Micropresentation Topics- Christ University

MICRO PRESENTATION TOPICS

1 Excellence is not an accomplishment, its a never ending process
39 What is meant to be, will always find a way
2 The pursuit of happiness
40 Its not the load that breaks you down. It is the way you carry it
3 The difference between a leader and boss
41 When all is said and done there is more said than done
3 The difference between a leader and boss
41 When all is said and done there is more said than done
4 Corporate social responsibility
42 Your focus determines your reality
5 Failure is an opportunity to begin again
43 Greenpeace
6 To be or not to be
44 Carbon footprints
7 Freedom and responsibility
45 Marine pollution
8 Knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand
46 Greenhouse effect
9 Democracy and India
47 What is global warming?
10 Leaders must be followers first
48 Genetic engineering
11 Inter-linking of rivers as a solution to water problems
49 You have to know the past to understand the present
12 Inter-linking of rivers - An ecological disaster
50 The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority
13 Pollution and economic development
51 Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world
14 The educated Indian and national commitment
52 Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.
15 Advertising and the consumer
53 Innovations in education
16 Intellectual bankruptcy in politics
54 We are creatures of our habits
17 Malala Yousafzai - candidate for Nobel Peace prize
55 India is a poor country with rich people.
18 India's preparedness to face terror attacks.
56 How can we contribute to saving the environment
19 Corruption - an epidemic
57 Genetic enginnering
20 India's lopsided development puts pressure on the cities
58 Marine pollution
21 State controlled economy vs liberalised economy
59 Coal mining and its impact on the environment
22 Indian states should be made smaller
60 What is soil conservation
23 Should India change its national game?
61 2013 budget
24 The corrupt efficient politician vs the inefficient honest politician
62 The problems of clinical waste
25 Funding of IIMs and IITs should be stopped
63 Economic development and its impact on the environment
26 Indians and patriotism
64 Kumbh Mela 2013
27 Higher education should be privatised
65 Land degradation
28 Oil prices in India
66 Environmental ethics
29 Success is all about human relations
67 Solutions for sustainable living
30 Are education and success co-related?
68 River contamination in India
31 Does the UN have relevance today
69 Impact of Facebook and Twiiter on youth
32 Happiness is not readymade. It comes from your own actions
70 Inflation and the Indian Economy
33 Is there hope in the darkest of days
71 Impact of decontrol of diesel on the common man
34 The purpose of life is to be happy
72 Haste makes waste
35 Age is an issue of mind over matter
73 The purpose of flashmobs
36 All things are difficult before they are easy
74 Organic farming
37 To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people only exist.
75 Impact of Coalition governments on the progress of the nation
38 Sometimes answers are simple to complicated questions

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1. All candidates are required to participate in the Micro Presentation (Extempore) to test their communication skill and knowledge on the given topics.
2. The Micro Presentation is for 90 seconds per candidate,
3. Each Candidate will be asked to pick a topic on random basis at the Selection Process Venue and present orally on the Topic.
4. Candidates will have a chance to present only ONE topic listed. No second chance will be given to any candidate
5. Candidates should not possess any material related to the Topics during the Selection Process
6. Candidates will not be permitted to present any topic in Power Point (PPT) or Video
7. Cellular Phone, Satellite Phone, Pager, Scientific Calculators, Notebook, Textbooks, Printed Materials etc., are not allowed into the Selection Process Venue.
8. The decision of the GD/MP Panel will be final and binding

"Excellence is not an accomplishment. It is a spirit, a never ending process." ~

What happens when you think you have reached "excellence"? Most will just stop because they think that they have reached it and there is really no need to go further. Well, have you ever wondered what was on the other side of excellence? How will we ever know unless we take a peak and strive for better? As Mr. Miller stated, it’s a never ending process. We are always looking for ways to improve our own performance so we must take the extra step and look for ways to improve the organizations excellence. It all starts with you and one small positive action will have a domino effect into more smaller positive actions and eventually into massive positive actions to improving our excellence!
Take a look around your own facility and see where you can improve. Maybe it starts with you or maybe it starts with improving something in your facility. Always remember to think like our customers. From our customers perspective, what can be done to become even more efficient at what we do and even better than we were yesterday. Taking positive actions in the right direction is certainly one of the easiest ways to make that spirit of excellence soar into other aspects of Family and MWR. We are one big family of the most superb service providers so let's always make we do not just excellent, but beyond that!

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The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical drama film based on Chris Gardner's nearly one-year struggle with homelessness. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film features Will Smith as Gardner, an on-and-off-homeless salesman-turned stockbroker. Smith's son Jaden Smith co-stars, making his film debut as Gardner's son Christopher Jr.
The screenplay by Steven Conrad is based on the best-selling memoir written by Gardner with Quincy Troupe. The film was released on December 15, 2006, by Columbia Pictures. For his performance, Smith, was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor. The unusual spelling of the film's title comes from a sign Gardner saw when he was homeless. In the film, "happiness" is misspelled as "happyness" outside the daycare facility Gardner's son attends.
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My friend has a saying; Leadership cannot be demanded – only earned and deserved.
With that in mind, has anyone ever told you the difference between a boss and a leader? 1. The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. 2. The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. 3. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. 4. The boss says ‘I’; the leader says ‘we.’ 5. The boss says ‘Get here on time’; the leader gets there ahead of time. 6. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. 7. The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how. 8. The boss makes work a drudgery; the leader makes work a game. 9. The boss says ‘Go’; the leader says ‘Let’s go.’”
10. The boss justifies or lays blame – the leader takes responsibility.
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Corporate social responsibility

Workers in all industries – including agriculture, technology, furniture, etc. – are still at risk. Today, after years of intense focus on the apparel and footwear industries, people are beginning to realize that urgent action is needed in other sectors, too. A proverbial “light bulb” has gone off in the minds of consumers and corporate executives alike: no brand is immune to supply chain issues, and the abuse of workers will not be tolerated in any industry. Last month Apple became the first technology company to join FLA as a Participating Company, triggering what we can only hope will be a new wave of corporate social responsibility; a wave which knows no boundaries and cascades over geographic borders and product lines. Apple’s decision to join FLA sets a new standard for the technology industry, and reinforces that supply chain issues and protecting workers’ rights are not just the responsibility of apparel and footwear brands. It’s time for another generation of brands to join the fold.
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Your focus determines your reality
Your focus determines your reality", this famous line was spoken by Qui-Gonn Jinn of Start Wars-The Phantom Menace fame.
Ok, perhaps it is really infamous and you don't remember that quote. Nonetheless, think about it for a moment. Would you agree or disagree?
I'm about to show you why I emphatically agree with this certain Jedi Master and not just because it's from Star Wars...well not completely ;) No I'm going to show you how your focus relates to anything you want to be successful in and then more specifically your Christian life. Ready? Let's Go!
"Close or narrow attention; concentration" - so says Mister dictionary.com. When you are focusing on a certain aspect of anything, you generally ignore the rest of the picture. You're concentrating so hard that the rest of it at the very least becomes far less important and occupies less of your mental powers.
So what happens? You get more of what you're focusing on. And less of what you're ignoring. You can be successful at what ever it is you are focusing on because you're giving it all your attention. And everything else gets harder to become better at.
Whatever is in your focus, you will start to concentrate on it and you will be better conditioned to alter certain aspects of your life which will allow the object of your focus to actually become a true part of your life.
Perhaps an example is in order:
[Example]
Say you are on a diet. You're not allowed to eat any carbohydrates. So what should you focus on? If you're gonna focus on the fact that you can't eat donuts and ho hos, what do you think you're gonna be craving all day? That's right--ho hos and donuts!
Now instead, lets say you focus on how you can make a great tasting meal out of fresh vegetables and yummy lean meat products, how you're gonna prepare them, cook them and enrich the flavor. What do you think you're gonna be craving that night? The no-carb-lean-meaty meal of course!
[end example]
See how your focus determines your reality? If you're concentrating on what you shouldn't be doing, you're setting yourself up for failure...are you starting to see how this relates to your Christian walk?
What do most Christians focus on? What do most preachers preach on? What you can't do! Am I right? The only result that can come from focusing on what you can't do is you doing exactly that! Most Christians think in terms of what they can't do--the law.
The Bible goes so far as to say that we would not even know about sin if it wasn't for the law:
"On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET.
But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind"
Romans 7:7-8
Likewise we would not even have the desire to do what we're not supposed to do if we weren't focused on not doing it. (just read it again, It'll make sense).
So it is clear that by fixating our attention on what it is we are trying to avoid, we are actually setting ourselves up for failure. You can't focus on what you don't want and get what you want.
But you need to focus on something! And like our diet example, the right way to focus is on what you do want! Just like the diet works if you focus on the good foods, your Christian life will work if you focus on what is good--Jesus Christ and his life that he gave you.
Focusing on Christ and allowing him to express himself through you daily is the key to success in your Christian life. Pay no heed to what you're not supposed to do, "out of sight-out of mind!".
So I guess ole Qui Gonn was right, "your focus does determine your reality"!

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Greenpeace is a non-governmental[2] environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[3] Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity"[4] and focuses its campaigning on world wide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear issues. Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research to achieve its goals. The global organization does not accept funding from governments, corporations or political parties, relying on 2.9 million individual supporters and foundation grants.[5][6] Greenpeace has a general consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council[7] and is a founding member[8] of the INGO Accountability Charter; an international non-governmental organization that intends to foster accountability and transparency of non-governmental organizations.
Greenpeace evolved from the peace movement and anti-nuclear protests in Vancouver, British Columbia, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. On September 15, 1971, the newly founded Don't Make a Wave Committee sent a chartered ship, Phyllis Cormack, renamed Greenpeace for the protest, from Vancouver to oppose United States testing of nuclear devices in Amchitka, Alaska. The Don't Make a Wave Committee subsequently adopted the name Greenpeace.[9]
In a few years, Greenpeace spread to several countries and started to campaign on other environmental issues such as commercial whaling and toxic waste. In the late 1970s, the different regional Greenpeace groups formed Greenpeace International to oversee the goals and operations of the regional organizations globally.[10] Greenpeace received international attention during the 1980s when the French intelligence agency bombed the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, one of the most well-known vessels operated by Greenpeace, killing one individual.[11] In the following years, Greenpeace evolved into one of the largest environmental organizations in the world.[12][13]
Greenpeace is known for its direct actions[14][15] and has been described as the most visible environmental organization in the world.[16][17] Greenpeace has raised environmental issues to public knowledge,[18][19][20] and influenced both the private and the public sector.[21][22] Greenpeace has also been a source of controversy;[23] its motives and methods have received criticism[24][25] and the organization's direct actions have sparked legal actions against Greenpeace activists.[26][27]
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"To Be, Or Not To Be" Meaning
[pic]
To live or not to live, that is the question.

Is it better to stay, and suffer all of the ridiculous highs and lows of life?
Or to leave, and avoid the trials and tribulations altogether?

We cannot answer this.

Even after you die you still might dream. And who knows what you'll dream?

If it wasn't for that fear who would bear all the evils and humiliations of life?
The injustices and oppression? The gloating of the powerful?
The pain of loving someone who could care less?
The lack of integrity? The abuses of the government?
The rejections we all face?

Why would we put up with all of this when we could just end our lives so easily? Why burden ourselves by continuing to live?

It's the fear of what awaits after death.
Death is an undiscovered country, a place from which no one ever returns.
The existence of death puzzles us and makes us put up with all the miseries of life.

So instead of exploring something we can't we perceive in advance, we continue to put up with our lives here.
Our imaginations make us cowards.
And our resolutions only turn us into self-compromised human beings.

Therefore, we choose to take no action.
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A carbon footprint has historically been defined by Championne as "the total sets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person."[1]
However, calculating the total carbon footprint is impossible due to the large amount of data required and the fact that carbon dioxide can be produced by natural occurrences. It is for this reason that Wright, Kemp, and Williams, writing in the journal Carbon Management, have suggested a more practicable definition:
"A measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions of a defined population, system or activity, considering all relevant sources, sinks and storage within the spatial and temporal boundary of the population, system or activity of interest. Calculated as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) using the relevant 100-year global warming potential (GWP100)."[2]
Greenhouse gases can be emitted through transport, land clearance, and the production and consumption of food, fuels, manufactured goods, materials, wood, roads, buildings, and services.[3] For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted.
Most of the carbon footprint emissions for the average U.S. household come from "indirect" sources, i.e. fuel burned to produce goods far away from the final consumer. These are distinguished from emissions which come from burning fuel directly in one's car or stove, commonly referred to as "direct" sources of the consumer's carbon footprint.[4]
The concept name of the carbon footprint originates from ecological footprint,discussion,[5] which was developed by Rees and Wackernagel in the 1990s which estimates the number of "earths" that would theoretically be required if everyone on the planet consumed resources at the same level as the person calculating their ecological footprint. However, carbon footprints are much more specific than ecological footprints since they measure direct emissions of gasses that cause climate change into the atmosphere.
Measuring Carbon Footprints
An individual's, nation's, or organization's carbon footprint can be measured by undertaking a GHG emissions assessment or other calculative activities denoted as carbon accounting. Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised to reduce it, e.g. by technological developments, better process and product management, changed Green Public or Private Procurement (GPP), carbon capture, consumption strategies, and others. Several free online carbon footprint calculators exist, with at least one supported by publicly available peer-reviewed data and calculations from the University of California, Berkeley's CoolClimate Network research consortium.[6][7]
The mitigation of carbon footprints through the development of alternative projects, such as solar or wind energy or reforestation, represents one way of reducing a carbon footprint and is often known as Carbon offsetting.
The main influences on carbon footprints include population, economic output, and energy and carbon intensity of the economy.[8] These factors are the main targets of individuals and businesses in order to decrease carbon footprints. Scholars suggest the most effective way to decrease a carbon footprint is to either decrease the amount of energy needed for production or to decrease the dependence on carbon emitting fuels.[8]
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Freedom & Responsibility

Freedom, from an existential perspective, cannot be separated from responsibility. With freedom comes responsibility. Yet, it is common for many people to seek freedom while trying to avoid responsibility. While, at times, it appears that people may be able to succeed at this, there remains a psychological consequence. This consequence is often not very noticeable, but may find expression through guilt, anxiety, depression, or even anger. Existential freedom is not the same things as freedom in the political sense we often think of it in America. In fact, political freedom could be view to be a rather shallow, though not unimportant, type of freedom. A person can be existentially free despite not being politically free, and a person can avoid embracing their existential freedom despite being offered great political freedoms. Frankl (1984), in the story of his experience in the concentration camps, provides a powerful overview of this distinction. While all his political or social freedoms were taken away, he gives credit for his survival to his psychological freedom. This psychological freedom allowed him to find and embrace meaning in the midst of what appeared to be meaningless suffering. Ways of Avoiding Responsibility There are several common examples of how people avoid responsibility in American culture. Conformity is one good example. Americans pride themselves on being autonomous individuals to the point of idealizing individualism. However, upon closer analysis, Americans find extremely creative ways of giving up their freedom. Americans conform through blind allegiance to various organizations and institutions including political parties and religious institutions. This is not to say that being dedicated to either of these are bad. In fact, often they can lead to very positive outcomes. The problem comes with blind allegiance where a person gives up their responsibility to critically think through the beliefs, perspectives, and values of the organization. When this happens, the individual's values are no longer authentic. When a person gives their allegiance to an external belief structure, they may go in one of several directions. First, they often will become very rigid in their allegiance to the organization or structure to which they have committed. This type of conformity can be seen through various forms of fundamentalism -- religious, political, psychological systems, etc. Second, they may present as being very committed to a belief systems or organization, but they feel very comfortable bending the rules where it does fit their desires. It becomes easy to bend the rules because they are not really committed to the underlying values system. However, when a person is deeply committed to authentic moral or value principles, they are less willing to act in ways which contradict these principles. The principles are authentic. Another way avoid responsibility can occur through the belief that one is powerless. There can be many factors which are seen to render a person powerless. A person can perceive themselves as a victim of their environment, of various supernatural or spiritual forces, their unconscious, or a victim of their biology/genes. While an existential approach will recognize that all of these factors may influence a person, none of them render a person powerless or completely control them. The Ability to Choose Freedom Otto Rank discusses the issue of freedom beautifully. Essentially, Rank states that the degree to which a person is unaware of those forces which influence us, they are controlled by them. Stated differently, the degree which we are unaware of how our drives, instincts, unconscious, and environment are influencing us, they control us. However, if a person chooses not to be aware of these influences, even if done so passively or unconsciously, a choice has still been made. Self-awareness, in Rank's conceptualization, is a commitment people make which can enhance their freedom. Yet, most people choose to live a life of being unaware. It can be frightening to deeply know who we are and the realities of our existence. Yet, it can be even more rewarding. The movie the Matrix provides a parallel to this understanding of freedom and awareness. While many choose to avoid living in the realities of life, a few choose to live more fully in awareness. The existential question then becomes do you choose the blue pill? Or will you take the red one? Self-Awareness and the Ethical Life If we accept Ranks views on freedom, the unconscious, and the will, then to live a responsible life is to live a life committed to self-awareness. If the choice made is to merely be a product of our biology, our unconscious, and our environment; then the choice has been made to live an inauthentic and irresponsible life. This commitment is not always an easy one, but, again, the rewards can be great. The inauthentic and unaware life limits a person in so many ways. First, it limits a person's ability to live an ethical life. Second, it limits the potential for authenticity. A third loss, which is necessarily connected to the second loss, is that we are limited in our ability for intimacy and relational satisfaction. It is only through knowing ourselves that we can be authentically in relationship with others. However, the ironic paradox remains that the only way we can come to know ourselves is through relationship with others. In returning to the discussion of ethics, it can be seen that this is profoundly different approach to ethics than the one typically embraced by American society. A close look at America's value system reveals that it typically is based on a) conformity to rules and ethics codes, b) what benefits the individual or their family the most, or c) what is more financially beneficial for the individual. I would maintain that an existential approach to ethics must be counterculture in American society. As existential thought tends to be anti-structural, it will focus on broader principles instead of rules. These principles may be derived from a religious or spiritual system, but not necessarily so. They would embrace a respect for human existence, but also the broader environmental and natural systems (nature) of which human existence is a part. Love, compassion, and a commitment to social justice (not in the punitive or avenging sense, but rather in seeking to change the evils of society) are the principles which are foundational to existential theory. While many individual principles may also be a part of different peoples' values system, I would maintain that these principles are essential to an existential ethics. Self awareness is needed to live in accordance with these principles. However, the lack of self awareness is not an acceptable excuse for a person's behavior. Freedom & Responsibility in Therapy The process of change cannot begin until a person accepts responsibility. This is one of the difficult challenges of growth. In order to grow, a person must accept responsibility for what they have done to contribute to where they are at in life. If they have no responsibility, then they have little ability to change. When applied to therapy, this could be taken to mean that the therapist must break through the walls of defense in order to help the client take responsibility. This is generally not consistent with the existential approach. Bugental (1987) provides some of the best illustrations of this. With his profound respect for the client, Bugental also shows a respect for the client's defenses. Instead of forcing through defenses, they can be used as a guide to help the therapist know when the client is ready to go deeper into an issue. When the defenses are strong, the therapist respects the need for the defense and does not push on that issue at that time. However, when the defenses are lowered the therapist then can recognize that it is a good time to move deeper. This is not to suggest there is never a time to confront or challenge a client's defenses. Rather it recognizes that before this is done the therapist must recognize the value of the defense. It also suggests that defenses can be challenged or confronted in a softer manner. I like to use the metaphor of the invitation here. The job of the therapist is to continuously invite the client to examine the defenses and the issues which the defenses are protecting, yet always respect the client's desire to not accept the invitation.
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Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine pollution are land based. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff and wind blown debris and dust.
Many potentially toxic chemicals adhere to tiny particles which are then taken up by plankton and benthos animals, most of which are either deposit or filter feeders. In this way, the toxins are concentrated upward within ocean food chains. Many particles combine chemically in a manner highly depletive of oxygen, causing estuaries to become anoxic.
When pesticides are incorporated into the marine ecosystem, they quickly become absorbed into marine food webs. Once in the food webs, these pesticides can cause mutations, as well as diseases, which can be harmful to humans as well as the entire food web.
Toxic metals can also be introduced into marine food webs. These can cause a change to tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, reproduction, and suppress growth in marine life. Also, many animal feeds have a high fish meal or fish hydrolysate content. In this way, marine toxins can be transferred to land animals, and appear later in meat and dairy products
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Knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
My thought on knowledge is that people learn while as a child through their parents and teachers. Its that learned knowledge that has been passed down from one generation to the next from one person to the next and then passed on to another. Its the Transfer of Knowledge from person to person.

Wisdom is the knowledge a person has gained as they have grown and experienced while living life. Its the knowledge that people acquire separate from their parents because they have not been able to for one reason or another inform, educate or teach. Its the knowledge one can only learn from doing and experiencing.

Intellectuality comes from high intelligence, coupled with interest in the world around you. If you're curious about things and want to know things, you'll study. It's irrelevant where you study. You can simply read up on your own without getting a tertiary education. Life experience will aid wisdom. But being intellectual doesn't necessarily mean you're wise. Wisdom is the sum of your life experience. It's emotional and experience that you apply to your life. Intellectuality is more abstract. You apply it to problems and questions that don't necessarily have anything to do with life and living. You can be wise without being intellectual, and vise versa. Or you can be both. Or...sometimes...neither. :p
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The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re-radiated in all directions. Since part of this re-radiation is back towards the surface and the lower atmosphere, it results in an elevation of the average surface temperature above what it would be in the absence of the gases.[1][2]
Solar radiation at the frequencies of visible light largely passes through the atmosphere to warm the planetary surface, which then emits this energy at the lower frequencies of infrared thermal radiation. Infrared radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases, which in turn re-radiate much of the energy to the surface and lower atmosphere. The mechanism is named after the effect of solar radiation passing through glass and warming a greenhouse, but the way it retains heat is fundamentally different as a greenhouse works by reducing airflow, isolating the warm air inside the structure so that heat is not lost by convection.[2][3][4]
If an ideal thermally conductive blackbody was the same distance from the Sun as the Earth is, it would have a temperature of about 5.3 °C. However, since the Earth reflects about 30%[5] [6] of the incoming sunlight, this idealized planet's effective temperature (the temperature of a blackbody that would emit the same amount of radiation) would be about −18 °C.[7][8] The surface temperature of this hypothetical planet is 33 °C below Earth's actual surface temperature of approximately 14 °C.[9] The mechanism that produces this difference between the actual surface temperature and the effective temperature is due to the atmosphere and is known as the greenhouse effect.[10]
Earth’s natural greenhouse effect makes life as we know it possible. However, human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have intensified the natural greenhouse effect, causing global warming.[11]
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Democracy and India
India is the seventh largest (by area) and the second most populous country in the world, with roughly one-sixth of its population, of about a billion and a quarter. It is the world's largest democracy. It is one of the world's oldest civilizations yet, a very young nation. Elections to its Parliament are held once every 5 years. Currently, Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is the head of the government, enjoying a majority in the Parliament, while President Pranab Mukherjee, is the head of state. India is a constitutional republic governed under the world's longest written constitution, federally consisting of 28 states and seven centrally administered union territories, with New Delhi as the nation's capital. The country has four main national parties: the Indian National Congress (INC), Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The Indian National Congress has governed the country for 3/4th's of the time since independence from Britain in 1947, under the de facto one party system[1] and now, under the Dominant-party system. At the level of its states, many regional parties stand for elections to state legislatures, every five years.
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Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980.[2] Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90% certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.[3][4][5][6] These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations.[7][A]
Climate model projections were summarized in the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They indicated that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 2.9 °C (2 to 5.2 °F) for their lowest emissions scenario and 2.4 to 6.4 °C (4.3 to 11.5 °F) for their highest.[8] The ranges of these estimates arise from the use of models with differing sensitivity to greenhouse gas concentrations.[9][10]
Future warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe.[11] The effects of an increase in global temperature include a rise in sea levels and a change in the amount and pattern of precipitation, as well a probable expansion of subtropical deserts.[12] Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects of the warming include a more frequent occurrence of extreme-weather events including heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall, ocean acidification and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes. Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the loss of habitat from inundation.[13][14]
Proposed policy responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction, adaptation to its effects, and possible future geoengineering. Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),[15] whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic (i.e., human-induced) climate change.[16] Parties to the UNFCCC have adopted a range of policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions[17]:10[18][19][20]:9 and to assist in adaptation to global warming.[17]:13[20]:10[21][22] Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required,[23] and that future global warming should be limited to below 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) relative to the pre-industrial level.[23][B] Reports published in 2011 by the United Nations Environment Programme[24] and the International Energy Agency[25] suggest that efforts as of the early 21st century to reduce emissions may be inadequate to meet the UNFCCC's 2 °C target.
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Followers First, Leaders Second.

March 15, 2009 | by Randy Willis | Leave a Comment!
One morning last week, during my time with God, I was praying for my (and Joleen’s) ministry/leadership, and said …
Make us the followers you want us to be so that we can be the leaders you call us to be!
I have always believed that leaders must first be followers. Christ-following leaders must first be followers of God; indeed, their leadership flows out of following God! But leaders must also be good followers of others (e.g., those in authority, other leaders, etc.). In other words, followership is a prerequisite of leadership.
One of the challenges leaders face is knowing when to follow and when to lead. Certainly, leaders must always follow God. At times, leaders need to know when to follow others as well, particularly, those to whom they delegate responsibility and/or share ministry. Leaders carry the ultimate responsibility of leadership, of course, but there are times when they need to follow, to let others lead.
We are followers first (that’s one of the reasons why I like and prefer the term “Christ-followers”), then leaders.
So, are you a good leader? And, just as important for leaders, are you a good follower?
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Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. New DNA may be inserted in the host genome by first isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using molecular cloning methods to generate a DNA sequence, or by synthesizing the DNA, and then inserting this construct into the host organism. Genes may be removed, or "knocked out", using a nuclease. Gene targeting is a different technique that uses homologous recombination to change an endogenous gene, and can be used to delete a gene, remove exons, add a gene, or introduce point mutations.
An organism that is generated through genetic engineering is considered to be a genetically modified organism (GMO). The first GMOs were bacteria in 1973; GM mice were generated in 1974. Insulin-producing bacteria were commercialized in 1982 and genetically modified food has been sold since 1994.
Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and medicine. Enzymes used in laundry detergent and medicines such as insulin and human growth hormone are now manufactured in GM cells, experimental GM cell lines and GM animals such as mice or zebrafish are being used for research purposes, and genetically modified crops have been commercialized.
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Inter-linking of rivers as a solution to water problems
The Indian Rivers Inter-link is a proposed large-scale civil engineering project that aims to join the majority of India's rivers by canals and so reduce persistent water shortages in parts of India.

[edit] History

In 1972 the then Minister for Irrigation K. L. Rao proposed a 2640 kilometer long link between the Ganges and Kaveri rivers. In 1974 plans were proposed for the 'Garland canal'. In 1982 the National Water Development Agency was set up to carry out surveys of the links and prepare feasibility studies. The Garland Canal was proposed by Dinshaw J. Dastur, a consultant Engineer

[edit] The Project

The Inter-link would consist of two parts, a northern Himalayan River Development component and a southern Peninsular River Development component.

[edit] Himalayan development

The northern component would consist of a series of dams built along the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India, Nepal and Bhutan for the purposes of storage. Canals would be built to transfer surplus water from the eastern tributaries of the Ganga to the west. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries would be linked with the Ganga and the Ganga with the Mahanadi river. This part of the project would provide additional irrigation for about 220,000 square kilometres and generate about 30 gigawatts of electricity. In theory it would provide extra flood control in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins. It could also provide excess water for the controversial Farakka Barrage which could be used to flush out the silt at the port of Kolkata.

[edit] Peninsular development

The main part of the project would send water from the eastern part of India to the south and west. The southern development project would consist of four main parts. First, the Mahanadi, Godavari. Krishna and Kaveri rivers would all be linked by canals. Extra water storage dams would be built along the course of these rivers. The purpose of this would be to transfer surplus water from the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers to the south of India. Second, those rivers that flow west to the north of Mumbai and the south of Tapi would be linked. Due to the irregular fluctuations in water levels in the region, as much storage capacity would be built as possible. The water would be used by the urban areas of Bombay and also to provide irrigation in the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Third the Ken and Chambal rivers would be linked in order to provide better water facilities for Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Finally a number of west-flowing rivers along the Western Ghats simply discharge into the Arabian Sea. As many of these as possible would be diverted for irrigation purposes. The Peninsular part of the project would provide additional irrigation to 130,000 square kilometres and generation an additional 4 gigawatts of power.

[edit] Criticism

• Critics also point to the enormous costs conservatively estimated at some US$ 140b which India cannot afford to spend. • The change in elevation (a minimum of 100 m, generally increases towards the south) from the plains of northern India to the Vindhya and Satpura ranges and the Deccan Plateau beyond them, pose a major challenge to the project; as the water would have to travel upwards in order to reach Maharashtra and southern India.
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Inter-linking of rivers - An ecological disaster
Less than a month after Rahul Gandhi warned against "playing with nature", Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said the idea of interlinking India's rivers was a "disaster", putting a question mark on the future of the ambitious project.
"The interlinking of rivers will be a human-ecological-economic disaster. It is easy to do interlinking on paper. Interlinking of rivers has limited basin value, but largescale interlinking would be a disaster," Ramesh said at a press briefing today.
In Chennai last month, Rahul had expressed concern over the environmental fallout of interlinking. "We should not play with nature on such a massive scale," he was quoted as saying.
The remark drew flak from UPA ally DMK, which reminded Rahul that it was Indira Gandhi who set up the National Water Development Agency in 1982 to study the possibility of water transfers from surplus basins to deficit areas. DMK chief M Karunanidhi pointed out that UPA-I's 2004 National Common Minimum Programme had promised "a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of linking of rivers... starting with south-bound rivers".
Asked about the party's stand on the issue, the Congress remained non-committal.
"It is a larger issue. It is not a magic wand. There is an awesome scale of interlinking. It is a super long term solution, and not a medium or short-term solution," spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
"I don't think anybody is rejecting or accepting it. After 25 years of considerable expenditure, you may still have the same problem. Unless you are sure, you can't embark on it. It is a project with extremely multifarious aspects and the jury is out," Singhvi said.
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The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority

Managing in a business environment would also entail making the most effective use of that thing or resource whether it is money, machines, material, supply chains, accounting, engineering, people or whatever. Very few managers are unaware of the fact that if we only used the machine and never properly cared for it, the machine's capacity would degrade rather steadily over time and eventually suffer a casualty which would render it useless. To be successful at maintaining machinery or a function like accounting, one must thoroughly understand that machine or function, how it works and what it needs. Direction, integrity, consistency, and connection create the leadership relationship. That's a first step in building an organization, but it doesn't address the issue of how leaders make their organizations successful. Leaders can choose to lead in a good direction or a bad one. Actually, a full spectrum exists from exceptionally bad to exceptionally good. Every manager will by his/her actions will lead in some direction within this spectrum. This direction may not be understood or chosen by the manager, but that is irrelevant. This is always the leader’s choice, whether or not the leader realizes it. Leadership is not a process any manager can change. It happens inexorably every minute of every day because most people follow more or less. The only choice available to a manager is the standard that employees will follow. Because of these characteristics, "followership" turns out to be a major force in managing people. Those managers who take advantage of it can become extremely effective at managing their human capital.
You cannot build trust without treating people with respect and dignity. It is now all too common to have layoffs in which those let go are immediately escorted off the premises. This process deprives them and those left behind of the opportunity to say good-bye and, more fundamentally, signals distrust and disrespect. Consider instead the New Zealand Post, which, since becoming a state-owned enterprise expected to operate like a private company in 1987, has accomplished amazing things. People laid off were offered generous severance, given parties on their leaving, and recognized for their contributions to the company. Indeed, the Post even let the staff help decide who would go and who would stay -- for it turned out that some people the organization intended to keep wanted to leave or retire and others wanted to stay. Clear expectations are critical to building trust. The more clear you are about what others expect from you and what you expect from others, the easier you will find it to build trust. When your supervisor and your employees know that you really care about their personal and professional success, and your actions demonstrate this case, they will find you easier to trust. Building trust is not difficult, but it takes time. There may be instant pudding and instant tea; there is no such thing as instant trust. But, if you do what you say you’re going to do; do even more than is expected; openly communicate often; practice the concept of “no surprises;� be honest, even when it costs you something to be honest; and really care about an individual’s personal and professional success, you will find it easier to build relationships based on trust. You can get people to do what they are paid to do by using all sorts of manipulative tactics. You could easily tell employees that if they do not get a task done, you will give them a negative performance appraisal, and that, in turn, will make them ineligible for the next round of raises. That may work. Or you may have employees who do “exactly what you tell them to do.� What you will not have is a workforce that is motivated to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Because you do not care about them. Their level of care for you as an individual, or your success as a manager, is lacking because of their limited relationship with you. True leaders understand that success does not depend on their titles, but on the values they uphold and the choices they make on a daily basis. They know that leadership is not achieved through technical expertise, but rather is based on a relationship with their followers. It is our hope that the following insights will help you with the “relationship savvy� you need to be a great supervisor, and an outstanding leader.
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Pollution and economic development

There are many environmental issues in India. Air pollution, water pollution, garbage, and pollution of the natural environment are all challenges for India. The situation was worse between 1947 through 1995. According to data collection and environment assessment studies of World Bank experts, between 1995 through 2010, India has made one of the fastest progress in the world, in addressing its environmental issues and improving its environmental quality.[1][2] Still, India has a long way to go to reach environmental quality similar to those enjoyed in developed economies. Pollution remains a major challenge and opportunity for India.
Some believe economic development is causing the environmental issues. Others believe economic development is key to improving India's environmental management and preventing pollution in India. It is also suggested that India's growing population is the primary cause of India's environmental degradation. Systematic studies challenge this theory. Empirical evidence from countries such as Japan, England and Singapore, each with population density similar or higher than India, yet each enjoying environmental quality vastly superior than India, suggests population density may not be the only factor affecting India's issues.[3]
Major environmental issues are forest and agricultural degradation of land, resource depletion (water, mineral, forest, sand, rocks etc.), environmental degradation, public health, loss of biodiversity, loss of resilience in ecosystems, livelihood security for the poor.[4]
The major sources of pollution in India include the rampant burning of fuelwood and biomass such as dried waste from livestock as the primary source of energy,[5] lack of organized garbage and waste removal services, lack of sewage treatment operations, lack of flood control and monsoon water drainage system, diversion of consumer waste into rivers, cremation practices near major rivers, government mandated protection of highly polluting old public transport, and continued operation by Indian government of government owned, high emission plants built between 1950 to 1980.[6][7][8][9][10]
India's water supply and sanitation issues are related to many environmental issues.
Environmental issues are one of the primary causes of disease, health issues and long term livelihood impact for India.
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Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world

Nelson Mandela once said that education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world. But when Christo van der Rheede and his team facilitated a leadership and management course for teachers, education as a weapon seemed impossible when it was found that teachers themselves aren’t equipped to enforce this notion. While these teachers have all the commitment and enthusiasm necessary, how is it possible that most of our schools are struggling to deliver quality education

Comments

By Anonymous

Wed 4 Aug, 2010 - 16:58 it is good • reply
“Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” These are the wise words of former president Nelson Mandela who celebrates his 91st birthday this month. Indeed prophetic words calling on all South Africans to account for the way in which education is used to ensure the success of South Africa’s nation-building project.

Education forms the cornerstone of this project, as it entails the transfer of knowledge, skills and values. If education fails, all the effort up to now will be in vain. Already, a very disconcerting picture is painted by researchers investigating an education system which fails to produce skilled citizens.

We, at the Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans (SBA), share the concern over the state of affairs in education. For this reason, SBA recently facilitated a three-day leadership and management course to approximately fifty teachers, under the auspices of the Enkwenkwezi Trust. What struck me was the commitment and enthusiasm of the teachers who sacrificed their winter holidays working through the modules from 9am - 4pm. They clearly thirsted for the knowledge we shared with them.

This experience has compelled me to critically question not only the nature and extent of support given to teachers but also the role which office-based education officials, specifically appointed for the task, can be expected to play in this regard. If the majority of the teaching personnel at ground level are prepared to perform their daily tasks with such commitment and enthusiasm, how is it possible that most of our schools are struggling to deliver quality education?

My observation during all our training sessions is that many of the teachers do not have an adequate grasp of the new curriculum. It was expected of an entire generation of teachers trained during the previous dispensation to undergo a change in mindset from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ in a matter of weeks. To them it was and still is an uphill battle, as a few weeks’ training in the new curriculum is simply not sufficient and often leaves them more confused and despondent.

In contrast, the generation of teachers now being trained has a better understanding of the new curriculum after four years of training. It is no wonder, therefore, that they are considered a ray of light by many principals and their senior management.

However, making a change of mindset from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ is possible. With proper guidance and sensible management of these changes teachers will be able to make headway. Unfortunately, we have a chronic shortage of experienced and in some instances indifferent office-based education officials to give teachers step-by-step guidance and top-class support. In some provinces, especially in urban areas, this expertise is readily available. These schools also have access to the internet and resource centres where teachers can get the necessary assistance.

There are, however, education district offices in the former homelands, rural as well as urban areas that lack expertise to give teachers the necessary guidance and support. To make matters worse, those schools do not even have access to the internet or to well-equipped resource centres.

No wonder most of the schools in our country are struggling to provide quality education to our children. The entire curriculum delivery process is compromised due to a lack of support and this I wish to motivate by means of the following diagram:
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Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.

A customer who complains to you should be valued – many of your dissatisfied customers will take their business elsewhere and not even give you an opportunity to respond. Bill Gates has stated that: “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”.
If you want to build long and loving relationships with your customers then: • Always be open to discussing problems with your customers • Listen and empathize – consider the reasons behind the dissatisfaction and hurt • Be personal and caring - don’t brush them aside with automated, standard responses • Say sorry and acknowledge the problem – even if you believe you are not in the wrong • Show your affection when you’re in the wrong – but don’t overdo it! • Give customers and complaint handlers access to someone who can come in to mediate when a solution cannot be found but a continued relationship is still required • Take time to think about your actions and look at ways to improve the way you do things in future
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Advertising and the consumer

Why is it so difficult to introspect on advertising and how it influences us? Because we look for major effects, that’s why! Too often, we look for the ability of an ad to persuade us. We look for a major effect rather than more subtle, minor effects. Big and immediate effects of advertising do occur when the advertiser has something new to say. Then it is easy for us to introspect on its effect.
But most effects of advertising fall well short of persuasion. These minor effects are not obvious but they are more characteristic of the way advertising works. To understand advertising we have to understand and measure these effects. When our kids are growing up we don’t notice their physical growth each day but from time to time we become aware that they have grown. Determining how much a child has grown in the last 24 hours is like evaluating the effect of being exposed to a single commercial. In both cases, the changes are too small for us to notice. But even small effects of advertising can influence which brand we choose especially when all other factors are equal and when alternative brands are much the same.
Advertising is paid, nonpersonal communication that is designed to communicate in a creative manner, through the use of mass or information-directed media, the nature of products, services, and ideas. It is a form of persuasive communication that offers information about products, ideas, and services that serves the objectives determined by the advertiser. Advertising may influence consumers in many different ways, but the primary goal of advertising is to increase the probability that consumers exposed to an advertisement will behave or believe as the advertiser wishes. Thus, the ultimate objective of advertising is to sell things persuasively and creatively. Advertising is used by commercial firms trying to sell products and services; by politicians and political interest groups to sell ideas or persuade voters; by not-for-profit organizations to raise funds, solicit volunteers, or influence the actions of viewers; and by governments seeking to encourage or discourage particular activities, such a wearing seatbelts, participating in the census, or ceasing to smoke. The forms that advertising takes and the media in which advertisements appear are as varied as the advertisers themselves and the messages that they wish to deliver.

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Innovation in Education

Introduction
Education is the crucible in which Innovations are forged. Promoting creativity and incentivizing innovations through our educational institutions is a first step towards broadening and deepening the impact of innovations in our society and economy. In large scale education systems such as ours, catering to a vast population with relatively limited resources, this is a major challenge. At the same time, with rapid advances in new technologies, changing needs of the economy, and the very presence of the challenges identified above, the sector itself presents a fertile ground for pioneering innovations. Recognising the fundamental role of education in nurturing and fostering an ecosystem of innovation the National Innovation Council is engaged in a series of initiatives to encourage innovations in existing educational institutions – universities, colleges and schools, as well as promoting new educational models and innovative platforms for knowledge creation, dissemination and application. Some of the key proposals of the NInc in this domain include:
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Intellectual bankruptcy in politics
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi launched a fresh attack on the Center on December 27, saying the country was in the grip of pessimism because of “policy paralysis, intellectual bankruptcy and lack of leadership.”
He said the Center’s policies “lack urgency or seriousness” in tackling economic crises and thus the “sense of pessimism” in the 12th Plan.
“There is a policy paralysis, intellectual bankruptcy and lack of leadership in the country because of which the country was experiencing stagnancy. We are going on the path of negative growth,” Modi told reporters at the 57th National Development Council (NDC) meeting here.
In his speech at the meeting, Modi said, “It seems that there is no urgency or seriousness in tackling economic crises facing the country. There has been a virtual lack of direction in the macro-economic management of the country.”
Modi also called for setting up a National Resources Commission on the lines of the Finance Commission, which discusses the allocation of grants to states every five years.
He said the country is facing a demographic opportunity as 65 percent of the population is young and pitched for a youth-centric growth, which focused on skill development.
“It is unfortunate that the central government has been bereft of any vision or strategy in this regard. This feeling of helplessness in making effective policy interventions has resulted in job creation suffering and the youth of the country becoming disillusioned,” he said in his speech.
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We are creatures of our habits

This blog will be about habits. I do research on habits and self-change and I've blogged on these topics for almost two years now. Here at Psychology Today, I have a bigger and better platform, and I am ever so grateful. But, what to say first? How to set the tone?
Perhaps I should begin with the title of my blog, Creatures of Habit. The title says so much about my approach to human psychology in general, and to habits in particular.
First off, we are creatures. We are animals. We're very sophisticated and good-looking and all that, but let's never forget that we're made of flesh and blood. In particular, our brains are incredibly complex evolved machines. Our brains govern basic processes such as breathing and food intake, and also enable us to appreciate the finer points of John Cleese's performances in Fawlty Towers.
Bottom of Form
As creatures, we have needs. We need to eat, and so we eat. As rather intelligent and social creatures, we like to chat with one another, and so we do. We take turns and finish our conversations gracefully. And there are dozens and dozens more behaviors that are just as complicated, if not more so. How on Earth do we get all of this done?
That's where habits come in. Habits help us through our day. When we are doing something that is habitual, we are not engaged in the task in the same way as when we are doing something that is not habitual. Just as an example, consider making breakfast in your own kitchen on any given weekday. Next time you do it, watch how effortlessly it happens. It's not exactly like an out-of-body experience, but it's close. Your movements through the kitchen are stereotyped. You grab the milk out of the fridge, turn toward the counter and give the door that little nudge you with your foot that you know it needs. If something is on your mind, you might not notice that you're sitting at the table and munching on your second piece of toast until you're halfway through it. Now, compare that to getting breakfast at a friend's house. Maybe you're dog sitting (you're so nice!) Where's the milk? The bread? Oh my goodness, so complicated!
That's the power of a habit. And you don't have just one. You don't even have a dozen. You have dozens, maybe even hundreds. Thank goodness for habits! But, here's the catch: You don't like all of your habits. In fact, some of them are decidedly displeasing to your good self. You'd rather not be eating cheese doodles all the time. But, every night without fail, you find yourself wiping that orange stuff of off the remote.
You resolve to change your bad habits. You mean it. Sometimes you succeed but often you fail. Why? Not because you're a bad person. You're probably not a bad person and, even if you are, that's not why you're failing. You're failing because, simply put, habits are extremely hard to change. They're hard to change because they're so ingrained, because they're so almost-automatic. Now, really, what would be the point of having a habit that didn't free up your mind to crunch on more pressing matters, like the definition of the in-field fly rule? Do not despair, though. There are ways to change your habits, and in this blog I will do my part in helping you to become a better person through better habits. Stay tuned!
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Malala Yousafzai - candidate for Nobel Peace prize
14 year old Malala Yousafzai, one of the 2011 nominees for the International Children’s Peace Prize, was severely injured in her hometown in the Swat Valley, Pakistan.
Malala was attacked along with 2 other girls on their way back from school. She was shot in the head and the neck, but successfully operated on in the hospital. The attack has already been claimed by the Taliban.
In 2011, Malala became one of the nominees for the International Children’s Peace Prize for her brave efforts to defend the basic rights of children in Pakistan, namely the right of girls to education. Malala is one of the few who stood up against the Talibanisation. She raised her voice for girls education, something the Taliban in her country tried to get banned. This makes her extremely brave but also vulnerable.
KidsRights strongly resents this attack against Malala. The rights of children should be respected everywhere in the world and children who actively promote them, should be honoured and listened to. Malala did not win the International Children’s Peace Prize 2011, but was awarded the National Peace Award by the Pakistan government that same year.
KidsRights regrets that children who fight for their rights are attacked for raising their voices. We hope that the attack on Malala will not discourage other children to stand up for their rights.
KidsRights wishes Malala strength and health in the coming days and weeks
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|India, a poor country of rich people? |
|| Saturday, July 16, 2011 |
| |
|[pic]The Chembur Tilak Nagar Ganapati in Mumbai always makes news during Ganeshotsav,not so much for| |
|its grand façade as for its association with the gangster-murderer Chhota Rajan. He is the criminal | |
|who recently took responsibility for murdering the journalist, J Dey. | |
|In a Pune locality, the 'Chor Madhu temple' is so-called because it was apparently funded by an | |
|accomplished thief who targeted the homes of the wealthy. One break-in would result in booty worth | |
|lakhs. Legend has it that he stashed his ill-gotten wealth below this temple because that's the last| |
|place the police would want to touch. | |
|From time to time one hears of unnamed wealthy devotees making sensational offerings of gold and | |
|diamonds to their favourite deity. Such devotees often seek anonymity- is it out of humility or to | |
|escape the attention of extortionists and the Income Tax department? | |
| | |

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India's preparedness to face terror attacks.
Topic No. 18: India's preparedness to face terror attacks.

Three years after terrorists struck the Mumbai city leaving 166 dead, India's financial capital seems better prepared to deal with such attacks having set up an elite commando unit and plans to fit transponders in boats of fishermen to detect suspicious movement.
On the lines of the NSG, we have set up a 350 strong elite commando unit called Force one which is well equipped with the latest weapons and trained by Army and foreign experts. Every year, Rs 17 crore is being spent on this unit
However, some problem areas still remain.
Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is grappling with a severe manpower crunch with 283 posts of the total 732 lying vacant, two-and-a-half years after the panel, set up to probe state police's response to the Mumbai attacks recommended streamlining the force.
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How can we contribute to saving the environment

| |
|Saving the environment is not an issue anymore. It is a survival truth. Individuals, organizations and |
|governments need to come together and join hands to protect what is left of our planet so that the future|
|is not wiped out before it’s time for curtain call. |
| |
|The pyramid of life is on very shaky ground. Experts say that proper handling of waste materials, such as|
|reusing or disposing of them properly, should constitute an important part of the our efforts to preserve|
|energy and protect the environment. Countries worldwide should use less coal and more reusable power like|
|hydro or solar power. |
|Let us plan our cities according to water available and not avail water for too many homes that have been|
|crammed into development. Saving energy reduces air pollution and greenhouse gases. The less we pollute |
|our environment, the more we prevent global warming. Let us check the seas from rising and submerging our|
|lands. |
|Increasing number of organizations is being formed to prevent the planet from premature extinction. More |
|and more corporates have joined the race to save the planet. We can simply begin by buying recycled |
|products for your office, home or school. The greater the demand for recycled products, the more |
|companies will be encouraged to add recycled material to their products. |
|And we can begin right at home. Let us reuse what we would easily throw away and conserve for a future. |
|Recycle everything one can from newspapers, cans, glass bottles and jars, aluminum foil, motor oil, to |
|scrap metals. We should avoid using electrical appliances for things one can easily do by hand, such as |
|opening cans. We should try and conserve electricity by turning off the lights, TV, or other electrical |
|appliances when not in use. Use cold water in the washer whenever possible. |
|What we can recycle let us do so. What we cannot let us not use them. Buy less disposable products. Buy |
|paper products as they break down better in the environment and don't deplete the ozone layer as much. |
|Ban plastic. Buy recycled goods. It’s trendy! Re-use brown paper bags to line your trash can instead of |
|plastic bags. Store food in re-usable containers, instead of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. |
|Keep cars tuned up. Buy a more fuel-efficient model (such as a hybrid or electric) and recycle your |
|engine oil. Use public transit whenever possible. Let us walk more and drive less to conserve fuel and |
|prevent auto-emission. |
| |
| |
|We should avoid littering our roads and highways. And prevent others from doing so. Always dispose of |
|your litter properly by saving trash and dispose of it at a rest stop. Littering is not just bad for the |
|environment, it is also an offence carrying heavy fines. |
|We use more organic fertilizers. Compost and reduce waste which would otherwise get buried and produces |
|greenhouse gases as materials decompose. Avoid burning dead leaves as burning creates air pollution, and |
|putting them out with the trash wastes landfill space. Instead we can compost the leaves and yard debris,|
|or take them to a yard debris recycler. It is simple to pull weeds instead of using herbicides. Our farms|
|need less pesticides and more organic methods. |
|Finally, let’s teach our children to respect nature and the environment, and learn in the process how we |
|can hold on to the one planet which has a miracle called life. |
|Save the environment. Save Life. |

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Corruption - an epidemic
Corrupt" and "Corruptor" redirect here. For other uses, see Corrupt (disambiguation) and Corruptor (disambiguation).
"Corrupted" and "Corruptors" redirect here. For the Japanese doom metal band, see Corrupted (band). For the American television series, see Target: The Corruptors!.
| |This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: Not enough informative material, |
| |poor quality content, insufficient detail, poorly structured. Please help improve this article if you can. (November 2012) |

In philosophical, theological, or moral discussions, corruption is spiritual or moral impurity or deviation from an ideal. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement. Government, or 'political', corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for his or her own personal gain.
The word corrupt (Middle English, from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere, to abuse or destroy : com-, intensive pref. and rumpere, to break) when used as an adjective literally means "utterly broken".[1]

[edit] Different Scales

Corruption can occur on many different scales. There is corruption that occurs as small favours between a small number of people (petty corruption), while there is the corruption that affects the government on a large scale (grand corruption), and corruption that is so prevalent that it is part of the every day structure of society (systemic corruption).
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Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. New DNA may be inserted in the host genome by first isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using molecular cloning methods to generate a DNA sequence, or by synthesizing the DNA, and then inserting this construct into the host organism. Genes may be removed, or "knocked out", using a nuclease. Gene targeting is a different technique that uses homologous recombination to change an endogenous gene, and can be used to delete a gene, remove exons, add a gene, or introduce point mutations.
An organism that is generated through genetic engineering is considered to be a genetically modified organism (GMO). The first GMOs were bacteria in 1973; GM mice were generated in 1974. Insulin-producing bacteria were commercialized in 1982 and genetically modified food has been sold since 1994.
Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and medicine. Enzymes used in laundry detergent and medicines such as insulin and human growth hormone are now manufactured in GM cells, experimental GM cell lines and GM animals such as mice or zebrafish are being used for research purposes, and genetically modified crops have been commercialized.
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India's lopsided development puts pressure on the cities

The pattern of economic growth in India is lop-sided, leaving a vast section of the society vulnerable, In developing countries like India, "Vast segments of the population lack formal social security cover, One reason for the lack of formal social security is that the high proportion of the workforce in the informal sector is either stagnant or increasing,.
Even in countries with high economic growth (India included), increasing numbers of workers - often women - are in less secure employment, such as casual labor, home work and certain types of self-employment.
The growth being experienced in India is causing regional disparity to increase, The growth was driven by urban development but not in the agricultural sector. If there was any, it was minimal, he said. Such lopsided growth leaves a large section of society losing out on the benefits of growth.
The general picture we found really is that the poor and the weaker sections generally cannot benefit very much from globalization and liberalization which are now being used for economic growth.
If you have social security properly entrenched, social security in terms of education and health, that way you will have more efficient and productive workforce.
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Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine pollution are land based. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff and wind blown debris and dust.
Many potentially toxic chemicals adhere to tiny particles which are then taken up by plankton and benthos animals, most of which are either deposit or filter feeders. In this way, the toxins are concentrated upward within ocean food chains. Many particles combine chemically in a manner highly depletive of oxygen, causing estuaries to become anoxic.
When pesticides are incorporated into the marine ecosystem, they quickly become absorbed into marine food webs. Once in the food webs, these pesticides can cause mutations, as well as diseases, which can be harmful to humans as well as the entire food web.
Toxic metals can also be introduced into marine food webs. These can cause a change to tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, reproduction, and suppress growth in marine life. Also, many animal feeds have a high fish meal or fish hydrolysate content. In this way, marine toxins can be transferred to land animals, and appear later in meat and dairy products.
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State controlled economy vs liberalised economy

Favour

• China is biggest example of success of state controlled economy. • In liberal economies richer become richer and poorer are getting poorer. • A state controlled economy will result in proper flow of benefits towards rural masses. • State has control over the production and the markets helping poorer sections to avail benefits which they otherwise would have been deprived of.

[pic][pic]Against

• State controlled economies are big problem in path of growing business in country which will surely affect country's growth; eventually affects poor population. • Russia is biggest example of failure of state controlled economy. • The communist countries are bright example of state controlled economies do not result in uplifting poor. • As history stands a proof that, state controlled economies have higher rates of corruption and mismanagement. • A liberal economy with sound regulatory framework will ensure employment and a healthy economy.

Conclusion

• State controlled economy has benefits but evidences from history tell us that state controlled economy is big failure.
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The environmental impact of the coal industry includes the consideration of issues such as land use, waste management, and water and air pollution caused by the coal mining, processing and the use of its products. In addition to atmospheric pollution, coal burning produces hundreds of millions of tons of solid waste products annually, including fly ash,[1] bottom ash, and flue-gas desulfurization sludge, that contain mercury, uranium, thorium, arsenic, and other heavy metals.[citation needed]
There are severe health effects caused by burning coal.[2][3] According to the reports issued by the World Health Organization in 2008 and by environmental groups and 2004, coal particulates pollution are estimated to shorten approximately 1,000,000 lives annually worldwide, including nearly 24,000 lives a year in the United States.[4][5] Coal mining generates significant additional independent adverse environmental health impacts, among them the polluted water flowing from mountaintop removal mining.[citation needed]
A major EU funded research study known as ExternE, or Externalities of Energy, undertaken over the period of 1995 to 2005 found that the cost of producing electricity from coal would double over its present value, if external costs such as damage to the environment and to human health, from the airborne particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, chromium VI and arsenic emissions produced by coal, were taken into account. It was estimated in the study that external, downstream, fossil fuel costs amount up to 1–2% of the EU’s entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with coal the main fossil fuel accountable for this, and this was before the external cost of global warming from these sources was even included.[6] The study also found that the environmental and health costs of coal alone were €0.06/kWh, or 6 cents/kWh, with the energy sources of the lowest external costs associated with them being nuclear power €0.0019/kWh, and wind power at €0.0009/kWh.[7]
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Indian states should be made smaller

Favor

• By dividing India in small parts and concentrating on problems region vise; there are more chances of better growth. • We need governance at small level so that we can manage and regulate life more appropriately

[pic][pic]Against

• Dividing India is not solution of problem. Because it would create hatred and divergence between people of 2 states. • More over dividing on basis of caste and religion is creating more issues like minor ,major population with in newly created state • The resources of the India become property of that state so other states become insecure and only people of a particular reason become richer.

Conclusion

• Recognizing India into smaller states is not a good idea • Dividing India into smaller states on basis of castes and religions is not a good idea.
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Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the Earth’s surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. It is a component of environmental soil science.
[pic]
Erosion barriers on disturbed slope, Marin County, California
Decisions regarding appropriate crop rotation, cover crops, and planted windbreaks are central to the ability of surface soils to retain their integrity, both with respect to erosive forces and chemical change from nutrient depletion. Crop rotation is simply the conventional alternation of crops on a given field, so that nutrient depletion is avoided from repetitive chemical uptake/deposition of single crop growth.
There are also conventional practices that farmers have invoked for centuries. These fall into two main categories: contour farming and terracing, standard methods recommended by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, whose Code 330 is the common standard. Contour farming was practiced by the ancient Phoenicians, and is known to be effective for slopes between two and ten percent.[2] Contour plowing can increase crop yields from 10 to 50 percent, partially as a result from greater soil retention.[citation needed]
There are many erosion control methods that can be used such as conservation tillage systems and crop rotation.
Keyline design is an enhancement of contour farming, where the total watershed properties are taken into account in forming the contour lines. Terracing is the practice of creating benches or nearly level layers on a hillside setting. Terraced farming is more common on small farms and in underdeveloped countries, since mechanized equipment is difficult to deploy in this setting.
Human overpopulation is leading to destruction of tropical forests due to widening practices of slash-and-burn and other methods of subsistence farming necessitated by famines in lesser developed countries. A sequel to the deforestation is typically large scale erosion, loss of soil nutrients and sometimes total desertification.
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Should INDIA Change Its National Game?

Favor

• Indian national game should be cricket because it has just become cramming line that our national game is hockey. No-one in our country knows names of hockey players and about match schedules. Change is requirement of today. If we do not change we cannot make progress. • National game should be choice of nation; that is cricket. • If hockey is not able to create any sensation among youngsters than; it's weakness of game.

[pic][pic]Against

• Cricket is religion in India and none of sports is as famous as cricket in India. Other sports like hockey should be encouraged. If we change national game than it may further impact performance of hockey players. • No today we change national game, tomorrow national anthem, then pledge and it will go on this is not the point. • I don’t think we should change national game just because we lost some matches or not many know names of hockey players. • Just because present hockey team is not performing like what it used to, we should not conclude that their days are gone , instead government should pay attention and provide them proper facilities to regain their position • Games are for fun and I think hockey is also a lot of fun, as is cricket. • Game doesn’t bring sensation. Media and people make the game popular. For a fact India is having 1/6th of world's population and only one game is popular. Whereas is in other countries like china, USA, Russia all games have equal importance and popularity. • In countries like USA, Russia, china cricket is not popular so if someday cricket becomes unpopular in India u will again ask for some other game as national game.

Conclusion

• National game is related with identity of nation it can't be change. • If we are feeling patriotic on this issue we should move forward and try to make hockey popular .Businessmen can sponsor it. Common can watch it and motivate their children to join hockey and government can facilitate the players. • India must perform best in its national game.
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2013 Budget

NEW DELHi: Budgets presented in the run-up to elections, whether in the pre or post-reforms era, have tended to showcase how much the government is doing for the common man. What's changed post-reforms is that the 'pro-poor rhetoric' has not been accompanied by a 'soak-the-rich' posture. Finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday bucked that trend.

While announcing a tax rebate of up to Rs 2,000 for those with incomes of not more than Rs 5 lakh, the finance minister imposed a 10% surcharge on income tax for crorepatis, who officially number a mere 42,800, and for domestic and foreign firms with taxable income above Rs 10 crore, which would leave out only small enterprises.

In a similar vein, he has hiked customs duty on all mobile phone handsets costing more than Rs 2,000. And has increased excise duty on SUVs — which the fine print of the Budget suggests have been defined in a manner that includes several sedans too. The duty on imported high-end automobiles and yachts has been upped too. Those buying homes and flats with a carpet area of 2,000 feet or more, or a value of Rs 1 crore or more, will now effectively pay service tax on 30% of the value of the property, while cheaper ones will continue to pay 25% of the value. As Chidambaram himself put it in his speech, "When I need to raise resources, who can I go to except those who are relatively well placed in society?"

The 'pro-poor, anti-rich' stance apart, the FM was at pains to show how much the government cares for women and their empowerment. Among the many proposals directed at women was a Nirbhaya Fund for their security and empowerment, and India's first women's bank.

For the taxpayer, there will be an additional Rs 1 lakh available for deductions on home loan interest payments, though again only for relatively modestly-priced homes and first-time owners. There were promises too of inflation-linked savings instruments, though the details are to be worked out by the RBI.

For corporates, there is an incentive to invest, with 15% of spending of over Rs 100 crore on new plant and machinery in the next two years qualifying for a deduction. For the markets, there was some relief in the form of lower rates of tax on securities transactions and easier procedures for foreign portfolio investors. Against this was a fresh levy, equivalent to the tax on securities transactions, on non-agricultural commodity futures.

Fiscal deficit reined in at 4.8% of GDP

Another change was to stipulate that where a foreign investor's equity holdings in a firm are over 10%, it would be treated as FDI, while below that threshold it would be FII investment.

The net effect of the tax changes is estimated to yield an extra Rs 13,300 crore in direct taxes and Rs 4,700 crore in indirect taxes. The total additional resource mobilisation of Rs 18,000 crore pales in comparison to the Rs 41,440 crore Pranab Mukherjee had proposed to raise last year.

Despite the relatively modest tax mop-up, the FM has managed to present a budget that apparently hikes outlays on key areas like education, health and the social sector by significant amounts — and yet contains the fiscal deficit at 4.8% of GDP. There is a bit of smoke and mirrors in that image, though. Chidambaram constantly referred to how big the jumps in outlays were relative to the revised estimates for 2012-13, but chose not to dwell on the fact that when compared with the budget estimates for the same year, the increases were most often modest. He is also clearly banking on being able to cut subsidies by a significant amount - next year's estimates for combined food, fertilizer and petroleum product subsidies is almost Rs 27,000 crore less than the revised estimates for 2012-13. Is that a sign that the government really means it when it says that fuel prices will be periodically revised? We'll have to wait and see.

To be fair to the FM, he is, like Pi in Ang Lee's multi Oscar-winning film, faced with the onerous task of surviving a destructive storm and taking both the economy and his party — not necessarily in that order — to shore.

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Are corrupt but efficient politicians better than honest and in-efficient politicians?

Favor

• Corrupt but efficient politician can bring a difference in Indian government. Currently most of our politicians are corrupt and inefficient. • The politicians are not able to take care of citizen's benefits because they are inefficiants. If we have the efficient politicians who are bit corrupt but able to serve nation, that would change scenario. • Inefficiency of politicians came out in recent Mumbai terror attacks. If we have slightly efficient people than such kind of attacks would have never happened.

[pic][pic]Against

• • A corrupt politician cannot fulfill his duties even he is efficient because he will use his efficiency to fulfill his selfishness • Whereas an honest politician might not be able to perform but at least; he will not be part of current dirty politics and social corruption. • How one can be inefficient if he is performing his duties with honesty. • Corruption is destroying our society we cannot choose a corrupt person as our leader.

Conclusion

• • A person who has chosen by millions of people must be efficient and honest. • Sometimes he may take some benefits out of system but he should be honest towards benefits of society and people who have chosen him • Inefficiency or efficiency can’t be measured but if a person is corrupt it is legally unavoidable.
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The problems of clinical waste

Clinical Waste is defined in the Controlled Waste Regulations, 1992 as any waste which consists wholly or partly of: human or animal tissue, blood or bodily fluids, excretions, drugs or other pharmaceutical products, swabs, dressings, syringes, needles or other sharp instruments; which unless rendered safe may prove hazardous to any person coming into contact with it.
It also includes any other waste arising from medical, nursing, dental, veterinary, pharmaceutical or similar practice, investigation, treatment, care, teaching or research or the collection of blood for transfusion, that the waste may cause infection to any person coming into contact with it.
Employers must ensure that the risks from clinical waste are properly controlled by assessing the risk, developing policies putting arrangements in place to manage the risk and monitoring how these arrangements work.
Hazards of clinical waste
A wide range of infections can occur when these agents come into contact with broken skin or with the eyes, nose and mouth. It is important to consider all biological wastes as infectious. Examples of diseases that may be transmitted by clinical waste are various forms of Hepatitis, Escherichia Coli (E. coli) infection, Tuberculosis, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), in addition to ill-health due to digestive problems including diarrhoea etc.
Risks associated with clinical waste
Many workers in the healthcare sector ranging from doctors and nurses, to residential home staff and waste disposal workers may be at risk from contact with clinical waste.
Precautions
Employees who may be exposed to clinical waste should follow the set of precautions outlined below.
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Funding of IIMs and IITs should be stopped

Favor

• India is not a developed country and literacy ratio in India is very low so, government should focus on education of poor people rather than, spending huge money on small group of population. • Students, who are receiving higher education in India, are migrating out of India, serving other nation’s that is really awful. • India is a democratic country. Democracy can only be successful if everyone is literate and that could be achieved by focusing on primary education. • Spending huge amount of money on IIT & IIM is like dividing nation in 2 different groups. One group cannot even afford primary education whereas; other group is receiving higher education on government grant. • Most of the people going for IITs & IIMs are self-capable, so government should make all these institutes self-financed and stop funding.

[pic][pic]Against

• India is still in development phase so; we need these institutes to promote our young talent on international platform. • It is true that students from IITs & IIMs are migrating but they are sending back money to country eventually that money is being utilized in India. • In this phase of development in which nation is going through, we need more talent, so we need better higher education for youngsters in India. • For growth we need innovative minds so we need people who are Indians and who can create better systems for us. IIT's and IIM’s are producing such brains. • Students from other countries are travelling to India for higher education in these institutes so, eventually revenue is coming back.

Conclusion

• We can’t compare primary education, which is gigantic with IITs & IIMs which is concentrated to small population. • IITs and IIMs can be self-financed but students should get scholarship in case of fee hike.
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Economic development and its impact on the environment
Our natural environment includes all living and non living things like land, forests, minerals, water bodies, the atmosphere, etc. While some of these resources may be renewable others get depleted and ultimately exhausted with their continuous use. Even the renewable resources may get degraded or polluted. Economic development seeks increase, in the rate of increase of national income and achieving an equitable distribution of income. Increase in national income would result only from increased production of goods and services. The process of increase in output would involve greater consumption of resources such as land, forest, fuels etc, whose supply is essentially limited. The productivity of an economy thus depends considerably on the supply, quality and consumption of such natural resources. Thus reckless and thoughtless use of these resources would cause their exhaustion and degradation, thereby reduce productivity and impede economic growth. Also due to such depletion and degradation our future generations will not get enough of these resources for their use thus adversely affecting their output, income and living standards. So environmental degradation not only affects us but will also have repercussions on our future generations.
In contrast to the above view, some argue that these environmental problems will be addressed more or less automatically in the process of economic growth. However the national income or the GNP (Gross National Product) which is the commonly accepted measure of economic development of a nation fails to reflect the true cost of development. It excludes the cost of depletion of natural resources and other environmental costs. For example when we cut down trees for commercial use, its value is added to the GNP but the loss in the form of depletion of natural resources is not accounted for anywhere. So the fact remains that the more output we produce today by using greater amount of natural resources, the greater is the loss of our natural assets and consequently lower will be the output that the future generations will be able to produce from these depleted resources. More so the pace at which we are exploiting these resources is unmatchable by any solutions that economic growth may offer.
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Indians and patriotism
Let’s have a small retrospective session. Ok I won’t stress your memory. Let’s talk about just a day back in time. So what did you really do on India’s 59th Independence Day? Sat at home all day enjoying your holiday? Ok… made it for the function for the flag hoisting? Is it enough? Neways, even if you did that, I am glad. But I can bet most of you just, looked up to the flag in great pride may be for a few moments and then you were back onto your couch watching some latest pirated cd/dvd movie and enjoying the holiday. Your feelings need to extend from those few moments you looked up to the flag to your entire day, from this one day in the year to the entire year, and yes certainly for your lifetime. And remember you are not the first one to do this… Martyrs have lived, died and relived in our hearts being as true Indians. Just an Indian citizenship doesn’t really make you an Indian dear!
The very fact that you are reading these lines now, is that I have got you interested. Those who weren’t have left long behind. Well yesterday I just managed to write a few lines on reviving patriotism in India. I hope that it can motivate you enough to put these thoughts into your actions…
Here is goes –
India the land of the martyrs who have embraced the gallows for their ideals, where every drop in the freedom fighter’s blood has fought not for itself but for the nation, has today become indigent instead of indigenous of ‘patriotism’. Yes I am talking of India where patriotism needs to be revived and redefined.
We all probably remember patriotism when there is an Indo-Pak cricket match and when terrorists bomb our trains. But we definitely forget it when we cast our vote in the elections, when a week long hungry beggar asks for a rupee, when we shamelessly throw garbage on the roads and yet so many times more… Patriotism is observed as nothing else than the ‘pain on the prick of a pin’. It is rather believed to be a formality, a formality of saluting the national flag and 52 seconds of freezed stature during the national anthem. May be even a freezed heart with no gratitude for the martyrs because of whom we are living off so well.
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Kumbh Mela 2013: (/ˌkʊm ˈmeɪlə/ or /ˌkʊm məˈlɑː/; Devanagari: कुम्भ मेला "kumbh mēlā") is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river. It is the world's largest religious gathering, with 80 million people expected in 2013.[2] It is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag), Nasik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbh Mela is held at each of these four places every twelfth year. Ardh ("Half") Kumbh Mela is held at only two places, Haridwar and Allahabad, every sixth year. The rivers at these four places are: the Ganges (Ganga) at Haridwar, the confluence (Sangam) of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the Godawari at Nasik, and the Shipra at Ujjain.
Kumbh means a pitcher and Mela means fair in Hindi. The pilgrimage is held for about one and a half months at each of these four places where it is believed in Hinduism that drops of nectar fell from the Kumbh carried by gods after the sea was churned. The festival is billed as the "world’s largest congregation of religious pilgrims".[3] There is no scientific method of ascertaining the number of pilgrims, and the estimates of the number of pilgrims bathing on the most auspicious day may vary; approximately 80 million people attended on 14 February 2013.
Mauni Amavasya traditionally attracted the largest crowds at the mela, held here every 12 years. The current Kumbh Mela was held on 14 January 2013 at Allahabad.The day marked the second and the biggest Shahi Snan (royal bath) of this event, with 13 akharas taking to the Sangam. 10 Feb 2013 was the biggest bathing day at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela and probably the largest human gathering on a single day. Over 30 million devotees and ascetics took holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavas
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Higher education should be privatised
As there are talks of Indian education system being privatised in India, According to the experts there are two roadblocks in the way of transforming India into an economic giant and one of them is education. And i believe that if education is privatised, lot of our problems will be solved.

It is said that engaging the private sector in providing quality education across primary, secondary and post-graduate levels will not only augment the Government's efforts in education but significantly upgrade the quality of education and its relevance to the times.

Should Education system be privatised in India?
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Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land.[1] also environmental degradation is the gradual destruction or reduction of the quality and quantity of human activities animals activities or natural means example water causes soil erosion, wind, etc. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.[2] Natural hazards are excluded as a cause, however human activities can indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bush fires.
This is considered to be an important topic of the 21st century due to the implications land degradation has upon agronomic productivity, the environment, and its effects on food security.[3] It is estimated that up to 40% of the world's agricultural land is seriously degraded.[4]
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Oil prices in India
Stating that India faces "formidable" challenges on the energy front, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said that spiralling international oil prices have put a strain on the country's import bill and domestic prices need to be rationalised.

Speaking at the opening of a $4 billion refinery in Bhatinda, the Prime Minister added "With imports accounting for about 80 per cent of our crude supplies, the spiralling prices of crude in the international market have put a severe strain on our import bill," he said.

"State-owned oil companies haven't raised the prices of diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene for almost a year despite the cost of raw material rising by a quarter. We also need to rationalise prices and at the same time ensure that the poor and needy are shielded from the effects of such a rationalisation," he said.
The government, in June 2010, had freed petrol prices from its control but PSU oil companies haven't been able to raise the prices because of political pressure. Petrol price (Rs. 65.64 per litre) in Delhi is about Rs. 9 short of its cost.

The government controls rates of diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene. Oil companies sell diesel at a discount of Rs. 16.16 a litre, while they lose Rs. 32.59 on sale of every litre of kerosene. A 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder costs Rs. 570.50 less than its actual cost.

"In order to insulate the common man from the impact of rising oil prices, the Government shoulders a sizeable portion of the burden by pricing diesel, Kerosene and domestic LPG below their market prices," he said.

Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum lost about Rs. 138,800 crore in revenues on selling diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene below cost in 2011-12. The revenue loss in this fiscal is estimated at Rs. 208,000 crore.

"The challenges we face on the energy front are formidable. We need adequate supplies of energy at affordable prices. Domestic sources of crude oil and gas are inadequate to meet the growing demands of our rapidly expanding economy," Dr Singh said.
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Environmental ethics: is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human world. It exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including environmental law, environmental sociology, ecotheology, ecological economics, ecology and environmental geography.
There are many ethical decisions that human beings make with respect to the environment. For example: • Should we continue to clear cut forests for the sake of human consumption? • Why should we continue to propagate our species, and life itself? [1] • Should we continue to make gasoline powered vehicles? • What environmental obligations do we need to keep for future generations?[2][3] • Is it right for humans to knowingly cause the extinction of a species for the convenience of humanity? • How should we best use and conserve the space environment to secure and expand life? [4]
The academic field of environmental ethics grew up in response to the work of scientists such as Rachel Carson and events such as the first Earth Day in 1970, when environmentalists started urging philosophers to consider the philosophical aspects of environmental problems. Two papers published in Science had a crucial impact: Lynn White's "The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis" (March 1967)[5] and Garrett Hardin's "The Tragedy of the Commons" (December 1968).[6] Also influential was Garett Hardin's later essay called "Exploring New Ethics for Survival", as well as an essay by Aldo Leopold in his A Sand County Almanac, called "The Land Ethic," in which Leopold explicitly claimed that the roots of the ecological crisis were philosophical (1949).[7]
The first international academic journals in this field emerged from North America in the late 1970s and early 1980s – the US-based journal Environmental Ethics in 1979 and the Canadian based journal The Trumpeter: Journal of Ecosophy in 1983. The first British based journal of this kind, Environmental Values, was launched in 1992.
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Success is all about human relations
Someone once told me, at the end of your life when you are old, fragile, perhaps sitting in a wheelchair, nursing home, or on life support, what will be important to you?

Will it be what you've accomplished at your job?
Sure, it's great that you drove the Revenue of your company to all time highs or that you've spoke publicly at seminars around the world, you were great but that is over now- you are not associated with your job anymore so was it worth skipping the ballet recital for a meeting?

Will it be the money you've made? so what your wheelchair is made of white gold and your trips to the hospital are traveled in a hummer? that won't bring you a deep fulfilling happiness

Will it be all the Knowledge you've acquired? will the massive hours of studying, and research keep your heart and soul warm at night?

NO.
Success will be the genuine love you feel by the people that surround you, If you spend the time to hang out with friends, help your neighbors, bond with your family and children, take the time out to ask your mailman or gardener how their day is going then , at the end of your life when people are visiting, calling, surrounding and spending time with you - that is when you feel in return the warmth you have cultivated and nurtured for yourself and others for so many years, this is to have succeeded
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Solutions for Sustainable Living

• Do you want your property to be more self-sufficient or productive? • Have you fully explored the potential of your land’s resources and capabilities? • Are you spending $000’s to buy in water?
If you live on a rural property and want to build a self-sufficient and more productive lifestyle using the natural resources of your property, let us provide advice and solutions for you.
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Design, advice and education on eco-systems for water, land and energy • traditional approach to water-sourcing • non-scientific evaluation on water quality and values • water catchment, delivery and storage system strategies • super-efficient low-energy solar power solutions • closed-loop, organic growing and farming systems for optimum yield and maximum nutrition
Our philosophy is to work in harmony with Nature's systems to produce the most cost-effective, highest yielding results for our clients - minimising inputs, maximising outputs, naturally.
Solutions for Sustainable Living can provide you with an independent apprasal of your land in order to streamline your resources and explore potential apportunities.
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Are education and success co-related?
Well it depends on how you perceive things.

If you ask me education tell gives you path for success and its up to you to take the path and achieve the success .

But then uneducated people have also become great leaders, innovators , discoveres and great humanitarians.

It all depends on the experience we gather in life and how to take the positive and negatives and to apply the experience we have got in the future..
It is a fact that an overwhelming number of successful people were average in school. It would be good for most to hear that good academic scoring at school does not guarantee success in later life and nor does poor performance in school necessarily mean failure. Most successful people for that matter are were not even from elite schools. This assumes great significance in today’s milieu where academic success is the only yardstick to measure success of a child, which is very unfair. Formal education is very important as it exercises the brain and inculcates discipline. However brilliance in academics does not mean that the student is brilliant.
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River contamination in India
Most of India's major rivers are contaminated at several stretches, with many "hot-spots" not fit for drinking purposes, irrigation, outdoor bathing and propagation of wildlife, a first of its kind survey conducted by the Central Water Commission (CWC) has revealed.
The "Water Quality hot-spots in the Rivers of India" survey which highlighted the extent of river water contamination in India, singled out 12 'hot spots' in eight Indian states.
Almost all of the rivers surveyed -- Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Yamuna, Tapti, Krishna, Godavari, Kaveri and Mahanadi -- are a major source of water for millions of people in several states that these rivers pass through.
Rivers in several spots in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Kerala and Gujarat had relatively high values of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), which was more than the 3.0 mg/l-level set by BIS (Bureau of Indian Standard).
Most of these stretches also have high total coliform and fecal coliform level, which are ascribed to sewage discharge, open defecation, cattle wallowing, disposal of animal caracass and unburnt bodies. Coliform organisms are used as indicators of water pollution.
The survey has revealed that lot of effluent and sewage is being generated, for a major portion of which there are no effluent treatments. This has resulted in discharge of this sewage into the rivers untreated or only partially treated, former CWC chairman AK Bajaj said, adding, "Besides this rampant use of fertilisers and pesticides, open defecation, lack of solid waste management practices also contributes to surface water pollution".
The report, which listed out quality of water on parameters set by the BIS, such as the presence of pH, chloride, fluoride, arsenic, calcium, magnesium, iron, among others, was based on the average values observed during the past 10 years at CWC's monitoring stations across these major rivers.
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Does the UN hold relevance in today’s world?
After the failure of League of Nations, the necessity of an international organization of wider character was felt. This need was fulfilled with the creation of UN in 1945. It had the responsibility to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems.
The UN has completed fifty seven years and apparently seems to be more assertive, confident and visible, both in its approach and actions. The recent manifestations of this confidence have been its interventions in Kuwait, Somalia, Angola, Rwanda, Zaire and Afghanistan
Apart from few highlights the UN has always been in question for its power to handle the disturbing issues around the world. The founders of the UN had envisaged that the organization would act to prevent conflicts between nations and make future wars impossible, however the outbreak of the Cold War made peacekeeping agreements extremely difficult because of the division of the world into hostile camps.
The UN has also drawn criticism for perceived failures. In many cases, member states have shown reluctance to achieve or enforce Security Council resolutions, an issue that stems from the UN's intergovernmental nature—seen by some as simply an association of 192 member states who must reach consensus, not an independent organization
Looking at the past it can be said that UN has failed in serious issues but nevertheless it has made progress toward world cooperation and has adapted to changing circumstances that were not dreamed of by its founders.
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Impact of Facebook and Twiiter on youth
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites are a godsend to kids and teens who want to get in touch and know what is going on with their friends or relatives. By just opening a website, they can communicate with and learn about all the people who are important to them (at least those who are signed in to the same network).

But like many things that people are passionate about, there are detractors to social networking. When it comes to kids and teens, an Oxford University study argues that social networking has bad effects on the kids' intelligence - and the damage could be long-term and irrevocable. On the other hand, defenders are quick to point out that kids on social networking are increasing their social interaction while wiring their brains to adapt to new technology.
BAD EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING ON KIDS

Baroness Susan Greenfield , a top neuroscientist of the Oxford University warns about the lifelong effects of too much social networking: • Facebook and other networking sites “are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a short attention span and live for the moment”. There is hardly any concentration skills required in participating in these social networking sites, and these train the brain to have poor attention span. • Kids are detracted from learning to communicate in the real world. There are reports from teachers that social networking is affecting kids’ comprehension levels. Also, if kids communicate primarily through the screen they do not learn the subtleties of real life communication - such as body language, tone of voice, and subconsciously sensing the molecules that other people release. • Social networking sites make kids more self-centered. Since Facebook and other sites give kids their own page which is about them, it leads some vulnerable kids to think that everything revolves around them, a precursor for emotional problems in their later life. This might also result in inability to empathize. • These sites make kids prone to sensationalism. • Pedriatricians observe that some teens suffer from "Facebook depression". After spending a lot of time on Facebook and other popular social networking sites, some teens become anxious and moody. Also, a vulnerable teen may suffer from depression when he reads great things happening to his friends, and his life is not so great in comparison. Teens who experience "Facebook depression" usually have trouble with social interactions in general, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Other educators also note the following: • For kids and teens in social networks, there are no spelling and grammar rules. In fact it is cool to misspell and not make sense. Less sophisticated children will find it hard to differentiate between social networking communication and real world communication. In fact many teachers are complaining that social networking communication with misspellings and lack of grammar are seeping through student’s school writings. • Screen relationships detract from spending time in real life relationships. • Social networks are fertile grounds for bad influencers and anonymous venoms and hunting grounds for deviants and other predators. • For kids who crave attention, Facebook and other social network becomes a venue for them to act out. These kids may make inappropriate statements, pictures and videos that could ultimately harm them. Also, posts and materials that are published online tend to be permanent and may haunt them in the future. • A study by Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University concludes that extended use of social networks like Facebook can result in a decrease in empathy among teens, and thus an increase in narcissism.
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Happiness is not readymade. It comes from your own actions
Have you found this to be true? I have. There is a saying that an old friend of mine told me that “You can’t think yourself into right actions but you can act your way into right thinking.”
Seems a bit like the chicken or the egg discussion but regardless of how happiness is achieved there is no disputing that it comes from both thought and action, not one without the other.
What are you doing today to make your life happier?
What thoughts are you embracing that make you happy and spread happiness to others?
Until later.
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Inflation and the Indian Economy inflation is the rapidly rising prices of goods and services caused to the increase in the supply money. Inflation arises when the demand for goods and services in an economy exceeds the supply of same. Inflation is a determinant in functioning of any economy. India is a country with a mixed economy model that comprises both capitalism and socialism hence the challenges faced are vital for its growth model. The recent rise in inflation has been found to consist of several political and economic crisis under the prime ministry of Dr Manmohan Singh.
Contesting on the challenges faced, several economists have questioned the method of measuring inflation to be faulty. The present day process being used in India has been The Wholesale Price Index while several other developed countries adopt the Consumer price index to calculate inflation.

[edit] Measurement Challenge

There are two basic system of measuring inflation present today. While India adopts the prior method which is considered to be lesser advanced. The demographics and structures of India don't permit it to adopt the second basis system of measuring inflation.

[edit] Consumer Price Index

Though Consumer price index is a more advanced instrument for the measurement of inflation. There occurs several problems for India to shift from the current Wholesale Price Index. The Consumer Price Index is not viable to be used in India because there is too much of a lag in reporting the Consumer Price Index numbers. Another debate points that contradicts the application of Consumer Price Index is the fact that it is calculated on a monthly basis while the Wholesale Price Index is calculated on a weekly basis. A system which India adopts at present. However when the index for consumers are to be recorded than the wholesalers this system should be adopted.

[edit] Issues

The challenges faced by a developing economy are many, especially when in context of the Monetary Policy with the Central Bank, the inflation and price stability phenomenon. There has been a universal argument these days when monetary policy is determined to be a key element in depicting and controlling inflation. The Central Bank works on the objective to control and have a stable price for commodities. A good environment of price stability happens to create saving mobilization and a sustained economic growth. The former Governor of RBI C. Rangarajan points out that there is a long-term tradeoff between output and inflation. He adds on that short-term trade-off happens to only introduce uncertainty about the price level in future. There is an agreement that the central banks have aimed to introduce the target of price stability while an argument supports it for what that means in practice.
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Is there hope in the darkest of days
“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”
Hardship, in forcing us to exercise greater patience and forbearance in daily life, actually makes us stronger and more robust. From the daily experience of hardship comes a greater capacity to accept difficulties without losing our sense of inner calm. Of course, I do not advocate seeking out hardship as a way of life, but merely wish to suggest that, if you relate to it constructively, it can bring greater inner strength and fortitude.
Man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. Then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn't enjoy the present: the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived
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Impact of decontrol of diesel on the common man

The government has finally hiked the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG, though by less than recommended by the Kirit Parikh Committee. It has decontrolled petrol , and hopes to decontrol diesel in due course. But its timidity suggests that price controls will return if global oil prices shoot up again.

Financial TV channels had discussions clearly favouring decontrol. But politicians on news channels were overwhelmingly against any price rise. Their objections included exaggerations, halftruths and plain falsehoods.

They said this was a political issue affecting the common man, and could not be treated just as an economic matter. Yet, dozens of countries across the globe have no price controls.

The common man in Japan, the Philippines or the US treats changes in petrol and diesel prices as no more political than changes in the price of bananas or eggs. Only when governments impose price control do prices become political, and that’s the best reason for avoiding controls. India had no oil price controls till 1973, and price changes were not seen as political then.

Indian politicians claim that the common man will be pushed into poverty and privation by the price hike, while farmers and agriculture will be ruined. That’s plain wrong, and such claims have no basis either in other country experiences nor India’s own past. The common man faces price changes up and down in any market system.

In a non-market communist system, all prices can indeed be controlled forever, but the collapse of the Soviet Union showed how myopic and bankrupt such an approach really was. Price controls can provide shortterm relief to consumers, but act as longer-term disincentives to production and efficiency, the cumulative impact of which toppled communism.

Deng Xiaoping in China moved towards the market fast enough to escape a Soviet-type collapse. Countries without price controls have far outperformed those with controls, in terms of poverty removal no less than GDP growth. Yet, Indian politicians on TV talk as though Soviet-style price controls are the only rational and humane way to manage economies.

Indian politicians claim that price decontrols will spur inflation. But despite price controls, India has 10% wholesale price inflation and 14% consumer price inflation.

By contrast, inflation is just 2-3 % in the US, Europe, Japan, the Philippines and other countries without price controls, where consumers are paying in full for the doubling of crude price from $40 to $80 a barrel over the last year. Inflation is caused by faulty fiscal , monetary and trade policies, not by price decontrol.

Diesel and petrol have gone up around 5%, which is hardly sensational. Yet Indian politicians say the back of the common man will be broken.

Really? Between 1970 and 1973, crude went up from $1.20 a barrel to $3.65 a barrel, and this tripling was passed on in full to the Indian consumer. Then Opec became an effective oil cartel in 1973-74 , and oil shot up to $10 a barrel . Once again, the Indira Gandhi government passed on the rise to the consumer . Obviously it hurt. But the economy adjusted, and agriculturists did not commit suicide.

Next came the second oil shock of 1980. Crude tripled from $10 a barrel to $30 a barrel. Again, Indira Gandhi passed on almost all the burden to the consumer. Once again, the consumer adjusted , with no economic collapse or impoverishment.

Indeed, poverty started falling for the first time after Independence . Leftists claimed that farmers would be decimated. In fact, the green revolution spread fast after the first oil shock of 1973-74 , and again after the second oil shock of 1980. Higher petrol and diesel prices went hand in hand with falling poverty and rising farm production.

Communists are the biggest critics of higher prices, claiming that these are an artificial creation of speculation by ‘international financial capital’.

This is eerily Hitlerian. Hitler too claimed that the global economy was controlled and distorted by financiers, who were mainly Jews, and so resorted to mass murder of Jews. Communists perpetrated mass murder of another sort, based on class rather religion, but with as little moral or factual basis.

To be fair, communists are not alone in blaming financial speculation for artificially driving up oil prices. The trading volume of oil futures and derivatives has skyrocketed in the last decade, when prices too skyrocketed before nosediving. Academic studies have investigated the possibility that financial speculation made oil prices especially high and volatile.

But these studies failed to establish a link. Other commodities like iron ore, coal, uranium and cobalt are traded for physical delivery only in the spot market , and have no derivative markets.

Yet, the prices of iron ore and coal proved if anything more volatile than that of oil. Iron ore shot up from $40 to over $200 a tonne in the boom.

Why so? Well, 2004-08 witnessed the mother of all booms, with world GDP growing at a record rate. Environmental and safety clearances made the opening of new mines a lengthy process. Hence, commodity supplies could not keep up with demand, and enormous price spikes were the result. The oil price spike was not exceptional. For every financial seller there was necessarily a buyer too, so speculation did not create one-way trends.

Why has trading in oil futures and derivatives skyrocketed? Some of it is pure speculation. But much trading is now related to risk management, both by suppliers and consumers, who hedge against adverse developments by locking in future prices. This constitutes a rational form of insurance. Communists who condemn this blindly as ‘international financial capital speculation’ are simply exposing their ignorance.

These comrades need bogeymen to justify their life-long defence of communist murder and torture in pursuit of a bankrupt economic ideology. Rather than learn from the collapse of the Soviet Union, they would rather use old, hollow slogans to justify the unjustifiable. When exposed by newspapers like this one, they have no factual reply, but repeat empty slogans about the pink press being the voice of international financial capital. How pathetic!
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The purpose of life is to be happy “People spend a lifetime searching for happiness and looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within,” said Ramona Anderson. Almost all people long and seek for well-being, contentment, and a state of tranquility we call happiness. The search for happiness starts and ends within us. In all of these concerns, one great question exists: What then is the purpose of life? “The purpose of life is the expansion of happiness,” according to Maharishi Yogi. If we stop and think about it clearly, the purpose of life is to be happy. From the very heart of our being, we simply desire complete and lasting happiness. This does not only mean we should be contented with life, but we must also appreciate life itself. It is also important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness. In summary, here are the ten keys to happiness: 1. Learn to appreciate simple things and manage desires. 2. Happiness is found within us. It is in the choices that we make. 3. Attitude, attitude, attitude! How we react and deal with life’s challenges spell the difference between happiness and misery. 4. Happy feelings are results of happy thoughts. 5. Happiness is a way of life. 6. Happiness is mostly created, and rarely given. 7. Learn to avoid or overcome factors that contribute to unhappiness. 8. We take responsibility for our own happiness. 9. Happiness is enhanced by the feelings of love and appreciation! 10. Happy people celebrate and appreciate life every day. Happiness is theirs for keeps.
Savor the beauty of life. Live to the fullest. Make each day a happy day!
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Haste makes waste:
In brief it simply means that rushing to complete a task may result in errors and consequently requires correction. The result being that the task required more time so that your haste to complete it was not practical.
Haste makes waste.

“Haste makes waste” which is an old saying accepted almost by everyone. Some people are prone to do the tasks as quickly as they can but then they realize that everything got wrong. From my point of view, we should not do things precipitately but instead we should act carefully.

For a start, haste makes us lose our attention. The main reason is that we only think about consequences of our aim when we act quickly. So eventually it may result in unpleasant and dangerous events. For instance, researchers have recently shown that about ninety six percent of car accidents are caused by fast driving. Sometimes drivers think that they may get faster to their desirable place but this belief may pull them into a grave rather than their location.

Secondly, people are no able to effectively use their mind when they conduct tasks faster. In other words, our brain cannot implement some commands in a very short time. For example, I had a major English test three months ago which I did not do very well on it. There were twenty questions and twenty minutes to finish. So I decided to write faster as I could. After accomplishing I was feeling as if I had written very well but when I received my grade I was shocked. There were also many questions that I missed since I had not seen them. Concisely, haste makes the things in opposite.

Last but not least, haste can even pull us into a precipice. Since sometimes it is a big risk to make quick decisions. For one thing, a friend of my father worked in business. Everything was good. But he suddenly became bankrupt because of the issue which he resolved in a very short time.

To sum up, time is going and it never stops but it does not indicate that we are supposed to do things quickly. Also it is worth to mention that haste can pull us into unpredictable outcomes so we should act slowly and carefully if we consider our bright future.
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The purpose of flashmobs
A flash mob (or flashmob)[1] is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression.[2][3][4] Flash mobs are organized via telecommunications, social media, or viral emails.[5][6][7][8][9]
The term, coined in 2003, is generally not applied to events and performances organized for the purposes of politics (such as protests), commercial advertisement, publicity stunts that involve public relation firms, or paid professionals.[7][10][11] In these cases of a planned purpose for the social activity in question, the term smart mobs is often applied instead.
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All things are difficult before they are easy

Meaning: The implication is that we should be patient with learning, and with learners. It takes time to learn to do things. What seems easy to us now may have been difficult at first.
When first we try to ride a bicycle we are quite sure that we shall never do anything but fall off, but as we go on practicing, the whole thing becomes so easy that we wonder why we ever had any difficulty at all.
Everything is hard when you start. But for longer practice and learning, it will be on your finger tips.
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Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured (synthetic) fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modified organisms,[1] human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials.[2]
Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972.[3] IFOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as:
"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved..."
—International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements[4]
Since 1990, the market for organic products has grown from next to nothing statistically, reaching $55 billion in 2009 according to Organic Monitor (www.organicmonitor.com). This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland which has grown over the years 2001-2011 at a compounding rate of 8.9% per annum.[5] As of 2011, approximately 37,000,000 hectares (91,000,000 acres) worldwide were farmed organically, representing approximately 0.9 percent of total world farmland (2009).[6]
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To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people only exist.
This is a short essay based of Wilde's quotation hope you fine it interesting.[pic]
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”(Oscar wilde)
Nowadays people kill themselves to eke out a living, improve their living conditions or keep their high standard of living, but they forget to live. A Scottish proverb says; "be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead." In fact, people don’t live, but they survive each day, for they are too busy, too tired, too stressed and too worried to really enjoy the pleasures of life. Everyone says; “time flies.” Thus, hours become days and days become years and years become a wasted precious life, and what for? Of course, for a better living.
It’s believed that to be successful in life and improve your conditions you have to work hard and never stop, because if you stop, another person will come and take your place. Besides, as the present society demands a lot of effort to survive and keep a decent living, pleasures are the first thing to be put off when wanting to achieve any goal. However, if you postpone your enjoyment until you have time, money and/or proper conditions arrive that time may never come or come too late and your priceless life will be wasted.
The strains of modern life force people to live in such a hurry that they don’t even have time to enjoy the beautiful world we live in. People forget to take delight of the bonny things nature provides us. It costs no money and takes almost no time. "This world, after all our science and sciences, is still a miracle; wonderful, magical and more, to whosoever will think of it." - Thomas Carlyle.
Being ambitious, human beings always want more than what they actually need or would really enjoy like a collector. People accumulate things for others to enjoy them, for they value their lives by the things they possess, which is a quite sad way of appreciating life since they’ll never be satisfied. “The true perfection of man lies not in what man has, but in what man is.” Oscar Wilde.
If people at bedtime review of the day ask themselves how much they delight the day, they’ll probably conclude that they miss another chance of feeling alive. Responsibilities are absolutely necessary as well as a job and material things, but life goes beyond that. How many people at their deathbed regret for not taking the opportunities they had to live, to have adventures and experiences? There is nothing better than to look back your past and be able to say; “I lived and lived very well. I made mistakes and I learned from them.”
Additionally, there is the other group of people who have all the time of the world to have a life, but they prefer to mind other’s business. Gossip people’s lives are so empty, so tasteless, and so dead that they just exist and, what is worse, they don’t know how to live.
In conclusion, our time is not eternal. Each second, minute, hour, day we waste is gone forever. To overwork for something you won’t enjoy is as silly as having the opportunity to live but to prefer to exist in order to talk about the ones who do live. Once we value more what we are than what we have, maybe our goals would change and feel what to be alive means. Thus, after feeling really alive, our life will be neither empty nor wasted but full of precious experiences.
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Impact of Coalition governments on the progress of the nation
A coalition government (known in the United States as a fusion administration) is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate, reducing the dominance of any one party within that coalition. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament. A coalition government might also be created in a time of national difficulty or crisis, for example during wartime, or economic crisis, to give a government the high degree of perceived political legitimacy, or collective identity it desires whilst also playing a role in diminishing internal political strife. In such times, parties have formed all-party coalitions (national unity governments, grand coalitions). If a coalition collapses, a confidence vote is held or a motion of no confidence is taken.

In many democratic countries, such as Germany, France, Australia, India, Israel and Italy, government by a coalition of political parties is considered normal. Often in such countries there are many political parties with a significant level of popular support in elections.

This means no one party usually can gain more than 30% of the seats in the parliament or national assembly, so it is necessary for several parties to come together to form a viable government, generally under the premiership of the leader of the largest party involved.

In other states, such as the UK, USA and Japan, there are fewer significant political parties and coalitions are rare, as after an election a winning party is able to form an effective government without any help from others.

This debate is closely related to issues of voting reform, as countries with some form of proportional representation tend to have more political parties in parliament than those that use a first-past-the-post system, and so are more likely to have coalition governments.

A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate.

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Sometimes answers are simple to complicated questions
I agree. This means that oftentimes we know what the problem is, but we don't know what the solution is. In other words, we can see where we need to go, but we don't know how to get there. ...
"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are complex."

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one hundred percent."

"I'm afraid sometimes you'll play lonely games too, games you can't win because you'll play against you."
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