Cruelty at the max

I’m not exactly a vegan, or an animal rights activist, but when i got to know exactly what was happening, I am seriously reconsidering. We cannot dismiss factory farming as a western trend which is of no concern to us. Our meat factories are just hidden better. Ever heard the term broiler chicken? Its a breed of chicken and turkey which are bred especially for meat and eggs. They abound in steriods which can cause serious health issues to us. In fact, the greatest percentage of meat products which are commercially available belongs to this category. And since India is seriously lacking in animal rights activists, they flourish. There is no one to bring them to the limelight.

So what exactly is the factory farming practice?

Consider raising animals in such a way that they are cruelly confined to extremely congested spaces. The main goal, is to raise as much meat, dairy and poultry products as possible. Now this actually works. The amount of net food produced was nearly doubled in the US. It is easier to manage a huge flock of animals when they are confined in such a manner. So resources needed are less. The result-nearly double the amount of food for reduced cost. Egg-laying hens get their beaks cut off to prevent them from pecking each other. Laying a large amount of eggs can severley affect their bodies. Female pigs(sows) are treated like pig making factories. Dairy farms use steriods on cows to increase the milk yield. Even fish are farmed in such a manner.

The negative aspect.

Its easy to sum up the advantages. So now lets take a look at the cons.

1. The health risk- When we put a large no of animals in such close proximity, we are exposing them to the worst health conditions. A variety of diseases are afoot, including the avian flu, the BSE or mad cow disease and what not. And the chances for the disease spreading are increased manyfold when they are reared at close proximity. When we risk the health of these animals, we risk our own. And we consume meat that is stuffed with steriods. This is not fair-not for us, and especially not for these animals. So, if you believe that their health does not matter, think again.
2. Farming Ethics- How would you feel if you were part of a crowd who was getting ready to be slaughtered? Stuffed into vehicles in such a manner that you cant turn around, move or even breathe freely. Fed chemicals that degenerate your every tissue, while making you look plump and healthy. If you dont like such an environment, then neither will these animals. They too are living, and not just objects that can end up in your plate one day. They too have feelings like you or me. So what motivates us to be so cruel to them?

What we can do.

Surprisingly, we can do a lot.

1. Become an activist for PETAIndia. PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatement of Animals. Go to the activism page of PETA India and see how you can contribute. They can help you in matters involving organisation of groups and debates to providing healthy vegan recipes.
2. The best course of action would be to be a vegan or a vegetarian, but for those who cannot(like me), try to use organic meat or dairy products as far as possible. They are available in every supermarket and might cost more, but think of the cause you are striving for.
3. Try to organise a animal rights group. Visit a factory farm near you and see what happens there.

Being humans we are empowered to do many things. So why not dedicate some time and effort for a better cause. And in the process, be a better human being.

I have nothing against Microsoft, but this new revolutionary technology makes the guys at Microsoft look like amateurs. The technology can be summed up as, ‘any surface=microsoft surface’. Even your ordinary bedroom wall can be interacted with using this technology. There is no actual sixth sense involved, but the technology coupled with the internet makes up that feeling. The hand gesture of taking a photo can be recognized by the system and a picture is taken and stored in your cell phone whenever a gesture is made. Indeed, the cell phone or PDA acts as the computer system and network connection. The system can recognise a variety of interfaces, search the internet and retrieve information about it on the go. The entire apparatus is very portable and economical. The prototype, (for it’s still in developement) costs around 350 US Dollars which is 12150 dollars short of the Microsoft Surface and has nearly all of its features.

How it works.

The entire system uses a camera, a miniature projecture and a computing device(cell phone). The camera is the input device and it recognises the interfacing devices having visual tracking fiducials(fingers with nail polish or marker caps at the tip). The camera recognises the colours and lets us interact. The projector acts as the surface creator and interfacing device-though technically it is the output device. The camera can use the computing device and recognise common hand gestures and provide necessary output. The vesion of the system shown in the video is just a prototype, and the commercial version can be even smaller. The camera can even recognise items from one another, much like the Microsoft surface recognising wine in a glass. And it can even identify books using the front page or tags and provide information then and there as we are glancing through its pages. If technology could make us lazy, this could be the ultimate step.

Functionality

We have to remember that all of this is possible through the computing device or cellphone and its networing capabilities. The information gathered is through the internet and a fast connection is needed. The sixth sense mentioned here might be none other than the internet itself. There is no end to the functionality offered by this system. The system is indeed very flexible, and in a few years, we might see a newer, more portable version capable of much, much more.

Disadvantages???

I cant seem to come up with any, which is a first. It can’t be used out in the open since it uses a projector??? Not much of a disadvantage. Well, the only disadvantage comparing with the Surface is that it cannot use pressure sensors, which is trivial, considering the overwhelming advantages.

Credits

The sixth sense technology was developed by Pranav Mistry and Pattie Maes of the MIT. Kudos to both of them. For more information, here is the website. Check it out

A must see video, to see the true picture.

For those of you who dont know, India Vision 2020 is a non-political, non-profit organisation which aims at making India, a fully developed country by the year 2020, and in my opinion, the first one to gives more emphasis to action rather than words. India Vision is the brainchild of our former president Dr. Abdul Kalam. He is a true visionary and it is of no surprise that such an idea spawned in his mind. The task at hand is a truly arduous one, but being the genius that he is, Kalam has outlined specific instructions as oaths for the youth and children of our nation. You can find them here(pdf). As you can see, India Vision is targeted at the youth, for it is they who will guide the nation. It is important to note that the first instruction for both the youth and children is to acquire knowledge and have specific goals in life. Only through knowledge can understanding come and through understanding, solutions can arise. But first and foremost, there are certain goals that the nation itself must accomplish. They include developement in various areas like agriculture, infrastructure, energy, education, healthcare, technology, industry, etc. To call a nation developed, it must excel in these fields.   To top it all off, the oaths include minute details such as planting of trees, providing education to those less privileged, etc. This is something we can do, something which is not over the top, and hence it is effective.

What I would like to get done.

I guess all the important points such as education, health, economy etc already taken, but i would like to add a few points which I believe would complete the set.

Countering Racial Descrimination.

We all know how India is described in various books and articles-’The land of varied races, cultures and climate.’ Its those same various cultures that give rise to discrimination. There can be no discrimination without differences. It is the greatest obstacle that a developing India faces. Suppose two people of different religions are having a dispute. A person who is totally unaware of the circumstances naturally tend to take the side of the guy who is of his own religion. An efficient way to counter this would be to appoint a non-partial judge. As vision 2020 is not a political organization, the people should realise what is right and pass judgement. The best way to do this would be to promote understanding between people of different races and religions. There is much that we can do in this aspect. Try to make others understand the triviality of religions conflicts. Just because another man is of a different religion doesnt mean that he is wrong. Just because a man has beliefs are different from ours doesnt mae him less or more than us. We are all humans(as if we didnt know). We have to just try to understand and accept the fact.

A good course of action would be

1. To abolish discrimination of caste or colour or religion in our own hearts.
2. To promote understanding and to hold meetings and discussions to resolve differences.
3. To discourage creation of muslim or hindu majority schools. This can help create awareness in children.

A conflict between two religions can spark off a chain reaction which can destroy national integrity as a whole. And the real culprits behind this are the media.

Scourging the media.

My second action would be to scourge the media which disseminate false information, and spice up the material for the sake of circulation. The media should be encouraged to get the facts straight first and strict penalties should be awarded to those distributing false info. Again, false information can also lead to a national integrity crisis which must be avoided at all costs. When a racial or religious conflict occurs, the media drags it to the forefront because its sensational. But do they give it much publicity after the situation gets resolved? How is it that we do not see news about religious conflicts getting successfully resolved? Cause they aren’t sensational? This is why the media is such an important factor.

Corruption.

The third action should be against corruption. Corruption can exist in two forms-political pertaining to political systems, bureaucratical pertaining to administrative systems. The government should be persuaded to increase the penalties on corruption. We should report corruption to the responsible authorities wherever we see it. We, the people can play an important part in destroying this great obstacle to developement.

The Brain Drain.

The quest for a better life has lead to lot of potential being dragged off of the country. Our greatest minds are working elsewhere. We need them. If you are truly patriotic, consider working for Indian companies. Lose a just a bit of money for a greater cause. The brain drain is as a serious topic as any other.

What happens now?

These are some of the points that Vision 2020 should adopt if it is to see a developed India. Currently, India Vision focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation which leads to better education, social upliftment, better living conditions for those who are underprivileged, agricultural improvements, technological and social improvements, improving the industry and globalisation. And a mojor agenda is reducing poverty. India is a nation capable of much, much more that what it is now. The quality of our universities have and are being praised by eminent personalities from across the world. Use them to your advantage. The greatest danger facing an Indian student now is the lack of motivation. I feel that we are too laid back for our own good. Would you like to look back one day and feel that your entire life was a joke? This is where India Vision succeeds. It helps us help our nation. We feel that we are doing something for a cause. We feel motivated and energised and this is the ultimate aim of vision 2020, to motivate the young Indian and fill him or her with so much enthusiasm that they can live up to their potential and assist the nation in the process

For those of you who are interested in learning more and taking part, here is the link. India Vision 2020.

Jai Hind!!!

In 1893, a young legal consultant was on his way by train to Pretiora, South Africa, which first took him to Pietermaritzburg. His employer had provided him with a first class ticket. A European, who was travelling with him summoned railway officials, who asked him to move to the van compartment. Apparently, ‘coolies’ and ‘Non- Whites’ were not allowed in first class. The man refused to do so, and produced his ticket. The officials were unconcerned, and uncermoniously removed him from the train. It was winter, and the man sat in the waiting room and shivered. He became aware of the harsh reality of colour perjudice. He became aware of the struggles of his own countrymen. He became inspired to do something about it. His name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

It was a dark day for Gandhiji, but a bright one for the Indian people. This incident gave birth to our greatest freedom fighter. An apostle of non violence. If you look into the lives of every great man and woman, you will find that there is one incident or another which inspired them to become who they are. Why do you think Hitler rose to power? Because he was an motivational speaker. His speeches inspired people to follow him in belief of the future he promised.

If we examine closely, everything about us, all that we are, is directly or indirectly affected by the inspired work of great people.

Just what is Inspiration?

Trying to find out a clear-cut definition of ‘inspiration’ would be like trying to find out basic word meanings like ‘good and ‘bad’. But all words need a meaning- a clear cut definition. Webster defines the word as, ‘the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions’ or ‘ a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation’. As you can see, none of them are able to explain this emotion. Did i say emotion? I meant-a mixture of emotions. Inspiration is a subtle blend of stimulation, excitement, motivation etc. A source of inspiration is an agency such as, a person, a thought, a scenery, a poem, a story, an incident and what not? Anything or anyone has the potential to inspire something upon another. And it is different for each individual. The same incident may not have the same effect on different people. So the emotion is(at most times)fiercely individualistic.

My personal encounter with Inspiration

I remember an incident from the past when I was attending a seminar on the upliftment of senior citizens in society. We talked a lot about our elders being improperly treated in private buses. Those who are seated tend to ignore the frail elders. The speaker discussed about a personal experience when he saw such mistreatement. He went on and on about how disgusted and revolted he was at the state of affairs. We were all deeply engrossed until a young child stood up and asked him-”So why did’nt you do anything then?”. Though his remark was dismissed by most, it was an eye opener for me. If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk(a modern version of ‘Actions speak louder than words’). This inspired me to stop thinking and start doing. I now get up and make way for elders if I am seated and if i am not, then i persuade others to do the same.

Some symptoms of Inspiration

1. Inability to see our own limits.
2. A burst of thought that allows you to rediscover ourselves.
3. An unconscious increase in creativity that can make the non-poet write poems and the non-painter create paintings.

Having seen what inspiration is, we can understand that it can make us a better person. We can force ourselves to be happy or sad, but we cannot force ourselves to be inspired. We have to wait for it to come to us, reform us and make us understand our true potential.

A popular anti amoking campaign video

Why do you think smoking is bad for health? Because it says so on the cigarette cover? Lets do some analysis…..

Smoke consists of partially burnt organic matter. Any partially burnt organic matter(even burnt food) is carcinogenic(cancer-causing). It contains several substances that bind to our DNA and cause mutations. It can change who we are….literally. There are 19 known carcinogens in cigarette smoke. All the more reasons why people should stop smoking. In addition to chemical carcinogens, there are various radioactive carcinogens which are evn more dangerous.

Every 6 seconds, someone dies of a tobacco related disease.

Tobacco is the most preventable cause of death in the world today.

So why smoke?

All those who smoke understand the risk that they take. So why do they do it? The reasons can be various and varying depending on the individual. But some of the major reasons are….

1. Tobacco contains nicotine-a stimulant, which releases adrenaline and raises blood pressure. This is why some say they that smoking makes them “feel alive”. Very ironic considering that nicotine in high doses can cause impotency, heart diseases etc etc..

This is only the physical reason.

2. There are various psychlogical reasons.
   

a) Stress relief-Smokers feel relieved because of nicotine. There is a lot of stress going around due to the recession and hence, a lot of smokers.
b) Peer pressure-Some teenagers start smoking just to fit in, and then they grow addicited to it.
c) Advertisements-A range of advertisements featuring popular media icons. All fans love to imitate their idols, regardless of their own better judgement.

Why stop smoking?

1. Reduced risk of heart diseases.
2. Reduced risk of cancer.
3. Reduced chance of impotency.
4. No bad breath.
5. Reduced chances of thyroid diseases.
6. Greater lung capacity and hence, greater stamina.
7. Better savings-For a regular smoker, this can mean a lot.

How to stop smoking?

1. Think about what you are doing, and think hard. Its not easy for someone who is addicted to stop. Think about the health risks- the physical and psychological effects.
2. Try a different, non-lethal type of addiction like chewing gum.
3. You might need help. Consult a specialist, attend councelling.
4. Surf the web, there are a lot of websites which can help, like this one. StopSmoking.net

A word to the non-smokers.

Non-smokers beware. If you associate yourself with smokers then you too are one- Secondary smokers. Dont let the prefix fool you! secondary smokers are even more at risk than the “real” smokers. This is because secondary smokers take in the smoke “raw” and “fresh” while the real smokers take it in through a filter which filters out some of the harmful substances. So smokers cause harm no to them alone, but also to those near them.

The film starts off as rather dull, but it all begins to make sense when you see the man sorting out the pieces of food. And the smiles on the children’s faces makes us understand the seriousness of the matter. They pray and thank their God for giving them that food-that same refuse picked out of a garbage can.

This actually had an impact on me. As an avid food lover this came as a bit of a shock. We can imagine people living on the refuse of others but when we see it for real, it is very shocking and disturbing. This reminds me of the time when my parents used to tell me not to waste food- and now I can understand why. This isnt a reality show. There are people out there, over 25000 of them who die each day due to hunger and malnutrition. This also makes us understand how lucky we are, to be able to have three(or four) square meals a day.

On an average, a person dies each second due to hunger

And the sad part is that the entire world produces enough food to feed everyone and can produce enough food to feed even double, but still, death by starvation occurs. Why is it so? My guess is that, while production of food occurs, its distribution does not go as smoothly. A lot ends up as waste when it could have been used to help someone in need. Food is not something which can be taken as granted. It is a gift from God. It sustains life.

If you are motivated, you can start off helping by doing just three simple things,

DO not waste food – I guess there is no need for me to elaborate on this.

DO not overeat – This may be the reason why Gluttony is considered as one of the seven deadly sins. Besides, the loss of a few pounds may actually do you some good.

DO not eat for formality – Eating just because its ‘lunch time’ or ‘dinner time’ . Eat when you are hungry and drink when you are thirsty. The food that you save might help out someone else.

When you have a meal, remember this short film(if you can stomach it), or at least what this implies.

On the 1st of January, 2007, The Times of India newspaper published an excerpt India vs India which sparked off The India Poised Initiative which in turn started the Lead India Campaign which claimed to bring forth revolutionary changes within the country. For those of you who are not familiar about the movement, here is a quick preview……

The campaign was fueled by a range of media-namely the Times of India, The Times Now and various ads and the movement was endorsed by, popular media icons such as Amitabh Bachhan,

Shah Rukh Khan,

and this one in particular involves a whole bunch of them.

………………………….all very inspiring indeed…..and costly too….

Personally, I feel that Amitabh’s recitation of the anthem is the most inspiring. Great accent, tone…..etc. I believe that the main reason the movement gained attention was due to this video. Indians are very easily motivated, quickly inspired. The tricky part is keeping them inspired.

All the media attention pushed the movement onward, which was being accepted by a good percentage of the general public who were aware of it.

In short,  The Lead India Campaign is a hunt for a new breed of leadership that is bold enough to accept and counter the nation’s problems rather than cover them up and pretend that all is well. It is a search for a new leader who is accepted on the basis of his/her own merits rather than on political power and influence. Basically, Lead India was just another one of those reality shows which had a slightly different agenda and a different set of rewards….

The winner would have the following benefits,

1. Owing to public support, he/she would be the a worthy contender in Indias next Assembly elections.

2. A seat on Leadership and Politics course at Harvard University.

3. A reward of Rs 50 lakh for funding a public-welfare project of his/her own choice.

The movement gained momentum, through public demonstrations, debates, news coverage etc, etc and finally there were,

32,682 contestants which were filtered down to

24, and then to

8 finalists, out of which

1 would be the winner

As all campaigns do, the lead India campaign also has its pros and cons….

Pros

1. The idea is a fresh one. Reality shows=Entertainment=Public support. Incorporating politics into reality shows can be a bit dull but they have tried and it has been successful, to some extend.

2. The contenders are all very motvated, educated, capable and understanding of the present situation of the nation and how it can be improved. They have travelled all over India in their efforts to understand the nation.

3. It lead to Lead India ’09 which aims at making young Indians understand the importance of the right to vote. Here is an interesting article which may perhaps give you some inspiration to vote at the next election. To Be or Not to Be.

4. If nothing else, it gave us a brilliant future leader(maybe) and a beacon of hope to many-R.K.Mishra.

Cons

Unfortunately, the diadvantages outweight the advantages.

1. If the The Times of India hoped to reach down to the general public, obviously they did not delve deep enough. They forgot the fact that India lives in its villages. The best they could do was a series of ads on a national newspaper which does not have that much of an impact on the general population that relies mainly on regonal newspapers for its information. Lets face it! Only regional media can stir the people enough for them to be motivated for such a cause. And they could have done better. They could have included the regional media in their campaign and achieved much better results. I asked around for info on the Campaign but most of my friends were unaware that such a movement existed. Only one of them remembered something about a ‘reality show’ aired in some channel.

2. Is debating really a means to test leadership quality? A couple of people arguing amongst themselves cannot agree upon a single solution without a leader. And that leader emerges when one person is able to unify the ideas of the rest so that it results in a mutually agreeable solution which is beneficial to all. But the sad part is that the people cannot identify that leader. Instead, they vote for the person who has the most charm.

3. Its all the same! The end result is that we get a leader who can supposedly make some changes. And we feel that we have done our part for the nation. But have we really done anything? Here lies the greatest danger of such a media initiative. We, the people get inspired by them and take part, and it make us feel good about ourselves, while we have done nothing of importance. We, as citizens have as much responsibility towards the nation as each and every one of those politicians. But we fail to understand this. Instead, we sit around blaming corrupted, greedy politicians. In fact most of those politicians wish to do some good to the nation. What they lack is our support. We blame corruption in society, politics, public services etc. But how many of us report corruption when we see it? How many of us do something about it? What can a politician, sitting hundreds of miles away do anything when we do not give our support? If such a person can do nothing about it, then why should the person wnning this contest do?

4. And the greatest disadvantage-they could have done better, but they didnt.

Ultimately, the movement can be referred to as the first instance of a change of pace. It shows that a good no of Indians are concerned about the political system and are open to such improvements or rather, experiments. The feedback from the public shows how much there is need for change. Even though the method was flawed, The Lead India movement will nonetheless be remembered (by the people who know of it) as a movement that initialised a new way of exercising democracy.