRgjxzceSOPZIEKrPslVZPI2dFL_vB0yvOPjHI/s640/figure-110.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/20/model-data-comparison-daily-maximum-and-minimum-temperatures-and-diurnal-temperature-range-dtr/" target="_blank">Maxima and Minima data for land air temperatures</a></td></tr>
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This scale is in degrees Celsius and is indicative of a much larger change than degrees Farenheit (should we convert) and also shows us that the impact on land is much higher. This is why we are feeling the '<i>heat</i>' in our cities.<br />
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[ <span style="color: #cc0000;">update: (Energy Consumption...) section added on 21-Nov-2013</span> ]<br />
<h3>
Energy Consumption Ratios</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4t4whUxU2raq4GgGXpnrjjKbYrj2k9S1Vh7mGFij8ezQr-eRojf4q9Vada5Lt7iwaq8HBScs-1_h8wYk5Ude7TuMEmdXYhvVgOVZ22fRdPkv6WHbheFZ5-qmUU3jRZMZuEFy6DibjSs/s1600/Energy_change_inventory,_1971-2010.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4t4whUxU2raq4GgGXpnrjjKbYrj2k9S1Vh7mGFij8ezQr-eRojf4q9Vada5Lt7iwaq8HBScs-1_h8wYk5Ude7TuMEmdXYhvVgOVZ22fRdPkv6WHbheFZ5-qmUU3jRZMZuEFy6DibjSs/s200/Energy_change_inventory,_1971-2010.svg.png" width="200" /></a>There has been accurate measurment of radiative energy absorption imbalance across the earth. WIth the 70:30 (water:land), one should expect an energy imbalance. However the imbalance is much higher than projected by statistical deviation.<br />
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The oceans, atmosphere and ice cover, strip away 97% of the (solar) energy received by the earth. That leaves land with a capability of receiving only 3% of the solar energy from the Sun.<br />
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Even 1% of Solar energy is significant enough, however logic would indicate that harvesting energy from the reductionist source, however efficient, is unlikely to yeild results. This has become the main reason for solar energy to take a back-seat in the search for non-conventional energy source alternatives.<br />
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Harvesting energy from Ocean depths on the other hand needs to be done with better understanding as our present knowledge of marine ecosystems is insufficient. This is other daunting part of the puzzle, where water in the ocean, with higher specific heat capacity can retain the energy for a longer duration.</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Albedo Effect </h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUuev7YGba7uPP_zvWG0L6UJfY23drkK1b-7gPXT31Q8J7GXEVxTPqX-We4RuWQXy-zDcsfyuRcDhuX3YNn7e-f4ukt1tkWD6YQRvIwPx5bhRjpIYlRqCXzhb6G7eiuCgc9Gcrb5I7NA/s1600/albedo-effect-fig1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUuev7YGba7uPP_zvWG0L6UJfY23drkK1b-7gPXT31Q8J7GXEVxTPqX-We4RuWQXy-zDcsfyuRcDhuX3YNn7e-f4ukt1tkWD6YQRvIwPx5bhRjpIYlRqCXzhb6G7eiuCgc9Gcrb5I7NA/s320/albedo-effect-fig1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The most direct ways in which we affect the earth's temperature and therefore weather, consequently climate is observed in the "Albedo Effect."</div>
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The reduction of polar ice-caps increases rentetive heat and therefore higher night-time temperatures in both land and sea. This would be the first major player in what we experience as freak weather. </div>
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This is also compounded by "deforestation" (forests have lower albedo [whiteness] as compared to concrete or arid land or roads.) White reflects heat, while darker colors absorb heat. Now this doesn't balance actual global heating as the land surface cover is too little. Hence all discussions end up with "greenhouse gases" - the chief of which is not increase in CO2 levels, but rather increase in "water vapor" (a far more dangerous green-house gas.) The more adverse weather we have, the feedback loop increases as water (H2O) has a high 'heat capacity' than any other gas on earth. Worse yet, H2O (as vapor) is a lighter gas than CO2 and can rise up the atmosphere worsening the heating. </div>
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Hence those living in tropical regions are the first to experience dramatic increases in temperature, as opposed to those living in much closer to the Arctic or Antarctic circles (where the opposite effect is observed.)<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The kickstarter: Ozone Layer depletion </h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0pNurkOjfojO4udEpGfDJHf5RxYq7y-ohRLtiYdX6Z5UAR2UN0q2WurcuGKnPa_UQtB8DlbhoagBRKHxo9zVYPtywxgLig_1YUI61rR-oBiPJO87SHQR2FaPUms5W5oakIMwdwSunxY/s1600/NASA_and_NOAA_Announce_Ozone_Hole_is_a_Double_Record_Breaker.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0pNurkOjfojO4udEpGfDJHf5RxYq7y-ohRLtiYdX6Z5UAR2UN0q2WurcuGKnPa_UQtB8DlbhoagBRKHxo9zVYPtywxgLig_1YUI61rR-oBiPJO87SHQR2FaPUms5W5oakIMwdwSunxY/s1600/NASA_and_NOAA_Announce_Ozone_Hole_is_a_Double_Record_Breaker.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ozone hole covering Antarctica</td></tr>
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The real bad news is that the Ozone layer is for the most part responsible in warding of radiant heat, and the Ozone hole is currently converging into the Antarctic region. This would mean that the South pole ice-caps would melt much faster, exposing the land in the Antarctic (which unlike the ocean) will have higher temperature deltas (once the ice-cap is totally removed.) Such a process might take many centuries, but will increase rather geometrically (than linearly.) </div>
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The "green-house" effect is merely a compounding effect to this. The continued attempt to use CFCs as parts of cooling equipment, including Air conditioners, Climate Control systems and Dispersal agents is sufficient enough to compound the danger. The Ozone holes split in two about two decades ago, but these have converged into one ozone hole.</div>
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Ocean current changes</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-21PnAG2-ChyphenhyphenH1PLefr86e-d88a13LknFQdIH9OlfYm9zUKxLl6tIBL9gkh2aPYX67mO8yyXW5HDZs4KJOgIPotPmx58NlRHv6heQQkM9LkuabRXw2Rz8BwsW_ZC7q6Aax1KABd_k6wg/s1600/ocean_currents2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-21PnAG2-ChyphenhyphenH1PLefr86e-d88a13LknFQdIH9OlfYm9zUKxLl6tIBL9gkh2aPYX67mO8yyXW5HDZs4KJOgIPotPmx58NlRHv6heQQkM9LkuabRXw2Rz8BwsW_ZC7q6Aax1KABd_k6wg/s640/ocean_currents2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ocean currents are like large seasonal wind/monsoon systems within the oceans. These are movements of channels of water under the sea between warm and cold regions. The cold regions are kept this way by constant saline content, while the warmer regions are kept this way by varying (usually decreasing saline content.) The ocean currents therefore flow between these two regions. The chief ocean currents that affect the earth are the "El Nino" (literally 'little boy') and "El Nina" (literally 'little girl'.) Contrary to their name, these are possibly the largest ever ocean currents recorded. The circumpolar cold currents are the ones that are being depleted presently. Desalination of water, will result in the shutting down of entire ocean current systems. These systems affect similar currents, although much faster and violent in the earth's atmosphere. </div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Atmospheric Currents</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99V2O8b_SGka23gODz04oFIzvoqkvO69W3QClGCCV3ArK4xuCmVS7CMLo_XhzkKY4yRJceosVfOdoMBbYWieTnUsgbD3Up9A97TQgcV_ZgQfvJ0qWQ9jUa9HOj1I_GYvKwVqRkTRHQE8/s1600/fastcirc.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99V2O8b_SGka23gODz04oFIzvoqkvO69W3QClGCCV3ArK4xuCmVS7CMLo_XhzkKY4yRJceosVfOdoMBbYWieTnUsgbD3Up9A97TQgcV_ZgQfvJ0qWQ9jUa9HOj1I_GYvKwVqRkTRHQE8/s1600/fastcirc.gif" /></a></div>
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The atmospheric currents, despite their faster nature have so far been affected by solar radiation and therefore have been heavily dependent on seasons. These directly give rise to seasonal weather systems we are aware off. These currents have been disrupted, but not to an effect that is yet far too severe. The bad news is, changes in atmospheric currents can only get worse.</div>
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The first to be hit are the equatorial doldrums, whose change has resulted in temperate super-storms or super-cyclones that have been occuring with far more intensity than we have experienced in the past. Gradually the Polar ice currents close to the arctic circle will also be disrupted. This would then send the entire planet into a climate change where the maximum and minimum temperature differentials would be almost 40-100 degrees Farenheit on land. That would be sufficient to give rise to unprecedented severe weather, newer diseases, reduce human immune system efficiency (which still requires stable atmospheric temperature despite our warmblooded capability.) </div>
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The K-Wave</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpgCprPnZou0YMR-Eylzo6OfIhfoVLuLt2l90BEgEQ1dA_56YoTgO0vBEomp_Kqfb9ZP5t41BakpBa-_qpzlkc9EO1HZR_tvmcxWAn5-vHzP5liH0foDT1u6eibzKbuyAdZM9Oxb0wXk/s1600/450px-Kondratiev-waves_IT_and_Health_with_phase_shift_acc_to_Goldschmidt-AJW_2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpgCprPnZou0YMR-Eylzo6OfIhfoVLuLt2l90BEgEQ1dA_56YoTgO0vBEomp_Kqfb9ZP5t41BakpBa-_qpzlkc9EO1HZR_tvmcxWAn5-vHzP5liH0foDT1u6eibzKbuyAdZM9Oxb0wXk/s1600/450px-Kondratiev-waves_IT_and_Health_with_phase_shift_acc_to_Goldschmidt-AJW_2004.jpg" /></a></div>
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In a rather accidental attempt to gauge changes in world economy, the Russian Scientist Kondratiev discovered a much larger cycle. Since his original research was to gauge only economic and socio-economic changes, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kondratiev_wave" target="_blank">the K-wave observation</a> has been a critical piece of the puzzle. There are sub-harmonics and super-harmonics of the same wave that coincide with the 65 year 'Sirius cycle' (as astronomically observed) - which is usually the period of climatic cycles. Any larger harmonics of this cycle are still being researched as we require more paleoclimatic data.</div>
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Solar cycles, Electromagnetism and Atmospheric anomalies</h2>
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Incidentally Kondratiev landed on a cycle that is synchronous with
the Earth's sunspot cycle (11.5 years) and the Sun's magnetic field
reversal which is a 22-23 year cycle. Each time the Sun's magnetic field
is affected, the earth's magnetic field consequently is affected and
changes to the electromagnetism of the atmosphere result in further
weather changes.</div>
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Independently electromagnetic atmospheric changes have a rather static effect on the weather we experience. However, in combination with the ozone hole, adverse temperature effect, the electromagnetic atmospheric changes also contribute intensely to processes such as photoelectric heating and cooling at the level of the ionosphere. This results in the formation of newer upper atmospheric currents that were originally non-existent. </div>
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When India was being hit by the Cyclone 'Phailin' and the Cyclone 'Nari' had first hit the Philippines, the northern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_stream" target="_blank">Jet-Streams</a> (two powerful Atmospheric Jet streams across the Atlantic) were disrupted so badly that instead of crossnig the Atlantic, they curved and ended up in the Arctic circle. This resulted in the onset of cold weather into tropical regions of the American and European continents. The worse news is that the super-storms including 'Nari', 'Thirty', 'Haiyan' and 'Phailin' originated as weather systems in the Western Pacific. 'Phailin' became a storm only after having crossed the Thai coast, while the rest have been storms prior and have crossed Philippines, Indo-China and reached India (though Philippines has faced the worst brunt of the storms.) The massive oceanic body of the Pacific is generating larger storm systems than we have ever experienced and these are causing havoc across the globe. </div>
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Putting together the Global Climate Change Puzzle</h2>
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It would be imperative to connect these pieces of the puzzle and layout the actual reasons for global climate change in the present. I am listing them in the order of their impact on weather and thereby climate itself.</div>
<ol style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Inter-Glacial period reaching a maxima possibly due for the next Ice-Age</li>
<li>Ozone layer converging on the Antarctic </li>
<li>Albedo Effect on Land</li>
<li>Polar ice-cap melting disrupting Ocean currents increasing atmospheric water vapor</li>
<li>Disruption of Atmospheric Currents</li>
<li>Solar cycle (usually referred to as the Sun-Spot cycle) affecting Earth's Magnetic field</li>
<li>Earth's Massive water cover - especially the Pacific ocean</li>
</ol>
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Interestingly the "greenhouse gases" don't even count as there have been ice-ages with larger volumes of greenhouse gases present. However water vapor as the chief greenhouse gas contributing to the climate change is indirectly related the Ozone layer depletion. The Sun also has the capability to wipe out the Ozone layer (without any human interference), while the earth's electromagnetic belts are much too thin.</div>
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In another, small, but definite way, the extreme usage of electromagnetic radiation (radio waves) for communication) disrupts the earth's already thin electromagnetic cover. This would permit "gamma radiation" and "cosmic background radiation" to reach the earth faster - further depleting the ionosphere (not just the Ozone layer.)</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Conclusion</h2>
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As humans, we have accelerated these weather changes to the earth. In simplicity faster industrial production, use of EM communication, submarine communication, deforestation are all accelerators to weather change. The disruption of ocean currents has resulted in destruction of deep-sea ecosystems causing the death of many deep-sea creatures including squids, octupuses, whales, dolphins. We have merely accelerated a process that has been referred to as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction" target="_blank">Holocoene extinction</a>. While the process did start about 12,000 years ago with changes in weather becoming conducive at first to mammals, humans and other primates - we have accelerated the extinction process to the rate of 140,000 species a year. This rate is just climbing, and we must remember that we merely sit at the top of the food-chain. If the chain below disappears, we disappear along with it. Therein lies the true irony of our own destruction. No synthetic or artificial alternative would bring back the biosphere to a level of stability to support all forms of life that we have known. </div>
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Yet, believing that all life on earth may become extinct simply because of the Holocoene extinction is an overstatement. Such extinctions have occurred in the past only to be followed by another life-creating process nicknamed the "<a href="http://journalofcosmology.com/JoC16pdfs/21_Gibson.pdf" target="_blank">Biological Big-Bang</a>. [PDF]" An older group of species of life is replaced by an entirely new group. Perhaps one of the most violent extinctions that we are aware of in Earth's geological history is the Cretaceous extinction (also labeled the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretaceous%E2%80%93Paleogene_extinction_event" target="_blank">K-T or K-Pg</a> event.) Although the dominant Sauropods (and dinosaurs) were almost wiped out in entirety, the balance of life shifted to the warm blooded night-predators (mammals, marsupials and the like.) </div>
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Hence, we are just lining ourselves up for replacement, unless we manage to find a way to "control" Earth's climate soon enough. This possibility was proposed by the Physicist Michio Kaku. He considers that for any intelligent species to thrive long enough to expand into larger parts of the universe, they must first reach a level to control Planetary climate (and thereby derive <i>[or develop] </i>the capability of Terraforming.) If you are a student or scientist reading this, you know well that the immediate care of humans is to model climate more accurately by identifying all variables that affect it and thereby devise methods to control climate and stabilise the biosphere. If not, our extinction would be even swifter than the Neanderthals in the scope of geological timescales.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-21752681704461069482013-11-17T07:56:00.002+05:302013-11-17T07:56:38.340+05:30Sri Lanka: Ethnic conflict or Regional Power Play?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljU7Sfk06oJR2Gfd9Sn5mYupqnhTOUvK_NGtdIKka2SehbDTSRsalD7fWFENVJ1wQNOTWU3p8HdQO_KANdu1-VdidS_con94xxVXVpLJpi95WjS1alMtp5Y9nlm_LI3lEvS9WaiJrenI/s1600/sri-lanka-map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljU7Sfk06oJR2Gfd9Sn5mYupqnhTOUvK_NGtdIKka2SehbDTSRsalD7fWFENVJ1wQNOTWU3p8HdQO_KANdu1-VdidS_con94xxVXVpLJpi95WjS1alMtp5Y9nlm_LI3lEvS9WaiJrenI/s400/sri-lanka-map.gif" width="295" /></a></div>
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The island nation of Sri Lanka, named at some point in history after the mythical place of the Ramayana has been the ground of conflict for thousands of years. Yet from 1983, the discrimination of a majority population, dubbed on the grounds of their language and belief systems as the Sinhalese and the "<i>alleged</i>" northern settlers (who have undoubtedly lived here for longer than published,) the internal civil war has brewed.</div>
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The ethnic issues began upon the departing of the British, as communal tensions increased between the largely Southern population of the Sinhalese and the northern population of the Tamil-speaking people. </div>
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Sri Lanka has been an ally of the United States of America, for a long time. Interestingly TIME magazine in 2006 has actually called the LTTE an <a href="http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1869501,00.html" target="_blank">extremely organized </a>fighting unit. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdiIO-UOI2oxT3eZHMTqs_3bmdTMguJ5HQAcdFcXFtQtqcZGcEYfd1aFjlXTxu0Xg6JlGZhoL62Ml3PSUjjVvWxujyKk-Gu-COQHEMk02A62sxFUfMROwPDDbylloFsi2QcpGS5er60A/s1600/125px-Emblem_of_Sri_Lanka.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdiIO-UOI2oxT3eZHMTqs_3bmdTMguJ5HQAcdFcXFtQtqcZGcEYfd1aFjlXTxu0Xg6JlGZhoL62Ml3PSUjjVvWxujyKk-Gu-COQHEMk02A62sxFUfMROwPDDbylloFsi2QcpGS5er60A/s1600/125px-Emblem_of_Sri_Lanka.svg.png" /></a><br />
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Human Rights Violations that are continuing, with the (largely) Sinhalese-speaking southern population on top, and the (largely) Tamil-speaking northern population subject to arrests even four years after the "<i>claimed</i>" end of the civil-war is shocking. Rajapakse is projected in an image akin to Ravan (of the ancient epic of the Ramayana.) I am appalled by this horror that the ethnic Sinhalese-speaking group believes in a zero-sum war.</div>
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How did such a travesty happen? What transpired into such a horrific calamity of human lives and livelihoods? (<i>It is a lot more than an ethnic conflict that panned out</i> ...)<br />
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<a name='more'></a><h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red;">A Naval Power game with people wronged </span></h2>
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The ending of the Sri Lankan civil war, was not merely by the use of force, but by a sequence of events that were almost blind to most except the strategists manipulating the conflict. Political and Military interests also lent a severe blow. Nature also lent its lashing hand setting the stage for a violent end.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpGB9Xj72hLgWu5rYMzPSPheVG52Ire0B7v8q_pmwv4IUww15VFHvF8PDcw56yYEY0HzyZPXLeA_RyOA54JwC04FFHPaZ149QjkvJiJeV6Omf6N0mU6uCrH6bQnt-IzSiTVfvNCkk8lQ/s1600/kudankulam_template_clip_image002_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpGB9Xj72hLgWu5rYMzPSPheVG52Ire0B7v8q_pmwv4IUww15VFHvF8PDcw56yYEY0HzyZPXLeA_RyOA54JwC04FFHPaZ149QjkvJiJeV6Omf6N0mU6uCrH6bQnt-IzSiTVfvNCkk8lQ/s320/kudankulam_template_clip_image002_0010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In 1977, while India started the Pokhran project, it simultaneously started working on the Kudankulam project. These were of course Military projects (as they remain even to this day.) </div>
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At this point the Indian military needed a deterrent on Sri Lanka, dominated by the ethnic Sinhalese to keep their project under the wraps. It was in this ironic interest that the Indian government (however subtlety we played it) encouraged funding the LTTE. </div>
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The map clearly illustrates how dominant such a Naval base should be, though it merely shows distances from it, it is more about access to International waters at the best possible point. The fact may remain unknown and veiled even to Indian Scientists who have worked in the plant.</div>
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This was temporarily evident in the media as protests against the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudankulam_Nuclear_Power_Plant" target="_blank">Nuclear Power Plant</a>" (the final cover) in Kudankulam was finally led by a citizen of the USA who had earlier been an employee in the power plant. Further the rural community of fishermen were funded to launch large scale people protests to help foreign forces find the actual secret of Kudankulam. This, unless it is truly used will remain unknown with only speculations of a Submarine cooled Nuclear plant or a Submarine refueling station or a Submarine base for the Navy. There is however a strong harbor like formation visible in satellite like pictures with almost nothing else visible.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Escalations in 1981 </h2>
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Not surprisingly, in 1983, the conflict between the ethnic Sinhalese and the Tamils went to a new scale. The LTTE became the more dominant political force with more aggressive ideologies. In 1984 however, the balance of strength slowly shifted into the ethnic Tamil hands, especially the LTTE. The Indian government had once dealt (quite similarly and ruthlessly) with an Assamese uprising. They realized that with the assassination of Indira Gandhi, India was weak and an uprising in Lanka would jeopardize their plans for Naval dominance in the tip of the Indian peninsula. </div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
IPKF: A ploy or a blunder?</h3>
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Hence, with ongoing cease-fires and talks between 1984 and 1987, finally the India sent an untrained IPKF into a war they allegedly ill-understood. However the political machinery fighting the war (not the ground-soldiers) did not feed the IPKF with the correct intelligence, thereby showing a large casualty (of the IPKF) thus labeling the LTTE as a more terrifying force than it truly was. Here, by not feeding intelligence, they sent the wrong messages the world thereby ending the IPKF deployment in 1991.</div>
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Earlier, India had successfully separated East Pakistan and West Pakistan by using a double nexus of power, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a strong defense on the western side. By causing civil conflict within East Pakistan, India managed to pretend to be the heroes in the formation of the state of Bangladesh. This operation took almost the same duration to setup to gain military dominance.</div>
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<i>Any struggle for independence or against oppression has two forces, a peaceful negotiating force and a wounded war-like avenging force. In India, right after the Quit India movement, the "peaceful negotiating force" whose tactic of non-violence was strategically too powerful (it was more a Damocles' sword than true non-violence) did scare the British by rising up in Education, mingling with them and sending mixed messages. The violent forces were quelled internally. </i></div>
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<i>Subsequently, India managed to get an independence, bathed in bloody communal violence - "Freedom at Midnight." </i></div>
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Assassination Perpetrator or Scapegoat</h2>
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In 1991, other political forces possibly both Indian & foreign, uninterested in this particular ethnic conflict, orchestrated the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. They ensured that this event would happen in a state where crime was at an all-time low - "Tamil Nadu", coincidentally blaming the LTTE (who may have not been the only ones contracted for the assignment.) </div>
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Until date, despite all the evidence, the assassination of a political leader is usually blinded by cover-ups thereby hiding the bitter truths. Yet, this incident was used to paint the LTTE as a vengeful and assassinating group - for which the LTTE even claimed credit, despite the fact that they were pawns in an international power struggle in the region. It is interesting that not all of Sri Lankan political leaders who were assassinated or killed could be blamed on the LTTE. There were hard-core ethnic Sinhalese group also involved in one.</div>
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It was no secret that through political parties particularly in the
state of Tamil Nadu, the LTTE were empowered to continue a more violent
struggle. Such funding would be contradictory if Indian intelligence already knew that the LTTE had been responsible for the assassination. Yet, this would be fine if Indian Intelligence agencies knew that the LTTE was merely the final tactical weapon in a much larger game. </div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Russian Ties</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDxb2m6iKFraw-puZebXPobEtUAmZzB19aU3zSMPKnOGAAYkpFsar84GDmGrm8qbag0_s9xjFVEJGV5FLApC-S8xXfjHtg5mWurfaDFiRvIhNMIiCRdCVDrRvLWoWRbea6-k2jfsUT20/s1600/Kudankulam_NPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDxb2m6iKFraw-puZebXPobEtUAmZzB19aU3zSMPKnOGAAYkpFsar84GDmGrm8qbag0_s9xjFVEJGV5FLApC-S8xXfjHtg5mWurfaDFiRvIhNMIiCRdCVDrRvLWoWRbea6-k2jfsUT20/s200/Kudankulam_NPP.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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As India continued building a Naval Base in Kudankulam (now dubbed a Nuclear Power Plant) - the official Lankan Navy had more problems to deal with, then spy on the Indians for their true allies, the USA. This gave India with a Russian alliance to build a strong Naval unit. This Indian Naval/Military unit was almost complete and possibly operational in 2003. The power plant, was later projected as the image of the unit although the true purpose of the Naval base will remain a military secret of India.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thereafter, in 2003, India slowly started discouraging funds moving out of the country. Under the guise of controlling FDI, exports, market-control and taxation reforms, India cleverly pulled out a strong funding means. In addition to this, they went far enough to agree to extradite refugees back to Lanka - as a political ploy to delay any Lankan intelligence unit from truly gauging the purpose of the Naval base. Russia granted over 6,500 crore Indian Rupees in credit for a complex allegedly costing <b>17,500 crores</b>. You can compare this with India's space mission to Mars which is officially funded at a mere 450 crores (although it does facilitate an ICBM program - the space race is a two pronged race, it also facilitates military equipment.) The sunken investment seems a little too high to be merely a 9500 MW capable power plant which generates less than 1000 MW this day. That would be less than 10% of projected capacity unless the money was sunk into something else.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now the official Lankan government once again had to deal with an influx of refugees and were unable to empower their own navy. India went far enough to even permit LTTE naval aircraft (not even the combat type) to fly within their radar. Again, India had used the LTTE as a shield for completing a key military base.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Although India may not have been the source of the money, the money could not easily flow through multiple US allied countries, which made India as an intermediary <i>siphon</i> for all supporters or sympathizers to fund the LTTE.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Refugees from Sri Lanka living in India know that they are treated most poorly. Only those who migrated during the 1950s-1960s or prior to India have acquired strong citizenship status in India and are treated thereafter as Indians for the most part. However, all refugees from the civil conflict are housed in camps that have too few or no facilities. In short, they are simple testament that India does not support the actual ethnic Northern people of Sri Lanka. I have met a few of them who, by some grace, have worked hard toward education and gain employment. They live with painful memories of the conflict (for which there is no psychological care here) and the constant fear of being deported. </div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Super Tsunami</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami" target="_blank"><span id="goog_251570742"></span>December, 2004<span id="goog_251570743"></span> one of the most devastating Tsunamis</a> affected North, North-Eastern and some parts of Eastern Lanka. Several of the northern folk were fishermen (a reason why the LTTE tactically built a makeshift-navy) - and their livelihood was severely disrupted. Interestingly, this was caused by a 9.1-9.3 Richter scale quake, the third most powerful quake ever recorded by a seismograph. This was later explained as a "subduction" earthquake, a type that had never been seen before and mother nature was once again blamed for a most strange event.</div>
<br />
"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Balasingham" target="_blank">Anton Balasingham</a>", once an employee of the British Raj, who settled in
the U.K. was stragetically leading the ethnic-tamils to find equilibrium, which he too finally concluded could only be won by a separate "Eelam" state. He helped ensure that the ethnic
Tamils were not overrun by the increasingly aggressive Sinhalese despite all their disadvantages.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anton Balasingham passed away in 2006 setting the stage for an LTTE with no international strategic advise which gave the Sinhalese an upper hand. Coincidentally in the same year, all construction on the Indian base at Kudankulam had also completed. Anyone living within Sri Lanka was easily compromised by either of the sides of the conflict. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Prabhakaran was a leader, but could not give his full capability to a multifaceted role of a Strategist, a General and a Tactician. He always ended up in the thick of things as more of an empathic tactician. He wasn't trained in a military school to organize and fight. His tactics were reactive rather than <i>start</i> a conflict. However without satellite photographs of the terrain in the North it would be impossible to have fought him. These were allegedly supplied by the USA who continually helped Sri Lankan industry and wanted them to end the conflict, so they could get a closer eye view at whatever it was that India was building at the tip of the peninsula.</div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Terrorists or Scapegoats?</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A picture was painted of the ethnic Tamil group and the LTTE is as if they were like the Irish Republican Army. Yet excesses like burning down the Jaffna Library, a repository of a lot of knowledge goes unmentioned in the grand scheme of things. Coins dating back to the Chola era were stolen from areas in the north and sold in the black market by the ethnic Sinhalese group. Some are even available for display today in museums in Colombo. Yet, there is no mention of these coin collections having existed in Colombo prior to 1987 - is this coincidence?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yet, no one bothers to point out that they did not deal in (narcotic) "<i>drugs</i>"
as the IRA once did. The IRA has the highest assassination count for
any terrorist organization in the world - and many compared LTTE tactics
to the IRA - forgetting to point out that they were "<i>principled</i>" in not using drugs and drug money. This would have been a simple strategy in bringing down the ethnic Sinhalese speaking group by using a larger, yet unprincipled and immoral investment. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The LTTE tried to use every strategic piece to keep the conflict from falling off the cliff. They were however hopelessly outnumbered as the North wasn't allowed to develop economically. A single international port in Jaffna would have changed the power balance, but the military struggle between India and Sri Lanka (as allies themselves of Russia and the USA) ensured that such a development never happened. Trade embargo enforced on LTTE ensured they couldn't export anything officially thereby labeling them "outlaws." The media painted Prabhakaran as a monstrosity, rather than a leader trying to hold an oppressed ethnic group together. He wasn't alone. </div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The Peace Lovers and their Failing </h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There were other "peace-loving" groups as they were labeled. But India's non-violent power came from the war of 1857, showing that an uprising would end up too costly for the British Empire if it happened again. The non-violent struggle was to unite India into one unit, threatening the British with a possible mutiny at least in principle. That was sufficient enough to deter an empire torn asunder by the second World War to retreat from almost all their colonies as the costs of maintaining any administration or presence in them became too high. No such deterrent existed in a civil conflict.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Allegations of LTTE being funded by drugs arose in 2003 (coincidentally at the same time the Kudankulam base was completed and operations for the Nuclear power plant were begun.) There were reports of Narcotics-funded-terrorism published only in 2012, about the use of such money between 2006 and 2009. This would however be the time when the LTTE was weakest.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What brewed was still the same old Lankan tactic of overwhelming force. The official Lankan military who can even be dubbed the Sinhalese military aren't the best trained military in the world. Sri Lanka began their military training schools only in 1981. Their military is about 200,000 strong in number. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The LTTE had far less than 10,000 recruits, mostly untrained, noncombatants who were forced to bear arms as state funded medical facilities, schools, civil police protection was intentionally denied since 1960. They were outnumbered, outgunned and outdone in every way by the very state which was to protect them from the very beginning. The only solution they had was to resort to defense and extreme asymmetric warfare. The original people themselves were peace-loving and had very little weapons training prior furthering their disadvantage. </div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Scapegoats for Assassinations</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Political assassinations of leaders within Sri Lanka have also been painted on the LTTE. The trouble is the forensic evidence is very similar to attacks used by the LTTE - but a surgical assassination would then indicate that the LTTE were not a terrorist organization as the Sinhalese led Sri Lankan state claimed. Yet, a targeted assassination is a sign of a much more politically choosey encounter rather than terrifying the public.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ideally, a terror attack would need to kill more civilians and thereby incite terror and fear in the hearts of ordinary citizens. Further, the modern international terrorist forces have shown that they can bring entire nations down by fear using a new strategy of asymmetric warfare. Yet, this is nothing close to what the LTTE ever achieved. Their actions were concentrated in a geographical area dominated mostly by ethnic Tamils. An attack in a Southern city or one crippling the harbor of Colombo is unheard of. Infiltration of the Sri Lankan military too was never done. How then does the LTTE end up labeled purely as a terrorist force?</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
War Crimes and Impunity</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Although International law has several precedents to investigate war crimes, they have to be ultimately between two opposing political groups specifically states recognizable in the Hague. Internal Human Rights abuses are unfortunately not addressed by the UNHCR except for the publishing of reports. No country with internal violations of human rights has insofar had major sanctions imposed on them by the UN. Indian paramilitary and military forces were involved in excesses in Kashmir. The Indian military <i>obviously</i> denies having been aiding, abetting or perpetrating any war-crimes in the war-zones of Kashmir.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Genocides within Country Jurisdictions Worldwide </h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Australians successfully concluded the silent genocide of the native Aborigine population. Former Yugoslavia has been so badly war torn after the demise of Marshal Tito. The ensuing war crimes have been among the worst ever documented, yet there is no true justice that present systems could dispense. The Syrian civil war, the Libyan civil war, the Egyptian revolution - are all examples where governments have escaped with impunity despite their excesses on their own population.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In horrific similarity, the Sri Lankan civil war has been no different. Despite documented evidence as in almost all other cases, there is nothing much the world can do to interfere in their affairs. The fact that the USA allies with both Pakistan and Sri Lanka to ensure that India does not quickly grow into a superpower, in trade and military prowess also disables these crimes from being investigated. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The evidence is undisputed, yet no one has a solution. Does prosecution (like the Nuremberg trials) ever lend justice to the wrongfully harmed or murdered people? Does hanging of a few Military leaders or even a Minister or the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka today dispense justice to the suffering of the people?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Worse yet, the USA and allies set double-standards recently -
claiming that "Chemical Weapon" usage in a civil conflict necessitated
international involvement - but murder of civilians by conventional
means did not merit International involvement. Even the Syrian Rebels nor the public did not want the USA interfering given that they have too much of a negative image in the African and Arab world.</div>
<br />
The "Sri Lankan" Peace Keeping Force was recalled from Haiti after no less than 193 members of a company were accused of rape, torture and other crimes. Further, 5 were convicted although the rest were returned to Sri Lankan soil. Their track record outside Sri Lanka has fared no better.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Alleged Indian Military Hardware</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
India
was truly uninterested in handing any help including
'military-hardware'. Indian equipment allegedly supplied from Avadi was
merely armor that could be used as decoys. If the Sri Lankans decided to
use them, an engineering effort would take five (5) years to modernize
them (something the Indians couldn't do despite their hi-tech
installations.) On the other hand, using them with "Petrol" would
cripple the Lankan state economy. The Lankans however did not fall to
the ploy this time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
They
used the IPKF incident as their ignorance of how to fight in the
terrain.Yet, they tried to keep the Sinhalese headed Lankan government
that India would help better yet after the having pinned the
assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (at that time only a political candidate,)
on the LTTE who at best could have been the final tactical armament
used to eliminate him, but never the mastermind behind the assassination
(which happened in Indian soil.) <h2 style="text-align: left;">
Weaponry used in the Civil War</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In all earlier conflicts of the state troops against the LTTE, artillery used was World-War-II grade, something that could be defended against. However, it was new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Army#Artillery" target="_blank">artillery</a> that helped in delivering the final blow. They are Chinese, American (USA) and Czech equipment. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The hand-gun weaponry was upgraded to the infamous Israeli UZI accompanied by German HK-MP5 rifles. Lesser trained units were given Chinese issue AK-47 rifles, more commonly used by a paramilitary often disguised as the CID or Military Police who have been accused of most of the incarcerations, tortures and murders in the war crimes. SA-58 and the better SAR-58 (improved by Singapore) was also used. Singapore is majorly allied with the USA as a military.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For what little artillery the LTTE could afford, anti-tank rockets were supplied by Pakistan (which indirectly obtained the technology and weaponry from the USA.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Convoys of military were escorted by obsoleted Russian BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-3 armored vehicles mounted with Heavy Machine guns. However the main "Tank" used to destroy mines was a Pakistan supplied Al-Khalid MBT. Chinese Type 59 and Type 69 "Tanks" were also used for massive assault campaigns destroying entire villages and their populations. The war crimes of civilians dying in prisons by torture is but the tip of the iceberg. The real '<i>ethnic cleansing</i>' was carried out by weaponry. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Earlier weaponry included the T55 which were deployed in check-posts to avoid ambushes. The South African "Buffel" APC was the mine protected vehicle which led the troops through extremely mined territories. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
India would stand clean as long as people focused on allegations that Indians supplied weaponry, which of course does not include anything that the Sri Lankan army could use effectively. Supplying an Indian Naval Carrier to the Sri Lankans recently has been merely an appeasing move, with no true interests in military empowerment of an already threatening nation, whose only failing is the absence of a large air-force which is being empowered right now. India in opposition has decided to setup larger airbases in the far South with no option, as defending airspace will now become critical.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red;">Why, Who and What Next?</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The big question is, who is the true villain in all these events. Undoubtedly the victims are civilians, the majority being an ethnic 'Tamil' group. There have been civilians of the ethnic 'Sinhalese' group who have been labeled supporters of the LTTE or the ethnic 'Tamils' in some way and subject to persecution (not prosecution). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In my opinion, children born during the conflict and murdered have been the worst to be victimized. Murdering the youngest son of the last LTTE chief, Prabhakaran was most horrific and indicative of the many childhoods lost. Many families have been broken. The Lankan military may presently believe that they have achieved a great victory, but they will also carry home stories of pain, torture and a possible dictatorship that might subjugate the ethnic Sinhalese as well. Using the ethnic conflict, a rather weak military in Sri Lanka has now risen to broker power at a parliamentary level and controls the entire northern "Eelam" or Jaffna region. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Despite all that is painted of Rajapakse, he might end up being painted the Dictator, while the military has its sway on its own people. Once they get rid of all the ethnic 'Tamils' who mistakenly return to their nation either by extradition or by choice, they will turn on their own people. They have already targeted ethnic Sinhalese who were supposed 'Tamil' sympathizers. In short, every nation that has participated in a civil war has ultimately destroyed itself and its own humanity. What will transpire here will be of no difference.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The "Why" no longer matters, the "Who" (started it) too, pales in comparison to a terrible future that this nation is about to face. They may open up as a nation friendly to tourists, and a new arena for the USA to conduct their 'Renditions' [the infamous persecution of US nationals on foreign soil in the name of curbing terrorism.] The truth is the perpetrators are equal victims as much as those victimized for they have just lined themselves up. Killing Adolf Hitler or Mengele or numerous other Nazi war criminals did not better the lives of those prosecuted by them (labeling all of them Jews would be injustice to those who were not.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
India too has been played along with Sri Lanka in the never ending cold-war between the USA and Russia with foreign powers playing their hands with smaller nations as puppets. </div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Endnote ...</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I write this, India also risks electing Narendra Modi as its leader, who can easily slip and fall into a similar dilemma and permit (willfully or powerlessly) such crimes against people. He has slipped once and has no remorse for that. Hence, India also will be judged only by its people and time. No murders, wars will rebuild lost lives, families, livelihoods and childhoods.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I stay powerless to even think of a pragmatic solution to help mankind find peaceful coexistence anywhere, even in a country so close to where I live.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If one nation state can turn against the very citizens it is formed to protect and such an incident has recurred too many times within the last century - then which country or which people are safe? Why are we turning a blind eye to such conflicts and heinous organized crimes? Is it because, despite all our technological prowess, we do not have a true political solution at all? </div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-78155232146325299362013-11-15T07:29:00.004+05:302013-11-15T07:44:41.762+05:30India 2013: Tamil Nadu - Power crisis!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA4CvQPoyon4o7VUPZiYXpmHemtMQRHQJ8Kr9vMmwldJxO_G24ELYFTuu7B_wUpTeRYMnE_QsCQwNUdXgxueQW1lWyjYHcMiURoqnzB9JY7YIbDxxPVW7zKTSQP8ck2otZ4agCZ1P-Dg/s1600/mettur-dam-1_040612075418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA4CvQPoyon4o7VUPZiYXpmHemtMQRHQJ8Kr9vMmwldJxO_G24ELYFTuu7B_wUpTeRYMnE_QsCQwNUdXgxueQW1lWyjYHcMiURoqnzB9JY7YIbDxxPVW7zKTSQP8ck2otZ4agCZ1P-Dg/s320/mettur-dam-1_040612075418.jpg" width="320" /></a>The two main sources of electricity generated in Tamil Nadu are <b>Mettur Hydel Project</b> and thermal plants at the <b>Neyveli Lignite Corporation</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In addition there are multiple thermal power plants of much lower capacity, some operating on diesel, some operating on coal - all of which have little or no indigenous supply of fuel.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Kalpakkam</b>, the first Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) powers areas in the state capital of Chennai and has already been upgraded close to 1.25 MW peak capacity with an additional reactor. This was designed to be a contingency and research operation to support state capitals in times of grave emergency. Our complete reliance on Kalpakkam for Chennai (and surrounding areas) is already stressing out the production from this plant.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Wind power generation has dropped 85% between 2012 and 2013. This is from 30% of projected <i>peak</i> wind power capacity to 5% of projected wind power plant capacity. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Kudankulam</b>'s <a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2012/02/understanding-kudankulam-technology-and.html" target="_blank">revised nuclear power technology reactor</a> output is sketchy at best, one can assume that it feeds 500MW (peak: 750MW) of power into the grid if it is operational - despite the fact that it's capacity is much higher. This is more a naval facility than a civilian power production plant, particularly due to its location and is manned by very few civilians. </div>
<br />
<i>Read on to see data, alternatives, and where we must try to go from here ...</i><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
The story of Wind Power is abysmal. We've seen huge GE or Suzlon manufactured turbines or fans being transported to locations for installation. I would think that it was both an act of desperation and profit-making that had no strong basis in research.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here are the power production figures in MW (source: Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association) - which I can tell you is the optimistic number and may not be the actual metric of power fed into the grid.</div>
<br />
<br />
In 2012 the total output [during the supposedly <i>windly</i> season] was 140.35MW for Tamil Nadu.<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">APR 26.95</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">MAY 27.75</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">JUN 30.15</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">JUL 28.00</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">AUG 27.50</span></li>
</ol>
In 2013 the total output [in the same period] was 64.25MW <br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">APR 0</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">MAY 8.2</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">JUN 20.6</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">JUL 13.3</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">AUG 22.15</span></li>
</ol>
<a href="http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/TOICH/2013/09/26/6/Img/Pc0062600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/TOICH/2013/09/26/6/Img/Pc0062600.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is an 85% drop in production. The 140.35MW was in itself less than 30% of the actual peak projected capacity - assuming our weather/climate research and regional setup of the plants.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In Tamil Nadu the mistake seems to be huge investments through private sector for Wind Power plants (they occupy lots of space and are unpredictable in terms of average output.) Although everyone keeps talking about "clean" energy, in years where weather models and climate models have become most unpredictable, wind-power production cannot be relied upon. This would mean investment in Solar power too is a risk, if we were to get perennial tropical rains - unless we model climate. The investment for tidal power plants is too high although the guarantees of maintenance of them are equally sketchy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The result is Tamil Nadu spiraling into a power deficit like never before.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While I write this I know that District headquarters like Thanjavur (my hometown) has between 5 and 7 hrs of power cuts distributed across 3 or 4 instances between 1-3hrs each. I have listened to villagers from nearby that there is no electricity even at night as the acute power shortage crisis looms.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tamil Nadu is just an illustration of a <a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2012/03/power-demand-and-production-in-south.html" target="_blank">once power-surplus state within India</a> becoming a state with huge deficit. There are other states in India which already started on a bad footing and have no more redeeming chances with the older solutions. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh invested heavily (either through private or public sector or shared investments) on Wind Power. This too is the biggest sunk investment we've ever seen. </div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Global Solutions that have been Reliable</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In order to solve the power crisis, we can no longer continue to rely on centralized power production plants. We will have to invest in <b>unconventional distributed power plants</b>. There were even models of miniature nuclear subterranean plants completely fused, that could serve entire towns. These have not been approved yet as the technology, cost and safety measures for such a distributed system are found lacking. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Solar power production relies on low-life-span solar-energy-collectors. Their power conversion is between 20% and 30% as hybrid solar cells that can give close to 40% of power are almost 3x or 4x the cost of the existing ones. Unlike the USA who has deserts like Nevada that are completely unpopulated where they have a 6GW solar power facility, our population density would advise us against trying such an exercise. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Singapore (where per capita power consumption is technically much higher than the figure for India) uses submarine Gas powered plants. Japan has no option but to opt for Nuclear power with their plants back in operation despite having shut them down after public protests following the Fukushima catastrophe.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The Impossibility of Frugal Disruption</h2>
Reducing power consumption is by no means the solution to the lack of an exponential rise in power requirements. This is in part supported by battery technology vendors as the capacity of batteries has reached a peak and therefore any other high power capacitor or power storage device is too costly and too short-lived to replace the existing battery banks. There were proposed solutions of trying to use fuel cells to combat this, but they have also proved too costly and too short-lived.<br />
<br />
With such a crisis we <b>cannot</b> run cars on electricity (that is not saving on power) because you don't have enough electricity for existing usage in the first place. That is where the automobile industry wants to step into with hybrid electric, gas and gasoline hybrids. This too is a short-lived intermediate solution. <br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Tidal Power?</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here's the new buzz in the industry - Tidal power plants. Before we take the plunge into Tidal power, we must know that they are equally disruptive of marine ecosystems. Ocean currents are much like weather and their patterns have been subject to severe changes resulting in actual weather changes. Ocean currents began changing in 2004 and are now being remodeled. That would mean, relying on such a power source (kits inside water as sails to produce power or hydel-type reactors on beach fronts) would be equally risky. Hydro electric power has already succumbed to the unpredictable weather/climate alterations. The trouble with climate/weather is that nothing you do will produce any "instant" change in the system. You cannot grow trees in a day hoping that within a month, you will have restored a more predictable normalized weather system - despite the fact that we may have the technology to do that. The reason is simple, we don't have enough real estate to plant any trees anywhere.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The only solution that will work before we plunge into the age of no energy</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We need entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists in India to innovate and come up with better ideas. If you're starting up, do not fall in the lap of a multinational, but instead think of how power can be entirely decentralized and cost lesser to manufacture. After this, production is the other area where India cannot quickly innovate (from my experience in seeing lead-free PCBs and PCBs greater than 21 layers not manufactured en masse ever in India - we go to contract manufacturers elsewhere in the world) as investment in new technology is almost always at a stand still.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We are at the tipping point of the current 'peak' of human civilization. We will fall. It is how we handle this fall that will help us. Another World War will merely accelerate the chain of events that will lead to the fall. There are no peaceful means by which we have succeeded to increase production in the past. German industrial production, USA's industrial production, India's industrial production, Russian industrial production were on an unprecedented maximum during World-War-2 as people worked hard to "<i>end the war</i>." Some have even considered such an approach to try and increase production, but we all know that wars cause more damage than help and do not want to fall into the abyss.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
The Bad News: The oncoming "Age of No Energy"</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you have data in digital media, now would be a good time to make hard-copies of whatever is useful, as a lack of power would mean an unprecedented impossibility to access them ever again. Our chief concern would be food/shelter/clothing/security which would all need immediate attention.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hence today's huge investment in 'information technology' and 'communication technology' as export while necessities like food are being imported is seriously not paying back in the long-term scenario of an energy blackout.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
How many companies, colleges are working on 'Communication', 'Aeronautics', 'Avionics' - when these are not going to independently help us feed ourselves. Why have we forgotten the "Need hierarchy pyramid"? All civilizations are chiefly agricultural, whether they like to admit it or not. The fall-back plan is to become hunters with a violent and devastating swing to it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is a call to arms or a request for all-hands-on-deck. It's not the political race that we should be worried about, it is total human extinction that is looming around the corner. It may just not happen within our life-span, but definitely our grand-children will witness it unless we take steps to stop it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Next time you think about buying that new iPhone or Android based Tablet with awesome movie-watching features - remember what is coming is the age of no energy (we aren't merely talking electricity here.) </div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Back to Electricity</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the following years we might see acute shortages over periods of multiple months with a short rainy season or monsoon helping in just balancing power production. The move to CCFL, LED lighting will slowly teach us lessons about their long-term reliability. Air conditioning/Climate-control would suffice to over consume power in its present design and needs a huge work-over. Batteries will run out sooner every year as equipment consume more power for more features until things try to get back to the basics. By 2020 we might just get back into the dark ages unless we start doing something on a war footing right now.</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-47499219330162141592013-11-14T06:34:00.002+05:302013-11-14T06:34:20.259+05:30GimpShop: GIMP taking on Photoshop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gimpshop.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.gimpshop.com/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiTFAWRq3BHbamCSrjAoSHGsrGadd70VhZuVw2WN6c8TvKv-1MFQKYaAyKsTboUeU3n2H8zQkqHqntz_Ibfk0OHVjZ9l8BRYXf6K9Y_YEgF2fKcdfp1CSCFBR33HkAMgYYJGOAA77AWQ/s1600/GimpshopLogo.png" /></a></div>
Late is the hour when open source answers. There are some of us who'd like to recommend GIMP to those using Adobe Photoshop - behemoth on Operating Systems that get sluggish, the moment you start working on something huge. You can't just uninstall everything, yet GIMP had an alien interface and GIMP for windows was more GIMP, less familiar to the Photoshop community.<br />
<br />
It wasn't released yesterday; why this post?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAEcDpziu9GZ17egCUD4Obc6skYNfz6C7qNWg_OSTnjE7pVXJvHATx5_c2dCaYTBjcCYybX7pevXxChbUsQxLe0iN8wUqUZVJbJfphwhShann99dJuH-6u7Dd6x3-7vSmahE1VRAKa10/s1600/Gimpshop+_+GEGL.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAEcDpziu9GZ17egCUD4Obc6skYNfz6C7qNWg_OSTnjE7pVXJvHATx5_c2dCaYTBjcCYybX7pevXxChbUsQxLe0iN8wUqUZVJbJfphwhShann99dJuH-6u7Dd6x3-7vSmahE1VRAKa10/s200/Gimpshop+_+GEGL.png" width="158" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/" border="0" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2axhHMwtzeZM-oha0_2S0mD8roOjgo2jQw5tARdD1PMlkwmuRzdGsqOSTHd6jCIeFKe0gwYbyPutBoTpY-eEZVu-yeoEtFeIpLqRe6kBLbXXZdhfmteia_QIzWCHoEDHdX9S3m0z_r8/s200/GimpWin.png" width="200" /></a>The original Photoshop tools equivalent to <a href="http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">GIMP </a>tools have been like the MS Windows 7.x to 8.x upgrade (everything is not where it used to be.) While I have convinced some, who out of brevity did try out, their patience wore thin till they got back to Adobe Photoshop. Being open-source, GIMP needed a few rebuilds, interface-changes, translations, plugin support layers to really get friendly to the Photoshop club. That's exactly what <a href="http://www.gimpshop.com/" target="_blank"><b>GIMPShop</b></a> is. <br />
<br />
<i>Read on for screenshots and direct download links ...</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<a name='more'></a>The first thing you'd like to know before you even try to install it, is "How does it look like?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJmMiqAO9IkX6sa3SSF-2ZCotkMRyNHw8hPJLTkeWAIOdbsy1nil3FmXZMxVXOY8K5RUi_8wvJjnLmVZ5RxcVNqCcOUMS-LGZglT8Y4YiiW5EfRgMtuQ2L18-wmTfsmmsKmrELbGImxw/s1600/GimpShop-StartupScreen-001.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJmMiqAO9IkX6sa3SSF-2ZCotkMRyNHw8hPJLTkeWAIOdbsy1nil3FmXZMxVXOY8K5RUi_8wvJjnLmVZ5RxcVNqCcOUMS-LGZglT8Y4YiiW5EfRgMtuQ2L18-wmTfsmmsKmrELbGImxw/s200/GimpShop-StartupScreen-001.PNG" width="200" /></a></div>
<i> </i><br />
It takes a while to start, but that's the only delay I've noticed. Once you have it running, it doesn't pound CPU or GPU or memory to burn up resources. Random noise algorithms are available both from the native GIMP side (under Filters) and GEGL (which seems a lot faster.)<br />
<br />
<br />
What is nice is that you can switch between "Single Window" mode and "Multiple Window" mode in real-time, by just clicking on the menu.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_7bqoF7E1C2hLqOW2UXh2WpddcNyHb-bDW8lv4Dz9v-mLgqGLgk2TXR_iWNqNeFGVIsJbqmxJwJqLzsJt3kxQzqAhxo7N5LZRTl96EGsjzL1lVIJOZ0N2l3cUyw5juzKisVjGEGcYOo/s1600/GimpShop-SingleWindow-002.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_7bqoF7E1C2hLqOW2UXh2WpddcNyHb-bDW8lv4Dz9v-mLgqGLgk2TXR_iWNqNeFGVIsJbqmxJwJqLzsJt3kxQzqAhxo7N5LZRTl96EGsjzL1lVIJOZ0N2l3cUyw5juzKisVjGEGcYOo/s640/GimpShop-SingleWindow-002.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GimpShop: Single Window mode (looks a lot more familiar)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's something that was done in less than a minute on an older box running MS Windows 7 SP2:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmbpzLSKsZSJw4yRWqTejkx_FhTj9WKQDLKOVbkjEI_VFWTw4vyp_YSSYZydVopZm-J2WWdR2G4jO4iwBV4Q2bw_RWjxaYAx7PFDyS1G2GJT2SRL2irYHDBNtWMozNEZ_8TT3ZYoBVto/s1600/GimpShop-HighResWork-GL-Accelerated.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmbpzLSKsZSJw4yRWqTejkx_FhTj9WKQDLKOVbkjEI_VFWTw4vyp_YSSYZydVopZm-J2WWdR2G4jO4iwBV4Q2bw_RWjxaYAx7PFDyS1G2GJT2SRL2irYHDBNtWMozNEZ_8TT3ZYoBVto/s640/GimpShop-HighResWork-GL-Accelerated.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GimpShop: Random Noise generated really fast, in different levels for the water, and for the continents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You could see the layers on the right which have the familiar <i>link</i>, mask and sub-layer.<br />
<br />
You can align the brushes either as a toolbar on top or to the right where in a wider screen it seems convenient.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.gimpshop.com/thank-you" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.gimpshop.com/thank-you" border="0" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0SGistDG5_fmLwvzgKYukF6_if4oufGpTSGdMgmoAnD_5Qc_AlfxO1lR1Hj72HEMURh088vRoxVNPTydQLXaY5ALk7mKRC1_JPuIDq-X7qSNBCIX4JUCCIZO9JxkoQAIOL5LdH_TwjA/s320/Gimpshop+_DL-Button.png" width="320" /></a></div>
It's just a click away, but read the <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Caveat</b> </span>below to ensure your installation goes smooth. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gimpshop.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.gimpshop.com/" border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQ2agQs8nBAej4j2Fa0ZY5jJFVn4EE3pktEqRwzgVA_gkw66EHOVlppO03UBYXFy3zS9ueIEvOBqbhbQVqG_jRrERzbmDfaXqRwC5SW0UvHdyRZkQ04WDBShUUPad_Jv-5kNjL4zpitk/s640/Gimpshop+_+The+Free+Photoshop+Alternative.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It's "Free" as in Freedom, and it's also priced free. Try it out and give them feedback. There's plenty of tutorials to get most of the stuff done accessible through the site. It's mostly on YouTube unless you like to flip through long manuals.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Caveat</h2>
The "Installer" that it is shipped with is not open source. When you start the Installation you are prompted to install at least one Search Tool and Mobile Application downloading tool - make sure you "Decline" the offer. Once you're done with this, you're ready to move on to installing GimpShop - this takes a while. The installer itself is 70MB, but downloads the rest of the content from their servers during installation. The base installation comes with "everything."<br />
<br />
You can reflect your comments on this post or at the <a href="http://www.gimpshop.com/blog" target="_blank">GimpShop blog</a>.<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-88231809978364775012013-11-13T18:03:00.000+05:302013-11-13T18:03:11.659+05:30Sualeh Keen's Works: Prose, Poetry, Wit and Wisdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/24614868/Sualeh-Keen-s-Poetry-A-Collection" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Sualeh Keen's Poetry: A Collection on Scribd">Sualeh Keen's Poetry: A Collection</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/betasam" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Sunil Beta Baskar's profile on Scribd">Sunil Beta Baskar</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.772922022279349" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_88598" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/24614868/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-53c48ep93i5mj9h3375&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
This is work that's continually growing, being collected at a much slower pace than he manages to pen them. This is just 1 year (almost) - there are 3 more years of notes/poetry/essays/commentaries to be added. I've included more content that was ignored in the previous revisions.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-2390036590661335892013-11-08T10:59:00.001+05:302013-11-11T08:27:39.753+05:30Indian elections 2014: The Future game<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI-8sVcEp0Q7y2bjyclOTVibqJ3MFvNHIkIYg0d3fvYF1jB-kQYmEQ2rSsC_1JQlJOcQE55QUbU_7YVnwB89VE2qqZWOm2HZDid1GQUzOw7xiJqz1RCdiup7GhGhR7RRgIkblUiawJuM/s1600/blog-2013-indianelections-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI-8sVcEp0Q7y2bjyclOTVibqJ3MFvNHIkIYg0d3fvYF1jB-kQYmEQ2rSsC_1JQlJOcQE55QUbU_7YVnwB89VE2qqZWOm2HZDid1GQUzOw7xiJqz1RCdiup7GhGhR7RRgIkblUiawJuM/s1600/blog-2013-indianelections-2014.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2014" target="_blank">Indian Elections: 2014</a>, a few who would change the game among the many ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
India's electorate has always dispensed more power to regional parties thereby enabling coalitions. The regional parties hope to have either a "weak" or reasonably compliant group calling the shots at the center, ensuring that they can have their say.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
This would quickly explain how the most complex coalition was headed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._D._Deve_Gowda" target="_blank">H D Deve Gowda</a> and later by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I._K._Gujral" target="_blank">I K Gujral</a> who were not perceived to be strong leaders. This does not however grant them authority and therefore explains why they had shorter terms. However perception does not necessarily mean that the leader in question or the party enabling that person with leadership is strong or weak. This however affects electoral mandate.<br />
<br />
The second factor is that public awareness toward corruption and scams is growing with an inherent want for 'fair governance'. Hence any party perceived corrupt or having been involved in scams has the <i>negative</i> swing as they call it. (Yet, we must remember that historically - even in terms of evolution, nature itself has never been fair.) Hence having fair governance is as much a pipe dream that might even end up with a global Orwelian <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia" target="_blank">Dystopia</a>.<br />
<br />
India needs:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Stability in the Center to help growth in terms of economy.</li>
<li>Regional stability to avoid unrest, rise in issues like naxalites, requests to form new-states of regions that were not previously union-territories.</li>
</ul>
You can read further, on the possible political future of India from 2014-2027, hoping that a worldwide war or catastrophe does not happen.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Here is a quick list of the power brokers in each of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_India" target="_blank">past elections</a> leading to the present. This gives us some data to work with to predict what happens next.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2009" target="_blank">15th Lokh Sabha (2009) </a></li>
<ul>
<li>Led by: Congress(I) - <i>Manmohan Singh</i> (37.2%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: UPA</li>
</ul>
<li>Opposed by: BJP - <i>L K Advani</i> (24.6%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: NDA </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2004" target="_blank">14th Lokh Sabha (2004)</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Led by: Congress(I) - <i>Sonia Gandhi </i>(35.4%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: UPA</li>
</ul>
<li>Opposed by:<i> </i>BJP - <i>Shri A B Vajpayee </i>(33.3%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: NDA</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1999" target="_blank">13th Lokh Sabha (1999)</a><a class="image" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1999_Lok_Sabha.png" title=""><img alt="1999 Lok Sabha.png" height="150" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/1999_Lok_Sabha.png/300px-1999_Lok_Sabha.png" width="300" /></a></li>
<ul>
<li>Led by: BJP - <i>Shri A B Vajpayee</i> (37.1%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: NDA </li>
</ul>
<li>Opposed by: Congress(I) - <i>Sonia Gandhi</i> (28.3%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: UPA </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1998" target="_blank">12th Lokh Sabha (1998)</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Led by: BJP - <i>Shri A B Vajpayee </i>(37.2%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: NDA<i> </i></li>
</ul>
<li>Opposed by: Congress(I) - <i>Sitaram Kesri </i>(26.1%) </li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: UPA</li>
</ul>
<li>Government short-lived as </li>
<ul>
<li>AIADMK pulls out support for 18 seats. </li>
<li>Regional parties are unable to form a stable coalition.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1996" target="_blank">11th Lokh Sabha (1996)</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Led by: JD - <i>H D Deve Gowda</i> (29%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: UF (United Front)</li>
</ul>
<li>Opposed by: BJP - <i>Shri A B Vajpayee</i> (20.3%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: NDA</li>
</ul>
<li>Government short-lived as </li>
<ul>
<li>Congress(I) removes "outside support" or non-participative support. </li>
<li>Laloo Prasad Yadav forms his own party weakening the Janata Dal by 17 seats.</li>
<li>Regional parties are unable to form a stable coalition. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1991" target="_blank">10th Lokh Sabha (1991)</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Led by: Congress(I) - <i>P V Narisimha Rao</i> (35.6%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: First UPA Coalition</li>
</ul>
<li>Opposed by: BJP - <i>L K Advani</i> (20%)</li>
<ul>
<li>Coalition Alliance: (early NDA)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
What might happen?</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Perceptions </h3>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narendra_Modi" target="_blank">Narendra Mod</a>i is simultaneously being seen as both strong and weak. This seems to be the message he is sending. The strong image should attract more to vote for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Party" target="_blank">BJP</a>. The weak image should help him form alliances with regional parties early on. <a href="http://betasector.blogspot.in/2013/10/india-2014-narendra-modi-his-campaign.html" target="_blank">He is a game changer </a>as I've earlier looked at him with skepticism, but his approach is indeed new and that would empower him.<br />
<br />
The strong image has attracted a lot of youth and urban voters. The weak image has convinced some regional parties to ally with him, but the "strong" image is now beginning to overshadow his 'weak' image that is making it difficult to form more regional alliances as necessary.<br />
<br />
The Congress(I) actually has three leaders - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singh" target="_blank">Manmohan Singh</a> (who may not take the next term), Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi. All three are perceived to be weak on the outside while their strengths are probably known only to those close to them. It is folly to judge politicians by their speeches, promises or their perceived victories and failures.<br />
<br />
Newer players like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_Kejriwal" target="_blank">Arvind Kejriwal</a> are here to satisfy the public need for better governance. They know that they do not stand alone, yet the fog of doubt clouds them for now, as such players have been too small an influence even in past elections. <br />
<br />
Despite all their previous successes, they are also playing this game with perceived weak leaders while their internal politicking strengths are not entirely compromised. However their image in front of the average voter has suffered, thanks to scams, graft being publicized - thanks to privatized "intelligence." <br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
International Power</h3>
While perceptions vary, Indian economy is fairly stable in a situation where the global economic crisis (a process rather than a single event) has been on the rise. No country has been spared the ill effects of this. In combination with the events that are termed the Arab Spring (which seems a desperate global attempt at taking international control out of the Arab League / Oil Exporting Nations) the global economy has suffered massively.<br />
<br />
Despite the fall of the USSR, Russia a former ally of India in international matters is rising as an international powerhouse along-with China who has managed this feat though their stability is still seen lacking. India's attempt to join the (self-appointed) super-powers has not been very successful during the past decade.<br />
<br />
Korea has also joined the race to become a superpower and has been growing quite visibly to the rest of the world at a fast pace. GDP growth figures hint at why some economies have become more powerful than the others, though they are just reflecting interdependent variables. (China: 7.8%, India: 3.2%, USA: 2.2%, South Korea: 2.0%) Despite this fact, India is trying to field a possible World Bank Governor in Raghuram Rajan for the future.<br />
<br />
The capitalist game has become extremely dominant. Any attempt to bring back socialist control will now prove to be much more difficult. Russia, the former Socialism bastion have themselves yielded to it by using a double-arm control strategy on the economy. Earlier, ruling parties had always adopted a bipolar approach with socialism powering the public enterprises. Today no party can reverse the (so-termed) Free Market (economy) or Capitalist Market which had begun taking root in 1991-92. <br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Private Intelligence</h3>
Contrary to popular belief Social Networks (think Facebook, Twitter, Google et al) have aided Governments share the costs of having to collect intelligence/information on the public. Private industries spying easily on people is probably the most horrifying global development ever.<br />
<br />
Most of us forget to see this as a global shift in economic policies by sharing costs with a free-market sector rather than pay it through taxes. However, this also ends up with the architecture of the Internet leaving this information a lot more vulnerable than ever as countries slowly learn how to adapt themselves to use the Internet.<br />
<br />
Outright censorship of the Internet has been the present government's attempt. The Congress(I) has always tried to (and often seemingly succeeded in) control all forms of media. This in turn helps the ruling government to quickly know at lesser costs what might happen in an election. This would mean an exit poll or an intelligence report may not be required at all - the information of public trend is already out there to be collected. <br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Scams</h3>
Each time the coffers/treasury of a country fill up, the possibility of scams increases. There's just too much in front of people who simply do not know what they can do with it. The result is either nepotism or outright stealing/scamming, but never a fair market to all players. <br />
<br />
As people, better governance is rather an ill-defined term. Corruption or Graft as it is even defined in many political-science textbooks is usually rooted in society and then gets institutionalized within larger entities (including government.) Hence, despite cries claiming to help remove them, there is no single law that has not been tried or even implemented earlier (to a certain extent) that has succeeded. Hence, the approach to remove it has to be far more complex. <br />
<br />
This is a very complex game that is no longer played with zero-sum dynamics. There is no victor and opposition. There is always group dynamics and equilibrium that is necessary to establish stability. This implies that a few promises will remain unmet and some policies originally present will be subject to change irrespective of whether the composition of the center remains the same.<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Likely Scenario </h3>
The battle between the Congress(I)/UPA - already perceived weak and filled with scams and the BJP/NDA will result in the choice of the highly unstable Third front. This will enable some regional leader to come and provide temporary stability in the center as long as this leader is assisted by either of those parties/alliances. From prior data, such a government would be hopelessly short-termed with an inability to form consensus and therefore any policy.<br />
<br />
As a change of power is a requirement for the public, choosing the BJP with the public image of Narendra Modi becoming increasingly strong creates a strong possibility for the BJP to take power. However they will also have to broker strong regional alliances - where the number count gives them an advantage.<br />
<br />
The Congress(I)/UPA know that their chance is a third or outside chance for the 2014 elections. Their cards have been played with this precisely in mind. As in any game, politics is never fair. The Congress(I) knows that they cannot sway public perception and image for a host of reasons while Modi has his best shot now as his image has reached an all-time-high and continues to grow. Hence their outside chance is now to get more regional parties to ally with them. This is a hopeful strategy, but closer to an under-dog strategy than a strong one. Their chances are lower, though not remotely impossible.<br />
<br />
So here's what is the most likely way things pan out (2014-2027): <br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>The Third Front commands strong power and stakes claim to form Government under some aspiring leader. (There is no shortage here for names.) The Congress(I) and BJP inevitably refuse to shake hands in an attempt to become King-of-the-hill themselves. A short-term government that lasts at least a year is formed, but is destabilized by 2015.</li>
<li>This forces India to take in general elections in 2015, resulting in a win for the BJP/NDA, but relying strong on regional parties. The result is a short-tenured government lasting until 2018 if all goes well.</li>
<li>India goes in for another election in 2019, where if the UPA has gathered enough strength and the public have forgotten most of their earlier scams and reasons for ill-repute, re-enters into power for another 3-year stint lasting only as long as 2022. </li>
<li>By this time, the third front can coalesce into one strong legislative party [with one name for the general elections, rather than their regional identities] that can fend both the NDA and the UPA by removing regional parties allied with them under the third and stronger leader. They stake government by 2022 and manage the first non-Congress, non-BJP government that lasts until 2027. By 2022, their old excesses or mistakes in 2014-2015 are forgotten allowing them to grow really strong. This may be a strong balanced regional broker with equivalent power in the center. </li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNwbP_I85OvFRkLH_Z7cHlVylYqevt1FfcE4OggPrhgFLVDAoacYGRkJcFzWZayqnP-xZgdgGU40lUgCmv5ULDVQJDIAb6ohrUtjOzd9yvTyscTgCmnV-FDQi__555i-HsH5U0zouNtk/s1600/India2014-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNwbP_I85OvFRkLH_Z7cHlVylYqevt1FfcE4OggPrhgFLVDAoacYGRkJcFzWZayqnP-xZgdgGU40lUgCmv5ULDVQJDIAb6ohrUtjOzd9yvTyscTgCmnV-FDQi__555i-HsH5U0zouNtk/s640/India2014-27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
</ol>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Conclusion</h3>
The game of politics is however too intense to predict accurately for three more general elections. However it is a safe bet. If more states are formed, then more regional parties take command moving India inevitably into a regionally distributed power-center.<br />
<br />
If we don't get strong leadership in 2022, India risks civil war at multiple fronts and will inevitably end up a broken country. Yet, given our populace and past records, capitalism might just be the force that helps this happen in order to protect the interests of the companies and thereby employees (the private sector should by now have become the largest employer in comparison to the government sector.)<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-29590941850896348812013-10-01T09:37:00.000+05:302013-11-15T07:35:02.029+05:30India 2014: Narendra Modi, his campaign, why the attention?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHhsbFJ-u5snVRIJAZzQTvubQiHt_jxd9_BYlT-xFm19IQfJgpQxquGrTuyIbipdGEC65sUeod2gYCOhRIPd_CCBx3FDTZRjOV8rU8-OgKUwmNCCYSi7kOrTfuZcViUiMXe8_BFhGUVw/s1600/Narendra-Modi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHhsbFJ-u5snVRIJAZzQTvubQiHt_jxd9_BYlT-xFm19IQfJgpQxquGrTuyIbipdGEC65sUeod2gYCOhRIPd_CCBx3FDTZRjOV8rU8-OgKUwmNCCYSi7kOrTfuZcViUiMXe8_BFhGUVw/s200/Narendra-Modi.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>
Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat has taken it upon himself to rather give an extremely different impetus to selecting the Prime Minister of India and thereby the coalition. No other party, including the Congress (I) has ever gone to the polls with a one person image. One person may have campaigned in the past, but seldom drawn so much attention to themselves. While there are supporters, critics, nay-sayers and vehement opposition, one must recognize the change he has brought in the pre-electoral phase in the country.<br />
<br />
Considering that the literacy rate of India is low and the population of India that is still below the redesignated poverty line (and the earlier poverty line,) most parties do not publish a manifesto early on, almost 6 months or more before the actual elections. Establishing a precedent in his own party, Narendra Modi has steered (despite lack of complete support) to have the BJP name him as the person responsible for the Campaign as well as acknowledged him as their Prime Ministerial candidate. To change the will of a party with a record during the unparalleled Atal Behari Vajpayee Ji, is no ordinary achievement.<br />
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<br />
<i>These are the notes of one who has been skeptic of Narendra Modi and his PM ambitions, read on if you can spare some time ...</i><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The BJP has always had difficulty in support in rural areas as well as support in states where they have minimal or no presence. They also have limited grass-roots support for field work, and thereby need support of organizations including but not limited to the RSS, VHP or groups like the Bajrang Dal. The price they have to pay for the latter two at the very least is to adopt an elusively named "Hindutva" as a policy. It is unclear as to what the interpretation of Hindutva is, considering that Indian religion over millennia has developed into one of the world's most cosmopolitan religion with a lot of tolerance and <i>acceptance</i> toward other religions and minorities. Building a Temple at (<i>the disputed site</i> <i>in</i>) Ayodhya is a lot more than a civil construction or a temple dedication. It is rife with controversy and having promised that, any failure would undoubtedly affect Modi's team if he were to get power. Considering the flashpoints in the past where we have examples throughout Indian independence of violent conflicts between Hindu and Muslim groups or disparate caste groups, this will be no easy achievement. In states and territories with diminished presence of the BJP he has been forced to coalition politics. The difficulty is each party joining the coalition has its person agenda which may not be in synchrony with his policies. As a strong leader he needs to sway their agenda to mesh with his own or risk vacillating support when he attempts to pass bills. <br />
<br />
In his present tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the absence of him while heavy water logging took place in several cities and regions has not been seen in positive light. However, if the situation is now under control and the issue of flood/water-logging addressed, that would mean he has a team that can execute even whilst he is not present in his state. The media of course seldom covers the opposition party in good light in India forcing them to resort to their own propaganda channels which unfortunately are not fully trusted. It seems his comment on Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit was to point this out, but the more vernacular and speech, the more likely that the press interpretation becomes varied and confusing.<br />
<br />
What has Narendra Modi achieved in his campaign that is vital to success?<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Beyond the urban and semi-urban voter, his name and image are now known to rural-urban transit areas and rural areas too. The campaign has been to deal with the lack of field/grass-roots workers and there is no doubt that the campaign has reached.</li>
<li>The Campaign has also carefully addressed the Urban voter whom the BJP depend on a lot in their previous successes.</li>
<li>He has forced media to compare states based on their performance. We haven't seen these statistics published in earlier elections.</li>
<li>He has confronted the party in power in terms of the lack of clarity in Leadership. Although the public seem to understand who's who behind the present UPA government, they do not see Dr.Manmohan Singh, an able economist and former RBI governor as a strong Prime Minister. Such an attack previously launched by Shri L K Advani was less successful, but with Modi it does seem to have gained more traction.</li>
<li>In projecting himself, Modi has also forced the Congress-(I) to try and post a candidate on their own behalf as their future prime ministerial candidate. This has undoubtedly led them into the older criticism of dynastic politics.</li>
<li>Unlike the BJP leaders of the past, including Shri L K Advani, Modi has tried his best to connect with as many of the population. He has modeled his campaign much like the US presidential election. He has reached out to Indians living abroad, who normally do not statistically exercise their right to franchise in high numbers.</li>
<li>Narendra Modi has drawn all the parties allied to the UPA to actually target him rather than other senior leaders of the BJP, affirming that he has indeed achieved his <i>numero uno</i> status within the party.</li>
<li>Each criticism, note on his propaganda has always worked in his favor. The UPA has not been able to entirely turn the eyes of the media away from him. Considering the amount of control in Indian media & press (which is alarming,) this is no ordinary feat.</li>
<li>Undoubtedly his self-promotional campaign has drawn enemies within the BJP and former allies of the NDA. However he seems to have dealt with it without complaining or repeatedly attacking those who disapprove of him within his own alliance plans.</li>
<li>Despite all that we are led to think, the UPA has not been able to present a strong economic revival plan nor demonstrate any financial instrument to stabilize Indian economy amidst a global recession. The NDA has their own ideas, and Gujarat's amiability to launching companies (in image, if not in mere statistics) has garnered a lot of support to Modi's positioning of the problem.</li>
<li>Although he is not an impressive orator to compare with some of our past leaders, including Sardar Patel to whom he has drawn attention in comparison (as an Indian leader emerging from Gujarat,) he has been able to deliver his speeches with far more conviction than almost any other leader with his level of aspirations. Needless to say, his oratory is far better than our existing Prime Minister or most of the Congress (I) Leaders.</li>
<li>When he advocated the "Common Code of Conduct," Modi did not succeed in convincing the press that he was actually talking about a 'Secular', 'Religiously Accepting' policy by removing diversity in the name of religion. Yet, that is what a "Common Code of Conduct" would achieve. </li>
</ol>
What Narendra Modi has not yet achieved, but would have to, to ensure that the BJP gets a majority at least as the NDA alliance is not simple.<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Narendra Modi, in many of his campaign posters has not drawn enough attention to the BJP symbol for voting. However for rural voters, this is necessary and he has to somehow make his larger than life posters also reflect the electoral symbol of the party that he belongs to.</li>
<li>While everyone has projected him as having been incompetent of stopping the Gujarat riots at the time when the Central Government was headed by Shri A B Vajpayee, he needs to somehow produce proof to the contrary that the common man will understand. The UN report does talk about a whole year of unrelated violence precipitating into the issue that is taking focus. Sadly, the onus is on him to prove that he did all that he could in stemming the violence. This is exactly what people are finding difficult to believe and he hasn't made statements or releases to the contrary.</li>
<li>By attacking Rahul Gandhi or Dr. Manmohan Singh (an economist lauded by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen himself,) Modi risks losing the lime-light. </li>
<li>In terms of foreign policy, economic policy, the BJP in their earlier tenure did prove that they could continue economic reforms. However somewhere clinging on to the Hindutva, Modi has used the term"Nationalism", when in fact he seems to have meant "Patriotism" and "Indigenous Industry." Vernacular when translated to languages that the rural public have access to, needs to reflect this accurately or risk misinterpretation. His words were clear, "I am a Hindu and a Nationalist."</li>
<li>In terms of education and administration, Modi has not been acknowledged as equally educated as some of India's previous Leaders (Shri A B Vajpayee, Shri Narasimha Rao.) </li>
<li>He has not used the point that from a Tea Stall owner to a Party heavyweight, he has now shown a variance in the new Indian dream (cognate with the <i>American Dream</i>.) </li>
<li>He has not addressed comments about his being a Bachelor, where there are claims to the contrary. However, he seems to be comparing himself to the unparalleled Shri A B Vajpayee Ji, and may be forcing his supporters to have extremely high expectations. (<i>In my opinion, his being a Bachelor, or having taken up Child Marriage that he did not later advocate does not really merit his stand or deride it in any way.</i>)</li>
<li>The press has created an image as if Narendra Modi does not really gel well with other party leaders in different states where the BJP has been successful. This has been projected so in Madhya Pradesh and needs amends. Fortunately he has the time to plan and execute amends.</li>
<li>Indifference between Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, whose party was formerly part of the NDA may be a costly affair. If Modi can do what he has managed in Karnataka with Yediyurappa (despite the fact that the state government elections) did not work well for the NDA and the BJP, he will be seen as a transformational leader. At present the interpretation is more of a strong and stubborn person which hasn't scored enough high points as he is perceived by his critics as disapproving anyone who is against him.</li>
<li>World economy is sliding and Narendra Modi would like the reins of the nation while almost every economic instrument is falling apart. The solution will be bitter medicine, if we adopt heavy indigenous industrial push and clamp a lot of our imports which will have an equal effect on export business. </li>
<li>He has a plan ready to win the elections, however has not been very clear on a timeline of how he would go about addressing the plethora of issues India has. This of course is important only for Urban voters and key supporters from the Industry sectors.</li>
<li>The Congress (I), leading the UPA has been very secretive both in the past and even now on their approach. Their strategy has always been to go with the freebies. The unfortunate truth is that these freebies have proven to work in the past, yet movements like Anna Hazares may offset interest in those who provide the freebies. This happens despite the keen watchful eye of the Election Commission which has been stronger since reforms introduced by T N Seshan and his successors.</li>
<li>The BJP/NDA plan for Kashmir is rather unclear. "Restoring to Normalcy" is a statement that has little to explain. Naxalite influence in Chattisgarh, the Telengana movement have already dented a struggling economy in those regions. </li>
<li>The one thing that the Nehru family (which is repeatedly labeled the Gandhi family,) has is a charisma to draw crowds and seem amiable. Modi, carrying a whole lot of power is seldom perceived as amiable and approachable (although he is a lot more approachable through multiple media as compared to leaders of the Congress (I) and members of the UPA alliance.</li>
<li>Some of the statistics presented by the propagandists working with Narendra Modi are incorrect and it is in their best interests to present facts. Presentation along with the facts will work in his favor while immunizing him from attacks of the kind (especially on depicted numbers of inflation, GDP, and so forth.) </li>
</ol>
<div>
<br />
Personally, I have been skeptical about Narendra Modi, mostly owing to the confusion as to whether the BJP and all the NDA allies will unequivocally support him, if they are able to gain the majority. The game plan of the Congress (I) and UPA at present is sketchy and it always has been in this era of coalition politics. The UPA cannot gain any strength by mentioning that their judicial investigations of scams, criminal charges have been far higher than any other party. This in part is seen more as their failure, which is more a product of coalition politics, having to put up with parties of the UPA alliance with entirely different agendas than the Congress (I) itself.<br />
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The attention to Narendra Modi is not purely self created. India has been craving for a strong leader who would transform the nation into a true economic superpower. Perception of the people plays a key role during the elections in India, and that has swayed towards Narendra Modi. There is no point in painting him entirely as a leader unable to stop a genocide, and any admittance of a mistake, however truthful or necessary will force him to be perceived as weak. He seems to be avoiding this. I have seen the oratory of the younger Nehru dynasty leaders - Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have botched up speeches even worse than Sonia Gandhi whose native language is certainly not Hindi. They have contradicted themselves in more than one issue for whatsoever reason. The truth is, no party or coalition has a candidate who can portray himself to go head-on-head with Modi after his image building campaign.<br />
<br />
What I am most concerned is political maneuvers by components of the UPA who are in power, as well as other nations (especially after the Arab Spring,) may help in building up major perceived opposition among the people. Modi's head-on confrontation with the UPA has to be most careful, as they seem to have both tactical and strategic games working for them. The role of the 'Aam Aadmi' party during its debut is unlikely to cause much, but may result in splitting votes and reducing margins. Further Modi has not yet begun to introduce his team, especially within the BJP. Modi's political craft is quite uncertain as compared to Pranab Mukherjee who took the President post as a win-win for himself to pave way for the younger Nehru dynasty. It is also uncertain in comparison with some BJP leaders, notably the CM of Madhya Pradesh. These might easily turn into strategic and tactical weapons in politics against Modi. Further, when Rajiv Gandhi drew too much attention to himself, the end was not quite successful for him, but worked in favor of his party. Modi is dangerously close to a similar situation. <br />
<br />
It is quite a farce that the press keeps comparing Gujarat state's performance with other states, although they would dare not present figures for purely Congress (I) dominant states or UPA allied states. It doesn't matter whether they statistically show up as #12. We are aware of roads being recorded as laid, when in fact nothing has happened. Graft has to be addressed, but by senior political administrators and not by kangaroo courts or more laws. No party or coalition has a plan yet to address graft, excepting that they want to address it. It is also strange to pin all the blame for Godhra on one man, considering that it was a Congress (I) led coalition Prime Minister, namely P V Narsimha Rao who was unable to stop the demolition of the Masjid in the disputed site in Ayodhya. <br />
<br />
I know that there are those who consider Modi to be demonic and genocidal. The clashes that happened then in Gujarat and even recently in Uttar Pradesh have been most scary. India is a fragile country as the states are not united together as one strong unit at the center. Coalition politics may ruin our chances to become a superpower, and Modi seems to be a strong bet to minimize the number of Coalition partners in the bid for power. He also needs to label a second-in-command who is also perceived strong, but is loyal to him. This is yet to come. Representation of Women is another area where he has been tackled, but I am not sure Gujarat produces a high number of Women politicians even from the past. The Thackerays in Mumbai do not seem to be most supportive at the outset, but then again their support however minimal has helped many parties during elections. <br />
<br />
<i>These are the notes of one who has been skeptic of Narendra Modi and his PM ambitions. Yet, I too crave for a strong Indian leader who can minimize the coalition fragmentation. I see almost no other strong alternative</i>. <i>The UPA in their dealing with Trinamool Congress (esp. Mamata Banerjee) has also been testament to their inability to dictate terms in the coalition. There have been too many all-party meets with no results. The terror-attack in Mumbai (dubbed 26/11) is a huge black mark on the current UPA.</i> <i>The new "Fodder Scam" conviction is also testament to the level of corruption and inability to avoid or stem it. Cure has always been unsuccessful, especially in relating to the 2G License issue scam and countless other issues involving graft. No preventive measures have been implemented with better effectiveness as far as I perceive. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Yet, it is going to take Modi a lot more than creating a strong perceived image to actually taking the helm of Indian politics. It is a tall ask from any person, and Modi needs to somehow reach more people through the press which is more than likely ignoring him thanks to censorship and media control. </i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-13664457371709027972013-09-18T06:41:00.000+05:302013-09-18T07:48:26.286+05:30Laptops: an end of an era<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Laptops started out as lightweight portable PCs, but have succumbed to stiff competition from the Smartphone, Tablet and Phone-Tablet (dubbed <i>Phablet</i>) alternatives.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdOuKZAo6unYPZUwXMj9jmnRzpPxg5TSddIdjkWrLbtW-PdbwXTA-Fm6-2J0Pt-GAMs-OVvxhpOF9sYwc_b9aX42K3f7xu1cpFI2f1-tMmgjqH887YxZh1DBD3Ii5QVdsDIrNitXanT0/s1600/laptop-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdOuKZAo6unYPZUwXMj9jmnRzpPxg5TSddIdjkWrLbtW-PdbwXTA-Fm6-2J0Pt-GAMs-OVvxhpOF9sYwc_b9aX42K3f7xu1cpFI2f1-tMmgjqH887YxZh1DBD3Ii5QVdsDIrNitXanT0/s320/laptop-2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The factors that have slowly taken the laptops close to their extinction are:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Weight (although portable, lugging them over long distances is not comfortable.)</li>
<li>Fragility (except for the rugged versions, most laptops cannot stand shocks)</li>
<li>Upgrades (very minimal)</li>
<li>Battery Backup (extremely low if compute power required is high defeating portability)</li>
<li>Lifetime (3 years at best, but the next generation replacement is seldom as far ahead as the smartphone class.)</li>
<li>Chargers (These are not standardized and vary heavily across brands and models.)</li>
<li>Serviceability (Time consuming and subject to spare part availability)</li>
<li>Thermal performance (Cooling has always been a challenge, with few laptops cutting that edge for those who can afford them.)</li>
<li>Display (Graphics acceleration for several reasons has always been minimal, rendering them less useful for high-end applications like rendering.)</li>
<li>Wireless Communication (Too few are provided with 3G making them less useful in remote environments)</li>
<li>Recycling (the mechanical design is usually less susceptible to recycling, as is the display, input interfaces and storage - with the core motherboard also getting outdated far too quickly. This coupled with the short lifetime is making them less recycle-friendly.)</li>
<li>Software (Operating Systems constantly requiring upgrades make the "Personal" computing part much costlier and less affordable across most available brands. This is also true of most application software used.)</li>
</ol>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Actual Laptop Killers</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tablet Top Diversification Failure </b></span><br />
It is quite strange that they have not yet been replaced by stronger alternatives. Touch Laptops or Touch PCs have been experimented in the market repeatedly only to fail for lack of intuitively designed applications. The very early Tablet Laptops which could be folded and written on with a stylus have now become obsolete for the same reasons as listed above. The convertible concepts that Asus and other companies have tried have also not really made it to the market primarily because of the cost involved in providing such flexibility.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Battery Technology Failure </b></span><br />
Laptop cooling and Battery Technology have lagged behind in terms of development forcing power management technology to compensate. Unfortunately this trend has the side effect of reducing the actual compute power of any laptop. Not only do laptops face the danger of becoming obsolete resources for IT departments of most companies, their viability to be used as loosely coupled clusters (like desktop PCs) using Operating Systems like GNU/Linux has also been severely compromised.<br />
<br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Display Technology Failure</span></b><br />
OLED and other devices have significantly improved visual quality while simultaneously impacting the life-time of the display device itself. Viewing angle has forced ergonomic problems forcing users to stay too close to the laptop screen enhancing conditions that result in myopia. Despite homogeneous refresh rates, different laptop screens do not refresh the frame at exactly 60fps causing a strain to anyone who attempts to use multiple displays.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Thermal Issues</span></b><br />
Thermal Issues, as they keep increasing due to cooling mechanism failures usually end up in destroying many key components of the Laptop itself. The chief amongst these are the Audio, Motherboard, Touchpad.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Shock</span></b><br />
When a laptop is subject to inadvertent shock, like bouncing it off the car door while getting out is sufficient to cause battery anomalies and even storage device failures. Laptops that can handle shock better are usually much heavier and less comfortable to being carried around.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Personal Opinion</span></b><br />
<i>From my personal experience, carrying a 2001 Compaq Laptop around the streets of Singapore was pain in the shoulders. Even today, unless absolutely necessary I avoid the laptop and rather switch to a Tablet that is much lighter to carry and offers the minimal necessary functionality. It seems to me that the portable PCs that Toshiba, Twinhead, Lenovo made are out of the market today which had the right form factor to be lugged around. That said, if you are willing to pay a premium extremely small form factor laptops are still available in the market, but they don't really make the case against choosing a Tablet or a Phone-Tablet [e.g. Galaxy Note] over them.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Why does the market still exist?</span></i></b><br />
If you are buying a laptop today, you are most likely avoiding a Desktop and just want something that is easier to move when you are migrating from one city/town to another. It is unlikely whether the original sense of portability remains any longer. The demand for these devices is notoriously low. Countries like India make them lucrative in educational institutions, although they are not put to much use even in these conditions for lack of wireless infrastructure or the absence of curriculum that is delivered through them.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-31349735464150630942013-09-09T09:30:00.002+05:302013-09-18T07:51:00.328+05:302012 Arab Spring: Impact on Africa, SE-Asia, Analysis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72zTIgky51oHL_LcPa_Z8vTgVkD4gx5VY7fabfwOAsSzB-7ej-EN6KOiVh2LHJqmoz4j56dOnvmiyeEl9DwJYpNB-XRREd7gN_mvwdfpwnDZz4RiBa5qtYoy3qM6FsMhIxcx3FWQuzkg/s1600/AfroAsianPolitics2013.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72zTIgky51oHL_LcPa_Z8vTgVkD4gx5VY7fabfwOAsSzB-7ej-EN6KOiVh2LHJqmoz4j56dOnvmiyeEl9DwJYpNB-XRREd7gN_mvwdfpwnDZz4RiBa5qtYoy3qM6FsMhIxcx3FWQuzkg/s640/AfroAsianPolitics2013.png" width="640" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
An observation and analysis of these changes and their impact is based on the data available openly. </div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a>This map is based on information compiled from the following sources:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.polgeonow.com/" target="_blank">www.polgeonow.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://geocurrents.info/" target="_blank">geocurrents.info</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/">www.geopoliticalmonitor.com</a></li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am no expert in geo-politics. My observations are strictly compilations with overtones of opinion. They are meant to be informative and helpful in analysis of global perception of the Arab Spring.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The <b>Impact </b>of these political changes has been direct affect on an already declining global economy. Petroleum prices have crossed the <span style="color: red;">USD 110 per barrel</span> mark. This could not be regulated or stemmed owing to the political crisis that is also a contributor to this sudden price rise.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Africa</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Turkey </span></span>was the center of International attention because of its harsh crackdown on protests. Turkey is still politically very stable and the protests are well under control. These protests were specifically during Jan-2013 - July-2013.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Iran </span>has not been very open about the nature of the protests, but there has been international criticism about some known counter-protests moves.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Changes in <span style="color: blue;">Somalia </span>have not exactly begun at the time of the Arab Spring, but have lasted much longer. Yet the arms supplies and piracy on high-seas reflect a change in the degree of the conflict within Somalia.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Sudan </span>is not labeled to be in Civil War officially by the United
Nations, although North-Sudan and Southern-Sudan are recognized,
Southern-Sudan is asymmetrically lacking in resources. There is an
on-going conflict to control a buffer zone across the Northern and
Southern Sudanese borders which are recognized areas for providing
International Aid.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In <span style="color: blue;">Libya </span>the civil war was a major issue of concern only due to refugees and a major shake-down of the region in politics and governance.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Egypt </span>had been the center of attention of the world immediately following Tunisia and Sudan where the revolution was labeled bloodless (relatively fewer points of conflicts.) In Egypt it is likely that this change will take a longer period of time to give political stability. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Changes in the <span style="color: blue;">Central-African-Republic</span> have not received much global attention. However the points of armed conflict in this region are quite high and may even result in an escalated civil war.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Conflict points in <span style="color: blue;">Algeria </span>have increased despite strong and stabilizing influence of foreign powers (specifically France/Europe).</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Middle-East</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Lebanon </span>has also experienced changes, yet in comparison with the conflict in Syria, they have been minor. These have not been represented in the map. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Syria </span>is considered to be more of a keystone to political stability of western Arabia. The use of a possible chemical agent and thermite weapons has become a major international concern only after March 2013. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Yemen </span>and the <span style="color: blue;">UAE </span>have had protests, but their governments seem to have responded without impacting the stability of the region.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Saudi Arabia</span> has controlled protests due to asymmetric distributions of population and wealth across the region. Their press is also selective in reporting anything that might alarm travelers and the situation is considered to be stable.<br />
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Indian subcontinent</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Afghanistan </span>was also affected in a larger scale prior to the Arab Spring
and has been far more influenced by external intervention. However,
internal protests leading to changes have coincided with the 2012 Arab
Spring protests.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Pakistan</span>, especially in the North-West frontier has reported major Taliban incursions. The government claims to have control over these protests, though the people have reported issues of inability of the government to impose law and order in these regions. There is a concern that the north-western parts of Pakistan may be overrun by Taliban control. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Myanmar </span>seems to have given room to political change after an
extremely long duration that could even be labeled as a fight for
democracy. Yet, the actual governmental changes are in strange
coincidence with the Arab Spring.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In <span style="color: blue;">Sri Lanka</span>, protests in the South have coincided with the success of
the Arab Spring of 2012. However, the civil war in Sri Lanka has been
cause for more serious concern even prior due to investigation and UN confirmation of
large scale human rights abuse in the conflict.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Nepal </span>has had political unrest and changes.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Maldives </span>had a major protest coincidental with the Arab Spring that has induced a General Election and a new government should hopefully take over. This is not represented in the map.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In <span style="color: blue;">India</span>, these changes include major protests in the peninsular eastern state of Andhra Pradesh. The escalation of these protests to disrupt normal life has happened only in July 2013. However key political centers of India continue to be stable and small-scale peaceful protests have not been representative of any massive uprising or indicators of possible civil war.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Analysis of Cause (Distributed War/Protests)</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Extended <i><b>reach and affordability of communications technology</b></i> seems to be a key factor in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria. If mineral resources in the region were being exported and protests had initially impacted that, the scenario later appears as if external powers have been providing financial aid or arms/ammunition for conflicts. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Further aiding the method of these anti-governmental protests has been the increasing use of what has been termed 'open-source war' coined by <a href="http://globalguerillas.typepad.com/" target="_blank">John Robb</a> in his work "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-War-Terrorism-Globalization/dp/0470261951" target="_blank">Brave New War.</a>" His initial study of the term has been in relation to global-terrorism. He labels the new movement, globalization of terrorism which permits a terrorist organization to propagate "<i>method</i>" rather than "<i>motive</i>" across the globe.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The pattern of protests happen prior to any conflict or civil-war. The lack of a single leader or organization coordinating the protests has been a defining nature of these protests. Conventional political control methods have therefore been ineffective. Hence demographic study and isolation techniques followed by governments including USA, UK, France have not been able to aid in stemming the protests. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The urban-myth that followers of Islam or those with Farsi or Islamic name are exclusively being targeted has also related in negative social perception with no effect on the protests. It is true that those who participate in protests often fall easy prey to political doctrine wrapped in newfangled terms. Egypt here is an apt example of how the Muslim brotherhood's promise was perceived and how the actual promise was practically effected resulting in massive rejection of their rule. The Al-Qaeda is a (global) organization network that has grown utilizing these new social changes. Unlike its claims, it hasn't "invented" these methods, nor is it capable of inducing such major upheaval.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Protests against the World-Bank and its summits in the USA also followed a similar strategy where the participants varied entirely in demography. However the stratagems and tactics employed were consistent with protests that have led to civil strife in the Arab world. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In Egypt methods for organizing protests, surviving or responding to
crowd-control techniques were circulated openly on social networking
websites. This resulted in last-minute desperate moves by the (then)
Mubarak-led government to cut Internet access which was too little, too
late.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Foreign nations involved in trade in desperation for access to key minerals (often petroleum) seem to have directly or indirectly financed opposition or governmental factions to maintain their access. To put this in context, Turkey has been unwilling to openly comment at the NATO on the contrasting opinions on Syria between USA and Russia. This is primarily because Turkey's main export of Natural Gas is to Russia.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
Indicators</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is most likely that the previous <b>political stability levels</b> of several nations which are presently affected by civil-war (after the 2012 Arab Spring) are responsible for the resultant level of conflict. Countries who are already more stable and have a higher degree of transparency have a lesser chance of their people being thrown into a situation of civil war. The contrast between <b>mineral wealth and actual GDP</b> representative of wealth access and distribution has also affected intensity of the protests. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In some cases mineral wealth or access may also mean special resources that are not thus classified. The Suez canal is controlled by Egypt, especially Egyptian Military in times of crisis permitting them to become the fulcrum of stability. Some Arab countries are exclusive hubs for Internet services to the Indian subcontinent or other South East Asian nations. This is also a key control point. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some minerals used in new technology are not yet popularly known to people. They are often mistaken with minerals used for Nuclear weaponry or dismissed as non-mineral resources. This has been the case in India with 'Monazite sand', a key source for Thorium. Tantalum is also in major demand as consumption of wireless communication devices is on the increase.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Access to an international communication resource namely the Internet and Social Networks are key factors.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The world is experiencing a new wave of power to the general populace powered by ubiquitous affordable communication. Governmental activities to control this access, technology assisted social networks, content circulated on the Internet by governments are happening in a desperate attempt to retain centralized nation-state control.<br />
<br />
The world is moving to a new highly connected globalized city-state scenario. The failure of the nation-state to address issues pertaining to individuals and group entities will play the role of an catalyst. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However this opinion of mine is to indicate an outcome that could take a decade or even a century based on current socio-political resistance.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is absurd to jump to conclusions of conspiracy, Armageddon, reorganization of the world for control to Oil without understanding the role of technology, demand for alternate minerals, consumerism, consumer-pressure and the freedom of the individual which is what is being truly sought for.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-11965600335570503682013-06-15T12:00:00.001+05:302013-06-15T12:24:50.247+05:30A Church, its Cemetery, its Flock ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dad used to take me, along with mom and my sis, to a Church in town every Sunday. He was brought up as a devout christian and wished the same for me. Once I reached adulthood, or was rather old enough to take a communion, he insisted that I attend a course in the same church to prepare myself for the communion. I attended this and received <i>in whatever worthiness was expected</i> the communion for my first time. He thereafter set me free to choose to attend or find faith in my own way as I saw fit and no longer bid me to accompany him, though he always wanted me by his side when he went to Church.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At the time of his passing, I attended the same Church. My paternal grandfather, among other late members of my family are buried in its cemetery. My opinion that this Church is broken, perhaps even beyond repair, is from previous conversations with Dad and specifically what I observed at this very occasion.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There were many pastors who came and went, the paint changed, the doors changed, chandeliers were added, new buildings were built, farmland was sold. The Maharaja of the town who once granted all this land to the (Christian) missionaries for the purpose of "building" the Church and housing its Congregation were long forgotten. His name appears nowhere within the premises of <i>this </i>Church.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The cemetery was walled better to <i>minimize</i> the number of hooligans who drank in rank gatherings in there, often desecrating graves, and at times indulging in grave robbery. For a while I thought that grave things happened in a grave-yard.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As society became more affluent, the attire of people attending church showed changes and I could see this happening. More educational institutions and businesses sprang up in the once agrarian town giving jobs that paid more. The church being governed in its own way by Bishops and Archbishops who supposedly governed some <i>diocese </i>(rather than <i>episcopate</i>) saw this affluence and decided to take measures to benefit by extending itself in the name of God.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Church of course does not consider you a member unless you pay a "monthly fee", a permit to worship God. In the absence of the receipt of this "fee" you are merely a visitor and have no rights that a congregation has (which most of the flock are unaware of) excepting that of a guest. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In simplicity no one can be married in a Church unless they are a member and are therefore subscribers to this service. This membership is non-transferable and has timed expiry which is not explicitly stated in any document. As two are needed for a marriage, the one who is not a member shall produce a certificate of membership to whichever "recognized" church they belong to. In the absence of such a certificate, they shall pay the full sum of membership required for the number of years they should have done so as members of the congregation. However this service, like any other, comes with no warranty.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Someone, either Peter or Paul decided that all Christians will pay a <b>tithe </b>(origin: anglo-saxon, literally one-tenth of annual produce or earning.) This, in some <i>congregations</i> has become compulsory, while in others, is merely a message written somewhere in the <i>holy </i>book (originally Ta Biblia Hagia, repeatedly referred to as "The Bible" literally meaning "The Book".)</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once, while I was working in a different city and was just visiting my Dad, he mentioned that the new pastor had been repeatedly asking people to disclose their income so that the Church could actually verify that these monthly collections actually were at the very least a <b>tithe</b>. Dad, was disturbed, for he was a grandson of a Reverend, a Pastor and a Headmaster himself. He knew much about what the Church was meant for and was unhappy about <i><b>this</b></i> Church in my town where such new pastors were there becoming more nosy like Income Tax Officers.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
During burial of a member of the congregation or their relative who is also at that moment a member of the Church, the fee for the grave (the only real-estate our bones would ever need) as Tolstoy put it in his work, was collected at the time of death and such necessity for burial. The cause of death too had to be notified to the Church, as natural or by illness or anything excepting suicide for which, even at death the Church segregated or refused the burial. If this sum was too high to borne by a family at that time, there was much difficulty in the allotment of the "real-estate" for the grave.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The new pastors who were more like Financial officers of a bank created a scheme whereby the family could pay for each member of the congregation a monthly sum of money (you can read this as Equitable Monthly Installments [EMI]) for the burial real-estate. This would therefore guarantee the space, which of course could be selected only at the time of death. This only covers the land, but not the grave (usually built with concrete to hold the coffin) and have a structure above it to indicate the name of its occupant at times accompanied by a passage from 'The Book'.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was (also) customary for a Pastor to visit all the members of his congregation, at their houses. I remember at least three pastors who had made visits when we were in different houses. For any other functions, the member of the congregation may <i>invite</i> the Pastor and give him a fee that is remitted to the funds of the Church. Dad was unhappy with the new breed of pastors who did not visit houses, nor had any personal feeling nor care for those who have been members for a long time. I remember the days we used to live less than 400m from this very Church I refer to. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When a member of the congregation fell sick, it was a duty of the pastor to visit his or her house specifically and pray for their health. This visit was usually in addition to the visits paid at least once a month to all members of the congregation. This is of course an exercise in logistics, but the visit to a member who suddenly falls ill, is easier than visiting all members of the congregation.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There were pastors who performed their duties. There were those who were adorned Reverends who had left their vocations and professions and were well educated. Yet human beings are still tribes and tribes distinguish themselves in the name of caste despite a common creed (the one used in this particular Church was of course decided at the Council of Nicaea and later modified during <i>translation </i>and later to suit the protestant church later adopted by the Kingdom of England.)</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dad always believed, being a Physician himself, that what man could do to heal was merely logical, deductive, clinical and operational while true healing came from the higher power of God. He believed that praying for someone who was sick helped. Yet, when he fell sick several years back affected by Dengue, and later suffered repeated episodes of severe infection that lowered his ability to present himself at the Church, not one pastor of <i><b>this </b></i>Church came to pray for him. They were perhaps busy counting the money and performing audits of income of the various members of church while visiting only those who belonged to their caste or were too busy reporting to their superiors, but no one knows which.</div>
<br />
During the last (rather recent) episode of illness that subsequently lead to his demise, the status prevailed and no one came. Finally when my Mom sent word, another pastor in town, who used to be the pastor of this Church when I was just a kid, nominally looking after a Garrison Church also in our town came and prayed for his health. Yet no appointed and elected pastor from the Church which my Dad attended regularly was "available" to come and pray for my Dad, who believed in the Church despite its many shortcomings.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Upon his passing, they did come and we did pay them for coming for they are a paid service as much as any other paid service. Everyone else in the congregation knew Dad, including the Undertaker who did more than what he normally does. A good friend, closely associated with the Church for several years, better mentioned as family friends managed all "formalities" with this Church. Their words too are being taken seriously now because the Bishop and perhaps the Archbishop are known closely to them. The fee for each service cannot be waived though. Another member of the congregation was kind enough to quickly give space allotted to an ailing member of their own family so that my Dad's grave could be nearer to all his dear ones who are buried in the same Cemetery. Warm, kind people do exist, and without them I wouldn't be writing these words, for it is in hope that such people can restore what is broken.</div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763;">I write this only to narrate a few parts of my experience, in part sullen, in part introspective. I believe that institutionalized worship of God in any name, in any religion inevitably results in such disarray as <i><b>this</b></i> Church. This is also written in that very Book members of the Church hold close to them, but is written as the story of the "<b>Tower of Babel</b>" and in a manner that is a parable, veiled, yet revealed. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A Church or any spiritual or religious institution is its only its people, not stone, not real-estate, not the money in its coffers. The rest can be stolen and destroyed. Yet, most spiritual beliefs mention that the soul is indestructible and therefore life <i><b>eternal. </b></i>Most look at the word <i><b>eternal </b></i>from its root, that implies its meaning as perennial or everlasting over time. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In earthly beginnings and ends, religion is always a special relationship between man and a rather spiritual version of the Universe itself. To keep this relationship alive, institutions are unnecessary for they shall break as much as any system or machine can. The relationship can only grow either as spiritual experience or knowledge or to wisdom.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I hope that the Church, which I have attended with my Dad and have fond memories of, learns this, knows this, and is fixed. I have hope in the members, if not in this generation, then surely by the next.</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-8526493995725620592013-06-14T18:17:00.002+05:302013-06-16T09:23:47.648+05:30Can we revive India?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
At first when we
transact with government officials, we experience a lackadaisical
attitude, one devoid of all human care, intent on something else, their
own. These are today's people - not merely the public "servants", but
the public too. We go to a local store to buy groceries and either break
queues or find others doing so for impatience is how most live.<br />
<br />
The
first time you pay a bribe, you are only encouraged to follow, as you
"seem" to have saved precious time. The law takes its own course, which
in semantics means at least 10% of your life-time (and that is
relatively a high cost of time.) It doesn't stop here.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
One day you are hit by
everyone taking bribes or financial favors from you, and on that day you
are powerless to do anything. You either pay, or lay waste whatever
task it is you were up to. One day this "task" will be close to your heart. You
will be surrounded by people who think not of others but of themselves -
this is not corruption, but selfishness to the core. If I could term it
something, it is selfishness beyond self that is our malady.<br />
<br />
I
have seen hospital staff do their "best" - and in that respect, medical
facilities in India exist. Medical care perhaps existed some day, but today no one cares about anyone else, save themselves. You
cannot expect these people overnight to "care" medically about another
person or even unconditionally about their own loved ones. Cleanliness in the Indian mind has been
cleaned away to leave only the dirt and disarray remain.<br />
<br />
India
can be fixed, if people 'care'. Each person ought to do their part in
caring for another, just like a scout is never supposed to rest for the
day until having performed a good deed for someone else. We have to be prepared and do our good deed for the day every day, day after day.<br />
<br />
If "caring for others" seems increasingly impossible, then, as it is happening today ...<br />
<ul>
<li>Religion is for Burial and Cremation - It serves no other purpose; avarice is all that it holds.</li>
<li>Government service is merely an instrument to make more and more money - nothing else.</li>
<li>People would rather leave a human dead on the road as they "are too busy."</li>
<li>Those who live by violence shall inevitably die of it, yet they shall find the power to take lives intoxicating.</li>
<li>Those intoxicated shall keep trying to escape from reality only to find themselves fall into the same pit.</li>
<li>People shall not follow rules on the road until they suffer an accident.</li>
<li>Marriage shall be convenience, either to share wealth or a license for baby-making or whatever else.</li>
<li>Couples shall fight, win divorce, lose their homes and lives in vanity.</li>
<li>Children shall no more care about their parents, but use them as ladders to climb the ladder of vanity.</li>
<li>Fear alone shall motivate, for nothing else shall move the lost hearts of humans.</li>
<li>Anger shall prevail, revolutions shall spark, but achieve nothing as much as what happened in Taxila 2,500 years ago.</li>
<li>Children
of the new era shall fall prey to Hermes' inventions, forget memory,
forget care, forget love and be no more than machines.</li>
</ul>
What is written above is observed most commonly, there are exceptions, but the few that may be overtaken too soon ... <br />
<br />
Today,
we can stop this all. No solo human can do this, yet together with everyone, this can
be done. Evil is never destroyed - only transformed to good. There is
nothing that cannot change, nor be transformed. The moment we believe
that change is impossible, change for the worse is inevitable.<br />
<br />
It is not in the hands of one, but in each of us that the future remains.<br />
<br />
All
that humans have that the machines of today do not have, is care and
compassion. Are we ready to show the world what is being human or are we
ready to see the age of machines predate our very existence? A choice
still remains. As we ourselves turn into machines that know not
compassion nor goodness, our extinction seems inevitable. The fault and
blame lie not outside us, but within our very core. Yet, we love to
escape from feeling this. Are we naive or have we lost it all? This is
truly worse than the metaphoric loss of Paradise.<br />
<br />
If
technology does not let us wait and stare at the skies like the Ionians
of ancient Greece, to imagine thoughts to understand the universe
better, then it is lacking. The rush of a day is akin to a drug, giving
highs on impatience, dwelling on the void, letting us accomplish
nothing.<br />
<br />
If we do not act today, all of society shall fall
apart as human-kind envisioned by H G Wells shall be no more than
animals with primal instincts.<br />
<br />
<i>The above holds good for perhaps more nations and societies, but it would be folly on my part to comment on that which I have not experienced.</i> </div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-71821132608480349712013-04-11T00:15:00.002+05:302013-04-13T14:20:51.992+05:30Sports Car Digital Dashboards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you think that sports cars have simplistic dashboards and roaring engines, a Ferrari F50 can prove you wrong.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDcXfu-ckWzqF0_6-E1QYogxRwvUqjbtLuOU6vjc9ZcCDiDpHlAai1GzQ9p7o-wWPnB4F15qzWHZDgfPAFMo0kZLg7AzQTEkZJ9ri_8HO_mqywxl8axKomPKi19fwTEpcoVQ1RnIdBHU/s1600/Ferrari_F50_Cluster.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDcXfu-ckWzqF0_6-E1QYogxRwvUqjbtLuOU6vjc9ZcCDiDpHlAai1GzQ9p7o-wWPnB4F15qzWHZDgfPAFMo0kZLg7AzQTEkZJ9ri_8HO_mqywxl8axKomPKi19fwTEpcoVQ1RnIdBHU/s400/Ferrari_F50_Cluster.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjFr2z9CYkPwqWXr02sp9C0Al3zZjbl-H63DfyRcLna06Ali2Us2u0RKtQZxtrGl2XKM2T2SLIaHrR3seRxvp39rmiaXKv7KCvWzpZ0OetW6U35sQ3WqlKmxUmFZR-IrzsZ1D9TL3qyU/s1600/Ferrari_F50_Cluster.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Here's a picture to ponder for those who work on Instrument Clusters and Digital Dashboards.<br />
<br />
<br />
If you wish to see more, there's a video of a showdown of two F50s, which shows this in use.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The F50 was originally a made-to-order product first commissioned for the Sultan of Brunei at $750,000. There are new editions with a fully digital TFT version of this cluster, where - if you notice the speedometer, you will believe that this is a hybrid cluster - now that's making user experience awesome. The user shouldn't have to worry about the technology, but their experience of interacting with the automobile, (<i>a reason I'll always love KITT from the original Knight Rider.</i>) <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8PQ4VGMDMQU" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
Tune to 3:30 on this video and you can take a look at the Digital Cluster. Yet, I'd recommend take a look at the entire car's performance, especially the ability to take sharper turns, tyre grip and finally the sheer horse-power.</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-83956970766064894912013-01-10T14:14:00.001+05:302013-04-13T14:16:56.081+05:30Stagnating Education in India - Can we make it work?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
An Education would imply a system that imparts knowledge, skills and habits. These in turn would help an individual with the ability to think abstractly, express new ideas and evolve new habits. Almost every education system I have seen in India involves an <i>autodidact </i>who supervises the entire education process.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADY0bkq2TGtiz8L7xEHGGDWcNwDCp1ZRU8og3x9U9LE8EAPM9B10n9Pij7aJ5eT8I6yx3-dVULo6T_5jnLhtiy_6RJVcsfEScoQiXcaLXOGGoP07-XxctferAni47fNFRSuatiKOseSQ/s1600/IndianEducationSystem.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADY0bkq2TGtiz8L7xEHGGDWcNwDCp1ZRU8og3x9U9LE8EAPM9B10n9Pij7aJ5eT8I6yx3-dVULo6T_5jnLhtiy_6RJVcsfEScoQiXcaLXOGGoP07-XxctferAni47fNFRSuatiKOseSQ/s400/IndianEducationSystem.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
In the entire chain shown in the diagram above, the "autodidact" is still present, in a form of propagation of authoritarian education.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Right from the time a kid is infused into the system, the kid is <i><b>told</b></i> or <i><b>dictated</b></i> what is to be done. There is no room for free thinking or lateral thinking or differing views. This system is so well structured (or ill-structured as I might say) that even the autodidacts or the teachers of the system do not have much of a leeway in departing from the system.<br />
<br />
Consider the amount of morphological change interfaces to technology and architecture of buildings have undergone. Yet the seating arrangement of a classroom, almost a century ago and today has had too few changes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cWxbJZoXCgmbpCU0gs_UqQXabHaiF3Ng0OCSncLPgl-IdUHk8rEdsC29x-rKoK7EXO6EvIdvfiwoiTRfHugDRv1veOpFE5q49vy_plP86A0XOHTB0UyQugZQt7oV6Lt1DkvJq11t-sk/s1600/school-education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cWxbJZoXCgmbpCU0gs_UqQXabHaiF3Ng0OCSncLPgl-IdUHk8rEdsC29x-rKoK7EXO6EvIdvfiwoiTRfHugDRv1veOpFE5q49vy_plP86A0XOHTB0UyQugZQt7oV6Lt1DkvJq11t-sk/s400/school-education.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The more senior the classes, the taller the desks, and a disproportionate male-female ratio or boys-only and girls-only schools are commonplace.<br />
<br />
In my opinion, the very design of such a classroom and in recent times lecture halls and demonstration halls have been linear facing a single "autodidact." There are a few exceptions too, yet those exceptions seem to be more for the public or rather the customers to spend on rather than for education in itself.<br />
<br />
The human mind does not get creative on a periodic basis, nor does it have the ability to produce or create results on a periodic basis. However examine the following scholastic schedule (K-12) presented here:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiftQi_Pb28Z-h9Uj0n6qoEh9bxkT7HAcJ-ncZCzDT1ZIZtxS3OAus30e0VecmkzFnZiGn-OYo6XQd_oNdw4HHDe8NzSB11fsoNmgMuaxQLx0aEeoYFOgigkBYmsTBEULwKeDV6jrjEUw/s1600/schooltimingcalender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiftQi_Pb28Z-h9Uj0n6qoEh9bxkT7HAcJ-ncZCzDT1ZIZtxS3OAus30e0VecmkzFnZiGn-OYo6XQd_oNdw4HHDe8NzSB11fsoNmgMuaxQLx0aEeoYFOgigkBYmsTBEULwKeDV6jrjEUw/s400/schooltimingcalender.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I am sure this bears resemblance to our meeting schedules at work too. With the stifling of thinking at every level, it extends even beyond that to be used as a system for continuing work. Equality of minds or of the individual is probably the most outrageous idea. Each individual, being unique, in terms of their gifts and abilities to think, needs a platform to perform. As long as the platform was a result oriented or result delivery platform, I would be most happy to participate. However it continues to be process oriented - to the extent that the "attendance" of a said individual (gender irrespective) is measured on a calendar and is an attribute to their regularity. This is a clear sign of an oppressive system not an open educational system.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4GsJaYzBjK_dVrkqCHNQOv865VbLEMEsdUI0VgD0nZo5mxHQH5fd9W8W0dU0Jfz-hPckMaVDx4pTYKKrQjpBqFCRcgjTiroN_ykcYV4R8UNMjlbVBINMrC09MXBnJQw4LJrk2lkEuao/s1600/struc_ind.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4GsJaYzBjK_dVrkqCHNQOv865VbLEMEsdUI0VgD0nZo5mxHQH5fd9W8W0dU0Jfz-hPckMaVDx4pTYKKrQjpBqFCRcgjTiroN_ykcYV4R8UNMjlbVBINMrC09MXBnJQw4LJrk2lkEuao/s640/struc_ind.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
The Compulsion of Education until the age of 13 has created an illusion that people who've attended schools have received knowledge, skills (to acquire knowledge) and habits of becoming better. The rest of the education is still reserved for those who can afford it, not necessarily those who deserve it. This too is evident year after year. We have followed a system that was a derivative of the colonial system by the much lauded Lord Macaulay. That is definitely over a century of stagnation of sticking to a system whose entire intent and purpose was not to create or encourage a free-thinking society but to create one that submitted to order and was afraid to question when things went out of order.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK44xDP-gI4vhvTTEgaX5TU11YZlhTzk2bMthgw5jMwrfSA7oyKZjN_6Bb9Gt8T2t9YTdeJXERnWMkBwrY6uRf6X7DN0BSK1Sv9QIOx1iGGazY6TNcU8vxhw1WjeMt6L9bLm0OYCB8kzU/s1600/skill+required.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK44xDP-gI4vhvTTEgaX5TU11YZlhTzk2bMthgw5jMwrfSA7oyKZjN_6Bb9Gt8T2t9YTdeJXERnWMkBwrY6uRf6X7DN0BSK1Sv9QIOx1iGGazY6TNcU8vxhw1WjeMt6L9bLm0OYCB8kzU/s320/skill+required.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The above is a rather unscientific, ad-hoc, rebellious sketch of the relation between skill-required and fame. The only point this drives across, is that authors, thinkers, researchers, scientists, mathematicians are in the low fame or recognition bracket. Society doesn't listen to them because it is engineered not to listen to them. This educational divide is the first one that must be addressed, if the growing population of the world (we could say China first, India next, but the world too has an unprecedented population increase,) need to become assets who could also become self-reliant.<br />
<br />
I am not opposed to "Formal Education" as a term and principle, but the method of formal education as it is today is too primitive and has not evolved to meet the problems that are to be solved in the here and now.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAreYshgGa-3JPuB0v-cqDYqIdk_yFigViopyW_h5aVRWKq94d1UUTPbV7_SbtrlHVcxqQg-U3-Nre72jWCYdGr0ooJpGZMH-tRzRw1WD9Ueli-ROwUB8KCVMsf1B6pVdzUJDgsP-T_rk/s1600/Not-Worth-It.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAreYshgGa-3JPuB0v-cqDYqIdk_yFigViopyW_h5aVRWKq94d1UUTPbV7_SbtrlHVcxqQg-U3-Nre72jWCYdGr0ooJpGZMH-tRzRw1WD9Ueli-ROwUB8KCVMsf1B6pVdzUJDgsP-T_rk/s1600/Not-Worth-It.aspx.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
In summary, I would say that a formal education is definitely not worth what we pay for it. It is an exhaustive investment of time and money for which the returns, thanks to economies of scale, are getting lesser and lesser.<br />
<br />
Until then we will have sights of school children being all the more happy as soon as school gets over, so they can do something useful and fun! The infrastructure too is unable to support this ever increasing demand and the lack of proper infrastructure is only compounding the problem.<br />
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If we leave this problem unattended for too long, we will return to the times when education will be affable only to a select few in highly class-based society. This is exactly what we must strive to avoid.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-16169014076007771602012-12-31T08:59:00.001+05:302013-01-07T00:27:26.612+05:302012: A travelogue and last words ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6205168/Travelogue_2012" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Wordle: Travelogue 2012"><img alt="Wordle: Travelogue 2012" height="150" src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/6205168/Travelogue_2012" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 4px;" width="200" /></a></div>
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For those who tried to use calendars from mesoamerican times hoping for catastrophes 2012 has been quite a disappointment. Astronomical phenomena for stargazers were perhaps the most dazzling for the last year in its entirety.<br />
<br />
In my personal life, there has been fire, something unquenchable, likening what was encountered at a burning bush long ago by an erstwhile prince of Egypt and a then shepherd. My last travel for the year was on 24-Dec-2012, and I landed between the days of 30-Dec and 31-Dec, perhaps to write this blog entry before it is too late.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I met Dad and Mom (Sunita, you'd better read this before shooting me down.) Dinesh was at his courteous best, as were his brothers. I should have spent more time with Tony, but I was too carried away by the sports facilities at PITS. I did give a guest lecture at PITS on the why engineering institutions find it difficult to meet what the industry needs. I find a very strange autism-like development in students of not interacting with the speaker (no it's not just me, there were others too.)<br />
<br />
Christmas was Christmas with a choir that was sharp and flat without the right key or chord or scale, but hey, that's what happens when a choir practices not but sings in services to practice. The first kneeler in the church has not been repaired, with its legacy from Rev. William Blake of the 19th Century. That's not very comforting when the whole furniture is rickety and I was worried about dad. <br />
<br />
I met a schoolmate, someone who's studied with me twelve (12) years in the same school. He was dreading a visit to a dentist, but all of us have to meet our dentists, don't we? I got a call from a college-mate of mine, a close friend - 'Scholar' translating his name to English, he never fails calling me for that is his courteousness, a quality I'd always wish to imbibe.<br />
<br />
I find that IndiGo has slowly grown to become a reliable and courteous airline. Jet Airways has been soaking in losses but still remains the most hospitable airline running. GoAir, as usual packs as many people as possible in an aircraft with a scheme of deplaning that could be improved.<br />
<br />
The low-cost airline segment is dying despite its increasing usage, and I can see that happening as the year draws close. Air India Express operates on reduced load on international flights after their first landing in Indian territory. They aren't the most secure, but they are insensitive to the fact that they have domestic passengers too. They would be my last choice in flying. This time, I didn't fly SpiceJet. None of my comments pertain to them as I haven't experienced them, suffice to say that they weren't flying en route.<br />
<br />
All airliners can't serve an Espresso in the budget class (even for a price.) GoAir charges Rs.20 for water - reasonable you might say, but airliners and courtesy for the sake of cost have been taking alternate paths.<br />
<br />
Chennai Airport, especially the domestic terminal does not have any decent lounges nor enough accommodation for the capacity it can carry. The facilities need a full-time upgrade, not patch-work, but that's stalled. That leaves the entire airport unhygienic, dirty, a little more respectable (guessing) than a Railway Station. The counters for each of the airlines to book tickets are very helpful, if I might add, more helpful than the Airport Authority's helpdesk itself.<br />
<br />
The Airline counter for GoAir which I flew last, although closed for a long time, was most courteous. The stewardess at the counter was there 45 minutes prior to it being opened, perhaps for logistics. She gave me the time the counter gets opened and also blocked my seat before I checked in. That is the kind of courtesy I will never forget. <br />
<br />
Chennai perhaps has the highest number of hoodlums outside claiming to run taxi services, just to take customers for a ride. Who knows what else can happen in these times when monitoring law and order is tougher. Why not have one government sponsored counter and one private fleet operator in the airport? This is perhaps a barrier to learning that keeps them away. <br />
<br />
At all Airports, the security guards are helpful and take time to explain the "why" they can let you in, but not out, with infinite patience. I appreciate their services more than any steward or stewardess in their ivory towers. If you can have stewards inside the aircraft, I see opportunities to maintain the airport itself under the Airports Authority of India. People need courtesy especially when they're traveling. In simple psychology, all people are uncomfortable traveling and would rather be at the destination sooner rather than later.<br />
<br />
When I took a cab late at night in Pune, the cab driver took the best possible route, saving me quite a distance. His rationale was that he'd be back for another pick-up or drop and earn far more than if he were to take me all around the city. I like the way he put forth his rationale and am most grateful.<br />
<br />
At every point, I always received a <i>Window</i> seat, something I love while flying. From my experiences in 2001-2002 till date, I find that most engines haven't been replaced. The worst part is bad patches on the run-way, high air pressure and unmaintained squeaky ailerons, flaps that don't make you feel comfortable enough. The best part of my journey while reaching Trichy was the driver lowering the landing gear about a second before touchdown. Most others didn't seem perturbed, but considering that the runway is short, that was a scare.<br />
<br />
Every once in a while, you find a random passenger in the waiting lounge who ends up on the same row with you. With all probability theory, this probably needs examination as I had some good company while flying back to Pune.<br />
<br />
The GoAir flight commander Capt. Bhattacharjee as he introduced himself, decided to take a landing approach 235km away from the airport dropping his ground speed drastically, although we didn't have major visibility problems up until 30km away from Pune (which was 6km.) I would hope he lands in Ladakh once in a while to get that sorted out (on a simulator of course.)<br />
<br />
Home, was always sweet home. Mothers make home sweet. Dad seldom shows how overjoyed he is when he sees me, so he silently tells mom. I met Judy girl who had injured herself during the cracker-mania during Diwali. For an Alsation, she's recovered soon. Her mate, Punch, is doing good, missing me, pretending to ignore me, and then playing with me for the love of dogs can never be hidden, certainly not themselves. They are family.<br />
<br />
Heavy rain lashed on Saturday and perhaps during the late hours of Friday letting me have a nap longer than it must be. The electricity scenario in Tamil Nadu is terrible. We, the people of India accept almost anything without question and that has become their trump card. Either they let us ignore them and if we don't then they frighten us and in the furthest they nullify us.<br />
<br />
The toll-highways are a farce. The money came from the world bank and maintenance funds must be allocated through it. This was project "Golden Quadrilateral" in the time of Hon. PM Shri Vajpayee, but greed has taken all that out leaving toll highways everywhere possible. When there is a toll highway there must be an alternate, but there is none as this is the Golden Quadrilateral Project. Why do our elected politicians not attend to this thievery? They care not, for their own pockets are full and they don't mind paying.<br />
<br />
I read "Pharoah" by Valerio Massimo Manfredi, which was most disappointing for I had high expectations after reading his series on "Alexander" (3 parts), "The Tyrant." It seemed ghost-written, lacked passion and style that he has always used.<br />
<br />
Our driver at home has matured his driving style quite a bit, also getting used to our car. It was indeed a pleasure to be in the car whilst he was driving. Mom as usual laid all the planning to make sure I caught my first flight on time.<br />
<br />
The best part of my travel is "<i>How to spend 6 hours in an airport without getting thrown out by Security</i>" which I intend to release as a separate book in itself. I have my observations on fellow-passengers perhaps those going home, some going for a quick vacation with all their concerns. <br />
<br />
In a strange manner, 2012 is traveling out of sight and 2013 is coming in. What's in a number, which by any other symbol shall change naught! Yet, there's a lot in a symbol. The novelty and the change of the numbers of the year are for us to bring in change to ourselves at least while switching numbers in the calendar. Otherwise each day just follows the other and that recurrent change numbs us into routines that we never grow out of.<br />
<br />
Das Vidanya!</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-20927410565684020572012-12-28T08:36:00.002+05:302012-12-31T00:20:01.115+05:30The real prey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Recent news in India has the media focusing on a heinous crime, involving sexual assault in the capital city of Delhi inside a bus. The public have raised their voices in protest against the inability of the state machinery to stop the crime while the victim herself is fighting for her life while her own privacy has been threatened. The perpetrators of the crime have been condemned by several people through social media, blogs, newspaper articles and vociferous protests to have acted in the most inhuman manner ever. While the Police have apprehended suspects, the nation is erupting with more and more crimes against women getting reported and being given nation-wide attention.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>The question to ask, under these circumstances is, "Who is the real prey?"</b><br />
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Narendra Modi, leader of the BJP in Gujarat with his eyes set on the Center for 2014 had a sweeping victory in assembly elections in his state for the third consecutive time, a considerable feat. His victory has been somewhat drowned by the severity of the crime on which the media has shifted focus. I have not read in detail, his views on this other than a complaint on central governance.<br />
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<i>Troubled Perception</i><br />
Men and Boys roaming in groups without female company are now being seen negatively as "possible" elements capable of such criminality in a mere act of public perception. Any boys or gentleman walking with Water bottles or driving with them are immediately suspected of having had alcohol. This too, is pure perception with nothing to back this fact.<br />
<br />
<i>Couples in Anxiety</i><br />
Young couples are being viewed with suspicion as to whether they are in a legitimate relationship or are attracting undue attention of criminal elements who may harm them. Although the moral police has not taken a strong stance against women and their friends of the opposite gender, public perception is now looking at such couples as possible people inviting trouble.<br />
<br />
<i>The Independent Woman</i><br />
Working women and girls, who are waiting at bus-stops or at public places to be picked up by their company-cabs or relatives are being viewed negatively and are being judged on account of their dress as if they are inviting trouble. Perhaps worse labels are also being applied by the onlooking public who are less used to seeing women standing unaccompanied by men. This social scotoma is perhaps the most nefarious.<br />
<br />
<i>Disabled Police Force</i><br />
The police are immediately assumed to be a inefficient, corrupt or in extremes a malevolent force in an increasing aperture of public perception. The police begin to defend themselves against the general public especially failing at changing the perception; which in many minds is thought to have been built over time. <br />
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Ironically, society is slowly preying upon the individuals who are its keystones. Assumptions and Perceptions are taking precedence over fact. These perceptions are being magnified by powerful elements of media augmented by social media in today's world.<br />
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<i>Media Tunnel Vission</i><br />
So who are the predators in this game? The lens which magnifies incorrect or unjustified perceptions of society is granted by the <i><b>media </b></i>who are omnipresent in the modern scenario. They select information that inflames the heart of society, never anything that confirms them. I have never seen a news post or a television rating that does not talk about famine, death, pain, crime, assault bringing in the strongest negative verbs to usage on frequent basis.<br />
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Social media, as predicted quite some time back, has become a herd - either retweeting or sharing or reflecting on the same viewpoints with too few counter-positions.<br />
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<i>Co-Education: "Not a Panacea, but a good start!"</i><br />
Boys and Girls in countries like India, with a deep rooted culture must study in co-educational institutions. The educational sector itself requires a huge revamp to improve the quality of education offered. Society must relax its strictures on interaction of younger teen and adolescent children across genders. This will create better understanding. These measures along with better surveillance by the police (which is happening,) will protect the working-woman and the working-man - especially the middle-class of today.<br />
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<i>The Middle Class, but not every woman ...</i> <br />
As Arundhati Roy clearly mentioned, the furor created by this specific deplorable incident in Delhi shall perhaps result in bolstering the middle-class. An additional step of compulsory co-education (which is no easy achievement) will also alleviate the troubles of the scholastically educated, working middle-class.<br />
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Yet, discriminatory pockets will exist like Chattisgarh or Jammu-and-Kashmir where such crimes will be perpetrated even by governmental authorities on the people with impunity. For the other kind of discrimination, I will refer to them as the downtrodden, the neglected and the disrespected.<br />
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However, the downtrodden, be they classified as scheduled castes or tribes or in financial scales will continue to be away from the limelight of the media. They have fewer opportunities for a full fledged education and shall fall prey easily to such crimes in the future.<br />
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<i>Cautious Action</i><br />
While everyone (including men and women) should respect women and do our best to uphold them, we must take care not to be victimized by falsified reports (which too are not uncommon) especially when there is a social frenzy, however light or intense at play. Justice is still in the hands of the judiciary. Non-violent protests by angry people are unfortunately not truly non-violent. They are expressions of violence without its physical domain. This too should be avoided. Unless one can be calm and address the problem, and therefore protest nation-wide - wear black badges - increase our respect for women as a daily exercise - we will be doomed to return to where this problem came from.<br />
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These are my views, perhaps amateur. I have learned that anger itself is violence, and we must not respond to this with anger, but with compassion to the victim. Most see such response as a weakness. If we fall prey to the anger that flows through society, such crimes will increase due to social dynamics of pressure created on those upon whom a negative impression has been created. Caution is our best way forward. Repairing all that is broken takes time and no amount of impatience will resolve this. Let us together hope for a better country, free of crime, where men and women can go about their business together or alone, without sneers or leers or fear of physical abuse. Courage and Caution is the best response for all of us to move forward.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Laws and Rules not implemented that laid the stage for this terrible crime! </i></span></span><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">The bus did not have a permit to ply on Indian roads for two (2) years and had multiple revocations</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Dark film on window panes is prohibited on most vehicles including buses, especially this one. This too went unchecked. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">The crew of the bus was reported (to the police) in a mugging incident barely two (2) weeks before this incident after taking a passenger and mugging him in similar manner.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">There was no legitimate public transport plying to ferry people along the route.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">The bus was not to ply (even if the permit were valid) after school-drops and certainly not at night.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">National Highway Patrol was supposed to ply at least with higher frequency where the two assaulted individuals lay for over forty (40) minutes without attention.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Noise pollution was so high that the screams of the victim nor any call for help could be discerned in crowded roads through which the bus plied. </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white;">Individual errors have compounded into the most ugly scenario experienced. All of the above need to be resolved while this crime is addressed in a court of law. Each of the above is what we must stop.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-32797713556262207582012-12-01T21:18:00.001+05:302013-04-13T14:35:16.981+05:30Discrimination in India, by every name ...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had just gone to fill a few forms in my company as part of a document audit. I was surprised at the kind of information which was found.<br />
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Each form requires one to provide<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Proof that they were Born to Parents of social standing.</li>
<li>The Birth Certificate usually is sufficient for this.</li>
<li>Next comes the "community certificate" - at this stage each human belongs to their family with their aspirations to a good future. Furthermore in religious "tolerant" India, they would like to know "Religion" in detail. These definitions are perhaps the first among many mistakes in an extremely connected world. These are the social acceptance criteria laid out for us.</li>
</ol>
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<i>Further, walk into a free forum and find people gravitating, not by interest, but by their lingua. A subconsciously induced interest to limit our interaction with only those whom we are already familiar with.</i><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Our Educational Institutions have a strange coupling with religion. There is not much choice. There are Roman Catholic Institutions, Protestant Institutions, Hinduism (the Umbrella Term) with further detail. On this basis the reservation system which is not too far from a classification system used akin to Nazi number code by which the identity, race, birth-year and all can be traced back. The SS was one step closer to having implants as a 'Big-Brother control' solution everywhere.<br />
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If you do not conform with their ideas of thought, you shall be evicted or ostracized from the system under some pretext. Justice has always been used with partiality - despite checks to the contrary.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Here's our Report Card</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Core Influence Stage/Big Brother, Control Driven Politics</div>
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Religion Stamped before comprehension is complete</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Tolerant and Violent India They are Tolerant to what is not nationalistic </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Focii of Control Control choices of tomorrow </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
One might think that the problem designer seems to have coded a bounded solution to the evolution of all life on earth, which would seem to many as digression </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If heritage is a strong influence, that selects one's right career vector and roles, then correcting the present would require a complete dissociation to hierarchical systems. Thereby, any school/college will have to be an individual system tailored to each person.<br />
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The only place where this can be done is where there are enough teachers per group of students. This Teacher/Student ratio, contrary to popular belief, can be maintained in high populations and the old Indian Gurukul system can be restored to teach what is relevant rather than otherwise. This too might allow continuance of the same discriminatory system for longer than imagined.<br />
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Issues like Corruption are discrimination vectors in society that have arisen due to similar factors where those who are corrupt initially believe that it is a sudden right they have acquired to correct all that they were wronged in. This initial phenomenon is followed by a cascade where everyone in the system ends up corrupt. The corrupt become a strong class in bureaucracy who influence decisions. If one against corruption arrives and attempts to leash this stance, the hostility of the system will be evident.<br />
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Despite being the largest democracy in the world, almost everything is veiled behind discrimination. Capitalism introduces capital or money as a platform for furthering the discrimination above the deep-rooted elements. In the end we seem to caught up in an inertial system where we cannot get anything right.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-5937218664899414442012-11-27T06:33:00.001+05:302012-11-27T06:37:45.375+05:30The Candidate (a masonic poem.)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">THE CANDIDATE</span></span></h2>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> by RW Alan R. Heath, Grand Lodge of Maine</span></span></h3>
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> <br /> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was his dream to become a Mason,<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Though he wasn't sure quite why.</span></span></i><div class="text_exposed_show">
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> So he made an application,<br /> Then waited months for a reply.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> No committee came to pay a call,<br /> To meet him and his wife,<br /> No invitation to Mason's hall;<br /> Nor offer of advice.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Finally a postcard in the mail,<br /> Said, "come Monday night at six,<br /> And bring us twenty dollars,<br /> If you want to see our tricks."</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> He made that solitary journey,<br /> And entered by the door,<br /> But not one hand was offered,<br /> As he slowly crossed the floor.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> They fed him beans and hot dogs,<br /> And a piece of apple pie,<br /> Then lead him to a little room,<br /> With no explanation why.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> The work was done with care and skill,<br /> No one could argue that.<br /> But, the candidate was forgotten,<br /> As they patted themselves on the back.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> He came to the lodge hall two more times,<br /> And was raised to the third degree.<br /> That was the last time they saw him.<br /> What could the trouble be?</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> They scratched their heads and wondered,<br /> As again they cried and moaned,<br /> "Our time has all been wasted!"<br /> "We should have stayed at home.”</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> It seems to me that they've missed the point,<br /> But they need to understand.<br /> It’s not just how well you do the work,<br /> It's how you treat the man.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Because you can only be a Mason,<br /> When you're a Mason in your heart;<br /> And along with his jacket seams,<br /> They had burst his dream apart.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> So, if you get an application,<br /> Please, call on that man at once.<br /> Invite him and his family,<br /> To tour your hall and share some lunch.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Answer all his questions,<br /> Let him share your pride.<br /> A Mason's work, is honest work;<br /> That's not a secret to hide.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> And when it's time to present him,<br /> With the gift of a degree,<br /> Remember, genuine friendship is,<br /> The true gift of masonry.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Pick him up and take him home.<br /> Isn't he worth the trip?<br /> No candidate should come alone.<br /> Please, don't ignore this tip.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> All should rush to greet him,<br /> As he enters by your door.<br /> Extend your hand in friendship,<br /> That's what a Mason's grip is for.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Remember your obligation,<br /> As you lead him to the gate.<br /> It's up to you to guide him through,<br /> Not to hurt or humiliate.</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> Now armed with proper instruction,<br /> Masonry's door will open wide,<br /> Thanks to you, his best example,<br /> Of what a Mason should be inside</span></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> And? thank him sincerely for coming.<br /> Invite him back to his new home,<br /> For a brother will not be a brother,<br /> If he feels unwelcome and alone.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">( reproduced verbatim from <span style="color: blue;"><u>facebook.com/freemasonspage</u></span> - for both the poetry and freemasonry. )</span></span><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6762012157125106947.post-87060955400740656372012-11-03T08:39:00.000+05:302012-11-03T08:39:21.781+05:30Pune Bus Day (1 Nov 2012)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O_ZKiC58XrFsDYnB56zceBM8vIF4uK8wIaYNlpgJ4bV31HMirPK31UQuCKIKBUYUhfwStdDh-SDvSwKrcgHoAfgSI0R4jovxROU3Y8-_HLSWb5pCjE0QyqLZKzNEm7rrnOgU1NAwsPI/s1600/3751_380089538731777_660433090_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O_ZKiC58XrFsDYnB56zceBM8vIF4uK8wIaYNlpgJ4bV31HMirPK31UQuCKIKBUYUhfwStdDh-SDvSwKrcgHoAfgSI0R4jovxROU3Y8-_HLSWb5pCjE0QyqLZKzNEm7rrnOgU1NAwsPI/s320/3751_380089538731777_660433090_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paud Road @8:30pm [Imagine!]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sakal Times, Pune, launched an initiative Pune Bus Day [<a href="http://pbd.sakaaltimes.com/" target="_blank">PBD</a>] to convince commuters to use the PMPML bus services to prove that public transport would reduce traffic and that the logistics were possible.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5HIhdj5Kr0pNDbmj-5V4g0WOgvHCEPp7KNfUyPVj9FcfNlx3RpaRujdHAaQmZ3lrlNYKW7UTBugwAZ_R7sbriDnngwhN6DgsqC7JeYiG-63HGpqndc_N6vntG1a09niYhh0QRVsr8GY/s1600/18403_549924468367752_469678659_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5HIhdj5Kr0pNDbmj-5V4g0WOgvHCEPp7KNfUyPVj9FcfNlx3RpaRujdHAaQmZ3lrlNYKW7UTBugwAZ_R7sbriDnngwhN6DgsqC7JeYiG-63HGpqndc_N6vntG1a09niYhh0QRVsr8GY/s320/18403_549924468367752_469678659_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pune Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWOAD_Crs3_yvmNmdJhRWoGA_YxxZpmcd0hUoHLiiww-rqLZayqEiL3D8uW4G3XH_r-_-2uBvnAye34e-MdWJR_RSY0M_zsxKnWoKq3tyv-Z607zQNFGdNwAv2_OYNx6i0UqqOaxBn5o/s1600/396336_275083535927711_986244698_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWOAD_Crs3_yvmNmdJhRWoGA_YxxZpmcd0hUoHLiiww-rqLZayqEiL3D8uW4G3XH_r-_-2uBvnAye34e-MdWJR_RSY0M_zsxKnWoKq3tyv-Z607zQNFGdNwAv2_OYNx6i0UqqOaxBn5o/s320/396336_275083535927711_986244698_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bajirao Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On 1-Nov-2012 a good number of residents of Pune ignored the fact and set out on their privately owned vehicles or cabs or shuttles which did not help highlight the advantages. Many judgmentally decided that the website and Android mobile application did not help them and hence did not try to diligently explore the options.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8kDIVwl2yfVvNuH_p9_TSiZnQ87tZ18cNQGpKh3-4A3rJjuqyE0Ze4oW9wKXpXm1HDhyphenhyphenamjAl3FY06DnVRvBiXKI_wCdzsW1idzZGSgLHH0t6okna5K_4j6qua0i0HE59SnJLaO5c_o/s1600/620849_275107772591954_817304324_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8kDIVwl2yfVvNuH_p9_TSiZnQ87tZ18cNQGpKh3-4A3rJjuqyE0Ze4oW9wKXpXm1HDhyphenhyphenamjAl3FY06DnVRvBiXKI_wCdzsW1idzZGSgLHH0t6okna5K_4j6qua0i0HE59SnJLaO5c_o/s320/620849_275107772591954_817304324_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swargate [Seriously, no Jokes.]</td></tr>
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I took the bus early 1-Nov-2012 and found the conductors to be most accommodating and helpful. Each bus I took had seats available to travel comfortably. This was largely possible thanks to an additional 1,500 buses being added to the standard fleet. Hinjewadi, which is where I commute to daily, did not have a remarked difference in Traffic. However other crowded places like Swargate Depot, JM Road had a remarked change in the traffic for almost all day.<br />
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The verdict is that Pune Bus Day was a success in terms of residents who <i>wanted</i> to use it and reduce the pains of using their own private vehicle.<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Bus Routes could be looked up on Google, except following Google's instructions entirely took you to places that did not have Bus Stops - so this needs some work.</li>
<li>The Application is only a wrapper to the Website that merely gives you Bus Numbers and served no purpose when it was overloaded.</li>
<li>People seldom attempted to ask another person as to how to head to particular destination - a social malady amongst the new White-collar folk in town. Instead, on the first sign of failure they switched quickly to cabs and other forms of transport to reach their destination. Despite these stranded people who gazed at their maps without asking others who knew how to get to the destination, it was a success.</li>
<li>My Boss's Boss came to Office by Bus and was happy he could dispense off with his early morning e-mail while sitting in the bus (considering he is a Senior Vice President and spends all his time in Decision Making and Inputs toward that.) He admitted that he did some diligent understanding of the logistics before he tried it to avoid getting stranded.</li>
</ol>
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The cons of the exercise were not actually too visible unless someone asked the hard questions:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="color: red;">Thursday is a holiday for many of the Industrial complexes especially those that comprise MIDC and other Industrial areas. Hence the bulk of the bus commuters were on leave.</span></li>
<li>The users of bus-services (the casual citizen/resident) was not educated (through newspapers, emails) thoroughly, that we all found shortcomings in the directions received. This was a huge discouragement.</li>
<li>We were told that members of the BJP, RSS would volunteer to help private vehicle commuters to get back home and then choose the correct route. This would have been welcome if they had waited at each bus stop and assisted people. Despite this being a behemoth of an effort, that would have landed us in total success.</li>
<li>It was a shame to see so many residents of Pune plying in their private vehicles as early as 6:45am when this was announced for the entire last month as Pune Bus Day. If people do not take any initiative, they have no moral standing in talking about bad-governance, corruption as they couldn't just participate in an initiative. </li>
</ol>
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This is wonderful, and I hope that each community, city and civic group will try initiatives on their own and not depend on governmental grants/funding/approvals to perform such exercises for a better tomorrow.<br />
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Yes, there was a lot of glitz, glam and Sakal advertisement/sponsorship on show, but that was outweighed by the community contribution it brought in.<br />
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Considering that mass commuters who use PMPML were on leave for Thursday (the weekly Industrial Holiday,) celebrations are too early. Another effort on a day when they too are commuting will test the infrastructure. Worse yet, by evening too many private vehicles entered the foray and almost spoiled the experiment especially in Hinjewadi where Company Buses also ply. This is part of another debate as to why a good number of Software Engineers have a tendency to give up when they believe there's not a single bus plying their route or it is too much time versus their two-wheeler driving capabilities.<br />
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Alike Chennai as my friend Annamalai Subramanian pointed out, it is possible to have a city's commute infrastructure working without the aid of "Local trains" or "Metros" if diligent planning is done. Ultimately it would still be a 'Mass Transit System" like an MRT that can solve the problem for a long-term. But these steps ought to be taken.<br />
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PS: The photographs were published on Facebook and were not taken by me. The copyright for these photographs stays with whomsoever took these photographs and agreed to share them with the "Pune Bus Day" Facebook page.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3Pune, Maharashtra, India18.5204303 73.856743718.3999798 73.6988152 18.6408808 74.014672199999993