Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda--and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. In the face of these unspeakable actions, inspired by his love for his family, an ordinary man summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.
I saw this movie two weeks back and I read this article (below) today
If successful, the percentage of Rwanda's workforce involved in farming will drop from 90 per cent to 50 per cent in 15 years Six years after the project's launch, half of the 2,300 primary schools have at least one computer Biggest challenge is bringing the project to the rural areas and making it sustainable .
OFFICE WORKERS talking over Skype. Fibre-optic cable snaking hundreds of miles underground and to the top of a 4,500-metre volcano. Paperless Cabinet meetings with every Minister using a laptop. This may sound like an advanced Western country rather than a tiny, poor African state. Yet this is Rwanda, now in the midst of an extraordinary development plan to leap into the 21st century.
More "mobile in every pocket" than "chicken in every pot," the Vision 2020 project aims to rapidly transform a depressed agricultural economy into one driven by information communications and technology (ICT). If it works, the percentage of Rwanda's workforce involved in farming will drop from 90 per cent to 50 per cent in 15 years. By then the country should be the regional ICT hub — a kind of Singapore of the Great Lakes.
"Rwanda is to some extent doing with technology what Britain did with mechanisation during the industrial revolution," said Calestous Juma, professor of international development at Harvard University, who believes the plan can serve as an inspiration for Africa.
Donor countries are more cautious. Two-thirds of Rwandans live below the poverty line, half are illiterate, and four in five live in rural areas. AIDS and the 1994 genocide have created tens of thousands of orphans. Technology is not the main priority, they say. But government officials insist that not only is their plan viable, but that there is no alternative. As one of Africa's most densely populated countries, large-scale farming is impossible. There are few valuable minerals or oil deposits. The country is landlocked.
"We are at a huge competitive disadvantage to our neighbours," Albert Butare, the Minister of Communications and Energy, said. "Our people are the one resource we have, and we must develop them."
Progress has been slower than hoped — only 26 per cent of targets have been met on time so far — but still significant. When the ICT plan was launched in 2000 only one school in the country had a computer, there was a single Internet cafe and a handful of science graduates, and fewer than 100,000 of eight million people had mobile or fixed-line phones.
Today half of the 2,300 primary schools have at least one computer. There are 30 Internet cafes in the leading cities and there will be 30 more in even the most remote rural areas by 2007. Telecom companies hawk broadband Internet for home use. More than 300,000 people have mobiles. If a plan to assemble phones locally, and sell them for the equivalent of £19 with six months to pay, comes to fruition the growth will be even faster. The Kigali Institute for Science and Technology (KIST), established in 1997 at a former army barracks, has already graduated close to 2,000 students. Still it is just a fraction of the tech-savvy workforce the country needs.
Which is why bringing schools online is seen as crucial. In a two-year, £20-million project, the state electricity company will lay fibre-optic cable along its power lines. Cables will be run to schools within three miles of the national grid, giving them high-speed Internet access.
Thousands of computers are being ordered for schools from Rwanda Computer Network, which has already assembled and sold more than 6,000 "Gorilla 1000" desktop computers to the government and banks. A software firm has translated a free open-source version of Microsoft Office into Kinyarwanda, the main language.
Incentives for investment
Meanwhile, the government is offering incentives to attract private investment. The home of the Senate, a modern seven-storey building, is being turned into an "ICT park" for hi-tech companies that will receive free rent and utilities. Five young Rwandan graduates are in charge. Aged 26 to 34, all have studied abroad — in India, South Africa, and France — and all have masters degrees in technology-related fields.
"In the long term this whole road could be an `ICT alley,'" said Patrick Nyirishema, 30, an electrical engineer, gesturing towards the wide avenue outside. "People are going to be astonished by what is going to happen here."
The rest of Africa is already taking note. Kigali, the Rwandan capital, has also been selected as the headquarters of the 23-country Eastern African Submarine Cable Project, which will greatly increase Internet bandwidth in the region. The telecom mast at the top of the Karisimbi volcano will serve as a regional air traffic control centre.
But the biggest challenge, on which the grand plan may succeed or fail, is bringing ICT to the poorest rural areas and making it sustainable. A few Internet cafes that were set up in small villages failed because people could not afford the dollar-an-hour Internet fee.
But in the dusty village of Nyamata, 90 minutes from Kigali, Paul Barera, a 29-year-old KIST graduate, has made his shop work — for him and for his customers. He helps dressmaker Donatille Mukakarara, 38, use Google to search for new patterns once a week. "The Internet has changed my business," she said. "People want modern designs and that's what I can give them."
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Finding answers from Uncle Sam
The Haditha killings (also called the Haditha massacre or the Haditha incident) were an incident that occurred on November 19, 2005 in the town of Haditha, Iraq. A convoy of United States Marines was attacked with an improvised explosive device which killed Lance Corporal Miguel Terrazas. Up to twenty-four Iraqis were subsequently killed; it is alleged that they were non-combatant local residents who were massacred by Marines in the aftermath of the insurgent attack. A Marine Corps communique initially reported that 15 civilians were killed by the bomb's blast and eight insurgents were subsequently killed when the Marines returned fire against those attacking the convoy. However, media reports contradicted this story.The evidence uncovered by the media prompted the US military to open an investigation into the incident, with charges reported to be delivered in due course. Video shot by Iraqi journalist and human-rights worker Taher Thabet and cellphone photos reportedly taken by one of the Marines the day after the killings have been put forth as evidence that the killings were methodical and without resistance.The term "execution-style" has been used by US military officials to describe the killings. The intentional killing of civilians, or indeed of any unarmed people, is prohibited by modern laws of war derived from the UN Charter, the Hague Conventions and the Geneva Conventions, and constitutes a war crime. The Marines and officers are expected to face courts martial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is U.S. military law. Due to a Status of Forces Agreement with the Government of Iraq, the troops will not be subject to Iraqi law.
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Beginning in 2003, numerous accounts of abuse and torture of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq (also known as Baghdad Correctional Facility) occurred. The acts were committed by personnel of the 372nd Military Police Company, CIA officers, and contractors involved in the occupation of Iraq. An internal investigation by the United States Army commenced in January 2004, and reports of the abuse, as well as graphic pictures showing American military personnel in the act of abusing prisoners, came to public attention in April 2004, when a 60 Minutes news report (April 28) and an article by Seymour M. Hersh in The New Yorker magazine (posted online on April 30 and published days later in the May 10 issue) reported the story.The resulting political scandal damaged the credibility and public image of the United States and its allies in the prosecution of ongoing military operations in the Iraq War, and some critics of U.S. foreign policy argued that it was representative of a broader American attitude and policy of disrespect and violence toward Arabs. The U.S. Administration and its defenders argued that the abuses were isolated acts committed by low-ranking personnel, while critics claimed that authorities either ordered or implicitly condoned the abuses and demanded the resignation of senior Bush administration officials. The U.S. Department of Defense removed seventeen soldiers and officers from duty, and seven soldiers were charged with dereliction of duty, maltreatment, aggravated assault, and battery. Between May 2004 and September 2005, seven soldiers were convicted in courts martial, sentenced to federal prison time, and dishonorably discharged from service. Two soldiers, Specialist Charles Graner, and his former fiancée, Pvt. Lynndie England, were sentenced to ten years and three years in prison, respectively, in trials ending on January 14, 2005 and September 26, 2005. The commanding officer at the prison, Brig. General Janis Karpinski, was demoted to the rank of colonel on May 5, 2005. The abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib was in part the reason that on April 12, 2006, the United States Army activated the 201st Military Intelligence Battalion, the first of four joint interrogation battalions.
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Beginning in 2003, numerous accounts of abuse and torture of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq (also known as Baghdad Correctional Facility) occurred. The acts were committed by personnel of the 372nd Military Police Company, CIA officers, and contractors involved in the occupation of Iraq. An internal investigation by the United States Army commenced in January 2004, and reports of the abuse, as well as graphic pictures showing American military personnel in the act of abusing prisoners, came to public attention in April 2004, when a 60 Minutes news report (April 28) and an article by Seymour M. Hersh in The New Yorker magazine (posted online on April 30 and published days later in the May 10 issue) reported the story.The resulting political scandal damaged the credibility and public image of the United States and its allies in the prosecution of ongoing military operations in the Iraq War, and some critics of U.S. foreign policy argued that it was representative of a broader American attitude and policy of disrespect and violence toward Arabs. The U.S. Administration and its defenders argued that the abuses were isolated acts committed by low-ranking personnel, while critics claimed that authorities either ordered or implicitly condoned the abuses and demanded the resignation of senior Bush administration officials. The U.S. Department of Defense removed seventeen soldiers and officers from duty, and seven soldiers were charged with dereliction of duty, maltreatment, aggravated assault, and battery. Between May 2004 and September 2005, seven soldiers were convicted in courts martial, sentenced to federal prison time, and dishonorably discharged from service. Two soldiers, Specialist Charles Graner, and his former fiancée, Pvt. Lynndie England, were sentenced to ten years and three years in prison, respectively, in trials ending on January 14, 2005 and September 26, 2005. The commanding officer at the prison, Brig. General Janis Karpinski, was demoted to the rank of colonel on May 5, 2005. The abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib was in part the reason that on April 12, 2006, the United States Army activated the 201st Military Intelligence Battalion, the first of four joint interrogation battalions.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Dating Niagara falls
It had been my dream in my life that i wanted to visit Niagara once i come to US. Many people suggested to visit once I get married. But i didn't have much patience for the D-day . Good that soma booked a ticket from Des Moines to NYC and asked me to pick him up and drive towards Niagara.
we became 6 who planned to Niagara including soma's colleague saravana bhava..ezhil's friends in Connecticut. I took a rental van ...a Chrysler-town and country minivan kinda SUV from the Baltimore downtown and drove towards NYC. I never have drove such a big vehicle in my life...a seven seater....cool drive towards NYC with mild rains...finally landed in a place..thanks to google map that i landed in a place which is not called La Guardia airport in newyork.i followed the map so religiously and finally landed up in a gas station according to that map. found out the airport and after long trail in the terminal path to pick soma and his accomplice saravana :) (wont tell what he did bad ..married poor fellow). Driving the newyork city is the most crazy thing in life.somehow managed though iam a religious driver after coming to US.There is a sign in newyork city saying please go on green light only.....c'mon india of united states...we are no bad ...its all population and head count counts to drive anywhere in this world,,.,,I have to go to china and see how they drive....soma checked in as thirupathi ajith ..(once he was red ajith) with a telugu/kannada actor saravana. good that soma took over the driving and we started roaming in NYC by drive and then headed towards connecticut...finding out ezhil's house wasn't that tough and we were guided by a cop who initially stopped us by throwing his serial light. my first encounter with a cop, later finding us searching for a route in local roads he guided us. ezhil's house is near river valley....i could hear the noise of water flowing...though not big, his place is too good. connecticut is a good place...full of greenery and water and i like it next to my garden state.....next day went to liberty statue to visit amma....this statue is much exaggerated in hollywood movies with light setting......But when you go there , you'll find an ordinary statue which is painted with a pale green...It is not even painted properly....Designed by a French architect , One of the best place to visit in US, this doesn't attract me that much and also I had been here with my HCL friends earlier. So finished of this, then went to Newyork city , crazy driving , found out our thrifty rental place after a long struggle tunneling all the time. Then evening we decided after adding additional drivers soma and ezhil, we started towards Niagara....There are 2 freeways which are long like 150 miles in each that you reach buffalo where we have booked a hotel to stay...in one of the freeways it was difficult to drive ..guess what it is not due to fog but it is due to clouds...i think it is in a high altitude place...atlast in the midnight we could reach our hotel which is near to university of buffalo....Quite good place to stay and enjoy the serene climate....Then next day morning after a brief spell of something called sleep , we started to the falls place which is 20 miles from the hotel. I heard that when you go to Niagara, you can hear two languages , one is telugu and one is english ...this time also we heard two languages....one is tamil and one is telugu...too many tamil crowd citing long weekend as an excuse ..machi...mamu....lot of young couples...when we were searching for parking spot we played Arinthum Ariyamalum "theepidika song" in high volume , window open....making the place real desi....only two good attractions...one is called of "Maid of the mist" which is sailing in the cruise towards the falls and feeling the drizzle and another one is "Cave of the winds" which is typical showering in the falls...both are too good..only when you go in the crew you get reminded of why people ask you to go to Niagara after marriage ...too much of desi romance....
The world's second largest falls...another god's gift to this country...The second exciting place next to Newyork city i found in united states...Other states are just the same with wooden houses, dunkin donuts, Mc D s , gas stations near the lights....hmm...next day morn started back from Niagara in the early morning since soma has to catch 5 30 evening flight....With good average high speed most of the time exceeding speed limit,we returned back to connecticut to drop ezhil, sunil and bhavani....Then towards la guardia airport to drop soma and saravana..and finally i drove back to baltimore. The longest drive i ever have made, my CD-cassette converter crashed due to over heating as it had been singing all the way in the drive.
You can view photos of liberty and Niagara here.
My next plan is Florida..finding out the best season to go
Monday, June 12, 2006
India-Pakistan Wagah Border Closing Ceremony
I love watching this ceremony in TV and searched in web manytimes to find this video.
This video is taken from pakistan side. yet to find one from our side on web
The march and flag hoisting is really great.
This is shown in only one tamil movie starring murali and simran i believe.
This video is taken from pakistan side. yet to find one from our side on web
The march and flag hoisting is really great.
This is shown in only one tamil movie starring murali and simran i believe.
Friday, June 09, 2006
World is blind to this Dark Continent--Somalia
Unscrambling Somalia
During World War II, the Italians briefly took British Somaliland, only to see the British return to retake "their" Somaliland, plus Italian Somaliland and Ogaden, too. In 1949, the Italians returned to administer Italian Somaliland as a UN trust territory, but not before many Somalis had begun longing for their own independent, pan-Somali state.
In 1960, the British and Italians left, and British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland joined to form the United Republic of Somalia. Almost immediately, the new nation became embroiled in border conflicts over Somali-inhabited lands in northern Kenya and eastern Ethiopia. A military buildup followed, even as internal tensions mounted between the former British and Italian regions.
In 1969, a bodyguard from a rival clan assassinated Somalia's president, and the military assumed power. The commander of the army, Mohamed Siad Barre, became president--and, before long, dictator. The coup was restyled a "revolution," as "Comrade Siad" announced his pursuit of an Islam-friendly version of "scientific socialism." Yet socialism never really took root in Somalia, and rival clans and Islamic leaders soon resented the Comrade's rule.
Somalia Rescrambled
In 1974, Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie fell. Three years later, Siad Barre retook the Somali-inhabited Ogaden region. At first, the Soviets tried to mediate the dispute. Then they shifted their support to Ethiopia (which has 75 million people to Somalia's 9 million). Somalia's Soviet arms shipments stopped, while Ethiopia got military advisors and Cuban troops. The United States shifted its support from Ethiopia to Somalia, but not before Ogaden was back in Ethiopian hands.
After the defeat in Ogaden, officers from a rival clan tried to topple Siad Barre. They failed, but the threat they posed prompted the dictator to start making government appointments based on perceived clan loyalty. The government and military became less competent, clan rivalries increased, and guerrilla attacks began. As the 1980s wore on, opposition groups became more powerful, and Siad Barre responded with increasingly repressive measures.
By the end of the 1980s, militias from several clans had seized much of the country. A series of last-ditch efforts at political reform failed to appease them, and in January 1991, a united opposition front captured the capital, Mogadishu. Siad Barre fled, his regime collapsed, and the militias turned on each other. In the next two years, 50,000 people died in factional fighting, and some 300,000 Somalis starved. Meanwhile, the former British Somaliland effectively seceded, calling itself, simply, "Somaliland." Somalia hasn't had a functional central government since.
Surveying Somalia
Somalia hasn't had a functional central government since 1991, when a group of warlords representing a variety of the country's traditional clans and sub-clans overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. The warlords promptly turned on each other, and the situation in much of Somalia has been chaotic--and frequently deadly--ever since.
In the early 1990s, a United Nations task force, led by the United States, tried to restore order and provide humanitarian assistance. The effort saved many Somalis from starving, but ended in failure after militiamen downed two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters in Mogadishu. The ensuing firefight killed 18 U.S. soldiers and more than a thousand Somalis.
Since then, 13 internal attempts to fashion a national government have failed. A 14th attempt, backed by the European Union, got underway in 2004, when warlords and politicians agreed to create a new parliament and made a former warlord, Abdullahi Yusuf, president.
The transitional parliament met on Somali soil for the first time in February 2006, in the town of Baidoa, 155 miles (250 km) northwest of Mogadishu. Neither of the factions in the recent fight for Mogadishu answers to it. In fact, Yusuf and Company have stayed away from Mogadishu, which is more war-torn fief than capital city. What's a capital, after all, in a country without a government?
Separate Somalilands?
Understandably, large parts of the country have begun governing themselves. In the northwest, the part of Somalia that was once a British colony seceded 15 years ago, right after the warlords toppled Siad Barre. Enjoying relative peace, prosperity, and representative government, it longs for legal recognition as an independent nation, "Somaliland."
In the northeast, another large region--called "Puntland"--functions autonomously, too, though its leaders like to see it as the start of a federal system in Somalia. Puntland has ancient roots. Egypt's pharaohs once sought frankincense and myrrh from the "land of Punt."
Finally, in 2002, a group of warlords in the southwest followed suit, establishing "Southwestern Somalia." Its status is now unclear, as several of its leaders have taken posts in Somalia's transitional government.
Long-Suffering Somalis
Amid the political chaos, many ordinary Somalis suffer. One in four Somali children dies before turning five, cyclical famines kill thousands (and threaten millions), and pirates patrol the nation's coastline, stealing everything from black market goods to humanitarian food shipments. According to the United Nations, a drought in the south has left a sixth of Somalia's 8.8 million people in need of food aid.
Much of the aid that actually reaches Somalis comes in the form of money sent by relatives living abroad. According to some estimates, such remittances account for more than 20 percent of household income, though they've come under pressure from campaigns to curtail terrorist financing.
Despite it all, some sectors of Somalia's economy have actually thrived. Most major towns have wireless phone services, and many now have internet cafes. The airline business has boomed, too. "Corruption is not a problem," says one airline executive, "because there is no government."
During World War II, the Italians briefly took British Somaliland, only to see the British return to retake "their" Somaliland, plus Italian Somaliland and Ogaden, too. In 1949, the Italians returned to administer Italian Somaliland as a UN trust territory, but not before many Somalis had begun longing for their own independent, pan-Somali state.
In 1960, the British and Italians left, and British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland joined to form the United Republic of Somalia. Almost immediately, the new nation became embroiled in border conflicts over Somali-inhabited lands in northern Kenya and eastern Ethiopia. A military buildup followed, even as internal tensions mounted between the former British and Italian regions.
In 1969, a bodyguard from a rival clan assassinated Somalia's president, and the military assumed power. The commander of the army, Mohamed Siad Barre, became president--and, before long, dictator. The coup was restyled a "revolution," as "Comrade Siad" announced his pursuit of an Islam-friendly version of "scientific socialism." Yet socialism never really took root in Somalia, and rival clans and Islamic leaders soon resented the Comrade's rule.
Somalia Rescrambled
In 1974, Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie fell. Three years later, Siad Barre retook the Somali-inhabited Ogaden region. At first, the Soviets tried to mediate the dispute. Then they shifted their support to Ethiopia (which has 75 million people to Somalia's 9 million). Somalia's Soviet arms shipments stopped, while Ethiopia got military advisors and Cuban troops. The United States shifted its support from Ethiopia to Somalia, but not before Ogaden was back in Ethiopian hands.
After the defeat in Ogaden, officers from a rival clan tried to topple Siad Barre. They failed, but the threat they posed prompted the dictator to start making government appointments based on perceived clan loyalty. The government and military became less competent, clan rivalries increased, and guerrilla attacks began. As the 1980s wore on, opposition groups became more powerful, and Siad Barre responded with increasingly repressive measures.
By the end of the 1980s, militias from several clans had seized much of the country. A series of last-ditch efforts at political reform failed to appease them, and in January 1991, a united opposition front captured the capital, Mogadishu. Siad Barre fled, his regime collapsed, and the militias turned on each other. In the next two years, 50,000 people died in factional fighting, and some 300,000 Somalis starved. Meanwhile, the former British Somaliland effectively seceded, calling itself, simply, "Somaliland." Somalia hasn't had a functional central government since.
Surveying Somalia
Somalia hasn't had a functional central government since 1991, when a group of warlords representing a variety of the country's traditional clans and sub-clans overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. The warlords promptly turned on each other, and the situation in much of Somalia has been chaotic--and frequently deadly--ever since.
In the early 1990s, a United Nations task force, led by the United States, tried to restore order and provide humanitarian assistance. The effort saved many Somalis from starving, but ended in failure after militiamen downed two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters in Mogadishu. The ensuing firefight killed 18 U.S. soldiers and more than a thousand Somalis.
Since then, 13 internal attempts to fashion a national government have failed. A 14th attempt, backed by the European Union, got underway in 2004, when warlords and politicians agreed to create a new parliament and made a former warlord, Abdullahi Yusuf, president.
The transitional parliament met on Somali soil for the first time in February 2006, in the town of Baidoa, 155 miles (250 km) northwest of Mogadishu. Neither of the factions in the recent fight for Mogadishu answers to it. In fact, Yusuf and Company have stayed away from Mogadishu, which is more war-torn fief than capital city. What's a capital, after all, in a country without a government?
Separate Somalilands?
Understandably, large parts of the country have begun governing themselves. In the northwest, the part of Somalia that was once a British colony seceded 15 years ago, right after the warlords toppled Siad Barre. Enjoying relative peace, prosperity, and representative government, it longs for legal recognition as an independent nation, "Somaliland."
In the northeast, another large region--called "Puntland"--functions autonomously, too, though its leaders like to see it as the start of a federal system in Somalia. Puntland has ancient roots. Egypt's pharaohs once sought frankincense and myrrh from the "land of Punt."
Finally, in 2002, a group of warlords in the southwest followed suit, establishing "Southwestern Somalia." Its status is now unclear, as several of its leaders have taken posts in Somalia's transitional government.
Long-Suffering Somalis
Amid the political chaos, many ordinary Somalis suffer. One in four Somali children dies before turning five, cyclical famines kill thousands (and threaten millions), and pirates patrol the nation's coastline, stealing everything from black market goods to humanitarian food shipments. According to the United Nations, a drought in the south has left a sixth of Somalia's 8.8 million people in need of food aid.
Much of the aid that actually reaches Somalis comes in the form of money sent by relatives living abroad. According to some estimates, such remittances account for more than 20 percent of household income, though they've come under pressure from campaigns to curtail terrorist financing.
Despite it all, some sectors of Somalia's economy have actually thrived. Most major towns have wireless phone services, and many now have internet cafes. The airline business has boomed, too. "Corruption is not a problem," says one airline executive, "because there is no government."
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Thursday, May 25, 2006
India burning with reservation crisis? Attn Mr.youth
I have been reading all news about the good n bad things of India.
I appreciate all people who take part in protests on government decisions and policies.
But only thing which pricks me is the perception we all youth of India have on these and we are the Tomorrow of India.
Friends, let me tell you one thing. Most of us lead a selfish life (including me) thinking of things concerning about our own life and we see what affects us. If we don't have any concerns, then we see our inner circle of friends who are getting affected and finally we think about India as a nation.
All of us have a point to argue.
But all our conscience should have only one point to argue.
Are we doing something for others or allow others to do so?
Castes formed in India based on the profession we did in those days. People who were doing meanly jobs were suppressed in the society and Hence reservations are made in India for people of lower sections of society to know that they are also part of India and they are welcome to pursue education and job even if they are poor . I didn't accept this during my college days since I was directly affected and I also felt govt should give money rather than reservation in admission seats. But when I entered my college which is a govt college and after I met rural and lower caste students in my college , I came to know that they are not even aware of a University called" Anna University", though they deserve a seat based on their marks. That's when i realized that people from lower castes and rural side should be given reservation so that they start exploring more opportunities in better institutes. Lower castes are not always economically poor but they are treated poor in the society. That hurts even more.Hope you would have read about a story of a running race in which one handicapped child fell and others grab his hand before reaching to the end. This is how sections of society in India.We have to sacrifice something for them to make them come to our level.
Dont think reservation divides the nation. If reservation hadn't been there, then we would not be having friends who are from lower castes. Though I dont want to mention them as lower, I want to emphasize that they are our friends now. Otherwise they would be doing some meanly job in child age rather than studying.
After getting a job and after I got an experience of 6 yrs I realize they still need reservations, since our basic primary education across schools in India is not standardised yet after 60 years of independence .Do you think if you had studied in a rural school , would you have got an attitude to target IITJEE or AIIMS?
In my experience from my class 2 to till now, I feel getting good marks academically doesn't level you to the kind of achievement we look in life.Many people who have studied well during childhood may not have studied well in class 12 and many who didn't score well in class 12 would have landed up in a good job after finishing their degree. So one who is really talented will find his own way to survive in the country. How many you accept after getting good education, you are ready to stay in the country?
And recently I heard the protests are going to the end of "fast until death" . This is just to show the solidarity of students without purpose. All protestors (IIT ians , Doctors, Medical students )..A question for you? Do you read everyday news about a dalit being raped by an upper class society and killed, the convicts escape free. Have you ever thought of going for fasting for seeking the justice for them? Or any of atrocities against lower caste people? Are you ready to marry a girl from a lower caste section of India? why do you blame dalit doctors will kill patients? You are killing patients now by being on strike joining the students and leaving numerous patients in hay. How many of you doctors prefer to work in a govt hospital . After finishing in IIT or IIM , are you ready to work for the country? Are you ready to work as a professor in IIT?. They are the one who are given reservation tries to work in all these and help the poor people of the nation. And you should know they are the majority of India.
Protest to increase the number of seats in these premier institutes.
Protest for justice of the atrocities against dalits.
Protest for the corruption and bribery in the government offices.
I don't know how hatred towards lower castes and non-Hindus came in these protests. We all have to be human and remain so whatever happens to us.
Lets speculate an amicable solution rather than simply protesting.
I appreciate all people who take part in protests on government decisions and policies.
But only thing which pricks me is the perception we all youth of India have on these and we are the Tomorrow of India.
Friends, let me tell you one thing. Most of us lead a selfish life (including me) thinking of things concerning about our own life and we see what affects us. If we don't have any concerns, then we see our inner circle of friends who are getting affected and finally we think about India as a nation.
All of us have a point to argue.
But all our conscience should have only one point to argue.
Are we doing something for others or allow others to do so?
Castes formed in India based on the profession we did in those days. People who were doing meanly jobs were suppressed in the society and Hence reservations are made in India for people of lower sections of society to know that they are also part of India and they are welcome to pursue education and job even if they are poor . I didn't accept this during my college days since I was directly affected and I also felt govt should give money rather than reservation in admission seats. But when I entered my college which is a govt college and after I met rural and lower caste students in my college , I came to know that they are not even aware of a University called" Anna University", though they deserve a seat based on their marks. That's when i realized that people from lower castes and rural side should be given reservation so that they start exploring more opportunities in better institutes. Lower castes are not always economically poor but they are treated poor in the society. That hurts even more.Hope you would have read about a story of a running race in which one handicapped child fell and others grab his hand before reaching to the end. This is how sections of society in India.We have to sacrifice something for them to make them come to our level.
Dont think reservation divides the nation. If reservation hadn't been there, then we would not be having friends who are from lower castes. Though I dont want to mention them as lower, I want to emphasize that they are our friends now. Otherwise they would be doing some meanly job in child age rather than studying.
After getting a job and after I got an experience of 6 yrs I realize they still need reservations, since our basic primary education across schools in India is not standardised yet after 60 years of independence .Do you think if you had studied in a rural school , would you have got an attitude to target IITJEE or AIIMS?
In my experience from my class 2 to till now, I feel getting good marks academically doesn't level you to the kind of achievement we look in life.Many people who have studied well during childhood may not have studied well in class 12 and many who didn't score well in class 12 would have landed up in a good job after finishing their degree. So one who is really talented will find his own way to survive in the country. How many you accept after getting good education, you are ready to stay in the country?
And recently I heard the protests are going to the end of "fast until death" . This is just to show the solidarity of students without purpose. All protestors (IIT ians , Doctors, Medical students )..A question for you? Do you read everyday news about a dalit being raped by an upper class society and killed, the convicts escape free. Have you ever thought of going for fasting for seeking the justice for them? Or any of atrocities against lower caste people? Are you ready to marry a girl from a lower caste section of India? why do you blame dalit doctors will kill patients? You are killing patients now by being on strike joining the students and leaving numerous patients in hay. How many of you doctors prefer to work in a govt hospital . After finishing in IIT or IIM , are you ready to work for the country? Are you ready to work as a professor in IIT?. They are the one who are given reservation tries to work in all these and help the poor people of the nation. And you should know they are the majority of India.
Protest to increase the number of seats in these premier institutes.
Protest for justice of the atrocities against dalits.
Protest for the corruption and bribery in the government offices.
I don't know how hatred towards lower castes and non-Hindus came in these protests. We all have to be human and remain so whatever happens to us.
Lets speculate an amicable solution rather than simply protesting.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Da Vinci---Decoded
The movie version of the megahit novel The Da Vinci Code opens Friday in theaters across the world. Like the book, the movie is causing a stir because of suggestions it makes about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and because of its unflattering depictions of members of the Catholic Church.
We haven't seen the movie, but we've always loved Leonardo da Vinci--the man himself. Why? Well, if Leonardo were a modern-day American, he probably wouldn't be in the movies. He'd be making movies. He might also be an engineer at NASA, and a leading researcher at the National Institutes of Health, and a special advisor to the president on matters of national security--all at once.
Polymathic Man
Born in the town of Vinci (hence "da Vinci") in 1452, Leonardo became the quintessential "Renaissance man." He's been called the first great Renaissance master, the first scientist, even the first modern. His genius reached across a divide that few before or since have succeeded in bridging--the divide between transcendent, visionary, expressive artist and practical, methodical, mathematical scientist.
In addition to creating some of the world's most famous art, Leonardo conducted extensive research into human anatomy, dissecting by his own count more than 30 corpses. He served as a military engineer, preparing plans to overhaul fortifications, divert the river Arno around Pisa, and outfit Venetian "SEAL" teams with primitive scuba gear. And he advised some of the most powerful men of his time--including Cesare Borgia, the notoriously ruthless commander of the papal army, for whom he sketched maps that helped lay the groundwork for modern cartography.
He also endowed posterity with thousands of manuscript pages, written in his famous "mirror-style"--that is, right to left, so that they can be easily read only in a mirror. Within these pages are inquiries into the flight of birds, the construction of military fortifications, hydraulics, optics, human anatomy, perspective (in both art and science), observations on the moon's craters, a design for a flying machine (which looks something like a helicopter), and more. And, of course, there are still those other works--the ones for which Leonardo is most famous.
The Last Supper
Completed between 1495 and 1498, Leonardo's Last Supper may be the world's second-most famous painting. The work reproduces the moment at which Christ, during a Passover meal, announces to his apostles that one of them will betray him. Except for Judas (and Christ, who calmly accepts his fate), each of the apostles displays the confusion and apprehension of the moment--disbelief, anger, frustration, sadness, fear, denial, and exasperation all at once.
Unfortunately, the Last Supper wasn't built to last. Leonardo had invented a new fresco technique for painting the masterpiece, but the technique didn't hold water. The painting began to deteriorate within a few years, and by the middle of the 16th century it was practically ruined. Leo fans have been trying to restore the work for centuries.
The Mona Lisa
Leonardo's Mona Lisa is almost certainly the world's most famous painting. Leonardo completed the faintly smiling lady between 1503 and 1506. Its influence was immediate, setting the standard by which portraits would be judged for centuries to come. In fact, the young Raphael sketched the Mona Lisa while it was still a work in progress and was using it as a model for his own portraits by the time Leonardo was done.
No one knows for sure, but the woman in the picture is generally believed to be "Mrs. Lisa" Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a prominent Florentine of the time. And her smile? Your guess is as good as anyone's.
We haven't seen the movie, but we've always loved Leonardo da Vinci--the man himself. Why? Well, if Leonardo were a modern-day American, he probably wouldn't be in the movies. He'd be making movies. He might also be an engineer at NASA, and a leading researcher at the National Institutes of Health, and a special advisor to the president on matters of national security--all at once.
Polymathic Man
Born in the town of Vinci (hence "da Vinci") in 1452, Leonardo became the quintessential "Renaissance man." He's been called the first great Renaissance master, the first scientist, even the first modern. His genius reached across a divide that few before or since have succeeded in bridging--the divide between transcendent, visionary, expressive artist and practical, methodical, mathematical scientist.
In addition to creating some of the world's most famous art, Leonardo conducted extensive research into human anatomy, dissecting by his own count more than 30 corpses. He served as a military engineer, preparing plans to overhaul fortifications, divert the river Arno around Pisa, and outfit Venetian "SEAL" teams with primitive scuba gear. And he advised some of the most powerful men of his time--including Cesare Borgia, the notoriously ruthless commander of the papal army, for whom he sketched maps that helped lay the groundwork for modern cartography.
He also endowed posterity with thousands of manuscript pages, written in his famous "mirror-style"--that is, right to left, so that they can be easily read only in a mirror. Within these pages are inquiries into the flight of birds, the construction of military fortifications, hydraulics, optics, human anatomy, perspective (in both art and science), observations on the moon's craters, a design for a flying machine (which looks something like a helicopter), and more. And, of course, there are still those other works--the ones for which Leonardo is most famous.
The Last Supper
Completed between 1495 and 1498, Leonardo's Last Supper may be the world's second-most famous painting. The work reproduces the moment at which Christ, during a Passover meal, announces to his apostles that one of them will betray him. Except for Judas (and Christ, who calmly accepts his fate), each of the apostles displays the confusion and apprehension of the moment--disbelief, anger, frustration, sadness, fear, denial, and exasperation all at once.
Unfortunately, the Last Supper wasn't built to last. Leonardo had invented a new fresco technique for painting the masterpiece, but the technique didn't hold water. The painting began to deteriorate within a few years, and by the middle of the 16th century it was practically ruined. Leo fans have been trying to restore the work for centuries.
The Mona Lisa
Leonardo's Mona Lisa is almost certainly the world's most famous painting. Leonardo completed the faintly smiling lady between 1503 and 1506. Its influence was immediate, setting the standard by which portraits would be judged for centuries to come. In fact, the young Raphael sketched the Mona Lisa while it was still a work in progress and was using it as a model for his own portraits by the time Leonardo was done.
No one knows for sure, but the woman in the picture is generally believed to be "Mrs. Lisa" Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a prominent Florentine of the time. And her smile? Your guess is as good as anyone's.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Mr. President on "Corruption"
EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Conscience is the light of the Soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It is as real as life is. It raises the voice in protest whenever anything is thought of or done contrary to the righteousness. Conscience is a form of truth that has been transferred through our genetic stock in the form of the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong.
A virtuous and courageous person can alone use the instrument of conscience. He or she can alone hear the inner voice of the soul clearly. In a wicked person this faculty is absent. The sensitive nature of his / her conscience has been destroyed by sin or corruption. Hence he or she is unable to discriminate right from wrong. Those who are leading organizations, business enterprises, institutions and governments should develop this virtue of the ability to use their own conscience. This wisdom of using the clean conscience will enable them to enjoy the freedom.
more...
Monday, May 08, 2006
Cinema, Fries, Latte -- M:I:3
Last Sunday night , just because I don’t want to be left out -and miss the movie, went to AMC theaters with guys here. We almost skipped dinner, grabbed a big pack of pop-corn , soda ( I meant coke) peeped in the theater..but we felt it was too late for 9 15 pm show and hence went in to call Bala who gave attendance earlier than us. As soon as we entered , the theater hall in the deepest silence , the dialogue delivered on screen was "Thanks for coming" the guy who called tom cruise to 7/11 spoke that. We burst into laughter for the timing of the dialogue delivery as soon as we entered. I was looking for our Patel in that 7/11. Then we called Bala aloud and asked him to come out so that we can watch 10 pm show from beginning. Here yu can watch any timing of the movie provided you enter with one ticket. I don’t know how legal it is. Then we entered the 10 pm hall , sat comfortably the back seat center and started eating popcorn, saw all the trailers and the movie started. Such a fast paced movie had the best of Europe starting with berlin and Vatican and finally popped into Beijing , the wonderful city. Reminiscences of the Robert Langdon adventure in Vatican city came to my mind when tom broke the high secure Vatican city with their strategic plan and making an abduction so easily.
Again they called "cannister" and some thing called "rabbit's foot" reminded me about antimatter. but all my imagination is wiped by the fast paced action exhibited by tom. God when this guy will act old. He is too good no wonder Katie Holmes is possible when even MI-2 is six years old.
I read recently about the PLA of china and their dominance in conventional war that no country including US can beat them. The dominance is showed here by the exciting city of shanghai. I can't add this to my list as even road signs painted on the road for left only is written in Chinese. God I cant drive here in this city.
The movie is real good and worth watching. The villain displayed his act in style. IAM expecting a MI-4 sooner.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
I got this in email
Can you make out what it is …. ..Black ones are shadows, white ones are the real camels… !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The snap has been taken from top.........
One of the most beautiful snap i've seen..........
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Is India shining in the land of Gandhi by these flames?
A 32-year-old man was burnt alive by a crowd of 1500 in Vadodara early on Wednesday morning.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim was chased by a crowd and burnt alive when he was passing through Ajwa Road's Mahavir hall crossing.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced 'dead on arrival'.
Sources report that crowds have been gathering across the city through the night. The fact that Vadodara is rife with rumours makes the work of the police very difficult in such tense times.
Vadodara is rife with rumours making the work of the police difficult. The city has been tense since the demolition of a dargah and the death of two person in consequent violence.
Stop the non-sense, Life is really worth than anything else.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim was chased by a crowd and burnt alive when he was passing through Ajwa Road's Mahavir hall crossing.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced 'dead on arrival'.
Sources report that crowds have been gathering across the city through the night. The fact that Vadodara is rife with rumours makes the work of the police very difficult in such tense times.
Vadodara is rife with rumours making the work of the police difficult. The city has been tense since the demolition of a dargah and the death of two person in consequent violence.
Stop the non-sense, Life is really worth than anything else.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Friday, April 21, 2006
O Podu !
Election fever is sweeping Tamil Nadu with two major electoral combines and smaller parties reeling out promises. Most parties have released their manifestos and the lists of candidates for the May 8 Assembly elections.
It is now time for the voters to weigh the merits and demerits of the candidates. Suggestions have been made to make voting compulsory.
But if the electors decide that none of the candidates is worth their vote, can they officially register their decision?
Yes, says the Election Commission.
Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta said on Monday that some non-governmental organisations wanted the option of "negative voting" by providing an extra button in the electronic voting machines that says "none of the above" clause.
Though there was no scope for negative voting now, as the issue is before the Supreme Court, there were provisions for electors to register their decision not to vote.
According to Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, if an elector whose roll number has been entered in the register of electoral rolls in Form 17A, decides not to vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry by the Presiding Officer and the signature and thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark, he said.
Officers to be sensitised
All Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Presiding Officers and Polling Officers would be sensitised to the provisions, he said.
Catalyst Trust, an NGO, had requested the Election Commission to publicise this provision. However, adequate security would have to be provided for such brave voters, an observer said.
'O' Podu "O Podu" is a social awareness movement.
"O PODU' means "cast the vote". Voting is both the right and duty of thepeople. Another objective of our movement is to make people aware of theirconstitutional right to cast their vote under section 49 'O'.
On an average, in every election, nearly 45 percent of the eligible votersdon't vote at all. Therefore even if a winning candidate bags 30 percent ofthe polled votes, it amounts to getting the support of only about 16 percentof the total electorate. If more and more non voters begin to exercise theirvote, the result of many elections would drastically change.
Why are many people not voting at all? One of the usual reasons cited isthat they are unable to accept any candidate and don't want to vote foranyone of the available candidates.
It is a unique feature of our Indian constitution that it has provided thelegal right to the voter to reject all the candidates. Section 49 'O' of theElection rules 1961, has empowered the voter with this right. This sectionhas conferred the right to the voter to inform the booth officer, after theindelible ink mark has been marked, that the voter does not want to vote forany of the candidates. The section requires the booth officer to record thevoter's choice of 49 'O'.
"O PODU" movement will campaign for the following demands:
1. Every voter should cast the vote. Failure to cast the vote only preventsenhancement of the standards of politics.
2. If the voter feels all the candidates are unworthy, the best ay tocommunicate this view to the political parties is not through abstinence.The best method is to record this view through 49 'O'.
3. Secrecy of ballot is a right conferred on the voter by the Constitution.But the election commission's procedure of not keeping 49 'O' voting assecretive, amounts to a violation of this right. Therefore the Electioncommission should rectify this anomaly by introducing a separate button for49 'O' in the electronic voting machines, for the forthcoming Tamilnaduelections.
4. It is the duty of the Election commission to educate the booth officersabout the availability of 49 'O while conducting classes to them on pollingprocedures. The present practice of booth officers expressing ignoranceabout 49 'O' and refusing a vote to record under 49 'O' should be totallyeliminated.'
"O PODU" movement will campaign among voters, particularly the youth,seeking support for the above demands, by use of posters, pamphlets,meetings, T shirt messages, e mails and SMS.
It is now time for the voters to weigh the merits and demerits of the candidates. Suggestions have been made to make voting compulsory.
But if the electors decide that none of the candidates is worth their vote, can they officially register their decision?
Yes, says the Election Commission.
Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta said on Monday that some non-governmental organisations wanted the option of "negative voting" by providing an extra button in the electronic voting machines that says "none of the above" clause.
Though there was no scope for negative voting now, as the issue is before the Supreme Court, there were provisions for electors to register their decision not to vote.
According to Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, if an elector whose roll number has been entered in the register of electoral rolls in Form 17A, decides not to vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry by the Presiding Officer and the signature and thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark, he said.
Officers to be sensitised
All Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Presiding Officers and Polling Officers would be sensitised to the provisions, he said.
Catalyst Trust, an NGO, had requested the Election Commission to publicise this provision. However, adequate security would have to be provided for such brave voters, an observer said.
'O' Podu "O Podu" is a social awareness movement.
"O PODU' means "cast the vote". Voting is both the right and duty of thepeople. Another objective of our movement is to make people aware of theirconstitutional right to cast their vote under section 49 'O'.
On an average, in every election, nearly 45 percent of the eligible votersdon't vote at all. Therefore even if a winning candidate bags 30 percent ofthe polled votes, it amounts to getting the support of only about 16 percentof the total electorate. If more and more non voters begin to exercise theirvote, the result of many elections would drastically change.
Why are many people not voting at all? One of the usual reasons cited isthat they are unable to accept any candidate and don't want to vote foranyone of the available candidates.
It is a unique feature of our Indian constitution that it has provided thelegal right to the voter to reject all the candidates. Section 49 'O' of theElection rules 1961, has empowered the voter with this right. This sectionhas conferred the right to the voter to inform the booth officer, after theindelible ink mark has been marked, that the voter does not want to vote forany of the candidates. The section requires the booth officer to record thevoter's choice of 49 'O'.
"O PODU" movement will campaign for the following demands:
1. Every voter should cast the vote. Failure to cast the vote only preventsenhancement of the standards of politics.
2. If the voter feels all the candidates are unworthy, the best ay tocommunicate this view to the political parties is not through abstinence.The best method is to record this view through 49 'O'.
3. Secrecy of ballot is a right conferred on the voter by the Constitution.But the election commission's procedure of not keeping 49 'O' voting assecretive, amounts to a violation of this right. Therefore the Electioncommission should rectify this anomaly by introducing a separate button for49 'O' in the electronic voting machines, for the forthcoming Tamilnaduelections.
4. It is the duty of the Election commission to educate the booth officersabout the availability of 49 'O while conducting classes to them on pollingprocedures. The present practice of booth officers expressing ignoranceabout 49 'O' and refusing a vote to record under 49 'O' should be totallyeliminated.'
"O PODU" movement will campaign among voters, particularly the youth,seeking support for the above demands, by use of posters, pamphlets,meetings, T shirt messages, e mails and SMS.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
The making of an eco-city
Namakkal town, in Tamil Nadu, reinvents itself and gets the country's first ISO 14001 certification.
It took three years to put in place a system that has brought Namakkal international recognition.
I REMEMBER it as a dirty and noisy town where dogs roamed the government hospital and stories about them carrying away newborn babies circulated. Then the roar of lorries and stories about people with HIV/ AIDS in Namakkal grabbed national headlines.
This time around, I could not spot any stray animal. Residents, instead, talk about an effective administration, cleaner roads, quieter environs and an ISO 14001 certification — the first of its kind to any town in the country.
Namakkal, a southern district in Tamil Nadu with a population of 53,000, took three years to put in place a system that brought it international recognition. The certification is given to any organisation that uses technology and maintains internationally acceptable standards in services and develops an environmental management system in which water, air and sound quality are maintained.
Initial hiccups
S. Gandhiselvan, the municipal chairman, recalls: "We wanted to do something good. So former commissioner Umapathi and I visited every house in the Anjaneyar Koil (the most congested area) and took up three wards as an experiment. People laughed at us. But we continued. For four months we talked to people, issued notices and finally showed them results of garbage removal."
Gandhiselvan says that the movement included women and has remained "completely apolitical".
"Soon neighbouring wards wanted to be integrated. We privatised garbage collection and trained a group to form `Annamalai Associates'. We have six slums and we never thought they would cooperate. They also joined the group and the success is because of them. When we projected our work at meetings in other districts, people did not believe us. We asked them to visit us," says a proud Gandhiselvan.
Profitable too
Annamalai Associates segregates garbage, prepares vermicompost and recycles non-biodegradable waste, such as tyres and tubes littered around this town known for its lorry "body-building" units. All this fetches the municipality Rs. 4.5 lakh a year, says municipal commissioner P. Kanthaswamy.
"Using GIS (Global Information System) we do route optimisation to save time and fuel. It also ensures 100 per cent removal of garbage," he says.
The effects were there for me to see: Lower noise and pollution levels despite a heaving bus station, a touch screen computer at the municipality for residents of the 30 wards to check their property/ water tax arrears, birth certificates in 15 minutes and an upgraded government hospital with flowerbeds. Gardens and solar electrical fencing have been laid in the town's crematoria. Since its garbage segregation drive, local agriculture does not use chemical fertilizers.
Attitudinal changes
The drive has resulted in attitudinal changes. G.M. Saraswathi, a homemaker who has lived here for 50 years, says: "Initially I did not segregate garbage. One day I saw a woman who came to collect garbage with cuts on her palms. That's when I decided not to dispose sharp items like blades. Now of course the women wear gloves."
The municipality's efforts came into focus when the Supreme Court acknowledged its achievement. The Asian Productivity Organisation based in Tokyo, Japan, introduced the concept of green productivity to enhance efficiency and improve the town's environment and over-all social economic position. The National Productivity Council of India pitched in to develop Namakkal into an "eco-city", the first of its kind in Asia-Pacific region.
New goals
Namakkal is not likely to rest on its new-found status and recognition. Efforts are on to build a Chandigarh-like rock garden in this town, which is in a rocky belt with perennial water shortage. "I remember a summer when even the coconut trees began to wither," recalls N.B. Kala, a resident. But political parties are still finding it difficult to change their ways.
During a recent sports meet, the town's main road was filled with cutouts of a political leader. This despite the municipality levying charges for removing garbage from commercial establishments, hotels and marriage halls and not allowing hoardings unless they carry its mandate for a "beautiful" town.
But, Gandhiselvan and Kanthaswami have even bigger plans. They want computers for the four municipal schools, a swimming pool for the town and a couple of libraries. The ISO certification may be a beginning.
© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu
It took three years to put in place a system that has brought Namakkal international recognition.
I REMEMBER it as a dirty and noisy town where dogs roamed the government hospital and stories about them carrying away newborn babies circulated. Then the roar of lorries and stories about people with HIV/ AIDS in Namakkal grabbed national headlines.
This time around, I could not spot any stray animal. Residents, instead, talk about an effective administration, cleaner roads, quieter environs and an ISO 14001 certification — the first of its kind to any town in the country.
Namakkal, a southern district in Tamil Nadu with a population of 53,000, took three years to put in place a system that brought it international recognition. The certification is given to any organisation that uses technology and maintains internationally acceptable standards in services and develops an environmental management system in which water, air and sound quality are maintained.
Initial hiccups
S. Gandhiselvan, the municipal chairman, recalls: "We wanted to do something good. So former commissioner Umapathi and I visited every house in the Anjaneyar Koil (the most congested area) and took up three wards as an experiment. People laughed at us. But we continued. For four months we talked to people, issued notices and finally showed them results of garbage removal."
Gandhiselvan says that the movement included women and has remained "completely apolitical".
"Soon neighbouring wards wanted to be integrated. We privatised garbage collection and trained a group to form `Annamalai Associates'. We have six slums and we never thought they would cooperate. They also joined the group and the success is because of them. When we projected our work at meetings in other districts, people did not believe us. We asked them to visit us," says a proud Gandhiselvan.
Profitable too
Annamalai Associates segregates garbage, prepares vermicompost and recycles non-biodegradable waste, such as tyres and tubes littered around this town known for its lorry "body-building" units. All this fetches the municipality Rs. 4.5 lakh a year, says municipal commissioner P. Kanthaswamy.
"Using GIS (Global Information System) we do route optimisation to save time and fuel. It also ensures 100 per cent removal of garbage," he says.
The effects were there for me to see: Lower noise and pollution levels despite a heaving bus station, a touch screen computer at the municipality for residents of the 30 wards to check their property/ water tax arrears, birth certificates in 15 minutes and an upgraded government hospital with flowerbeds. Gardens and solar electrical fencing have been laid in the town's crematoria. Since its garbage segregation drive, local agriculture does not use chemical fertilizers.
Attitudinal changes
The drive has resulted in attitudinal changes. G.M. Saraswathi, a homemaker who has lived here for 50 years, says: "Initially I did not segregate garbage. One day I saw a woman who came to collect garbage with cuts on her palms. That's when I decided not to dispose sharp items like blades. Now of course the women wear gloves."
The municipality's efforts came into focus when the Supreme Court acknowledged its achievement. The Asian Productivity Organisation based in Tokyo, Japan, introduced the concept of green productivity to enhance efficiency and improve the town's environment and over-all social economic position. The National Productivity Council of India pitched in to develop Namakkal into an "eco-city", the first of its kind in Asia-Pacific region.
New goals
Namakkal is not likely to rest on its new-found status and recognition. Efforts are on to build a Chandigarh-like rock garden in this town, which is in a rocky belt with perennial water shortage. "I remember a summer when even the coconut trees began to wither," recalls N.B. Kala, a resident. But political parties are still finding it difficult to change their ways.
During a recent sports meet, the town's main road was filled with cutouts of a political leader. This despite the municipality levying charges for removing garbage from commercial establishments, hotels and marriage halls and not allowing hoardings unless they carry its mandate for a "beautiful" town.
But, Gandhiselvan and Kanthaswami have even bigger plans. They want computers for the four municipal schools, a swimming pool for the town and a couple of libraries. The ISO certification may be a beginning.
© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu
Found the WMD. It is here.
A 10-megaton nuclear weapon (The current U.S. warhead strength) creates an explosion equivalent to the detonation of 10 million tons of TNT--from less than 200 pounds (90 kg) of nuclear fuel. Pressure waves emanating from the blast would exceed 30 pounds per square inch and generate winds in excess of 700 miles per hour (1,125 km/h). Such winds could knock down steel-and-concrete buildings with ease. Even 20 miles (32 miles) away, the blast would shatter windows and uproot trees.
The temperature around the blast would rise in an instant to more than 18 million degrees Fahrenheit (10 million degrees Celsius)--hotter than the sun. Everything in a 2-mile (3.2-km) radius would be vaporized. Further out, materials like glass and steel would melt. Further still, combustible materials would ignite and produce innumerable fires. Even at distances greater than 20 miles (32 km), humans would suffer serious burns from the flash.
And when the dust cleared and the fires were out, the bomb's most insidious effect would remain: radiation. Radiation is all around you. It bombards you every moment of your life, everywhere you go. Don't panic, though. Radiation is simply traveling energy, and most of it is harmless. But some forms, like ultraviolet light and X-rays, are harmful if you're exposed too long. Radiation like this, called ionizing radiation, contains enough energy to break down chemical bonds in substances that absorb it.
Radioactive elements like uranium and plutonium emit, among other things, gamma rays, packing 10,000 times more energy than visible light. Gamma rays can pass right through humans, penetrating tissues and ionizing atoms in your body. This leads to massive cellular damage, resulting in system-wide "radiation sickness" and, with enough exposure, death.
Although damage from the blast, heat, and even radiation burns may heal over time, the ionizing damage done to the DNA in human cells will remain. Sooner or later, the body's own replication of damaged DNA leads to the final danger of a nuclear blast: cancer, mutations, and a host of genetic abnormalities. These last casualties can take years, or even decades, to occur.
The temperature around the blast would rise in an instant to more than 18 million degrees Fahrenheit (10 million degrees Celsius)--hotter than the sun. Everything in a 2-mile (3.2-km) radius would be vaporized. Further out, materials like glass and steel would melt. Further still, combustible materials would ignite and produce innumerable fires. Even at distances greater than 20 miles (32 km), humans would suffer serious burns from the flash.
And when the dust cleared and the fires were out, the bomb's most insidious effect would remain: radiation. Radiation is all around you. It bombards you every moment of your life, everywhere you go. Don't panic, though. Radiation is simply traveling energy, and most of it is harmless. But some forms, like ultraviolet light and X-rays, are harmful if you're exposed too long. Radiation like this, called ionizing radiation, contains enough energy to break down chemical bonds in substances that absorb it.
Radioactive elements like uranium and plutonium emit, among other things, gamma rays, packing 10,000 times more energy than visible light. Gamma rays can pass right through humans, penetrating tissues and ionizing atoms in your body. This leads to massive cellular damage, resulting in system-wide "radiation sickness" and, with enough exposure, death.
Although damage from the blast, heat, and even radiation burns may heal over time, the ionizing damage done to the DNA in human cells will remain. Sooner or later, the body's own replication of damaged DNA leads to the final danger of a nuclear blast: cancer, mutations, and a host of genetic abnormalities. These last casualties can take years, or even decades, to occur.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Will they be able to create a real YUVA ?
The political party Lok Paritran (changed from Paritrana due to certain policies of the Election Commission) was founded on 18 th November, 2005.
Two and a half years ago, an informal group of youngsters was formed with the intention of actually taking action against the degeneration of society and the increase in suffering at the collective level which are the order of the day in spite of the immense potential of the country. Intensive efforts in trying to implement changes in key areas like public health and education brought home two irrefutable facts – the intellectual bankruptcy and corruption that have seeped into every layer of the current system, and the inherent interconnectedness of all issues facing society and the impossibility of a partial solution. The group was faced with two choices – to abandon their goals, or go all the way.
Lok Paritran is the result of the group that remained after all the trials and tribulations to go all the way.
Most of the Party leadership holds degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology, and all of them have sacrificed lucrative opportunities both in India and abroad in order to participate in the Party. The President Tanmay Rajpurohit has returned to India leaving his PhD in Economics in the US in order to head this group.
Elaborating upon the reason which prompted these individuals to launch a political party of their own, the party President Tanmay Rajpurohit, who holds a B.Tech degree from IIT Mumbai and double masters degrees from the US, said, “This party has been founded for the purpose of bringing about a fundamental change in the system, which, riddled with corruption and inefficiencies, has become the sole reason of distress to the people”. Soliciting support for this novel initiative he further added, “Any help of any kind would go a long way to help us get a foothold in the Indian political arena, which is so slippery because of the accumulated filth that we intend to clean.”
Chief advisor, Santhanagopalan Vasudev, who is postgraduate in Economics from the US called upon the youth to rise and join the movement. “The stagnated political system is in dire need of fresh blood and dynamism”, he said. Speaking about economic and social policy, he said “Plenty of good ideas have come and gone, for lack of proper implementation. The call of the hour is for broad structural changes that will permit the benefits of policy changes to reach the intended beneficiaries with minimal leakage of resources.” On the decision to contest in the upcoming elections, he said, “Our first goal is to increase awareness in the people, and arouse them from their state of inaction by bringing to them the definite possibility of actual change. And what better way than taking a stand in the elections to let them know that we are determined to change the existing system?”
Lok Paritran will contest in the upcoming elections in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Pondicherry .
The Party's long term and short term action plans are :
Short Term Plans
To expand the membership base of “ Lok Paritran ” as a political party
To take people out of inaction due to complete loss of hope
Outline a concrete, detailed and pragmatic plan to make India a developed nation.
Making region specific plans depending on the local parameters.
Spreading the message of “ Lok Paritran ” at every level of society.
Preparing strategies for the elections.
Exploring the possibilities of establishing institutions for health, cultural, legal and social awareness as well as action.
To conduct “camps” and seminars for building a better understanding and cohesion in the people with the same goal.
Long Term Plans
To achieve the full potential of the country both at the individual and the collective level.
To exterminate corruption by whatever means necessary.
To overhaul the current education system that has lost its relevance in the changed social and economic conditions.
To reorient political organization making it more structured and dynamic.
To integrate technology in industry at both urban and rural levels.
To modernize India 's force structure and defense doctrine.
To adopt a practical foreign policy for India .
To establish India as a formidable economic and intellectual power in the world.
If you are interested in joining this party or any more news, visit : http://www.lokparitran.org/
And it seems in chennai they are contesting this elections from
1. T Nagar2. Mylapore3. Park Town4. Thousand Lights5. Saidapet 6. Anna Nagar
Two and a half years ago, an informal group of youngsters was formed with the intention of actually taking action against the degeneration of society and the increase in suffering at the collective level which are the order of the day in spite of the immense potential of the country. Intensive efforts in trying to implement changes in key areas like public health and education brought home two irrefutable facts – the intellectual bankruptcy and corruption that have seeped into every layer of the current system, and the inherent interconnectedness of all issues facing society and the impossibility of a partial solution. The group was faced with two choices – to abandon their goals, or go all the way.
Lok Paritran is the result of the group that remained after all the trials and tribulations to go all the way.
Most of the Party leadership holds degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology, and all of them have sacrificed lucrative opportunities both in India and abroad in order to participate in the Party. The President Tanmay Rajpurohit has returned to India leaving his PhD in Economics in the US in order to head this group.
Elaborating upon the reason which prompted these individuals to launch a political party of their own, the party President Tanmay Rajpurohit, who holds a B.Tech degree from IIT Mumbai and double masters degrees from the US, said, “This party has been founded for the purpose of bringing about a fundamental change in the system, which, riddled with corruption and inefficiencies, has become the sole reason of distress to the people”. Soliciting support for this novel initiative he further added, “Any help of any kind would go a long way to help us get a foothold in the Indian political arena, which is so slippery because of the accumulated filth that we intend to clean.”
Chief advisor, Santhanagopalan Vasudev, who is postgraduate in Economics from the US called upon the youth to rise and join the movement. “The stagnated political system is in dire need of fresh blood and dynamism”, he said. Speaking about economic and social policy, he said “Plenty of good ideas have come and gone, for lack of proper implementation. The call of the hour is for broad structural changes that will permit the benefits of policy changes to reach the intended beneficiaries with minimal leakage of resources.” On the decision to contest in the upcoming elections, he said, “Our first goal is to increase awareness in the people, and arouse them from their state of inaction by bringing to them the definite possibility of actual change. And what better way than taking a stand in the elections to let them know that we are determined to change the existing system?”
Lok Paritran will contest in the upcoming elections in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Pondicherry .
The Party's long term and short term action plans are :
Short Term Plans
To expand the membership base of “ Lok Paritran ” as a political party
To take people out of inaction due to complete loss of hope
Outline a concrete, detailed and pragmatic plan to make India a developed nation.
Making region specific plans depending on the local parameters.
Spreading the message of “ Lok Paritran ” at every level of society.
Preparing strategies for the elections.
Exploring the possibilities of establishing institutions for health, cultural, legal and social awareness as well as action.
To conduct “camps” and seminars for building a better understanding and cohesion in the people with the same goal.
Long Term Plans
To achieve the full potential of the country both at the individual and the collective level.
To exterminate corruption by whatever means necessary.
To overhaul the current education system that has lost its relevance in the changed social and economic conditions.
To reorient political organization making it more structured and dynamic.
To integrate technology in industry at both urban and rural levels.
To modernize India 's force structure and defense doctrine.
To adopt a practical foreign policy for India .
To establish India as a formidable economic and intellectual power in the world.
If you are interested in joining this party or any more news, visit : http://www.lokparitran.org/
http://www.lokparitran.youaremighty.com/
And it seems in chennai they are contesting this elections from
1. T Nagar2. Mylapore3. Park Town4. Thousand Lights5. Saidapet 6. Anna Nagar
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
The World is Flat---India Flattered
India Emerging As Engg hot Spot For Global Firms
Potential for outsourced services estimated around $10 b-12 b Among the global firms that have set up base here, UK's Rolls-Royce Group Plc has already established a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country to manage the growing volume of engineering work that it is sub-contracting to India. New Delhi , April 9 The growing shortage of core-sector engineers across the globe has international firms flocking to tap Indian civil and mechanical engineering skills. India, which had nearly four lakh engineers graduate in 2005 as against just 70,000 passing put in the US, is seeing jobs of transactional engineers coming in, especially in the core infrastructure sectors. While engineering work currently being executed by India-based vendors is estimated to be around $500 million, analysts estimate the market potential for outsourced engineering services is estimated to be around $10 billion-$12 billion. Overseas consultancy Besides the engineering outsourcing pioneers such as L&T, Thermax, Mahindra and Hero Global Design, firms such as NTPC Ltd and Power Grid Corporation India Ltd (PGCIL) are now betting big on overseas consultancy assignments. NTPC is offering training to power engineers of Aluminium Bahrain and technical personnel of Oman Refinery Company at its facilities here and has deputed shift engineers to power stations in Nigeria in lieu of sizeable consultancy charges. PGCIL is in the process of roping in retired engineers on a contractual basis to execute projects at home as it is putting several of its regular engineers on overseas consultancy assignments due to the huge demand for heavy engineering skills abroad. The India subsidiary of the US-based Quality Engineering and Software Technologies (QuEST), which employs around 700 engineers in Bangalore, is executing direct engineering work packages and sub-contracting projects from India for clients abroad, including several Fortune 500 firms. The company offers concept design to drafting and modelling, to analysis and product realisation solutions in sectors such as aerospace, automotive engineering, energy, industrial products and the petroleum domain. Among the global firms that have set up base here, UK's Rolls-Royce Group Plc has already established a wholly owned subsidiary in the country to manage the growing volume of engineering work that it is sub-contracting to India. Based in Bangalore, Rolls-Royce Operations India Pvt Ltd would tap domestic engineering analysis and design capability skills in developing aero-engineering solutions. Analysts predict that the country is also set to get a bigger piece of the auto offshoring business. According to an AT Kearney online survey of American Automotive Executives, India leads the outsourcing market when it comes to auto-outsourcing with 24 per cent of auto manufacturers giving it the thumbs-up for outsourcing, much higher than those favouring China, Mexico and the Philippines. Eicher Motors has also forayed into engineering services outsourcing with the acquisition of the US-based company Design Intent Engineering (DIE) and the company expects new business to contribute revenue to the tune of $100 million in the next four years.
Potential for outsourced services estimated around $10 b-12 b Among the global firms that have set up base here, UK's Rolls-Royce Group Plc has already established a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country to manage the growing volume of engineering work that it is sub-contracting to India. New Delhi , April 9 The growing shortage of core-sector engineers across the globe has international firms flocking to tap Indian civil and mechanical engineering skills. India, which had nearly four lakh engineers graduate in 2005 as against just 70,000 passing put in the US, is seeing jobs of transactional engineers coming in, especially in the core infrastructure sectors. While engineering work currently being executed by India-based vendors is estimated to be around $500 million, analysts estimate the market potential for outsourced engineering services is estimated to be around $10 billion-$12 billion. Overseas consultancy Besides the engineering outsourcing pioneers such as L&T, Thermax, Mahindra and Hero Global Design, firms such as NTPC Ltd and Power Grid Corporation India Ltd (PGCIL) are now betting big on overseas consultancy assignments. NTPC is offering training to power engineers of Aluminium Bahrain and technical personnel of Oman Refinery Company at its facilities here and has deputed shift engineers to power stations in Nigeria in lieu of sizeable consultancy charges. PGCIL is in the process of roping in retired engineers on a contractual basis to execute projects at home as it is putting several of its regular engineers on overseas consultancy assignments due to the huge demand for heavy engineering skills abroad. The India subsidiary of the US-based Quality Engineering and Software Technologies (QuEST), which employs around 700 engineers in Bangalore, is executing direct engineering work packages and sub-contracting projects from India for clients abroad, including several Fortune 500 firms. The company offers concept design to drafting and modelling, to analysis and product realisation solutions in sectors such as aerospace, automotive engineering, energy, industrial products and the petroleum domain. Among the global firms that have set up base here, UK's Rolls-Royce Group Plc has already established a wholly owned subsidiary in the country to manage the growing volume of engineering work that it is sub-contracting to India. Based in Bangalore, Rolls-Royce Operations India Pvt Ltd would tap domestic engineering analysis and design capability skills in developing aero-engineering solutions. Analysts predict that the country is also set to get a bigger piece of the auto offshoring business. According to an AT Kearney online survey of American Automotive Executives, India leads the outsourcing market when it comes to auto-outsourcing with 24 per cent of auto manufacturers giving it the thumbs-up for outsourcing, much higher than those favouring China, Mexico and the Philippines. Eicher Motors has also forayed into engineering services outsourcing with the acquisition of the US-based company Design Intent Engineering (DIE) and the company expects new business to contribute revenue to the tune of $100 million in the next four years.
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