The doors have got eyes. They see you as you close in and open on their own. The smooth and shining granite floor welcomes you as you smile at your own reflection on the tiles. Don’t forget to carry a helmet, lest you may slip and break your head. People are buried in their cushion seats in an air conditioned zone oblivious to the blazing sun outside. Beautiful women in deep blue blazers outnumber the nurses here. You are entering Columbia Asia, a recent addition to the chain of ‘Five Star Hospitals’ springing up at the outskirts of Bangalore. There is no accreditation to the number of stars, but with a small cup of coffee priced at Rs.15 and the same amount of milk priced at Rs.30, you won’t argue. If you belong to the typical middle-class-IT-Indian-insured-by-company, then you know that this is the place for you.
It was a tense moment for our family. My brother was being operated on his left leg for an accident he met with 26 years ago. While the surgeon was busy constructing a blood canal through his leg, I was quietly turning the pages of a day old Deccan Herald education supplement sitting outside the operation theater. Several thoughts over the state of Indian education paraded through my mind and the flow broke every time the doors of the theater opened, only to bring anyone but my brother out. Out of the several breaks I had that day, I clearly remember three.
An old man in his eighties was rejecting all offers for help. Fear and doubt gripped his heart and pain danced all over his face. He abused everyone. It was probably sheer coincidence, but no members of his family were around to help him ease out. The condition of this man represented everything old age stood for: fear, hatred, neglect, and denial. It was not anything like Siddhartha’s moment, but when one looks at old age it is not easy to brush away the feeling that one’s own journey is not in the opposite direction. I was only hoping that as the day comes when I get close to my destination, I should not be ashamed of the journey I made.
Time is just a perception. When you wait for something, it seems like an eternity. The grains of sand seem too big to make it through the small pores. The clock stops ticking and the world is in a perennial state of suspension, while you are the only one moving restlessly. Frustration eats on you and the door opens only to add to your disappointment. A lady in her late thirties made her way out. Her parents have been waiting as long as me. All my disappointment disappeared, as her mother lovingly stroked her head and called her “My Baby”. I had never come across a thirty seven year old baby before that, but love has the power to make anything happen.
Stay in a hospital for a day and you will see more pain than you can handle. Your heart will sink into a valley of depression and you might start feeling that the only truth about this world is sorrow. One needs great courage to reason otherwise and see the world from a different perspective. Slowly, the passageway was filling in with people. They looked more expectant than anxious. The door opened and there was no customary bed and a patient accompanied with a nurse. This time around the nurse carried in her hand a basket and a beautiful baby was glowing inside like a pot of gold. In a flash, my world of pain turned upside down. It is not for nothing that we surround babies. They carry a fountain of joy into this world and we surround so that we could drink from them. This fountain was born on Friday, the 5th of June, 2009. I suddenly realized that it was the world environment day and my heart sunk again.
This little baby gave me joy, but I am going to leave her a burning earth. Green may be a color she will have to do away with. Best things in this world are for free, but I have exploited them beyond use. No costly gifts would mean a thing to the new generation, if we cannot offer them clean air, water and earth. One day this baby will ask of me such questions that I might end up being ashamed of my whole journey and hence I pledged.
I pledged that I will do all that is in my capacity to gift every child that was born on the 5th of June 2009, clean air, abundant water and green earth. I need more people to pack this gift. Will you join me?
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Education: Enquiry Vs Utility
The utilitarian angle to education has been stretched too far enough. Our society is imbibing an idea in all its vulgarity that education is meant to prepare students for industry. Unfortunately, students are treated as commodities and educational institutions have donned the role of suppliers. Blame it on the commercialization of education, but the problem lies beyond that. The problem lies in our very understanding of what is education.
What is education? A casual browse through the history of education will suggest that education was not born, but slowly built. Education is an answer to man’s quest. As a matter of fact, it is the collection of answers to various questions that haunted mankind throughout human evolution. One has to just go through the first few pages of David Eugene Smith’s ‘History of Mathematics’ to understand the growth of a subject and the inherent need for it. The subject itself was an attempt by early civilizations to comprehend the whole, the infiniteness that surrounded them. Every subsequent generation adds a further drop about its own understanding of the universe to the existing reservoir and it keeps filling. The journey goes on and the quest never ends.
The worth of a generation should be gauged by what it added to that reservoir. To put it bluntly, what is our contribution to education? The answer is “Competition”. A couple of months ago, Swami Vivekananda Thought Center, an NGO that is working towards reforms in primary education organized a painting workshop at a school in Bangalore. The very first question from students shocked us - “What is the prize?” This illustrates the idea that our entire education system is enveloped in a muddy reward and punishment model and anything that has no material incentive is not received enthusiastically by children.
The children are not to blame, however. We are in an age where success is measured by the amount of money, power, or fame someone possesses and hence we teach our children that the ultimate goal of life is to succeed. We emphasize on that point by conducting time bound examinations and awarding ranks. It is easy to argue that examinations are necessary to gauge knowledge, but the question is whether our method of imparting knowledge is fool proof at all. Our educationists assume that the existing pedagogy suits children of all sensibilities. But that is far from the truth.
One of the reasons a child fails to acquire knowledge in classroom teaching is because the method of teaching does not resonate with the natural inclination of the child’s mind. Each child is different and hence only those children, who can align themselves to the existing black board approach to teaching, succeed. In short, creativity has made way to adaptability. If you place the students in a hierarchy of ranks, you can clearly see an almost pyramidal structure or a diamond turned upside down. We have more people towards the base than at the top. The model then goes on to replicate itself in our very social structure and leads to all the disparities we see today. If we look further we can understand that the root cause of all social problems lie in education or the absence of it.
The purpose of education is to free the minds of children and not bind them to conformities. Only a free mind can contribute to the reservoir because it knows the art of questioning. Unless competition disappears from education, freedom is impossible because children always end up trying to achieve a predefined goal. When there is no competition and no predefined goals, the mind seeks freedom and that is the beginning of education. As Swami Vivekananda puts it “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man”. The irony is we don’t even understand what perfection is because we never journeyed in that direction. I reject the idea that the minds of children are like clay and hence can be molded. Please don’t treat lively minds like dead matter. Of course, education has to be useful and cannot be just spent in philosophical debates. But, it is only appropriate to point out that all that is useful is born out of enquiry and not out of methodical training the corporate looks forward to. Training is aimed at learning to use things, not to discover useful things.
Above all, educational institutions are not obliged to obey the demands of the industry. They are only answerable to society at large. Also, the industry’s demand from education is preposterous because industry doesn’t contribute to education in whatever way. If the industry is spending so much on training, they are earning so much more from each resource they train. The end of education is character and not employability.
What is education? A casual browse through the history of education will suggest that education was not born, but slowly built. Education is an answer to man’s quest. As a matter of fact, it is the collection of answers to various questions that haunted mankind throughout human evolution. One has to just go through the first few pages of David Eugene Smith’s ‘History of Mathematics’ to understand the growth of a subject and the inherent need for it. The subject itself was an attempt by early civilizations to comprehend the whole, the infiniteness that surrounded them. Every subsequent generation adds a further drop about its own understanding of the universe to the existing reservoir and it keeps filling. The journey goes on and the quest never ends.
The worth of a generation should be gauged by what it added to that reservoir. To put it bluntly, what is our contribution to education? The answer is “Competition”. A couple of months ago, Swami Vivekananda Thought Center, an NGO that is working towards reforms in primary education organized a painting workshop at a school in Bangalore. The very first question from students shocked us - “What is the prize?” This illustrates the idea that our entire education system is enveloped in a muddy reward and punishment model and anything that has no material incentive is not received enthusiastically by children.
The children are not to blame, however. We are in an age where success is measured by the amount of money, power, or fame someone possesses and hence we teach our children that the ultimate goal of life is to succeed. We emphasize on that point by conducting time bound examinations and awarding ranks. It is easy to argue that examinations are necessary to gauge knowledge, but the question is whether our method of imparting knowledge is fool proof at all. Our educationists assume that the existing pedagogy suits children of all sensibilities. But that is far from the truth.
One of the reasons a child fails to acquire knowledge in classroom teaching is because the method of teaching does not resonate with the natural inclination of the child’s mind. Each child is different and hence only those children, who can align themselves to the existing black board approach to teaching, succeed. In short, creativity has made way to adaptability. If you place the students in a hierarchy of ranks, you can clearly see an almost pyramidal structure or a diamond turned upside down. We have more people towards the base than at the top. The model then goes on to replicate itself in our very social structure and leads to all the disparities we see today. If we look further we can understand that the root cause of all social problems lie in education or the absence of it.
The purpose of education is to free the minds of children and not bind them to conformities. Only a free mind can contribute to the reservoir because it knows the art of questioning. Unless competition disappears from education, freedom is impossible because children always end up trying to achieve a predefined goal. When there is no competition and no predefined goals, the mind seeks freedom and that is the beginning of education. As Swami Vivekananda puts it “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man”. The irony is we don’t even understand what perfection is because we never journeyed in that direction. I reject the idea that the minds of children are like clay and hence can be molded. Please don’t treat lively minds like dead matter. Of course, education has to be useful and cannot be just spent in philosophical debates. But, it is only appropriate to point out that all that is useful is born out of enquiry and not out of methodical training the corporate looks forward to. Training is aimed at learning to use things, not to discover useful things.
Above all, educational institutions are not obliged to obey the demands of the industry. They are only answerable to society at large. Also, the industry’s demand from education is preposterous because industry doesn’t contribute to education in whatever way. If the industry is spending so much on training, they are earning so much more from each resource they train. The end of education is character and not employability.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Economics is Physics
On April 16th, 2009, The Businessline carried my letter to TCA Srinivasa Raghavan's opinion on 'Why Economics is not Physics'. The letter was however shortened. I am reproducing my original reply below.
**********************************************************************************
There is a major difference between Mathematical Techniques and Mathematics. I hope you will appreciate the idea that Mathematics is not about calculations alone. As a matter of fact, calculations are a means to comprehend the underlying logic and rationale mathematics embodies. So techniques are not science, they are just a medium through which science can express itself and what every individual comprehends out of it is completely dependent on the capabilities of an Individual’s mind.
Mathematics is also only indicative. The accuracy depends on the number of dimensions taken into consideration. Let me touch Pythagoras Theorem you have used as an example. The theorem holds good only in 2 dimensions. It is not tough to understand that there is no triangle in three dimensions. Of course you can have nonzero x-y-z values for all the three vertices, but a triangle is still a plane and a stand alone plane is only two dimensional. Unless we fix the number of dimensions the accuracy can always be disputed. But this cannot be considered as failure of Mathematics/Pythagoras theorem. Even in science our rules are based on dimensions. Say gravitation and there are principles of physics that hold true in an environment governed by gravitation. I would like to bring another example. A recent analysis suggests that the largest structures in the universe are about 200 million light-years in size. But scientists at the Enrico Fermi center in Rome argue that largest structures discovered so far are limited only by the size of the galaxy surveys that found them. Still larger structures might stretch beyond the scope of the surveys. How ridiculous it would be to say that there cannot be a survey beyond our scope? It just highlights our own limitation and incapability.
Similarly in Economics, the social system is too complex to pin down the dimensions and offer accurate measurements. This should not mean that Economics is not physics; it is just that our own understanding has not advanced enough to find these social dimensions where we can successfully apply rules and obtain results. In no way this means that society is dimensionless. It only means that right now, Economics (social science) is in its very nascent stage of development (the same way science or mathematics was) and is in need of its own Galileo or Newton or Einstein to be born. Hence, while there are only 10 countries that meet the Taylor’s rule and 185 sovereign nations that don’t, is it not time to say that the world is not Geocentric in Economics terms? A mistake in a rule is supposed to unearth undiscovered possibilities not discard the rule itself. Am I making sense?
**********************************************************************************
There is a major difference between Mathematical Techniques and Mathematics. I hope you will appreciate the idea that Mathematics is not about calculations alone. As a matter of fact, calculations are a means to comprehend the underlying logic and rationale mathematics embodies. So techniques are not science, they are just a medium through which science can express itself and what every individual comprehends out of it is completely dependent on the capabilities of an Individual’s mind.
Mathematics is also only indicative. The accuracy depends on the number of dimensions taken into consideration. Let me touch Pythagoras Theorem you have used as an example. The theorem holds good only in 2 dimensions. It is not tough to understand that there is no triangle in three dimensions. Of course you can have nonzero x-y-z values for all the three vertices, but a triangle is still a plane and a stand alone plane is only two dimensional. Unless we fix the number of dimensions the accuracy can always be disputed. But this cannot be considered as failure of Mathematics/Pythagoras theorem. Even in science our rules are based on dimensions. Say gravitation and there are principles of physics that hold true in an environment governed by gravitation. I would like to bring another example. A recent analysis suggests that the largest structures in the universe are about 200 million light-years in size. But scientists at the Enrico Fermi center in Rome argue that largest structures discovered so far are limited only by the size of the galaxy surveys that found them. Still larger structures might stretch beyond the scope of the surveys. How ridiculous it would be to say that there cannot be a survey beyond our scope? It just highlights our own limitation and incapability.
Similarly in Economics, the social system is too complex to pin down the dimensions and offer accurate measurements. This should not mean that Economics is not physics; it is just that our own understanding has not advanced enough to find these social dimensions where we can successfully apply rules and obtain results. In no way this means that society is dimensionless. It only means that right now, Economics (social science) is in its very nascent stage of development (the same way science or mathematics was) and is in need of its own Galileo or Newton or Einstein to be born. Hence, while there are only 10 countries that meet the Taylor’s rule and 185 sovereign nations that don’t, is it not time to say that the world is not Geocentric in Economics terms? A mistake in a rule is supposed to unearth undiscovered possibilities not discard the rule itself. Am I making sense?
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Brightside of American Protectionism
It seems that Barack Obama’s recent no-tax-benefit declaration has caught Asia in a hot debate. We have experts arguing for and against the idea and some have gone to the extent of saying that America will be on the losing side as a result of its own protectionist policy. The Economist magazine’s recent research report on the threat of possible mass uprisings leading to failed states as a result of deepening of the world economic crisis also cites protectionism as one of the major reasons. But is protectionism really that bad? American Protectionism, particularly in the current crisis has a brighter side to it.
The World’s Mouth
America is the world’s mouth. It has this interesting capacity to gobble up everything the world can produce. A typical American buys 53 times as many products as someone from China, according to Sierra Club; one American's consumption of resources is equal to that of 35 Indians[1]. This rampant nature of American consumerism has been the result of a very high income level the Americans enjoyed over a long period of time and also because of their belief in borrowing (read debts). It is exactly this capacity of America to consume led to an economic boom in several developing countries including India, because there was this perennial buyer for all the products the world could possible produce: oil, grains, software and just about anything. But the latest credit crunch reversed all that not only because debt levels increased but also because the income levels of Americans stagnated. In simple words, the ratio between debt levels and income levels became too big for the country to afford.
Protectionist Policy
So what is Obama trying to do? America suffers from depleted wealth today and Obama’s protectionist policies are only trying to restore wealth back to the nation where it should have belonged in the first place. The tax restructuring and incentives will only bring back more money to America that is rightfully America’s and also lead to an increase in the income levels of the Americans. It is well known that the primary objective of a protectionist approach is to generate employment within the nation and thereby increase income levels, a qualified swadeshi approach. But this closed door approach will not last long because the American spirit is entrepreneurial and profit seeking. Once order is restored, the country will open doors for growth which will again trigger the let-us-gobble-everything spirit of the Americans.
As a matter of fact, Americans have already started buying, cautiously though[2]. There are credit cards still being distributed in America, reduced however. As long as the American attitude to buy is alive, protectionism will only strengthen their economy so they could buy more and those who can sell can rejoice. So American Protectionism is good because it is temporary. Though it is easy to conclude that this worst downturn after the great depression will change spending habits, America’s protectionism will exactly nullify that because the attempt is to increase income levels and keep the economy moving.
Americans by their very nature are not used to the style of saving of the Oriental East. Of course, the baby boomers in US are saving more than their parents ever did, but they are not going to become thrifty. As confidence is restored in the system, they will start spending again and consumer spending has always been on the rise in America since 1959[3]. American spending has always been good for the world economies, especially the developing countries in Asia and a perennial buyer will again emerge from the ashes. It just needs a little time and patience.
The real threat
The real threat is in Obama’s attempt to inculcate an attitude for saving in Americans. His approach to do away with the boom-bust cycle the world has been going through for a long time is really a huge threat, because to establish a spike less graph of prosperity, America needs to reduce consumption. America needs to mimic the East. The very definition of wealth and prosperity should start bordering on spirituality. But isn’t a reduction in consumption good for the world? But the real question is, “Can Americans achieve that? Is the victory of Barack Obama and the ‘Yes We Can’ slogan the beginning of that change?” We will have to wait and see and while we are waiting it is time to invoke the pan-Asian spirit.
American protectionism can only be a threat if all the other countries follow suit. If every country follows a closed door approach and promotes isolated existence, then it will not augur well for the future. A failure of international cooperation means a failure of International Organizations. Poor African nations that are entirely dependent on UN aid may be wiped off the face of earth and we will have more countries falling prey to autocracy because international diplomacy will lose its meaning. With 35% of the world’s population already under authoritarian regimes[4] the chances of the world sliding down into a regressive path is higher.
Countries may choose to build barriers for American export, but they should remain open to American investment and allow a part of profits to be taken back to America. American investments may reduce as a result of the no-tax-benefit, but definitely not to the extent of entirely disappearing. India and China should lead a pan-Asian cooperation and promote free trade within the region. Unfortunately, given the unrest in south Asia, this is highly unlikely. So the real threats to the conventional definition of ‘economic growth’ are a complete reversal of American consumerism and lack of international cooperation, by itself not American Protectionism.
Citations:
[1]http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/12/23/eco.shopping/index.html
[2]Off their trolleys – http://www.economist.com/
[3]The Rise in U.S. Household Indebtedness: Causes and Consequences - Karen E. Dynan and Donald L. Kohn – http://www.federalreserve.gov/
[4]The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy 2008
The World’s Mouth
America is the world’s mouth. It has this interesting capacity to gobble up everything the world can produce. A typical American buys 53 times as many products as someone from China, according to Sierra Club; one American's consumption of resources is equal to that of 35 Indians[1]. This rampant nature of American consumerism has been the result of a very high income level the Americans enjoyed over a long period of time and also because of their belief in borrowing (read debts). It is exactly this capacity of America to consume led to an economic boom in several developing countries including India, because there was this perennial buyer for all the products the world could possible produce: oil, grains, software and just about anything. But the latest credit crunch reversed all that not only because debt levels increased but also because the income levels of Americans stagnated. In simple words, the ratio between debt levels and income levels became too big for the country to afford.
Protectionist Policy
So what is Obama trying to do? America suffers from depleted wealth today and Obama’s protectionist policies are only trying to restore wealth back to the nation where it should have belonged in the first place. The tax restructuring and incentives will only bring back more money to America that is rightfully America’s and also lead to an increase in the income levels of the Americans. It is well known that the primary objective of a protectionist approach is to generate employment within the nation and thereby increase income levels, a qualified swadeshi approach. But this closed door approach will not last long because the American spirit is entrepreneurial and profit seeking. Once order is restored, the country will open doors for growth which will again trigger the let-us-gobble-everything spirit of the Americans.
As a matter of fact, Americans have already started buying, cautiously though[2]. There are credit cards still being distributed in America, reduced however. As long as the American attitude to buy is alive, protectionism will only strengthen their economy so they could buy more and those who can sell can rejoice. So American Protectionism is good because it is temporary. Though it is easy to conclude that this worst downturn after the great depression will change spending habits, America’s protectionism will exactly nullify that because the attempt is to increase income levels and keep the economy moving.
Americans by their very nature are not used to the style of saving of the Oriental East. Of course, the baby boomers in US are saving more than their parents ever did, but they are not going to become thrifty. As confidence is restored in the system, they will start spending again and consumer spending has always been on the rise in America since 1959[3]. American spending has always been good for the world economies, especially the developing countries in Asia and a perennial buyer will again emerge from the ashes. It just needs a little time and patience.
The real threat
The real threat is in Obama’s attempt to inculcate an attitude for saving in Americans. His approach to do away with the boom-bust cycle the world has been going through for a long time is really a huge threat, because to establish a spike less graph of prosperity, America needs to reduce consumption. America needs to mimic the East. The very definition of wealth and prosperity should start bordering on spirituality. But isn’t a reduction in consumption good for the world? But the real question is, “Can Americans achieve that? Is the victory of Barack Obama and the ‘Yes We Can’ slogan the beginning of that change?” We will have to wait and see and while we are waiting it is time to invoke the pan-Asian spirit.
American protectionism can only be a threat if all the other countries follow suit. If every country follows a closed door approach and promotes isolated existence, then it will not augur well for the future. A failure of international cooperation means a failure of International Organizations. Poor African nations that are entirely dependent on UN aid may be wiped off the face of earth and we will have more countries falling prey to autocracy because international diplomacy will lose its meaning. With 35% of the world’s population already under authoritarian regimes[4] the chances of the world sliding down into a regressive path is higher.
Countries may choose to build barriers for American export, but they should remain open to American investment and allow a part of profits to be taken back to America. American investments may reduce as a result of the no-tax-benefit, but definitely not to the extent of entirely disappearing. India and China should lead a pan-Asian cooperation and promote free trade within the region. Unfortunately, given the unrest in south Asia, this is highly unlikely. So the real threats to the conventional definition of ‘economic growth’ are a complete reversal of American consumerism and lack of international cooperation, by itself not American Protectionism.
Citations:
[1]http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/12/23/eco.shopping/index.html
[2]Off their trolleys – http://www.economist.com/
[3]The Rise in U.S. Household Indebtedness: Causes and Consequences - Karen E. Dynan and Donald L. Kohn – http://www.federalreserve.gov/
[4]The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy 2008
Monday, April 20, 2009
RADON - THE KILLER
Are you sure, you are not drinking poison? Yes friends, a recent report published by the Environmental Sciences department of Bangalore University means exactly that. Our drinking water in bangalore contains high levels of RADON. Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, naturally occuring radioactive noble gas that is formed from the decay of radium. It creeps into your system, unseen, unsmelt and unfelt and it is anything but noble. The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that Radon is the second major cause of lung cancer and sixth leading cause of cancer deaths overall. In short, a serial psychotic killer who is out there unchecked.
There is no known safe levels of radioactivity says an official from EPA. In 1991, EPA proposed a maximum contaminant level for radon of 11 bq/lit in drinking water. Quite interestingly, the study conducted by Bangalore university reports radon levels as high as 700 Bq/lit in Bangalore. That is definitely status RED and an official at the University department confirms that. Data collected from Kidwai cancer institute proves that there has been reported cases of cancer due to radon exposure in Bangalore beyond any trace of doubt. Now what? The government will always be slow to react. It might take another ten years for us to have a Radon policy. But that is no reason for slack. Usually radon levels are high in ground water and hence if your source is from borewells, you must have greater caution. Don't drink the water immediately from water taps. Keep water in open containers for atleast five hours - this facilitates radon escape to air - before you consume it. As someone suggested it might be a good idea to cover your overhead tank with a wired mesh than air tight lids. Mind you, your water purifier is not advanced enough to filter out radioactive substances, all it does is kill some bacteria.
The first alarming report about radon appeared in the daily DNA. But I seriously doubt the reach of the alarm. The main source of water at several places in Bangalore is from private borewells. So the danger is higher and hence it is imperative for citizens to know. But who cares and media can only do that much. It is the job of the citizens to spread the message. Forward mails, write on blogs, speak to your friends and educate people who might find it hard to read. Our friends staying in slums might have no knowledge of the threat that is radon, so, go and tell them. A healthy living is our birth right and lets join hands to fight RADON - THE KILLER.
There is no known safe levels of radioactivity says an official from EPA. In 1991, EPA proposed a maximum contaminant level for radon of 11 bq/lit in drinking water. Quite interestingly, the study conducted by Bangalore university reports radon levels as high as 700 Bq/lit in Bangalore. That is definitely status RED and an official at the University department confirms that. Data collected from Kidwai cancer institute proves that there has been reported cases of cancer due to radon exposure in Bangalore beyond any trace of doubt. Now what? The government will always be slow to react. It might take another ten years for us to have a Radon policy. But that is no reason for slack. Usually radon levels are high in ground water and hence if your source is from borewells, you must have greater caution. Don't drink the water immediately from water taps. Keep water in open containers for atleast five hours - this facilitates radon escape to air - before you consume it. As someone suggested it might be a good idea to cover your overhead tank with a wired mesh than air tight lids. Mind you, your water purifier is not advanced enough to filter out radioactive substances, all it does is kill some bacteria.
The first alarming report about radon appeared in the daily DNA. But I seriously doubt the reach of the alarm. The main source of water at several places in Bangalore is from private borewells. So the danger is higher and hence it is imperative for citizens to know. But who cares and media can only do that much. It is the job of the citizens to spread the message. Forward mails, write on blogs, speak to your friends and educate people who might find it hard to read. Our friends staying in slums might have no knowledge of the threat that is radon, so, go and tell them. A healthy living is our birth right and lets join hands to fight RADON - THE KILLER.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Letter to a terrorist
Dear,
I don’t know how to address you; you look almost like my younger brother. I have no idea what just happened to me. All I can see is that I am lying on the ground and there is blood gushing out of my throat. I see some more bodies around me and I can see you. I am just guessing because I see a gun in your hand, you probably shot us all. I feel no pain and I feel as if this body doesn’t belong to me, may be because I am going to die. That makes me think that I have very little time left and I might never be able to catch the fast local I am waiting for.
All my life, I have hated people of your kind like everyone else does. But today, when I know I am dying, I am left with no hate for anyone. A feeling of overwhelming love embraces me today and I feel the same love for you. I am struggling to breathe, but I can think clearly and I am sure you have done no good for yourself or for anyone else by shooting us all. You have not killed me; you have only killed any possibility of a hopeful future.
I have a three year old son, a very lovely son. He has just started speaking, in broken words. He calls me ‘Ppaaahh’. It is very unusual for a kid of his age that he stays awake till I return home everyday. I sing a few songs till he sleeps on my lap. On days when I am too late, the first thing in the morning, he looks for me. Our day doesn’t begin until we exchange a few laughs. In his presence I forget all my worries and realize how wonderful this world is.
I am late today. He might have slept by now. But when he wakes tomorrow morning, I am sure he will be hoping to find me by his side and I am afraid he won’t find me. He is very scared when the power goes off or when the room is dark. But when I am with him he fights his fear. He is full of hope that I will protect him. In the parks or on the stairs, he runs without a worry, never looking back. Because he knows that I will always follow him like a shadow. He cries when others throw him in the air, but when it is me, he is full of excitement. He feels that he can fly and trusts me completely to catch him when he is falling down. He rode with me on my bike for the first time yesterday.
But things are going to be different tomorrow. When he wakes he won’t find me, neither will he have a reason to wait late in the night for me. When he runs in the park or on the stairs, he has to look back every time to ensure that someone is following him. He should now learn to fight his fears without me and get used to darkness. Probably he should now let others throw him in the air and try to enjoy the excitement of flying. But he should always be wary of falling down. He is too young to ride a bike or understand all this, but he should soon learn to be his own man, because, after today, there is no hope of my return. Brother, you have not killed me, but killed the hopes of a three year old kid.
When you kill hope, all you get back is hatred. Life is so dear to those who are living. I would want him to be filled with the same love I have for you today. But on the day he knows his father was brutally murdered by men of your kind, on the day he knows his hopes were killed by a young man carrying a gun in the CST, it is tough to convince him to love you. I don’t know why you are on a killing spree, but I know it does no good to you or your cause. I am an atheist. The only religion I believe in is humanity and the only Gods I worship are those who serve mankind. Hope is the only prayer and you have killed someone’s prayer. It is foolish to expect grace when there is no prayer.
If you are doing this because you had a bad past, it makes no sense, because you will be replied back in your own language and the mankind will run in a vicious circle of vengeance. If you are doing this for a peaceful future, your ways are definitely wrong. Bloodshed brings more bloodshed and not peace. I don’t know why they call you a terrorist. To me, you look the most terrified. This terminus will open again tomorrow and there will be another bunch of people like us, waiting for the fast local. But you will go into hiding; scared and terrified of our strength, of our courage and of our hope to live another day.
I don’t know how to address you; you look almost like my younger brother. I have no idea what just happened to me. All I can see is that I am lying on the ground and there is blood gushing out of my throat. I see some more bodies around me and I can see you. I am just guessing because I see a gun in your hand, you probably shot us all. I feel no pain and I feel as if this body doesn’t belong to me, may be because I am going to die. That makes me think that I have very little time left and I might never be able to catch the fast local I am waiting for.
All my life, I have hated people of your kind like everyone else does. But today, when I know I am dying, I am left with no hate for anyone. A feeling of overwhelming love embraces me today and I feel the same love for you. I am struggling to breathe, but I can think clearly and I am sure you have done no good for yourself or for anyone else by shooting us all. You have not killed me; you have only killed any possibility of a hopeful future.
I have a three year old son, a very lovely son. He has just started speaking, in broken words. He calls me ‘Ppaaahh’. It is very unusual for a kid of his age that he stays awake till I return home everyday. I sing a few songs till he sleeps on my lap. On days when I am too late, the first thing in the morning, he looks for me. Our day doesn’t begin until we exchange a few laughs. In his presence I forget all my worries and realize how wonderful this world is.
I am late today. He might have slept by now. But when he wakes tomorrow morning, I am sure he will be hoping to find me by his side and I am afraid he won’t find me. He is very scared when the power goes off or when the room is dark. But when I am with him he fights his fear. He is full of hope that I will protect him. In the parks or on the stairs, he runs without a worry, never looking back. Because he knows that I will always follow him like a shadow. He cries when others throw him in the air, but when it is me, he is full of excitement. He feels that he can fly and trusts me completely to catch him when he is falling down. He rode with me on my bike for the first time yesterday.
But things are going to be different tomorrow. When he wakes he won’t find me, neither will he have a reason to wait late in the night for me. When he runs in the park or on the stairs, he has to look back every time to ensure that someone is following him. He should now learn to fight his fears without me and get used to darkness. Probably he should now let others throw him in the air and try to enjoy the excitement of flying. But he should always be wary of falling down. He is too young to ride a bike or understand all this, but he should soon learn to be his own man, because, after today, there is no hope of my return. Brother, you have not killed me, but killed the hopes of a three year old kid.
When you kill hope, all you get back is hatred. Life is so dear to those who are living. I would want him to be filled with the same love I have for you today. But on the day he knows his father was brutally murdered by men of your kind, on the day he knows his hopes were killed by a young man carrying a gun in the CST, it is tough to convince him to love you. I don’t know why you are on a killing spree, but I know it does no good to you or your cause. I am an atheist. The only religion I believe in is humanity and the only Gods I worship are those who serve mankind. Hope is the only prayer and you have killed someone’s prayer. It is foolish to expect grace when there is no prayer.
If you are doing this because you had a bad past, it makes no sense, because you will be replied back in your own language and the mankind will run in a vicious circle of vengeance. If you are doing this for a peaceful future, your ways are definitely wrong. Bloodshed brings more bloodshed and not peace. I don’t know why they call you a terrorist. To me, you look the most terrified. This terminus will open again tomorrow and there will be another bunch of people like us, waiting for the fast local. But you will go into hiding; scared and terrified of our strength, of our courage and of our hope to live another day.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
First Failure
Bangalore Mirror thoroughly disappointed me yesterday. Apart from bringing us news as significant as the “who-is-who” of Bangalore, Bangalore Mirror also features news as insignificant as the “who-slept-with-whom” kind. But yesterday’s edition had no mention of the protest rally that took place at the Vidhan Soudha on December 8th, 2008 against terrorism. It was extremely important to cover this rally for the set of demands that were supposed to be presented before the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The demands were very interesting and the approach the organizers proposed to achieve this was unique; calling for a boycott on taxes.
I wonder whether there was a rally at all and if there was none, I am tempted to consider this as the first among the many failures our struggles will face in the future. I am not interested in stock market, but my trust on this particular rally was very bearish from the outset. The call came via emails and there was no organization/individual who took responsibility for the call. It was from a FELLOW CITIZEN. Protest rallies are like babies and they need a parent to bring them up. Otherwise they will be as pathetic as one of those orphaned street children about whom every fellow citizen thinks, but no one owns up. The ‘call’ was neatly written on a three page document, a well presented case and I saw some of those put up on public notice boards across Bangalore. But who has the time to standby and read an essay? Demands, approach and the protest date and time would have sufficed.
This protest was deemed to be a failure for its choice of date and time. I think the originator of the idea expected that people will pour on streets at 12 Noon on a Monday. It was ridiculous on the part of the FELLOW CITIZEN to expect that the people of the nation are still mourning. We are already geared up for the India-England test series. There are deliveries to meet, sensex to follow, night life to be revived and festivals to be celebrated. Life has moved on. Every single head that adds to the gathering will add strength to a rally. Hence it was important to decide on a date and time on which many could attend, even at the cost of looking like a weekend-free-time protest. Every failure such as this is like spraying water over fire and some water is sprayed now from across the border too.
All of a sudden, Pakistan has started to crack its whip on LeT, a terrorist group that has been causing considerable damage to Pakistan along with the Taliban. It is very surprising that the Pakistan government never thought of taking a stern action against LeT during blasts in their own country, but finds it very urgent to act because of the Mumbai massacre and to add to that they have already arrested the LeT masterminds and the JUD chief in no time. Come on; people of the world need a break. It is encouraging to know that US is still not buying news from Pakistan. Unless we are shown video footages of these barbarians taken into custody we will not believe a word that Pakistan has to say. And what was that? Trial will be as per the law of Pakistan? Terrorists are enemies of the world, they must be judged as per the law of the world, of mankind and not of any country. Whatever it means!
I wonder whether there was a rally at all and if there was none, I am tempted to consider this as the first among the many failures our struggles will face in the future. I am not interested in stock market, but my trust on this particular rally was very bearish from the outset. The call came via emails and there was no organization/individual who took responsibility for the call. It was from a FELLOW CITIZEN. Protest rallies are like babies and they need a parent to bring them up. Otherwise they will be as pathetic as one of those orphaned street children about whom every fellow citizen thinks, but no one owns up. The ‘call’ was neatly written on a three page document, a well presented case and I saw some of those put up on public notice boards across Bangalore. But who has the time to standby and read an essay? Demands, approach and the protest date and time would have sufficed.
This protest was deemed to be a failure for its choice of date and time. I think the originator of the idea expected that people will pour on streets at 12 Noon on a Monday. It was ridiculous on the part of the FELLOW CITIZEN to expect that the people of the nation are still mourning. We are already geared up for the India-England test series. There are deliveries to meet, sensex to follow, night life to be revived and festivals to be celebrated. Life has moved on. Every single head that adds to the gathering will add strength to a rally. Hence it was important to decide on a date and time on which many could attend, even at the cost of looking like a weekend-free-time protest. Every failure such as this is like spraying water over fire and some water is sprayed now from across the border too.
All of a sudden, Pakistan has started to crack its whip on LeT, a terrorist group that has been causing considerable damage to Pakistan along with the Taliban. It is very surprising that the Pakistan government never thought of taking a stern action against LeT during blasts in their own country, but finds it very urgent to act because of the Mumbai massacre and to add to that they have already arrested the LeT masterminds and the JUD chief in no time. Come on; people of the world need a break. It is encouraging to know that US is still not buying news from Pakistan. Unless we are shown video footages of these barbarians taken into custody we will not believe a word that Pakistan has to say. And what was that? Trial will be as per the law of Pakistan? Terrorists are enemies of the world, they must be judged as per the law of the world, of mankind and not of any country. Whatever it means!
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