The Abnoxious Copenhagen Deal

The deadlock at Copenhagen got me curious. I wanted to know what is exactly there on the deal that was written and re-written every 35 seconds and why are people objecting to it. So I took the help of an inside man at Copenhagen. The man got me a draft of the deals and what I found was absolutely shocking. The problem was not much in the industrial emission cuts, but in a new 'TarrrPurrr clause' that was included based on a research report from a Lebon prize winning scientific institute on climate change. It was found that the parliament buildings all over the world were major contributors of GHGs (green house gases), especially methane, particularly high during parliamentary sessions. Further research led to the understanding that politicians everywhere are the culprits. Excessive FARTING by politicians has led to an increases in GHG levels and is a major reason behind not only global climate change, but also several other socio-political-economic problems. Hence the deal had put a cap on the abnoxious gas, politicians of developing countries are allowed to emit.
This was definitely biased and preposterous, because it deprived politicians of their fundamental right - 'Right to Fart'. When the politicians of developed nations have farted enough, not only in their own country, but also elsewhere, putting a cap on politicians of emerging economies was found unjustified. Especially some of the top potato producing nations were in a fix. Farting is second nature to parliamentary meetings. Not only that, it was a gross insult to all world citizens who elected these leaders. The question that was asked, "If our leaders are not even allowed to fart, what else are they supposed to do?" Many people also took offence to the fact that students from third grade were asked to write this deal as part of their annual essay writing competition, while the earlier agreed set up was that the students from fifth grade will write it. All the above reasons combined, led to this infamous standoff. However, after an extended late night booze party, the world leaders agreed to scrap the 'TarrrPurrr clause' from the deal, but found a new problem. The deal was written a record three hundred billion times that Copenhagen had already exhausted all its paper reserves and the party was drawing to a close. So, someone suggested that they use toilet paper to ink the final deal and thus it was done. This may be an indication that the world leaders are going to wipe their ass with it.. Finally!

I Pledge

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?

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.

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.
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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?

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

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.